Weekly report, 2010 Mar. 15-19

Weekly Report
Week of March 15-19: Day 25-27
In the Chamber...
The Senate joined the House of Representatives this week for the State of the Judiciary address, given by the honorable Chief Justice Carol Hunstein of Georgia's Supreme Court. She emphasized that the Georgia Judicial System is vital to all Georgians' safety, but the court systems are on the edge of an abyss. Hunstein outlined the court systems in Georgia and noted that members of the judicial system provide the utmost in public service and justice for all Georgians. She stressed that tough economic times are causing increased case loads and decreased funding. The Georgia Judicial System is a significant source of revenue for the state and local communities with $500 million in court fees being collected and nearly $90 million of that revenue being returned to the state general fund. However, Hunstein stressed this revenue will decrease as core court functions are reduced and it will become increasingly difficult to fulfill their constitutional duty with budget cuts. She noted that the need for justice does not shrink in a diminishing economy. Even one of Georgia's largest court systems, the Fulton County Courts, will face the surreal prospect of having to close their doors on certain days of the month. Hunstein concluded by urging the legislators to protect Georgia's Judicial System.
Despite significant debate and unanimous opposition from the Democratic Caucus, Sen. Cecil Staton's (R-Macon) Online Voter Registration Bill passed by a vote of 33-20. Senate Bill 406 calls for the Department of Driver Services, in association with the Secretary of State, to implement an online voter registration system. Qualified voters with a valid Georgia driver's license or identification card will be eligible to use the new online program. In an effort to stop voter fraud, the system will immediately verify the accuracy of the applicant's date of birth, driver's license number or identification card number, along with their citizenship status. Although two amendments were presented on the floor, they ultimately failed to gain enough support.
Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) took the well to express his discontent with the bill. Fort referenced the databases that the Department of Driver Services will be using, noting that since their inception, these databases have proven to be faulty. A number of mistakes have been made in verifying citizenship through online entities.
A student delegation from Morgan County was in the gallery to observe the debate over Sen. Jack Murphy's (R-Cumming) texting legislation. SB 360, also known as Caleb's Law, is an attempt to prevent needless wrecks and deaths that can occur when drivers text while behind the wheel. Caleb was 18-years-old when he lost his life in an accident that occurred while he was texting while driving. The Morgan County student delegation played an active role in lobbying for this bill, which the Senate unanimously passed.
Constitutional Amendment authored by Sen. Judson Hill (R-Marietta) that is aimed at protecting citizens' rights against mandated health care. Coined the Health Care Freedom of Choice
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Constitutional Amendment, the resolution would prohibit any law, rule or regulation from compelling any person, employer, or heath care provider to participate in any heath care system. Hill was careful to point out that the bill would not affect health care service providers or hospitals, nor would it affect which heath care services are permitted by law. Senate Resolution 794 required a two-thirds majority vote to pass the Senate and House, and would then be put before voters on the November 2010 ballot. However, the vote was largely partisan, and with a final vote of 34-19 was unsuccessful in its attempt at passage. Sen. Judson Hill (R-Marietta) asking the Senate to reconsider his Health Care Freedom of Choice Constitutional Amendment (SR 794) the next day. The Senate voted 31-19 to reconsider the measure, which was placed back in the Rules Committee where it awaits a second turn on the Senate Floor.
Sen. Judson Hill presented his second piece of legislation, SB 317, aimed at protecting a citizen's right to purchase health care. Hill asked the Senate to take a stand for Georgians by voting in favor of the bill, which passed with a party-line vote of 31-16.
The Senate unanimously supported Sen. Emanuel Jones' (D-Decatur) zero-tolerance discipline legislation, SB 299. He said that "zero-tolerance equals zero intelligence", and that he authored the legislation to target the abuse of zero tolerance policies in schools. Jones explained that these policies automatically impose harsh punishments without consideration of the circumstances.
Sen. Jeff Mullis' (R-Chickamauga) Blue Alert System Bill (SB 397) passed unanimously, which creates a statewide system to speed the apprehension of violent criminals who have injured or killed local, state, and federal law enforcement officers.
Sen. Jim Butterworth's (R-Clarksville) Rules of the Road Bill (SB 345) allows for races on county and municipal roads when sanctioned by the local governing authority and when the road is closed to traffic. Two amendments were added that require medical personnel to be present during the road races and a public notification announcing the race to be published in the local news at least 30 days prior to the event. Butterworth noted that this is a great economic development bill and cited that cities such as Detroit and Miami already allow for these sanctioned street races. Both amendments were adopted and the Rules of the Road Bill passed by 41 to 9.
The Senate also voted in favor of legislation to allow for the development of public private partnerships for reservoirs. Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville) explained that meeting our state's future water demand is crucial to Georgia's economic development, and increasing water storage is the best way to do so. SB 321 authorizes the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority Water Supply Division and local governments to enter into a water use agreement with the owner of any private reservoir. This bill will help expand water supply across the state at less expense to Georgia taxpayers.
Sen. Donzella James (D-College Park) questioned the mix of public and private dollars and expressed concerned that the public would be shut out of the process of developing these partnerships. Pearson explained that this is not the case and that steps are being taken to ensure public involvement in all aspects of the relationship. Sen. Steve Thompson (D-Marietta) also voiced his concern that the bill could be a dangerous road to follow.
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Sen. Curt Thompson's (D-Tucker) bill removes provisions prohibiting MARTA from providing rapid transit contracts to areas beyond MARTA's existing rail system. Under the current law, certain districts can only use bus services. The bill will allow for the extension of existing rail lines into counties but it does not force any metro county to accept MARTA or other transit contracts. While Thompson worked with both sides of the aisle to craft this legislation, Sen. John Wiles (R-Marietta) was concerned that the public would be left out of deciding where these new lines would run. Thompson assured him the public would be involved in the decisions. Thompson expressed his hope that this legislation will encourage metro counties to expand rapid transit lines and turn Atlanta into a more accessible city.
The term "junk" and "junk dealer" will be removed from Georgia law under SB 150, authored by Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth). The bill also removes the $1 registration charge levied on junk dealers, and prohibits probate courts from charging junk dealers $10 for proceedings that concern junk dealers or their property passed with a 52 to one vote.
A bill (SB 368) to limit unfair and deceptive business practices was sponsored by Sen. Bill Jackson (R-Appling), which makes it unlawful for any non-local business to publish any advertisement in a local telephone classified advertising directory, unless the ad clearly states the business's location. Jackson previously explained in committee that this practice is commonly used by florists, who advertise a local address and phone number but are actually located elsewhere. Sen. Bill Hamrick's (R-Carrollton) SB 369, which revises provisions relating to investments by housing authorities and local governments by expanding the approved entities into which they may invest their funds passed 51 to two. Sen. Ross Tolleson's (R-Perry) bill concerning land conservation programs also passed overwhelmingly, which seeks to redefine various terms in current law relating to land conservation.
The following bills received unanimous passage from the Senate and will move to the House for consideration.
SB 387, presented by Sen. Dan Weber (R-Dunwoody), provides career counseling and advisement for students in grades 6 through 12. This bill is a vital step for Georgia to qualify for specific federal funding to aid its financially struggling school systems.
SB 392, a response to a bus crash that injured Morehouse students, will require educational institutions to verify that motorized transportation of students are properly licensed and certified. The bus company must furnish mandatory forms and insurance paperwork before they are cleared to transport students. Sen. Jack Murphy (R-Cumming), the author of the bill, stressed that "we must not cut corners and endanger students when trying to save pennies during tough economic times."
SB 364, a measure authored by Sen. Staton, will help law enforcement officials stop suspected illegal activities at massage parlors and spas.
Sen. Dan Weber's SB 427, which creates the Georgia Foundation for Public Education. The bill establishes the foundation as a public, tax-exempt, charitable instrument of the state that will be able to solicit and accept financial contributions to support educational excellence in Georgia schools.
Sen. Ralph Hudgens' (R-Hull) Healthy Georgians Act of 2010, which allows individual and group health plans to include and operate wellness programs. These programs
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encourage people to exercise, quit smoking, and adopt other healthy lifestyle habits so that they'll have less medical problems in the future. Research shows that 90 percent of health care costs are lifestyle related. Sen. Don Thomas (R-Dalton) authored SB 435 to target developing, implementing and promoting a statewide effort to combat the spread of Type 2 and pre-diabetes.
Committee News
Public Safety
With 100% support, Sen. Don Thomas' (R-Dalton) Seat Belt Legislation (SB 458) was voted out of the Public Safety Committee and now awaits its turn on the Senate Floor. Thomas has worked to ensure that Georgians are safe and responsible when operating or riding in all motor vehicles. The bill will still allow for the exclusion of the agriculture community, but now pick-up truck drivers in Georgia are one step closer to being required to buckle up. Representatives from the Georgia Junior League, Governor's Office of Highway Safety, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta were all on hand to applaud Thomas' efforts. Thomas reminded the committee that over $25 million in Medicaid costs has been lost in the past 10 years from preventable injuries and death caused by accidents where a pick-up driver was not wearing a seat belt. He stressed that the pick-up truck loophole must be closed in order to receive millions of dollars in federal aid available to other states.
Education and Youth
Every five years, teachers are required to complete ten professional learning units (PLUs), which is equal to 100 hours. In light of the budget crisis local school systems continue to face, senators are taking steps to substantially reduce the number of PLUs required by teachers. SR 1199, sponsored by Sen. Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville), will mandate the Professional Standards Committee cut the required number of PLUs in half for the next five years. Therefore, teachers will now be required to receive only five PLUs, which is equal to 50 hours, in the next five years. Hawkins explained this would only last five years and would be re-examined at the end of the allotted time period. After unanimous passage of the vote, the bill now moves on to the Senate Rules Committee.
Sen. Ronald Ramsey (D-Lithonia) presented SB 420, concerning Perfect Attendance Awards. The bill would establish a new provision stating if a student misses school due to illness or injury from a statewide state of emergency or epidemic, the absence will not count against a student's candidacy for the Perfect Attendance Award. Ramsey spoke about a family in his district with several children who received this award for each grade, K-12. However, when their youngest child became sick with swine flu, she was not eligible for the award. This bill received a unanimous vote from the committee.
Chairman Dan Weber (R-Dunwoody) presented SB 457, establishing additional alternative procedures for converting a high school to a charter school within a high school cluster. A cluster is determined by geographical boundaries where there are elementary, middle, and high schools. SB 457 would allow a charter school to be established within a high school cluster if it is
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approved by those living within the cluster. It passed out of committee with a 9-1 vote. Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) was the only member who expressed opposition.
The Senate Education and Youth Committee also voted to prohibit school board members from receiving their salary or per diem reimbursement should they be named in a report by an accrediting agency. The report must specifically name a board member who violated policies or standards of the accrediting agency that resulted in the school system failing. The School Board Per Diem and Salary Bill (SB 426) received unanimous support from the committee members. Sen. Gail Buckner (D-Jonesboro) authored the bill and commended her fellow Senators for supporting a bill in agreement with existing state code.
Sen. Judson Hill (R-Marietta) presented legislation that also received a unanimous vote. The Teacher's Bill of Rights (SB 320) will provide certified teachers with rights when employed in a Georgia public school. Among those are the right to exercise independent thought and the right to express constructive criticism, the ability to use their professional judgment to remove a student from the classroom for disruptive behavior, file a grievance about an evaluation if the tenured teacher feels the evaluation was false, and participate in an annual confidential evaluation of each administrator.
The last bill to receive a vote, SB 521, concerns the enrollment counts for students in dual enrollment programs. This legislation will allow a school operated by the local school board, charter school, or commission charter school to include students in their formula count who are dual enrolled, in order to receive the amount of state funding if the student is taking postsecondary courses at another educational body. The student will have to stay at the statefunded high school for the school to receive the money. Sponsored by Chairman Dan Weber (RDunwoody), the bill was presented in light of the alarming statistic that in the past three years, dual enrollment has declined from 12,000 students to 4,000 students.
Sen. Freddie Sims (D-Albany) sponsored the Early Childcare Program Provisions Bill (SB 451), which establishes procedures to close and revoke the license of a family day-care home where the death of a minor has occurred. After significant discussion from the committee members, Chairman Weber tabled the bill for further discussion until the next meeting on Monday, March 22.
Transportation
Georgia Department of Transportation Board Members will have shorter term limits and will be directed to be more responsive to Senate and House legislators under a bill by Transportation Committee Chairman Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga). Mullis' bill, SB 448, passed the Senate Transportation Committee with a unanimous vote after two meetings of deliberations.
The original proposal began with limiting DOT Board terms to two years. While many members of the committee agreed that Board members need to be more responsive to the legislators and terms should be updated, they felt two-year terms coinciding with legislative terms was not long enough. Mullis was willing to compromise, but reminded the committee that the only mechanism to remove board members was impeachment. By limiting their terms, they would
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have to be re-elected by the legislators.
During the process, Mullis noted the bill as "the committee's bill" due to his desire for each committee member's input. A compromise was reached and SB 448 now limits DOT Board Members to four-year terms. Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville) added a provision to the bill to require yearly meetings called jointly by the chairpersons of the House and Senate Transportation Committees. Each member must be available to discuss with the legislators that elected them any matters that may be of interest to the members of the legislative delegation.
This enabling legislation is effective on January 1, 2011, but only upon ratification of SR 1126 by the voters of Georgia on the November 2010 ballot. SR 1126 unanimously passed out of the Transportation Committee in a previous hearing.
Sen. Valencia Seay (D-Riverdale) introduced a resolution urging the United States Congress to assist Georgia by continuing federal funding of public transportation for elderly and disabled Georgians (SR 1159). Many elderly and disabled Georgians rely on Clayton County's C-TRAN bus system to go to work, go to the doctor and even get the medications they may need. CTRAN is expected to be shut down at the end of March due to funding cuts. The resolution passed unanimously.
SB 51 sponsored by Sen. Doug Stoner (D-Smyrna), which gives greater authorities to the Georgia Rail Passenger Authority, also received unanimous passage by the committee.
Judiciary
In response to the rash of high profile "smash and grab" burglaries across Metro Atlanta recently, a separate crime will be created under SB 423 to help better prosecute these crimes that are taking a financial toll on Georgia's retail industry. Michael Liberatore, regional vice president of loss prevention for Macy's, emphasized the impact these crimes have on retailers and the economy. He also highlighted their affect on the young people who are recruited to break into stores after hours and steal thousands of dollars worth of valuable merchandise, leaving behind tens of thousands of dollars in property damage. According to the FBI, Organized Retail Crime is a national issue and is estimated to cost between $15 billion to $30 billion annually. Chairman Preston Smith (R-Rome), author of the bill, previously held a hearing on the legislation. After Liberatore's testimony, the bill passed unanimously.
American news organizations are having trouble dealing with foreign defamation judgments that are obtained against them overseas, where the burden of proof is less stringent than in U.S. courts. Typically these are cases that involve libel or slander. Sen. Bill Cowsert's (R-Athens) SB 488 states that before Georgia courts will enforce a defamation judgment obtained in a foreign country, the plaintiff must comply with the state's standard due process. David Vigilante, senior vice president and chief litigation for Turner Broadcasting, noted that using less favorable speech laws are typically efforts used by people outside the U.S. to silence speech within the U.S. He said often times people will use the threat of filing lawsuits in multiple countries to intimidate a news outlet to change their reporting or settle a case. The bill passed unanimously.
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Other bills that passed the committee include: SB 302 outlines new requirements for the distribution of trust accounts that have been dormant for a specific period of time. SB 375 is a clean up bill for the newly-created Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. SB 461 outlines the effective date for federal estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes of wills or trusts. SB 491 clarifies Georgia courts' jurisdiction over nonresidents in domestic relations cases.
Higher Education
Sen. Jack Hill (R-Riedsville), chairman of the Appropriations Committee, went to bat for needbased students throughout Georgia by presenting his HOPE College Opportunity Grant Bill (SB 496) this week to the Higher Education Committee. Hill testified that this would be a "stay in college grant" based on the neediest students in Georgia. The grant would be based solely on need and not take into account academic performance. Hill noted that $30 million in lottery funds are available to be set aside for this beneficial scholarship fund. Funding for the grant would be based on appropriations as well as how a specific student's need might change over their higher education career. The committee supported the bill unanimously.
Sen. Jeff Chapman's (R-Brunswick) resolution (SR 1145) also received unanimous approval from the committee. SR 1145 will urge the state Board of Technical and Adult Education to develop courses and pilot programs to train people in the field of ecological employment. The committee tabled two bills (SB 404 and 405), both authored by Sen. J.B. Powell (D-Blythe), which focused on military veterans issues within Georgia's higher education system. SB 404 would establish guidelines for veterans receiving academic credit for courses whose requirements could be satisfied by their time in military service, and SB 405 would allow tuition payments by veterans to be deferred or paid in installments for military veterans when the accredited payee, such as the Veterans Administration, was late in payment. While the committee supported the purpose of each bill, Tom Daniels of the University System testified that these were not widespread problems and the University System would be committed to solving these problems, and supporting veteran students, on a case-by-case basis.
Health and Human Services
The Health and Human Services Committee showed their commitment to ending substance abuse by unanimously passing Sen. Ed Harbison's (D-Columbus) legislation to end the legal sale of synthetic marijuana in Georgia stores. SB 498 would also add the substances to Schedule 1 on the controlled substance list; substances on this list carry the most severe penalties. Harbison was inspired to create the legislation after Atlanta area teens were hospitalized after using the drug.
The committee also unanimously passed two amendments by Chairman Don Thomas (RDalton), the first of which urges the Georgia Composite Medical Board to establish regulations on office-based surgeries and anesthesia. Sen. Greg Goggans (R-Douglas) offered an amendment to the resolution to encompass all health care providers who are licensed by a composite medical board, which will include oral surgeons and dentists. Dr. Steve Sween from the Georgia Society
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of Anesthesiologists spoke in favor of SR 1222.
Thomas' second resolution (SR 1162) creates a study committee that will examine traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in Georgia and how to amend the State Health Plan to include TBI facilities.
After much debate, Sen. Buddy Carter's (R-Pooler) legislation targeting substance abuse was put to a vote in Health and Human Services meeting. SB 418 will create an electronic database of controlled substance prescriptions dispensed in the state and a method to electronically review prescriptions. The most significant change made to the bill throughout the legislative process was to who will have access to the information stored on the database. In its most current form, SB 418 will allow only prescribers and dispensers access to the information. The committee granted passage to the bill.
Sen. Hardie Davis (D-Augusta) presented a bill that received unanimous passage, which addresses death certificates for burn victims. Under SB 493, when a burn victim dies following transportation to a treatment facility, only the attending physician is required to complete the death certificate.
Natural Resources
The Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment convened with a full schedule and a packed house. The committee got off to a quick and productive start by passing several bills unanimously onto the Rules Committee. Sen. Bill Heath (R-Bremen) presented his Federal Cap and Trade Resolution (SR 973), noting that natural planetary fluctuations are beyond human influence and may explain current global temperatures more accurately than greenhouse gases, pointing to a natural cycle of climate change. The resolution will urge Congress to use scientific fact as a prime indicator and cost-benefit analysis to weigh economic stability and environmental stewardship before any federal mandates are handed down.
The committee then rallied behind Sen. Don Thomas' (R-Dalton) Bear Bill (SB 474), which will give Georgians the right to keep a bear or other road kill specified in the bill if the animal is killed, unintentionally, by their vehicle. Sen. Dan Weber (R-Dunwoody) received unanimous favor for his Water System Interconnection, Redundancy, and Reliability Act, that focuses on provisions for dealing with water loss during immediate emergencies and long range loss. The bill requires a detailed study be completed by the Georgia Environmental Facilities Agency to better prepare Georgia for any future loss in water, drastic or otherwise.
The committee turned its attention to more difficult matters, with Chairman Tolleson breaking ties on both issues. In response to SB 486, Chairman Tolleson's Administrative Law Judges Deference Bill, passionate parties on both sides presented their findings to the committee. Those opposed to the bill stressed extreme discomfort in the fact that administrative law judges should be expected to rule without bias, and not by giving deference to the department representatives. Those for the bill felt strongly that science should be a prime factor in the judge's decision making, including that department representatives who are the true expert witnesses. SB166, the Jekyll Island State Park Authority bill, also passed out of committee after having the second committee tie broken by Chairman Tolleson. Tolleson encouraged Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-
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Brunswick), who opposed the bill and Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville), the bill's author, to work together to strengthen the bill and work for the best interest of Jekyll Island.
Insurance and Labor
The Senate Insurance and Labor Committee voted in favor of securing Georgia workers' ability to vote by secret ballot in union organizing elections. The Constitutional Amendment was proposed last year by former Sen. Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) to protect Georgians from a national attempt to end the use of the secret ballot called The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), which would implement a practice commonly known as "card check." Card check is where workers are encouraged to sign a membership card which then serves as a favorable vote for unionizing. SR 108 will be carried in the Senate by Majority Leader Chip Rogers (RWoodstock), and if passed by the legislature will be put before voters on the November 2010 ballot.
The committee also voted to create an autism task force under SB 161, which would be charged with developing a plan to educate the public and health care professionals about the advantages and avenues available for early screening, early intervention, diagnosis and treatment of autism. Preliminary studies have found that early intervention and treatment did reduce associated costs. The task force will also examine implementing a cost-effective plan for early screening, diagnosis and treatment, as well as a disease management program. The bill's author, Sen. Johnny Grant (R-Milledgeville), noted that one in 150 kids is affected by this condition and each diagnosed child has a $3.2 million lifetime per capita societal cost.
SB 482, authored by Chairman Ralph Hudgens (R-Hull) also passed, which clarifies current language by affirming that life settlements are not considered "stranger originated life insurance." Rep. Tommy Benton (R-Jefferson) also saw his House Bill 128 pass, which establishes a 10-year period in which someone can assert themselves as either blind or a disabled veteran to be eligible for tax and fee exemptions.
Agriculture
Legislation aimed at improving Georgia's recycling and reusing efforts was heard by the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville) authored SB 511 that will allow yard waste and trimmings to be moved from landfills where the waste is simply dumped to landfills with a gas collection system that can convert yard and vegetative waste to alternative energy sources. Currently, under a 1996 ban on yard trimmings in landfills, this is not allowed. While this restriction is not being lifted, there will now be a provision stating landfills with gas collection systems can accept yard waste and trimmings.
There was significant opposition to SB 511, mostly from small business owners working in the composting industry. They felt such legislation would hurt their already suffering businesses and funnel composting materials to landfills, rather than to their composting businesses. The waste management industry spoke in favor of the bill. They said this was not taking any business away from the composting industry. It is simply allowing waste management companies to take yard waste to landfills that have the means to mix it with garbage to make more and better methane. Currently, they are dumping the waste at a site where it will sit in a hole, simply separated from
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regular waste. Pearson closed the debate adding that with the passage of SB 511, Georgia will take a giant step toward more green energy and composting. The committee passed the bill with a 3-1 vote.
Chairman John Bulloch (R-Ochlocknee) presented SB 447, which will give preference to Georgia companies when the state contracts for public work as long as by doing so, the state is not incurring any additional costs. This legislation was a result of Georgia businesses losing a bid on a state contract in South Georgia to Florida companies, paying an additional $350,000. Those who testified supported the bill and said that they were in favor of fair practices, but that our neighboring states, excluding Alabama and Tennessee, have similar provisions in place that give them a competitive advantage. It also mandates that all entities of state government must adhere to the policies outlined in the State Construction Manual for project management. The committee unanimously approved SB 447.
Science and Technology
A bill to protect Georgia's citizens from possible computer fraud overwhelmingly passed out of the Senate Science and Technology Committee this week. Committee Chairman Cecil Staton (R-Macon) introduced SB 470, which he authored to require software developers of file sharing programs to install safeguards which would prevent users from tapping into private data files of another user's computer and possibly download them illegally. The bill requires developers to add features to uninstall the software, allow users to actively turn on file-sharing options, and provide a warning when files are about to be downloaded by another user.
Staton mentioned that many of these free software programs that many people use to share music and video files have the potential for misuse by users to steal financial, corporate or military data outside of what was intended to be shared with public users. A top expert on computer fraud testified that these programs make any type of file available, while many times the adult users may not even know the software is installed by one of their children.
Sen. Bill Heath (R-Bremen) offered a substitute to the original bill that would make developers specify every time a file is being downloaded exactly what type of file is being accessed, so users have the ability to identify where other users are trying to access. The committee substitute was approved unanimously and now moves to the Rules Committee before consideration on the Senate Floor.
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