From the upper chamber 2008 February 28

Report for Thursday, February 28, 2008
The twenty-fifth day of the 2008 legislative session was called to order by Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle.
Senator Don Balfour of the 9th stated that the journal had been read and was found to be correct.
Sen. Steve Henson of the 41st moved to reconsider SB 403. There was no objection.
Sen. John Douglas of the 17th moved to reconsider SB 440. There was no objection.
Senate Bills 526-533, Senate Resolutions 1035, 1038 and 1047, House Bills 188, 250, 958, 981, 1043, 1065, 1090, 1124, 1160, 1169, 1183, 1222, 1282, 1285, 1304, 1308, 1309, 1312 and 1313 and House Resolution 1023 were read for the first time and assigned to committees. The clerk then read the reports of standing committees.
After the morning roll call, Sen. Robert Brown of the 26th led the Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance. He then introduced the Chaplain of the Day, Pastor Spencer L. Booker of New Grant Chapel AME Church in East Point, who led the Senate in the daily devotional.
Lt. Gov. Cagle recognized several student athletes of the Special Olympics of Georgia at the rostrum.
Sen. Lee Hawkins of the 49th took the well on a Point of Personal Privilege to discuss a resolution that would allow states suffering from a drought to be temporarily exempt from the federal Endangered Species Act.
Sen. Don Thomas of the 54th took the rostrum to introduce the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Todd Schmidt of Atlanta.
From the Upper Chamber Thursday, February 28, 2008
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Sen. Joseph Carter of the 13th took the well on a Point of Personal Privilege to announce the kick-off of the 30-day Legislative Fitness challenge today, in partnership with the Atlanta Falcons.
Sen. Dan Moody of the 56th took the well on a Point of Personal Privilege to recognize a Smyrna area support group of Christian home school students, seated in the Senate gallery.
President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson of the 1st took the well on a Point of Personal Privilege to commend the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association for their actions against certain lawyers attempting to capitalize on the Dixie Crystal plant explosion in Savannah earlier this month.
SR 1043 was read and adopted.
The Senate Consent Calendar for Privileged Resolutions, consisting of SR 1036, 1037, 1039-1042, 1044-1046 and 1048-1051, was unanimously adopted.
The clerk read SR 1046, which recognizes today as Seniors Day at the Capitol. Sen. Renee Unterman of the 45th took the rostrum to speak to the resolution and discuss the growing needs of Georgia's senior population.
The Senate Local Consent Calendar, consisting of SB 486, 494 and 495 and HB 664, 1223 and 1279, was adopted by a vote of 41 to 0.
The clerk read SR 929, which recognizes today as Macon Day in Atlanta. Sen. Brown took the rostrum to speak to the resolution and introduce Macon Mayor Robert Reichert to the Senate.
SB 436 was read, which seeks to make it easier for a board of directors of a publicly traded corporation to elect a new director by increasing the percentage of votes.
Sen. Bill Cowsert of the 46th took the well to present the bill. He yielded to questions from Sen. Steve Thompson of the 33rd.
SB 436 passed by a vote of 48 to 0.
Sen. Chip Pearson of the 1st asked that SB 420 be removed from the table and placed at the foot of the calendar. There was no objection.
The clerk read SB 437, which allows kit motorcycles to be registered.
Sen. Jeff Mullis of the 53rd took the well to present the bill and offer his support of Amendments 1 and 2, both of which make language clarifications. He yielded to questions from Sen. Ralph Hudgens of the 47th.
Sen. J.B. Powell of the 23rd presented Amendment 1, which allows for motorcycles with inaccurate serial numbers to be registered by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
From the Upper Chamber Thursday, February 28, 2008
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Amendment 1 was unanimously adopted.
Amendment 2 was unanimously adopted.
SB 437 passed as amended by a vote of 47 to 0.
Sen. Seth Harp of the 29th took the rostrum to recognize two outstanding professors of Georgia technical colleges, seated in the Senate gallery.
The clerk read SB 466, which exempts car washes using recycled water from outdoor watering restrictions.
Sen. John Bulloch of the 11th took the well to present the bill.
Sen. Johnson took the gavel to preside over the Senate.
The clerk read Amendment 1, which exempts swimming pools from the same restrictions. Sen. Chip Rogers of the 21st took the well to present the amendment.
Sen. Bulloch took the well to speak in support of Amendment 1.
Amendment 1 was unanimously adopted.
SB 466 passed as amended by a vote of 49 to 1.
The clerk read SB 469, which allows a "personal care home" to house two patients instead of one. Sen. Harp took the well to present the bill.
SB 469 passed by a vote of 51 to 0.
The clerk read SB 474, which seeks to protect children from Internet predators by allowing parents to block their child's access to specific Web sites and monitor their use of the Internet, among other measures.
Sen. Cecil Staton of the 18th took the well to present the bill, and yielded to questions from Senators Ron Ramsey of the 43rd and Thompson of the 33rd.
The Committee Substitute to SB 474 was unanimously adopted.
SB 474 passed by substitute by a vote of 52 to 0.
The clerk read SB 440, which allows particular non-profit organizations to sell certain pull tab games, such as Bingo.
Sen. Douglas took the well to present Amendment 1, which narrows the focus of the bill by placing a limit on winnings and clarifies which organizations are allowed to sell such games.
From the Upper Chamber Thursday, February 28, 2008
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Amendment 1 was unanimously adopted. SB 440 passed as amended by a vote of 49 to 2. The clerk read SB 420, which will change provisions of the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Act to exempt the Department of Transportation (DOT) from civil penalties levied for certain violations. Sen. Pearson took the well to present the Committee Substitute. Sen. Michael Meyer von Bremen of the 12th took the well to withdraw his Amendment 2, which removes contractors from the exemption. The change had already been included in the Floor Substitute. Sen. Harp took the well to withdraw Amendment 1, which keeps the money from fines within the DOT for projects. This change is also included in the Floor Substitute. Sen. Harp moved to withdraw Amendment 1. There was no objection. Sen. Meyer von Bremen moved to withdraw Amendment 2. There was no objection. The Committee Substitute to SB 420 failed by a vote of 0 to 40. The Floor Substitute to SB 420 was unanimously adopted. The legislation now returns to the Senate Rules Committee. Following the announcements, Majority Leader Tommie Williams of the 19th moved that the Senate stand adjourned until 9:00 a.m., Friday, February 29.
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From the Upper Chamber Thursday, February 28, 2008
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