Today is "crossover,"  the last chance for the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates to act on legislation authored by their own members. Thus, legislation that hasn't passed at least one house of the General Assembly by midnight is truly dead for the year.

Both chambers have been working hard and fast to beat the clock, passing some significant bills in the process. They include:

• House Bill 1319, from Del. Joe May, R-Leesburg, a pilot program for building high-voltage transmission lines underground.
• House Bill 1516, from Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock, which would put tolls on Interstate 81 off limits until the General Assembly signs off on them.
• Senate Bill 742, from Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, which defuses a potential budget tripwire that could allow a moratorium on annexation by cities to expire. Current law forbids cities from expanding their boundaries unless the state doesn't pony up the money it's required to under law for law enforcement. A tight budget could make that happen this year, so Hanger's bill pushes back the moratorium tripwire another two years.
  

But there are some good legislative scrums teed up for the last day of the first half, including a possible fight over Senate Bill 768. The bill, from Sen. John Watkins, R-Midlothian, would rework the "proffer" system some local governments use to offset the costs of development.

It would replace proffers with a system of impact fees. Debate over the bill has been both passionate and complex. Some of the blogging policy wonks at Bacon's Rebellion discussed the bill here.

Regardless, it's almost half time for the 2008 General Assembly session. See you at the concession stand.