Va. Senate passes drywall legislation

RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) - The Virginia State Senate passed legislation Monday that prohibits insurance companies from cancelling, refusing to renew, or increasing rates on policy owners who have Chinese dry wall in their homes.

The Senate passed the legislation, which was proposed by Sen. John Miller, D-Newport News, by a vote of 34 to six. Nearly 50 homes on the Peninsula have been discovered to have Chinese dry wall, which releases a noxious gas when exposed to head and humidity, and can corrode copper and other metal surfaces.

"Families who bought homes with Chinese dry wall saw their American dream turn into a nightmare," Miller said. "They are worried about the health of their children. They are worried about foreclosure and bankruptcy. They should not have to worry about losing their homeowners insurance."

The legislation is designed to protect homeowners with the dry wall from losing insurance coverage or having to pay more because of the dry wall. The Senate also recently passed another bill from Miller that prohibits the sale of the dry wall in Virginia.

Both bills will now go to the House of Delegates.

"These people don't have lobbyists. The federal government has not stepped up. All they have is us," Miller told the Senate. "The only thing we can give them is peace of mind."

Affected homes were shown to have elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde, according to an interagency federal taskforce. Numerous health problems have also arisen, including irritated eyes and skin, difficulty breathing, persistent coughing, bloody noses, recurrent headaches and asthma attacks.