insidenova.com
By: Keith Walker | Inside NoVA
Published: January 13, 2012

RICHMOND, Va. --

The bills have been filed at the Virginia General Assembly and are on their way to committees.

During the 2012 session Prince William legislators aim to make texting while driving illegal, improve voter registration for overseas military personnel, institute a uniform grading policy for schools across the state and legalize hunting on Sundays, among other things.

Del. Rich Anderson, R-51st, is chief patron of House Bill 1053 that would make it illegal to text or read text messages while operating a moving vehicle.

Anderson’s HB 1060 would require that law enforcement officers ask every person taken into custody if he was born in a country other than the U.S. or if he is a citizen of a country other than the U.S.

The bill would also allow judges to hold people without bail if the judge believes that the person is an illegal immigrant who would not show up for a hearing.

Anderson also introduced HB 1052 that would remove the prohibition against carrying firearms and other weapons in air carrier airport terminals. The bill retains the prohibition against carrying explosives in such areas.

Anderson’s HB 1057 would facilitate registration and absentee voting for military and overseas voters and would include authorization for pilot programs, secure electronic ballot delivery and other reforms.

Del. Mark L. Dudenhefer,R-2nd, introduced a bill that would require the Virginia Board of Education to “establish a statewide grading policy.”

Dudenhefer also introduced HB 728 which if passed will allow jurisdictions to determine impact fees at any time before a building permit is issued. Under current law, the amount of the impact fee must be determined before or at the time of site plan or subdivision approval.

Dudenhefer’s HB 731 would allow jurisdictions to hold developers to account for the quality of streets in a development until the streets are accepted by a state agency, local government or other public authority.

The bill would also allow jurisdictions to withhold building or occupancy permits if a developer hasn’t completed the streets to a degree that they can be accepted into state or local transportation systems.

Del. L.Scott Lingamfelter, R-31st, introduced HB 940, which would eliminate the prohibition on purchasing more than one handgun in a 30-day period.

Lingamfelter’s HB 921 would allow any person with a hunting license to hunt on Sunday.

His HB 925 expands the “Castle Doctrine” which allows people to protect themselves in their homes.

The bill would allow the use of lethal force against a home intruder “who has committed an overt act against him or another person in the dwelling, without civil liability.”

Del. Luke Torian, D-52nd, also introduced HB 404 which would make it illegal to send or receive text messages while driving.

Torian’s HB 406 would give local governments the authority to provide local incentives and regulatory flexibility to defense contractors who locate in a “defense production and support services zone” established by a locality.

Torian’s HB 407 would establish a Metrorail Improvement District to provide a means of financing commuter rail extensions from Fairfax County to Prince William County.

Complete copies of the bills can be found here.


Senior reporter Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751

. Prince William County's legislators file bills | InsideNova