Notes from the Georgia State Senate
By State Sen. Jim Whitehead, Sr.

Another successful week has come to a close for the Georgia legislature. After a long day in the Senate Chamber, a productive Crossover Day finally ended with over 60 Senate bills having been passed. Some of the bills that were not passed will be taken up for consideration during the 2008 session, while some are now dead. Here is an update on some of the major pieces of legislation that passed.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the FY 2007 amended budget this week, which was the result of a bipartisan effort to support Lt. Governor Casey Cagle in his goal to cut out unnecessary spending. The budget includes only those items that are absolutely necessary, such as additional funding for Georgia's school systems, which admitted more students than they anticipated last year. The budget also includes funds for emergency spending needs such as PeachCare for Kids, those counties which were damaged by the March 1 tornadoes and the public defender program.

The Senate's recommended supplemental budget includes the following:

.. $6.2 million for the Public Defender Standards Council

.. $8.2 million for PeachCare for Kids

.. $7.6 million for the Pre-Kindergarten Program (lottery funds)

.. $176 million for the Georgia Department of Education for mid-year adjustments

.. $11 million for the Governor's Emergency Fund (2007 tornado damage)

.. Protect 10 percent of the budget surplus for the reserve fund and use remaining budget surplus to pay down state debt for new priorities in the FY 2008 budget and/or provide additional tax relief to Georgia families

As chairman of the Public Safety and Homeland Security, I was pleased to see SB 125 pass the Senate with a bi-partisan vote. The bill was introduced on behalf of the Governor to enact a measure that fines persons driving at least 85 miles per hour on any road or highway a $200 fine, in addition to whatever the price of the ticket issued. A similar fine will be imposed on those driving 75 miles per hour or more on a two-lane road.

All fees collected under this legislation will be deposited into Georgia's general fund with the intent that these monies be used to fund a trauma care system in Georgia.

Earlier this year, in his budget address, Gov. Perdue stated that traffic accidents not only cost billions of dollars every year, but also the lives of over 1,700 people just in Georgia.

Another influential bill that garnered much debate on the Senate floor, Sen- ate Bill 200 and its companion resolution, Senate Resolution 309, both passed the Senate on Tuesday. The Georgia Smart Infrastructure Growth Act will create a referendum vote on Infrastructure Development Districts. These measures will allow an alternative way for cities and counties to pay for infrastructure by creating the IDDs, which are similar to Tax Allocation Districts. These districts, used by many other states, provide a way to transfer the cost of new infrastructure to those who choose to live in that community, not current citizens who already are overtaxed.

These are just a few of the measures that passed the legislature this week, while many others will soon be debated on the Senate floor and in committee. Now that Crossover Day is over and the end of session is drawing near, stay tuned to the news coming out of the General Assembly, as you will soon see a great number of bills that will affect the state as a whole. Please contact me in my office on the issues that are affecting you and your area.