February 19, 2009
I have reintroduced legislation ( SB 114 and SB 137) that would facilitate the timely enrollment of children of military families when they move from state to state or school district to school district because of deployment or transfers.
The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children would ensure that children are not disadvantaged in their opportunities for educational success or progress toward graduation because of frequent moves. Similar legislation that I introduced in 2008 passed overwhelmingly in both the Senate and House of Representatives but suffered a veto by the governor.
Hopefully this year, we can give the governor more information on what the bill does and does not do so that he will sign the legislation into law. By promoting this type of flexibility and cooperation, we will assist the military families who are sacrificing so much for us.
The bill will greatly assist the BRAC-inspired buildup of military families at Fort Benning, Fort Gordon and other Georgia installations. Some 7,000-10,000 new students are expected to impact school systems in the Columbus and Chattahoochee Valley area.
February 17, 2009
The Senate voted Feb. 11 to approve the Georgia Nuclear Energy Financing Act, which would allow Georgia Power to implement rate increases beginning in 2011 to cover $1.6 billion in construction costs for two nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle.
Building the nuclear units will generate about 3,000 jobs and ultimately result in less expensive electricity for Georgia consumers.
An amendment to SB 31 authorizes the Georgia Public Service Commission to consider the funds raised for the new units in future ratemaking cases. SB 31 now goes to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
On Feb. 12, the Senate passed a proposed constitutional amendment that would restrict future midyear budget appropriations to education funding, additions to the state reserve fund or repayment of state debt. No other new spending would be allowed without two-thirds approval of the legislature.
SR 1 would apply when economic growth results in higher-than-expected revenues, which is certainly not the case this year, with the state facing a nearly $3 billion revenue shortfall. As a constitutional amendment, the proposal still needs two-thirds approval by the House of Representatives and majority approval by Georgia voters in the 2010 general election.
The Senate also voted 49-4 in favor of legislation that would enforce the state's seat belt laws for pickup truck drivers and passengers. Pickup trucks are currently exempt from seat belt requirements, costing Georgia millions of dollars each year in federal highway funding. Under SB 5, which now goes to the House for its consideration, an exception would still be made for trucks while they are being used for agricultural pursuits.
In response to the case of the Peanut Corp. of America plant in Early County, the Senate has approved legislation that would require Georgia manufacturing plants to regularly test their products and report any findings of contamination. SB 80, which came out of the Senate Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee, is intended to raise a "red flag" if a manufacturer finds salmonella or another type of contamination in its food products.
Under the bill, the state Department of Agriculture would launch its investigation earlier in the process and the company would be required to keep records of the tests for two years.
District 15
Email: ed.harbison@senate.ga.gov
Senator Ed Harbison — Georgia Senate District 15
Capitol
432 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: 404.656.0074
Fax: 404.463.5547
P.O. Box 1292
Columbus, GA 31902
Phone: 706.610.7120
Home | Issues Overview | Sponsored Legislation | Legislative Blog | Press Releases
Feedback | Committees | About Ed Harbison | Friends of Ed Harbison
Ed Harbison © 2010
Web Design & Content Management
by Nuvay Web Services