WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT – February 17, 2006

House majority approves school spending mandate

By Rep. Hugh Floyd

Despite widespread opposition from education groups and local school officials across the state, including Gwinnett County Schools, members of the House majority voted to approve the Governor’s mandate on the allocation of public school funds at the local level.

Under Senate Bill 390, local school systems would be required to direct 65 percent of all revenues to the Governor’s definition of “in-classroom activities.” It is that definition that raises some of the concern, as the bill fails to recognize the importance of media centers (libraries), modern technology and required teacher training to public education. Professional development is key to closing the achievement gap for our children, and it should be included in the 65 percent.

Of perhaps even greater concern is the idea that state government should micromanage the allocation of local tax dollars for local school boards, which are already devoting an average of 63 percent of their funding to classroom instruction. Many school systems, which have already faced the consequences of more than $1 billion in state funding cuts over the past three years, would have to consider raising property taxes in order to adhere to this mandate from Atlanta while continuing to, for example, keep school buses running.

SB 390 was amended in a House committee before being adopted by a 102-70 vote, so the Senate would need to agree to those changes before the legislation goes to the Governor for his signature. I voted against this legislation because local school boards have a better idea of their students needs than a one-size-fits-all mandate such as this proposal.

In an effort to further assist our teachers, I am supporting HB 127, which would authorize the General Assembly to appropriate funds to raise the service retirement allowance for Georgia’s teachers from 2 percent to a maximum of 2.5 percent. In 1975, the General Assembly passed legislation that increased the benefit formula multiplier from 1.75 percent to 2 percent. From 1975 to 1983, the Georgia General Assembly appropriated funds each year to increase the formula. 

The House also adopted legislation that would provide parents with more information about the schools clubs their children could join. The bill would require schools to publicize information about every club and make it available to parents. It also says that parents are responsible for notifying schools when they do notwant their children to participate in a club’s activities. The measure that passed does not require any additional paperwork for teachers who are already responsible for too many duties outside of the classroom. The bill now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

House Democrats have introduced a new ethics package that would be the strongest in Georgia’s history. The ethics package includes a ban on all gifts from lobbyists, prohibits lobbyist-paid travel for lawmakers and bans lobbyist paid tickets. The legislation also includes whistle blower protections for city and county employees. Last year’s ethics legislation does not go far enough.

The original proposal prohibited gifts of more than $50 to public officials from people doing business with the state, but the House Republican leadership took that provision out of the final version of the legislation. There were also no whistle blower protections covering all governmental employees.

Several pieces of legislation addressing various components of the eminent domain issue have been moving through the committee process, but last week Gov. Perdue announced his comprehensive proposals, which will now become the focus of the legislative debate.

The Governor’s Private Property Protection Act would rule out eminent domain for purposes of economic development or creating more tax revenue. It would also strengthen due process rights of property owners and requires government to prove the proposed land seizure serves a narrow public purpose. A proposed constitutional amendment would strip appointed housing authorities and development authorities of eminent domain power and reserve it for local elected officials.

Our challenge as lawmakers will be to ensure that whatever legislation we pass on eminent domain strikes the proper balance between protecting personal property rights and allowing local governments to make needed improvements in their communities.

Governor Perdue has announced more online services available to Georgia drivers from the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS).  Georgia citizens can now obtain a copy of their personal driving history and request a replacement for a lost license through the agency’s website: www.dds.ga.gov.  

The agency’s website allows customers to create an account to access enhanced Internet services and track pending transactions.  The following transactions are available online for Georgia residents with a valid Georgia driver’s license:

·        Replacing a lost license

·        Viewing and/or downloading a copy of driving history

·        Change of address

·        Renewing a license or Identification Card

Thursday was the 20th legislative day of the 2006 session, marking the halfway point. Following the President’s Day Holiday, the legislature will reconvene Tuesday.