Hometown Voices/Legislature 2005 

'05 HALLMARKS: TORT REFORM, JOSHUA'S LAW

By Sen. Preston Smith, R-Rome

Each year, when the legislature convenes in January, 236 legislators converge on Atlanta armed with proposed legislation -- some that you, as citizens, bring to us and some that we come up with on our own as we find loopholes in laws or laws that need to be revised. 

Georgia's legislative session is scheduled for 40 days by state Constitution -- they are not necessarily consecutive days, and we don't count weekends unless we are in session like we were last month when we invited Georgia's families to meet us at the Capitol to see the Legislature in action.

The men and women who come to the Gold Dome each year as your elected officials are extremely committed to what we are here to do.  We work incredibly long hours drafting and perfecting pieces of legislation that we hope will improve your lives and make Georgia the best place to live, work and raise a family.

For the first time in more than 30 years, we actually finished the people's business in 39 days.  By adjourning early, we saved the taxpayers of Georgia $40,000, and succeeded in passing laws that we believe will be beneficial to our economy, our schools, our families and the overall well-being of our state. 

Early in the session, we passed a comprehensive civil justice reform measure after working on it for three years.  This new law, which I authored, will end frivolous lawsuits and reduce health care costs for all Georgians. 

We also created the New Georgia Tourism Foundation that creates a mechanism within the Georgia Department of Economic Development to coordinate the state's tourism entities -- our state's second largest industry.

The Governor's Education Package included three comprehensive pieces of legislation that will create the Georgia Virtual High School, making courses available on line to Georgia students all over the state; the Master Teacher Certification Program, designed to increase the pay of our best teachers who are willing to teach in under-performing schools throughout the state; and legislation that will allow our local school systems the flexibility to spend their state dollars on the programs that best benefit their students. 

We also increased teacher pay and funded liability insurance for teachers--something we have been doing for other state employees for years.

A provision to eliminate the cost of a marriage license for couples who attend pre-marital counseling sessions passed both chambers this year.

The Women's Right to Know legislation that will give women seeking abortions more information on the risks involved in the procedure and counseling on other options available, also is headed for the governor's desk for his signature. 

We passed a conservation act which ultimately will create a $100 million fund for the preservation of our state's natural resources and greenspace, and we passed several bills to foster an environment of safety in our communities as we strengthened the enforcement of crime and allowed prosecutors to have an equal number of "strikes" in selecting a jury. 

Currently the criminal defendants have twice as many "strikes" as prosecutors to shape a jury panel.

In the final hours of the 2005 Georgia General Assembly, we passed a bill to strengthen the enforcement of ethics rules that apply to public officials, including legislators. 

We also passed a voter identification bill that will eliminate the potential of voter fraud and strengthen the integrity of the elections system by requiring all registered voters to present an approved photo ID prior to voting and by giving Georgians more flexibility for advance voting by absentee ballot.

A pet project of mine, Joshua's Law, legislation that will put driver's education simulators into our schools through a special funding commission, also passed the legislature in the final hours.

Joshua's Law was named for a teenage boy in Bartow County who was killed when he lost control of his car.  With additional training, Joshua Brown might still be alive, and this measure is designed to save the lives of countless other teenage drivers who need more experience behind the wheel before they take to the road.

I believe we had a productive legislative session for the people of Georgia and I continue to be honored by the privilege of serving you in the state Senate. 

And while I have enjoyed the opportunity to serve you at the Capitol in Atlanta, I am most excited about this time of year when I return to live and work full time alongside you in our beautiful Northwest Georgia community.  Please call when you need me.

Preston W. Smith, R-Rome, represents the 52nd District in the Georgia Senate, which includes Floyd and parts of Bartow and Gordon counties. Smith's phone number is 404-656-0034. His e-mail address is PWSmith@legis.state.ga.us