By Tom Baxter
Southern Political Report
December 7, 2009 —
Over the past two year, Florida legislators have filed bills that would ban texting while driving, but none have made it over the finish line. The next regular session could be different, however.
With a Virginia Tech University study indicating the practice dramatically increases the risk of accidents, over a dozen bills cracking down on the practice has been filed, and Gov. Charlie Crist is in favor of a ban.
Meanwhile, a new law went into effect last week in North Carolina which could land texters a $100 fine, court costs and insurance points if they're caught driving while punching away at a cell phone. The state highway patrol says it has no plans for an organized crackdown, however.
-- Is the air slowly leaking out of the effort to impeach South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford? Last week, after a state House panel said it wouldn't consider 28 of the 37 charges brought against Sanford by the State Ethics Commission, a Rasmussen poll was released which shows the percentage of South Carolinians who think he should be removed from office has dropped from 40 percent to 36 percent.
-- The recession has been good news for Virginia offenders who might face the death penalty. With a $3.5 billion budget fall facing the state, prosecutors have been more reluctant to take on the costly process of seeking the penalty in capital crimes. The head of the Richmond area capital defenders office has even proposed a moratorium on the penalty until the state resolves its budget problems.
-- Alabama is changing the company which administers its $380 million deferred compensation retirement plan for state employees, citing concerns about the relationship of the Alabama State Employees Association with the firm which has managed the plan for 30 years.
Follow Tom Baxter on Twitter.
Southern Political Report
December 7, 2009 —
Over the past two year, Florida legislators have filed bills that would ban texting while driving, but none have made it over the finish line. The next regular session could be different, however.
With a Virginia Tech University study indicating the practice dramatically increases the risk of accidents, over a dozen bills cracking down on the practice has been filed, and Gov. Charlie Crist is in favor of a ban.
Meanwhile, a new law went into effect last week in North Carolina which could land texters a $100 fine, court costs and insurance points if they're caught driving while punching away at a cell phone. The state highway patrol says it has no plans for an organized crackdown, however.
-- Is the air slowly leaking out of the effort to impeach South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford? Last week, after a state House panel said it wouldn't consider 28 of the 37 charges brought against Sanford by the State Ethics Commission, a Rasmussen poll was released which shows the percentage of South Carolinians who think he should be removed from office has dropped from 40 percent to 36 percent.
-- The recession has been good news for Virginia offenders who might face the death penalty. With a $3.5 billion budget fall facing the state, prosecutors have been more reluctant to take on the costly process of seeking the penalty in capital crimes. The head of the Richmond area capital defenders office has even proposed a moratorium on the penalty until the state resolves its budget problems.
-- Alabama is changing the company which administers its $380 million deferred compensation retirement plan for state employees, citing concerns about the relationship of the Alabama State Employees Association with the firm which has managed the plan for 30 years.
Follow Tom Baxter on Twitter.
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