New state laws go into effect July 1
by Kali Schumitz Staff writer
http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/article/20130628/NEWS/130629213/1117/new-state-laws-go-into-effect-july-1&template=fairfaxTimes

Put down the cell phone and get ready to fork over some extra cash on your next shopping trip; most new state laws and taxes approved this year go into effect July 1.

Below are just a few changes that were among the hundreds of bills the General Assembly passed this year.

Taxes

The transportation funding bill is ushering in changes to several taxes and fees. The most noticeable change for most people will be the rise in sales taxes, which will increase to 6 percent in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads and 5.3 percent in the rest of the state.

The tax on gasoline will shift from a flat per-gallon rate to a percentage rate, 3.5 percent for gasoline and 6 percent per gallon for diesel fuel.

The legislation also ushered in a new $64-per-year registration fee for hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as a new fee on real estate transactions in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.

These new taxes and fees are expected to generate about $3.5 billion over the next five years.

Texting while driving

It is already illegal to send emails and text messages while driving in Virginia, but the fine is only $20 and police officers can’t pull drivers over just for texting. That changes July 1.

Texting while driving becomes a primary offense, which means drivers can be pulled over and ticketed for texting without committing another infraction. The fines will increase to $125 for the first offense and $250 for the second and subsequent offenses.

DWI penalties

Any driving while intoxicated conviction will be a felony if the driver has a prior conviction for an alcohol-related conviction in which someone was killed or injured.

Under current law, a DWI is only a felony if it is the driver’s third or subsequent conviction within 10 years. This provision will still apply.

Drugs

The General Assembly amended the state code to make it easier to restrict variations on synthetic marijuana and “research chemicals,” also known as bath salts. The new language adds additional chemical compounds in the same family so that people can’t bypass the ban by changing the chemical formula.

Another law added two anabolic steroids, methasterone and prostanozol, to the state’s list of Schedule III controlled substances. Possession of a Schedule III substance is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which can carry penalties of up to a year in jail. Distributing the drugs or selling them to a minor is a felony and can carry more severe penalties.

Cigarette trafficking

In an effort to curb cigarette trafficking, the General Assembly strengthened penalties related to possessing cigarettes without the state’s tax stamp in an effort to avoid taxes. As of July 1 is a Class 6 felony to sell, purchase, transport, receive or possess 500 or more packages of unstamped cigarettes and a Class 5 felony for a second offense. Under current law, the threshold is 3,000 or more packages and there is no heightened penalty for a second offense.

The new law also provides that it is a Class 1 misdemeanor to sell fewer than 500 packages of unstamped cigarettes.

Unmarried couples

Legislators removed an old law from the books that outlawed “lewd and lascivious cohabitation,” better known as unmarried romantic partners living together. The change retains a prohibition on lewd and lascivious conduct in public.

License plates

Washington Nationals fans will have a new way to display their support for the team. Legislators authorized a specialty license plate displaying the team’s logo. Proceeds from the license plate will support the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation.

For such a GOP dominated state, that sure is a lot of tax increases.

So awesome that our sales tax is higher than the rest of the state, other than Hampton Roads. Not like it's already expensive as fuck to live up here.

Another thought: there's quite a bit of money in the Richmond area too - wonder why they don't have the 6% sales tax rate....

The minimum vehicle titling fee will go up from $35 to $75...

More than double.

That's a nice little gotcha when you go to the DMV...

GOP lolz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For such a GOP dominated state, that sure is a lot
> of tax increases.
>
> So awesome that our sales tax is higher than the
> rest of the state, other than Hampton Roads. Not
> like it's already expensive as fuck to live up
> here.

I guess the pledge of republicans lowering taxes was all just one big lie. Thanks again GOP!!!!!!!

The next time republicans tell us they are going to lower our taxes we should all tell them to STICK IT you know where!

Remember when everyone voted for Gov. Gilmore (Republican, btw) and he passed that Personal Property Tax Relief Act? Back in 1998? Everyone bitched and moaned about how much money they had to fork over every year to pay for their fancy cars.. boo fucking hoo.

Well, you cut off one tax source, so another one has to come from somewhere. So these tax increases make perfect sense to me.

Trusting Republicans? Shame on you.

asdfasfdasfd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Trusting Republicans? Shame on you.


trusting democraps-even worse!

More VA Taxes!!! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GOP lolz Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > For such a GOP dominated state, that sure is a
> lot
> > of tax increases.
> >
> > So awesome that our sales tax is higher than
> the
> > rest of the state, other than Hampton Roads.
> Not
> > like it's already expensive as fuck to live up
> > here.
>
> I guess the pledge of republicans lowering taxes
> was all just one big lie. Thanks again
> GOP!!!!!!!
>
> The next time republicans tell us they are going
> to lower our taxes we should all tell them to
> STICK IT you know where!


The majority of Republicans did not support most of these taxes. The only way that they passed was because of cross-overs. e.g., for the transportation bill:

Quote

Who voted for and against?

The 25 to 15 vote in the Senate included 17 Democrats and 8 Republicans voting yes, and 3 Democrats and 12 Republicans voting no. Northern Virginia yes votes were Senators George Barker, Charles Colgan Sr., Barbara Favola, Mark Herring, Janett Howell, Dave Marsden, Toddy Puller and Richard Saslaw, all Democrats. No votes were Democratic Senators Adam Ebbin and Chap Peterson, and Republican Senators Richard Black and Jill Holtzman Vogel.

The 60 to 40 vote in the House included 25 Democrats and 35 Republicans voting yes, and 4 Democrats and 36 Republicans voting no. Northern Virginia yes votes were Democratic Delegates Robert Brink, David Bulova, Eileen Filler-Corn, Charniele Herring, Patrick Hope, Mark Keam, Kaye Kory, Robert Krupicka, Alfonso Lopez, Kenneth Plum, James Scott, Mark Sickles, Luke Torian and Vivian Watts; and Republican Delegates David Albo, Mark Dudenhefer, Thomas Greason, James LeMunyon, Joseph May, Randall Minchew, and Thomas Rust.

Northern Virginia no votes came from Democratic Delegate Scott Surovell and Republicans Richard Anderson, Barbara Comstock, Timothy Hugo, Scott Lingamfelter, Robert Marshall, Jackson Miller, and David Ramadan.

So now you know who to blame.

Let's not forget... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The minimum vehicle titling fee will go up from
> $35 to $75...
>
> More than double.
>
> That's a nice little gotcha when you go to the
> DMV...


Everybody lies about what they paid for a car. That's why they put in the minimum tax in the first place. Many states charge you tax on the book value of the car period. So, you paid 50 bucks for that Lexus? Good for you, but we're going to tax you on the 30 grand that the car is worth. VA ought to do that. Don't reward liars!

Everybody lies about what they paid for a car. That's why they put in the minimum tax in the first place. Many states charge you tax on the book value of the car period. So, you paid 50 bucks for that Lexus? Good for you, but we're going to tax you on the 30 grand that the car is worth. VA ought to do that. Don't reward liars!


"Don't reward liars?"

You got that backwards, pal, it's punishing people who tell the truth.

List of Shame Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> More VA Taxes!!! Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > GOP lolz Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > For such a GOP dominated state, that sure is
> a
> > lot
> > > of tax increases.
> > >
> > > So awesome that our sales tax is higher than
> > the
> > > rest of the state, other than Hampton Roads.
> > Not
> > > like it's already expensive as fuck to live
> up
> > > here.
> >
> > I guess the pledge of republicans lowering
> taxes
> > was all just one big lie. Thanks again
> > GOP!!!!!!!
> >
> > The next time republicans tell us they are
> going
> > to lower our taxes we should all tell them to
> > STICK IT you know where!
>
>
> The majority of Republicans did not support most
> of these taxes. The only way that they passed was
> because of cross-overs. e.g., for the
> transportation bill:
>
>

Quote

> Who voted for and against?
>
> The 25 to 15 vote in the Senate included 17
> Democrats and 8 Republicans voting yes, and 3
> Democrats and 12 Republicans voting no. Northern
> Virginia yes votes were Senators George Barker,
> Charles Colgan Sr., Barbara Favola, Mark Herring,
> Janett Howell, Dave Marsden, Toddy Puller and
> Richard Saslaw, all Democrats. No votes were
> Democratic Senators Adam Ebbin and Chap Peterson,
> and Republican Senators Richard Black and Jill
> Holtzman Vogel.
>
> The 60 to 40 vote in the House included 25
> Democrats and 35 Republicans voting yes, and 4
> Democrats and 36 Republicans voting no. Northern
> Virginia yes votes were Democratic Delegates
> Robert Brink, David Bulova, Eileen Filler-Corn,
> Charniele Herring, Patrick Hope, Mark Keam, Kaye
> Kory, Robert Krupicka, Alfonso Lopez, Kenneth
> Plum, James Scott, Mark Sickles, Luke Torian and
> Vivian Watts; and Republican Delegates David Albo,
> Mark Dudenhefer, Thomas Greason, James LeMunyon,
> Joseph May, Randall Minchew, and Thomas Rust.
>
> Northern Virginia no votes came from Democratic
> Delegate Scott Surovell and Republicans Richard
> Anderson, Barbara Comstock, Timothy Hugo, Scott
> Lingamfelter, Robert Marshall, Jackson Miller, and
> David Ramadan.
>

>
> So now you know who to blame.


And then signed by Gov. Shady McBribes

GOP lolz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> And then signed by Gov. Shady McBribes


You can add him to the list too.

But he's not likely to be running again so won't do much good.

Let's not forget... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The minimum vehicle titling fee will go up from
> $35 to $75...
>
> More than double.
>
> That's a nice little gotcha when you go to the
> DMV...


Ha! Now its finally in line with what we paid in our old state of residence for years

Making sense of new Virginia laws
Reasons behind new laws not always immediately evident
http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/article/20130705/NEWS/130709540/1117/making-sense-of-new-virginia-laws&template=fairfaxTimes

Mixed in with some well-publicized new Virginia laws that went into effect Monday are some lesser-known and seemingly bizarre pieces of legislation that are now the law of the land, at least in Virginia.

One of these is a new law that makes it illegal for bail bond agents to have sex with their customers.

HB2294, now an enforceable law, makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any owner or employee of a bail bond company in Virginia — that has posted bond for any pretrial or post-trial offender — to “carnally know” that offender.

“It actually came about as a result of this type of abuse occurring in Virginia,” said Del. Tony Wilt (R-Harrisonburg), who sponsored the bill. “It was not rampant across the Commonwealth, but there were some cases of very extreme behavior and horrible examples brought before us that made me realize that this law was needed.”

According to the Virginia Bail Agents Association, which petitioned for the law, one such case arose in Chesapeake last year in which a woman reported that her bond agent coerced her to have sex with him, live with him, and even abort a baby, under threat of having her bond revoked.

“He faced no criminal charges, despite being investigated by the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office,” said Michael Donovan, a lobbyist with the VBAA.

Another case occurred in 2011 under similar circumstances, according to the Virginia Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, which also petitioned for the law.

“It was a black eye to the industry because bondsmen were not included in any categories under Virginia code in which carnal knowledge of clients was prohibited,” said Wilt. “The industry actually called for this law themselves. No one spoke against it. You have to realize that bondsmen are often the very first people who come in contact with desperate people after an arrest or a sentencing. ”

Tony Millner, a bondsman and member of the Virginia Bail Agents Association, said that he has been faced with exactly that type of situation.

“I have often had women come up to me and say ‘I will do anything to get my boyfriend out of jail,’” he said. “What I do is tell them that however they get it is their business, but I only accept cash.”

Another law that went into effect Monday was HB 1481, which requires metal scrap buyers to ask for proper government identification and to visually document any “proprietary” items brought to them such as manhole covers, highway guardrails, bronze cemetery urns, and stadium bleacher seats.

“It basically institutes ‘pawn shop’ rules into the scrap metal market,” said Robert Q. Harris, director of the Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Services Council. “The law essentially cleans up record keeping within the scrap metal market and makes it easier to trace anything that may later be reported as stolen. There were some extreme cases of people going into graveyards and stealing brass urns. I think that was the impetus for this law.”

List of Shame Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> More VA Taxes!!! Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > GOP lolz Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > For such a GOP dominated state, that sure is
> a
> > lot
> > > of tax increases.
> > >
> > > So awesome that our sales tax is higher than
> > the
> > > rest of the state, other than Hampton Roads.
> > Not
> > > like it's already expensive as fuck to live
> up
> > > here.
> >
> > I guess the pledge of republicans lowering
> taxes
> > was all just one big lie. Thanks again
> > GOP!!!!!!!
> >
> > The next time republicans tell us they are
> going
> > to lower our taxes we should all tell them to
> > STICK IT you know where!
>
>
> The majority of Republicans did not support most
> of these taxes. The only way that they passed was
> because of cross-overs. e.g., for the
> transportation bill:
>
>

Quote

> Who voted for and against?
>
> The 25 to 15 vote in the Senate included 17
> Democrats and 8 Republicans voting yes, and 3
> Democrats and 12 Republicans voting no. Northern
> Virginia yes votes were Senators George Barker,
> Charles Colgan Sr., Barbara Favola, Mark Herring,
> Janett Howell, Dave Marsden, Toddy Puller and
> Richard Saslaw, all Democrats. No votes were
> Democratic Senators Adam Ebbin and Chap Peterson,
> and Republican Senators Richard Black and Jill
> Holtzman Vogel.
>
> The 60 to 40 vote in the House included 25
> Democrats and 35 Republicans voting yes, and 4
> Democrats and 36 Republicans voting no. Northern
> Virginia yes votes were Democratic Delegates
> Robert Brink, David Bulova, Eileen Filler-Corn,
> Charniele Herring, Patrick Hope, Mark Keam, Kaye
> Kory, Robert Krupicka, Alfonso Lopez, Kenneth
> Plum, James Scott, Mark Sickles, Luke Torian and
> Vivian Watts; and Republican Delegates David Albo,
> Mark Dudenhefer, Thomas Greason, James LeMunyon,
> Joseph May, Randall Minchew, and Thomas Rust.
>
> Northern Virginia no votes came from Democratic
> Delegate Scott Surovell and Republicans Richard
> Anderson, Barbara Comstock, Timothy Hugo, Scott
> Lingamfelter, Robert Marshall, Jackson Miller, and
> David Ramadan.
>

>
> So now you know who to blame.


Facts are such pesky things.


And besides, according to Big Mac's commercials, it was he who reached across the aisle and got state dems to work with the guv when republicans (read: teabagger bigots to use dem terms) would not.

So really, I guess we should all thank Terry Macaullife for the taxes.

Tray von Martin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> List of Shame Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > More VA Taxes!!! Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > GOP lolz Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > For such a GOP dominated state, that sure
> is
> > a
> > > lot
> > > > of tax increases.
> > > >
> > > > So awesome that our sales tax is higher
> than
> > > the
> > > > rest of the state, other than Hampton
> Roads.
> > > Not
> > > > like it's already expensive as fuck to live
> > up
> > > > here.
> > >
> > > I guess the pledge of republicans lowering
> > taxes
> > > was all just one big lie. Thanks again
> > > GOP!!!!!!!
> > >
> > > The next time republicans tell us they are
> > going
> > > to lower our taxes we should all tell them to
> > > STICK IT you know where!
> >
> >
> > The majority of Republicans did not support
> most
> > of these taxes. The only way that they passed
> was
> > because of cross-overs. e.g., for the
> > transportation bill:
> >
> >

Quote

> > Who voted for and against?
> >
> > The 25 to 15 vote in the Senate included 17
> > Democrats and 8 Republicans voting yes, and 3
> > Democrats and 12 Republicans voting no.
> Northern
> > Virginia yes votes were Senators George Barker,
> > Charles Colgan Sr., Barbara Favola, Mark
> Herring,
> > Janett Howell, Dave Marsden, Toddy Puller and
> > Richard Saslaw, all Democrats. No votes were
> > Democratic Senators Adam Ebbin and Chap
> Peterson,
> > and Republican Senators Richard Black and Jill
> > Holtzman Vogel.
> >
> > The 60 to 40 vote in the House included 25
> > Democrats and 35 Republicans voting yes, and 4
> > Democrats and 36 Republicans voting no.
> Northern
> > Virginia yes votes were Democratic Delegates
> > Robert Brink, David Bulova, Eileen Filler-Corn,
> > Charniele Herring, Patrick Hope, Mark Keam,
> Kaye
> > Kory, Robert Krupicka, Alfonso Lopez, Kenneth
> > Plum, James Scott, Mark Sickles, Luke Torian
> and
> > Vivian Watts; and Republican Delegates David
> Albo,
> > Mark Dudenhefer, Thomas Greason, James
> LeMunyon,
> > Joseph May, Randall Minchew, and Thomas Rust.
> >
> > Northern Virginia no votes came from Democratic
> > Delegate Scott Surovell and Republicans Richard
> > Anderson, Barbara Comstock, Timothy Hugo, Scott
> > Lingamfelter, Robert Marshall, Jackson Miller,
> and
> > David Ramadan.
> >

> >
> > So now you know who to blame.
>
>
> Facts are such pesky things.
>
>
> And besides, according to Big Mac's commercials,
> it was he who reached across the aisle and got
> state dems to work with the guv when republicans
> (read: teabagger bigots to use dem terms) would
> not.
>
> So really, I guess we should all thank Terry
> Macaullife for the taxes.

So let me try to understand your twisted logic.....
The republicans control the general assembly and the governor's office
Taxes go up
It's the democrats fault?

Now you understand.

What? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So let me try to understand your twisted
> logic.....
> The republicans control the general assembly and
> the governor's office
> Taxes go up
> It's the democrats fault?

And the Republicans wonder why we all wait them. True the Dems are idiots, but the Republicans are evil.

The Republicans don't control the General Assembly. The State Senate is tied 20-20. Yes, Bill Bolling is a tiebreaker but he has *no* control over the budget. Therefore some D buy in is needed.

And the Senate Republicans were far from united on the transportation tax package. What ended up passing was a more tax-heavy compromise that strayed from the Governor's initial vision. But he had to get Democratic support in the Senate because the Republicans were divided.

Incidentally, Republicans aren't (or shouldn't) be for "no taxes anywhere at anytime". They should be for the lowest taxes reasonably possible spent the most efficiently. And VDOT was about broke (would be literally broke in 2017). Since no one wants to touch the gas tax (and since in the long-term it's a declining revenue source anyway), the decision was made to go to the sales tax and various fees.

I do think NoVA and Hampton Roads got it a bit more than they should. I'd rather have had the NoVa/Hampton Roads rate set around 5.8 (the governor's original plan) even if it meant jacking up the "RoVa" fee a bit more. Of course ideally NoVa & Hampton Roads wouldn't have a higher fee anyway, but we don't live in that world. It should also be noted that NoVA (& Hampton Roads) do get to keep the extra 0.7 on top of the statewide average to be spent locally on transportation. It's not going to Richmond.

I blame Barbara Favola.

I believe that the last time we had a sales tax increase was in 1985. The sales tax went from 4% to 4.5%. I hoping that this current tax increase go towards transportation improvements.

But thats only hope...........

I heard there was also something about having to be 21 to possess bottles of water that look like beer?

MoreInfo,

Governor Warner (D) raised the sales tax from 4.5 to 5.0% in 2004. But almost none of that money went into transportation. Most went to cover a projected deficit and into education.

The present increase, to 5.3% statewide, will go to offset a de-facto decrease in the gas tax. And the additional 0.7% in NoVA and Hampton Roads will go directly to local transportation projects.

The gas tax itself was last raised in the late 80's under Gerald Bailes (D) I believe.

Way Too Interested in this Stuff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MoreInfo,
>
> Governor Warner (D) raised the sales tax from 4.5
> to 5.0% in 2004. But almost none of that money
> went into transportation. Most went to cover a
> projected deficit and into education.
>
> The present increase, to 5.3% statewide, will go
> to offset a de-facto decrease in the gas tax. And
> the additional 0.7% in NoVA and Hampton Roads will
> go directly to local transportation projects.
>
> The gas tax itself was last raised in the late
> 80's under Gerald Bailes (D) I believe.

My bad!!

Thanks!