This list won't be comprehensive, since there are so many dumb bills already being offered in the the Virginia General Assembly this year. Still, these are ten that jumped out at me as particularly stupid, short-sighted or mean-spirited. Note that the sponsors are all right-wing Republicans, with Bob Marshall's name figuring prominently in this Directory of Dumbness. I'll keep looking for stupid and/or heinous bills proposed by Democrats as well, but so far, the ones that have jumped out at me have overwhelmingly been by Big Brother Conservatives, aka "Republicans."1) Car tax relief. "Removes the cap on the overall amount of car tax relief beginning January 1, 2007, and gradually increases the amount of car tax relief to 100% of the reimbursable amount for qualifying vehicles over a six-year period." Introduced by Del. Dave "Booze" Albo (R-42).
2) Off-shore natural gas exploration. "Directs the Virginia Liaison Office to work with members of the State Congressional Delegation and executive agencies to develop and enact legislation or executive action that would provide an exemption to the existing moratorium on off-shore natural gas exploratory activity." Introduced by Del. Benjamin L. Cline (R-24).
3) Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); marriage. Provides for a referendum at the November 2006 election on approval of a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage. The proposed amendment provides that "only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political subdivisions." The proposed amendment also prohibits the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions from creating or recognizing "a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance, or effects of marriage." Further, the proposed amendment prohibits the Commonwealth or its political subdivisions from creating or recognizing "another union, partnership, or other legal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities, or effects of marriage." Introduced by Del. Bob Marshall (R-13); Chief Co-Patron Del. John Cosgrove (R-78).
4) Action for wrongful death; pre-born child. "Creates a cause of action for the wrongful death of a pre-born child." Introduced by Del. Bob Marshall (R-13)
5) Driver's licenses; all examinations to be in English, interpreters in connection with prohibited. "Requires that all examinations of applicants for driver's licenses be conducted exclusively in the English language. Use of interpreters in connection with driver's license examinations is prohibited." Introduced by Del. Daniel W. Marshall (R-14).
6) Unmarried women; prohibition on provision of certain intervening medical technology. " No individual licensed by a health regulatory board shall assist with or perform any intervening medical technology, whether in vivo or in vitro, for or on an unmarried woman that completely or partially replaces sexual intercourse as the means of conception, including, but not limited to, artificial insemination by donor, cryopreservation of gametes and embryos, invitro fertilization, embryo transfer, gamete intrafallopian tube transfer, and low tubal ovum transfer." Introduced by Del. Bob Marshall (R-13).
7) Marriage licenses; requires parties contemplating marriage to choose one of two types. "Requires the parties contemplating marriage to choose one of two types of marriage license: a license with grounds for divorce or a license without grounds for divorce. A license with grounds for divorce requires the parties to prove either adultery, a felony conviction, or cruelty to be granted a divorce. A license without grounds for divorce allows the parties to get a divorce based on any grounds including living separate and apart for the requisite time currently allowed under the law." Introduced by Del. Bob Marshall (R-13)
8) Identification of gamete donors. "Prohibits the use of unrelated anonymous donor oocyte or sperm in the performance of intervening medical technology that completely or partially replaces sexual intercourse as a means of conception and requires, notwithstanding any traditional practice, agreement, regulation, or law to the contrary, the identity of any unrelated oocyte or sperm donor to be noted in the health record of any woman patient whenever any healthcare practitioner licensed by a health regulatory board uses any unrelated donor gametes in the performance of or while assisting in the performance of such intervening medical technology, such as artificial insemination by donor, cryopreservation of gametes and embryos, in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, gamete intrafallopian tube transfer, and low tubal ovum transfer." Introduced by Del. Bob Marshall (R-13)
9) Alcoholic beverage control; privileges of certain retail on-premises licensees. "Authorizes hotels, restaurants, clubs, and farm wineries (retail on-premises licensees) to permit a patron who has purchased a bottle of wine from the licensee for on-premises consumption to remove from the licensed premises the unconsumed portion of the wine upon the patron's departure to his private residence or other private accommodations provided that (i) the unconsumed portion of the wine remains in the original bottle, (ii) the seal of the bottle of wine is reattached in a reasonably secure manner by the licensee, and (iii) the bottle of wine is removed and transported in a manner consistent with Virginia law and Board regulations." Introduced by Del. Dave "DWI Attorney" Albo (R-42), also known as the "Drink the rest of your bottle of wine while driving home from the restaurant" bill.
10) Abortion performed on child under age 15; penalty. "Requires the preservation and testing of fetal tissue for the purpose of determining whether the pregnancy is the result of criminal behavior. Failure of a physician to comply the requirements is unprofessional conduct and a Class 4 misdemeanor." Introduced by Sen. Ken Cuccinelli (R-37th).
Any others I missed? I'm sure there are many. Thanks.