WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT – February 9, 2007

School vouchers legislation under consideration

By Rep. Quincy Murphy

The House of Representatives will soon be considering legislation that has already passed the state Senate, allowing the state to issue vouchers to special needs students to attend a private school or public school outside their district.

Senate Bill 10 was adopted in the Senate by a narrow margin, and House Bill 199, which is similar but not identical, is under consideration in the House Education Committee.

So far, I have not seen sufficient evidence that this legislation is needed, and it appears to be an attempt to open the door for a wider use of vouchers, which would take away funding from Georgia’s public schools.

For now, I am taking a skeptical approach to this proposal, but I would like to know your thoughts on the issue.

In an effort to address serious issues like illegal immigration, sometimes legislation is introduced that seems well-intended. But without considering all possible consequences of that legislation, we know where the road paved with good intentions always leads.

This seems to be the case with legislation introduced this year that would force government agencies in Georgia to print their official documents and application forms only in English. House Bill 21 is an apparent attempt to discourage non-English speaking immigrants who settle in Georgia from accessing government services or communications.

However, such a law would be largely unenforceable because it would not apply to any state or local government agency that receives federal funding – which is virtually all of them. Also, it would ignore the fact that Georgia is already a multicultural environment, and not everyone is able to learn another language instantaneously.

Immigrants should be encouraged to learn the English language in order to assimilate properly into society. But trying to force the issue through legislation such as HB 21 is not the answer. Fortunately, this measure ran into opposition during a House committee hearing, and no vote was taken. 

Unfortunately, there was nothing but bad news this week about the future of Georgia’s PeachCare for Kids program. First, President Bush refused to include funding that would cover the current $131 million federal shortfall in a special appropriations bill. Then, Georgia Department of Community Health Commissioner Rhonda Medows announced the program would stop accepting new enrollees effective March 11 unless the funding is approved.

PeachCare, which provides affordable health care to the children of working Georgia families, serves about 270,000 children throughout the state. PeachCare is a vitally important program, and it is essential that a solution be found to the current funding crisis.

In the House, two pieces of legislation have been introduced that would provide at least temporary relief. House Bill 236 would allow the state to fully fund the entire shortfall instead of relying on the federal government. This could be an additional option in case Congress fails to act in time to stop an interruption in the program. HB 324 would increase the number of children eligible for coverage and thus increase premium payments to the state.

The new Congress hopefully will act swiftly to avert a crisis caused by the failure of the previous Congress to address problems with the federal funding formula, which penalizes Georgia and other states that have worked hard to enroll uninsured children. If not, we will have to find a way to do so at the state level.

Due to increasing concerns from many Georgians over the state government’s movement toward expanded commercial development on Jekyll Island, House Resolution 182 was introduced this week.

The state’s Jekyll Island Authority is reportedly considering the construction of a luxury hotel, condominiums and other tourist developments that threaten the island’s environmental qualities and the tranquility enjoyed by current residents and visitors.

• Rep. Quincy Murphy (D-Augusta) represents the 120th District (Richmond County) in the Georgia House of Representatives. Contact him at 604 Coverdell Office Building, Atlanta, GA  30334; by phone at 404-656-0265 or by e-mail at quincy.murphy@house.ga.gov.