Georgia Chamber of Commerce Legislative Update

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Make plans to attend Georgia Chamber of Commerce Business Day at the Capitol on Thursday, February 26th, beginning with a light breakfast at 8:30 a.m. at the Georgia Freight Depot.  Governor Sonny Perdue, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, Speaker Glenn Richardson and legislators from throughout the state have been invited to attend.   Please RSVP to businessday@gachamber.com.   For links to legislators and the legislation mentioned in this update, visit www.gachamber.com and click on Government Affairs.      Legislative Schedule Update
As state leaders work to address Georgia's budget deficit and await word from Washington, DC, regarding funds that may be received through a federal stimulus package, the General Assembly voted on Friday to meet three days each week through March 25th, leaving five working days to return in June to finalize the FY09 Supplemental and FY10 Budgets (tentatively scheduled for the week of June 22).     Transportation

• Senate and House plans to address transportation funding are continuing through the legislative process.  The House Special Committee on Transportation Funding met on Tuesday to discuss HB277 and HR207, introduced last week by Representative Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain), calling for a statewide funding mechanism to meet the state's transportation needs.       

Education

• Several proposals that would reward and encourage higher performing schools have been introduced.  SB93 by Senator Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) makes principals of high-performing schools eligible for $10,000 bonuses.  HB282 by Representative Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth) provides for bonuses as high as 15% of salary for teachers who improve student achievement.  HB280, also by Representative Coleman would start new math and science teachers at the same pay grade as a fifth-year teacher.     
• HB278 by Representative Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City) would temporarily give local school systems more control over state funding so that they would have more flexibility to address current budget shortfalls.   
• SB84, which includes several of the provisions recommended by the Commission on School Board Excellence (CBSE), is being heard by the Senate Education and Youth Committee this week.   The Georgia Chamber SUPPORTS this legislation.     

Legal Reform

• Governor Perdue has filed the three legal reform bills he announced at this year's Eggs & Issues Breakfast.  SB75 provides liability protection for landowners who make their property available for agri-tourism and hunting.  SB101 provides protection for pharmaceutical manufacturers and medical device manufacturers in Georgia who meet or exceed federal safety standards.  SB108 discourages frivolous litigation by implementing "loser pays" penalties for cases dismissed in the earliest stages.   The Georgia Chamber SUPPORTS each of these bills.  
• SB23 by Senator Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville), which would allow the failure to wear seat belts to be admitted as evidence in court proceedings, was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.  Representative Harry Geisinger (R-Roswell) has filed a similar bill in the House, HB200.  The Georgia Chamber SUPPORTS this legislation.