Bill Blotter: Virginia Governor Waxes Poetic
April 4, 2005 — -- Welcome to the first edition of the ABCNEWS.com Bill Blotter -- a regular feature that will highlight the under-reported and more colorful bills winding their way through the federal and state legislatures.
In this edition, Virginians welcome a state bat among the already named state bird, state boat, state dog, state fish, state fossils and more; Spam and other canned meat products face higher taxes in Washington; and breast-feeding Kansans must keep their shirts on in public.
On rare occasions, government officials add a bit of humor to their announcements. On March 28, when Virginia Gov. Mark Warner announced his signing of a bill naming the Virginia Big-Eared Bat the official state bat of Virginia, the press release was written in limerick form:
"I took some grief for my nudist park pun.
But resist I cannot on this one.
I will sign this bill,
more or less of free will.
But I can't do it without having some fun.
"We have a state dog and a fish and a bird.
And of the fossil I'm sure you have heard.
So why not a bat?
What's wrong with that?
The state beverage is no more absurd.
"Upon my signature now it appears,
The designation will now last for years.
I'll spare you the Latin
If you're seeking the bat in
A guidebook, it's the one with big ears.
"I think our bat's up to the test.
If you doubt it, just ask Adam West.
He was TV's Bruce Wayne --
the caped crusader's real name --
and could 'Zap!' and 'Kapow!' with the best."
The Washington state Senate recently announced a budget proposal that includes a higher tax on canned meat -- including the popular Spam. In fact, no tinned meat would be free from the tax hike that includes products such as cigarettes and hard liquor.
While the burden of such a business-and-occupation tax would rest on the producers of these products rather than consumers, the higher costs have a sneaky way of trickling down to consumers.
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