There are five proposed amendments to the Georgia state constitution slated to appear on the October Early Voting and November General Elections ballots as public referendums. Here is a quick summary of what they will cover:

Amendment 1: Would allow the state legislature to use up to 80% of the existing state sales and use tax on outdoor sporting goods for land conservation.

• Voting ‘Yes’ will be a vote in favor of giving the state legislature the ability to authorize up to 80% of the state sales and use taxon outdoor sporting goods for land conservation.
• Voting ‘No’ will be a vote in favor of denying the state legislature such an ability.
• Full question text: “Without increasing the current state sales tax rate, shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to create the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund to conserve lands that protect drinking water sources and the water quality of rivers, lakes, and streams; to protect and conserve forests, fish, wildlife habitats, and state and local parks; and to provide opportunities for our children and families to play and enjoy the outdoors, by dedicating, subject to full public disclosure, up to 80 percent of the existing sales tax collected by sporting goods stores to such purposes without increasing the current state sales tax rate?”

Amendment 2: Would create a new court system in the state for cases involving businesses. The state legislature would be in full control of setting the courts’ judges’ qualifications, term limits, etc.

• Voting ‘Yes’ will be a vote in favor of giving the state legislature the ability to create a state business court.
• Voting ‘No’ will be a vote in favor of denying the state legislature the ability to create a state business court.
• Full question text: “Shall the Constitution Georgia be amended so as to create a state-wide business court, authorize superior court business court divisions, and allow for the appointment process for state-wide business court judges in order to lower costs, improve the efficiency of all courts, and promote predictability of judicial outcomes in certain complex business disputes for the benefit of all citizens of this state?”

Amendment 3: Would change forest land conservation use property to being tax ad valorem; would also change the valuation system for said property and related assistance grants.

• Voting ‘Yes’ will be a vote in favor of giving the state legislature the ability to change forest land conservation use property to being taxed ad valorem and to change the valuation system for said property and related assistance grants.
• Voting ‘No’ will be a vote in favor of denying the state legislature the ability to change forest land conservation use property to being taxed ad valorem and to change the valuation system for said property and related assistance grants.
• Full question text: “Shall the Constitution Georgia be amended so as to revise provisions related to the subclassification [sic] for tax purposes of and the prescribed methodology for establishing the value of forest land conservation use property and related assistance grants, to provide that assistance grants related to forest land conservation use property may be increased by general law for a five-year period and that up to 5 percent of assistance grants may be deducted and retained by the state revenue commissioner to provide for certain state administrative costs, and to provide for the subclassification [sic] of qualified timberland property for ad valorem taxation purposes?”

Amendment 4: Would allow the state legislature to provide certain rights as described in Marcy’s Law and determine how those rights may be provided:

“[P]rovide crime victims with specific rights, including

• the right to be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect;
• the right to notice of all proceedings involving the alleged criminal;
• he right to be heard at any proceedings involving that release, plea, or sentencing of the accused;
• and the right to be informed of their rights.”

The state legislature would be able to set its own rules on how such rights would be enforced.

• Voting ‘Yes’ will be a vote in favor of giving the state legislature the ability to provide for and enforce the certain rights as described in Marcy’s Law
• Voting ‘No’ will be a vote in favor of denying the state legislature the ability to provide for and enforce the certain rights as described in Marcy’s Law.
• Full question text: “Shall the Constitution Georgia be amended so as to provide certain rights to victims against whom a crime has allegedly been perpetrated and allow victims to assert such rights?”

(Note: Marcy’s Law, if the amendment were to pass, would not be a lawful justification or defense for any action against the state or her officials, a challenge to a verdict or sentence in a criminal case, an appeal of any criminal court decision or proceeding, and the ability to be a party in any criminal proceeding beyond what is explicitly allowed by the amendment.)

Amendment 5: Would allow school districts (or groups of districts in a single county, e.g. Chattooga and Trion) to call for a sales and use tax referendum. The tax would be 1% for several years, and funds would be used for educational purposes.

• Voting ‘Yes’ will be a vote in favor of giving Georgia school districts and groups thereof the ability to call for a long-term, 1% sales and use tax referendum.
• Voting ‘No’ will be a vote in favor of denying Georgia school districts and groups thereof the ability to call for a long-term, 1% sales and use tax referendum.
• Full question text: “Shall the Constitution Georgia be amended so as to authorize a referendum for a sales and use tax for education by a county school district or an independent school district or districts within the county having a majority of the students enrolled within the county and to provide that the proceeds are distributed on a per student basis among all the school systems unless an agreement is reached among such school systems for a different distribution?”