By State Sen. William Ligon
The Senate Republican Caucus unveiled its legislative agenda for the 2011 General Assembly on Monday. Senators came together during the months leading up to the 2011 session with a shared desire to focus on the issues that matter most to the people of Georgia. Senators voted among a host of legislative priorities and agreed on several major initiatives that reflected the concerns of citizens in their districts.
First and foremost, economic growth for our state topped the list. As legislators, though we know government never creates jobs, it can help recruit industry and promote a more favorable business climate. Secondly, in education, senators agreed to work on reforms that would save the HOPE Scholarship and to also conduct a comprehensive review of the Quality Basic Education Funding Formula. Thirdly, as mentioned last week, the Senate is seeking to control government spending through a constitutional amendment that would tie government growth to population growth and inflation. A part of this effort also hinges on how the legislature responds to the recommendations of the Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness. Lastly, the Senate included illegal immigration as one of its top priorities.
For now, most legislative action is taking place in committee work as legislators perfect their proposals through the committee process. For example, since illegal immigration is one of our key issues this session, the Judiciary Committee, on which I serve, is already reviewing SB27 sponsored by Sen. Judson Hill. This particular bill requires all employers who bid on public works projects to participate in E-Verify. It imposes financial penalties and even jail time if employers fail to comply.
As Chairman of Health Care Delivery, a subcommittee of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, we are reviewing SB36. This legislation addresses the need to monitor the prescribing and dispensing of Schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances. In our current medical delivery system, doctors are often unaware that their patients are obtaining similar prescriptions from other colleagues. This leads to abuse in the system. Some patients are actually obtaining these medications to sell as drugs on the street. Other patients are overdosing and putting themselves in life-threatening situations. I am also a co-sponsor of this bill.
Perhaps by the time this column is published, I will have introduced my legislation addressing Medicaid fraud. If this legislation passes, Georgia will be able to implement a pilot program to identify legitimate Medicaid patients and legitimate services by providers through the use of an electronic Smart Card. I am excited about the potential savings for taxpayers that this legislation could mean.
Next week we are back in session starting Monday, February 7 for three legislative days and a full committee meeting schedule. Please do not hesitate to contact me at the Capitol if you need to discuss any legislative issues. The number is 404-656-0045. My email address is William@senatorligon.com. Please visit my website at www.senatorligon.com in the event you need further information. Many resources are available at your fingertips with the many links provided to government agencies and to General Assembly action.
Sen. William Ligon serves as Senate Deputy Whip. He represents the 3rd Senate District which includes Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Glynn and McIntosh counties. He can be reached by phone at 404-656-0045 or by email at William@senatorligon.com. His website is www.senatorligon.com.