Dead or alive: The Hook's legislative watch

Week 2 of the session and the number of bills the legislature considers has swollen to 2,462, according to Richmond Sunlight, while the body count of dead bills piles up.

Dead
Reversal of last year's mandatory abdominal ultrasound before an abortion– Sen. Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk)

Reversal of requirements that existing abortion clinics must meet hospital standards– Sen. Mark Herring (D-Loudoun)

Banning state funding for women on Medicaid to abort deformed fetuses with no chance of survival– Sen. Tom Garrett (R-Lynchburg)

Ban on the sale of assault weapons and mega-magazines– Del. Joe Morrissey (D-Highland Spring)

Background checks must be performed on every gun purchase, even through private parties– Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington)

Every school must have an armed staff member referred to the governor's School and Campus Safety Task Force– Del. Bob Marshall (R-Manassas)

Penning foxes or coyotes and allowing them to be killed by dogs is a Class 1 misdemeanor– Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Burke)

Alive (at press time)
Helen Dragas confirmation as rector of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors.

Texting while driving is a primary offense with an increased penality of $250– Del. Rich Anderson (R-Woodbridge)

Discrimination against state workers based on sexual orientation is illegal– Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) and Sen. Don McEachin (D-Richmond).

Armed security guards in schools and day care centers– Del. Mark Cole (R-Fredericksburg).

Limitations on use of drones– Del. Todd Gilbert (R-Woodstock) and Sen. Don McEachin (D-Richmond).

Privately owned drones willfully impeding hunting will be a Class 3 misdemeanor– Sen. Frank Ruff (R-Clarksville).

Health insurers must offer policies without contraception coverage– Del. Bob Marshall (R-Manassas).

Correction 1/29/13: Delegate Rich Anderson was incorrectly identified in the original version of this article.

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1 comment

Imagine, just for a moment, if McCain had won the election and there were thousands of drones bombing targets overseas and doing surveillance over the United States. What would these folks in Charlottesville be going bananas about right now? Can anyone remember all the way back to when they pretended to be "anti-war?" As in, a few days longer than 4 years ago?