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>> While there are a few new anti-abortion bills floating around the Virginia legislature, Republicans in the Old Dominion seem to want to ignore the issue, reports the Examiner. Neither Gov. Bob McDonnell nor House Speaker Bill Howell raised the issue in speeches marking the opening of the annual legislative session; last year they were lambasted for debating and passing bills imposing new restrictions on abortion clinics and mandating ultrasounds for women who seek abortions. After the November election, McDonnell opined that Republicans did badly because of their standing among women.

>> Ever since last September, you could apply for a $3 rebate if you bought yourself a SmarTrip card. But according to the Post, the rebate, which was meant to encourage people to switch away from paper farecards, hasn’t been claimed by many people—only 67,112 rebates of the 352,000 SmarTrip cards sold in the last four months of 2012. There are a number of possible explanations, including the fact that many of the new cards were purchased by people who don’t ride Metro regularly or they simply did what many consumers that are eligible for rebates forget to do: claim them.

>> Metro has so far paid out $1.6 million to settle 84 legal claims stemming from the 2009 Metro crash that killed nine people, reports WUSA9. The payments ranged from $333 to $150,000; a few legal cases and lawsuits are still working their way through the courts.

Briefly Noted: Some D.C. legislators not that excited about inaugural festivities … Maryland teachers union wants non-unionized teachers to pay membership fee … Southwest D.C. prepping for some major redevelopment … Cats and dogs made homeless by Hurricane Sandy set to arrive in D.C. … Another D.C. employee busted for improperly using handicapped placard to park.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2012 we paid a visit to the Congressional Cemetery. In 2011, we asked that Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.) not be allowed to legislate ever again.