Politics & Government

Sen. Bill Heath's Weekly Capitol Update: March 18 through 22

In addition to producing a balanced budget, another hotly-debated area of focus this week was ethics reform, says Sen. Bill Heath (R-Bremen).

Dear Editor:

As you’re well aware, one of the most important things the General Assembly does each session is pass a balanced state budget. In fact, it’s the General Assembly’s only constitutionally-mandated requirement, and for good reason. Passing a balanced budget is crucial for our state to maintain our high triple-A bond rating. A bond credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of a government or corporation. Just as a person with a high credit score is seen as financially sound and has an easier time obtaining loans and lower interest rates, a government with a high bond rating enjoys similar privileges.

With only three legislative days left until Sine Die (the final day of session), the Georgia Senate passed the FY2014 Budget by a vote of 51 to 0. The FY2014 General Budget allocates $19.8 billion to fund state infrastructure and operations. Every line item was carefully reviewed to ensure the state is appropriately allocating funds where they are needed the most, and as a result, the Senate made a few substitutions to the original House bill. HB 106 will now be appointed to a joint conference committee, where members of both chambers will discuss and amend the differences.

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In addition to producing a balanced budget, another hotly-debated area of focus this week was ethics reform. After much debate, the Senate passed an ethics proposal that builds on the $100 gift cap rule passed by our chamber in January.

The Senate Substitute to House Bill 142 will affect every elected official in Georgia, from the Executive Branch down to county and municipal offices. This legislation further strengthens local control by empowering individual elected officials and municipalities to adopt their own ethics standards. The standards do not allow for committee, sub-committee, caucus or delegation exceptions and must comply with the following requirements:

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  • Gift caps must be capped at $100, although the cap may be set at a lower amount
  • The policy must have a clear enforcement provision for violations
  • The policy must be made publicly available for citizen review

Any entity that does not adopt an ethics policy that caps lobbyist gifts at $100 will be subject to a limit of $0. That maximum dollar amount was endorsed by 87.2 percent of Republican primary voters in the July 2012 election. The Senate proposal also keeps existing laws regarding lobbyist registration and reporting in place and protects those who are expressing constitutionally protected views and are not paid for their efforts.

House Bill 142 also helps to remove the potential for ambiguity and sets the parameters for individual accountability. Even though I am optimistic the Senate is adopting measures to regulate lobbyist contributions to elected officials, we must be mindful that true ethics reform is not governed by laws but personal accountability. We can enact stricter laws all day, but if our own moral character does not substantiate these laws, ethics reform will simply be additional lines of Georgia Code.

We discussed a wide range of bills this week, ranging from ethics reform to the state budget. With only 3 days left in the 2013 Legislative Session, I am working hard to pass legislation that reduces government’s reach into the lives of all Georgians and most importantly, upholds the Constitution of this great state.

Other bills addressed by the full Senate this week include:HB68, HB94, HB103, HB106, HB122, HB126, HB131, HB141, HB142, HB146, HB155, HB164, HB175, HB178, HB194, HB197, HB209, HB235, HB242, HB256, HB268, HB287, HB318, HB336, HB345, HB349, HB350, HB359, HB371, HB372, HB384, HB402, HB443, HB473 and HR205. The full text of these bills can be read by accessing the legislative website at www.legis.ga.gov.

As the session quickly draws to a close, I encourage you to contact my office and let me know if you ever have any questions or concerns. It is a great honor to represent you, the constituents of the 31st Senate District at the Gold Dome.

Sen. Bill Heath, R-Bremen


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