Another Eventful Week
Another legislative week has come and gone under the Gold Dome in Atlanta as the legislature continues to march towards the last, and 40th, legislative day on April 2.
It was another eventful week that saw the passage of common sense, conservative initiatives that seek to make Georgia a better place for our children and grandchildren. We also celebrated the second annual Jackson-Butts County Day, a day dedicated to celebrating Jackson-Butts County’s unique place in Georgia’s history.
On Monday, the Senate passed SB 53, an extension of the sunset clause that was set by SB 65 last year, which would allow licensed professional counselors to perform certain emergency examinations of individuals who are mentally ill, or alcohol or drug dependent. I see this bill as an opportunity to diagnose and aid these patients as early as possible to prevent further complications for Georgia citizens down the road.
SB 3, the Supporting and Strengthening Families Act, was passed by the Senate on Tuesday, and states that parents may delegate power of attorney and authority regarding the care and custody of a minor child to another adult for up to one year.
On Wednesday, I was joined by the City of Jackson Mayor Kay Pippin, the Butts County Partners for Smart Growth, Butts County Commissioners, and the Butts County Chamber of Commerce to celebrate Jackson-Butts County Day. It was an honor to have so many friends and familiar faces at the state capitol as we recognized the truly special happenings in middle Georgia.
I was also joined by Henderson Middle School and Jackson High School students including Terris Henderson, Brett Fletcher, Christopher Wilson, Curran LaChappelle, and Allen Hert. They assisted the entire senate as pages, delivering notes and messages to senators throughout legislative day 14. We certainly couldn’t have done it without them!
On Thursday, we resumed the state’s business and passed legislation to help eradicate one of the horrors facing young children in this state. With the passing of Senate Bill 8, or Safe Harbor/Rachel’s Law, we took a huge step toward ending child sex trafficking in Georgia. SB 8 establishes the Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund and Commission, which will offer medical treatment, counseling and other assistance programs to victims of child sex trafficking.
This legislation will extend the statute of limitation for actions relating to childhood sexual abuse, provide state regulation of certain adult entertainment businesses and will require anyone found guilty of sexually exploiting a child to be registered in the State Sexual Offender Registry.
Senate Resolution 7 was also approved by the Senate, and calls for a constitutional amendment to be placed in the 2016 ballot for Georgia voters. SR 7 works alongside SB 8, and would permit the General Assembly to provide penalties or fees when a person is found guilty of keeping a place of prostitution, pimping and other types of sexual exploitation of children. The proposed amendment would also permit the General Assembly to impose assessments on adult entertainment establishments. I am pleased to see that we are able to protect the precious lives of Georgia’s children by passing legislation like SB 8 and SR 7.
The Senate passed the Amended Fiscal Year 2015 Budget, also known as the supplemental budget. The bill was sponsored by House Speaker David Ralston and carried in the Senate by Appropriations Chairman Sen. Jack Hill. The $21.1 billion supplemental budget runs through June 30, 2015, and includes increases to K-12 education and public health initiatives.
We also welcomed several noteworthy guests to the Senate chamber this week, including representatives from Georgia College, Fort Valley State University and the Georgia Girl Scouts, who were kind enough to bring boxes of their cookies to members of the House and Senate. Thank you, Georgia Girl Scouts, the cookies were delicious!
We will return to the Gold Dome on Tuesday, February 17 for day 16 of the Legislative Session. I remain committed to supporting policies that promote business growth and get Georgians back to work. It remains a pleasure to serve you, the constituents of the 25th Senate District. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 404.656.0082 or via email at burt.jones@senate.ga.gov.