VIRGINIA BRIEFING

VIRGINIA TECH

Bill Would Hasten Student Information Exchanges

A year after the shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, Sen. James Webb (D-Va.) introduced legislation yesterday aimed at making it easier for colleges to share information about students who might be a danger to themselves or others.

The legislation would amend the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 to clarify when educators may legally release information about a troubled student.

The Virginia Tech massacre raised concerns among educators nationwide about balancing privacy and safety. A panel appointed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) found that "widespread confusion" about privacy restrictions led to communication lapses among officials who dealt with mentally ill student Seung Hui Cho before he shot and killed 32 people before killing himself.

The U.S. Department of Education has also proposed regulations to help educators interpret the law.

-- Maria Glod

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY

Illegal Immigration Crackdown Costs Run Over

Prince William County's illegal immigration enforcement initiative will cost $520,000 more than anticipated in the coming budget year because of overcrowding at the county jail, County Executive Craig S. Gerhart told supervisors yesterday.

That raises the cost of the initiative to $6.9 million for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Under a new county policy, police must check the residency status of criminal suspects who they believe might be in the country illegally.

In other fiscal matters, Gerhart recommended that the board contribute $4.8 million less than proposed to a "revenue stabilization" reserve fund to make up for the county's revenue shortfall. He also recommended tapping a capital reserve fund to pay for a regional public safety communication system. The county has a separate emergency fund for natural disaster expenses.