Published: February 09, 2006 03:57 pm      

General Assembly underway

FROM THE STATE CAPITOL

The Georgia General Assembly began the 2006 session this past Monday with a much more ambitious plan of action than the media gave us credit for. The issues that we are going to debate this session are important to our belief in family values and private property rights. We also want to insure that voters are who they say they are when they vote and we want to help those who will struggle with the high cost of heating their home this winter.

The first issue blazing its way through the House and Senate is the Governor’s legislation to reduce the sales tax on natural gas and liquid propane used for the heating of homes. The legislation would cut the sales tax on natural gas in half for the peak home heating months of January through April 2006. The sales tax on liquid propane would be cut in half from January through March 2006. Many of us were concerned with economic forecasts that predict that the cost of home heating fuels would double during the winter months. The bill passed the House 168-2. In addition, we are working on the budget that would earmark an additional $4 million matching a Federal grant of $6 million for a total of $10 million in funds to help Georgia’s low income energy assistance program. This is the first in our state’s history that a governor has fully funded this program.

Another bill that has been fast-tracked is the revisions to the voter identification bill. Legislation that was overwhelmingly passed last year would have required all voters to show a government-issued picture identification card. In the past, voters could use any piece of paper that had their name and address on it to vote. Most commonly used were utility bills and insurance papers. But that left many of us in the legislature questioning the ability of poll workers to identify those whom had a legitimate “right” to vote. The bill passed last year required that all voters use a government-issued picture ID but a liberal judge overturned the legislation, ruling it unconstitutional. He cited that having to purchase a government ID was akin to a poll tax. We have fixed the legislation allowing all citizens to obtain a government-issued ID at no cost to them. We will accomplish this by providing every county voter registrars office the equipment to provide the free IDs. The bill this year also passed overwhelmingly by a margin 110-64.

Another bill that will generate much debate is a bill that the House Majority Leader Jerry Keen is pushing. It would make tougher sentencing guidelines for the most despicable of our criminals - pedophiles. Those criminals that prey on our children must not be allowed out of jail to attack again, and with some judges willing to be more lenient with pedophiles, we decided that we must take legislative action to toughen the sentencing laws. More will follow as the bill begins its way through the General Assembly.

The other “hot” issue is one that I have heard from many of you. That is the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that certain government entities can seize (steal) your land or property and give it to a private developer who will develop the property for some use that will enhance the tax rolls of that government body. That is just plain wrong and violates many of our basic beliefs of private property rights. Rest assured that I will be helping lead the charge to stop the seizure of your personal property and keeping these governments mindful that this country was founded on personal property rights.

Rep. Lunsford represents a portion of Butts, Henry & Newton Counties in the Georgia General Assembly.