Georgia Legislative Watch

The State House has passed the new sex offender bill:

The House’s 141-29 vote aims to a fix a law adopted in 2005 banning sex offenders from living, working or loitering within 1,000 feet of just about anywhere children gather - schools, churches, parks, gyms, swimming pools or one of the state’s 150,000 school bus stops.

In November the state’s high court overturned portions of the law, ruling that it failed to protect the property rights of offenders who could be forced to move if a facility catering to children pops up near their home.

House Republican leaders quickly vowed to retool the measure in hopes of answering the court’s concerns. The proposal approved Tuesday would allow a sex offender who owns his or her home to stay there if a center where children gather later opens up nearby. It carves out a similar exception for sex offenders who work near such a center.

“This really comes down to: ‘Do you really want to reinstate residency restrictions in Georgia?’” said state Rep. David Ralston, a Blue Ridge Republican who sponsored the bill. “That’s kind of what it’s about. That’s as simple as I can put it to you.”

The article notes what I had been told by several legislators:

[T]he measure adopted Tuesday failed to address other challenges to the law that was supposed to go into effect in July 2006.

A federal judge initially delayed its enforcement by ruling that the school bus stop provision could not be enforced unless school boards officially designated them. Few boards have since done so.

That lawsuit is still pending, along with another challenge against a provision that could evict offenders who live near churches. And critics, including state Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan, have promised the legal challenges will continue if the concerns are not addressed.

It looks like legislators may be addressing the issue in special session this year or when the new session begins next year.

Continuing in his keen interest in the operation of Grady Memorial Hospital, state Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth) introduced a resolution, SR748, that would urge the Grady Health System to redesign its employee benefits plan to encourage use of Grady by its own employees.

“Grady spends $18 million annually providing health care for its 5,000 employees, but unlike most large hospital employers, does not encourage or require its employees to use Grady as their primary health care provider,” Sen. Shafer said.

Shafer also stated that many large hospitals encourage employees to use their own services through lower co-pays and deductibles.

SR748, which has bipartisan support, is the third Grady related resolution that Shafer has introduced during the 2008 legislative session.  The others are bills that would create a Grady legislative oversight committee  and prohibit individuals having financial conflicts-o-interest from serving on the Grady Board of Directors.

The House Judiciary (Civil) Subcommittee One will be holding two days worth of hearings on legislation designed to restrict abortions in the state of Georgia.

House Resolution 536 (also known as the Human Life Amendment) and House Bill 1, a bill that would “provide that any abortion shall be unlawful” in the state of Georgia are currently scheduled to be considered on February 18th and February 20th in room 406 of the Coverdale Legislative Office Building.

The time for the meetings is 2p.m. or after the Georgia House adjourns for the day.

Sunday sales legislation has been brought up this week:

The push to allow Sunday sales of alcohol in communities which give their OK in a referendum will be back for the 2008 legislative session, two key industry groups say. The Georgia Association of Convenience Stores and the Georgia Food Industry Association announced Monday that they will continue to press the effort they began last year.

“We consistently hear from our customers that they want their communities to decide whether alcohol should be sold by retailers on Sunday, and one credible poll after another is backing this up,” said Jim Tudor, President of GACS. “Sunday Sales legislation is as popular as ever and the intensity behind the movement is growing stronger every day the legislature doesn’t act on it.”

He said a recent AJC- Mason Dixon poll asked 625 registered voters, “Do you support a proposal to permit counties to hold referendums to decide whether or not they will allow the sale of beer and wine in grocery stores on Sundays?” 65% of respondents supported Sunday Sales with only 33% opposing. Most notably 41% said they strongly support the proposal, signaling tremendous intensity behind the proposal.

“Based on feedback we are receiving from our customers and our overwhelming support in public opinion polling, we are committed to moving this legislation through the General Assembly,” said Kathy Kuzava, President of GFIA.

The bill stalled last year due to members of the General Assembly essentially due to pressure from religious extremists. It’s is unlikely that the bill will be passed this year.

I mentioned on Friday, January 18th, that State Rep. Mark Hatfield put the Speaker on notice that he would move that the House reconsider the statewide water plan. He made the motion, and it failed: