What a joke. Tomorrow morning at 10 a.m., the Firearms Law Study Committee will have a "hearing" at the Capitol. How predictable that the committee is loaded with members (every single one) who voted for the "Take Your Gun to the Playground" bill of the 2008 session, and how typical that while the committee members have lined up the anti-common sense gun lobby to testify, its just not quite clear just who's going to show up for "the law enforcement response." I'd be shocked if any real effort had been made to make sure law enforcement is represented at this hearing. After all, law enforcement officers might just have a different view than "Georgia Carry." To give you an idea of that group's agenda, according to their website, just today, they wrote TSA asking that they reject the Atlanta airport's request to amend the security plan to include a ban on guns throughout the airport property. Because we all want lots of guns at Hartsfield-Jackson, don't we?
Anyway, below is the "hearing" agenda. Should be a blast.
MEETING AGENDA
August 12, 2008
TO: Members of the Firearms Law Study Committee
Senator Chip Rogers, 21st
Senator Don Balfour, 9th
Senator George Hooks, 14th
Senator Preston Smith, 52nd
FROM: Senator Mitch Seabaugh, Chairman, 28th
DATE: Tuesday, August 12, 2008
TIME: 10:00 am
PLACE: 450 State Capitol
AGENDA
10:00 – 10:15 Introductory Remarks
10:15 – 10:45 Discussion of House Bill 89 and U.S. Supreme Court case D.C. v. Heller
10:45 – 11:45 Presentation by Ed Stone of Georgia Carry, followed by questions from committee members
11:45 – 12:15 Law Enforcement Response
12:15 – 1:00 Discussion by Committee Members of Issues and Topics for Future Meetings
Cc: Lt. Governor Casey Cagle
Bob Ewing, Secretary of the Senate
Taryn Kirbo & Bill Perdue, Senate Research
Jeremy Arieh, Senate Press
Jimmy McDonald, Legislative Counsel
Monday, August 11, 2008
Loading the Gun Committee
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Georgia HD93
Qualifying has closed for the special election in Georgia HD93. The following people have qualified:
Dee Dawkins-Haigler 6050 Kingston Wood Way Lithonia, GA 30038
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Malik Douglas 5945 Idlewood Place Lithonia, GA 30038
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Colet Odenigbo 4548 Tulie Ct. Lithonia, GA 30038
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Jim Sendelbach 2675 N. Lakeview Dr. SW Conyers, GA 30094
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Traci Waites 1272 Rhodes Walk Conyers, GA 30094
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Friday, March 21, 2008
Around the Capitol
Regarding the FBI probe of public corruption under the Dome, I heard that legislators have taken to whispering into one another's lapel pins, "I'm just here for the people. Seriously, I'm all about the people."
Sphere: Related ContentSaturday, March 08, 2008
I'm Not So Sure About This
Soon, Georgia children who have ADHD may carry an additional stigma. If the Georgia Senate follows the lead of the House, then children whose doctors prescribe many of the common medications for the treatment of ADHD would have their names and detailed personal and prescription records added to a list accessible by law enforcement without court order. In fact, all Georgians, including those who are suspected of no criminal activities, who fill a prescription for a Schedule II, III or IV drug would be added to a permanent data base-a database to be created and maintained by a third party, private sector contractor. So, if you have the flu, and your doctor gives you a prescription for a cough medicine with codeine, then on the list you go.
Late in February, HB 455, The Georgia Prescription Monitoring Program Act passed the Georgia House with strong bi-partisan support. The purpose of the act-to curb the drug abuse and associated illegal activities-is certainly compelling, but medical privacy is also important. I suppose opposing such a bill carries the political consequence of facing mail or ads calling the member "soft on drug dealers," but I think this bill goes way to far and offers few protections to patients.
The bill requires that on at least a weekly basis, pharmacists must submit, electronically, the following information about patients who fill prescriptions for Schedule II, III and IV drugs:
(1) United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) permit number or approved dispenser facility identification number;
(2) Date prescription filled;
(3) Prescription number;
(4) Whether prescription is new or a refill;
(5) National Drug Code (NDC) for drug dispensed;
(6) Quantity dispensed;
(7) Number of days´ supply of the drug;
(8) Patient´s name;
(9) Patient´s address;
(10) Patient´s date of birth;
(11) Approved prescriber identification number;
(12) Date prescription issued by prescriber; and
(13) Other data elements consistent with standards established by the American Society for Automation in Pharmacy, if designated by regulations of the board
And, under the law, that information is specifically made available to various people including, "Local, state, and federal law enforcement or prosecutorial officials engaged in the administration, investigation, or enforcement of the laws governing licit drugs." It appears that they would not need a subpoena, search warrant or court order to obtain these records.
I don't know about you, but this is a little bit too much Big Brother for me.
Legislature Scared of the Florida Gators
For once, the Georgia Republican-led legislature is on top of a real threat to our security and quality of life. They are not about to turn those gators loose on our highways-not unless our bulldogs are allowed to roam free in Florida. Never mind whether there's a trauma center available to treat the victims of either the dogs or the gators. Out legislators are focused on a critically important issue: tag reciprocity.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Guest Post: Murphy "a Great Friend to Georgia Women"
Melita Easters writes about Speaker Tom Murphy...
While I often did not always agree with him politically, I had great respect for Speaker Tom Murphy as a person, political master and someone who treated others with dignity and respect. He always protected choice for women. He allowed the ERA to have a fair hearing at a time when it was hugely unpopular in Georgia. He stood up for Atlanta when it counted. He gave African Americans respect when they joined a legislature not yet ready to welcome them. He could be condescending at times to women, but he allowed them to be heard when their numbers in the legislature were small. He gave women a voice, though he never forgot to remind them when he chose that it was at his pleasure. He reminded men of the same thing. He appointed women to chair committees – not the most powerful committees and they were never in the smoke filled rooms of the important appropriations debates or the conference committees on important legislation, but he opened a door.
He had the great most loyalty to Wiley, who ran the house post office and God only knew the fury of anyone who ever criticized Wiley. I think his long-time driver Butch would have walked thru hell for “The Speaker.” And, Butch was a mirror of “The Speaker’s” own civility – treating all with respect as stood somewhere close to the office door, not hovering, but always close enough if needed.
The rest of his loyal staff loved him dearly and I think one can always judge a person by how well respected they are by those who see them in moments both public and private. I remember being in the chamber when they had the memorial service for his wife and how he teared up at a hymn. I think few had seen him cry in public before -- though it was in his later years a debate tactic he used to his best advantage. I also remember some sort of high school rule change which would have adversely affected his daughter’s champion debate team – you would have thought it was the beginning of a new world war. He won by the way.
One of my most cherished photos of my daughter Christina was when she was just over a year old and I was an associate producer for the lawmakers on GPB. We had her at the Capitol for about three hours and he allowed the obligatory photo – she was just a wee bit bigger than his gavel. He had a great capacity to wield the gavel and Roberts Rules with gruff authority and then walk over to the waiting line of legislators and pose sweetly with every page who served, with the hometown legislator as bookend for the photo which would then be published in the hometown paper. His photo with young people must be in more homes than anyone in modern Georgia history.
The thing that Jim Galloway’s masterfully written obit for the AJC forgot is that Bill Heath did defeat “The Speaker” in his “own” district, but only because in reapportionment he had allowed “his” district to include a whole bunch of new subdivisions and people who did not know him. In some ways his generosity contributed to that defeat.
He was a legend and a great friend to Georgia women although his gruff exterior might sometimes have seemed otherwise. Never forget that after all, he was the father of three daughters.
Happy holidays,
Melita
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Get Your Hands Off My Eggs
Why would two of our male democratic legislators in Georgia buy into a republican strategy to put a wedge issue on the November 2008 ballot-an issue that is sure to energize the republican base and make it harder for all Georgia democratic candidates to get elected? Oh, and did I mention that this a part of a national GOP strategy, right out the Rove playbook? That's right, the GOP is seeking to put this amendment on the ballot is several states, not just Georgia. So, why help them?
Mixed in with the water fight and the tax fight, during the next legislative session, Georgia women are going to be literally fighting for control of our eggs. Georgia republicans-with the help of two democratic co-sponsors-will try to pass legislation to put "The Personhood Amendment" or "Human Life Amendment" on the ballot in Georgia in November of 2008.
"The Human Life Amendment," is a constitutional amendment defining life as beginning at the moment of fertilization and offering constitutional protections to the fetus. This bill was introduced in March by a a bipartisan group of legislators that included democrats Hardie Davis and Rick Crawford. This bill, if passed, will not only impact a women's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion, but could also limit access to certain types of birth control, including the "morning after pill" and some types of IUD's. As a proposed constitutional amendment, this is clearly a wedge issue that Republicans are seeking to place on the 2008 ballot. It is the top legislative priority for Georgia Right to Life.
Some Georgia democrats are anti-choice, and some are pro-choice. There is room in our party for people who hold both positions. But this legislation is particularly horrid and would have uncertain legal implications for women if it were passed. Most of all, I can't understand why elected democrats would buy into a republican scheme to put this wedge issue on the ballot in 2008. This just doesn't make any sense.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Teilhet: "Bankruptcy of Vision" in Health Care Debate
Progress on Health Care Will Require Reason, Political CourageBy
State Representative Rob Teilhet (D-Smyrna)
Chief Deputy Whip-House Democratic Caucus
More than a million and a half Georgians do not have access to health care that they can afford. The vast majority of these Georgians work full-time, yet they and their children are one major illness or accident away from bankruptcy and the loss of everything they’ve worked for, including their home. Imagine losing everything you have so you can pay for the medical treatment of a spouse or child. For too many people in our community, this doesn’t have to be imagined because it’s a reality. And these ranks are growing.
These Georgians are not abstractions. They are our neighbors. We talk with them every day at the grocery store, gas station, and at the office. They are the ladies who print and fold church bulletins for Sunday service. They are the men who fix our car when it won’t run, and who repair our air conditioning when summer has taken its toll. They are the people who serve political leaders their steak dinners at fine banquets, who top off the wine glasses at a $1,000 per plate fundraiser, and who keep the grounds neat and clean at the members-only golf course. They are parents and they are children. These people would never think to mention it, but they are carrying a burden. And we can choose either to help them, or do nothing.
What can we do? Two years ago, I introduced HB 1212 (or PeachKids) to ensure that every child in Georgia would have access to quality health care their family could afford. The plan was affordable, had been tested in other states and proved successful. It never received so much as a public hearing. This year, Democratic State Representative Pat Gardner (D-Atlanta) and Republican State Representative and Committee Chair Judy Manning (R-Marietta) introduced HB 625 (or PeachCare for All Kids), designed to make sure every child in Georgia could have access to a family doctor. PeachCare for All Kids builds on a system that works, the current PeachCare system, and does so in a fiscally responsible way, constituting an investment Georgia can easily afford. Both plans demand responsibility and buy-in from families in the form of tiered but affordable premiums and leveraged millions in available federal matching funds to help people help themselves and obtain the coverage they need. Yet PeachCare for All Kids met a similar fate to PeachKids, mired in committee while the General Assembly did battle over the pressing issues of payday loans, where to buy beer on Sunday and what kinds of pictures to put on our license plates.
There are other promising proposals by members of both parties, including more aggressively pooling the uninsured to increase their bargaining power and lower their available premiums. Another possibility is to use refundable tax credits similar to the federal Earned Income Tax Credit to help working people of modest income generate enough money to obtain health care coverage for their families. The problem in dealing with health care in Georgia isn’t a lack of policy alternatives, it’s the lack of political will to think and act boldly.
Recent comments by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, who dismissed my call to do more on the issue of health care by pointing out that, after all, people can go to the emergency room if they really have to, show the dangers of obedience to caution and the status quo. While I agree with parts of the Republican mantra that controlling the cost of health care is important, it will not help the husband who has worked hard his entire life, played by the rules, and lost everything to pay for his wife’s unexpected cancer treatment. A bankruptcy of vision is as much a threat to health care in Georgia as a bankruptcy of dollars.
No doubt, the bipartisan alternatives that have been laid out will be attacked by some political hacks with the poll-tested language of “socialized medicine” or “Hillary-care.” They are, of course, no such thing. They are affordable and rational extensions of existing policies that have bipartisan support to meet a pressing need of our people, one that is not being met by the current health care system. Helping to make health care access more affordable isn’t “socialized medicine” any more than HOPE scholarships are “socialized education,” the state’s partnership with Kia is “socialized car building,” or OneGeorgia grants are “socialized rural economic development.”
It doesn’t have to be this way. Other states have made strides in making health care more accessible and done so in a bipartisan way. There is no good reason Georgia cannot do likewise. The funding and policy proposals are there. But what will be required is not timidity, not focus groups or poll-tested sloganeering, or weak gestures that are more symbolic than substantive. Rather, solutions will require courage and the expenditure of political capital.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
You Get What You Pay For
$931, 000. That's what lobbyists spent wining, dining and entertaining elected officials during this year's 65 day legislative session. Thank God for sine die, or they would've hit a million. The AJC has three articles today on lobbyist spending in Georgia: Raining Freebies, Jerry Keen, a Lavished Lawmaker, and Lawmakers and Freebies.
While Jerry Keen has officially won the lobbyist lottery, these expenditures are part of the cozy culture in Atlanta. According to the information available on the Georgia State Ethics Commission website, among lawmakers who represent a portion of Bibb County, my representative, freshman Allen Peake received the most perks from lobbyists. Here are the 2007 numbers for legislators who represent a portion of Bibb County:
Rep. Allen Peake: $1785.85
Rep. Nikki Randall: $1682.15
Rep. Allen Freeman: $1598.42
Rep. Tony Sellier: $1210.57
Sen. Cecil Staton: $449.28
Sen. Robert Brown: $152.48
Rep. David Lucas: $20.51
Speaker Glenn Richardson dismisses concerns about whether the luxuries lobbyists lavish upon lawmakers give them, and the interests they represent, undue influence:
Isn't that the problem? He who pays for dinner gets access, and with elected officials, access is everything. How can anyone, with a straight face, even debate whether or not expenditures by lobbyists influence lawmakers? It is the job of lobbyists to influence lawmakers. That's what they're hired to do, and if spending money didn't further that purpose, then the money would stay in the bank. Think about it this way, if DPG chair Jane Kidd were buying Richardson's secretary's lunch everyday, would he be concerned? You bet he would, as well he should.
Plus, this data doesn't even begin to touch the money that the firms these lobbyists represent contribute directly to the campaign accounts of elected officials. And, then there's the infamous "speaker's fund."
Here's what I think. Folks work for the person who signs their check. Let's cut out lobbyist spending and raise the salaries of legislators (now $17,341.00) to the same level we pay entry level teachers. Even though the legislative session is only a portion of the year, by not paying a full time salary, we increase the temptation to take the lobbyist perks and greatly limit the pool of people who can offer themselves for service. Think about it. How many jobs allow employees to take about four months a year off to serve in the legislature, never knowing when they might be called back for a special session? Let's pay a reasonable salary and put an end to the "eatin, drinkin' and legislatin'" culture that breeds corruption in Atlanta. Sphere: Related Content
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