Rep. Barbara Massey Reece| Legislative Report | February 11, 2011 

A majority of the House of Representatives voted Feb. 9 to approve an amended budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, which ends June 30. HB 77 adjusts the total budget for the current fiscal year to $18.1 billion.

 

Spending by state agencies is reduced by an average of 4 percent, or about $300 million, in the supplemental budget. State revenues have increased during the first seven months of FY 2011 by
$705 million, or 8.1 percent, over the same period last year.

 

The midyear budget bill was approved by a vote of 136-29 and now goes to the Senate for its consideration. I cast a “no” vote because the amended budget is simply a revision of the budget that was passed last year, cutting funding for the State Crime Lab and forcing many school systems to furlough teachers or increase property taxes. The amended budget also closes two regional youth detention centers and sets the tone for the closing of Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital.

 

The House Appropriations Committee will now turn its attention to the annual budget for fiscal year 2012, which begins July 1.

 English-Only Drivers’ Tests

House members voted Feb. 9 to table legislation that would require Georgia driver’s license examinations to be administered only in English.

 

Supporters of HB 72 moved to table the proposal after a majority of members present added an amendment that narrowed its focus to only the portion of the license exam dealing with road signs. The bill’s sponsor said the amendment “gutted” the legislation, which, having been tabled, can be brought back up for consideration on the House floor at some other time.

 

Currently, the driver’s license exam is offered in 14 different languages by the Department of Driver Services. Under HB 72, individuals in Georgia with a temporary visa could still take the driver’s test in one of those languages, but permanent residents would have to take it in English.

 

HB 72 is promoted by its supporters as a public safety measure because Georgia traffic signs are posted in English. The amendment was approved by a vote of 88-78, and the motion to table the legislation was approved 110-55. I voted “no” on the amendment and “yes” on the motion to table.

 Other Legislation

House members voted unanimously this week to pass HB 49, which would officially change the name of the governing body for the state’s technical colleges to the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, and HB 107, which would allow the spouses or dependents of public safety employees or highway workers who are killed on the job to continue to receive health insurance coverage from the state. Both measures now go to the Senate for its consideration.

Local Groups Visit

During the past week, it was a pleasure to welcome a number of constituents from House District 11 to the Capitol. On Feb. 7, area legislators met with Dr. Craig McDaniel and the Board of Directors of Northwestern Technical College. We also met with 4-H students, Farm Bureau members and Young Farmers from Floyd and Chattooga counties.

 Graduation Rate Drops

State School Superintendent John Barge said this week that Georgia’s high school graduation rate will drop to as low as 64 percent, one of the lowest in the nation, when the state moves to a more rigorous calculation formula required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

 DOT Board Election

Congratulations to former Georgia House member Jeff Lewis of Bartow County, who was elected Feb. 9 by legislators representing counties in the 11th Congressional District to represent the district on the State Transportation board.

 General Assembly Online

Throughout the session, you can read the details and check the status of legislation and watch live broadcasts of House and Senate proceedings online at www.legis.ga.gov. Lawmakers were scheduled to return to the Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 15, for Day 14 of the 40-day session.

 ·         State Rep. Barbara Massey Reece represents the 11th District (Chattooga and Floyd counties) in the Georgia House of Representatives. Contact her at 512 Coverdell Legislative Office Building, Atlanta, GA 30334; by phone at 404-656-7859; or by email at barbara.reece@house.ga.gov.