Area state delegates Vince Callahan (R-34) and James Scott (D-53) have sponsored more than 30 bills altogether during this session in the House of Delegates, which comes to a close next week.
Callahan’s biggest accomplishment was the consideration of HB1975, which proposes eliminating the death penalty for juvenile felons under the age of 18. The bill passed the House Committee on Justice and Courtson Jan. 31 by a vote of 22-0. The bill was passed through the Committee to the Crime Commission to be studied, but may be revised pending a Supreme Court decision in the case of Roper vs. Simmons, another case which argues that enforcing the death penalty on offenders under the age of 18 is unconstitutional.
Scott, who had a bill that would prevent certain juvenile offenders who committed crimes like kidnapping and rape, from ever being able to own a handgun, also had his bill win approval unanimously, by a vote of 40-0. The previous law stated that the restrictions would be lifted at age 29. The bill was also passed through the Senate without amendments and has been sent to the Governor’s office, pending signature to become law.
The last hurdle that remains is the finalization of the budget for 2005-2006.
“The main items of interest are budget items, like the transportation measure that passed the House, which is much better than the one that got passed in the Senate,” Scott said. “There’s also the $50 million for water quality improvement that we passed. Both items were not anticipated when we started.”
Regardless of how much money is allocated for transportation, Scott said it will simply not be enough to fund various projects that are desperately needed in Northern Virginia.
“The appropriations committee spent a good amount of time working on these issues,” Scott said.
All that remains is to pass the budget, which could happen as early as this week.
“The session is scheduled to close on the 26, but if the budget conferences agree on line items, there would be an earlier departure,” he said.