WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT – March 3, 2006

Lottery spending legislation excludes K-12 technology

By Rep. Hugh Floyd

In the coming week, the so-called “HOPE Chest” legislation is expected to be voted on in the House. This proposed constitutional amendment would prevent lottery proceeds from being spent on anything but HOPE Scholarships and pre-kindergarten programs.

However, the lottery, as approved by the voters, was to benefit students at all levels of education. This proposal would permanently eliminate the use of lottery proceeds for K-12 technology and related capital outlay funding, which could have a big impact on many school systems and once again cause higher local property taxes and a need for more sales tax initiatives.

Lots of school technology purchased in the mid-1990s came from that funding source, including computers in our media centers, computers in our computer labs, cameras and other closed-circuit video equipment, in-classroom TV and video capabilities. The list goes on and on.  Almost all of it desperately needs upgrading.

I’d like to know your thoughts: is this legislation truly necessary to “save” HOPE, or simply an election-year gimmick to turn HOPE into a political football?

For the past three years, Gov. Perdue and his supporters in the General Assembly have delayed implementation of class size reductions previously enacted into law. Smaller class sizes are a proven benefit to improving the educational experience for students and helping educators maintain discipline in the learning environment.

Thursday, the House of Representatives decided the three-year delay was long enough and voted to establish the following maximum class sizes to be implemented in the next school year:

House Bill 1358 now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

The House Public Safety Committee has favorably reported school safety legislation that I co-sponsored. HB 465, which would prohibit loitering on school property and establish more secure procedures for public school visitors, now goes to the full House for its consideration.

Advanced practice registered nurses would have greater responsibilities under legislation adopted by the House and sent to the Senate on Thursday. These nurses are educated and trained to evaluate patients, order tests and lab work and discuss disease management and prevention. HB 935 would give these professionals the authority to write prescriptions when delegated by a physician. The bill also allows advance practice registered nurses to request, receive and sign for professional samples as well as distribute them to patients. The intent of this legislation is to give patients in areas underserved by physicians quicker and better access to medications. Georgia has 5,000 advance practice registered nurses and currently is the only state not allowing them to write prescriptions.

In a related issue, the House ended a 20-year battle between optometrists and ophthalmologists over prescriptive authority. HB 1390 would expand the small list of drugs currently prescribed by optometrists in adding “oral and topical pharmaceutical agents related to the diagnosis or treatment of diseases and conditions of the eye and adnexa oculi except Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substances”. Supporters of the measure argue that ophthalmologists are few and far between, so rural Georgia patients are often forced to travel hundreds of miles for prescriptive therapy. This proposal would therefore expand access to care for those seeking eye treatments.

I am continuing to work on two issues of great concern to all Georgians. On May 1, the state is scheduled to begin seizing the estates of deceased Medicaid patients in order to offset the costs absorbed as a result of their medical care. Estates valued at less than $25,000 are exempted, but I am supporting an increase in the exemption level to $100,000 as a more reasonable compromise. I will keep you posted on the progress of this issue.

Also, I am supporting legislation that would give the General Assembly a final say before any changes could be made to the State Health Benefit Plan.  This proposal is in response to the governor’s decision to switch to a single provider that left a wake of confusion and frustration for thousands of state employees who were for forced to switch to health care providers in the limited network.

On Tuesday, the House adopted HB 1219, which would merge the state’s back-to-school and energy-efficiency sales tax holidays, saving taxpayers almost $20 million. If the Senate and governor approve the measure, then from Aug. 3-6, Georgians can avoid state and local sales taxes on clothing and shoes costing under $100, a school supply item costing under $20, personal computers and related equipment costing $1,500 or less and certain dishwashers, clothes washers, air conditioner units, doors, windows, dehumidifiers, refrigerators, programmable thermostats and incandescent or fluorescent light bulbs receiving the federal Energy Star.