Senator Cuccinelli's Legislative Agenda

Cuccinelli Announces Legislative Agenda Top Initiatives Are Transportation, Development Control

Centreville, Virginia, January 8, 2007 – Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-37) today announced his top legislative initiatives for the 2007 General Assembly session. Cuccinelli said he will be introducing over two dozen bills this year.

Four of these bills address two of Northern Virginia’s most pressing issues: transportation and development growth. “I share the frustrations of every daily commuter who travels 20 minutes to get to a grocery store three miles away and every parent who spends hours a day in traffic,” Cuccinelli said. “My bills are designed to address the three most pressing problems in transportation and land use planning,” the Senator explained. “Northern Virginia needs additional sustainable transportation funding, localities need additional ways to control development and taxpayers need to know that money the General Assembly commits to transportation is actually used to improve our traffic situation.”

If his transportation legislation passes, Cuccinelli said that localities would finally have the right to reject denser development if it would negatively impact local transportation networks, the transportation trust fund would be constitutionally protected and a HOT lanes network would reduce congestion on our worst roads.

Cuccinelli also highlighted his initiatives addressing public safety and mental health system reform. Working with the local police union, Cuccinelli has introduced the Police Officers Bill of Rights for the second time.

And, if a minor is stopped for a traffic violation, use of a cell phone at the same time would become an additional offense under new legislation being introduced this year. The Fairfax Senator is also introducing several pieces of legislation designed to improve the mental health services delivery system. Cuccinelli’s bills would reduce the burden of juvenile mental health cases on our juvenile and domestic relations court by authorizing the appointment of special justices, the same system Fairfax used until a bureaucratic decision was made 15 months ago to force judges to address these matters. Additional legislation would make it easier for individuals with serious mental health needs to get necessary treatment.

More bills from the Fairfax Senator are designed to combat identity theft and protect private property owners from abuse of the state’s eminent domain authority. Cuccinelli is also co-patroning legislation with Senator Devolites Davis to remove any Virginia Retirement System investments from companies that support the genocidal Sudanese government. Cuccinelli explained that he is introducing several additional pieces of legislation requested by constituents, including bills to protect the rights of disabled drivers, help small business owners, and reduce fees for adoptive parents.

Cuccinelli invited all constituents to contact his office in Richmond about legislative concerns at district37@sov.state.va.us

Check out the Senator's campaign website for more information and to sign up to support his re-election efforts in 2007.