Georgia Legislative Watch

Whats good for the goose is good for the gander:

Senate Regulated Industries Committee Chairman David Shafer (R-Duluth) submitted a bill that would eliminate the need for telecommunications companies to separately negotiate franchise agreements with each city in which they want to do business.

Last year the Senate R&I committee heard legislation (which became law) to allow AT&T to negioiate a single state-wide franchise for TV Service. This now allows phone companies to do the same and compete with AT&T.

This year’s bill is SB 408

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.

The State Senate has passed the statewide water plan:

The Georgia Senate approved a drought management plan Friday morning by a vote of 39-12. The plan will now go to the state house for approval.

Just four days into the 2008 legislative session, committees in both the House and Senate have approved a plan that has been three years in the making. Its speedy progress through the plodding Legislature is as good a signal as any that lawmakers are eager to adopt some sort of water plan — even if a few acknowledge it might not be the best.

The State House will likely adopt the plan this afternoon.

You can read the statewide water plan here.

[UPDATE] The water plan also made its way through the State House by a vote of 131 to 37, but with an odd ending. State Rep. Mark Hatfield (R-Waycross) gave notice that he would move that the House reconsider the plan on the next legislative day (Monday, January 28th). Hatfield is in effect using House rules in an attempt to defeat the plan and the timing of this tactic gives him ten days to lobby members to do so.

The statewide water plan has cleared committees in both houses of the legislature:

The statewide water plan continued its fast-paced march through the General Assembly today, easily passing through the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee. The Senate committee approved the plan earlier this week.

Both committees passed resolutions — House Resolution 1022 and Senate Resolution 701 — to ratify the plan.

If it is approved by both chambers and the governor, the plan will launch a three-year data gathering effort to determine how much water is available in the state’s rivers, lakes and streams.

It will also create 11 water planning districts, including the existing 16-county Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District for metro Atlanta, to divvy up the water among communities, farms and industries.

The State Senate has passed the NRA’s “parking lot” bill (HB 89) by a vote of 41 to 15:

The Senate passed a narrow bill Thursday that allows some Georgians to carry their guns to work, but gives property owners the right to ban weapons from parking lots at all times.

The watered down bill applies only to those who carry concealed weapons permits — just a tiny fraction of employees in the state. It effectively ended a public two-year battle between gun lobbyists and business owners, who clashed over the legislation in last year’s session.
[…]
While the amended bill weakened the parking lot issue, it beefed up other portions of gun legislation.

Under the bill approved Thursday, those who carry concealed weapons permits also can bring firearms into state parks and historic sites. Another tacked on amendment makes it illegal to send “straw purchasers” to Georgia to attempt to buy guns in Georgia, a tactic used by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to sue gun dealers in Georgia.

The bill will now move on to the State House for final approval.

[UPDATE] You can view the roll call vote here.