Richmond Roundup
March 18, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Richmond, VA
March 18, 2004
CONTACT: Sue Rafferty,
Legislative Assistant,(804)698-1047
Delegate Al Eisenberg issued the following Richmond Roundup on March 18, 2004
Dear Friends,
Last year, as I campaigned for election to the Virginia House of Delegates, I asked for your support. I so much appreciated your response at that time.
Now, as I conclude my first session in the General Assembly, I thought you would be interested in some of the efforts I have made on behalf of the 47th District and Arlington County.
Clearly, the crafting of a biennial budget, the most important duty of the General Assembly, has occupied substantial time, as we have debated the various budget proposals of the Governor, the State Senate, and the House of Delegates. During the time that the budget was before the House, I voted for amendments that sought to increase funds for education from K-12 to higher education, for teacher and police salary increases, transportation, Medicaid assistance, and environmental needs. Unfortunately, the Republican majority chose to defeat each and every amendment. The House-passed budget bill is based on the elimination of sales tax exemptions for major Virginia industries such as airlines and shipbuilders, with no analysis of how much money would be raised or how the loss of these tax exemptions would affect these companies and their employees.
As we reach the end of the 2004 Session of the General Assembly the budget negotiators are in complete disarray with the threat of a shut-down of state government looming should the Assembly fail to reach a budget agreement by July 1. The Governor may need to call a special session to resolve the budget crisis. Billions of dollars for critical investments in core needs hang in the balance.
I was assigned to two committees, the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources, and the House Committee on Science and Technology. On these committees, I successfully promoted Senator Mary Margaret Whipple's legislation to ensure that if Northern Virginia remained out of compliance with clean air standards, the state of Virginia, not the Federal government, could collect the penalty fees from polluting facilities. I was also a strong supporter of a fund to capture recordation fees to use for a new Natural and Historic Resources Fund to protect the Chesapeake and promote historic preservation, but, alas, the measure was ultimately dropped from the House Budget. On the Science and Technology Committee, I voted to ensure that our county libraries' plans for protecting children from inappropriate Internet sites properly balanced the information needs of adults and children in the library environment.
Among the measures I have championed are:
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Prohibitions against insurance companies that cancel homeowners' policies simply because they inquired about a claim. That bill was carried over to give the insurance companies time to develop an effective program to end this unfair practice.
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A new initiative to help frail, elderly people in multi-family buildings to remain independent by providing them with specially tailored packages of services to help them go about normal daily living and avoid nursing homes. This legislation will save substantial sums of Medicaid costs, and is now under consideration in a state health care study commission.
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A bill that the General Assembly enacted to prevent the unlawful sale of "veterans' grave markers." Typically these are metal devices with the symbol of the veteran's association on them. They are placed next to the tombstone. Some are as much as 130 years old. They are being stolen from cemeteries and are placed on Internet auction sites. Five other states have banned such sales.
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I introduced legislation to require the Department of Corrections to establish "family friendly" visiting spaces in state correctional facilities to promote greater family bonding. I was able to secure the Department's agreement to establish and fund a pilot program, without the need to enact a law.
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I proposed legislation to ban fifty caliber assault weapons, for sale in Virginia through the Internet, but not covered by the current assault weapons ban. These guns have twice the firepower of an AK-47 or an M-16, and can bring down an airplane. This capability seriously concerns the U.S. Air Force.
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I also introduced legislation that would ban the execution of individuals who committed capital crimes at age sixteen and seventeen. Only the U.S. and two other countries now apply such a penalty. In 2002, the only jurisdiction in the world to execute a juvenile was Texas. I secured 25 co-patrons of my bill-the largest ever gathered for such a measure in this state. The American Bar Association has indicated that this effort will play a role in arguments before the Supreme Court later this year to determine the constitutionality of such executions.
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Finally, I have helped pass added penalties for drunk driving and gang violence, and economic development measures for distressed areas.
Let me conclude by saying what an honor it is to serve the people of the 47th District. I thank you for your support and your trust. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of assistance.
Our Contact Information In Richmond: Phone: 804-698-1047; email:
del_eisenberg@house.state.va.us; website: www.aleisenberg.com. |
