Day 26 - "The United States of this country"

That's how Rep. Mills managed to refer to our nation when speaking in support of his HB 45. Ironic that the point of the bill is to require proof of citizenship to register to vote. Shouldn't you have to know the name of the country too?

As we write this, debate has begun on HB 45, yet another voter disenfranchisement bill. For the reasons it's such a bad idea, go here:
http://www.lwvga.org/documents/proofofcitizenship2AA7EC_000.pdf

The Gold Dome was swarming with folks this morning. By the People Day/Women in the Halls (co-sponsored every Wednesday by the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Feminist Women's Health Center, and GRUS), had two special foci today: Immigrants' Rights and Raising the GA Minimum Wage. So many people came to advocate that we had to split into two different rooms.

The group headed from the LOB over to the Capitol, we had a lot to work on. We lobbied hard against HB 45, sending information in to legislators and calling them out from the floor to talk to them about why it's such a bad bill.

One member, who started out telling us he wanted to prevent voter fraud, but who seemed to come around to the reality that voter fraud is not an issue that we have any reason to be worried about, and that this bill would in fact threaten citizens' right to vote, finally just said, "What am I supposed to tell my constituents in North Georgia? They won't understand me voting against it."

Well, it just so happened that a few of his constituents, who had come down to the Capitol for other issues, happened to be standing behind us, overheard us, and then said that they in fact did want him to vote against it. They called him back out from the floor to talk to him about it. No word, unfortunately, on how that went.

Speaking of all these voter ID-voter registration-picture ID-birth certificate bills, if they ever get around to passing one of the several bills giving rights to embryos (or zygotes at this point), does the mother get the embryo's vote? (Yes, bills have been introduced allowing you to adopt embryos. Yea! I'm already picking out names for mine!)

So here we are almost at the end of the session, and as bad as the budget is, they still haven't moved any revenue bills. What's up with that?

At the same time, Ways and Means has a dozen tax credit bills for corporations that they're considering. When have you ever benefited from corporate tax breaks?

*** And we're abruptly brought back to more ridiculousness: HB 45 has now passed. A partisan vote with only one Republican voting No. So get ready to find your birth certificate when you want to register to vote. Don't have it? Just get your passport. Too poor to think about traveling overseas? They don't care.

And that legislator who said he had to listen to his constituents' wishes, and whose constituents told him they wanted him to vote against it? He voted for it. Republican leadership called for a block vote and only one had the courage to bolt, but not this guy who actually had consituent input.

Meanwhile, the Senate ended up passing another terrible anti-immigrant bill this morning. SB 136 is intended to speed up the deportation process for those undocumented who are incarcerated. It would allow Pardons and Paroles to half the sentence when the inmate agreed to voluntarily waive legal rights and representation. And then be immediately deported without possibility of return. The bill also takes the decision issue final deportation orders away from an immigration judge and delegates that part to the prison system folks. So, no matter what you think of the immigrantion issue, it is not a good idea to entice people to give up their rights...and an even worse idea to take away the role of judges to determine what the law actually allows.

So let's recap, shall we?

What our legislators are spending time on:
- Taking away and/or erecting barriers for the right to vote.
- Allowing us to adopt embryos.
- Giving tax breaks to corporations.

What our legislators are not spending time on:
- Budget shortfalls.
- Jobs.
- Education.
- Health Care.
- Things on top of the list of what you actually need.


Remember that you can always look up legislation and find out who your legislators are and how they voted on legislation, on the General Assembly's website: http://www.legis.ga.gov/

And you can come down here and talk to your legislators whenever you want.

Speaking of which, Polly McKinney of the League of Women Voters had about 25 third graders down here with her this morning. We suspect they were a bit disappointed when they left.

Day 13 -- One way to get out of the house

Another person commented on school vouchers today: "After 9 years of cuts, this is just another chip in the plan to eventually eliminate public schools."

Maybe it was because this assault on public education was on our mind, but it was difficult to be excited about the homeschoolers lobbying all over the place today. Not wanting to disparage them or their education, it was sort of painful to watch them unsuccessfully try to interact. They were cute, and they had their literature and their promotional tables, but they really did seem to need to get out more. Sorry.

Day 13 -- Who said fathers know best?

The Women's Policy Group held a lunchtime Capitol Briefing today that was so well-attended that about 15 of us sat on the floor.

And it was a good thing it was crowded -- with the budget cuts, women are taking some of the hardest hits, as usual.

Nice to hear from the crowd that many of them intended to run for office, as women are underrepresented under the Gold Dome.

Lobbyist Extraordinaire Elizabeth Appley listed some of the things coming down the pike:

The Governor's proposal to eliminate the Family Violence Commission: Since its creation in 2001, the Commission has reduced Georgia's per capita family violence homicides by 26.2%, a rate almost 6 times better than the national average. So why does he think cutting it is such a good idea?

He also wants to eliminate the Temporary Protective Order Registry, which keeps a computer record of every restraining order, so that when a woman flees her abusive partner with her kids in tow in the middle of the night, she doesn't have to find the paper copy of the restraining order first.

Oh, and he wants to freeze funding for Domestic Violence Shelters and Rape Crisis Centers. Who needs 'em anyway.

In the meantime, Appley pointed out, the state gives $5 million a year in tax exemptions to llama farmers. Call us if you want to find out how to get in on this great deal.

Oh, and if the state's in such a budget shortfall, wouldn't you think the 90% federal matching funds for family planning money make the state think twice about the 34% family planning cuts?

It's amazing how some people in our state government have said they are willing to turn down matching federal dollars.

Day 13 -- One of the most frequently asked questions was . . . not answered today

Don't you know politicians always have to have it both ways . . .

This morning we heard legislative session would be 40 consecutive workdays and General Assembly would be out early this year -- Hooray.

But wouldn't you know, this afternoon, equally credible sources were saying, "Hey, it looks like they'll be taking Fridays and Mondays off for a couple weeks."

We're kind of hoping they go home early, because then we'll be safe until next year.

Day 12

February 3

Cutting education funds, cutting school nurses, and now proposing vouchers, which would take even more money out of the education system.

Why don't they just go ahead and engrave the tombstone "Public Schools R.I.P." and be done with it?

And on the 7th Day...Not Looking Good for Kids

The H.O.T. Line
Here's Our Take

January 27

Sen. Nan Orrock spoke from the well this morning about the need for our Senators in Washington, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, to vote to approve the SCHIP funding for healthcare for children. Doing her usual spot-on best, Orrock tried to light a fire under the two. Speaking of how Georgia could benefit by having a partnership with Federal programs like SCHIP and it would alleviate our PeachCare funding needs. And in addition, MORE kids would get coverage.

Both Chambliss and Isakson are expected to vote against it. What? Are they trying to find excuses not to vote for helping more Georgia kids? Calls to their offices elicited various cranky responses. Costs too much. If a family is earning the top qualifying income, they can afford to get their own insurance. And, surprise, documented children should have to wait five years for coverage. Blah, blah. In Saxby-ville, the babies on their way to becoming New Americans should just not get sick. And in "fiscal conservative" Isakson-land, it's apparently OK to pay more for treatment than for keeping well in the first place.

Have you made your call yet to the Senators offices? Get those dialing fingers to work! (1-800-828-0498)

Hundreds of white-coated angels from the ranks of Georgia's nurses overtook the capitol this morning.
One might have thought they were there because of Gov. Sonny Perdue's decision to cut $30 million from the school nurse budget. (That's right – kids, really, don't get sick. No, really, seriously, at this point, just don't get sick, okay?) In reality, the nurses were already planning to be at the capitol for their annual lobby day. But it was a timely and needed presence. It's always tough to reverse a cut in the Governor's proposal. But some hope when a member of the Governor's own party was overheard saying that the nurses ought to show up on the front lawn of the Governor's mansion in all their white coats. We'll see how much certain lawmakers can get away with in balancing the budget on the backs of sick kids.

And speaking about not being well, Rep. Bobby Franklin took his personal speaking privilege time this week to address what has certainly been on the top of everyone's mind this week. He railed about Hillary Clinton's Sec of State confirmation being unconstitutional. Yeah, as if there weren't big problems to solve. But we should just let him go...at least he's not passing any of his bills.

It's past due to be prioritizing transportation needs, but are some of the proposals to shake-up and reorganize hiding a hidden agenda. Will some "reforms" be so broadly written that they open the way for the state to claim a capitol city airport or transit system? We can only relay suspicious chatter from the hallways.

The AJC reported not-too-loud whispers speculating on the secret reasons for Gov. Perdue's $21 million dollar loan. We think they may be hard of hearing. That roar WE hear wonders why the stonewalling. Maybe a reason will eventually be revealed but the longer the fish stays out, the more it smells.

Day 2 - 900 Bills Already Introduced?!

H.O.T. Line
Here’s Our Take

January 13

A local radio station was doing a great civic good this morning by informing its listeners of the bills that would be coming up this session.

They had been told that any of the bills from last year that didn't pass could be reintroduced this year.

The problem was, they misinterpreted that to mean that every bill from last year had already been reintroduced.

They were already up into the 900s when Representative Pedro Marin (D-96), who fortuitously heard the much-too-extensive list being read while on his way in to the capitol, called the station and rescued listeners from the onslaught.

Gives you hope to see what happens when good intentions combine with good looking out. Kudos to both the station and Representative Marin!