State Bar of Georgia Lawyers Serving the Public and the Justice System
Committees, Programs & Sections
Final 2013 Legislative Update, (04.05.13)
Thursday, March 28, marked the last day of the 2013 legislative session, one of the most successful on record for the State Bar of Georgia. This session saw the passage of several major initiatives of the State Bar, highlighted by a comprehensive rewrite of the Juvenile Code.
The passage of Juvenile Justice Code was a major success for the State Bar and most importantly for Georgia’s justice system and for the citizens of our great state. This new approach, focusing away from the old system of youth detention, puts an increased focus on community based programs and counseling with the ultimate goal of returning these troubled youths to our neighborhoods as productive members of society. A major initiate of Gov. Nathan Deal’s Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform, passage of the Juvenile Code was truly a bipartisan effort from the outset and stands to help improve our state for years to come.
Another key initiative of the Bar was the passage of an amendment to OCGA 44-12-24 to prohibit the assignment of legal malpractice claims. The genesis of this issue dealt with the case of Villanueva v. First American Title in which the Supreme Court of Georgia found that malpractice claims are assignable. Despite the two Amicus briefs filed by the Bar arguing the exact opposite, the Court upheld its decision with just a few weeks left in session. With diligent work by our lobbying team and with the help of several key legislators, we were able to find a bill, HB 359, that we could attach an amendment to which would prohibit the assignment of legal malpractice claims. Ultimately, HB 359 received final passage in both chambers, and once signed by the governor, will be the law of the land.
In other Bar news, several key pieces of the State Bar’s 2013 legislative agenda received final passage, while others are being studied by committee and will be taken up in the 2014 legislative session. Below is a brief rundown of our 2013 legislative agenda:
- Funding request for victims of domestic violence and the Appellate Resource Center were included in the final version of the amended FY 2013 budget that passed the House and Senate.
- HB 242, the juvenile code, passed the House and Senate and is awaiting the governor’s signature.
- SB 185, the uniform commercial code article 9, passed both chambers and is awaiting the governor’s signature.
- HB 160, prohibition of transfer fee covenants, passed both chambers and is awaiting the governor’s signature.
- SB 204, the amendment of interlocutory appeal procedure in child custody cases, passed both chambers and is awaiting the governor’s signature.
- HB 161, updating the language used in the oath of bailiffs, passed both chambers and is awaiting the governor’s signature.
- SB 159, modification of the rules against perpetuities, is in the Senate Civil Judiciary Committee and will be considered in the 2014 session.
- HB 654, dealing with testamentary guardianships, is in the House Civil Judiciary Committee and will be considered in the 2014 session.
- HB 685, updating the Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Visitation Act, is in the House Civil Judiciary Committee and will be considered in the 2014 session.
In other news under the Gold Dome, ethics reform received final passage from both chambers and in so doing revamped the ethical standards under which elected officials and lobbyists must operate. Perhaps the most high profile legislation of the 2013 session, the ethics reform legislation limits lobbyists’ gifts to individual lawmakers at $75 per expenditure. Another key provision was whether or not to make citizens register as a lobbyist should they visit the Capitol to advocate for a particular issue. In the end, lawmakers chose to require registration for paid lobbyists and activists who are reimbursed for more than $250 of expenses a year. Should Gov. Deal ultimately sign the legislation, the new measures will apply to state as well as local lawmakers. In addition, the bill will restore rule-making authority to the state's ethics commissions, an authority it lost several years ago.
In addition, SB 136 received final passage, which lowers the legal blood alcohol level from .10 to .08 while operating a boat. This major piece of Gov. Deal’s 2013 legislative agenda awaits his signature. The legislation was proposed after three high profile deaths of children last summer on Lake Lanier due to boaters driving under the influence.
In budget news, the FY 2014 budget passed on the final day of session in bipartisan fashion. The $19.8 billion spending bill, the only item the general assembly is constitutionally mandated to pass, made cuts to most state agencies for the 2014 fiscal year while increasing funding to Georgia’s Pre-K program and healthcare system.
Much of this year’s legislative success was due to the yeoman’s work put in by our State Bar of Georgia lobbying team. In addition, special thanks must be paid to our State Bar members who joined our grassroots network, spent time at the Capitol attending a Lobby Day and contacted their legislators to let their voices be heard.
Legislative Update, Week 10 (03.22.13)
With only three full days left in the 2013 legislative session, this week under the Gold Dome was filled with both excitement and anticipation as major pieces of legislation hang in the balance. Leaders in both the House and Senate found themselves grappling over such issues as gun rights, trauma care, juvenile justice reform and the FY 2014 budget.
In State Bar news, SB 185, a bill dealing with the uniform commercial code, was favorably reported out of the House Rules Committee and is scheduled for a vote on the House floor for this Monday. HB 161 and HB 160, bills dealing with the oath of bailiffs and conveyances respectably, are in the Senate Rules Committee and are expected to move to the Senate floor for consideration next week. SB 204, a bill dealing with the direct appeal of child custody cases, passed the House this morning.
In the Senate, HB 242, the Juvenile Justice Bill, passed by a unanimous vote. A major initiative of Gov. Deal’s criminal justice reform committee, HB 242 moves the state away from a prison based system of juvenile punishment toward an increased focus on community based programs aimed at rehabilitating juvenile offenders and returning them to the community as productive citizens. In addition, HB 242 provides judges with greater discretion in sentencing and offers more mental health and drug counseling. The bill now returns to the House for approval of some minor changes made in the Senate. The State Bar of Georgia’s leadership and lobbying team worked diligently toward the passage of this much needed reform.
Also in the Senate, SB 136 passed, which lowers the legal blood alcohol level from .10 to .08 while operating a boat. This major piece of Gov. Deal’s 2013 legislative agenda awaits his signature. The legislation was proposed after three high profile deaths of children last summer on Lake Lanier due to boaters driving under the influence.
In budget news, the FY 2014 budget passed the Senate this week and will now go to conference committee for the purpose of merging the House and Senate versions. The budget, the only item the general assembly is constitutionally mandated to pass, made cuts to most state agencies for the 2014 fiscal year while increasing funding to Georgia’s pre-k program and healthcare system.
Legislative Update, Week 9 (03.15.13)
The General Assembly was in session four days this week and as the waning hours of the 2013 legislative session draw near, major issues remain on the agenda for both the House and Senate. Since this was the first week after Crossover Day, the House and Senate spent most of the week in committee meetings, looking at bills from the others' chambers.
In State Bar news, SB 193, a bill updating the uniform interstate family support act, passed the House and will now go to the governor for signature after the Senate approves the technical changes the House made. In addition, SB 185, a bill dealing with the uniform commercial code, passed House Committee and now goes to the House Rules Committee. Also, SB 204, which made a technical change to the direct appeal of child custody cases, moved from the House Committee and also moves to the House Rules Committee. In the Senate, HB 161, which deals with changes to the oath of bailiffs, passed out of the Senate Committee and now moves on to the Senate Rules Committee.
The widely supported HB 242, which embodies recommendations of the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform in regards to the juvenile code, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee with a unanimous vote and hopefully will be on the Senate floor for full vote next week. Additionally, HB 349, which deals with the council's recommendations in regards to adult offenders, passed the Senate Non-civil Judiciary Committee.
In other news in the House, the debate over Georgia’s gun regulation remains a hot topic as advocates for and against new gun proposals made their voices heard. A myriad of gun legislation has been proposed this session and as the final days of the session draw near, legislators are grappling with what, if anything, they should pass. The House Public Safety Committee considered two legislative versions of gun bills this week, one proposal already passed by the House and the other backed by the NRA already passed by the Senate. Under the Senate/NRA plan, local governments would be barred from stopping people living in public housing from having guns and recognize licenses to carry weapons issued by other states. Under the House plan, people with a license to carry a gun would be permitted to take firearms into churches, courthouses, bars and certain areas of college campuses. The fate of each plan remains a mystery as the House Public Safety Committee did not vote on either legislative package following the lengthy debate.
Also in the House, the FY 2014 budget was passed and now moves to the Senate for approval. Under the House version of the FY 2014 budget, funding was increased for the expanded pre-kindergarten program, school enrollment and healthcare costs for the state. While leaders in the House gave approval to the $19.8 billion measure, the sentiment remains that new initiatives and programs must wait as the economy remains somewhat sluggish.
Legislative Update, Week 8 (03.08.13)
This week saw three days of legislative action under the Gold Dome, but none perhaps was as full of excitement as legislative day 30, better known as Crossover Day. By law, the General Assembly must be in session no more than 40 legislative days during an annual legislative session. Crossover Day is the last day where legislation can pass from one chamber to the other. Any bills that have not crossed are termed "dead" and will not be considered this session. These dead bills can continue through the process only if their authors can find related bills that did cross over that they can attach to. With this reality in mind, legislators in both the House and Senate worked feverishly this week to pass last minute legislative initiatives. Bills that do not pass this year will have to wait for consideration until the 2014 session.
A key bill passed in the House of Representatives was HB 512, a gun bill that expands where guns can be carried. Under the legislation, the House expanded the legal carry permit to cover churches and college campuses. While it passed the House with relative ease, it may still have a rough road in the Senate. The Board of Regents is concerned about how it can be implemented on college campuses. Another bill of interest was HB 1, which is a revision of the civil forfeiture rules. This bill did not make it to a vote on Thursday. Under tremendous pressure and lobbying of the Georgia Sheriffs' Association, the bill is being held to 2014.
Of particular importance to the State Bar of Georgia and its members is the fate of the items on our State Bar 2013 legislative agenda. Although not all items will achieve final passage this session, your State Bar lobbying team has been able to move nearly all of the bills toward passage. Below is a short rundown of our 2013 legislative agenda and where these bills stand as of Crossover Day:
- Criminal and juvenile justice reform, which passed the House last week, is set to be taken up by the Senate this upcoming week.
- Funding request for victims of domestic violence and the Appellate Resource Center were included in the final version of the amended FY 2013 budget that passed the House and Senate.
- SB 159, the uniform statutory rule against perpetuities, did not cross over from the Senate to the House this session, but can be considered in the 2014 session.
- SB 185, the uniform commercial code article 9, crossed from the Senate to the House and now sits in House Insurance Committee.
- HB 160, prohibition of transfer fee covenants, crossed from the House to the Senate and now sits in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- SB 204, the amendment of interlocutory appeal procedure in child custody cases, crossed from the Senate to the House and has been placed in the Judiciary Non-civil Committee.
- HB 161, updating the language used in the oath of bailiffs, passed the House and now sits in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- Legislation dealing with testamentary guardianships and legislation updating the Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Visitation Act will be introduced before the end of the session and will be worked on during the interim. This legislation can be considered during the 2014 session.
In related legislative news, this week was a special one for the Sandy Springs Bar Association. On Monday, March 4, a large delegation of the Sandy Springs Bar attended a State Bar Lobby Day, a new initiative which allows for local bars or individual attorneys to attend events at the Capitol designed to cultivate relationships with members of the General Assembly. Led by President Hal Whiteman, the Sandy Springs Bar was honored on the House floor by Rep. Wendell Willard, met with members of their legislative delegation and met with Gov. Deal and Speaker David Ralston for photos. At the end of the Lobby Day, I had the pleasure of meeting these Bar members over lunch with several elected officials and the Bar lobbying team.
Lobby days are a wonderful opportunity for Bar members to engage in the legislative process and we encourage attorneys across the state to get involved and attend. Upcoming days are scheduled for March 11, 12, 13 and 20 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. For further information or to sign up, contact Grassroots Coordinator Zach Johnson at zachj@gabar.org.
Legislative Update, Week 7 (03.01.13)
This week under the Gold Dome was a historic one by any measure, as three pieces of groundbreaking legislation passed the House of Representatives. Sweeping reforms to ethics, criminal justice and juvenile justice passed the House by large margins this week and should these bills pass the Senate and be signed into law by Gov. Deal, they stand to change the very nature of the way business is conducted in the General Assembly as well as in the criminal justice system here in Georgia.
Ethics reform, authored by House Speaker David Ralston, has overcome initial bumps in the road and is set to become the most stringent ethics legislation to date in Georgia. The primary objection from watchdog and non-profit groups was to the definition of a lobbyist, which they felt infringed on the rights of citizens to contact and voice their opinions to legislators. Ultimately, there was a compromise which allowed ethics reform to move forward. Under the legislation, most lobbyist spending on individual members of the General Assembly would be banned, yet meals open to all members of the House or Senate and/or the entire membership of committees would be permitted. In addition, the new ethics legislation restores the rule-making power to the state ethics commission and increases the reporting frequency of campaign contributions.
Criminal and juvenile justice reform, the product of a collaborative effort by Gov. Deal, Chief Justice Hunstein, the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform and the State Bar of Georgia, represents a definitive change regarding how we handle criminals in Georgia. In 2011, the General Assembly passed legislation creating the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform, whose primary charge was to create a set of comprehensive measures to divert non-violent and low-level offenders away from the prison system and into more effective and less costly drug and mental health courts and treatment programs. With that charge in mind, the legislation that unanimously passed the House this week puts an increased focus on evidence based supervision for juveniles in addition to increasing funding to community based programs for non-violent juvenile offenders. In regard to overall criminal justice reform, the legislation puts an increased focus on new drug and mental health courts, along with a number of new substance abuse and mental health treatment centers.
Meanwhile in the Senate, the budget process moved along swiftly as the full body gave unanimous passage to the amended FY 2013 budget. The $19.3 billion spending bill contained few spending increases and with the exception of the $170 million shifted to K-12 education, held the line on previous spending cuts. The task at hand now for both the House and Senate is to reconcile the FY 2013 budgets passed in both chambers. This process, a common occurrence, is scheduled to take place via conference committee in the coming weeks.
Legislative Update, Week 6 (02.22.13)
The 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly passed the halfway point this week with juvenile justice reform clearing a major hurdle on the road toward final passage under the gold dome. HB 242, sponsored by Rep. Wendell Willard, passed the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Although the bill passed the committee by unanimous vote, it did so after receiving 35 amendments. The main thrust of concern over the legislation was brought forward by the Association of District Attorneys who worried the provision requiring the district attorney’s office to try all juveniles under the proposed legislation may be taxing to what in some cases are overstretched rural DA offices. Thankfully, HB 242 was amended allowing for district attorneys to outsource some of the new juvenile justice cases should they be unable to handle the increased case load. The next stop for HB 242 is the House Rules Committee, where if passed, will send the bill to the House floor for a vote of the full body.
Ethics reform took a major step toward becoming law this week as Speaker Ralston’s ethics reform package passed the House Rules Committee and is now set to be voted on by the full body on the House floor. The reform bill hit a snag when first introduced based primarily on the definition it created as to who is considered a lobbyist. Originally, anyone seeking to speak with a member of the General Assembly at the Capitol would have been required to register as a lobbyist and in so doing pay the $300 registration fee. Now, only those who lobby for more than five days will have to register as lobbyists, which would require paying a $25 lobbyist registration fee.
Also in the House of Representatives, HB 178, the Pain Management Bill or what is jokingly referred to as the "pill mill bill," passed by a large margin and will now move onto the Senate for consideration. HB 178 seeks to make it tougher for pill mills to set up shop here in Georgia under the auspices of operating a "pain management clinic." HB 178 will move said clinics under the supervision of the Georgia Composite Medical Board, who will create standards by which clinics will be licensed. The board will also have the authority to revoke licenses if the standards set are not met.
Part of the Bar's legislative package, HB 160 and HB 161 have passed the House and will now go to the Senate for their consideration.
Meanwhile in the Senate, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed the amended FY 2013 budget this week and will now seek to merge its version of the amended budget with the version passed in the House of Representatives earlier in the session. The "little budget" as it is referred to, adjusts state spending for the current fiscal year based upon current tax revenues to the state. Georgia, by state constitutional decree, must pass a balanced budget every year and passing the amended budget each session is a major part of that process.
Legislative Update, Week 5 (02.15.13)
This week, while leaders in Washington focused on the state of our union, leaders here in Georgia focused on the state of Georgia’s juvenile justice system, which stands to go through a major overhaul under proposed legislation. Last week, Rep. Wendell Willard introduced a major piece of legislation, HB 242, which overhauls Georgia’s juvenile justice system in following with the recommendations laid out by the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform. The main crux of the plan is to refocus away from the old model of juvenile incarceration with an increased focus in local, community based treatment and counseling. On Thursday, State Bar President Robin Frazer Clark testified in a House hearing on HB 242, a bill that she believes is vital to the future of the justice system and to the long term prosperity of our state. On behalf of the State Bar’s 44,000 members, President Clark thanked the committee members for their hard work on juvenile justice reform and urged the favorable passage of HB 242.
Also this week, President Clark had a very productive meeting with Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp regarding the concerns over the difficulty Bar members are experiencing forming an LLC here in Georgia. Having a quick and streamlined LLC application process is vital to the legal profession and the current backlog of LLC applications poses a real threat to Bar members. Sec. Kemp quickly recognized the backlog in the system and is working diligently to streamline the process. (Get daily progress updates here.)
In related State Bar news, two pieces of our 2013 legislative agenda saw movement this week in the House. Both HB 160, a bill dealing with a fee for a future conveyance, and HB 161, a bill changing the Oath of Bailiffs, have been introduced. Both HB 160 and HB 161 have passed the House Judiciary committee and are now in the House Rules committee waiting for favorable passage to be heard on the House floor.
In other Capitol news, Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law this week the Hospital Medicaid Financing Program Act, better known as the hospital provider fee, making it the first signed piece of legislation for the 2013 session. The legislation shifts the management of the hospital provider fee away from the General Assembly and into the Department of Community Health. Originally seen as perhaps the most controversial bill of the session, the so called hospital bed tax received bipartisan support in both chambers leading to the passage of the bill in the first few weeks of the session.
Legislative Update, Week 4 (02.08.13)
This week under the gold dome was of particular importance to the State Bar of Georgia and our members as Supreme Court of Georgia Chief Justice Carol Hunstein delivered the 2013 State of the Judiciary Address to a joint session of the General Assembly. In her fourth and final State of the Judiciary Address, Chief Justice Hunstein focused on the efforts to reform our criminal justice system in Georgia, specifically in the areas of juvenile justice reform and the work done by the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform.
In 2011, the General Assembly passed legislation creating the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform, whose primary charge was to create a set of comprehensive measures to divert non-violent and low-level offenders away from the prison system and into more effective and less costly drug and mental health courts and treatment programs. Chief Justice Hunstein was quick to praise the work done by the Special Council noting that Corrections Commissioner Brian Owens recently announced that after years of steady growth, Georgia’s prison population appears to be leveling off, putting us on track to save $264 million over the next five years. In addition, the number of inmates sitting in county jails waiting for state prison beds is declining, and there has been a real reduction in the number of inmates waiting in local jails for beds in probation detention centers. Chief Justice Hunstein also noted the creation of 12 new drug and mental health courts in the last year, along with a number of new substance abuse and mental health treatment centers.
Citing the pressing need to reform and redirect juveniles away from our current form of juvenile justice, Chief Justice Hunstein spoke at length about the Special Council’s work on juvenile justice reform, highlighting the council’s suggestions of more evidence based supervision and the need for increased funding to community based programs for non-violent juvenile offenders. In what can only be described as perfect timing, HB 242, the juvenile justice reform legislation, was introduced Thursday by House Judiciary Chairman Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs) and will be heard in committee this upcoming week. It should be noted that Gov. Nathan Deal has included $5 million in his FY 2014 budget for such programs.
In other Capitol news, Gov. Deal laid out an initiative aimed at expanding the HOPE scholarship and grant program to those otherwise ineligible under current law. Due to dwindling amounts in HOPE lottery revenues in 2011, HOPE reform legislation added a GPA requirement of 3.0 to those seeking the scholarship or grant to attend a technical school in Georgia. Now that the lottery revenues have increased, the GPA requirement would be relaxed from 3.0 t0 2.0 and thus in theory boost the number of students enrolled in Georgia’s technical schools. This measure has broad bi-partisan support in both House and Senate.
Meanwhile in the House of Representatives, the House Appropriations Subcommittee spared the judicial branch the 3 percent budget cut in the amended FY 2013 budget. At the same time, the amended budget was being considered by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee which also spared the judicial branch the 3 percent cuts. Also in the House, HB 160, a bill relating to transfer fees and foreclosed property which prohibits a fee for future conveyance of property, passed the House Judiciary Committee and now goes to the House Rules Committee for a vote.
Legislative Update, Week 3 (02.01.13)
The Georgia General Assembly returned to action this week, following last week’s budget meetings, and wasted no time addressing some of this session’s most pressing political issues.
In the House, Speaker David Ralston unveiled his much anticipated ethics reform legislation that, if passed, will change the very nature of the way business is conducted under the gold dome. As you’ll remember, the Senate introduced their ethics reform legislation during the first week of the session and in so doing left much to be desired by some, the Speaker included. The Speaker’s proposals would ban most lobbyist spending on individual members of the General Assembly while expanding the definition of a lobbyist to include many of the volunteer, issue based advocates who lobby at the Capitol. Such a move would create a larger pool of registered lobbyists, each of whom must pay $300 to register, $20 for a badge and an additional $10 per client. In addition, the proposed legislation would restore rule-making power to the state ethics commission and increase reporting of campaign contributions.
Allowed under the legislation would be meals open to all members of the House or Senate and/or the entire membership of committees. While the Speaker's legislation is far reaching, it has already drawn criticism by some claiming the legislation stifles free speech without limiting special-interest influence. This stands as the first time both the House and Senate have proposed sweeping ethics reform legislation, yet whether merged legislation can be crafted and passed is yet to be seen.
Also in the House, SB 24, the legislation funding Medicaid via a hospital bed tax, passed Friday morning with relative ease. What on the outset appeared to be a highly contested issue managed to pass both Chambers with little fight and will now go to the governor for signature.
In related political news, the announcement by U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss that he will not seek re-election in 2014 sent political shock waves through Georgia and set in motion what is sure to be a hotly contested primary election in both parties as well as a far reaching political domino effect. Those rumored to be interested in making a run are United States Representatives Tom Price, Phil Gingrey, Jack Kingston and Paul Broun. While Former Gov. Sonny Perdue shot down any ideas he may be gearing up for a Senate run, former Secretary of State and Republican Gubernatorial candidate Karen Handel’s name has been floated as a possible candidate, a rumor she has not yet refuted.
Legislative Update, Week 2 (01.24.13)
This week, while the eyes of the nation were fixed on Washington, D.C., leaders here in Georgia began the vital task of crafting the state’s budget. While neither the House nor the Senate was in session, key members of both chambers' appropriations committees met for joint hearings under the gold dome.
Of particular importance to the State Bar was the presentation given by Chief Justice Carol Hunstein, Presiding Justice Hugh Thompson and Justice Harris Hines, who addressed the legislators at the Joint Budget Briefings on behalf of the Supreme Court. They focused on broad themes, such as the shared concern that judges have for state and local budgets, as well as concern that the judiciary have the resources it needs to fulfill its duties and responsibilities to citizens. They also fielded questions from the legislators regarding delays in capital cases and habeas proceedings, as well as e-filing developments in Georgia.
The session convenes on Monday, Jan. 28. With ethics legislation, juvenile justice reform, the looming hole in the Medicaid budget and the fate of the new Falcon’s stadium waiting in the wings, the 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly is just beginning to heat up.
Legislative Update, Week 1 (01.17.13)
This Monday, Jan. 14, marked the first day of the Georgia General Assembly’s 2013 legislative session. While much of the first week is typically filled more with ceremony than with legislative action, Gov. Deal and both the House and the Senate wasted no time tackling controversial legislative items.
The highlight of the week came as Gov. Deal delivered his annual State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly, laying out his plans for a $19.8 billion dollar budget. The governor’s budget was a mixture of cuts to state agencies and funding increases to specific infrastructure projects. It called for $50 million for dredging the Port of Savannah and another $25 million to expand the state’s water supply. It also includes $5 million to encourage more alternative sentencing programs for non-violent criminal offenders.
The lion’s share of the budget, more than $9 billion dollars, will fund K-12 and higher education programs, including a 3 percent increase in the HOPE scholarship and increased focus on the HOPE Grant, which is designated for students seeking education in technology-related fields. Of particular importance to Georgia’s legal professionals was Gov. Deal’s reform package to the state’s juvenile justice system that could help save millions a year and his backing new legislation aimed at reducing boating accidents by stiffening driving under the influence laws for boaters. Under Deal’s plan, the BUI ceiling would be brought down from .10 to .08 to match the current DUI threshold.
In the Senate, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and first year Senate Pro-Tem David Shafer, wasted no time restoring much of the powers stricken from the lieutenant governor in 2010 in addition to passing a controversial $100 lobbyist gift cap. The gift cap, the first of its kind for either chamber, has been applauded by many as a step in the right direction. Following the House’s lead, the Senate split the Senate Judiciary Committee into two separate committees, Judiciary and Judiciary Non-Civil. The General Assembly now has six Judiciary themed committees, with each chamber now having a Judiciary, Judiciary Non-Civil, and Juvenile Justice Committee (House) and Special Judy (Senate).
In the House, Speaker David Ralston plans to move forward with a total lobbyist gift ban, an unprecedented step under the gold dome to say the least. In addition, the House is proposing legislation that would allow school administrators to carry concealed weapons, a measure supported by Gov. Deal.
