Health care and education pass the senate this week
By Senator Bill Jackson

BILL JACKSON

This is an exciting time to be a part of the state Senate and the legislative process as a whole. Crossover Day, the last day we can pass a Senate Bill over to the House, will fall on Tuesday, March 11 this year. As the week drew to a close, committees worked quickly to pass out as many bills as possible before the deadline. On Thursday, there were 70 bills still in the Rules Committee, several of which may not make it to the Senate floor. Now is truly the time for Senators to prioritize their most important legislation. A number of influential bills passed the Senate this week, a few of which I'd like to highlight.

The Lt. Governor's Georgia Health Marketplace Act passed the Senate on Thursday. Senate Bill 404 will provide cost-effective options for Georgia citizens seeking more choices for their health insurance. The bill seeks to make it easier for individuals and businesses to purchase health insurance policies by creating an Internet portal, known as the Georgia Health Marketplace (GHM), which will provide consumers with access to healthcare products and programs. These include the PeachCare for Kids program, health insurance coverage to employees of small businesses, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and prepaid healthcare services provided directly by a physician. The legislature recognizes that Georgia consumers need increased access to healthcare products, and this online marketplace will provide everyone with more options.

Legislation regarding Georgia's education system took an important step forward in the Senate this week. SB 458, authored by President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson, allows students of schools that lose or fail to attain accreditation to receive a scholarship to attend a private school or permission to attend another public school. Also, schools designated as a Needs Improvement School for seven consecutive years will fall under the same conditions. Students who choose to transfer to a private school will be granted a scholarship from the Department of Education to cover the state's portion of funding. For those who opt to attend another public school, the resident school will enroll and transport the student to the public school of their choice. If a school is placed on probation, parents will be notified of the options available to the student if the school loses accreditation.

I also would like to briefly mention a resolution I sponsored that passed the Senate Interstate Cooperation Committee this week. Senate Resolution 1011 expresses gratitude and appreciation to the U.S. Border Patrol for the tireless and perilous work their agents perform on a daily basis. Two of these brave men, Patrol agents Ignacio "Nacho" Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, are now serving sentences of 11 and 12 years respectively for a nonfatal shooting of an illegal immigrant when he fled in their presence from a van containing illegal substances. This resolution calls for the President and U.S. Congress to review the conviction of these agents, because it is a grave miscarriage of justice against two men who were bravely performing their duties for their country. I thank the Interstate Cooperation Committee and its chairman for unanimously passing this resolution.

Sen. Bill Jackson represents the 24th Senate District, which includes Columbia, Glascock, Lincoln, McDuffie and Wilkes counties and portions of Elbert and Warren counties. He can be reached at 404.656.5114 or via e-mail at bill.jackson@senate.ga.gov.