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Members of the DeKalb County House Delegation, Committees they Serve and County Commission District within their House District
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Stacey Abrams ( District 84)
House Code Revision, Defense and Veterans Affairs, Judiciary Non-Civil, and Ways and Means Committees
DeKalb Commission Districts 2 and 3
Simone Bell (District 58)
House Children and Youth, Human Relations and Aging, and State Planning and Community Affairs Committees
DeKalb Commission District 3
Stephanie Stuckey Benfield ( District 85)
House Banks and Banking, Code Revision, Judiciary Non-Civil and, Natural Resources and Environment Committees
DeKalb Commission Districts 2, 3 and 4
Jill Chambers ( District 81)
House Appropriations, Governmental Affairs, Rules, and MARTOC (Chair) Committees
DeKalb Commission Districts 1 and 2
Dee Dawkins-Haigler ( District 93)
House Banks and Banking, Human Relations and Aging, and Industrial Relations Committees
DeKalb Commission District 5
Karla Drenner ( District 86)
House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications; Health and Human Services; Natural Resources and Environment; Special Committee on Small Business Development; and Rules Committees
DeKalb Commission Districts 1 and 4
Pat Gardner ( District 57)
House Appropriations, Higher Education, Natural Resources and Environment, and Transportation Committees
DeKalb Commission District 2
Michele Henson ( District 87)
House Appropriations, Economic Development and Tourism, and Health and Human Services Committees
DeKalb Commission District 1 and 4
Mike Jacobs ( District 80)
House Insurance, Judiciary (Vice-Chair), MARTOC, and Rules Committees
DeKalb Commission Districts 1 and 2
Kevin Levitas ( District 82)
House Judiciary Non-Civil (Secretary), Science and Technology, Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, and Transportation Committees
DeKalb Commission Districts 1 and 2
Randal Mangham ( District 94)
House Children and Youth; Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications; and Judiciary Non-Civil Committees
DeKalb Commission District 5
Rahn Mayo ( District 91)
House Banks and Banking, Education, and Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment
DeKalb Commission District 5
Fran Millar ( District 79)
House Economic Development and Tourism, Education (Vice-Chair), Health and Human Services, Special Committee on Small Business Development, and Rules Committees
DeKalb Commission District 1
Billy Mitchell ( District 88)
House Health and Human Services, MARTOC, Regulated Industries, and State Planning and Community Affairs Committees
DeKalb Commission Districts 1 and 4
Howard Mosby ( District 90)
House Government Affairs, Health and Human Services, Rules, Special Committee on Small Business Development, and Ways and Means Committees
DeKalb Commission Districts 4 and 5
Mary Margaret Oliver ( District 83)
House Appropriations, Government Affairs, Judiciary, and Science and Technology Committees
DeKalb Commission Districts 2 and 4
House Banks and Banking, Children and Youth, and Insurance Committees
DeKalb Commission District 5
Pam Stephenson ( District 92)
House Health and Human Services, Intragovernmental Coordination, and Judiciary Committees
DeKalb Commission District 3 and 5
"Coach" Williams ( District 89)
House Education; Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications; and Retirement Committees
DeKalb Commission Districts 3, 4 and 5
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DeKalb County Senate Delegation
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Join to Campaign to Help Haiti
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The people of Haiti need your help. Click here to make a donation to the NAACP For Haiti Fund
On Tuesday afternoon, a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck southwest of the Haitian capital of Port Au Prince. You have seen the devastating images. Preliminary reports note that millions of people have been affected, although it will be days before the world knows the true impact of this catastrophe.
The NAACP is asking our members and supporters to do whatever they can to assist those who have lost their homes, their livelihoods, and their loved ones. In the weeks ahead, we will bring you a number of opportunities to get involved in relief efforts in your communities. Today, the need for aid is crucial, and we ask that you make an emergency donation through the NAACP For Haiti Fund.
Proceeds will go to the NAACP's relief effort to bring food, water, shelter and medical services to the people of Haiti.
Sincerely,
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Benjamin Todd Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP |
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2010 Legislative Session, Week VI
From Brock Clay Government and Public Affairs
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Hospital Bed Tax Turns Sour
On Wednesday morning, a glaring headline on the front page of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution declared that Governor Sonny Perdue's proposed 1.6% provider tax is going nowhere fast. House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin (R - Evans) and House Speaker David Ralston (R - Blue Ridge) have both stated that they don't see much support for the measure. Governor Perdue's proposed provider tax, along with a 1.6% tax on HMOs, is purported to close a huge gap in Georgia's Medicaid budget. Spokesmen for the hospital industry have said that the proposed tax would cost the industry up to $48 million a year, while representatives from the governor's office have stated that it would allow for an average Medicaid rate increase for hospitals of up to 14.5%. At the same time, the governor's office has repeatedly stressed that failure to pass the tax would result in a 16.5% rate cut for all providers.
Administration floor leader Rep. Jim Cole (R - Forsyth), a well-respected Republican from middle Georgia, presented the legislation to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on HB 307. Trey Childress, director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Ryan Teague , the Governor's Deputy Counsel, defended the legislation as the next rational step in healthcare funding. They also cited previously instituted provider fees on nursing homes and other medical functions. A long line of speakers formed to oppose the bill in the public comment section. A large number of those in opposition to the provider tax voiced strong support for a proposed tobacco tax, which Lt. Governor Casey Cagle has voiced opposition against. Those opposed to the legislation included the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, HomeTown Health, the Georgia Hospital Association, the Georgia Dental Association, the Medical Association of Georgia and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. At the conclusion of the meeting, the chairman of the subcommittee, Rep. Mickey Channell (R - Greensboro), told reporters that he had no idea when the committee would vote on the bill or if they would even take a vote on the bill.
Legislature Changes Schedule
On Wednesday evening, word began to spread that the legislature would adjourn for two weeks after Thursday, February 18.
With a $660 million deficit in state funds for Medicaid, the legislature is looking for additional time to decide where needed cuts will be made. Many lawmakers contend that they will need to cut over $1 billion to balance the budget because Governor Perdue's budget estimates a 4% growth rate for the year (many are skeptical that we will see that kind of turnaround in the economy).
Speaker Ralston has ordered that only the House Appropriations, Transportation, Natural Resources & Environment, and the Ways & Means Committees meet during the two week adjournment.
The current schedule is as follows:
- March 8, 2010 - legislative day 21
- March 9, 2010 - legislative day 22
- March 10, 2010 - legislative day 23
- March 11, 2010 - legislative day 24
- March 12-14, 2010 - in adjournment
- March 15, 2010 - legislative day 25
Senate Passes Amended Budget
It took until the 30th legislative day in 2009, but this year, the General Assembly wasted no time in passing the state's FY 2010 Amended Budget on the 20th legislative day of 2010. The Senate voted 44-6 to pass the FY 2010 Amended Budget, complete with approximately $1 billion in cuts. The vast majority of cuts came from furloughing teachers and state employees for three additional days.
The Senate Appropriations Committee made some minor changes to the budget, so the amended budget is likely headed to a conference committee.
Cagle Applauds Senate On Passage of SB 374
SB 374 creates a legislative oversight committee to examine all state funds and programs dedicated to economic development purposes. There are currently five state entities that spend dollars on economic development: the Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Economic Development, the Department of Agriculture, the OneGeorgia Authority and the University System of Georgia. In the upcoming budget year, these agencies will combine for roughly $185 million in economic development projects. Lt. Governor Casey Cagle issued a release praising the Senate for their work on the legislation, citing the importance of using economic development resources wisely in the current economic downturn. The committee will be co-chaired by Lt. Governor Cagle, Speaker David Ralston, and the chairpersons of the House and Senate Appropriations, Economic Development, Higher Education, and Finance Ways and Means committees. The Minority Caucus will also have appointments to the committee.
Milton County, Anyone?
The state's most powerful female politician thinks it should become a reality and she said so to reporters this week. This year, Rep. Jan Jones (R - Milton) became a historical figure as she was elected the state's first female Speaker Pro-Tem. The quiet, studious community activist-turned-lawmaker has made it quite clear she intends to see the House, at the very least, vote on whether Georgians should be able to decide on whether to create Georgia's first new county in eight decades. HR 21, if passed by two thirds of the General Assembly and 50%-plus-one of Georgia's voters in November, would create Milton County out of the prosperous suburbs of North Fulton County. Many Democrats under the Gold Dome are opposed to the measure, citing concerns that it would take away significant portions of Fulton County's tax base. Democrats' opposition is significant because, as a constitutional amendment, the measure would require 15 Democratic votes in the House and 4 Democratic votes in the Senate. If passed, the new county would include the new cities of Sandy Springs, Milton and Johns Creek as well as Alpharetta, Roswell and Mountain Park. House Speaker David Ralston has, to date, been relatively quiet on the issue. However, Georgia State University recently released a study on the issue, finding that the proposal was economically viable.
Vouchers Legislation Passes Committee
This week, SB 361, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock), passed out of the Senate Education & Youth Committee. The legislation would re-name the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship to the Georgia Early HOPE Scholarship program, and would include providing vouchers to certain military and foster children (as well as to continue providing vouchers to students with disabilities). During the 2008-09 school year, $9.2 million in vouchers was distributed, with an average scholarship amount of $6,331.
Transportation-Moving Right Along
Senate Transportation Chairman Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) introduced legislation to change the length of terms for GDOT Board members, SB 448 and SR 1126. Senator Mullis' legislation is nearly identical to Rep. Hamilton's, except in two ways. First, it specifically changes the length of GDOT Board members to "serve for the same term as members of the General Assembly." Legislators currently serve two year terms, but if that ever changed then GDOT Board members would also change. Second, Senator Mullis' legislation allows for a recall of a GDOT Board member by the legislative caucus that elects that member.
Last week, Governor Sonny Perdue held a press conference to announce his transportation plan, HB 1218.The legislation would institute a one-cent sales tax for transportation statewide across the next 8 years. The vote would take place on project lists in each of the 12 different regional commissions in 2012. All of those projects, however, would have to be approved by the Director of Planning, a position appointed by the governor. The funds would be spent in the regions in which they are collected with no county opt-out. The legislation would send all new revenues to the State Road and Tollway Authority for management and disbursement. Finally, the legislation suspends the 50/50 restriction on MARTA's budget for three 3 years. The bill also calls for $300 million in bonds as previously announced by the governor's office.
On Tuesday, the House Transportation Committee also met and considered SB 305, legislation that would raise the cap on design-build contracts from GDOT from 15% to 30% of the previous year's budget. The legislation was amended to require reauthorization of the bill in 4 calendar years. The legislation will now proceed on to the House Rules Committee and then to the full House.
The Senate Transportation Committee met on Tuesday to consider SR 821, a constitutional amendment proposed by Senator David Shafer (R - Duluth) that would allow GDOT to change their accounting practices from a cash basis to a system of accrual or flow of funds. The change would allow GDOT to leverage more federal funds by issuing contracts on a multi-year basis. The committee addressed questions of whether allowing this type of accounting would be the equivalent of raising the state's debt level. Senator Shafer subsequently answered that the legislation would not create that situation. Senator Shafer also assured the committee that the internal policies adopted by GDOT and the mandates that come with receiving federal dollars would not allow for a situation in which dollars run out, leaving a bridge or other projects incomplete. The legislation was heard without opposition from any parties and passed out of committee unanimously.
The following day, the Sales Tax Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed HB 1135, sponsored by House Transportation Chairman Jay Roberts (R - Camilla). Roberts' legislation seeks to establish the same change as SR 821, only through statutory means rather than by constitutional amendment.
Last week, Speaker Ralston announced plans for legislation that would shorten the terms for GDOT Board members.
This week, Rep. Mark Hamilton (R-Cumming) filed HB 1234, and an accompanying constitutional amendment in the form of HR 1446, that would shorten GDOT Board member terms to two years (members currently serve 5 year terms).
GDOT Board Elects New Board Members
On Wednesday, the General Assembly gathered to elect board members to the Georgia Department of Transportation's board seats for the 1st and 7th Congressional Districts. In the caucus for the 7th Congressional District, Rudy Bowen was unanimously re-elected to the Board. In the caucus for the 1st Congressional District, Rep. Jay Shaw (D - Lakeland) ran against former state Rep. Buddy DeLoach. Shaw defeated DeLoach on the first ballot. Rumors currently indicate that Shaw's son will run as a Republican to replace him in House District 176.
HOT Lanes Coming to Atlanta
On Tuesday morning, representatives from several other states joined Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Commissioner Vance Smith, Jr., at the Georgia Freight Depot to provide information on bringing High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes to I-85 in Atlanta. HOT lanes have been used around the world as one of the most viable forms of pricing controls on traffic flow. Pricing strategies have been effectively adopted in London, Singapore and Stockholm. The first HOT lane in the United States didn't come online until 1996 in San Francisco, according to Regina McElroy , Director of the Office of Innovative Program Development of the Federal Highway Administration. HOT lanes help manage capacity, manage demand, raise revenue, attract private investment and increase traffic volume served, stated McElroy.
Tina Geiselbrecht , a research scientist with the Texas Transportation Institute, spoke on the success of HOT lanes in other areas around the country. In San Francisco, the percentage of low-income commuters who approved of the HOT lanes on I-15 was 80% as opposed to 70% of high-income commuters approving the measure. Within the first 12 months of opening HOT lanes on SR 167 in Seattle, 1,500 commuters purchased "quick passes." In 2008, Governor Sonny Perdue announced a $110 million federal grant to the State of Georgia for Phase I implementation of a long-term HOT lane strategy in metro Atlanta. This first phase will demonstrate the success of HOT lanes on approximately 15 miles of the I-85 corridor. The total cost of the project will be $182 million.
Report from GDOT Board Meeting
The GDOT Board held its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Thursday, February 18. The current budget report indicates that 51% of FY 2010 motor fuel revenues have been spent, with approximately $336.6 million expected in future expenditures. Thirty one percent 31% of prior and current year federal authorizations have been spent, with expected future expenditures in the amount of $862 million. Of those expenditures, $153 million has been for personnel services, $890 million for capital outlay and $172 million for operations. One of the biggest challenges the Department is currently facing is the lack of reauthorization by Congress of The Transportation Act SAFETEA-LU, which expired on September 30, 2009. Since that time, the Federal Highway Program has been operating under the Continuing Appropriations Resolution of 2010.
Georgia has only received a small portion of highway revenues - approximately $361 million. This continuing appropriations resolution will be in effect until February 28. The danger is that the capital outly program must be downsized, and any contracts that have been signed without receiving federal funding by the end of the current fiscal year must be funded 100% by motor fuel revenue.
The Alternative Finance (P3) Committee of the GDOT Board re-opened the rule making process to incorporate three changes requested by the House and Senate Transportation Committees on January 21. The public comment period will end on March 22, and the revised final rules will be presented to the legislative transportation committees on March 23. The GDOT Board will offer final approval to the rules on April 15. The "West by Northwest" project (I-75/I-575 & I-285/I-20W) is projected to issue a draft request for proposal (RFP) on June 2, a final RFP on September 10, and accept final proposals on January 31, 2011. The contract is projected to be awarded on March 15, 2011.
As of the March letting, GDOT has currently let a total of 235 projects, not including 623 state aid projects. The vast majority of those projects have been rehabilitation and resurfacing. The projects have totaled $783 million in total lettings. Projects awarded from the regular program year-to-date total approximately $211 million. Of the 37 total projects let in February (13 local let), 24 were advertised, 2 withdrawn and 22 awarded. The March letting included 19 projects, only two of which were funded from ARRA. 12 of the March projects are rehabilitation and resurfacing, two (2) are traffic management, while the remaining 5 are various other projects. The total letting value is $58.3 million, with $2.55 million coming from ARRA funds. 18 of the projects are GDOT let, and the remaining project is a local let. All 19 of the March projects are located in economically distressed areas.
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League of Women Voters-Under the Gold Dome
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Vouchers in Georgia
This week, SB 361 sponsored by Sen. Chip Rogers (Dist. 21) was given a due pass by the Senate Education and Youth Committee in a 5-2 vote. The provisions of this measure expands the state's school special needs voucher program to include military families, foster care children and children who operate with what educators have come to know as "504 plans." Consequently, the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (GSNS) Program would be renamed the "Georgia Early HOPE Scholarship." The bill now moves to the Senate Rules Committee. Under this legislation, taxpayer money would be used to send students to any school of their choice, including private schools. While previous legislation had certain requirements for participating schools, this bill removes those stipulations and allows any school to apply as long as the Department of Education is notified of its intention to enroll vouchered students. Private schools would not be held to any federal or state educational requirements, nor would they be prohibited from operating single sex or religious schools. Public school transfers are also allowed, and trailers must be considered when determining if space is available.
The Georgia residency requirement would also be waived, and instead, a student must have spent the prior school year in a Georgia public school to be eligible. In cases where the eligible student is attempting to enroll in a school outside of his or her resident school system, SB 361 gives these schools "sole discretion" to accept the student.
As with special needs scholarships, the student is entitled to the voucher until graduation or a return to public school. Funding available to an eligible student would come from "a proportional share of state categorical grants, non-QBE state grants, state equalization grants, and all other state grants and a proportional share of funding for transportation, food services, and building programs."
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HEALTHCARE
Hospital Tax
On Wednesday, February 17th, HB 307 Rep. Cole (Dist. 125) had the Gold Dome buzzing from a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee's Special Subcommittee. The bill proposes to raise taxes on hospitals and insurance companies by 1.6%. The bill, a priority of Gov. Perdue, was created to help fund a $300 million shortfall in Georgia's Medicaid funding for FY 2011. The proposal would also raise insurance premiums charged by managed-care networks. Several speakers rose to address the committee and voice opposition to the hospital tax.
Cigarette Tax
HB 39 Rep. Stephens (Dist. 164) has proposed a tax increase of $1 dollar on every pack of cigarettes sold in the state. It's estimated that this tax would generate up to $350 million dollars of additional revenue and would bridge the gap in the state budget. However, HB 39 fails to consider that many Georgia smokers would elect to cross state lines to avoid the tax increase; in affect Georgia would lose out on that projected revenue altogether.
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Work Going On During Adjournment
The General Assembly will have joint appropriations committee hearings next week Tuesday and Wednesday. House Speaker David Ralston has indicated that only three other committees will be able to meet during this recess -- Transportation, Natural Resources & Environment, and Ways & Means.
Department Of Education is being heard Tuesday, Feb 23, from 8:00am - Noon. Public Comment at 11am.
Legislation
EDUCATION
SB 387- Sen. Weber (Dist. 40)
Provides student in grades K-12 with web based advisement, career advisement, career awareness inventories and other academic skills evaluations of career interests. Also, provides for online graduation plans that will help guide the student on what courses to take to be successful in post secondary education. Status: Senate Read Second Time
HB 906- Rep. Neal (Dist. 1)
Provides for annual contracts to be given to certify personnel in elementary and secondary education. Status: Senate Read Second Time
HB 907- Rep. Casas (Dist. 103)
Proposes that a minimum of five hours of instruction be in English and Language Arts, reading, science, social studies and other academic subjects. Status: Senate Read Second Time
HB 905- Rep. Dickson (Dist. 6)
Quality Basic Education Act. Provides for local school systems with construction project under the advance funding category to meet specific educational needs. These projects will be for the following: destruction or damage to educational facilities by fire or natural disasters, facilities declared hazardous to health, priority projects and consolidation of schools. Status: Senate Read Second Time
SB 427- Sen. Weber (Dist. 40)
Proposes amendments to Title 20, establishing the Georgia Foundation for Public Education. This Foundation would solicit and accept contributions of money and in-kind contributions of services and property for the purpose of supporting educational excellence in Georgia. Status: Senate Read and Referred
HB 908- Rep. Casas (Dist. 103)
Temporarily eliminates state expenditure controls placed on local school systems through the Quality Basic Education Act. Local systems will have total flexibility through "blanket waivers" that eliminate: (1) expenditure controls on media center, direct instruction, and staff development costs; (2) minimum spending requirements on classroom expenses; (3) funding for additional instruction days. Status: Senate Read and Referred
HEALTHCARE
SB 407- Sen. Hill (Dist. 32) and HB 1184- Rep. Ramsey (Dist. 72)
Provides health insurance policies by out-of-state providers to Georgia citizens. The business of insurance would be competitive by allowing other state's insurance companies to base policies to citizens in Georgia. Would also provide standards that out of state insurance companies would have to follow. Status for SB 407: Senate Read and Referred Status for HB 1184: House Second Readers
SB 309- Sen. Hill (Dist. 32)
Provides health insurance policies by out-of-state providers to Georgia citizens. Requires written applications in order for out-of-state policy insurers to sell insurance. Standard guidelines must be provided in all contracts in order to know what benefits are provided to the beneficiary within Georgia. Status: Senate Read and Referred
ENVIRONMENT
SB 370- Sen. Tolleson (Dist. 20)
Requires Georgia Department of Natural Resources and related agencies to examine and reorganize programs that encourage voluntary water conservation. Provisions include requiring building and new construction to install high-efficiency toilets, showerheads, faucets, and other water conservation practices in residential and mixed-use buildings. This bill also creates the Joint Committee on Water Supply, evaluates agricultural watering methods, implements a phased-in approach requiring public water systems to create water loss detection programs, and requires periodical water reports. Status: Senate Committee Favorably Reported
SB 321- Sen. Pearson (Dist. 51)
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Georgia Public-Private Water Facility and Supply Act of 2010; Recreates the term "water facility" to include recapture reservoir, well, collection and distribution system, water transportation system and other collection methods of water for public usage. Furthermore, this bill also provides private operation or ownership of new public water supply reservoirs. Status: Senate Committee Favorably Reported |
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Crime Prevention Tour 2010
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Crime Prevention Tour 2010:
NORTH DEKALB
A Community Breakfast & Meeting
Saturday, February 27, 2009
Breakfast 8:30 a.m./ Meeting 9 am - 12 pm
Tucker Middle School
2160 Idlewood Road, Tucker, Georgia 30084
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Join us in North DeKalb for the next installment of the Crime Prevention Tour, which will focus on ways to fight crime and put you face-to-face with your local elected officials and law enforcement agencies.
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Free Training!
During the Crime Prevention Tour, we will be offering FREE training in child sexual abuse awareness and prevention by the Darkness to Light project of the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. The training will last 2 1/2 hours and will begin at 9:30. Please contact Dana Lawrence at 404-313-4029 or delawrence@co.dekalb.ga.us if you are interested in participating in this training. Registration is required for this training.
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Community Calendar/News
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Decatur Career Center @ Avondale Crossing Plaza
Resources, technology and support services have been designed to help Job Seekers secure employment, and to assist in the development of Micro- Businesses. For more information contact Dee Dee Bullock at (404) 728-8635. Center located at 1295 Columbia Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30032.
College Financial Aid Awareness and College Recruitment Day
Saturday, February 27, 2010
9:00 am until 1:00 pm
The Body of Christ Church International, U.S.A.
3650 Flat Shoals Road
College Park, Georgia 30349
Register online @ www.bocciusa.org or call (770) 472-4800
Assistance for DeKalb County Seniors
If you are or know a senior living in DeKalb County who is in need of meals please contact Senior Connections at 770-455-7602.
American Diabetes Association EXPO Atlanta
Saturday, March 27th
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Georgia World Congress Center
Buildling B, Lower Level, Hall B-2
Learn how to live healthy, be active and thrive with diabetes or reduce your risk for getting it. To register for free admission and a $4.00 parking coupon, please visit www.diabetes.org/ExpoAtlanta or call 1-888-342-2383, ext. 3166.
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DEKALB COUNTY HOUSE DELEGATION
Welcome. On behalf of the DeKalb County House Delegation, I hope you will view this newsletter as a tool to inform the community about what is happening within our county and in the State Capitol. Please send us an email about events that would be of interest to other citizens in DeKalb County. Thanks!