SAVE THE DATE!
On Saturday evening, September 16, 2006 we will be hosting a dinner at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta featuring keynote speaker Ann Coulter. Details soon.

I will be out of the office the rest of the week for a few days of R&R. Will be back in the office on Monday, April 10.

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The 2006 Legislative Session was a good one for our conservative causes. While we did not get everything we wanted, we did get several good pieces of legislation. I guess they figured by not passing all of our bills, they would leave us something to work on in 2007. And we will.

Under the leadership of Senator Eric Johnson (R-1) the Senate did an outstanding job this year on a variety of issues. I have included an update from Eric in this email.

Obviously, I cannot include everything the two chambers did. This email is already long! Following state issues, I have included an update from Senator Chambliss’ office on immigration reform.

Also, I was told yesterday by Chip Lake, Congressman Lynn Westmoreland’s (R-8) Chief of Staff that Congressman Nathan Deal (R-10) has taken the lead on the illegal immigration issue for our delegation. You can give Chris Riley a call at 770-535-2592 to say thank you. Also, Congressman Charlie Norwood (R-9) has worked tirelessly on this issue for years. Michael Shaffer, Charlie’s Chief of Staff can be reached at 706-733-7066.

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Senator Dan Moody (R-56) did an excellent job getting our school clubs bill passed. This bill will ensure that parents are informed about school clubs and extracurricular activities on campus and give them the ability to opt out their child if they so choose. His email address is dan.moody@senate.ga.gov is you would like to drop him a note thanking him for his good work.

Senator Don Thomas (R-54) worked hard on our pharmacist’s conscientious objector bill. This bill ensures that a pharmacist who has a moral objection to prescribing any abortifacient can refuse without fear of losing his/her job. For thanks his email is don.thomas@senate.ga.gov

Senator Tommie Williams (R-19) carried our Bible bill. Thanks to our legislature, public school students can now study Old and New Testament on school grounds as an elective. I did not realize it until national press started calling, but we are the first state in the nation to pass this law. His email is Tommie@tommiewilliams.com

Senator Chip Rogers (R-21) worked diligently in a bi-partisan manner to pass Immigration Reform in our state. In spite of his consideration of those on “other side of the issue,” he was constantly attacked and called names by the opposition. Just goes to show you, enough is never enough for some. His email is chiprogers@comcast.net

Senator Bill Stephens carried the bill that will provide a voter verifiable paper audit trail as a pilot program in Cobb, Camden and Bibb counties. This provides for technology to be tested in order for a paper audit trail of every vote cast to ensure electronic votes are counted accurately. His email is bill.stephens@billstephens.com

Senator Cecil Staton (R-18) carried the bill that ensures a picture ID must be shown prior to voting in our elections. His email is cecil.staton@senate.ga.gov

Rep. Jerry Keen (R-179) carried the sexual predator’s bill establishing minimum mandatory sentences for certain sex crimes against children. The bill also mandates tracking sexual predators for life after they have served their mandatory sentences. Email jerry.keen@house.ga.gov

Other bills that passed in the House include HB 1358 that sets out smaller maximum class sizes for kindergarten through high school. HB 1080 creates an income tax credit for qualified child and dependent care expenses. HB 1107 creates an income tax credit incentive for the donation of conservation land or easements. HB 970 will decrease the amount of state sales tax that GA citizens pay to heat their homes during crucial winter months. If you would like to read more about these bills go to www.legis.state.ga.us and put in the bill number.

2006 Session Recap:

GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE AGREE ON THE BIG ISSUES THAT MATTER

Senator Eric Johnson
President Pro Tempore
(R-Savannah)

Last week, the U.S. Labor Department announced that Georgia is creating jobs at a faster pace than the rest of the country. That good news did not even include the recently announced Kia auto plant in west Georgia or the expansion of Gulfstream Aerospace on the coast. There was other good news last week, too. The 2006 legislative session came to a close and Georgia’s children and families were the big winners.

In a remarkable bi-partisan fashion and with the leadership of Governor Sonny Perdue, the Georgia General Assembly ended with broad agreement on key issues. We invested the benefits of our improving economy in education and economic development. We also passed new laws that will protect our families, our environment and our personal property rights.

Out of 180 House members and 56 Senators, there were only three “no” votes on an $18.6 billion budget. That is historic unity. Why? We put children first. After a three-year recession, the Governor and legislature were able to increase spending on education by more than $1 billion. More than half of our state budget now goes to education. We gave teachers a pay raise and helped them buy more classroom supplies. We created a new dropout prevention program. We reduced class sizes. Along with the increased spending on public education, we demanded more accountability by requiring that at least two-thirds of all taxes spent on education go to improving student achievement inside the classroom. Even with this new spending on education, we were able to cut taxes by more than $700 million.

The legislature passed the strongest sexual predator law in the nation to protect our children from the worst criminals that exist in society. The measure raises sentences for many sex crimes, particularly against children, to a minimum of 25 years in prison and requires lifetime monitoring of the most serious offenders using advanced GPS technology. Known predators who are not in jail will not be allowed to live or work anywhere near places that children congregate.

Protecting our children also means making sure someone trustworthy is watching them. That is why we passed Governor Perdue’s Child Care Tax Credit Act. This will return approximately $50 million to working parents to assist with the cost of providing childcare.

Georgia became the first state to aggressively address a comprehensive solution to the problem of illegal immigration. “The Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act” does three things. First, it makes human trafficking a felony. Second, it requires that if you are an adult and receive any non-emergency health care service or benefit that is funded by taxpayer dollars, you must prove that you are a Georgia resident and legally present in the United States. This is reasonable and compassionate. Our limited resources should be for those truly in need and our resident citizens should have first priority. Finally, it discourages businesses from hiring illegal immigrants.

The Georgia General Assembly also approved Governor Perdue’s Land Conservation Tax Credit. This legislation will give landowners an incentive to donate land or agree not to develop it to help protect Georgia’s natural beauty. This tax credit upholds property rights by encouraging conservation instead of taking the property by regulation or forcing development due to high taxation. Property owners and the environment are winners!

As promised before the session began, the Governor and legislature united to protect private property rights after the Supreme Court’s controversial “Kelo” decision. Local governments can no longer use their awesome power of eminent domain to condemn property for the benefit of private developers. A constitutional amendment will be on the ballot in November for property owners to affirm our legislative action.

In our republic, voters elect representatives in a 230-year old experiment in self-government. To remain successful, educated and active citizens must team up with their elected public servants to find mainstream solutions to the challenges that face our state. I hope you approve of the job that your Governor and the citizen-legislature did this year. We came together – Republicans and Democrats – on the big issues that matter.

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Chambliss: Flaws of 1986 should not be repeated

Proposes amendment to remove amnesty from agriculture portion of bill
approved by Senate Judiciary Committee

“The Judiciary Committee bill would not require illegal immigrants working in agriculture to wait in line behind everyone outside the country trying to legally enter the United States in order to get their permanent resident status. Not only is this unfair, but it is a repeat of the 1986 approach, which is widely recognized as seriously flawed.”

-- Senator Saxby Chambliss

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today said that the short-lived effects of the amnesty included in the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act passed by Congress risk being repeated if the Senate accepts the amnesties that exist in the immigration bill approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Chambliss took to the floor to propose an amendment to remove the amnesty from the agricultural portion of that bill.

Chambliss’ amendment would allow illegal aliens to receive blue cards as prescribed by the Judiciary Committee’s bill; however, at the end of a two-year period those workers must return to their home countries and enter the U.S. in a legal manner. In contrast, the Judiciary Committee’s bill would provide a path to citizenship, which Chambliss opposes.

“We know from past experience that agricultural workers do not stay in their jobs for long, especially when they gain a legal status and have the option to work in less back-breaking occupations,” said Chambliss. “My amendment provides for a reasonable and responsible transition to the H-2A program, and I believe it is an approach that will not repeat the mistakes of the past and is more in line with the way the vast majority of Americans believe we should deal with our large illegal population.”

“One reason I oppose amnesty is because the last time Congress addressed what to do about the illegal population in our country, a similar approach was agreed upon, and it did not work, “said Chambliss.

“The Judiciary Committee bill would not require illegal immigrants working in agriculture to wait in line behind everyone outside the country trying to legally enter the United States in order to get their permanent resident status. Not only is this unfair, but it is a repeat of the 1986 approach, which is widely recognized as seriously flawed,” Chambliss added.

Chambliss also noted that after attending a naturalization ceremony recently in Atlanta, a number of new citizens asked him to reject an amnesty.

“These folks told me they felt it demeans the efforts they made to obey the law and wait in line to become a U.S. citizen. They realize what a valuable accomplishment they made. It does not seem fair to me to call what the process those newly naturalized citizens followed earned citizenship and also to call what the Judiciary Committee is asking the Senate to consider earned citizenship. There is a fundamental difference between the two and that should be recognized in the rhetoric of the Senate,” said Chambliss.”

Thank you for Keeping The Faith.
Sadie Fields