Va. Senate rewrites governor's transportation bill

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A Virginia Senate committee has rewritten Gov. Bob McDonnell's transportation funding reform bill.

The proposal would restore and increase the gasoline tax, add a 1 percent fuel sales tax and allow localities to add another 1 percent tax to fuel.

Changes to the House-passed legislation came in a Senate Finance Committee meeting Tuesday. The meeting was briefly held up by a Republican senator's demand that the bill's sponsor, Republican House Speaker Bill Howell, appear and explain it.

Republican Sen. Frank Wagner, however, offered his substitute to the Senate panel, which advanced it on a 9-6 vote.

The bill will face a floor vote later this week, then return to the House where it will likely be rejected. That will set up negotiations for a small committee of delegates and senators.