THEY’RE BACK! Yes, the year 2000 Legislative Session has commenced, and the Georgia General Assembly is in full swing. Today, the Session formally opened complete with an appearance by Governor Barnes. The Capitol halls were filled with legislators, lobbyists, legislative staff, and other interested persons. It was curious to watch the negotiations and deals already in progress.

Tomorrow promises to bring a great deal of activity. Governor Barnes will give a budget address to the General Assembly at 11:00 o’clock a.m. On Thursday, the Governor will address the General Assembly again outlining his ideas on education reform. There are also numerous Committee meetings scheduled. Some of interest include the following:

The House Health & Ecology Subcommittee on Health Professions will meet upon adjournment and discuss HB 1045. This bill would allow an expansion in the scope of practice for psychologists by allowing them the right to prescribe medications. This bill has certain educational requirements that must be met before a psychologist can prescribe medications.

The House Judiciary Committee will meet at 2:00 o’clock p.m. to discuss SB 176 which crossed over to the House at the end of the 1999 Session. This bill amends Titles 9 and 15 by allowing a system of gathering, processing, entry, transmission, compilation, and analysis of information on civil and criminal court filings. Basically, at the time of initiation of a new action, an attorney would complete an information form with data about the case. Likewise, dispositions of cases would also be reported. This will allow for a better method of gathering statistical data and other information by the courts.

The Senate Insurance & Labor Committee will also meet at 3:00 o’clock p.m. No agenda had been published at the time we left the Capitol and Sen. Madden’s office had no list as of "press time."

A couple of bills pre-filed before the Session’s official commencement are the "covenant marriage" bill and the change in the minimum age for drivers’ licenses from 16 to 17 years of age.

Rep. Snelling filed the covenant marriage bill, HB 1106, which would establish a "covenant marriage" and define it as "a marriage entered into by one male and one female who understand and agree that the marriage between them is a lifelong relationship." Those entering into such marital agreement would have received authorized counseling (by a priest, minister, rabbi, clerk of the Society of Friends, any clergy member of any religious sect, clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, licensed professional counselor or

psychologist licensed in Georgia). Divorce from such marriage would be obtained only upon proof of one of the following: one spouse committed adultery; one spouse committed a felony and has been sentenced to death or imprisonment; one spouse has abandoned the marital home for a period of one year and refuses to return; one spouse has physically or sexually abused the spouse seeking the divorce or a child of one of the spouses; or the spouses have been living separate and apart without reconciliation for one year.

Sen. Gingrey has filed SB 293 which would raise the driving age from 16 years to 17 years. A learner’s permit could still be obtained at age 15. Another important provision in the bill is the requirement that, to obtain a drivers' license, a written statement must be provided by the proposed driver that he or she has completed at least 50 hours of driving instructions. This bill has been introduced as a measure to help lower the number of teen driving incidents.