- House Bill 1778 (Cosgrove)/Senate Bill 829 (Devolites-Davis), the "photo red" bill, gives localities the option of installing photo-monitoring systems to enforce traffic light signals. The Governor may submit a technical amendment that does not impact on the substance of the legislation. "This legislation allows local law enforcement to determine if, and where, cameras might help improve highway safety," Kaine said. "The research indicates this enforcement tool will help increase traffic flow, reduce accidents, and save lives."
- Senate Bill 1039 (O'Brien) prohibits the use of a cellular phone or other wireless device while driving by those with a provisional license or a learner's permit, except in an emergency and only when the vehicle is parked. "I believe this is a commonsense restriction on those new drivers who may be tempted to pay more attention to phone calls and text messages than the road, endangering themselves and other drivers," Kaine said.
- House Bill 2378 (Hamilton)/Senate Bill 1240 (Quayle) modernizes the role of the Health Department, emphasizing disease prevention, making quality, safety, and privacy the focus of state health care regulations, and strengthening emergency preparedness.
- House Bill 2106 (Carrico) eliminates the unnecessary requirement that a person with a valid concealed weapons permit submit fingerprints when applying to renew that permit.
Virginia Gov. Signs Tech-Related Bills
"I believe this is a commonsense restriction on those new drivers who may be tempted to pay more attention to phone calls and text messages than the road."
Among bills signed into law last week by Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine are a number of technology related items. They include:
