WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT Return to Pressroom Return Home
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WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT Return to Pressroom Return Home |
| WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT – January 26, 2007 Murphy to chair Transportation Policy Committee By Rep. Quincy Murphy This week, I was honored by my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus when I was appointed as chairman of the caucus’s Transportation Policy Committee for 2007-08. In this leadership position, I will preside over the consideration by our caucus of legislation related to transportation issues all over Georgia. Despite the fact that House Democrats are in the minority, it is vitally important that we participate in the process to make sure the concerns of you, our constituents, are heard. As a unified caucus, we can make a difference on many of the key issues addressed at the State Capitol. On Thursday, a celebration was held at the Capitol recognizing the milestone of 1 million HOPE Scholarship recipients since the inception of the program in 1993. It is truly an outstanding achievement for Georgia to have been able to send a million students to our state’s colleges, universities and technical colleges at no tuition cost. This is a very proud accomplishment for our state and a reminder that we must continue to work diligently to protect HOPE against any attempt to cut, restrict or otherwise derail the program. Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Sears presented the annual State of the Judiciary address to a joint legislative session Wednesday. Chief Justice Sears related, “In the halls of justice throughout the state, I have witnessed first hand first-rate judges, court staff and lawyers working together to provide for the peaceful resolution of disputes, to protect constitutional rights and to uphold the rule of law. Their commitment to Georgia is remarkable and gratifying.” Legislation has been introduced that is intended to result in the protection of the marshlands along the Georgia coast. House Resolution 51 urges the state Department of Natural Resources to refrain from adopting rules that would put the state’s marshlands in jeopardy by going to a 25-foot buffer between the marsh and upland development. The rules proposed would also not allow consideration of storm water runoff from upland developments. This environmental measure states that Georgia has protected these salt marshlands by strong legislation since 1970, and the growing popularity of our coast as a place to visit and live makes it ever more important that the salt marsh be strongly protected. The resolution was referred to the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee for it consideration. I would appreciate your comments on this issue. The House has adopted legislation that I co-sponsored honoring the life of the late Pete Warren, our fellow House member from Richmond County until the time of his death last year. House Resolution 23 recognizes Pete’s service as a military veteran, community leader and state legislature and concludes that “while in life he commanded the esteem of his fellow Georgians, in his death we mingle our sympathies with the grief of his family and friends.”
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