WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT Return to Pressroom Return Home
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WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT Return to Pressroom Return Home |
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WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT – February 2, 2007 Legislature to address need for medical facilities By Rep. Quincy Murphy A longstanding debate over how Georgia regulates the construction of medical facilities through the Certificate of Need (CON) Law is receiving legislative attention this session. Under current law, the Department of Community Health issues a CON before any health care facility can be built and deliver certain types of medical services. Before issuing a certificate, the state analyzes the need for medical services as well as the impact on existing health care facilities. Supporters of the CON law, which are usually hospitals, say it is necessary because it reduces the number of duplicative medical facilities. Opponents, including many physicians, want to be able to operate medical facilities without being required for a CON. House Speaker Glenn Richardson this week appointed a special committee to address the issue. In an effort to improve reading literacy in Georgia, I have co-sponsored House Bill 246. This measure calls for the state to develop a program to utilize college and university students who are receiving HOPE scholarships to assist in reading literacy programs in public pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and elementary schools HOPE Scholars participating in the program who fail to meet grade requirements to maintain their HOPE eligibility would receive an additional quarter or semester to meet such grade requirements under this proposal. HB 246 was referred to the House Higher Education Committee for consideration. Meanwhile, a bill has been introduced that would soften some of the restrictions put in place in 2004 to phase out book and fee payments for HOPE Scholarship recipients if lottery revenue dwindles. Under the 2004 law, book fees would be limited to $150 for the following year whenever year-end collections fall below those of the previous year, and would be eliminated if that occurred two years in a row. House Bill 229 wouldn’t be that strict. Year-end balances could dip as low as 90 percent of prior year receipts before the restrictions would apply. The measure is under consideration in the House Appropriations Committee. Gov. Sonny Perdue traveled to Washington, D.C., this week to testify before a U.S. Senate Committee and request immediate action to provide federal funding to save the PeachCare for Kids health insurance program. Top state officials have said that if the governor’s efforts to secure the needed federal funding, then the state will have to come up with $57 million in short order to keep the PeachCare program in business – which would have a ripple effect throughout the state budget now under consideration. Legislation requiring the use of seat belts in pickup trucks has been introduced in both the House and Senate, addressing an issue not only of public safety but also economics. As one of only a handful of states that still does not require the use of seat belts in pickups, Georgia is losing an estimated $21 million per year in federal highway safety funding. The legislature is in official recess until Thursday, February 8, which will be the 15th legislative day of the 2007 session. On February 10, the General Assembly will meet for a rare Saturday session as Family Day is observed. This will give Georgians who are unable to visit the Capitol during the work week an opportunity to see the lawmaking process in action.
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