New Va. laws in effect: higher speeds, guns in bars

In a year dominated by a $4 million budget shortfall, state lawmakers still managed to pass roughly 900 bills that take effect today. The measures run the gamut from seat belts to guns to the promotion of offshore drilling to economic development.

Here's a selection of the highlights:

Firearms

• Handgun owners who previously have been issued a concealed carry permit may now submit a renewal application by mail rather than appearing in person. (HB 8, SB 3)
• Individuals with concealed carry permits can bring their firearms to a restaurant that serves alcohol so long as they don’t imbibe. Bringing a concealed weapon into a bar was not permitted under the old law. (HB 505, SB 334)
• People who are lawfully carrying firearms can store them in a container inside their personal vehicle. (HB 885)
• Individuals denied a concealed carry permit by a court may now appeal that decision at a hearing (HB 871, SB 533). Anyone convicted of drunken driving or public drunkenness outside Virginia within three years may not receive a concealed carry permit. (SB 501)
• Residents may now buy a lifetime hunting or fishing license at a reduced cost for a child younger that 2 years old (SB 289).

On the Roads

• The speed limit on certain highways may now increase from 65 to 70 mph. The first change is expected to be announced today for Interstate 295, a highway that cuts through suburban Richmond. Still under consideration is the stretch of I-64 from the New Kent-Henrico county line to Jefferson Avenue in Newport News.
• Drivers will pay more for speeding: The penalty will increase from $5 to $6 for every mile per hour over the posted speed limit.
• Motorists captured on a traffic camera running a red light in Virginia Beach now have 30 days, rather than 60, to review images from the camera. (HB 1292)
• A license plate with the pro-choice slogan “Trust Women/Respect Choice” was approved. (SB 18) It comes after the legislature previously approved a pro-life plate that reads “Choose Life.”
• The Virginia Department of Transportation is instructed to accept and review unsolicited proposals for improvements to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. (HB 402)
• An expanded “move over” law requires drivers to move over one lane when they see towing, repair and highway maintenance vehicles that have amber-colored flashing lights. The law previously applied only to emergency vehicles.

Offshore Drilling

• Offshore drilling won the support of lawmakers, who voted to dedicate a majority of any future royalties to a state road fund. But that was before the disastrous Gulf of Mexico oil spill, which has stalled the expansion of drilling.

Elections

• This year, lawmakers amended state election law to require that registrars mail absentee ballots to voters within three days or face a criminal penalty. (HB 50)
• Absentee ballots must be prepared and available 45 days before an election (HB 1235, SB 55). Those changes were adopted in response to concerns that the votes of some Virginians living abroad, including military members, had gone uncounted in the past because absentee ballots weren’t mailed early enough.
• The state code also was updated to clarify that candidates or their staff members may not enter a polling place wearing political garb. (HB 220)

Public safety

• Sending profane, threatening or lewd mesages, texts or e-mails is now a Class 1 misdemeanor. 
• Fire marshals, their deputy assistants, and auxiliary police officers and deputy sheriffs are the latest public officials whose killings may now result in the death penalty (HB 166, HB 934, SB 520).
• Localities throughout the commonwealth now have the ability to restrict the distribution of leaflets, solicitation for donations or sale of goods on public roads, highways and medians. (HB 350, SB 35)
• A $10 fee increase for felony and misdemeanor convictions will raise money to support the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children units. (SB 620)

Economic development

• At Gov. Bob McDonnell’s urging, the legislature built into the budget nearly $50 million in financial incentives that can be used to recruit businesses to Virginia.
• In addition, McDonnell now has more flexibility to dole out money (HB 380, SB 475) and in whether to require local funding matches (HB 1244, SB 554).
• State economic development grants now can be used for the construction of private buildings for companies bringing significant number of jobs to Virginia (HB 1396, SB 739).
• A new fund will provide grants to localities developing sites to lure large companies to Virginia. (HB 1381, SB 730)
• Companies that create at least 50 new jobs – or 25, in economically distressed areas – are potentially eligible for $1,000-per-job tax credits. (HB 624, SB 472) The previous threshold was 100 jobs, 50 in disadvantaged areas.
• Lawmakers also established $500-per-job tax credits for companies that create high-paying green jobs (HB 803, SB 623) and motion picture credits for companies that spend at least $250,000 in Virginia shooting a film, television program or similar production. (HB 861, SB 257)

Teens

• Courts no longer have the power to grant restricted driving privileges to juveniles for travel to and from school if they have lost driving rights due to certain alcohol, firearm and truancy offenses. (HB 863)
• Teens younger than 18 must wear seat belts when riding in a car, even if they are occupying a rear seat. (SB 219)

Military

• Disabled active duty service members receiving treatment at a hospital in the state or a neighboring one can receive free Virginia fishing licenses good for one year. (HB 128)
• Burial vaults will be provided at cost to eligible veterans and their family members who are laid to rest at state-run veterans cemeteries. (HB 479)

Education

• McDonnell’s key education reform initiatives this year were approved by the General Assembly after some modification.
• Laws established guidelines for college laboratory schools and criteria for online school programs. (HB 1388, HB 1389, SB 736, SB 738)
• After much debate, the legislature also amended Virginia’s charter school law to modify the approval process with the aim of increasing the number of charters in the state. (HB 1390, SB 737)
• Contracts for purchasing textbooks approved by education officials now must include options for buying electronic texts as well as traditional texts. (HB 709)
• School systems must develop procedures to allow for makeups of tests or other classroom work missed by students absent due to a religious holiday. (SB 361)

General Assembly

• Ethics investigations of state legislators must be open to the public if there is sufficient reason to launch a formal probe into the conduct of an official. But complaints cannot be accepted or acted upon if submitted within 60 days of an election involving the subject of the allegation. (HB 655)
• Any investigation which finds that a member has violated state conflict of interest rules shall be referred to the attorney general for possible prosecution. (HB 933)
• Other ethics laws passed this year require that officials be more detailed in reporting real estate holdings (SB 430), and that General Assembly members report any salary in excess of $10,000 that they or immediate family members receive from a state or local government job. (HB 740, SB 512)

Medical

• Several bills (HB 10, SB 283, SB 311, SB 417) exempt Virginians from the individual insurance mandate in the federal health care overhaul package. The federal plan requires the uninsured to obtain coverage or face penalties.
• Education officials, including local school divisions, must develop policies and procedures to identify and address situations arising when student athletes suffer concussions. (SB 652)

Virginian-Pilot staff writer Cindy Clayton contributed to this report.