The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
New laws to ease absentee voting for military members stationed outside Virginia and allow uniformed active-duty personnel to drive in local high-occupancy-vehicle lanes were among the 17 bills signed by Gov. Bob McDonnell during a ceremony at the state Capitol on Thursday.
Flanked by lawmakers, McDonnell told a small crowd of former military members assembled at the Capitol's south portico that each of the bills is a step toward making Virginia the most veteran-friendly state in the nation.
Among those present was Heath Calhoun, a veteran with Southwest Virginia ties whose legs were amputated above the knee after he was injured by a 2003 explosion in Iraq.
McDonnell, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, called the Purple Heart recipient a hero for his sacrifice and service.
After months of treatment at a military hospital, Calhoun had to learn mobility using prosthetic limbs, according to an account on his personal website.
"It's been a long road to get here, seven years after being injured," Calhoun said.
McDonnell signed bills from Virginia Beach Republican Dels. Chris Stolle, Ron Villanueva and Sen. Jeff McWaters permitting uniformed service members to use HOV lanes on Interstates 64 and 264 when traveling to and from base, regardless of the number of occupants in the vehicle.
He also endorsed legislation clarifying that absentee ballots must be available at least 45 days before any election. In past years, there have been complaints and litigation over how far in advance of an election ballots must be available under state law.
Other bills he signed provide free state fishing licenses to disabled, active-duty military personnel and enhance laws governing re-employment and health insurance rules for certain military members called to duty.
The governor also signed legislation that blocks home-owners associations from prohibiting residents from properly flying an American flag on their property.
That bill was inspired by Col. Van T. Barfoot, a Medal of Honor recipient who last year clashed with officials of a Henrico County homeowners group after being told a flagpole on his property violated association rules and needed to be removed. The group later dropped its opposition to his flag.
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
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No Complaining
Decisions are made by those who show up!
The time for debating these bills is over. As of July 1st, they are law. If you really cared and disagreed that much, you should have contacted your state legislators while they were in session and voiced your opinion. If you didn't do anything to affect their votes, then you shouldn't complain about the results.
If you did voice your opinion but didn't get your desired result, then November 2nd is election day and you can have your say then too.
HOV LANE USAGE FOR MILITARY
Although the governor has signed legislation that approves military in uniform to use the HOV lanes, it cannot go into effect until it has been approved by the Federal Highway Administration and have federal legislation changed. Congressman Cantor has submitted legislation for the change but until it has gotten through those two hurdles it cannot be enacted here locally.
Unless the FBI starts
Unless the FBI starts conducting traffic stops on these HOV lanes I think we'll be okay... I bet that the State Police will listen to the Governor before the Federal Highway Administration. Could be wrong though...
Just asking
but could some of these, like the flag flying law and the HOV part, be considered discrimination based on military or veteran status? I thought that was against the law? Can someone clarify? Also, aren't laws benefitting one group over another unconstitutional?
I think that the HOV law may
I think that the HOV law may benefit everyone... The fact that military members in uniform will be able to drive in the HOV lanes regardless of how many people are in the car will remove vehicles from the regular traffic lanes... smoother traffic all around. HOV is a bust anyway. We have the lanes, and there are STILL too many cars on the road. HOV doesn't work. At least we can balance out the traffic flow a little.
Affirmative Action
I guess not be cause nobody has struck down affirmative action yet. Also, military with leave papers or orders in hand may not be subject to random bag searches at the air terminal gate. That hasn't been struck down either. As far as I know, race, religion, age and gender are the only constitutionally protected personal attributes.
Non veterans can fly the flag, also.
There is nothing in the law that says it has to be a veteran flying the flag. As far as HOV usage goes, the Federal Government has discriminated against single occupancy and commercial vehicles when creating HOV lanes. The HOV lanes were paid for with our taxes but we can only use them with permission. Allowing military in uniform to use them was propsed to help aleviate traffic. Is it discriminatory? File a lawsuit and find out. The DOT still has to approve the Virginia law.
Good Start!
This is a good start, but it doesn't go far enough. I recommend new legislation to require grocery stores, department stores and the like provide head of the line check out privileges for military in uniform. An exemption from all sales taxes and property taxes is also fair. All annual vehicle registration fees should be waived and personalized military style license plate registration should be free. Also if military choose to send their children to private school the state should provide a refund for their children's education costs. Additonally all of Virginia's public universities should be required to admit any military child who applies for admission, tuition and all expenses should be waived. Our hero's provide so much to defend our freedoms and the American way of life that they should be richly rewarded in turn for their sacrifice.
Turn down your sarcasm.
You might want to save some of your sarcasm for the week end. We serve voluntarily and taxes, right or wrong, are part of life.
Good ideas, but
"I recommend new legislation to require grocery stores, department stores and the like provide head of the line check out privileges for military in uniform." Only uniforms allowed for off base shopping for Navy are Dress Blues/Whites/Khakis. Marines have similar rules. This might benefit the Army and Air Force tho.
"An exemption from all sales taxes and property taxes is also fair." I disagree with this idea. I don't have a problem paying sales tax and property tax since they benefit the community I live in. I've lived in Nofolk going on 8 years now and Hampton Roads for almost 10 years of my 15 year career. No matter where you go, you've got to pay sales tax and property taxes. Those are just the cost of having government.
"All annual vehicle registration fees should be waived" If you're military and a resident of another state, this is the case. This should really apply to VA residents who are active duty, too.
"and personalized military style license plate registration should be free." Not sure about this one. Why? We use the roads just as non-military do, and if the costs of tags are supporting the roads, then we should be helping to pay for that.
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