New Laws, New Lane Openings, and New Districts

With the season in full swing and students out of school, thousands of Virginians will be heading to the beach and other vacation destinations over the next several months.  For those heading south on I-95, there will be at least some reprieve:  A fourth lane from Springfield to Prince William is now complete, and will provide some relief when traffic is heavy.  Its debut was Independence Day weekend.

In other news, nearly all bills passed by the General Assembly last winter and subsequently signed by the Governor became law on July 1.  Some of the more notable ones include:

• Virginia Higher Education Opportunity Act.  This was a major session initiative which aims to create a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Public-Private Partnership, expand college access for more Virginia students, and re-calculate our universities' state funding share based on need.
• Increased DUI Penalties.  For those under 21 caught driving under the influence, punishment will include loss of license for one year and either a $500 minimum fine or 50 hours of community service.
• Transportation Bonds.  The General Assembly passed a transportation package, the main component of which is accelerated bond usage for road projects.  This proposal takes advantage of current low construction and interest costs but will likely leave the next administration little leeway for debt.
• Wine in Restaurants.  Virginia establishments now join those in other states that allow restaurant patrons to bring in their own bottles of wine to drink with dinner.
• Protective Orders.  I patroned this legislation, which will allow greater access to protective orders for those in dating relationships and others beyond immediately family.  The issue took on new resonance after a female UVA lacrosse player was killed by her abusive boyfriend last year.
• E-Verify.  Another major bill of the past session was my own, which requires that contractors doing business with the state ensure their employees are here legally via the E-Verify system.  I worked with the business community and members of both parties to get this legislation passed, overcoming three years of resistance.

One initiative that failed to make headway in Richmond was the Governor's proposal to privatize our ABC stores.  Legislation on the issue never made it to a vote in either chamber.  Gov. McDonnell has pledged to revive the issue next session.

Lastly, in a new development since my previous update, the Justice Department has approved our redrawn legislative maps as mandated by the Voting Rights Act.  Gov. McDonnell had signed them into law in April, and elections will proceed as scheduled this fall.

Please contact me anytime at SenatorBarker@gmail.com or (703) 303-1426.