Heath: Week 11, Adjourned Sine Die!

Dear Editor:

The Legislature wrapped up its 2013 session at midnight Thursday, March 28.  Since January 14, the Senate cast 408 electronically recorded votes (plus an uncounted number of hand votes).  Forty one percent of those votes were cast this week in the final three days.  Nearly 1,000 bills were introduced this session purportedly aimed at enhancing public safety, providing a quality education for Georgia students and creating a fertile environment for job creation and economic development. At the time of this writing, it is still too early to tell how many bills actually received final approval by the Legislature to be sent to the Governor for his consideration.

Not every bill that gets introduced needs to become law.  However, just because a bill didn’t get final passage this year doesn’t mean that it is dead; it will just have to wait until next year.  The Constitution allows forty days for the Legislature to do its work and then allows the Governor forty days to take action on the bills sent to him at the end of the session.  In the coming weeks, I will attempt to cover the bills that I think you will have interest in as Governor Deal begins taking action on them.

There was spirited debate on Monday when an amendment was introduced to prohibit the state health benefit plan from paying for abortions. After much debate and procedural maneuvering by those opposed to the measure, the Senate amended HB 246 by a vote of 32 to 15.  I don’t think there is anything more important for the Legislature to do than to protect the lives of those innocent children who cannot defend themselves.  Unfortunately, the House refused to take up the bill after it was sent back to them.

As I had feared, the leadership of the legislature succeeded in prohibiting the passage of any legislation to ensure Georgians’ right to keep and bear arms for the protection of our own lives and the lives of our family members.  SB 101 passed the Senate on March 4 by a vote of 41 to 10 and was then amended by the House to include the provisions of HB 512, which had passed the House by a vote of 117 to 56 earlier in the session.  While both legislative bodies agreed upon almost every measure contained in the bills, the leadership refused to allow the distribution of a Conference Committee report to be printed and distributed until it was too late for passage.

In the final hours of the 2013 Legislative Session the Senate worked hard to pass HB 142, a mutually agreed upon ethics bill with the House of Representatives.  HB 142 is now on its way to the Governor’s desk for his approval. I believe many components of this bill protect citizen involvement in the legislative process while tightening requirements governing lobbyists’ expenditures on officials. Last July, voters overwhelming voted in favor of sweeping ethics reform – sending a clear message that “business as usual” is no longer acceptable under the Gold Dome.

Right now, it’s still too early to tell how HB 142 will affect the culture of lobbying at the State Capitol. While the conference committee report passed by the Senate eliminates a few gifts here or there, the areas that attracted the most attention—such as committee dinners and lavish trips—are still allowed under this legislation. However, I am pleased by several key provisions to eliminate loopholes in Georgia’s ethics policy.

In the bill, the House and Senate mutually agreed upon a provision that sets a $75 gift cap on lobbyist expenditures and completely bans gifts such as golf outings, concert tickets and international travel, while also preserving the First Amendment rights of citizens expressing personal views. However, the ethics bill has some downsides; it removes the $300 annual renewal fee paid by lobbyists at the beginning of each session and doesn’t require lobbyists to purchase their name badges. This is certainly a win-win for lobbyists, but is detrimental to the state. The lobbyist registration fees account for approximately $340,000 dollars in revenue each year which will now be shifted to the taxpayers of the state. While it’s clear that HB 142 is not a perfect bill, it does go a long way towards advancing a more honest, transparent state government.

The Legislature passed a Conference Committee Report on House Bill 487 to regulate the gambling industry in Georgia. Prior to this bill’s passage, extensive conference committee meetings were held ostensibly to protect Georgians against the harmful effects of gambling while also encouraging local control. Even though proceeds from video-operated poker machines would provide some funding for the HOPE Scholarship, we need to exercise extreme caution against legitimizing an industry that is destructive to Georgia families. Everyone can agree that we need additional educational funding, but gambling should not be the vehicle by which we achieve it.

It’s hard to believe that we’ve completed the 2013 Legislative Session, and it is very rare that we adjourn Sine Die before Easter. Although the Legislature has adjourned until next January, our work as elected officials will not stop. During the recess, I will continue to research issues of importance and meet with the constituents of the 31st Senate District. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time. It is a great honor to be allowed to serve as your voice at the Gold Dome.

Sen. Bill Heath, R-Bremen