CNS Briefs

HPV vaccine requirement delayed

A bill amending the requirement that girls receive a dose of human papillomavirus vaccine before the sixth grade was delayed this past week in a House of Delegates committee.

House Bill 89, submitted by Delegate Robert G. Marshall, R-Manassas, seeks to remove the require-
ment that girls receive the fi rst of three doses of the HPV vaccine before entering the sixth grade. The bill was delayed by voice vote in the House Health, Welfare and Institutions committee.

Marshall said there could be problems with implementing the vaccination program because of the monetary cost and because of unknown long-
term health effects caused by the vaccinations.

“This is not the best way to go,” Marshall said.

“This is overkill,” Marshall said.

Brief by Travis Lyle and Amanda Ladden-Stirling, CNS

Dodging the bullet on background checks

A House panel voted 15-7 on Friday to kill legislation to require criminal background checks on Virginians who want to buy fi rearms at gun shows.

The vote by the House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee was largely along party lines: 13 Republicans and two Democrats voted to “pass by indefi nitely,” or kill, the proposal; seven Democrats voted against that motion.

Parents and relatives of victims of last year’s Virginia Tech shootings urged legislators to close what they see as a loophole in gun laws. While federally licensed gun dealers must conduct criminal background checks on buyers, that requirement does not apply to gun-show vendors.

The committee held a hearing on two measures: House Bill 592, sponsored by Delegate Dave W. Marsden, D-Burke, and HB 745, by Delegate Chuck Caputo, R-Chantilly. According to summaries of the legislation, each bill “adds a defi nition of ‘fi rearms show vendor’ and requires that a criminal history record information check be performed on the prospective transferee before the vendor may transfer fi rearms at a gun show.”

Brief by Mary Boyd

Virginia black caucus releases agenda

The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus announced its 2008 General Assembly policy objectives, which include economic opportunity, voting rights, equal educational access, health promotion, homelessness and a fair criminal justice system.
“The policy objectives are true to the caucus’ stated mission of voicing the legislative concerns of people of color and other historically under-rep-
resented groups throughout the commonwealth,” said Delegate Dwight C. Jones, D-Richmond, who also serves as the VLBC chairman.

“Our number one budget priority continues to be funding for the proton-beam-treatment facility in Hampton Roads,” Jones said. “The caucus is united in its support for ending payday-loan abuses and expanding the commonwealth’s pre-K education programs as recommended by the governor.”

“Reforming our mental health system is a bipartisan priority following last year’s tragedy at Virginia Tech,” McEachin, said. “We are pleased that the black caucus can provide leadership on this important issue.”

Brief by Stacy Tyler

Harsher penalties introduced for dog fi ghting Harsher penalties for animal-fi ghting rings and their spectators have been introduced to the 2008 General Assembly session, but there’s also another animal-rights bill on the agenda championed by many of the commonwealth’s animal lovers.

House Bill 5 bans the practice of using gas chambers to euthanize animals, and proponents say the bills stand a good chance of passing.

“It’s a slam dunk for passage this year,” said Donald Marro, a member of Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare.

Gas chambers are used as a form of euthanasia. Animals, usually several at a time, can be placed in a chamber that then is fi lled with a gas, such as carbon monoxide.

In theory, the gas painlessly kills the animals inside. Generally, the process has been used by shelters that do not have the staff to utilize quicker means of euthanasia, such as injection, or to handle animals that are not used to human touch or handling.

Brief by William Babb