Some of the laws that passed during this year's General Assembly session did so with little fanfare. Others gained lots of attention initially but received little follow-up—and one lawmaker sponsored two such bills. While you may not hear much about them now, they're likely to become hot topics in the near future since that lawmaker is running for higher office.
Senator Mark's Obenshain's voter ID bill was one of the most talked-about bills this session. It eliminates varying forms of identification without photos that were just approved last year. Democrats still argue that this bill is overreaching and disenfranchises voters. Obenshain says it is a common-sense bill that’s received broad support in some polls. But another bill that's headed to the Governor's desk revolves around the gun control debate.
"To keep confidential the concealed carry permit information which is another common sense privacy measure," he says.
This became a hot-button issue after Virginia and New York newspapers published the names of concealed-carry holders after the Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook shootings. Obenshain's bill prohibits circuit court clerks from publicly disclosing an applicant's name and other identifying information contained in a concealed handgun permit application. Obenshain is running for Attorney General, and he says these issues are part of the message that he wants to carry across Virginia as he moves into campaign mode.