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Sen. Fort to Speak at HOPE Town Hall “We must save HOPE”

ATLANTA (March 8, 2011) – Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) will speak at the HOPE town hall meeting today, March 8 at Mt. Nebo Baptist Church to discuss current legislative efforts to save the scholarship program.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 8, 2011
7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Mt. Nebo Baptist Church and Life Center
1025 McDonough Blvd SE
Atlanta, GA 30315

Sen. Vincent Fort represents the 39th Senate District which includes a portion of Fulton County.  He may be reached at his office at the Capitol at 404.656.5091, or by cell phone at 404.287.7116.

ADVISORY
For Immediate Release:
March 8, 2011
For Information Contact:
Natalie Strong, Director
Kallarin Richards, Deputy Director
Kallarin.Richards@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028

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South Georgia Legislators Express Concerns over Blakely RYDC Closing

ATLANTA (March 3, 2011) — Sen. John Bulloch (R-Ochlocknee) and Rep. Gerald Greene (R-Cuthbert) have expressed concerns over the closing of the Blakely Regional Youth Development Center. The Department of Juvenile Justice is closing this facility due to budget constraints.

“Closing the Blakely Regional Youth Development Center will be detrimental to the communities in Southwest Georgia. This facility provides jobs for the area; offers help for kids who have broken the law and help gets them back on track to become a contributing member of society,” said Sen. Bulloch. “After working with the department to ensure this facility stays open, I’m incredibly disappointed that reductions couldn’t be found elsewhere.”

“It’s a sad day for Blakely and Early County. The Blakely Regional Youth Development facility has done so well for juveniles in the area and I think it’s a terrible mistake for the Department of Juvenile Justice to close this facility,” said Rep. Greene. “I know sacrifices must be made, but we have to be careful where we cut. These youth shouldn’t be faced with bearing the brunt of the economic recession.”

The department’s budget will be reduced by $5.4 million. The closure of the 30-bed Blakely RYDC in Early County will be effective April 1, 2011. The youth affected by this move will be transferred to other facilities nearby where beds are currently available.

The Blakely RYDC provides temporary, secure care and supervision to youths who are charged with crimes or who have been found guilty of crimes and are awaiting disposition of their cases by a juvenile court. Youths committed to the custody of DJJ are frequently held in secure detention while awaiting placement in one of DJJ’s treatment programs or facilities. The program also provides education, individual guidance and counseling, medical services, recreation, and arts and crafts. Clothing, meals, and medical and emergency dental care are a part of each center’s basic care program.

Sen. John Bulloch serves as Chairman of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. He represents the 11th Senate District which includes Colquitt, Decatur, Early, Grady, Miller and Seminole counties and portions of Mitchell and Thomas counties. He may be reached by phone at 404.656.0040 or by e-mail at john.bulloch@senate.ga.gov.

Rep. Gerald Greene represents the 149th House District, which includes Calhoun, Clay, Early, Miller, Randolph, and Seminole counties. He can be reached at gerald.greene@house.ga.gov

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
March 3, 2011
For Information Contact:
Katie Wright, Communications Manager
Katie.Wright@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028


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Bethel Introduces “Health Care Compact” in Senate to Protect Georgia’s 10th Amendment Rights

ATLANTA (March 3, 2011) – A bill seeking to restore the power of states to regulate their individual health care systems was formally introduced in the Georgia State Senate this week.  State Sen. Charlie Bethel (R-Dalton) has sponsored Senate Bill 177, or the interstate “Health Care Compact.”  The measure is aimed at protecting Georgia’s 10th Amendment rights granted by the U.S. Constitution. The 10th Amendment affirms any powers not granted to the federal government are reserved to the states such as health care regulation, according to Bethel. Continue reading “Bethel Introduces “Health Care Compact” in Senate to Protect Georgia’s 10th Amendment Rights”

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Senate Passes Water Supply Act

ATLANTA (March 2, 2011) – Today the Senate overwhelmingly passed Sen. Ross Tolleson’s (R-Perry) bill to allow local governments to utilize public/private partnerships to finance water infrastructure projects. The Georgia Public/Private Water Supply Act of 2011 (Senate Bill 122) will allow state and local governments to voluntarily partner with private investors on the construction of reservoirs and other water infrastructure projects.

“This bill is entirely about local control. It simply gives local governments another tool to finance an infrastructure project to meet that community’s water needs,” said Tolleson. “The Water Supply Act compliments the conservation bill we passed last year, and puts Georgia on the path to ensuring we can maintain the water resources needed to keep up with a rapidly growing state.”  

The process outlined in the bill is similar to the public/private procurement code that has been successfully implemented at the Georgia Department of Transportation and would provide a new, viable option for financing as local governments and the state continue to face significant budget challenges.  The legislation aligns with Governor Nathan Deal’s efforts to ensure that Georgia will be able to meet its long-term water needs. 

State leaders are working to ensure that any legislation regarding Georgia’s water supply meets the recommendations of the Water Contingency Task Force, a group of government, business and environmental leaders from across the state. Early last year, the task force recommended that any future water planning focus on statewide conservation, capture and control of the state’s water supply.  As continued access to adequate water resources remains in question for future use, Tolleson’s bill could be used to accelerate access to the creation of future water supplies for needy areas of the state. 

As chairman of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, Tolleson passed the most comprehensive water conservation bill in Georgia’s history last year, which outlines proactive steps in planning for water enhancement during future extreme drought conditions and additional water emergencies.

SB 122 now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration. 

Sen. Ross Tolleson serves as Chairman of the Natural Resources and the Environment Committee.  He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Johnson, Laurens, Pulaski, and Telfair counties and parts of Houston and Wilcox counties.  He may be reached at 404.656.0081 or by e-mail at ross.tolleson@senate.ga.gov.

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
March 2, 2011
For Information Contact:
Natalie Strong, Director
Kallarin Richards, Deputy Director
Kallarin.Richards@senate.ga.gov  
404.656.0028