Legislative Report
Week Four
On Monday, February 2, 2015, we returned to the Gold Dome for another important and busy week. My colleagues and I spent much of our time this week in committee and subcommittee meetings to review various pieces of legislation that have been introduced in the House. Chief Justice Hugh Thompson also delivered the annual State of the Judiciary Address this week.
The House and Senate went into a joint session on Wednesday in the House Chamber for the State of the Judiciary Address. We welcomed Chief Justice Hugh Thompson and the Georgia Supreme Court, the Georgia Court of Appeals and other guests to the chamber. Chief Justice Thompson was appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia in 1994 and was elected by his peers to a four-year term as chief justice in 2013. Speaker Ralston welcomed the Chief Justice to the rostrum as he proceeded to update us on the current state of our judicial system in Georgia.
Georgia’s judicial system is sound and strong, according to the Chief Justice and head of the state’s judicial branch of government. In his address, Chief Justice Thompson applauded the successful expansion of specialty courts in Georgia. A specialty court, also known as an accountability court or problem solving court, is a cost-effective criminal justice alternative for non-violent offenders. Specialty courts, such as drug and mental health treatment courts, hold offenders accountable through court-supervised treatment programs. In his speech, Chief Justice Thompson shared success stories from some specialty courts in our state. He recognized Superior Court Judge Reuben Green, who oversees a veteran’s court in Cobb County that matches participants with supportive volunteers who are dedicated to keeping our veterans out of jail and mentor them through the program. I was pleased to hear that the 116 Georgia specialty courts have helped guide more than 5,000 Georgians towards the right path by avoiding incarceration. It is great to see the positive effects that our criminal justice system has had on many Georgians, and I look forward to hearing more success stories out of our specialty courts in the years to come.
While Chief Justice Thompson touted the state’s judiciary achievements over the last year, he also spoke of the challenges that lie ahead. One challenge that we face in Georgia is access to justice. He reminded us that six counties in Georgia are without a single lawyer and 20 counties have fewer than five lawyers. As a result, judges are seeing a growing number of people who come to court without a lawyer and attempt to represent themselves. Chief Justice Thompson explained that when people are unrepresented in court, their interests are not championed because judges do not have the information they need to make just decisions. All Georgians deserve to have access to justice, regardless of their place of residence, or socioeconomic status.
To address this challenge and expand access to justice in our state, Chief Justice Thompson asked for support of newly introduced legislation to encourage attorneys to work in underserved rural areas of Georgia. This legislation would create a pilot program in which a small number of law school graduates would receive college loan payment assistance for agreeing to work in an underserved county for at least five years. This bill was introduced in the House this week as HB 236 and will now make its way through the legislative process.
In addition to the State of the Judiciary Address, we saw several bills pass out of their respective committees this week. The House Education Committee voted ‘do pass’ on an important measure in House Bill 62. This legislation waives certain residency requirements so that children of active duty military personnel in Georgia have the ability to receive special needs scholarships. Military families are often required to relocate across the country, and these children should not be denied certain educational opportunities as a result. House Bill 62 honors our men and women in uniform by allowing their children the chance to obtain the world-class education that our state has to offer.
Another piece of legislation that passed out of the Education Committee this week was House Bill 65. This legislation is designed to increase transparency in local school boards by requiring the boards to hold at least two public meetings before adopting any budget. This would give parents and taxpayers the opportunity to see how their education dollars are being put to work and to provide input. Both HB 62 and HB 65 will now be sent to the Rules Committee before making their way to the House floor for a vote.
While the House Education Committee was busy passing these important bills, our colleagues in the Senate passed another bill that will strengthen our education system. Senate Bill 2 passed the Senate unanimously and would provide high school students with alternative ways to earn their high school diplomas. SB 2 would allow high school students who have met the necessary requirements to enroll in college courses upon completion of their freshman and sophomore year coursework. Under this bill, students can earn their high school diplomas and start their postsecondary degrees simultaneously. Now that this legislation has passed the Senate, it will go through the committee process in the House as my colleagues and I review the details of the bill.
Finally this week, we received some exciting news out of Washington D.C. about the future of The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. In his 2016 budget proposal, President Obama requested that Congress designate $42 million for dredging the river channel that cargo ships use to reach the Port of Savannah. This funding, in addition to the $266 million from the state of Georgia, will help the expansion stay on schedule to be completed by 2020. This investment in the Port of Savannah will ultimately boost our economy and bring hundreds of jobs to our great state.
In the coming weeks, we will be reviewing even more pieces of legislation in committees and on the House floor. HB 170, the Transportation Bill, will receive a great deal of attention. It is a starting point and I believe it will receive significant modification as it goes through the legislative process. I also expect to see funding restored to continue offering our local school support staff state health insurance.
If you have concerns or questions about proposed legislation, I hope that you will contact me. I am always eager to hear from you, so that I can better understand what issues are most important to you and your family. Please stop by and visit me at the capitol if you are in Atlanta during the legislative session or call my office at the State Capitol and let me know what I can do for you. The phone number is 404-656-0325 and my email is eddie.lumsden@house.ga.gov. Thank you for the privilege of serving as your representative.
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