The longest Georgia legislative session in at least 120 years reached final adjournment late Thursday night. One of the final actions of the session, which began Jan. 11, was approval of a $17.9 billion state budget for fiscal year 2011.

 Senate and House of Representatives budget conferees came to agreement on a spending plan that is reduced by more than $3 billion from just two years ago. The cuts include another $527 million reduction in Quality Basic Education funding that the state provides to local school systems. But the budget does restore funding to the Georgia Council for the Arts, which had been eliminated in the House budget, and cuts to the University System of Georgia were not as severe as feared earlier in the session.

I am particularly pleased that we were able to secure a $2.8 million appropriation for the design of a new Health Sciences Center at Valdosta State University, which will be located on the North Campus and strengthen the working relationship between VSU and South Georgia Medical Center.

Officials with VSU and South Georgia Medical Center told me this will be one of the best things to happen in Lowndes County and South Georgia in a long time. The north campus can become the allied health college for all of South Georgia and north Florida, bringing hundreds of students to VSU. This funding will result in good students, good jobs and good pay in our community.

The budget now goes to the governor for his consideration.

He has the authority to sign or veto the budget, as well as veto specific line-item appropriations. Fiscal year 2011 begins July 1, 2010.

Trauma Care Funding: Lawmakers approved legislation that will provide a reliable funding mechanism for the state’s trauma care network.

SR 277 is a constitutional amendment that would implement a $10 fee on auto license tags, raising about $80 million each year for a trauma care trust fund.

This is very important for South Georgia. Of the state’s 15 trauma care facilities, none are south of Macon. This funding will enable the state to expand that network. SR 277 still must be approved by a majority of Georgia voters in a referendum this November.

Property Tax Assessments: Comprehensive property tax reform legislation received final passage Thursday. SB 346 is aimed at protecting taxpayers from unfair assessments and guaranteeing the right to appeal.

The bill requires that every property owner receive an annual Notice of Assessment that includes the estimated property tax and expands the appeal time from 30 to 45 days.

All relevant sales, including distress sales, must be included when determining Fair Market Value.

Forest Tax Fairness: As a lead co-sponsor of legislation that would ensure property tax fairness for the owners of forest land, I am pleased to report that the House gave final approval to SB 409 last week and sent it to the governor for his signature.

This bill, which passed unanimously in both the Senate and House, requires that any tax break or exemption granted to a business that uses “raw forest products,” such as a biomass energy plant, must  also be granted to the      owner of the property where that product is harvested.

This is good legislation for PCA and other manufacturers in our district, as well as the forest industry.

 

In other action on legislation during the session’s final two days, the Senate:

 • Voted for final approval of SB 299, which I co-sponsored to address problems with so-called “zero tolerance” school disciplinary laws, would prevent the immediate jailing of a student without a hearing and give judges more discretion as to how they handle cases. The zero tolerance laws were intended to crack down on serious charges of having weapons in school but have instead often resulted in students being criminalized for minor and insignificant infractions.

• Gave final approval to SB 308, which expands the number of public areas where persons with firearms licenses can legally carry guns. The bill awaits the governor’s signature.

• Approved SB 360, which bans motorists in Georgia from texting  while driving, and HB 23, which bans teenagers from talking on cell phones while driving. A violation of either law, if signed        by the governor, would result in a fine of up to $150 and one point on the driver’s license of the offender.

• Approved an amended version of HB 323, retaining the proportionality review for death-penalty      cases after the chairman of the Senate Judiciary        Committee said its removal would make Georgia’s capital punishment law vulnerable to a legal challenge.

• Approved HB 936, which would allow local school systems to use state funds to refurbish existing buses. The bill goes to the governor for his signature.

• Approved an amended version of HB 1005 to allow Georgians to purchase “In God We Trust” labels to affix to their automobile license tags. The House agreed to Senate amendments, and the bill goes to the governor for his signature.

• Approved an amended version of HB 1272, which would allow Georgians to make contributions to the fight against lupus and kidney disease on their state income tax returns. As amended, the bill would     also allow taxpayers to write in an additional amount to the state for general services. The House agreed to the Senate amendments, and the bill goes to the governor for his signature.

Sen. Tim Golden represents District 8 (Brooks, Cook, Lowndes and Thomas counties) in the Georgia State Senate. During the legislative session, contact him at 121-A State Capitol, Atlanta, Ga. 30334; by phone at 404-656-7580 or by e-mail at tim.golden@senate.ga.gov.