G-CAPP Policy and Advocacy News

2007 Georgia General Assembly Update
The Georgia General Assembly has completed day 40 of the 40 day legislative session. The fiscal year 2008 budget was approved by both chambers, but Governor Perdue vetoed the 2007 amended budget and a special session will be called to allow for adoption of the final mid-year budget. We will provide a complete wrap-up of the 2007 session after the special session concludes.

PeachCare Coverage is Protected

Due to disagreements between the House and Senate version of bills, no changes were made to PeachCare eligibility and benefits before the conclusion of the session. The Fiscal Year 2007 budget, which will be debated in the upcoming special session, is expected to include stop gap funding to cover the shortfall in the PeachCare program.

The following bills that affect adolescents and public health passed out of the House and Senate and now await the Governor’s signature.

HB 429 (Rep. Sharon Cooper, 41st), the Georgia HIV Pregnancy Screening Act of 2007, requires physicians and health care providers to test pregnant women for HIV and refer infected women to counseling and medical services. Women would have the option to refuse the HIV tests. Around 20 to 30 babies are born with HIV each year in Georgia, and treating infected pregnant women in their first trimesters can reduce the possibility that their babies become infected to as low as 1 percent.

SB 39 (Sen. Dan Weber, 40th), the Charter Systems Act proposed by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, allows entire school districts, not just individual schools, to apply for charter status. The state will disburse planning and implementation grants for up to five charter school systems and an advisory committee will make recommendations to the State Board of Education regarding which applications to fund.

SB 95 (Sen. Joseph Carter, 13th) revises state law, which currently prohibits the purchase or possession of cigarettes or tobacco-related products by minors, to also prohibit the "attempt to purchase" cigarettes or tobacco-related products by a minor. The penalty for an attempt to purchase would be the same penalty for purchasing cigarettes, up to 20 hours of community service and/or attending a free lecture on the dangers of tobacco use.

SB 98 (Sen. William Hamrick, 30th) modifies the Computer Pornography and Child Exploitation Act of 1999 to expand protections of this act beyond the use of a computer to include the use of cell phones or any other electronic device.

Track 2007 Legislation
For the latest updates on legislation, visit the General Assembly web site and search by the bill number in the top right hand corner of the page. You may also find information for contacting bill sponsors and other legislators on the General Assembly web site, or find your legislators here. To follow legislative issues that G-CAPP is working on, click here.

Support G-CAPP
The 12th annual G-CAPP fundraiser, featuring the premiere of the movie "Georgia Rule", will take place on Monday, May 7, at the Woodruff Arts Center.

G-CAPP Fast Fact
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. For more information visit the Prevent Child Abuse Georgia - Child Abuse Awareness Month Page.