Easy ridin’ could soon be a little easier in the commonwealth. Despite safety concerns, a bill to allow motorcyclists to ride side by side in a single lane passed the Virginia House of Delegates Friday. It’s now on to the Senate.
Motorcycle riders sometimes draw special attention from the law enforcement community, and they’re fighting back. Last spring, for instance, in connection with the annual Virginia Beach Bike Classic, city police set up a motorcycles-only checkpoint that resulted in some riders being ticketed for such offenses as wearing improper helmets, according to Matt Danielson, counsel to the Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists.
A skirmish over the ability of gays to adopt or provide foster care to children looms in the General Assembly this winter. On one side are faith-based child placement agencies seeking legal protection for a policy that effectively permits them to use their beliefs in prospective parent evaluations, meaning a candidate could be disqualified because of sexual orientation, among other factors.
A lively debate unfolded on the House floor Tuesday on the issue of proposed health care safety net cuts in Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposed biennial budget. Del. Robert H. Brink, D-Arlington, noted that the budget suggests a $5.4 million cut to safety net programs like free clinics and would slash funding by 50 percent in the budget’s second year.
A battle over whether child-placement agencies should be allowed to discriminate against prospective parents and children based on their sexual orientation has moved to the General Assembly. Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, has introduced legislation that would bar Virginia from contracting with or funding agencies that discriminate against children or otherwise eligible prospective foster or adoptive parents solely on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, family status, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.
As the General Assembly went back into session this week, the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors asked the county's representatives to keep the area's interests in mind. The supervisors adopted a list of legislative priorities at their Tuesday meeting. The topics were discussed by the panel last month when it met with Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock, and Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg.