January 23, 2001

For more information contact:

Stanley S. Jones, Jr.

404-817-6133

The Legislature reconvened today after its week-long recess to hash out budget items.  The day was short due to a scheduled trip to Milledgeville to visit the refurbished State Capitol. Buses were to leave the Capitol around 1:00 p.m. for the trip and return to Atlanta later this evening. 

Newly Introduced Legislation 

SB 38 – In an effort to help Georgia’s shellfish industry, which has not been producing as much as neighboring states, Sens. Williams, Gillis, Blitch, and Kemp have offered this bill amending O.C.G.A. § 27-4-194.  This amends the current law relating to the minimum size of shellfish which can be taken for commercial or noncommercial purposes by making it illegal to take or possess clams when the maximum depth of the shell of the clam measures less than three-fourths’ inch thickness, reduced from one inch. 

SB 39 – Sens. Kemp, Hecht and Tanksley have introduced this amendment to O.C.G.A. § 15-16-21 concerning sheriff’s fees in order to increase the fee for serving a copy of process of service and returning the original. 

Budget News 

          Healthcare budget items continue to be a large topic of conversation around the Capitol.  Tomorrow, Sen. Nadine Thomas will begin hearing from folks concerning the Department of Human Resources items in the Budget.  Funding the State’s hospitals and nursing homes continues to be pitched by various interests.  The Georgia Hospital Association has been working on several initiatives to improve the reimbursement levels for all the hospitals in the State – including funding the Medicaid deficit in FY 2001.  The federal revenue maximization efforts, that the Governor and the Department of Community Health have been discussing, have also been widely talked about by lobbyists. 

Committee News 

          There was little Committee activity today.  Tomorrow, most of the House and Senate Committees will begin their busy schedules hearing legislation already introduced this Session.  One of the bills of interest to be heard by the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee is Sen. Walker’s bill raising the minimum wage, SB 14.