For Immediate Release: February 24, 2006
CONTACT INFORMATION michelle hitt
404.656.5020 mhitt@actmajority.com
HOUSE STAYS BUSY PROTECTING CHILDREN, ATHLETES AND MARRIAGE
By Representative Glenn Richardson, Speaker of the House
As the 2006 legislative session moves forward, we continue to address the issues that impact all Georgians. This week, we took action to protect children using computers at public libraries and in public schools, to ensure student athletes do not loose eligibility for school teams, and to close the marriage loophole in Georgia law that allows minors to marry without parental consent.
With the internet now available in almost every school, library and home across the state, our children have access to more information but criminals also have more access to our children. This week, the House passed a measure directing our public schools and public libraries to adopt policies that will protect our children from online predators and access to harmful material.
In perhaps any part of Georgia, the Friday night football game is probably the biggest event in the county. And with more opportunities every year for student athletes to compete outside of school teams, we must encourage their commitment to improve their abilities. A measure that passed the House this week ensures that those student athletes who participate in sporting events outside of the school will not loose their eligibility to also play on their school teams.
In Georgia, we value the sanctity of marriage and the right of consenting adults to marry the person of their choice. However, minor children are not yet equipped with the maturity needed to make such an important decision. Closing a little known loophole in Georgia law, we passed a measure this week stipulating any minor child age 16 or 17 must seek parental consent to marry and any minor under age 16 must petition the courts to gain an exception to marry without parental consent.
The legislative session continues to move forward and we still have work to finish on eminent domain and issues regarding illegal immigrants. Our work on the state's budget is moving forward as we continue to balance the state's needs with the important task of rebuilding our reserve funds.
As always, if I or my staff can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at my office at the Capitol at (404) 656-5020.
Georgia House of Representatives | Office of the Speaker | Room 332 State Capitol | Atlanta, Georgia 30334 404.656.5020 | 404.656.5644 fax