March 25, 2010
On Wednesday, the Senate unanimously approved legislation I introduced, addressing the growing problems associated with the sale of synthetic cannabinoids, also known as "synthetic marijuana" or "K2," in Georgia.
SB 498 would add these products, which are marketed as herbs or incense but at least as dangerous as the drugs they resemble, to the Schedule I controlled substances list, prohibiting their sale or possession in our state. The legislation now goes to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
In the past week, the Senate approved several legislative measures and sent them to the House of Representatives for its consideration, including:
SB 299, which would overhaul the "zero tolerance" policies and give principals and school systems more discretion in how they handle disciplinary cases.
SB 321, which would enable private developers to build reservoirs.
SB 360, which would make texting while driving illegal and impose a $150 fine.
SB 364, which would increase enforcement and penalties on criminal offenses occurring at massage parlors and spas.
SB 397, which would create a statewide "Blue Alert" system to help track down criminals who have killed or assaulted a law enforcement officer.
SB 427, which would establish the Georgia Foundation for Public Education, which would solicit and accept financial contribution to support educational excellence in Georgia schools.
SR 821, which would amend the Constitution to give the Department of Transportation legal authority to sign multi-year contracts for highway construction projects.
State of the Judiciary: Chief Justice Carol Hunstein of the Supreme Court of Georgia addressed a joint legislative session on March 16, reminding lawmakers of the serious consequences that deep funding cuts in the court system are having on public safety and business in our state. The chief justice said judicial budget cuts have contributed to a considerable backlog of criminal and civil cases in Superior Courts around the state. She quoted the Wall Street Journal as recently reporting, "The wheels of justice in Georgia are grinding more slowly each day."
March 15, 2010
Click here for a special video message from Sen. Ed Harbison on his legislation SB 498 to outlaw the sale of K2 synthetic marijuana and SB 313 to require all grand jury witnesses to testify under oath, which passed the Senate unanimously on March 8.
March 12, 2010
In a threatening move toward Georgia's financially struggling hospitals, Gov. Sonny Perdue announced Thursday his plan to cut Medicaid reimbursement rates by 10.25 percent and eliminate a sales tax exemption for non-profit hospitals. These actions will cost hospitals a total of $274 million during fiscal year 2011.
It is unfortunate that the governor would consider a proposal so damaging to our health care system without first supporting a concept that would bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue - without raising taxes. A number of Georgia cities participated in a pilot program for the local collection of sales taxes and showed the state was failing to collect sales tax revenue that consumers were paying but was going unreported.
The state is losing up to $1 billion per year because the Department of Revenue in this administration has been unsuccessful in cracking down on sales tax cheating. Legislation that would authorize local governments to collect sales taxes and help make up for these losses has been stuck in committee since last year because of partisanship by the Republican majority.
The governor's new plan to slash Medicaid reimbursements and charge a sales tax on non-profit hospitals is apparently an angry response to the health care community's strong opposition to his previous proposal to impose a 1.6 percent tax increase on all hospitals. This proposal will likely draw similar opposition because of the devastating effect it would have on health care facilities across the state, including many hospitals already on the verge of financial collapse.
Also Thursday, the governor announced he is shifting $342 million in federal stimulus funding from the FY 2011 budget to the current year's budget, in the wake of February's revenue report that showed a 9.9 percent decline from the previous year. Georgia's tax collections have now fallen for 15 consecutive months.
Property Tax Reform: There was some good news for taxpayers in the Senate this week. SB 346, a property tax reform measure that would assure that all property owners receive an annual tax assessment notice, was approved unanimously Thursday. Taxpayers would also receive information on when to file an appeal and have 45 days to do so. SB 346 now goes to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
Water Conservation: Legislation calling for increased water conservation measures cleared the Senate unanimously Wednesday. SB 370 would establish new rules for public water systems, stronger efforts to plug leaks and new standards to require high-efficiency plumbing fixtures. The measure is intended to help Georgia resolve its water dispute with Florida and Alabama, in response to a federal judge's ruling that threatens the cutoff of water withdrawals for metro Atlanta from Lake Lanier. However, the proposal does not address the controversial issue of inter-basin transfers, which threatens the water supply in communities up and down the Savannah River. The House passed similar legislation the same day.
Paperwork Reduction: On Thursday, the Senate voted unanimously in favor of legislation that mandates the electronic distribution and publication of state government reports, unless printing is legally required. The sponsor of SB 388 said this measure helps create a culture of efficiency and cost savings within state government, which is necessitated by the economic recession. The bill is now under consideration in the House.
Fee Assessments: The Senate voted Monday to approve legislation that would assess the current level of fees charged by state agencies and commissions and determine which ones should be adjusted. SB 381, which now goes to the House for its consideration, would require the governor's Office of Planning and Budget to prepare a comprehensive report on the fees that are assessed and collected by the state, along with the amount of revenues raised by each fee. Some of the fees charged for state services have not been raised or lowered since 1955.
First Aid Training: On Monday, the Senate passed SB 298, which would make first aid a standard part of secondary health education, alongside health, drug prevention and sex education. The measure is aimed at creating a generation of Georgians with basic first aid skills. The House will now consider the proposal.
March 5, 2010
The Appropriations Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives just completed two weeks of hearings on the annual state budget for fiscal year 2011, for the purpose of considering more cuts to the $18.2 billion spending plan proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue.
The governor is forecasting a 4.2 percent growth in revenue for next year, despite the fact that state tax collections have declined for 14 consecutive months and are now down by 13 percent through the first seven months of fiscal year 2010. It has been estimated that the amended budget for this year will have to be cut by at least another $200 million, and the 2011 budget is facing an overall shortfall of at least $1.5 billion.
Legislative budget writers are considering drastic actions in order to balance the budget. More personnel cuts will probably be necessary. Department heads are being asked for lists of employees who are fully vested in state pension benefits and could be encouraged to retire early.
The most controversial budget proposal is a recommendation to slash another $300 million from Georgia's public colleges and universities. Having already cut $380 million from the University System budget since 2008, further deep reductions would be painful for college students, faculty and staff and the state's economy.
Under the proposal, Columbus State University would lose $6.1 million in funding and 44 staff positions. Course offerings would be reduced by 240 sections, affecting 6,000 students. Statewide, a 35 percent student tuition increase is on the table, and elimination of the Georgia 4-H program has been suggested.
These proposals have resulted in a public outcry that is expected to increase as long as these catastrophic cuts to higher education are considered. Our University System has made great strides over the past 20 years in expanding opportunities for students all over the state to get a college education. No one I know wishes to see that progress reversed.
'Zero Tolerance' Reform: The Senate Education & Youth Committee has approved legislation aimed at bringing common sense to Georgia's so-called "zero tolerance" school disciplinary laws, which were intended to crack down on serious charges of having weapons in school but have too often resulted in students being criminalized for minor and insignificant infractions. SB 299 would prevent the immediate jailing of a student without a hearing and give judges more discretion into how they handle cases. The legislation, along with SB 332, which would require schools to include on their annual discipline reports the number of zero tolerance cases, will now be considered by the full Senate.
Property Tax Revisions: The Senate Finance Committee has approved SB 346, which would revise and streamline the procedures for appealing property tax valuations. This measure would standardize the process by which property owners can appeal the value assigned by tax assessors to their property and would require counties to mail valuation notices to property owners every year, along with information on how they can file an appeal. SB 346 now awaits a vote on the Senate floor.
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
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