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By MICHAEL MARTZ
Arundel Newspaper* Staff Writer
RICHMOND — Legislation to require use of safety belts in the front seats of all Virginia vehicles passed the House of Delegates by a 2-to-l margin Tuesday.
The House voted, 66-33, to approve the bill, introduced for the fourth time by Del. J. Samuel Glassock (D-Suffolk), but not until it had added an amendment Del. Glasscock says weakens the bill.
Del. Raymond R. “Andy” Guest (R-Fauquier/Rappahannock/Clarke/Warren) voted for the bill.
Dels. Kenneth B. Rollins (RFauquier/Loudoun) and Thomas M. Moncure Jr. (R-Fauquier/Stafford) voted against it.
The bill, which passed the House Committee on Roads and Internal Navigation last week, underwent a lengthy floor debate Monday, although few arguments were addressed to the principle of the bill.
Most of the debate concentrated on floor amendments proposed to the bill, including one by Del. Clinton Miller (R-Woodstock), which would allow law enforcement officers to charge motorists under the new law only if they are charging the driver with violation of other traffic statutes. The amendment passed by a 51-40 vote, despite Del. Glasscock’s opposition.
“That means someone can ride down the road, minding their own business with the 55 mile limit, and not wear it,” Del. Glassock said later.
“Let’s load this turkey up,” said Del. Guest, who doesn’t like the measure, but voted for it in committee and on the floor on Tuesday.
Del. Glasscock and his supporters fended off other challenges to change the bill, including one to refer it to the House Courts of Justice Committee. That attempt, proposed by Del. George F. Allen (RCharlottesville), failed by a 34-54 vote.
Another proposed amendment would have eliminated the $25 penalty for each violation of the law, but the House rejected that amendment.
The House approved an amendment to clarify whether the any reference to seat belts or evidence that a driver wasn’t wearing one at the time of an accident could be used in civil lawsuits to reduce compensatory damages.
The amendment makes .clear that such evidence and references would not be admissiable in court, even though the federal government is trying to require such evidence to be admissable, as part of its effort to force states to adopt mandatory safety belt laws.
The amendment also ensures that someone can sue seatbelt manufacturers, dealers and anyone else
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