RSS Feed One of the Nation's Most Honored Weekly Newspapers |
|
||||||||||||||
|
Busy agenda awaits lawmakers' return to Capitol While the General Assembly has been in official recess since March 1, those of us on the House Appropriations Committee are continuing to deliberate over the proposed annual state budget. To date, the midyear supplemental budget will add $659 million in spending through the end of the current fiscal year (June 30th). The annual budget for fiscal year 2008 is slated at $20.2 billion. When lawmakers reconvene on March 19, the House of Representatives will have a full agenda of legislation to consider. Proposals making their way to the House floor include: Senate Bill 1, which would prohibit registered sex offenders from photographing minors without consent of a parent or guardian. SB 1 has already passed the Senate. House Bill 185, which would allow judges to impose the death penalty if nine or more of the 12 jurors recommend it in capital cases. SB 10, which would provide state funded vouchers for special-needs students to attend private schools or public schools outside their resident districts. SB 10 has already passed the Senate. SB 39, which has passed the Senate, would allow a school district to convert to a charter school system. This is part of Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle's education package of legislation. HB 262 would allow school systems to shorten the 180 day school year by up to 10 days, while HB 347 would provide pilot project grants to school districts that wish to add up to 40 days to their school calendar. HB 187 would require school systems to pay for road, bridge, and utility work associated with school construction funded by sales tax levies. SB 15, which has passed the Senate, would increase penalties for driving without a valid driver's license and empowers jailers to determine the nationality of violators. SB 38 would requires Georgia residents to have a Georgia driver's license or Georgia identification card to register their automobiles and obtain a car tag. SB 38 has also passed the Senate HB 77 would ban the use of red light camera surveillance by local law enforcement agencies to enforce traffic laws. The Georgia Board of Community Health voted Thursday to stop accepting new applications for financially stressed PeachCare for Kids program. This move seems to be unnecessary, however, because Congressional leaders have announced they will expedite more federal funds for the children's health insurance program. An Iraq war appropriations bill before the U.S. House will also include $735 million to eliminate funding shortfalls in 14 states, including Georgia, that operate state children's health insurance programs. The state government is able to keep the program running until the congressional action takes place. Georgia has been assured by our congressional delegation we will be completely reimbursed for any stopgap expenditures the state would have to make to prevent any interruption in PeachCare availability. It is time for us to do our part at the state level. Rep. Butch Parrish (RSwainsboro) represents the 156th District (Bulloch, Candler, Emanuel and Johnson counties) in the Georgia House of Representatives. Contact him at 508 Coverdell Office Building, Atlanta, GA 30334; by phone at 404-656-0213 or by e-mail at butch.parrish@house.ga.gov.
|
for larger version       Ads have a Patent Pending. Click Here for More Information |
|||||||||||||
