The following laws, passed by the Virginia General Assembly, go into effect July 1, 2009.
Ban reading or sending text messages or e-mails while driving. The texting ban is a secondary offense, meaning that individuals can be cited only after being stopped by police for another infraction. It carries a $20 fine for a first offense and a $50 penalty for subsequent violations. Full story
Allow voters to wear political T-shirts, buttons or other apparel to the polls. It became an issue after the Virginia State of Elections had prohibited voters from wearing apparel with political slogans or candidates' names at the polls on Election Day because of a state law that outlaws electioneering within 40 feet of the polling place. Full story | Related: Beach doesn't enforce ban
Prohibit stores from selling novelty cigarette lighters to those under 18. Del. Algie Howell, D-Norfolk, introduced the legislation when he learned of local fire officials’ concerns over the lighters, which often resemble toys. Full story
Allow courts to suspend the driver’s licenses of teens who miss 10 consecutive days of school. The law doesn't apply in cases where a student has withdrawn from school for reasons beyond the student's control, for transferring to another school or when the student's parent or guardian objects. Full story
Impose a 10 percent tax on pay-per-view movies in Virginia hotel rooms, with the money divided evenly between the general fund and a pool of money that provides incentives for filmmakers to shoot movies in Virginia. The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth. Full story
Bar public access to a statewide database of Virginians with permits to carry concealed handguns. The public still could get information on concealed carry permit holders at each circuit court. The bill was introduced after The Roanoke Times posted the state police database of permit holders on its Web site. Full story
Bar payday lenders from offering different types of loans in an effort to get around tough new restrictions placed on the short-term, high-interest loans. In reaction to a 2008 law, the majority of the state's 800 payday lenders had begun offering open-end loans, which are unregulated and have sky-high interest rates. Full story
A prohibition against driving certain mopeds, motorized scooters, electric-powered bicycles and wheelchairs on the highway. Restricted vehicles under this law are those with a top speed of less than 35 mph. Violators of the law face a $50 fine.
Two new laws targeting drunken drivers. One extends to 10 years from five the period of time within which a motorist convicted of a second drunken driving offense is required to have an ignition interlock installed in his or her vehicle. That device prevents a car from being started when an intoxicated driver breathes into it. The other law clarifies the penalty for driving without a required ignition interlock, making that offense a Class 1 misdemeanor. Convicted offenders also will lose their license for one year.
Also
• Several new specialty license plates, including an anti-abortion plate that bears the "Choose Life" slogan.
• A law allowing senior citizens to take safe-driving courses online.
• For a word cloud of this story, go to HamptonRoads.com/blogs/what’s-word.
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now folks
We should be very greatful for the hard work our GA has done, and we should be writing or calling with our thanks. NOT!
What's Next?
A plate that says: 'Marriage, One Man, One Woman'?
These are very opinionated subjects and should not be displayed on plates. It is bad enough driving thru town and seeing these bumper stickers on cars for BOTH subjects. I understand freedom of speech but neither of these subjects are illegal and for some they are a very touchy subject.
Dominion Power
What I find extremely upsetting is the fact that if you can't afford to pay your bill every month on time they tack on a security deposit. The security deposit is calculated by an average of your three highest monthly bills. After your security deposit is paid if you pay your bill late one month you lose it. It's ridiculous. I think thier should be laws against this type of billing. It's one thing if you get shut off and have to pay a security deposit. But to charge you one because you can't afford to pay on time every month is appalling.
We actually pay these clowns?
What a waste of tax money. These bunch of clowns sit up there and find more foolish things to make laws about. The DUI laws would be tough enough already if the COURTS would ENFORCE the EXISTING laws. The interstates and most freeways or expressways already have minimum speed limits, they just have to be enforced. Money grabbing Lucas wants to tax everything everywhere, why is she still in office? Why don't they do something constructive, like put TERM LIMITS on ALL elected and appointed seats of public trust. That's the way our founding fathers intended it to be. We are suppose to have CITIZEN POLITICIANS not CAREER POLITICIANS. It's time to stop the foolishness, it's time for government on all levels to get back to their CORE FUNCTIONS and leave all the charity and nice to haves to the PRIVATE sector.
need more tough laws!!!
In order to reach the perfect tyrannical communistic martial law society we are striving so hard for, we need a to hire a police officer to escort each and every citizen in america on a daily basis ready to arrest us for any infraction large or small. We need more of "Big Brother" to watch over us.......
How about links to the actual code?
The Virginia code is readily available online. How about actually linking to it? I'd rather read the actual law in addition to reading the Pilot's watered down interpretation.
Article terminology is misleading
For the law summary involving vehicles limited to 35 mph being prohibited from driving "on the highway", the previously quoted text is misleading. The new law actually states "any interstate highway component."
The state of Virginia defines a "highway" as a term to encompass several different types of roadways/routes/highways. Highways are roads labeled with a number less than or equal to 600 (there are a couple exceptions to this rule). Anyone could look at Google Maps to discover that being banned from driving on highways includes many more roads than just interstates and their other components.
Example:
route 406 (terminal blvd) is a highway yet i can drive a moped on it. 64 and 264 are interstate highways. Parts of route 460 are interstate highway (mostly bypasses for towns and cities) where as other parts are only a highway.
The law wasn't exactly written by geniuses either...
Case in point, it refers to "a gasoline, electric, or hybrid motor that displaces less than 50 cubic centimeters." Still trying to figure out how you measure the displacement on an electric motor.
can i get a license plater
Can I get a license plate,"Women's Right To Choose"?
Did you mean?
Did you mean a "Woman's right to kill"?
right to choose
Gertz, I am one of the staunchest supporters of your right to choose. But I'd be lying if I didn't believe that the right choice (in most cases) is life.
"Choose life" shouldn't be used or interpreted (or used) as an anti-abortion slogan. It's an acknowledgement of your right to choose.
This is not about standing up for a right to choose....
Then it should read Right To Choose...not Choose Life, that is absolutely pandering & campaigning to one side of the "choice". It should say "I Choose Life" with an alternative option being "I Choose My Right To Choose". Can we get the state to make a "Choose Death" or "Choose Abortion" or "Choose Against Life" ? The right to choose & the right to free speach swings both ways, at least it is supposed to...the next person who submits for a "Choose Gay" had better get it approved, after all it stands for a persons right to choose right ? Yeah Right !
You sure can!
Find 349 more people that want one and make it happen:
http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/pdf/platesponsor_special.pdf
thanks
I'll check it out.
Please do...
At least it will be a little easier spotting these murderers who support abortion for anything other than life threatening situations, rape, or incest. Besides, it shouldn't just be a "woman's" choice. It does take two, right?