News from the State Senate

We are past the half way point in the 2006 session of the Georgia General Assembly and the pace is beginning to quicken. Several important measures passed the State Senate this week and it is apparent that education and security are two issues that will mark this session.

The Senate agreed to House changes to Governor Sonny Perdue’s Classrooms First for Georgia Act or the 65 percent rule. Senate Bill 390 requires that local school systems spend at least 65 percent of their total operating funds on direct classroom expenditures. These expenditures include classroom teachers, personnel, instruction supplies, field trips, music, athletics and private institutions for special education.

Those items not included in the 65 percent rule consist of instructional support, including libraries and media specialists, teacher training, nurses, counselors and social workers, administration, food services and transportation.

The House made minor changes to the Senate bill, requiring the Senate to agree to those changes before the bill could receive final passes. By a vote of 33-19 the Senate agreed, sending the bill to the Governor’s desk for his signature.

In an effort to fight childhood obesity and the increasing problem of childhood diabetes, the Senate voted 42-7 to require at least 150 minutes of physical education weekly to public school students in grades K-8.

Senate Bill 474, the Student Health and Fitness Act, is designed to promote student health and physical fitness. We want school systems to provide 150 minutes per week of physical education instruction to students in K-5 and 225 minutes per week of PE to students in grades 6-8.

In addition, these PE classes should include a coordinated health and PE program designed to prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes.

Courthouse security has been of serious concern following the March 11, 2005 shooting at the Fulton County Courthouse. After months of hearings and testimony, the Senate passed Senate Bill 462 that places the development and implementation of a comprehensive courthouse security plan under the control of county sheriffs.

The plan ultimately will have to be approved by the local superior court judge. The fear is that we go back to the ways of doing business prior to the massacre by Brian Nicholls. This has to be a front-burner issue. We have to look at life a little differently, and security a little differently than we did before that time. The Senate has included $500,000 in their version of the 2006 supplemental budget to implement the local plans.

Also passed this week was:
•SB 481—A bill that will allow Georgia military personnel who are stationed in other states and have Georgia tags, to meet their liability insurance obligations by purchasing insurance in the state they are stationed.

•SB 455—Legislation aimed at prohibiting the sale of cell phone records without the consent of the consumer. It also requires cell phone companies to implement measures to protect cell phone records from unauthorized disclosure. In the event of a breach of security, phone companies will be required to notify their customers that the privacy of their records has been jeopardized.

•SB 229—This is known as the Animal Fighting Act. The legislation will prohibit animal fighting or baiting, and provide new fines and punishments for those who participate in such activities.
Remember, I work for you and your concerns are my concerns.

Interested persons may contact Sen. Johnny Grant at his office in Atlanta at 404.656.0082 or by e-mail at sengrant@alltel.net .