2006 LEGISLATIVE REPORTS
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2006 LEGISLATIVE REPORTS |
| WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT – March 3, 2006
House votes to reduce class sizes in public schools
By Rep. Quincy Murphy 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. House members also approved SB 468, which would establish a grant program for local boards of education to attract “high performance principals” to low performing schools in their systems. These principals would receive a one-year, $15,000 supplement if there is evidence they improved a low-performing school or took an average or excellent performing school to a higher level of achievement within five years. Having already passed the Senate, this measure awaits the governor’s signature. 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.
Legislation that would change Georgia’s Constitution to allow the state to issue grants to faith-based agencies that provide social services in their communities will soon reach the House floor for a vote. Recent court decisions have ruled that using government funds in this manner are appropriate and do not violate constitutional church/state issues under most conditions, so it is not clear whether this constitutional amendment is necessary for the practice to continue. I have a serious concern about the specific legislation that was approved by a House committee. House Resolution 1345 does not contain language that prevents tax dollars from being taken away from public education and funneled into private schools in the form of vouchers. The private school voucher issue is what kept similar legislation from being approved by the Senate last year, and if it is not properly addressed through an amendment, I predict it will meet the same fate in the House this year. Two bills I co-sponsored have been reported favorably by the House Government Affairs Committee. HB 1245 would change special election procedures for certain General Assembly vacancies. HB 1246 which would create state flags to honor deceased Georgia elected state officials. The bills now move to the full House for consideration.
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