Report for Wednesday, March 15, 2006 The thirty-second day of the 2006 legislative session was called to order by Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor. Senator Bill Stephens of the 27th stated that the journal had been read and was found to be correct. Senate Bill 680; Senate Resolutions 1133, 1134, 1136, 1137 and 1139; and House Bills 1583, 1584, 1586, 1591, 1594 and 1597 were read for the first time and assigned to their respective Committees. Following the reports of Standing Committees and the second reading of Bills and Resolutions, the morning roll call was taken. Lt. Gov. Taylor then recognized Sen. Preston Smith of the 52nd to lead the Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance. Sen. Smith then introduced the Chaplain of the Day, Dr. Glynn Stone of West Rome Baptist Church of Rome, who led the Senate in the daily devotional. There were no unanimous consents or Points of Personal Privilege. SR 868 was read and adopted. Sen. Smith spoke to the resolution, commending Dr. Raymond F. Corpe who touched the lives of countless patients as a pioneer of tuberculosis research. Sen. Smith introduced Dr. Corpe and his family to the Senate. SR 957, commending Mr. Henry M. Huckaby on his public service and congratulating him on the occasion of his retirement, was read and adopted. Sen. Brian Kemp of the 46th spoke to the resolution and introduced Mr. Huckaby and his family. SR 843 was read and adopted. Sen. Jim Whitehead of the 24th spoke to the resolution, which remembers and honors the life of Army Specialist Joseph Alan Lucas, Sr. He was fatally wounded, giving his life in defense of freedom and the liberation of the citizens of Iraq while serving with an armored squadron of the 3rd Infantry Division in Balad, approximately 40 miles north of Baghdad. Col. Bill Hitchins, Commissioner of the From the Upper Chamber Wednesday, March 15, 2006 Page 1 of 4 Department of Public Safety, presented an Honorary Trooper Award to SPC. Lucas. Accepting the award on his behalf was his widow, Heather. Sen. Ed Harbison of the 15th was recognized to introduce the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Elizabeth Martin of Columbus. SR 1106, commending John Owen on becoming an Eagle Scout, was read and adopted. Sen. Chip Pearson of the 51st spoke to the resolution and introduced Mr. Owen. Privileged Resolutions 1186, 1188, 1189, 1190, 1191, 1192, 1193, 1196 and 1197 were read and adopted. The Local Consent Calendar, consisting of HB 1348, 1533, 1554, 1523, 1524, 1525, 1526, 1527, 1529, 1530, 1531, 1532 and 1534, was adopted. Sen. Brian Kemp of the 46th took the well to announce that another Georgia soldier lost his life in Iraq. Sergeant Brian Lewis of Athens was killed yesterday by a road side bomb. Sen. Kemp led the Senate in a moment of silence. Sen. Casey Cagle of the 49th moved to engross HB 560 and 173. Without objection, the bills were engrossed. Sen. Cagle took the well to present HB 560, which changes certain provisions regarding the circumstances under which county boards of tax assessors can change the valuation of real property established on appeal. HB 560 passed by a vote of 52 to 0. The Secretary then read HB 1213, which provides for proper disposal of dead poultry in an effort to prevent bird flu. Sen. John Bulloch of the 11th took the well to explain the bill. HB 1213 passed by a vote of 52 to 0. HB 543 was read and Sen. Dan Weber of the 40th took the well to present the bill, which allows provides for the donation of sick leave from an employee of a local board of education to his or her spouse who is also an employee of the board. The Committee Amendment was adopted by a vote of 35 to 0. HB 543 passed as amended by a vote of 51 to 0. HB 804 was read and Sen. Michael Meyer von Bremen of the 12th took the well to explain the bill that repeals the offense of barratry. HB 804 passed by a vote of 50 to 1. From the Upper Chamber Wednesday, March 15, 2006 Page 2 of 4 HB 173 was read and Sen. Mitch Seabaugh of the 28th took the well to present the bill, which expands the ad valorem exemption for veterans' organizations to include certain additional nonprofit veterans' organizations which refurbish and operate historic military aircraft for educational purposes. The Committee Substitute was adopted by a vote of 34 to 0. HB 173 passed by substitute by a vote of 53 to 0. The Secretary then read HB 954, deletes a prohibition against the sale or exchange of public transportation tokens, transfers, transaction cards, or tickets without consent. Sen. John Wiles of the 37th took the well to present the bill. HB 954 passed by a vote of 49 to 0. HB 1067 was read and Sen. Harbison took the well to present the bill, which changes certain provisions relating to creation and membership of the Georgia Commission on Interstate Cooperation. He also spoke to Amendment 1, which changes the intent of the Commission. He yielded to questions from President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson of the 1st. The Amendment failed by a vote of 18 to 25. HB 1067 passed by a vote of 48 to 2. Sen. Meyer von Bremen took the well to introduce Tamesha Derico, the STAR student of the Dougherty County School Systems, who scored 40 points shy of a perfect score on the SAT. HR 1425 was read and Sen. John Douglas of the 17th took the well to present the resolution, which commends the United Services Organization on its 65th anniversary. HR 1425 was adopted by a vote of 52 to 0. Majority Leader Tommie Williams of the 19th then moved that the Senate stand adjourned until Thursday, March 16, at 10:00 a.m. Sen. Douglas took the well to file an objection to SR 1189, commending Jane Fonda, which was read and adopted earlier in the morning. Sen. Steen Miles of the 43rd took the well to speak to the resolution and to commend Jane Fonda for her work with teen pregnancy. Sen. Douglas served notice of his intent to move for reconsideration of SR 1189. Following the announcements, Sen. Williams restated his motion that the Senate stand adjourned until Thursday, March 16, at 9:00 a.m. The Senate then adjourned. From the Upper Chamber Wednesday, March 15, 2006 Page 3 of 4 # ## # From the Upper Chamber Wednesday, March 15, 2006 Page 4 of 4