Senate delays bill governing
use of jail store profits
At the request of Sen.
Benjamin J. Lambert III, D-Richmond, the Senate has delayed consideration
of a bill stating that the profits from jail stores are public money,
the Richmond Times-Dispatch
reported.
Sen. Kenneth W. Stolle,
R-Virginia Beach, introduced the bill in response to a Times-Dispatch
article about Richmond Sheriff Michelle B. Mitchell’s use of
money from the jail store. Mitchell used the money to buy a $525 PalmPilot,
campaign re-election photos and an expensive membership to the Bull
and Bear club.
Stolle's bill would clarify
that the jail store proceeds are public money and make it a felony
to use the revenues for private purchases.
Lambert said he wanted
to hear from Mitchell before taking up the bill.
Stolle must receive unanimous
consent from the Senate to introduce the bill because the deadline
for presenting legislation was Jan. 18.
Expect sludge-slinging
at a legislative hearing tonight
At 7 p.m. tonight, a Senate
agriculture subcommittee will hold a public meeting on a bill that
would give localities the power to ban or regulate the spreading of
sludge on farm fields, according to the Richmond
Times-Dispatch.
Supporters of the bill
say sludge stinks.
Motor-vehicle
bill aims to thwart identity thieves
Identity thieves could
no longer steal drivers' licenses to obtain Social Security numbers,
under a bill passed yesterday by the House of Delegates, The
Lynchburg News & Advance reported.
The bill is sponsored by
Delegate Kathy Byron, R-Campbell County. It would end the Department
of Motor Vehicles' practice of placing Social Security numbers on
drivers' licenses unless the driver requests otherwise.
Currently, the DMV uses
Social Security numbers as the license number unless the driver specifically
requests a different identifying number.
