By: Sen. Bill Hamrick (R-Carrollton)
ATLANTA (February 9, 2012) – The Georgia General Assembly is quickly approaching the halfway point of the 2012 legislative session. As a reminder, each legislative session in Georgia is 40 days long, and Thursday, February 9 marked Day 18. It should also be noted that we are only 12 days away from Crossover Day, which is the last day Senate bills are able to transfer to the House of Representatives, and vice versa.
There are many bills waiting to be debated in their respective committees. One of my bills, SB 383, was presented this week in the Judiciary committee. SB 383 aims to revise Georgia’s current laws regarding international arbitration and enhance the state’s visibility as a neutral location for commercial contract resolution.
Georgia boasts a strong legal community with an existing platform for international commercial arbitration, and our state is home to a large concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters. Amending Georgia’s current code to incorporate internationally recognized law is a step in the right direction towards becoming a prominent venue for this type of arbitration. It is also another measure to help create and keep jobs in Georgia. The infrastructure is in place, but we need to clarify and strengthen our existing laws regarding this process.
The Senate chamber was an exciting place to be this week, as several Senate bills hit the floor for a vote. The following bills will now transfer to the House of Representatives:
SB 343 removes the title of Comptroller General from the State Commissioner of Insurance and creates a new position in the State Accounting Office. This bill passed 47-4.
SB 339 transfers personnel, aircraft, and other assets from the Georgia Aviation Authority back to the Department of Natural Resources and the State Forestry Commission. The bill passed with a 50-5 vote.
SB 351 requires training standards for judges of courts exercising municipal court jurisdiction. The Georgia Municipal Courts Training Council will keep records of the judges’ training and the reasonable costs of the training will be paid by the city or county where the judge presides. The bill passed 48-0.
SB 352 gives municipal courts and courts exercising municipal court jurisdiction—traffic courts, recorders courts, and mayor’s courts—the authority to employ prosecuting attorneys to represent the jurisdiction in criminal proceedings in such courts. The bill passed with a 50-0 vote.
It was a pleasure to be on the campus of Georgia Tech this week as Gov. Nathan Deal launched the REACH (Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen) Scholarship program and alongside an aggressive fundraising campaign. It has long been a Senate priority to provide top students with the funding to attend Georgia colleges and universities, and I am excited to watch this program expand throughout the state over the next few years.
I am never too busy to speak with my constituents. Please feel free to contact my office at any time with your questions and concerns, or feel free to visit my social media pages:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofSenatorBillHamrick
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SenatorHamrick
RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
February 13, 2012
For Information Contact:
Natalie Dale, Director
Jennifer Yarber, Deputy Director
jennifer.yarber@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028