Mechanicsville - Delegate Christopher K. Peace issued the following statement regarding today's Henrico Circuit Court ruling that the abuser fees in the 2007 transportation package are constitutional.
“The General Assembly in adopting the comprehensive transportation reform bill received legal opinions from the Office of the Attorney General that held that the transportation package passed by the legislature was constitutional. This ruling reaffirms this opinion. The bill that passed the legislature contained provisions applying abuser fees equally. Unfortunately the Governor removed the out-of-state driver provisions from the bill. As a matter of policy out of state drivers should be subject to the abuser fee law but changes to the policy should take place in the legislature. I am confident that the General Assembly will address the concerns of Virginia drivers next session and among other amendments apply the fees fairly.â€