At Least Four of LeMunyon’s Bills Will Pass

Capital News Service

RICHMOND — As the 2011 legislative session enters its final week, the General Assembly has passed four measures proposed by Del. Jim LeMunyon (R-67th District) and five more of his bills are still alive.

In recent weeks, the Senate joined the House in passing:

• House Bill 2003, which requires the state to keep its land-holding records up to date, accurate and complete. It also requires that some proceeds from the sale of state-owned land be used to fund transportation improvements.

• HB 2004, which requires government officials to provide more information before holding public hearings or elections on issuing bonds. Government agencies would have to provide details about how they would use the money.

• HB 2006, which clarifies the process for when state agencies review how their regulations impact small businesses. The goal is “to minimize the economic impact of regulations on small businesses.”

In addition, on a 63-32 vote, the House passed LeMunyon’s House Joint Resolution 64, which would make delegates’ voting records more accessible on the General Assembly’s website in 2012. Del. Mark Keam (D-35th District) was a co-patron on the bill.

“It should be easy for citizens to find out how elected officials vote on their behalf,” LeMunyon said. “I was the first member of the Virginia House or Senate to post my voting record on my website.”

Of the five LeMunyon bills still in play, one is currently up for a vote in the Senate: HB 2001 would require the Virginia Department of Transportation to expedite the development of “quiet pavement technology.”

Three of LeMunyon’s House-approved bills are before the Senate Finance Committee: HB 1998 (which establishes responsibilities for long-range transportation planning for VDOT in the Northern Virginia Transportation District); HB 1999 (which revises criteria for allocating revenues to highway projects in Northern Virginia); and HB 2000 (which concerns appointments to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors).

Moreover, the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections is considering LeMunyon’s House Joint Resolution 542, which urges adoption of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution making it easier for states to repeal a federal law or regulation.

The House voted 59-34 in favor of the resolution last month.

Two other LeMunyon bills that had cleared the House have died in the Senate. The Senate Rules Committee killed HB 2007, which concerned the Virginia Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation. And the Senate Education and Health Committee killed HB 2009, which, with certain restrictions, would have allowed students to attend any local public school even if they don’t live in the school’s attendance zone.

Five bills introduced by LeMunyon this session died in committees in the House. They included proposals to let school districts start classes before Labor Day and to require gun shows to display materials developed by the Virginia State Police.

LeMunyon recently invited his constituents to participate in an online survey on several of those legislative issues and other matters. More than 500 people responded.
The survey showed:

• About three-fourths of the respondents favored allowing schools to open before Labor Day and letting students attend any local school they wanted (as long as there’s room and the families provide transportation).

• 68 percent support term limits for state legislators.

• 40 percent say they believe Virginia gun laws are “about right,” 39 percent say Virginia needs more restrictions, and 21 percent say Virginia needs less restrictions.

• 56 percent support the so-called “repeal amendment” to the U.S. Constitution.

• 57 percent say the state should prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation.

• Two-thirds believe Virginia should keep the amendment in the state Constitution that bans same-sex marriage.

To see the complete results of the survey conducted by Delegate Jim LeMunyon, visit www.lemunyon.com.