House Action. As the General Assembly headed into the home stretch of the 2008 legislative session last week, the House approved several measures, including the following:

House Bill 989 is the revised version of the supplemental budget for the current fiscal year, which ends on June 30, 2008. The bill funds $20 million in equalization grants for schools, $50 million for trauma care to help hospitals like Grady in Atlanta that treat the critically injured, $2.7 million for the public defender program, $40 million for reservoir projects to meet Georgia's future water needs and $210 million in bonds for school construction projects around Georgia. The Senate also approved HB 899, which has been signed into law by the Governor.

Senate Bill 82, allows Dunwoody residents to vote by local referendum to create the new City of Dunwoody. I voted in favor of the bill because I believe in the right of citizens to decide for themselves the appropriate form of government under which they choose to live. The bill has been signed by the Governor, clearing the way for the referendum vote this summer by Dunwoody residents that will coincide with the July Primary Election.

Senate Bill 145, changing Georgia law to allow a judge to impose a sentence of "life without parole" in murder cases without requiring the prosecutor to seek the death penalty. A separate provision was added to this Senate bill when it was considered on the House floor. The amendment permits a judge, in a case where the death penalty is sought, to sentence a murderer to death, even if the jury verdict is not unanimous. Although I supported the original bill, I did not support the House amendment because I believe that it is unconstitutional. The measure is pending before a House-Senate conference committee in an attempt to resolve differences between the two versions.

Senate Bill 350, punishes as a felony the fourth and subsequent offenses of driving without being licensed or driving on a suspended license. In order to track more easily repeat violators, the bill requires that violators be fingerprinted.

Senate Bill 359, directs the Department of Economic Development to create and implement a "Made in Georgia" program promoting goods and products manufactured in Georgia.

Senate Bill 388, extends authority to certain state agencies, including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), to investigate offenses involving identity theft.

Senate Bill 430, authorizing the GBI to compare against its criminal DNA database a lawfully obtained DNA sample from a person arrested for committing a felony offense. The bill also contains privacy-protection provisions for those who are arrested but who are later either not prosecuted after arrest or acquitted.

Senate Resolution 845, a proposed constitutional amendment that allows Georgia's Regional Development Commissions to propose a temporary regional transportation tax not to exceed 1%, which must be approved by voters. An amendment added on the House floor allows counties to opt out the plan. A House-Senate conference committee has been appointed to forge a compromise version of the legislation.

Committee Action. In the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, we approved Senate Resolution 445, creating the Joint Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Minors Study Commission.

On April 26, at 7:00 p.m, Briarlake Elementary School will host its Shangri-La Dinner and Auction at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta Hall (1911 Cliff Valley Way, NE, Atlanta, GA 30329).

All proceeds benefit technology upgrades (Smart Boards). Raffle tickets are on sale for a week-long stay in Italy. For more information, contact briarlakepta@gmail.com.

If you are interested in more detail about what happened at the General Assembly this session, then please feel free to call or write me or visit the General Assembly website: www.legis.ga.gov. The website provides direct access to the text of legislation and vote tallies as well as schedules and live coverage of committee meetings.

(Another resource is offered when the General Assembly is in session by Georgia Public Broadcasting through a television program called "Lawmakers," which airs daily at 7 PM and rebroadcasts at 5:30 AM the following morning. The program covers each day's events at the Capitol.)

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