lunsford receives award for Legislation

2007 ACCG legislative Service Award Presented to

State Representative John Lunsford Dist#110 Butts, Henry, Newton Counties

 

November 23, 2007

 

 

Last Wednesday during the Henry County Quality Growth luncheon the Lt. Governor was on the podium with Representative John Lunsford of ( McDonough) while Mr. Kem Kembrough of ACCG presented him one of the 2007 ACCG legislative Service awards, for his work over the past few years on HB 394. Representative Lunsford spent hundreds of hours working with state and local government as well as communication providers to prefect this legislation. HB394 was a complicated bill as all telecommunication issues are, but some of the highlights of interest are:

 

First of all this legislation does not raise your phone bill or create new charges that was not already Georgia or Federal law.

 

This legislation created a 911 emergency grant fund for all counties and cities in Georgia even the poorest to build, equip, and upgrade their emergency center this fund is completely financed by forcing the telephone suppliers to pay millions of dollars in uncollected fees.

 

HB394 closed the loopholes in Georgia law that allowed fees and charges on phone bills to go to the phone companies bottom lines; it now must go to local government to offset property taxes.

 

Hb394 forces the phone providers to furnish all emergency information to 911 call centers to locate your cell phone during an emergency call.

 

Hb394 makes it against the law for someone to call up an emergency center and threaten the operators or to make harassing phone calls to the emergency service operators.

 

But best of all over the life of this legislation it will collect for local government tax offsets in excess of 400 million dollars, that is services that local governments are providing but were not being paid for, local taxpayers were paying these charges.     

 

You see federal law requires local governments to provide services to these industries but state law had not been updated in over 20 years and while the technology has changed our laws remained stagnant:  see industry reports of phone companies’ growth.

 

 AT&T INC. ROLLED THROUGH the quarter with 2 million net customer additions, and most of them (1.2 million) were coveted retail postpaid customers—up more than 30% from retail postpaid gains during the same quarter of 2006

 

Verizon Wireless reported another strong quarter of results, although the company saw small increases in its consistently low churn rates.  The carrier added a total of 1.6 million net customers. However, Verizon Wireless lost about 115,000 customers from its wholesale business, which primarily involves resellers

 

T-Mobile USA Inc. added 857,000 net subscribers to its network during the third quarter, numbers primarily driven by the carrier’s prepaid offering. The carrier had added 802,000 net subscribers during the third quarter of last year, but a higher percentage of them were signed to contracts.
About 35% of T-Mobile USA’s net additions during this year’s third quarter were prepaid, compared with just 4% in the third quarter of 2006 and 20% in the second quarter of this year. The wireless operator said that its July launch of FlexPay, which expanded pay-as-you-go options for prepaid customers as well as those on contracts, helped drive the growth of its prepaid service during the third quarter, particularly among Flexpay customers without contracts.

 

Sprint Nextel Corp.’s quarterly profits plunged as the carrier bled postpaid iDEN and prepaid Boost Mobile L.L.C. subscribers, posting a net loss of 60,000 subscribers for the quarter.
The company’s net income fell from $279 million in the third quarter of 2006 to $64 million this year.
Sprint Nextel had warned that it would report wireless subscriber losses for the quarter. The operator said that its customer results reflected “mixed performance between network platforms,” including growth from CDMA postpaid subs, its new Boost Unlimited offer and wholesale and affiliate channels—which was offset by losses from iDEN postpaid and Boost prepaid subscribers.

Representative Lunsford stood at the podium and thanked the Lt. governor, ACCG  and  all the members of the General Assembly for their help with this legislation. Lunsford stated “ ladies and gentlemen it takes 91 votes in the House of Representatives to pass any bill,  and this one passed almost unanimously that’s as about as bi partisan and pro Georgia as it gets.”  Lunsford specifically thanked the Speaker Glenn Richardson and the Lt. Governor for believing in him and Senator Chip Rogers for carrying it in the senate.

 

 If you would like to reach him, please call john at (404) 656-7573 or write him at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

 

 

 

lunsford under the gold dome 11-25-07

Under the Gold Dome

With  

State Representative John Lunsford

 

November 25, 2007

 

Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest. Mark Twain (1835-1910)

 

The past few months the Georgia General Assembly has recessed until the second Monday in January. I hope this has been a time of rest and reflection for families across the state. As we move from the Thanksgiving holidays into the Christmas season, we are all so blessed to live in a country that not only allows religious freedom, but supports setting aside time away from work and school to express and celebrate our faith and beliefs.

 

As I think about the meaning of this time, and look out my window and observed the first drops of rain in over a month, my thoughts couldn’t help but turn to the many things we are working on in the legislature, and how we are truly working for the good of the people we represent in an effort to better the lives of all Georgians. As you know, this is not an easy task and there are many issues that we face when we reconvene in 60 days.

 

The biggest issues that we face when we reconvene are the issue of the Fiscal Year 2008 Mid-Year Budget and the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget.  The FY 2008 Mid-Year Budget is a reconciliation budget to move more funds to where shortfalls occur.  This usually occurs in the areas of education spending and Medicaid spending and a major overhaul of our Tax system, but also this year we are suffering with drought relief as well as Grady hospital and State wide Trauma funding.

 

While some adjustments are required by federal law and due to an increasingly growing population base in our state, we usually have to allocate additional funds to the various required spending programs.  We also use the budget to help fund emergency issues like the shortfall in Peach Care funding and relief help for storm areas.  As your representative I will always strive to Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest Mark Twain (1835-1910)

 

If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

 

 

Great plan for georgia lunsford

Under The Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford

Capitol Update

 

 August 26, 2007

 

A GREAT Plan for Georgia: The Elimination of All Property Taxes

 

The time has come to eliminate all property taxes in Georgia, and I firmly believe the people of the state of Georgia should be given an opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment to repeal all property taxes.  That opportunity could come in November of 2008 if the General Assembly will agree that Georgia’s economy should be based on the exchange and receipt of money and not taxing property. 

 

Unfortunately, there has been some confusion about the details of the current plan to eliminate property taxes.  We are not proposing to raise the sales tax or income tax rates.  When HR 900 was originally written, it was intended simply as a framework to open debate, gather ideas, and obtain input.  Since then, we have received complaints, suggestions, and opinions from citizens all across the state and that is exactly what we wanted. 

 

From the beginning of this process, our goal has been to eliminate all ad valorem taxes in Georgia.  The details of exactly how we reach that goal have changed and will continue to change as we weigh the best options for our state, but one thing is clear.  The current property tax system is outdated, unfair, and excessive.

 

Georgia is divided into 159 counties, each with the power to tax their residents. 180 school districts also each have the power to tax.  But that power goes beyond simply collecting taxes.  Rather than determining the amount of money they have and then creating a budget, a county can simply determine how much money it needs and then decide how much to charge their residents. 

 

If a county or school district decides they need $50 million, all they have to do is determine where to place the millage rate and their property values in order to raise $50 million.  If times get tough, they simply raise the millage rate or increase property values rather than tighten their belts like working families must do.  The system is completely backward.

 

The biggest part of the problem is that property taxes are increasing faster than personal income.  Since 1990, personal income has increased 146 percent and property taxes have increased 176 percent.  Even though people are not earning more income, the government is requiring that they pay more taxes. 

 

Because of this phenomenon, a family can live in a home for 30 years and suddenly find they cannot afford it anymore because their property taxes have increased so much.  This same family is not requiring any more services from their local government, and yet that government keeps taking more and more money from them.  The biggest asset most people have is their home; it’s the American dream. Yet if they can’t keep up with increased taxes, they lose their home.  Even after the home is paid for, they realize they only have a land lease refuse to pay the tax and see how long you keep it.

 

The current property tax system was created when we were an agricultural society and people made a living off of their land.  The last overhaul of the system was 70 years ago, and since that time our economy has changed significantly.  Homeownership has increased from 30 percent to 70 percent.  We have moved from an agricultural society to a service-based society, as has the rest of the nation, and yet, we do not tax services at all. 

 

It is the twenty-first century.  It is time to go to a system that taxes the receipt and exchange of money, not the ownership of property.  It is time to eliminate property taxes.

 

Our proposal is called the GREAT Plan, which stands for Georgia’s repeal of every ad valorem tax.   

 

The GREAT Plan calls for a sales, use, and service tax of 4 percent.  It also calls for an elimination of many sales tax exemptions that special interests have accumulated over the years.  By taxing services and eliminating most exemptions, we can generate the same amount of money being generated from the property tax, and we can eliminate all property taxes in Georgia. 

 

Local counties, cities and school districts will be guaranteed to receive no less than the amount they are currently receiving.  If local control is what a community wants, they may continue local option sales taxes such as the SPLOST and ELOST, all of which will continue to be determined by the vote of the citizens.

 

We have opened a dialogue in this state on serious reform of taxes so that Georgia may lead the nation.  I welcome any and all discussion and debate about tax reform and HR 900.  Over the coming months, we will hold hearings and continue to seek advice.  I look forward to hearing from you and working together to make Georgia a GREAT place to live, work, and raise a family..  If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

immigration reform in the us senate opposed by georgia legislators

Georgia Legislators Oppose Fraudulent “Immigration Reform” Proposal

 

 

The current debate in Washington D.C. over so-called “Immigration Reform” highlights the failure of our federal government. Instead of enforcing the current laws passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton in 1996, the current Congress seems determined to vote on new laws they haven’t even taken the time to read. It is government at its worst.

 

As Georgia legislators we must deal with the failure of the federal government to secure our borders and enforce our current laws. It is incomprehensible that Congress would propose another amnesty plan after the dismal failure of the 1986 amnesty that has led us to this point.

 

We strongly urge the U.S. Congress to heed the findings and recommendations of the Jordan Commission on Immigration Reform of 1995.  Congresswoman Jordan, a civil rights pioneer and Congressional Medal of Freedom winner, led a multi-year Blue-Ribbon Commission to determine the problems and potential remedies of our illegal immigration crises. If Congress wants to find an answer they should follow the lead of Congresswoman Jordan.

 

We further call on Congress to fulfill the most basic responsibility of creating law – debate and discussion. Recent reports suggest the “compromise” bill will go directly to the Senate floor. It is estimated to be hundreds of pages in length. This suggests that our Senators will most likely vote on a bill they have never read and a measure that has never been fully vetted in committee hearings.

 

The Senate has not even taken the time to determine the costs of such a “comprehensive” plan. According to expert testimony from a preliminary study to be given today to the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee by Robert Rector of the highly respected Heritage Foundation, the cost of amnesty and earned citizenship for just 7.9 million amnesty recipients would be $2.4 trillion, a cost that must be born by the American taxpayer. It is unconscionable that any legislator could vote for a measure of this magnitude without knowing and debating all the costs involved.

 

We denounce any effort to create a so-called “Z-Visa” and touchback provision which grants amnesty to those who have violated the laws of the United States. Such a plan gives preference to those who have violated the law over those who have followed the law and patiently await legal entrance into the United States.

 

We reject any idea, specifically those included in HR 1645 and s 1348, that would effectively abolish the borders of the United States by eliminating the necessity to have a Visa to travel anywhere on the North American continent.

 

We understand that the amnesty of 1986 proved beyond all doubt that the only real solution to solving the illegal immigration and illegal employment crisis in our nation is to secure American borders and hold employers accountable for violation of the law. We do not so cavalierly dismiss an employer’s violation of tax or pollution laws, yet somehow we are led to believe we should accept that a violation of immigration law should go unpunished.

 

Sadly, we have little faith in the current administration’s dedication to certify border security or operational control. Almost one-year has passed since President Bush signed a border security bill calling for the creation of an almost 700-mile physical barrier. To date only two miles have been completed.

 

It is our belief that no responsible elected official would even consider the fraud that is being offered as “comprehensive reform” in the United States Senate.

 

 

 

 

Chip Rogers    

Chairman – Senate Immigration Reform Caucus

Georgia State Senator 21st District

State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334

404-463-1378 404-463-1385 (fax)

 

 

 

John Lunsford

Chairman – House Immigration Reform Caucus

Georgia House of Representatives 110^th District

State Capitol Atlanta Georgia 30334

404-656-7573 404-657-0499 (fax)

 

final weekly lunsford 05-11-07

This Week at the Capitol with State Representative John Lunsford

 Weekly Capitol Update

 

May 11, 2007

Forty legislative days.  That’s what it took to iron out the business of the state.  It was a year beset with budget problems but a year that had some great legislation to better help the people of Georgia.  The budget issues have been fairly well debated in our newspapers, in our coffee shops, and at the dining room tables.  It started with a PeachCare for Kids shortfall created by the federal government where they failed to live up to their promises.  The good news that we didn’t hear much of is that both the mid-year 2007 budget and the Fiscal Year 2008 budget had some great funding initiatives.

 

Our mid-year budget had emergency funds for the Sumter County tornado victims and fully funded PeachCare.  The 2008 budget allowed for a three percent pay raise for teachers and state employees.  It also had pay raises for our state troopers and bus drivers and public school employees.  We put $42.3 million for land conservation, fully funded PeachCare for 2008, and fully funded adult literacy programs and our technical schools.  We put in $75.5 million for state universities and colleges and $242 million for K-12 enrollment growth.  We also had additional funding for child advocacy centers and programs for tracking internet predators.  Overall, they were two pretty good budgets.

 

Some other highlights included another sales tax holiday for school supplies set for August 2-5, 2007 and energy efficient products sales tax holiday set for October 2-5, 2007.  This program is widely popular with parents buying back to school clothes and supplies for their children and mirrors what some of our next-door neighbor states are doing. 

 

Education always is at the forefront of our minds when we consider legislation and this year was no exception.  We returned local control to school boards to determine their class sizes as we learned that this was becoming a “budget buster” for many school districts.  We also passed legislation requiring school councils to be composed of a majority of parents.

 

We passed legislation that would extend Georgia’s HERO scholarship, a program of free tuition to Georgia’s Colleges and Universities for our men and women serving in the National Guard and Reserves who have spent considerable time in fighting the Global War on Terror.  The new bill would provide that tuition assistance to surviving spouses of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in support of their country.

 

We exempted the state sales tax for bio-fuels construction materials for any bio-fuels facility primarily dedicated to producing and processing ethanol, biodiesel, butanol, and their byproducts.  We also provided a sales tax exemption for parts for maintenance and repair of aircraft not registered in this state.  This coincides with what other southern states have done allowing us to be competitive with them.

 

To make our great state a bigger player in selecting the President of the United States, we moved Georgia’s presidential primary to February 5.  This will allow Georgia to have a key presidential primary along with several other states early in the process thus making candidates campaign for our votes versus the race being decided prior to the Georgia presidential election.

Because the ports of Georgia are truly a state economic multiplier, we increased the amount of river pilots for several locals throughout the coast of Georgia to insure that port traffic moves smoothly.  There was other key legislation that passed either the House or Senate that will be considered when we reconvene next January. 

 

Thank you for placing your trust and confidence in me to serve you.  It is an awesome responsibility that you have given me and a privilege to represent you in the Georgia General Assembly.  For that reason, I am deeply humbled.  If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FW: PRESS RELEASE: House of Representatives Still Believes $142 Million Should Be Returned to the Taxpayers

 

 

---

From: Crockett, Misty [mailto:Misty.Crockett@house.ga.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 11:36 AM
To: Crockett, Misty
Subject: FW: PRESS RELEASE: House of Representatives Still Believes $142 Million Should Be Returned to the Taxpayers
Importance: High

 

 

Speaker Glenn Richardson

PRESS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:	Contact: Clelia Davis
Tuesday, May 8, 2007	(404) 656-5020
	clelia.davis@house.ga.gov

 

House of Representatives Still Believes $142 Million Should Be Returned to the Taxpayers

 

ATLANTA - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that while he will not call the General Assembly back into a special session, he will line-item veto the $142 million tax refund voted on unanimously by the House and Senate.

 

“We are pleased Governor Perdue is not costing the state additional money by calling us back for a special session, but the House has fought very hard for this tax refund and it’s disappointing he has decided to veto it and that the Lieutenant Governor supports that decision,” Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson said.  “Sometimes friends disagree, but the House will not compromise when it comes to defending the taxpayers of Georgia.”

 

Although the $142 million vetoed by the Governor goes into the state’s reserve fund, the government can still spend that money next year.  Any amount of money in the reserves over 4 percent of the state’s annual budget is eligible to be spent by the state at any time. 

 

“The House still believes that if we can’t all agree on how to spend the money, the best thing to do is to return it to the people who sent it to us,” said Richardson. “We would rather have it go back to the taxpayers than be hoarded for the government to spend another day.

 

“As elected representatives of the people of Georgia, the House and the Senate made a unanimous promise on April 13 to return $142 million to our constituents.  The House feels strongly that we ought to honor that promise.” said Majority Leader Jerry Keen

 

The state’s reserve fund currently has $792 million, the highest in Georgia’s history.  Because that amount is at least 4 percent of the state’s budget, the $142 million sent to the reserve fund by Governor Perdue’s veto is simply waiting to spent by state government next year. 

                                                                                                                 

 

###

this week at the capitol 04-20-07 lunsford

This Week at the Capitol with State Representative John Lunsford

 Weekly Capitol Update

 

April 20, 2007

 

It’s over!  The clock has run out on the 2007 General Assembly session and we have completed the people’s business.  It has been a tough session with highs and lows for all members as we have watched the legislative process.  Our forefathers had it right when they designed our system of government with many checks and balances that allows usually only well vetted legislation to be passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate.  Even to the most casual observer, it is difficult to pass any legislation and have it signed into law. The separation of powers portion of Georgia’s constitution got a real workout this session  the 2007 session of the Georgia General Assembly was my toughest ever.

 

In the closing days of the session, we have passed some very important legislation. We overwhelmingly passed a bill that would allow optometrists to prescribe and administer oral antibiotics to treat ocular surface disease and lid disease.  The bill, Senate Bill 17, was passed 155-2 and now goes to the Governor for his signature.  Another bill heading to the Governor is House Bill 357, a tax code reform bill that would update the Georgia tax code to be more inline with the federal tax code.

 

We have passed the Georgia HERO Scholarship bill, H.B. 131, the bill that would allow the surviving spouse of a Georgia national Guardsman or reservist to be entitled to attend a state school on a HERO (Helping Educate Reservists and their Offspring) scholarship.  This was particularly important as one of the father’s of a Georgia Guardsman who paid the ultimate price in Iraq, promised his son that he would look after his wife.  He walked the halls of the capitol with his son’s boots over his shoulder talking to legislators about the importance of passage of this bill.  It too goes to the Governor for his approval.

 

We passed S.B. 60 that would establish the Georgia Trauma Commission.  This is extremely important as this legislation comes from an exhaustive 2006 study committee that reviewed the State’s trauma care network.  This is the first step in finding a way to enhance Georgia’s hospitals for trauma care.  The bill passed 158-1.

 

Another piece of legislation I was very proud of was HB 394 which will bring 300-500 million new dollars to local governments around the state for 911 emergency services at no additional cost to our taxpayers this process includes a grant fund to allow the poorest counties in Georgia to provide the same level of response to emergency calls you receive in the largest cities it passed overwhelmingly in the house and the senate.. Rep Lunsford the  author of this bill  had worked on this for almost 3 years.

 

In an effort to insure that prescription narcotics are carefully controlled, we passed Senate Bill 205, a bill that would create the “Prescription Medication Integrity Act.”  The act requires that each person engaged in the wholesale distribution of prescription drugs maintain inventories and records.  It will also conduct a study of the distribution of prescription drugs and will establish a mandated implementation date for electronic pedigrees.  The pedigree will include all necessary identifying information on each sale from the manufacturer to the sale to the pharmacists.

 

We passed a bill that will keep more serious offenders of our laws in prison.  By passing H.B. 197, we have terminated the defendant’s ability to have a three-judge panel review the prison sentence on all sentences of 12 years or more.  Current law allows for the review but we believe that the review process only weakens the original process of the judicial proceedings.  This bill now goes to the Governor for his review and signature.

 

Now that the session is over, I will do an end-of-session review article that will highlight the key legislation that was passed and sent to the Governor for his approval. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

This week at the capitol april 13 2007

This Week at the Capitol with State Representative John Lunsford

 Weekly Capitol Update

 

April 13, 2007

 

The end is near for the First Regular Session of the 149^th General Assembly.  We have completed 36 days and have no more than four days to complete the business of the state.  We have set the schedule and expect to adjourn Sine Die on Friday, April 20^th.  We have completed a budget deal on the Fiscal Year 2007 mid-year budget changes and now are in negotiations with the Senate on the Fiscal Year 2008 budget.

 

We reached an agreement on the Fiscal Year 2007 mid year reconciliation budget late in the night on Tuesday.  The mid-year budget is one of two budgets the General Assembly reviews each year.  In January, we began to review that budget to see if we are short money for mandatory programs like education and healthcare.  In this year’s reconciliation budget, we agreed to spend $81 million to fund our successful PeachCare for Kids program that provides health insurance for children of low-income families.  We also spent $8 million for the public defenders program and $40 million to aid the start up of a new Kia auto manufacturing facility. 

 

But the best news was that we agreed to send some excess revenues back to the providers of the funds, and that would be you, the taxpayer.  We are giving back $142 million in a one-time tax refund of property taxes.  That will amount to almost a $100 refund on the average to Georgia homeowners.  That is good news for many of us.

 

We also are moving into the point of the session where we agree or disagree with the Senate on bills that we have passed and they have amended.  Motions to Agree, Motions to Disagree, or Motions to Insist become part of our lexicon as we determine whether we will accept the Senate changes.  If a Motion to Agree is approved by the House, the bill is sent to Governor for his signature and approval.  Of course we can also amend that bill and send it back to the Senate.  A Motion to Disagree essentially sends the bill back to the Senate with a message that we are not accepting their changes.  This is the point where the author of the legislation in the House will work with the Senate author to try and reach a compromise.  A Motion to Insist basically is a message that we insist on our position and ask the Senate to approve the legislation without changes.

 

We have many Motions to Agree, Disagree, and Insist on our calendars and while it seems somewhat dysfunctional, it is a good thing.  By going through a rigorous approval process, the bill is properly vetted by all parties before becoming law. 

 

We passed Senate Bill 70 this week, a bill that would update state banking laws to fall in line with new federal laws regarding banking.  The biggest change is it excludes the value of good will in certain transactions to minimize its impact on limits of loans, investments and fixed assets.  This bill more closely follows federal agency rules and regulations regarding real estate loans.  It also incorporated requirements that sellers of bank checks be subjected to background checks on their employees and agents.  The bill passed 157-4.

 

The final week of the session will prove to be an arduous time as we will work long hours to pass the Fiscal Year 2008 budget and other important pieces of legislation.  I look forward to reporting to you next week on what we passed and the highlights of the 2007 legislative session. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

 

Under the Gold Dome lunsford 04-07-07

This Week at the Capitol with State Representative John Lunsford

 Weekly Capitol Update

 

April 07, 2007

This past week the Georgia General Assembly was recessed in observance of the holy holidays of Easter and Passover. I hope this was a time of rest and reflection for families across the state, as many schools also recessed for spring break. We are all so blessed to live in a country that not only allows religious freedom, but supports setting aside time away from work and school to express and celebrate our faith and beliefs.

 

As I thought about the meaning of this time, and looked out my window and observed the initial burst of spring color and splendor, my thoughts couldn’t help but turn to the many things we are working on in the legislature, and how we are truly working for the good of the people we represent in an effort to better the lives of all Georgians. As you know, this is not an easy task and there are many outstanding issues that we face when we reconvene next week.

 

The biggest issues that we face when we reconvene are the issue of the Fiscal Year 2007 Mid-Year Budget and the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget.  The FY 2007 Mid-Year Budget is a reconciliation budget to move more funds to where shortfalls occur.  This usually occurs in the areas of education spending and Medicaid spending.  Both are required by federal law and due to an increasingly growing population base in our state, we usually have to allocate additional funds to the various required spending programs.  We also use the budget to help fund emergency issues like the shortfall in PeachCare funding and relief help for the tornado-ravaged Americus area.

 

We have passed our version of the mid-year budget and have sent it to the Senate for their approval or modifications. 

 

The FY 2008 Budget or what we call “the big budget” each year is currently being vetted by the House and Senate Appropriations Committee.  Much of the funding requests come from the Governor’s Budget with education is one of the biggest programs that we are required to fund.  The Governor has requested $152.5 million in funds for the Quality Based Education formula to recognize a 2.65% enrollment growth in our schools.  He also requested $417 million in bonds to build more schools.  There was a line item of $178 million for teacher pay raises keeping Georgia’s teachers the best paid in the Southeast.  That is a 3% pay raise across the board beginning September 1, 2007.  He also requested $89.5 million for step increases, with an additional 3% pay raise for our best teachers.  It also included an additional $228 million for construction at higher education facilities.

 

Healthcare is the other big spending program with much of it s spending dedicated to federally-mandated programs.  The state budget for just state employees’ healthcare is $176 million with an additional $100 million set aside to help fund state employee retirements.  The budget also requested an earmark of $16 million to fully fund the purchase of antiviral medications to treat a pandemic flu and $9 million for additional operating costs at state hospitals.

 

To help spur economic development which in turns creates jobs, the Governor has set aside $40.5 million for the West Point Development Authority to be used on expenses for the new Kia car assembly plant in West Georgia.  His budget also seeks to expand the state’s overseas marketing budget by 135% by investing $1.5 million in marketing initiatives. 

 

In the law enforcement arena, the Governor has asked for $15 million to fund an additional 1,200 prison beds and an additional $24 million in bonds to fund an additional 1,000 beds.  He also wants $1.4 million to add 15 new Georgia Bureau of Investigations Meth Force agents.  He also has asked for an additional $50 million for undeveloped land under the Land Conservation Act.  If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update march 26 2007

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

 

March 26, 2007

 

The Georgia General Assembly has completed 29 of the constitutionally mandated not more than 40-day annual legislative session.  On Tuesday, we will begin Day 30 which for us means “crossover day.”  Crossover day is the day when any bills originating in the House or the Senate must be passed or it will not be considered for passage this year.  The days leading up to and including crossover day are very busy ones as many of us are trying to insure legislation important to us has its fair hearing and is passed out of the committee in which it was assigned, passed by the Rules Committee, and then passed by the entire House or Senate.  That is a tall order for normal legislation and that is why most legislation introduced doesn’t go any where and effectively “dies.”

 

Day’s 28 and 29 brought a slew of legislative initiatives that won passage.  It also brought a high profile bill that died when the requisite constitutional majority wasn’t reached.  First, the high-profile bill that failed was a bill repealing the prohibition on payday lending.  The bill would allow payday lending to be reestablished in Georgia, an action that was eliminated from the state a few years back.  The payday lending issue is a very emotional one that most of us have heard the pros and cons numerous times.  This bill, House Bill 163, was voted on by the House of Representatives and actually received a tie vote of 84-84.  Seeing it did not receive a constitutional majority of 91 votes, the bill was defeated and will be reconsidered on Tuesday.

 

Far too often, the legislation that we pass in the Georgia General Assembly can affect not just our lives, but actually save a life.  We did just that in H.B. 147 when we made a bold step in trying to save lives.  Far too often, women, when faced with an unexpected or unwanted pregnancy chose to abort the baby.  The legislation we passed furthers the Women’s Right to Know Act by requiring that all women who are getting advice and information on getting an abortion, be given information on receiving an ultrasound.  If an ultrasound is performed, the woman will have the right to view the active ultrasound, and hear the heartbeat of the unborn child if audible.  In addition, the quality of the ultrasound shall be consistent with standard medical practices and show the dimensions, presence of external members and internal organs of the child.  We passed this legislation 116 to 54, and hopefully it will save some lives.

 

We passed legislation moving our Presidential Primary to the first Tuesday of February, which in 2008 will be February 5.  The bill would allow for Georgia to play a more important role in selecting presidential nominees for both the Republican and Democrat parties.  In addition, for statewide candidates running in primaries and general elections, the threshold for avoiding a run-off was lowered to 45 percent.  H.B. 487 passed easily, 154-11.

 

Another high profile topic is the death penalty.  Many of us view the death penalty as a needed deterrent for pre-meditated crimes of violence.  H.B. 185 would allow a judge to impose a penalty of death or life imprisonment without parole if 10 of 12 members of a sentencing jury recommend the death penalty.  The bill passed 106-65.

 

Red light cameras have been a point of contention for many legislators over the years.  H.B. 77 would provide that only certified peace officers may review and issue citations based on the camera’s photos.  Further the legislation would provide a split of the fees after the cost to cover the operation of the camera, with 25 percent going to the local government and 75 percent going to the state trauma fund.  This bill passed 110-60.

 

 

We also passed a somewhat controversial bill that would allow the legislature more oversight over Jekyll Island, a state-owned island that is controlled by the Jekyll Island Authority.  The legislation would create a six-member legislative committee to review all proposed leases and extend the Authority’s oversight by 99 years, a needed step in negotiating long-term deals with hotels.  Georgia law requires that 65 percent of the island remain in its natural setting and this law does not diminish or change that requirement.  The bill, H.B. 214, passed 130-35. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

 

 

weekly update from the capitol

This Week at the Capitol with State Representative John Lunsford

 Weekly Capitol Update

 

March 31, 2007

 

We have completed our 33rd legislative day and the 2007 Georgia General Assembly will move in to the final weeks with some very important bills to be debated.  First and foremost, the two budgets need to be approved.  The budgets are the only constitutionally mandated pieces of legislation that the General Assembly is required to pass.  The Fiscal Year 2007 mid-year budget has been passed by the House of Representatives and sent to the Senate for their consideration.  The House Appropriations Committee, a committee in which I serve, is presently putting together our FY 2008 budget.  In addition, we finished “Crossover Day”, or the 30^th legislative day.  It is the day in which if a bill hasn’t passed either the House or Senate it effectively dies for this legislative year.

 

Two high profile bills that received a lot of coverage in the media around the state failed to find a consensus and died.  The first bill was House Bill 163, the Payday Lending bill which would repeal the prohibition enacted by the Georgia Legislature a few years ago.  This bill was voted on once earlier this year and failed to garner a constitutionally majority of 91 votes in the House.  The author of the bill filed a motion to reconsider and the bill was brought back on Day 30.  The bill failed again, this time by an 82-77 margin.  The other high profile bill had to due with Certificate of Need issues for hospitals.  This legislation did not make it to the House floor for debate and we will continue to work out the issues dealing with CON during the summer.

 

We passed H.B. 340 that basically was an effort to save our PeachCare for Kids insurance program, a program that allows for low-income wage earners to purchase a federal/state health insurance for children.  The bill would lower the threshold for eligibility to 200% of the federal poverty line while granting the Board of Health the authority to revise this number between 185% and 225% of the FPL.  The bill passed 101-63.

 

Another piece of legislation I was very proud of was HB 394 which will bring 300-500 million new dollars to local governments around the state for 911 emergency services at no additional cost to our taxpayers this process includes a grant fund to allow the poorest counties in Georgia to provide the same level of response to emergency calls you receive in the largest cities it passed overwhelmingly. As the author of this bill I had worked on this for almost 3 years.

 

One bill that I am particularly proud that we passed was H.B. 311, the Georgia HERO (Helping Educate Reservists and their Offspring) Scholarship program.  This legislation amended the scholarship program to include the surviving spouse of a deceased Guard member or reservist.  We unanimously passed this legislation in remembrance of the men and women from Georgia, especially of the 48^th Brigade of the Georgia Army National Guard, who have given the ultimate sacrifice for their state and country.

 

We also passed overwhelmingly H.B. 152, a bill that provides HOPE scholarships for home schooled children, students graduating from Christian schools and unaccredited schools who score within the 85^th percentile on the SAT/ACT college entrance exams.  The bill passed 164-1.   

 

We unanimously passed H.B. 451, the Georgia Tourism Development Act, a bill designed to promote and develop tourism attractions in the state of Georgia.  The bill would provide that companies seeking to undertake a tourism attraction project may be granted a sales and use tax refund for state and local sales taxes generated by or arising at the tourism attraction.  Georgia relies on tourism as one of its primary economic engines.  We also passed H.B. 282, a bill that provides for a two-year sales tax exemption on the sales of engines, parts, equipment and other tangible personal property use in aircraft maintenance or repair, when the aircraft is repaired or maintained in Georgia.  That bill passed 165-1. 

 

This coming week, the Georgia General Assembly will stand in recess for Holy Week activities including Easter and Passover.  We will return for Day 34 on Tuesday, April 10. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA  30334 or e-mail me at    john.lunsford@house.ga.gov