By: Sen. Bill Hamrick (R-Carrollton)
ATLANTA (February 3, 2012) – As the 2012 legislative session progresses, there is a growing number of bills being sent to the Senate floor. We are now at a point where it is not uncommon to see five or six bills in the well on any given day.
ATLANTA (February 1, 2012) – Sen. Bill Hamrick (R-Carrollton) welcomed local student Anna Caitlin Camp to the State Capitol on Tuesday, January 31, 2011. Camp was selected to participate in the Senate Page Program during the 2012 Legislative Session.
ATLANTA (January 31, 2012) – The Georgia Senate today passed SB 136, granting unit owners the right to file a petition in superior court in order to gain oversight of the condominium’s homeowners association. The bill passed unanimously with a vote of 55 – 0 and was sponsored by Sen. Bill Hamrick (R-Carrollton).
ATLANTA (January 26, 2012) – As chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee, I am tasked with overseeing testimony regarding bills that affect civil and criminal judicial proceedings, government information and constitutional amendments. I take my role very seriously, and find it important to consider legislation that clarifies existing judicial laws without imposing on individual liberties.
One of the bills I am sponsoring this session passed out of the Judiciary committee this week and is now eligible for a Senate vote. SB 136 gives condominium unit owners the right to file a petition in superior court to grant control of the homeowners association to the unit owners. These types of associations contribute immensely to keeping the resale value of the units high—which is more important now than ever before with the state of the housing market. Condo owners will be able to take control of their own association when those originally charged with the task fail to do so within a 30 day time period.
In chamber news, the Senate passed HB 46, the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act, which allows subpoenas from other states to be served more efficiently in Georgia. Under this Act, any party who wishes to issue an out-of-state subpoena in Georgia must submit it to the superior court of the recipient’s county.
Additionally, Georgia Superior Court Chief Justice Carol Hunstein presented the annual State of the Judiciary address to the House of Representatives and the Senate this week, giving attention to our state’s need for criminal justice reform. In order to make this happen, we need the three branches of government—executive, legislative and judicial—to work seamlessly together in order to find effective solutions.
It is necessary for our state to move nonviolent offenders out from behind bars and focus on true rehabilitation rather than just carrying out sentences. By revising our current probation and supervision process into one that removes low-risk offenders who have met all obligations, we will be able to shift our resources towards higher risk offenders. The ultimate goal is to transform these individuals into active, contributing members of society. Georgia needs to act on solutions that acknowledge positive progression with low-risk prisoners without compromising public safety in order to control costs.
I’d also like to touch on the legislative priorities announced by the Senate Majority Caucus last week. These priorities represent the importance of responsible spending, putting Georgians back to work and providing students with a quality education—all of which will ultimately put Georgia on the road to economic recovery.
In 2012, the Senate Majority Caucus is concentrating on legislation that embodies the following principles:
My staff and I post photos and general news on my Facebook and Twitter accounts frequently, so be sure to follow these pages for the latest Gold Dome updates:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofSenatorBillHamrick
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As always, it is a pleasure to serve the people of the 30th District. Please feel free to contact my office at any time with your questions and concerns. I look forward to hearing from you.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2012
Natalie Dale, Director
Jennifer Yarber, Deputy Director
jennifer.yarber@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028
ATLANTA (January 19, 2012) — Last week, Governor Nathan Deal released his proposed budget for the 2013 fiscal year, and as a result, the Georgia General Assembly has recessed this week in order to review his recommendations. As required by our state constitution, we must pass a balanced budget that does not allow for deficit spending.
Every single state in the U.S. has some form of balanced budget amendment, with Vermont being the lone state without. As a public servant, the most important thing I can do on the behalf of my constituents is ensure our state is making sound fiscal decisions.
Over the past few days, members of the Senate and House Appropriations committees have listened to overviews from various state agencies and from Governor Deal himself regarding the proposed budget. During his opening remarks, Governor Deal pointed out that the suggested budget is still 20 percent under the number proposed for FY 2002, even though the number at first glance seems astronomical.
These joint briefings outline agency responsibilities and financial needs, and supplement our careful line-by-line review of the proposed budget. The budget calls for a large amount of money – $19.2 billion to be exact – and we cannot afford to let a single cent go to waste.
It is important for our state to take a conservative approach in using taxpayer dollars, but we also need to consider moderate investments that will spur job creation and drive economic growth. We need to hear first-hand from state agencies involved and generate an open dialogue with them in order to justify the numbers.
Testimony has been offered on behalf of funding for education, transportation, economic development, public safety, agriculture, community health and juvenile justice, among several other areas.
The Georgia General Assembly will convene again on Monday, January 23 for the sixth day of the 2012 legislative session. We will continue our work to make Georgia strong, resilient and full of opportunity.
As always, please feel free to contact my office with any of your questions and concerns. Be sure to use the following social media platforms to stay connected with me during my 40 days at the Gold Dome and throughout the rest of the year:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofSenatorBillHamrick
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SenatorHamrick
RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
January 14, 2012
For Information Contact:
Natalie Dale, Director
Jennifer Yarber, Deputy Director
jennifer.yarber@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028
