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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2006 > February > 23
Thursday, February 23, 2006
House votes to close marriage loophole for minors
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Georgia House voted to close a loophole that allows children under 16 to marry if a pregnancy is involved.
The bill, which passed 142-27, was in response to a law that allows children under the minimum age of 16 to get married without parental consent if a pregnancy is involved. Georgia is one of few states with such an exception.
That loophole angered the relatives of a 15-year-old Gainesville boy who used it to marry his alleged pregnant lover, 37-year-old Lisa Lynette Clark, in November. Days later, Clark was arrested and charged with child molestation because of her relationship with the boy, her teenage son’s best friend.
Many lawmakers didn’t know the exception, approved decades ago, even existed. It was approved to prevent out-of-wedlock births by making it easy for anyone pregnant to get married.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Bobby Franklin (R-Marietta), had the strong backing of Republicans and Democrats. It would make 16- and 17-year-olds get parent consent to marry, and force children under that age to get approval from the courts.
“This is a strong, pro-family bill,” Franklin said.
Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) said, “I don’t think we as legislators should let what I consider babies get married without parental consent.”
However, Rep. Randal Mangham (D-Decatur), said it would push girls into having abortions if they couldn’t get married, or force the state to support their children.
“What is worse, paying welfare to some girl … or giving her a chance?” he asked.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Breaking news
Legislature approves “65 percent” education funding bill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Governor Sonny Perdue’s proposal to direct 65 cents of every education dollar to the classroom gained final legislative approval Thursday.
The Georgia Senate voted 33-19 in favor of the latest version of the bill. Perdue and the Legislature’s Republican leadership have argued that the measure will help boost classroom achievement in the state.
“Consistently, in those school systems that spend more than 65 percent in the classroom, those test scores go up,� said Sen. Ronnie Chance (R-Tyrone), the bill’s sponsor. “That’s what this bill is about.�
However, a report released Wednesday from the education division of the credit-rating and financial services company Standard & Poor’s found that in 25 states, including Georgia, there was “no significant correlation” between the percentage of money spent on instruction and performance on standardized tests.
Sen. Michael Meyer Von Bremen (D-Albany) questioned the data the Governor’s office relied on in formulating the 65 percent proposal in light of the Standard and Poor’s study. Other Democrats also expressed concern about whether the 65 percent rule would infringe on the power of local school districts to make their own decisions about spending, and whether the bill would amount to an unfunded mandate.
But Republicans quickly dismissed those concerns and criticism of the Standard and Poor’s study. Sen. Bill Stephens (R-Canton) argued that the state used more comprehensive data than the Standard and Poor’s study. And he questioned the wisdom of relying too much on the company in making decisions.
“Is it not true that Standard and Poor’s once had very good things to say about buying Enron stock?� Stephens said during the debate.
The short debate on Senate Bill 390 – which was not listed on the Senate’s official debate calendar for Thursday – also provoked a sharp comment from Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, who is running for governor this year.
As the Senate prepared to take up a measure on the state’s Civil War Commission after the vote on the 65 percent education bill, Taylor said: “Isn’t it ironic that we’re going to talk about the Civil War after we’ve been ambushed this morning?�
SB 390 now heads to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law.
Permalink | | Categories: Breaking news
Home heating
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Should the General Assembly approve a bill that would likely add a surcharge to gas bills to build a pipeline that may mean lower natural gas prices in the future? Atlanta Gas Light and House Republicans are pushing a bill to make it easier for AGL to get approval to build a new gas pipeline and charge customers for it. Supporters say the pipeline would mean more competition and more fuel down the road. Opponents say they’ve heard that before, such as when the state deregulated the natural gas industry in the late 1990s. So, should lawmakers approve the bill, which could lead to a monthly surcharge for customers, with hopes it will bring lower fuel rates in the future?
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