Medical marijuana measure to get first hearing
Legislation that would allow limited use of medicine derived from marijuana will get its first public hearing Monday.
The House Health and Human Services Committee will hear testimony on House Bill 885.
Sponsored by Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, the bill would create a complex system that would ultimately allow access to cannabis oil to patients who suffer from certain types of seizures. The oil has shown to be effective in easing certain seizure disorders.
The bill has proven both controversial and emotional. Many of the patients who could benefit are young children. Peake, who calls himself an unlikely sponsor of the bill, became convinced there is an urgent need for the bill after meeting one young seizure sufferer in Macon.
The hearing begins at 3 p.m. in Room 606 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building, across the street from the Capitol.
— Aaron Gould Sheinin
Bill would allow online voter registration
Georgia would join the ranks of states that allow online voter registration under legislation introduced in the Georgia House.
House Bill 942, by Rep. J. Craig Gordon, D-Savannah, would require the secretary of state to create a system that allows qualified Georgians to submit an online application for voter registration. The bill also would order the secretary of state to create a system that allows for an "electronic signature" that would serve as verification of the applicant's identity.
As of August, 13 other states have similar systems for voter registration, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Georgia passed an electronic registration law in 2012, but it was never implemented. That law required the secretary of state and the Department of Driver Services to create a registration system. Gordon’s bill puts the responsibility solely on the secretary of state and makes changes to the process of verifying a voter’s identity.
— Aaron Gould Sheinin
Legislation aims to make older students eligible for HOPE
An Atlanta lawmaker wants to allow Georgians who graduated from high school before 1993 to access the state’s popular HOPE scholarship program.
House Bill 946, by Rep. Howard Mosby, D-Atlanta, says anyone otherwise qualified for HOPE but who graduated from high school before the scholarship program began in 1993 should be eligible.
Mosby said he believes not many people would seek to take advantage of the opportunity but there are enough who would to make it worthwhile.
“Especially during this (economic) downturn when people started going back to school,” Mosby said.
— Aaron Gould Sheinin
Bill to allow hunters to use silencers reappears in House
Legislation that would allow hunters to use silencers has been introduced again in the Georgia House.
Similar bills have been defeated in the General Assembly the past two years. This year's effort, House Bill 949, is sponsored by Rep. Charles Gregory, R-Kennesaw.
About two dozen other states allow hunters to use noise-suppression devices.
— Aaron Gould Sheinin
Senate backs unified transit website
The Georgia Senate passed a measure Thursday urging metro Atlanta’s four separate transit providers to create a unified website.
Senate Resolution 735 was sponsored by Sen. Brandon Beach, R-Alpharetta. Beach considers it a baby step toward his desire to eventually consolidate Cobb County Transit, Gwinnett County Transit, MARTA and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority under a single governing authority rebranded as "The ATL" (The Atlanta Transit Line).
The website, which will be named www.GoATLtransit.com, is expected to be online by July 1. The measure passed unanimously.
— Kristina Torres
Port wine legislation moves forward
Port wine lovers, the Georgia Senate wants you to drink up.
The chamber passed a measure Thursday that would raise the legal percentage of grape-based alcohol made in Georgia to 24 percent. The current limit is 21 percent. The increase is specifically aimed at Georgia’s wineries to allow them to produce fortified wines, which include port and brandy.
Sen. Jack Murphy, R-Cumming, sponsored Senate Bill 286 and called it "an economic development and tourism bill" to promote Georgia-grown products.
The bill passed 48-5. It now goes to the House for consideration.
— Kristina Torres
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