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Senate won’t seek veto override
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Senate leaders are signaling they won’t seek to override Gov. Sonny Perdue’s budget veto during the upcoming special session, setting up another possible confrontation with House Republicans who have vowed to oppose the governor.
In a statement released this morning, Republican Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle said continuing the debate on overriding the governor’s veto of the midyear budget “will only perpetuate confrontation and conflict, which doesn’t help the citizens we were elected to serve.”
“Over the next several days, my focus will be on working cooperatively with the governor and the speaker to develop a formula of reserve savings and tax relief that we can all agree on,” Cagle said in a prepared statement.
“We owe the people of Georgia real solutions, not political posturing. I am committed to achieving that goal through a short, cooperative, and effective special session.”
House Republican leaders say, meanwhile, they will either seek to override Perdue’s budget veto to preserve a proposed $142 million property tax cut or draft a new budget that would include the tax cut — a move that could force a Senate vote on cutting taxes.
Cagle made his position public one day after Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) declared he would not seek a veto override. Johnson called the House’s proposed tax cut “a logistical nightmare.”
“While the General Assembly hoped to use the surplus to provide a one-time property tax cut of about $100 per homeowner, it turned out to be a logistical nightmare that would result in about half that amount getting to the taxpayer,” Johnson said in a statement Wednesday. “I believe that the next best thing to do is place any funds beyond the short-term critical emergency needs into the state’s reserve or savings account.
“It always has been the Republican philosophy that surplus funds in the budget should be used to fully fund our reserves and then used to reduce debt or returned to the taxpayers,” Johnson continued. “They should not be used to grow government.”
During a speech to GOP activists in west Cobb County on Saturday, House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) vowed to not back off the tax cut, declaring the governor “is wrong, wrong, wrong.”
“If he can figure out a way to successfully call us into session,” Richardson said of Perdue, “we are going to override the veto again and again and again.”
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Jekyll’s south end saved from development
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The South end of Jekyll Island will be saved for future generations of school kids, bird watchers, soccer players, turtle lovers and tourists after House and Senate legislators compromised over the island’s development.
After a long, odd day of discussions private and public, both chambers unanimously approved compromise legislation (HB 214) to extend the lease of the island’s governing body and, possibly, its residents for an additional 40 years.
It almost didn’t happen. Legislative brinkmanship, pitting developers and their legislative supporters against preservationists and theirs, almost killed the bill. It took three conference committee meetings — two run by lobbyists seated around an oblong-shaped table — to postpone a decision over who may live on Jekyll.
Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick) held tough until 8:17 p.m., insisting throughout the day that he wouldn’t compromise on a cap for the number of residences. He’d already prevailed on keeping condos and ritzy homes from replacing the South end’s 4-H Center, soccer complex and other undeveloped property.
In the end, though, Chapman compromised. Under intense pressure from Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and, indirectly, from Gov. Sonny Perdue, Chapman pronounced himself satisfied and said, “We have a deal.”
Later, he added: “We are victorious because we prevented the arbitrary sale of any land, created an important oversight committee and protected the South end so that untold generations can enjoy that natural resource.”
Developers, represented by lobbyists Joe Tanner and Arthur “Skin” Edge IV, also voiced satisfaction, particularly because they wore Chapman down over the cap on residences. And, with property leases likely to run until 2089, builders can now more readily borrow from banks for an as much as $3 billion in condos, hotels, million-dollar homes and shops. Back and forth, all afternoon long, legislators traipsed from chamber to chamber seeking compromise on one of the session’s more contested bills. Knots of lobbyists and legislators filled third-floor corners in the Capitol.
Rep. Terry Barnard (R-Glennville), who carried the bill in the House, about wore out his loafers trying, unsuccessfully, to close a deal before conferees gathered in a small, courtroom-like chamber on the first floor.
Chapman was an army of one against the five other conferees appointed by House and Senate leaders who prefer more, not less, development on Jekyll. “I’m willing to give in on the South end, but if you insist on (limiting) the number of residents, we don’t have a deal,” Barnard inveighed during the 6 p.m conference committee gathering. “We have compromised to the limit.” Seventy-five minutes later, they were back in air-less Room 122. Frank Mirasola, a Jekyll resident, was shocked to see Tanner and Edge seated across from Chapman and Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry) attempting to hash out a compromise.
“I didn’t believe what I was seeing,” Mirasola said. “Joe Tanner was running the meeting and the legislators were just sitting there. That was surreal.”
Tanner said he was asked by Tolleson to help mediate a compromise. Later, after an aide to Tolleson nudged him, Tanner denied Tolleson asked for his help. “As far as sitting down with citizens, lobbyists, senators, environmental groups — I did that on more than one occasion as director of DNR,” said Tanner, who served 18 years as head of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “I suspect other people have done the same thing.”
And they have, of course, but rarely so publicly. Sausage-making, like they say, ain’t pretty.
Back in Room 122, Chapman was getting nervous.
“I just hope they’re not voting on my bill while I’m sitting here,” he said before hurrying to the elevator. They weren’t. But the paranoia was palpable.
Perdue, outside catching a breath of fresh air, was asked about Chapman’s threat to kill the Jekyll bill if he didn’t get his way. “Bless his heart,” the governor sarcastically said, “he’s quite a team player.”
It was back to Room 122. But this time, at 7:43 p.m., the lobbyists for the Reynolds Group, keen to put a fancy hotel and other upscale housing on Jekyll, were joined at the table by lobbyists for the Georgia Wildlife Federation and the Georgia Conservation Voters.
A half hour later, compromise was reached. The Jekyll Island Authority, through its master planning process, will take a year to determine a suitable cap on residences. Chapman and other legislators will then weigh in. At first Chapman considered it odd that lobbyists were doing his colleagues bidding. But he changed his mind. “Sometimes it’s very helpful,” Chapman said. The House voted at 9:19 to approve HB 214. The Senate followed suit more than two hours later. “The legislative process,” said Mirasola, “is a magical thing.”
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Dunwoody done in by clock
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lawmakers again dashed the hopes for Dunwoody cityhood, leaving the bill stalled as the 2007 Legislature shut down.
The last-day defeat for Senate Bill 82 mirrored the bill’s dramatic failure a year earlier when Dunwoody incorporation fell to a last-second Senate filibuster.
The proposal made it through the Senate earlier in the session but fell 20 votes short of passage in the House on Thursday.
Lawmakers restored the bill to the House calendar late Friday but it died when the 2008 budget, private cities and other legislation consumed the day’s final hours.
The sponsor, Sen. Dan Weber (R-Dunwoody), made repeated trips Friday to the House to muster votes, but he couldn’t get the bill voted on before time expired.
Rep. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), who carried the bill in the House, said the bill died simply from the sheer number of laws flying back and forth on the final day.
“I think it had a good shot,” Millar said. “I’m disappointed it didn’t happen.”
Still, the bill remains alive for 2008, though that delays the start of the proposed new city of 40,000 in north DeKalb until at least a 2009.
The idea of incorporation has been hotly debated in DeKalb where most of the political structure has been against it.
DeKalb’s Board of Commissioners has complained the new city would sap the county of about $15 million a year.
Lawmakers and activists from inside Dunwoody, however, have pushed their cause regardless of the opposition.
They say the county losses would be offset by the services the county will no longer have to provide when the city takes over.
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New primary date headed toward final passage
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s presidential primary would be held on February 5th next year under a measure headed toward final passage Friday evening.
The state Senate voted 47-2 for House Bill 487, a measure intended to move up the Georgia’s nominating contests so the state can have a bigger impact on the race to the White House. The primary would be held on the first Tuesday in February every four years.
The measure goes back to the House for approval of revised language, including two amendments. Those changes must gain final approval by midnight tonight.
Nine other states have already scheduled their primaries and caucuses for the same day, including Alabama. California is one of the most recent states to move its primaries to Feb. 5. Several other states are considering doing the same.
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House votes to bar personal information from reporters
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s House has approved legislation barring news reporters from gaining access to Social Security numbers, birth dates and other personal information of state, county and city government employees.
Senate Bill 212, sponsored by Sen. Don Balfour (R-Snellville), expands the group of people whose personal information is shielded. from teachers and other public school employees to all non-elected government employees.
Proponents say the legislation would protect private information.
“We have had in the past an exemption … as to teachers and employees of public schools,” said Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs), who carried SB 212 on the House floor. “Surprisingly, we did not have this covering what we call ‘public employees’ of not only the state but local governments.”
Critics argue the bill could prevent news reporters from holding public officials accountable.
Reporters “compare crime databases with public employee databases by using Social Security numbers,” said Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D-Atlanta). “And if they come up with a hit, then that can show whether governments are employing convicted criminals. I personally think that is information we should know about. That is good public policy.”
Since the House made changes to the bill it must return to the Senate for consideration.
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Stem cell research bill passes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A bill that would promote nondestructive stem cell research in Georgia received final passage by the General Assembly Friday evening.
Senate Bill 148 would require all state hospitals by June 30, 2009, to inform pregnant women that they can donate placenta, umbilical cords and amniotic fluid to either public or private banks for medical research. Georgians who contribute to stem cell research would be eligible for a state tax break.
The bill also would establish a 15-member state commission that would oversee a system of umbilical cord blood banks and seek grants for nondestructive stem cell research.
“The bill prevents taxpayer funds from being used in research that destroys human embryos,” said Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth), the bill’s sponsor. “It also prevents taxpayer funds from being used to create or clone human embryos for research. Instead, the bill advances nondestructive stem cell research involving umbilical cord blood and other non-controversial sources.”
The measure led to considerable debate earlier this year. Several patient advocate groups, scientists and biomedical research organizations opposed language in the initial Senate version of the bill. They said some passages could be interpreted as hostile to embryonic stem cell research in Georgia.
But Shafer worked with House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) and the House Science and Technology Committee to remove that language. They also added language that mirrors a federal bill being pushed by U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga).
Isakson’s measure, dubbed the Hope Act, would provide federal funding only for research on stem cells taken from so-called “naturally dead” embryos —- those too deficient to produce a child if implanted.
The House passed the new version of the bill by a vote of 148-0. Then, the Senate approved the House version of SB 148 in a vote of 48-0, sending the bill to Gov. Sonny Perdue for his consideration.
“It has the opportunity to create cures in many areas,” said Rep. Tom Rice (R-Norcross). “It is an incredibly good bill.”
Permalink | | Categories: Health Care
Ultrasound bill passes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A woman seeking an abortion who undergoes an ultrasound must be offered the chance to see the fetal image and hear the fetal heartbeat under a bill that gained final approval by the Georgia General Assembly late Friday.
Earlier, House Bill 147 seemed to be in trouble after the Senate failed to approve a revised version of the measure that caught some lawmakers off-guard. But a committee of House and Senate lawmakers ironed out the wrinkles, and the bill now goes to Gov. Sonny Perdue for consideration.
The final version of HB 147 is clear in its intent to discourage women from having abortions.
The bill states that in all cases in which a pregnant woman is seeking an abortion, a medical provider must offer her a chance to view the fetal image and hear the fetal heart before the pregnancy is terminated.
“The bill now assumes that everyone seeking an abortion will be given an ultrasound,” said state Sen. Nancy Schaefer (R-Turnerville), who has argued for the measure in the Senate. “Most doctors, hospitals, even abortion clinics give the ultrasound. They want to know the gestational period of the baby for their own protection.”
Several different proposals related to ultrasounds for women seeking abortions have floated through both the House and Senate this year. One early version of the bill would have required medical providers to perform an ultrasound on a woman seeking an abortion.
Then, lawmakers changed the bill to require medical providers to simply offer a woman an ultrasound.
The final version of HB 147 states that the ultrasound should “contain the dimensions of the unborn child, and accurately portray the presence of external members and internal organs, including but not limited to the heartbeat, if present or viewable, of the unborn child.”
The bill also stipulates that prior to an abortion, the woman must certify in writing whether she decided to view the sonogram and listen to the fetal heartbeat, if present.
The ultrasound measure also states that its purpose is to:
• “Ensure that every woman considering an abortion receive complete information on the reality and status of her pregnancy”
• “Protect unborn children from a woman’s uninformed decision to have an abortion;”
• “Reduce the risk that a woman may elect an abortion, only to discover later, with devastating psychological consequences, that her decision was not fully informed.”
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Senate approves 911 fees
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The state Senate on Friday afternoon voted 41-7 in favor of a bill that would increase requirements for the collection of 9-1-1 fees on phone services. For some customers, this will create a new monthly charge.
Senators approved an amended version of House Bill 394, which was then sent back to the House for final passage.
The bill would, among other things, increase the number of phone service providers who are required to collect surcharges for 9-1-1. Such fees are used to pay for 9-1-1 systems.
The bill is meant to make sure all providers levy and collect surcharges.
The requirement already exists for landline calls and many wireless calls. The bill would broaden the definition of telephone service to include calls made via prepaid wireless plans and for Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, calls.
Cable giant Comcast provides phone service using VoIP technology. However, spokesman Reg Griffin said the company already collects 9-1-1 fees from its customers and sends the money to the state.
Nancy Horne, president of the Cable Television Association of Georgia, said House Bill 394 would assure all providers collect and remit monthly 9-1-1 fees. “We have no problems with the bill,” she said.
AT&T’s wireless unit, which is based in Atlanta, also approves of the bill. The company currently collects 9-1-1 fees for most of its cellphone customers, but not for those who use prepaid plans.
Steve Skinner, director of external affairs for AT&T’s wireless operations, said prepaid plans account for a small portion of AT&T’s wireless users. The bulk of AT&T users have postpaid accounts, which means they pay their bills monthly after making calls.
The bill caps monthly 9-1-1 fees at $1.50. Actual charges are sometimes less that, depending on what the local county or city authorizes.
Sonji Jacobs contributed to this report
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House backs rules on notification
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s House approved legislation today requiring government agencies to notify people when their Social Security numbers and other private information has been accessed by unauthorized individuals.
Senate Bill 236 adds state and local government agencies to the list of organizations that would have to notify people “in the most expedient time possible” when their “personal information” has been breached.
The bill says personal information includes Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, credit card numbers and other data.
Rep. John Lunsford (R-McDonough), who carried the bill on the House floor this afternoon, referred to how a computer disk containing data on 2.9 million Georgians recently had been lost in shipping.
State officials, who blame Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services for the lost CD, publicly disclosed this month the disk contained names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and addresses of people on Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids, but no medical information.
ACS officials said Tuesday there is no indication that any of the information has fallen into the hands of unauthorized people.
Since the House made changes to the bill, it must go back to the Senate for consideration.
Permalink | | Categories: politics
Dunwoody fate unclear
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The prospects for the proposed city of Dunwoody remained hazy as the final day wore into the afternoon.
Senate Bill 82, tabled on Thursday, needed to come back through the House Rules Committee to make it back to the House floor for any vote.
Rules Chairman, Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), said the bill had no better than a 50 percent chance of a vote today. He said Georgia already has enough cities and wasn’t inclinded to let it back through — especially if it would bring another two-hour debate for the second day in a row.
Rumors that Dunwoody had been traded killed as payment to Democrats who supported the dramatic override vote early Friday are not true, Ehrhart said.
But, he also said the House leadership wasn’t helping Dunwoody either.
“It’s going to have to stand or fall on its own,” Ehrhart said.
Latest comments
This well-intentioned legislation may have dire consequences for women who undergo prenatal ultrasounds. To be fully informed, women should be warned that — contrary to prevailing medical opinion — prenatal ultrasound is not without risk and... read the full comment by Caroline Rodgers | Comment on Ultrasound bill passes Read Ultrasound bill passes
The central argument is and always has been: whose money is it? It’s not the Governor’s, it not Casey Cagle’s, it’s not legislator’s, it’s the people’s money and it doesn’t matter if it’s $50 or $65... read the full comment by Ben | Comment on Senate won't seek veto override Read Senate won't seek veto override
This is not the FairTax and should not be described as such. Income taxes and Value Added Taxes are not what the FairTax is about.... read the full comment by dpb | Comment on House Republicans introduce flat tax plan Read House Republicans introduce flat tax plan
This bill has not had the opportunity to see the light of day! Most citizens of Georgia have never heard a word about SB 200 or it’s potential advantages or disadvantages, is there something we should know? Let’s slow this train down and either... read the full comment by Steve | Comment on House puts off decision on private development districts Read House puts off decision on private development districts