[January 16, 2012] | The first legislative day of the 2012 regular session of the 151st General Assembly of Georgia began on Monday, Jan. 9, 2012, when Speaker David Ralston hammered his gavel. After the morning devotional and Pledge to the flag, bills were read for the first time by Robby Rivers, Clerk of the Georgia House of Representatives.
Four new members took their oath of office and were welcomed by Speaker Ralston to the Georgia House of Representatives. New members are: Rep. John Carson, District 43; Rep. Emory Dunahoo, District 25; Rep. Terry Rogers, District 10; Rep. Dusty Hightower, District 68.
I will spend my time in this article hitting the key points the State of the State address. Governor Deal spoke to a packed House Chamber full of House members, Senators, members of the Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court Justices. This was the first year it was done at night and live on Georgia Public Television.
The Governor began his remarks by comparing the course of the Ship of State to the explorations of Columbus, da Gama and Magellan. Using this analogy, the Governor said, "These brave adventurers charted a course by looking to the stars for guidance. Georgians have charged us to set a course for our state and they have defined the stars that we must follow to expand opportunity: the star of education - we must provide great schools that will cultivate the minds of our young people ? the star of transportation - we must provide safe roads and avenues of commerce ? the star of security - we must give every Georgian the ability to live in a safe community ? and the guiding star in our constellation, jobs - we must create a business climate that provides Georgians with their best shot at a good job! These are stars on which our eyes must be focused as we chart the course for our great state!"
"The first star in our constellation is education."
The Governor proposed: An additional $146.6 million to fully fund enrollment growth in our K-12 schools; an additional $111.3 million to fund anticipated enrollment growth; an additional $3.7 million for the school nurse program; an additional $55.8 million to fund salary increases for our teachers based on training and experience with no reductions to QBE, Equalization Grants, State Schools or other enrollment driven programs.
In the Governor's budget, he proposes to restore 10 of the 20 days that were cut from the Pre-K school year. His budget also includes $1.6 million for a reading mentors' program, which will increase the percentage of children reading at grade level by the completion of third grade. The Governor said, "The best evidence tells us that the children not meeting this standard often fail to catch up and are more likely to drop out of school, go to prison and have higher unemployment rates later in life than their reading-proficient peers." He later added, "The mission of our schools is to ensure that there is a seamless transition from high school to further study, and from postsecondary study to the workforce."
"With our young people facing a difficult job market and stiff global competition for good jobs, we must do everything in our power to ensure that our education system provides graduates with real opportunity. Our postsecondary institutions must maintain an intense focus on employability and creating job opportunities."
??As part of the Governor's Higher Education Budget, his main focus was on medical education. He included $5 million to create the state's second National Cancer Institute designated Cancer Center at the Georgia Health Sciences University in Augusta. He also proposed funding for 400 new residency slots in hospitals across the state. He said that it doesn't make sense for Georgia taxpayers to fund the education of young Georgians from Pre-K to graduate level medical education, only to see them perform their residencies in other states and not return to Georgia to start their practice.
Under the star of transportation, the primary responsibility of government is to provide infrastructure, a key building block for job creation.
"In a global economy in which commerce is increasingly long distance and reliant on cutting-edge logistics, we need roads on which traffic and freight move freely, ports that handle bigger ships, and airports that process people and packages more efficiently."
"??To reduce traffic congestion in Metro-Atlanta along Georgia 400, the DOT will be working to implement innovative traffic solutions."
Also proposed is $46.7 million in bonds to continue the deepening of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. Also within infrastructure there is $45.7 million for regional water supply projects.
Under the star of security, the Governor announced that he plans to implement the recommendations of the Criminal Justice Reform Council: $1.4 million to fund additional parole officers at the State Board of Pardons and Parole; $35.2 million for additional prison beds for the most dangerous inmates; $5.7 million to convert three Pre-Release Centers to Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Centers to treat the addict's drug addiction thereby breaking the cycle of crime; $10 million for the creation of new Accountability Courts; Drug Courts, which have proven to reduce recidivism by as much as 35% nationwide; DUI Courts; Mental Health Courts; Veterans Courts.
??Addressing the guiding star of job creation, Governor Deal proposed the following three-part plan for strategic tax reform: 1) The elimination of sales tax on energy used on manufacturing; 2) Sales and use tax exemptions for construction materials used in projects of regional significance; 3) Modernization of Georgia's job tax credits to better incentivize small business growth.
At the end of the State of the State address, Governor Deal received a standing ovation. He seemed to have touched on all the issues that Georgians hold dear to their hearts.
Governor Deal's Budget proposal is the beginning of our State's budget process. Our House committees will review the budget with a fine-toothed comb and make changes where we feel necessary. If you would like to look at the entire budget in its whole, it is available online at http://opb.georgia.gov.
Thank you for the honor of choosing me as you Representative in the Georgia House of Representatives, "The Peoples House." Now that session has begun, I will be reporting to you often on what we are up to under the gold dome. I want you to know that it is my goal to represent your interests to the best of my ability. I also hope to hear from you on your ideas and opinions regarding the issues facing our great State. Please call my office at the State Capitol in Atlanta at 404-656-0188 or at rickjasperse.org.