Clayton News Daily

JONESBORO — Clayton County legislators have gotten one long-sought piece of local legislation through both houses of the Georgia General Assembly and another is making its way through the legislative process.

And, the General Assembly hasn’t even reached its midpoint for the year.

“I think things have been going very well so far for the delegation,” said the delegation’s chairwoman, state Sen. Gail Davenport (D-Jonesboro).

Although the legislative calendars change from day to day, the General Assembly is expected to hit the 20th day mark next week. The General Assembly hit Legislative Day 19 on Friday.

That means legislators are effectively halfway through this year’s term. They are also just over 10 legislative days away from “Crossover Day,” which is the deadline by which a bill must be passed by at least one chamber to have a shot at reaching Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk this year.

House Bill 5, which was authored by Rep. Keisha Waites (D-Atlanta), is already sitting on Deal’s desk, waiting for his signature. The bill is a piece of local legislation requested by Forest Park officials as a “clean up” bill to address discrepancies in the city charter about how many councilmember votes are needed to call a meeting.

In all, the Clayton County Legislative Delegation has so far authored a combined total of 55 bills and resolutions. The number of items legislators have signed on to co-sponsor ranges from 56 for veteran state Sen. Valencia Seay (D-Riverdale), to nine for freshman Rep. Ronnie Mabra (D-Fayetteville).

One house resolution Mabra has signed on to as a co-sponsor would call for the creation of a House Committee to study an Atlanta-to-Savannah High Speed rail line.

Davenport said Clayton County residents should not focus their attention on any one or two particular pieces of legislation still pending in the General Assembly.

“They should pay attention to all of the legislation that is still out there,” she said. “Anything a member of the Clayton County Legislative Delegation has put his or her name to is something that person feels is important for the county.”

One key piece of local legislation still pending in the General Assembly is House Bill 330, which would call for a referendum in Jonesboro on lowering the city’s homestead exemption from $60,000 to $10,000.

As was the case with Forest Park, Jonesboro officials have waited since 2011 for a referendum bill to be introduced and it was finally dropped in the hopper by Rep. Mike Glanton (D-Jonesboro) this week. It is awaiting a review by House committees.

Glanton recently said he also plans to soon introduce two pieces of legislation aimed at the Clayton County Board of Education. One would repeal two outdated Clayton County-specific school board ethics bills. The other would make the school board’s chairperson a county-wide elected position.

But, there are other bills out there that go beyond the scope of local legislation and have a regional or state-wide reach. Waites pre-filed a bill to create a regional transit authority that would provide bus and rail services to Clayton, Henry, Butts, Monroe and Bibb counties.

She has since filed a different bill, House Bill 306, which refines the scope of the group to be a rail-specific authority.

Waites could not be reached Friday afternoon for comment.

Meanwhile, Davenport has introduced Senate Bill 23, which allocate aid to help in the search for missing people who may be incapacitated because of medical conditions. She has also introduced Senate Bill 124, which calls for tougher penalties for people who don’t do enough to secure items carried on their cars and trucks.

Seay has authored Senate Bill 42, which calls on the General Assembly to fully fund its Quality Basic Education formula for local school systems.

And, Rep. Sandra Scott (D-Ellenwood) has authored several pieces of statewide legislation, including House Bill 117. The bill would forbid employers from requesting information needed to access social media accounts of their employees.

“Too often the privacy rights of Georgians are unnecessarily being violated by employers,” said Scott in a written statement. “I hope this bill will stop employers from accessing such personal information, and help further protect our constituents.”

Each of these bills is waiting to be reviewed by legislative committees in their respective chambers.

Who has authored what in the Clayton County Legislation Delegation?

Compiled by Curt Yeomans

The following is a list of state House Bills, House Resolutions, Senate Bills and Senate Resolutions authored as of Thursday by Clayton County legislators in the Georgia General Assembly. House Bills are represented by “HB.” House Resolutions are represented by “HR.” Senate Bills are represented by “SB.” Senate Resolutions are represented by “SR.”

Sen. Gail Davenport (D-Jonesboro)

SB 23 Establish the “Stacey Nicole English Act,” which would aid in the location of missing persons who are incapacitated due to medical conditions

Status: Senate Read and Referred

SB 124 Increase the penalties for failure to properly secure a load on a motor vehicle

Status: Senate Read and Referred

SR 167 Recognize Jo Ellen Smith

Status: Senate Read and Adopted

SR 170 Recognize Dr. Donna Jean Vining

Status: Senate Read and Adopted

SR 174 Ricciardi, Ms. Nancy; recognize

Status: Senate Read and Adopted

Other bills and resolutions co-sponsored: 54

Sen. Valencia Seay (D-Riverdale)

SB 42 Require that the Quality Basic Education Formula is fully funded by the General Assembly

Status: Senate Read and Referred

SR 16 Recognize Calvin Johnson

Status: Senate Read and Adopted

SR 17 Recognize the Sandy Creek High School Football Team

Status: Senate Read and Adopted

SR 18 Honor Louis W. Pointer

Status: Senate Read and Adopted

SR 118 Recognize The Lite House, Inc.

Status: Senate Read and Adopted

SR 119 Congratulate Canton Jones

Status: Senate Read and Adopted

SR 192 Commend Monica Denise Brown

Status: Senate Read and Adopted

Other bills and resolutions co-sponsored: 56

Rep. Demetrius Douglas (D-Stockbridge)

No legislation authored so far

Other bills and resolutions co-sponsored: 12

Rep. Mike Glanton (D-Jonesboro)

HB 243 Provide that Georgia Judicial Retirement System members can be eligible to transfer funds

Status: House Second Readers

HB 330 Allow a city-wide referendum of lowering Jonesboro’s homestead exemption to $10,000 of assessed value of homestead for residents

Status: House Second Readers

HR 304 Offer condolences on the passing of Ted Key

Status: House Read and Adopted

Other bills and resolutions co-sponsored: 13

Rep. Darryl Jordan (D-Riverdale)

HR 285 Alpha Phi Alpha Day on February 21, 2013

Status: House Read and Referred

HR 380 Alpha Phi Alpha Day at the state capitol

Status: House Read and Adopted

Other bills and resolutions co-sponsored: 20

Rep. Ronnie Mabra (D-Fayetteville)

HR 96 Commend the Georgia Institute of Technology Yellow Jacket football team

Status: House Read and Adopted

Other bills and resolutions co-sponsored: 9

Rep. Sandra Scott (D-Rex)

HB 117 Prohibit employees from requesting usernames and passwords, or means of accessing an account, for purposes of accessing personal social media accounts

Status: House Second Readers

HB 118 Require tattoo studios to post notification that certain tattoos could disqualify the wearer from military service

Status: House Second Readers

HB 325 Require notification to parents and guardians of students when weapon has been brought to school or found on school grounds

Status: House Second Readers

HB 326 Allow parents to provide observation of students with chronic disciplinary problems in classrooms

Status: House Second Readers

HB 331 Permit day-care centers to install safety alarms in vehicles used to transport children

Status: House Second Readers

HR 76 Encourage government action to help lift women out of poverty

Status: House Second Readers

HR 242 Commend Rex Mill Middle School Teacher of the Year Joi Martin

Status: House Read and Adopted

HR 243 Commend Roberta T. Smith Elementary School Teacher of the Year Pamela Graham

Status: House Read and Adopted

HR 244 Commend Anderson Elementary School Teacher of the Year Miriam Cheney

Status: House Read and Adopted

HR 245 Commend East Clayton Elementary Teacher of the Year Reneé Kenny

Status: House Read and Adopted

HR 246 Commend Morrow High School Teacher of the Year Shanika S. Wells

Status: House Read and Adopted

Other bills and resolutions co-sponsored: 29

Rep. Valencia Stovall (D-Ellenwood)

HR 352 Commend the A.D. King Foundation

Status: House Read and Adopted

Other bills and resolutions co-sponsored: 10

Rep. Keisha Waites (D-Atlanta)

HB 5 Change the number of Forest Park City Councilmember votes needed for calling special meetings

Status: Senate Passed/Adopted

HB 6 Piedmont Altamaha Transit Authority Act

Status: House Prefiled

HB 7 Prohibit the use of restraints on pregnant female inmates under certain circumstances

Status: House Prefiled

HB 8 Adopt and incorporate by reference certain drug-free zones

Status: House Prefiled

HB 9 Change mandatory education age requirements for children

Status: House Prefiled

HB 10 Create a Citizens' Redistricting Commission for the General Assembly

Status: House Prefiled

HB 11 Require local school systems establish specific procedures and safety precautions for school buses regarding unloading children under eight

Status: House Prefiled

HB 12 Repeal certain provisions relating to the sentencing of defendants guilty of crimes involving bias or prejudice

Status: House Prefiled

HB 13 Protecting Public School Funds Act

Status: House Prefiled

HB 15 Require annual reporting of bullying incidents in elementary and secondary education institutions

Status: House Prefiled

HB 16 Require Veterans Service Board to apply for certification to participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs

Status: House Prefiled

HB 17 Provide farm to school programs for county and independent school districts

Status: House Prefiled

HB 18 Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act

Status: House Prefiled

HB 19 Dropout Deterrent Act

Status: House Second Readers

HB 20 Provide income tax credits for certain volunteer firefighters

Status: House Prefiled

HB 24 Repeal certain provisions for the sentencing of defendants guilty of crimes involving bias or prejudice

Status: House Prefiled

HB 111 Provide tuition grants for children of officers killed in line of duty who attend University System institutions and meet certain eligibility requirements

Status: House Second Readers

HB 306 Piedmont Altamaha Rail Authority Act of 2013, which would establish “higher-speed” intercity, urban rail and tram systems to Bibb, Butts, Clayton, Henry and Monroe counties

Status: House Second Readers

HR 2 Urge Congress to increase criminal penalties for illegal human trafficking

Status: House Second Readers

HR 3 Commend Center for Women Policy Studies

Status: House Read and Adopted

HR 49 Request Congress pass legislation restoring the deep cuts to mental health services

Status: House Second Readers

HR 112 Commend the Center for Women Policy Studies

Status: House Read and Adopted

HR 228 Request the Congress of the United States pass legislation restoring deep cuts to mental health services, research, special education and supportive housing for children and adults living with mental health issues

Status: House Second Readers

HR 231 Commend and invite the Atlanta Falcons to the House

Status: House Read and Referred

HR 241 Offer condolences for Joshua Ciscero Watson

Status: House Read and Adopted

Other bills and resolutions co-sponsored: 20

Source: http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/default.aspx