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Sen. Waddell said he favors the "strongest possible legislation in tins area” of tort reform.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, the General Assembly will try to placate the medical profession (which favors the cap) and the legal profession (which opposes it), and at the same time see that the injured are fairly compensated.

Of the insurance matter, Del. Rollins said, “We're really facing a crisis on that. It’s spread out almost like a cancer. It’s affecting state government, it’s affecting local government, recreation facilities and daycare centers. Nobody can get insurance.”

He said imposing a cap on pain and suffering awards is one way of improving the insurance climate.

• Lottery — Area legislators believe Del. J.W. "Billy” O’Brien (DVirginia Beach) has a better than even chance of getting his colleagues to put the lottery issue to a voter referendum.

A recent Senate study indicates the lottery should generate millions in new revenue during the first year.

Del. O’Brien said in an interview this week that the lottery should “bring in $400 million to $450 million when it’s in full swing.”

• Education — Among other things, the Governor’s Commission on Excellence in Education has recommended programs to reduce illiteracy and the dropout rate.

But the General Assembly probably won’t give much thought to the proposal to teach 4-year-olds because of the $225-mUlion-per-year price tag.

Some legislators think mandatory schooling for 4-year-olds is excessive.

“I’m not persuaded that that’s a good idea,” Del. Rollins said. “I think that’s early in life to go to school. And it’s asking too much of taxpayers.”

-Sen. Waddell said of the proposal, “I think we have to crawl before we can walk. As great as the idea might be, I don’t know that it’s affordable in this short session. I can’t see it going very far in a non-budget year.”

• Prisons — Democrats and Republicans alike believe the state has to act quickly to build facilities to handle at least 1,500 prisoners by 1990.

The expansion would cost $80 million to $100 million, according to Vivian Watts, secretary of Transportation and Public Safety.

The project would be paid for with bonds in stages, the secretary told newspaper editors in a recent interview.

Sec. Watts said her department has identified Charles City as a possible site for a 1,500-bed facility.

But The Associated Press last week reported that 500 Charles City residents have signed a petition opposing a prison site there.

House minority leader Raymond R. “Andy” Guest (R-Rappahannock/Rappahannock/Clarke/W arren) suggested the state may need several new prisons.

“We’re going to have to build two 750-bed prisons — perhaps three over the next 10 years.”

He said the new construction could be funded with voter-approved bonds.

Sen. Waddell called the prison issue “one of the major items that we need to deal with. And again, I don’t know how we can deal with it in a short session.”

Expansion of Virginia’s prison system might require cuts in other programs, said Del. Rollins.

“These things cost money,” he explained.

“People want law and order, as I do. And they want people who are guilty of crimes to be punished, as I do. But some things are going to have to suffer if (money) goes to