ATLANTA— State Representative Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has introduced new legislation to further strengthen Georgia’s ethics laws. As introduced by Chairman Willard, House Bill 920 will make it unlawful for a lobbyist to offer a gift worth more than $100 to a public officer, restrict elected officials’ ability to move campaign contributions from one political campaign to another, and prevent all full-time staff members in the Governor’s Office from registering as lobbyists within one year of leaving their employment with the executive branch. Continue reading “House Judiciary Chairman Introduces Ethics Reform”
REP. LEVITAS TO FILE BILL TO REDUCE SIZE OF MARTA BOARD
ATLANTA – State Representative Kevin Levitas (D- Atlanta) will pre-file legislation this week to reduce the size of the MARTA Board of Directors to seven members, down from its current eighteen-member board that is comprised of several state officials and appointments from Metro counties and the City of Atlanta. Continue reading “REP. LEVITAS TO FILE BILL TO REDUCE SIZE OF MARTA BOARD”
REP. LEVITAS TO FILE BILL FIXING LOOPHOLE IN PUNISHMENT OF MURDERS AND KIDNAPPERS
ATLANTA – State Representative Kevin Levitas (D- Atlanta) will pre-file legislation this week to close a loophole in Georgia law that allows some career criminals convicted of murder and kidnapping to receive more lenient sentences than offenders convicted of other serious violent felonies. Continue reading “REP. LEVITAS TO FILE BILL FIXING LOOPHOLE IN PUNISHMENT OF MURDERS AND KIDNAPPERS”
Representative Mickey Stephens Joins Legislators to Study Latest Developments in Cancer, Stroke Treatment and Pandemic Flu Preparedness
ATLANTA – State Representative Mickey Stephens (D- Savannah) joined a group of state legislators from across the nation who met with national health experts during an invitation-only two day conference Dec. 11-12 in San Francisco, Calif. Meeting attendees learned about the latest developments in treating cancer with oral medications, a chemotherapy regime that has many fewer side effects than intravenous medicines. The problem can be that for some individuals the oral medications do not carry the same health insurance coverage and can be prohibitively more expensive. Legislators discussed policy changes to ensure that individuals can afford to receive the treatments recommended by their physicians. Continue reading “Representative Mickey Stephens Joins Legislators to Study Latest Developments in Cancer, Stroke Treatment and Pandemic Flu Preparedness”
Electing New Speaker Presents Rare Opportunity to Unify State
By state Representative Dr. Karla Drenner (D- Avondale Estates)
With Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson on his way out as one of the three top leaders in Georgia state government, there is a power vacuum needing to be filled. This could lead to a nasty floor fight to determine his successor, as was the case when Rep. Terry Coleman won the office by beating Rep. Larry Walker. Unfortunately that Speaker’s race split the chamber in two, leaving repercussions that haunt the House to this day. Continue reading “Electing New Speaker Presents Rare Opportunity to Unify State”