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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 13
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Slavery resolution will call for ‘contrition’ and ‘reconciliation’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s House of Representatives would acknowledge the history of slavery in America “with contrition” and call for “reconciliation” among all Georgians under a resolution a state lawmaker is preparing to introduce Monday.
A draft of Rep. Al Williams’ (D-Midway) four-page measure traces the history of slavery from ancient times to the arrival of slaves in Jamestown. The resolution also refers to slavery’s role in the Civil War, the subsequent lynchings of African-Americans and the system of Jim Crow laws that were designed to enforce racial segregation.
“In Georgia,” the resolution reads, “the vestiges of slavery are ever before African-American citizens, from the overt racism of hate groups to the subtle racism encountered when requesting health care, transacting business, buying a home, seeking quality public education and college admission, and enduring pretextual traffic stops and other indignities.”
Williams announced last week he would introduce the resolution after the Georgia NAACP called on Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue to issue an apology for the state’s role in slavery and Jim Crow laws. Perdue has so far declined to comment on the NAACP’s request.
“It’s symbolic. But it shows that we as legislators will not ignore the existence of this evil,” Williams, head of Georgia’s Legislative Black Caucus, said of his resolutioin. “Some of the great healings of all time come about because of symbolic gestures.”
Williams’ said he is seeking cosponsors for his resolution, which he plans to introduce in the House on Monday, the day the chamber reconvenes after a two-week break. He said he is also seeking a lawmaker who will introduce identical legislation in the Senate.
Williams’ resolution also makes an apparent comparison between slavery and the Holocaust.
“The crimes and persecution visited upon other people during World War II are acknowledged and embraced lest the world forget,” it reads, “yet the very mention of the broken promise of ’40 acres and a mule’ to former slaves or of the existence of racism today evokes denial from many quarters of any responsibility for the legally sanctioned deprivation of African-Americans of their endowed rights or for contemporary policies that perpetuate the status quo.”
Williams said he modeled his resolution on one that passed the Virginia legislature late last month. But unlike Williams’ resolution, the Virginia legislation uses the words “profound regret” in connection with slavery.
The chances of Williams’ resolution passing the House this year appear slim, since it is meeting with resistance from House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram.) Richardson has said he is not certain it should be the government’s role to apologize since “nobody was in office” when slavery existed. Plus, Williams has little time to move his resolution through the Legislature, which has passed day 26 of its 40-day session.
Permalink | | Categories: politics
State will plug PeachCare gap with Medicaid
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Sonny Perdue announced Tuesday that he and the Republican leadership in the General Assembly have come up with a “temporary” fix for the PeachCare health crisis.
Perdue, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker Glenn Richardson said in a joint statement that they will keep the PeachCare program from going broke by temporarily using state funds earmarked for Medicaid, which is aimed at paying medical bills for the poor.
PeachCare enrollments were frozen as of Monday, and state officials have said repeatedly that Georgia’s funds for the insurance program — which serves about 280,000 children of the working poor — would run out at the end of March.
Legislators in Georgia and 13 other states are hoping Congress will appropriate money to cover the shortfall in the federal-state healthcare programs for children.
“This would not move children into the Medicaid program; it would simply change state law to allow Georgia to borrow state funds already slated to be used to pay for Medicaid to cover PeachCare costs in this interim period,” the statement said.
The Repupblican leadership said any Medicaid funds used for PeachCare would be repaid to the state when Congress approves a fix to the federal-state State Children’s Health Insurance Program.
The statement came one day after House Democrats, reacting to what they called a “lack of leadership” by Republicans, called for Medicaid funds to be shifted to PeachCare.
Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta) called that a “simple option” that would ease the anxiety of the thousands of families who’ve heard repeatedly that funds are running out for their insurance.
Last week the U.S. House Appropriations Committee said the House version of a supplemental appropriations bill would include an additional $735 million to meet shortfalls in the SCHIP program.
“Congress recent action gives me confidence that using these funds as a stopgap is appropriate to meet the needs of our children,” Perdue said. “This will allow us to keep this important program intact while we wait for our federal partners to finish their work in Washington.”
Perdue has repeatedly bugged Congress to act to fix the shortfall. He said Tuesday that his plan would change the wording in an amended general appropriations act in three places to allow Medicaid funds to be used to temporarily meet the costs of the PeachCare program.
Permalink | Comments (66) | Categories: Health Care
Sunday liquor sales clears committee, but don’t toast yet
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A key Senate committee approved legislation Tuesday morning that would allow local voters to decide whether grocery and convenience stores stores can sell beer, wine and liquor on Sundays.
The measure was approved by a 4-3 vote of the Senate Regulated Industries and Regulated Committee. It now goes to the Senate Rules Committee, which will decide if it will go to the full Senate for a vote.
Senate Rules Chairman Don Balfour (R-Snellville), a supporter of the bill, predicted the Senate will vote on the measure in coming weeks.
“It will come out of my committee,” Balfour told reporters.
Some Republicans have been skittish about having GOP lawmakers vote on the bill, fearing electoral retribution from liquor opponents. Christian Coalition officials have let lawmakers know they will use any liquor votes in their election-year scorecards.
Two Senate Republican leaders on the committee, Senate President Pro-tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) and Senate Majority Leader Tommie Williams (R-Lyons), skipped the vote. Contacted this morning, Johnson said he was at his job in Savannah. He said he opposes the bill, but he hopes the full Senate gets a chance to vote on it.
The bill had stalled in the Regulated Indusries and Regulated Committee for nearly two months, despite the backing of the powerful grocery and convenience store lobby.
It is strongly opposed by Christian Right groups, who don’t think there should be liquor sales on the Sabbath. Also, some liquor store owners oppose it because they don’t want the expense of having to be open on Sundays.
Restaurants and bars that sell food already can sell liquor on Sundays if local voters approve.
Permalink | Comments (153) | Categories: Liquor Laws
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