This may be of interest not only to the Virginia residency but others as well.
I copied this off the website from our Virginia State Senator, Mark D. Obenshain in the 26th. district. He has a website that he publishes known as the Obenshain Report at
http://www.markobenshain.com/It has some interesting bills that come into law and I figured some of your may be interested in reading.....
Speed limits, for instance. Senate Bill 537 (Newman) authorizes posting interstate highways at 70 miles per hour (mph), up from 65 mph. But don't hit the accelerator just yet: traffic studies have to be conducted, and until you see the highway posted at 70 mph, you should continue to abide by the old speed limit.
Three identical Senate Bills - 283 (Quayle), 311 (Martin), and 417 (Vogel) - provide that Virginia residents shall not be required to obtain individual health insurance against their will, legislation that helps form the basis for Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's legal challenge to the "individual mandate" included in the recently enacted federal health care legislation.
Several notable bills related to the right to bear arms go into effect today. Until now, in the absence of a concealed carry permit, firearms in vehicles had to be carried openly or in plain sight. Under SB 408 (Vogel), it is now permissible for a person who may lawfully possess a firearm to secure it in a locked container or compartment in the vehicle, allowing greater safety and helping to guard against theft of weapons left in plain sight.
Another bill, SB 334 (Hanger), allows those with a concealed handgun permit to carry the handgun into restaurants provided that the individual does not consume alcohol. Some have criticized the notion that these individuals will refrain from drinking, but it's worth pointing out that individuals willing to flout the law are already carrying concealed weapons into restaurants. This law merely allows law-abiding citizens to do so as well. And rounding out the guns category, SB 3 (Smith) allows existing concealed handgun permit holders to submit their renewal applications by mail.
Furthermore, SJ 13 (Puller and Stuart) amends the constitution to exempt veterans with a full service-related disability from property taxation, and two other proposed constitutional amendments go before the voters as ballot referendums this November. Senate Bill 547 (Barker) would allow the General Assembly to authorize localities to establish their own financial worth limitations for the purpose of granting property tax relief to retired and disabled homeowners. Another referendum, created by HB 147 (O'Bannon), would increase the size of the Revenue Stabilization Fund - popularly known as the "Rainy Day Fund" - to provide for additional revenue to be set aside in good years to help the Commonwealth weather future economic downturns.
You can check out all he posted on the above link if interested. I edited this post and removed stuff that pertained to just Virginia.... the above items I think may have national implications in the future, we shall see.
