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AJC.com > Legislature > Georgia Beat > Archives > 2005 > January > 28
Friday, January 28, 2005
State smoking ban bill introduced
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia smokers who want to continue lighting up in restaurants, bars and other public places face another long, drawn-out fight in the Legislature this year.
The Georgia Smokefree Air Act of 2005 would ban indoor smoking in most public places, including restaurants, bars, retail stores, malls, sports arenas, and hotels.
Sen. Don Thomas (R-Dalton), a family practitioner, filed the bill Friday. A bipartisan coalition of 34 senators - 17 Republicans and 17 Democrats - co-signed the measure.
“The right of men, women and children to breathe smoke-free air supersedes the desire of a person to smoke,” Thomas said. “We’re not trying to make smokers quit, we’re just asking them to go outside.”
Last year, Thomas introduced a similar measure, which passed the Senate by a 45 to 7 vote. But the bill never escaped the House Governmental Affairs Committee.
A last ditch effort to graft the smoking ban to another anti-smoking measure also failed when former House Speaker Terry Coleman (D-Eastman) refused to let the bill come up for a vote.
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Master Teacher bill sails through Senate
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Successful teachers soon may receive kudos and financial incentives for mentoring less experienced colleagues if a bill moving through the state Legislature becomes law.
The measure cleared its first major hurdle Friday when the state Senate approved it by a vote of 51-0.
“No other state has anything that compares to Gov. Perdue’s proposal for truly excellent teachers,” said Sen. Dan Moody (R-Alpharetta), the bill’s sponsor.
The Georgia Master Teacher bill is the second part of Gov. Sonny Perdue’s education package. If the House gives the measure its stamp of approval, Perdue will appoint a committee of parents, educators and others who would develop appropriate incentives and requirements.
That committee would make recommendations to Georgia’s Professional Standards Commission, the agency that certifies teachers.
Under the legislation, the commission would have to consider, at a minimum, evidence of student achievement and progress.
This most likely would involve teachers whose classes had consistent gains on standardized exams, said Ben Scafidi, education adviser to Perdue.
A teacher who reached “master teacher” status could apply the following year to serve as an academic coach under a program to be developed by the state Department of Education. These teachers could earn a stipend.
An amendment that would have allowed the state to buy professional liability insurance for teachers died before coming up for a vote.
On Thursday, the Senate approved the first part of Perdue’s legislation. That bill would allow all Georgia high school students - including those who attend private, parochial and home schools - to take certain public school classes online.
Staff writer Mary MacDonald contributed to this report.
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Bill would require insurance to cover treatment of morbidly obese
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With weather forecasts predicting ice and with some Legislators facing long highway trips home, House members moved this morning to quickly to wrap up their week.
Among legislation introduced today was a bill by state Rep. Nikki Randall (D-Macon) to require that health insurance policies issued in Georgia include coverage for the treatment for the morbidly obese, those who are at least 100 pounds overweight or who weigh twice what insurance tables list as their ideal weight.
The House adjourned at 10 a.m. and is scheduled to return 1 p.m. Monday.
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Democrats complain of new Republican rules
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The controversy over tort reform set the mood in the Senate chamber Friday morning, ratcheting up tension between Republicans and Democrats.
Sen. Michael Meyer von Bremen (D-Albany) addressed the chamber and urged his colleagues not to stifle debate under the new Senate rules.
“Any rule serves best when it is applied with fairness,” Meyer von Bremen said.
He was referring to the conflict at Thursday’s Senate Judiciary Committee meeting. The committee voted 6-2 in favor of a tort reform bill that would cap jury awards for pain and suffering in medical malpractice suits.
The two Democrats present at the time of the committee vote - Sen. Kasim Reed (D-Atlanta) and Minority Whip David Adelman (D-Decatur) opposed the measure.
But both Meyer von Bremen and Minority Leader Robert Brown (D-Macon) had walked out of the meeting prior to the vote.
Meyer von Bremen said he had asked Judiciary Chairman Preston Smith (R-Rome) to consider one of his amendments. Smith declined, citing a new rule requiring changes be submitted at least 24 hours before the meeting.
Speaking from the well Friday morning, Meyer von Bremen apologized for abruptly leaving the meeting - a violation of the committee rules.
“I knew I would say things I would regret later,” Meyer von Bremen said, explaining why he walked out. “The last time I was that angry was 10 years ago.”
He implored the members of the Senate not to stifle debate by imposing inflexible rules. Both House and Senate Democrats have complained about some of the rules imposed by the Republicans since the beginning of the session.
Brown also addressed the Senate Friday morning, explaining his reasons for leaving the Judiciary Committee meeting.
Brown said he had filed his amendment within the required time frame, but was told by Smith that the proposal had a technical problem and would not be considered.
“When I’m not allowed to have the opportunity to have it heard, I think that is a violation and a disenfranchisement of the people who sent me here,” Brown said.
Adelman also asked for open debate within the Senate.
“What are they afraid of,” Adelman said. “Why not bring to the committee the thoughts of each and every committee member for full consideration?”
Sen. Jack Wiles (R-Marietta) said that the committee chairman followed the rules.
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