The challenge of passing a budget in tough economic times, with a new two-party team, has extended the regular legislative session by over a month. If we don't approve "responsible" FY 2004 Budget by the 40th and final day of this session, the Governor will have to call the legislature back into a special session to pass a balanced budget, as required by the state Constitution. That would cost an extra several million dollars and is an unnecessary expenditure of your hard earned taxes.
On the 33rd day of the session, the so called "crossover day" when a bill must have passed either the House or Senate to continue through the legislative process, a small increase in the user fees on tobacco was shot down. News stories have suggested that the $128 million brought in by that level of tobacco tax would have made up the budget shortfall. No one has been willing to face the fact that the anticipated revenue shortfall plus the increase in homestead exemption, leaves us short more than a billion dollars. Add to that the fact that Philip Morris USA just announced that it may not be able to meet an April 15 deadline for paying the $63.8 million partial payment owed to the state this year as part of its share of a 25-year tobacco lawsuit settlement. The hole gets deeper and deeper.
Last Tuesday, the legislature debated for almost six hours on changing the flag. We did not adjourn until after midnight. Everyone who wanted to speak was heard. Some speeches appealed to the emotions and some to rationality. Some accused white Democrats of going back on their word. Some accused Republicans of not enough empathy for their fellow man. Feelings have been hurt; and it is probably good that we are reaching the end of the session.
On a more local issue, the Democrats have refused to pass the Governor's education reform package. According to School Superintendent, David Luke, Lumpkin County may need to collect an extra million dollars in school taxes for next year. Without the reform bills, he will be forced to hire 17 more teachers and equip 17 more classrooms for FY 2004.
It's not an easy process getting legislation passed. Of the 973 bills introduced in the House this session, only 343 were passed on to the Senate. In the Senate, 376 bills were introduced, with 134 passed on to the House. Even so, only a small percentage of the bills passed by either chamber will be adopted by the other chamber and passed on to the Governor for his signature. The only major legislation passed by both chambers so far has been a predatory lending bill criticized by consumer advocates.
HB 373 passed the House 126-44. It is intended to rein in the power of electric companies to condemn property for new power line construction. Georgia currently has no consumer protections to govern the use of eminent domain by electric companies. HB 373 may not be a perfect bill, but it is a start and a good compromise that provides a process for input, as well as a set of guidelines for determining when eminent domain may be exercised.
Bills that have been declared dead for this year include: 1) a sales tax holiday that would have exempted certain school supplies/computers/clothing for a four-day period in July, 2) an increase in tobacco user fees, 3) granting limited driving privileges to illegal immigrants, 4) repeal of the Sentencing Reform Act of 1994, 5) a move to keep from public view security plans related to homeland security, 6) an attempt to require the state Department of Education to find a way to lighten the weight of books schoolchildren are required to carry, and 7) the so-called Defense of Scouting Act.
One bill that did not make it deserves comments. HB 670 would have allowed a child 13 to 17 years of age convicted of murder, rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery or armed robbery to be committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice rather than the Department of Corrections. Under this law, a Georgia sniper like the one who killed all of those people around Washington could go to Juvenile Court rather than be tried as an adult.
I voted against HB 670. The last person I want mixing with young juveniles who may have a chance at rehabilitation is one convicted of murder, rape, sodomy, or child molestation.
I'd like to know what you think on the issues. I'll be at Jack's Café on the Square in Dahlonega on Saturday, April 19 at 9 am. Remember, the secret of good government is a well-informed electorate.
Amerson News Release 4-11-03
Hall County Georgia Representative
Amos Amerson (Republican)
House District 9
Tuesday
August 5th, 2025
7:34AM
