Moving forward, vol. 12, no. 1 (2006 December 15)

Moving Forward
Welcome to the 2007 Legislative Session

The Developmental Disabilities Advocates' Guide to Legislation
December 15, 2006 - Volume 12 - Issue 1

Welcome to the 12th edition of Moving Forward, your guide to the Legislative Session. This is the first year of a 2 year session, so we are starting from House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1. Below you will see information on a few prefiled bills that GCDD will be following. This issue of Moving Forward is the reference issue; in it you will find information on the budget process, how a bill becomes a law, definitions and translations of acronyms and information on the House and Senate leadership. If you are in a district with a new legislator, make the effort to introduce yourself and share your perspective.

Remember Disability Day at the Capitol is February 22 - Register now at www.gcdd.org. If you visit the Capitol during the session, look for the DD advocates on the third floor outside the double elevators! Here we go!

How A Bill Becomes Law

The Budget Process

Legislation 101

How does it work?

Any legislator in either chamber (House or Senate) Currently, state agencies are operating under the

can initiate a bill on any matter. The Constitution

FY2007 budget approved by the General Assembly

provides that all appropriations and revenue-raising last spring. During the next session, legislators will

bills MUST originate in the House. To introduce a bill, make decisions regarding the supplemental budget,

a member files it with the Clerk. The bill is read to which is money that is unspent in this current year,

the chamber the next day at which time each

and the House, Senate, and Governor's Office will

member has a printed copy on his/her desk to study. negotiate on the budget for FY 2008 which begins

When it is first read, the bill is referred to a

July 1, 2007. In brief, the following is a draft of the

committee. On the next legislative day, the bill is

budget process:

read for the second time so it will be ready for action

when it comes out of the committee. At the third

1. Each department or state agency submits formal

and final reading, there is a debate. Amendments budget requests to the Governor's Office of Planning

(changes in the original bill), or even complete bill and Budget (OPB). This year, the Governor directed

substitutions may be offered by the committee that all agencies to submit a budget based on flat

studied the bill or by a member from the floor.

funding, that is, no change from the previous year's

Sometimes there may be several versions of one bill total budget. (September)

before the committee can agree.

2. A few subcommittees on appropriations did hold

Parliamentary maneuvers are sometimes very

hearings on budget requests in November and

confusing to spectators. These rules help to maintain December.

order. For instance, when any subject is up for

consideration, or under debate, no motion can be

3. The Governor drafts a budget, and presents it

received. Assuming that a bill survives parliamentary during his annual budget address, sometime during

maneuvers, the vote is taken. If a measure receives January.

a majority of votes, it is passed and sent to the

other chamber for consideration. Then the other

4. The House and the Senate each draft bills that

chamber can either pass the bill or defeat it. If the include the proposed budget. Each chambers'

legislation is amended, it is returned for

Appropriations Committee and Sub-Appropriations

consideration by the originating chamber. When the Committees will study the proposed budget, hear

House and Senate disagree about amended portions, testimony, and make recommendations and send

the presiding officers of each body appoint members the bill back to their respective chambers (January -

to a conference committee which tries to find an

February)

acceptable compromise which must be approved by 5. The recommended changes and revisions will be

a majority of both houses. If the second chamber

voted on by House and Senate members. (February

passes the bill without any changes, it is sent to the - March)

Governor who can sign it or veto it. If he signs it, it

becomes law; if he vetoes it, the bill "dies" and

6. Each chamber will take their version of the budget

would have to be reintroduced another year.

to the Conference Committee (composed of three

Sometimes the Governor does not sign it or veto it, members from each chamber, appointed by their

and 40 days after the end of the session the bill,

respective leaders) where legislators will negotiate

unsigned, becomes law.

and come to consensus on the budget (March)

All bills vetoed by the Governor are sent back to the presiding officer of the branch of the General Assembly where it originated with a list of reasons for the veto. The veto of the Governor can be overridden by two-thirds of the votes of the House and the Senate. When this happens, the bill becomes law. There is a special provision that any bills vetoed by the Governor after the adjournment of the General Assembly just before a gubernatorial general election are not subject to being overridden by the General Assembly. Every bill ever introduced becomes a permanent record in the Office of the Secretary of State.

7. Each chamber will vote on the newly agreed upon budget and approve for the next fiscal year (March)
8. The state agencies will begin planning and implementing the new budget which will be effective on July 1, 2007. (April - June)
Glossary
Become familiar with these commonly used acronyms

Take Action!
Advocacy Questions and Answers
How can I take action on legislation? 1. Form a relationship with your representatives and senators by calling, emailing, faxing, and scheduling meetings to tell them about how their decisions on the budget and laws affect the quality of life for you and your family. 2. Moving Forward is published by the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities as a public information source. Visit the Council's website for additional resources like fact sheets to utilize in your advocacy efforts: www.gcdd.org/ public policy 3. The Unlock the Waiting Lists website is another great advocacy tool: www.unlockthewaitinglists.com and click on Action Center. This site can help you write letters about issues you care about.
How can I contact my state representative or senator? Every member has an email address. However, the most effective way to communicate is by letter or phone. Legislators prefer to hear from their own constituents and may not pay attention to mass emails or form letters from people outside their districts. Information about legislators is also available in the "White Book," available at www.legis.state.ga.us, click on "Picture Book" or obtain them from the House or Senate Clerks' Offices in the Capitol.
How did my legislators vote? Voting Records are online by bill number, not by legislator. This may take up to five days following the actual vote. Go to www.legis.state.ga.us then click on House or Senate, then click on House votes or Senate votes for a complete roll call on how each person voted on a certain bill. Printed copies may be obtained from the Clerk of the House (404) 6565015 or the Secretary of the Senate (404) 6565040. A complete record of votes on every bill is available for a fee.
How do I contact other state agencies? The State of Georgia is found at: www.state.ga.us and contains links to all state, many federal and local web resources.
When is the General Assembly in session? The

Appropriation: a specific amount of money that is intended for use by a specific state program DCH: Department of Community Health, in charge of Medicaid. DD: Developmental Disabilities DHR: Department of Human Resources DOE: Department of Education DOL: Department of Labor, in charge of Vocational Rehabilitation (Division of) MH/DD/AD: Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases FY: Fiscal Year HB: House Bill HR: House Resolution SB: Senate Bill
Who Are My Elected Officials?
Locate Your Legislators, Learn House and Senate Leadership
Visit www.vote-smart.org to identify your legislators. Find your legislators' contact information at www.legis.state.ga.us or at www.vote-smart.org , or call House Information at 1-800-282-5800, or Senate Information at 1-800-282-5803.
Senate Leadership Presiding: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle Senate President Pro Tempore: Eric Johnson, 1st Senate Majority Leader: Tommy Williams, 19th Senate Majority Whip: Mitch Seabaugh, 28th Senate Minority Leader: Robert Brown, 26th Senate Minority Whip: David Adelman, 42nd
House Leadership Speaker of the House: Glenn Richardson, 19th Speaker Pro Tempore: Mark Burhalter, 50th Majority Leader: Jerry Keen, 179th Majority Whip: Barry Fleming, 117th Minority Leader: Dubose Porter, 143rd Minority Whip: Carolyn Hugley, 133rd
Senate Appropriations Chair: Jack Hill, 4th Sub Com. Chair Education: Dan Moody, 56th Sub Com. Chair Community Health: Greg Goggans, 7th Sub Com. Chair Human Development: Renee Unterman, 45th

General Assembly will convene on Jan. 8, 2007. Annual sessions run for 40 Legislative days. The calendar for the initial days of the session has not been determined yet. Sessions normally end in late March, depending upon the number of recess days. Rarely, a special session is called by the Governor to deal with a big issue that cannot wait until the next January.

House Appropriations Chair: Ben Harbin, 118th Vice Chair Education: Jan Jones, 46th Vice Chair Health: Mickey Channell, 116th Vice Chair Human Services: Mark Butler, 18th
To contact the Governor: The Honorable Sonny Perdue 203 State Capitol Atlanta, Georgia 30334 404-656-1776 http://gov.state.ga.us/

Prefiled Bills
SB 10: Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act; provide public school students with disabilities to attend eligible private schools. sponsor, Eric Johnson, 1st
PF: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to enact the "Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act"; to provide for a short title; to define certain terms; to provide for scholarships for public school students with disabilities to attend eligible private schools; to provide for qualifications and criteria for the scholarship program; to establish certain requirements for private schools that participate in the scholarship program; to provide for the amount of scholarship and method of payments; to authorize the State Board of Education to promulgate certain rules; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
HB 9: Electronic recording voting systems; permanent paper record; require A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 5 of Article 9 of Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to electronic recording voting systems, so as to require all electronic recording voting systems to produce a permanent paper record of the ballots cast on such systems for each voter; to provide that voters have an opportunity to verify such record after voting; to provide that such paper records be retained for use in recounts and election challenge proceedings; to provide for use of certain printers attached or connected to direct recording electronic voting equipment; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Sponsor, Bearden, T. 68th

The Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities collaborates with Georgia citizens, public and private advocacy organizations, and policymakers to positively influence public policies that enhance the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities and their families.
For further information, please contact pnobbie@dhr.state.ga.us or vmsuber@dhr.state.ga.us email: pnobbie@dhr.state.ga.us phone: 1-888-ASK-GCDD, TDD 404-657-2133 web: http://www.gcdd.org