Legislature Completes Crossover Day
Your Georgia legislators have made it through Crossover Day and are now 10 days from the end of the 2015 legislative session.
Crossover Day was the last day for legislation to pass the chamber in which it was introduced in order for it to move to the other chamber for consideration. Now that my colleagues and I have passed all current Senate bills to the House of Representatives, the remainder of the 153rd Legislative Session will be spent reviewing and voting on bills that made it out of the House.
This week got off to a great state with the unanimous passage of Senate Bill 132. This legislation expands and modifies Georgia’s dual enrollment program, in which all high school students are given the opportunity to take post-secondary classes for high school course credit. SB 132 will transfer oversight of the program from the Board of Education to the Georgia Student Finance Commission, and will require that the Finance Commission be responsible for developing the guidelines for the dual enrollment program. I firmly believe that we must do everything possible to prepare our students for a successful career and future. This bill will allow those motivated students who are interested in post-secondary work to begin their courses sooner, rather than later.
There were several other pieces of legislation that was I proud to support this week:
•Senate Bill 168 will designate the old Governor’s Mansion as the official state historic house. The Department of Economic Development and other tourism agencies will work together to advertise and educate Georgia citizens and tourists about the Old Governor’s Mansion. This historic residence is a testament to the influence and importance middle Georgia has played in our state’s unique history. With increased awareness, visitors both near and far can become better acquainted with Milledgeville’s important connection with the state capitol in Atlanta.
•SB 116 establishes the week including September 17th as Celebrate Freedom Week in Georgia Public Schools. The bill encourages at least three hours of instruction in social studies classes at each grade level to focus on the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution including the Bill of Rights. It is essential that of Georgia’s children have a deep understanding of our nation’s foundation and this piece of legislation does just that.
•SB 183 would expand current law to limit the liability of owners, professionals or sponsors of livestock animals participating in livestock activities. Current law only protects equine and llama activities from being held liable when injuries are sustained by participants in those activities.
•SB 185 creates the Controlled Substances Therapeutic Research Act, which will allow clinical trials for cannabidiol (CBD) products to treat people under the age of 21 who suffer from medication-resistant epilepsies. The bill also creates a five-year pilot research program of CBD products to be implemented by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG). With the passage of Senate Bill 185, our state can continue the process of studying cannadbidoil and its effect on children with medication-resistant seizures. Too often, parents are forced to travel to other states for this treatment. If enacted, we can provide this kind of care to Georgia’s children who have the most medically fragile conditions and unite families who currently live apart.
•Senate Bill 154 states that it is illegal for any person to observe, photograph or record the activities of another in any private place without consent. This legislation will revise the definition of “private place” to mean a place where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. SB 154 will also allow law enforcement officials and other personnel to use recording devices while executing a lawful arrest or search authorized with a warrant. We must protect our citizens from unwanted intrusion and I applaud my colleagues for supporting this important measure.
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.