G-CAPP Policy and Advocacy News

Georgia General Assembly Session Begins
The 2008 session of the Georgia General Assembly began today. This is the second year of a two-year session, and it will last for 40 non-consecutive days. Click here to view our 2008 Legislative Agenda, and stay tuned to G-CAPP Policy & Advocacy News for regular updates regarding bills and issues impacting adolescents and public health during the 2008 session.

Parent Protection Act
Education will be a likely focus during the 2008 Georgia General Assembly session. One proposed bill, HB 901 (Rep. Roger Bruce, 64th), the "Parent Protection Act", would allow working parents to take a more active role in their children’s education and health care by providing up to 24 hours of unpaid, job-protected leave per year to attend school conferences or to take a child to medical appointments, such as checkups or immunizations.

The Parent Protection Act would allow parents who do not currently have personal leave time from work to engage in important school meetings, including drop-out prevention counseling. Research demonstrates that young people with parents who are actively engaged in their education not only experience higher levels of academic achievement but also are more likely to avoid risky behaviors that can lead to teen pregnancy. For more information, click here.

Register Now for the 2008 G-CAPP Legislative Reception
Join G-CAPP at our 2008 Legislative Reception, taking place on February 27th from 5:00–7:00PM at the Georgia Freight Depot. This annual event is an important opportunity to thank state legislators and officials who work to support Georgia's adolescents, and to share our policy priorities with state leaders during the legislative session. Click here to register.

G-CAPP Fast Fact
Georgia ranks 49th in the nation in the percentage of public high school students who graduate with a diploma - only 56.1 percent of the state's public school students graduated on time in 2004.

Source: Education Week's Quality Counts 2008.