SENATE PASSES BILL TO START DATABASE OF OXYCONTIN USERS

RICHMOND - The Senate passed legislation Monday creating a database to help
police track users of OxyContin and other frequently abused prescription drugs.

The bill's future looks bleak, however. A House of Delegates committee has
already rejected for this year identical legislation because of cost and
civil rights concerns.

Senate Bill 425, sponsored by Sen. William Wampler Jr., R-Bristol, would
allow the creation of a prescription-monitoring database to try to root out
addicts who "doctor shop," or pose as injured patients to numerous
physicians to get multiple prescriptions. Law enforcement officers
throughout Southwest Virginia and much of the rest of Appalachia are
reporting serious doctor shopping problems, especially for the pain killer
OxyContin.

Dispensers of the drug would have to report, among other things, the name,
address and birth date of the drug recipient, the amount of the drug given
out, and the prescriber and dispenser's identification numbers.

To help pay for the program's implementation, Wampler is seeking federal
money, which he hopes will help persuade some of the House committee
members to support his bill.

Shuler Fails To Get House Approval For Montgomery Public Defender's Office

Blacksburg Democrat del_shuler@house.state.va.us Jim Shuler tried
unsuccessfully Monday to get authorization from the House of Delegates to
create a public defender's office in Montgomery County.

Shuler tried to amend a bill (HB 242) authorizing the establishment of a
public defender's office in Norfolk, hoping to include Montgomery County,
but the House shot down the amendment by a vote of 58-30.

The Senate has already passed a bill sponsored by Sen. (a
href="mailto:MMarye@sov.state.va.us"Madison Marye(/a), D-Shawsville, to
create a public defender's office in Montgomery County. The Senate passed
an identical bill last year, but the measure was killed in the House Courts
of Justice Committee.

Shuler tried to amend a bill sponsored by Norfolk Republican Thelma Drake
in case the Courts of Justice Committee again kills Marye's bill.

Del. Dave Nutter, R-Christiansburg, voted against Shuler's amendment,
citing a (a href="http://www.runet.edu"Radford University(/a) study that
indicated Montgomery's system of court-appointed attorneys for indigent
clients was working. Shuler cited a state crime commission study that
indicated a public defender's office would be a cost-effective alternative.

Members of the Radford-Montgomery Bar Association oppose the creation of a
public defender's office, preferring to maintain the county's current system.

Senate Committee's Amendment Puts In God We Trust' In Secular Context

Legislation requiring Virginia public schools to post signs saying "In God
We Trust" advanced to the Senate floor Monday after a committee amended the
bill to put the message in a more secular context.

The Education and Health Committee voted 9-6 to endorse the bill, sponsored
by Sen. Nick Rerras, R-Norfolk. The Senate will vote on the bill today.

"In God We Trust" has appeared on the nation's coins since 1908 and was
designated by Congress as the official national motto 46 years ago, Rerras
said.

"The nation has long recognized this motto as very inspirational," he said.

Sen. Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania County, proposed the amendment to add after
"In God We Trust" the notation: "National motto enacted by Congress, 1956."

Houck said he wanted to make sure students view the motto from a historical
perspective rather than a religious one.

"The reality is that this is the motto of this nation," he said. "On that
level, it doesn't offend me. But if this is an attempt to indoctrinate,
I've got a problem with it."

The amendment did not satisfy all of the bill's critics.

Sen. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax County, said the message was inherently
religious even with Houck's amendment. She said it was improper to force
such a message on an increasingly diverse population.

"We are trampling on people's rights," she said. "The result is harmful to
families, to children and ultimately to the religious freedom we all hold
dear."

The House of Delegates has passed bills requiring public schools and
courthouses to post "In God We Trust." Those bills will be heard next by
the same committee that revised and endorsed the Rerras bill.