Weekly Report from the Capitol from Sen. Ross Tolleson

The Senate worked late on

Thursday, revising and debating almost 30 bills before the midnight deadline of

Crossover Day. Crossover Day is a rite of passage that all remaining Senate

bills must go through before transferring to the opposite chamber – the House

of Representatives.  If Senate Bills do not pass on Crossover Day, they

are no longer considered a ‘live’ bill and must wait until 2014 for

re-consideration.  Moving forward, we will begin taking up bills from the

House and working on compromises between similar legislation in conference

committees.

 

This week, the Senate passed a joint resolution (SR 371) calling for a U.S.

Constitutional Amendment requiring the United States Congress to pass a

balanced budget.  Georgians can pride themselves on being fiscally

responsible and balancing our state’s budget every year regardless of the

economic status. We have made some tough decision during hard times, but with

each hurdle we have lived within our means and never spent more than we had.

Congress has clearly demonstrated that they are unwilling to control their

spending.  By states joining together and letting Congress know this is

not okay, we are leaving a financially sound America for our children.  

 

Numerous influential bills passed the Senate and will now be sent to the House

of Representatives for consideration:

Senate Bill 13 will require nurses and health care entities to report

suspected professional violations to the Board of Nursing or the Board of

Examiners of Licensed Practical Nurses.

Senate Bill 101 will remove burdensome reporting requirements for firearms

dealers and recognize out-of-state weapons carry licenses in Georgia.

 

Senate Bill 156 revises the term

‘borrow pit’ to allow a property owner to use earthen materials from excavated

areas of less than five acres without having to apply for a mining permit.

However, these materials cannot be sold.  

 

Senate Bill 195 will authorize

physicians and other practitioners with prescribing authority to prescribe

auto-injectable epinephrine in the name of a public or private school.

 

Senate Bill 210 will create the

Georgia Legacy Program to conserve the state’s land, water, fisheries and

wildlife resources. It will also create the Georgia Legacy Council to approve

projects eligible for funding, and would establish two funds to provide grants

and loans for the approved projects.

 

Senate Bill 213 requires the EPD to

undertake certain studies to revise rules/regulations pertaining to the

management of water resources in the Flint River Basin.  

 

Senate Bill 236 will mandate for

when a health insurer increases a premium,they must provide a notice explaining how much of the increase is

attributable to the Affordable Care Act. The bill was amended to include that

the Commissioner of Community Health would also have to notify those on the

State Health Benefit Plan with the increases.  

 

Education is vital to our children and it was an honor to welcome members of

the Houston County Board of Education and thank them for all their work.

 Superintendent Dr. Robin Hines was joined by Dr. Steven Thublin, Mark

Scott and Dave McMahon along with Board Members, Marianne Melnick, Skip

Dawkins, Helen Hughes, Jim Maddox and Fred Wilson.

 

Members of Leadership Robins Region also visited this week for their State

Government Day.  They visited the Senate Chamber and committee meetings

while learning about the legislative process.  This group is doing a great

job in preparing to become community leaders and mentors for future

generations.

 

A special thanks to Forrest Ager from Hawkinsville who participated in the

legislature’s Page for a Day Program.  Forrest spent the day delivering

important information and messages throughout the Senate Chamber and learning

about state government.  The Page Program is a great opportunity for

students ages 12 to 18 to experience the Capitol first-hand to observe and

participate in the legislative process

 

The legislative session only has ten days left, however I continue spending a

lot of time at the Capitol working on behalf of you.  If there are any

issues you wish to have addressed, I would love to hear from you.  I look

forward to continuing my service on behalf of my constituents in the 20th

Senate District.  Georgia is on the right track.   I am

confident that the steps we take this year will mean lasting prosperity for

future generations of Georgians.  

HHJ News