Church/State | Death Penalty | Free Expression | Open Records | Privacy | Race & National Origin | Voting Rights | Women & Choice
Church/State
Georgia Faith-Based Constitutional Amendment (SR345) – Failed
A resolution amending the Georgia Constitution, to prevent discrimination in
the public funding of social services by allowing religious or faith based organizations
to receive public aid, directly or indirectly (POSITION: OPPOSE).
School Scholarships/Vouchers (SB458) – Passed Senate; Failed
A bill allowing for a school system or school that loses or fails to attain
accreditation, a student shall be entitled to attend another public school or
receive a scholarship to attend a private school (POSITION: OPPOSE).
Voucher Scholarships (HB 1133) – Passed Both Chambers; On Governor’s
Desk
This bill would give private citizens and corporations income tax credits for
donating money to nonprofit scholarship organizations that would provide scholarships
to parents who want to pull their children out of public schools and send them
to private ones (POSITION: WATCH).
Women & Choice
Personhood Amendment (HR536) – Tabled
An amendment to the Georgia Constitution proposing that the paramount right
to life is vested in each human being from the moment of fertilization without
regard to age, race, sex, health, function, or condition of dependency (POSITION:
OPPOSE).
Human Embryo Protection Act (HB1358) – Failed
A bill making it illegal for any person or entity to intentionally or knowingly
create or attempt to create an in vitro human embryo by any means other than
fertilization of a human egg by a human sperm; to provide legal status for the
in vitro human embryo; to provide that a human embryo is a legal person (POSITION:
OPPOSE).
Free Expression
Public Interest Lobbyists (HB854) – Failed
A bill requiring labor organizations to file annual financial reports with the
Secretary of State; to provide for maintenance of substantiating records to
amend conflicts of interest for public officers and employees, so as to prohibit
state funds going to organizations which lobby the state (POSITION: WATCH).
Privacy
Georgia Medical Privacy Act (SR1006) – Failed
A resolution amending the Georgia Constitution to protect the right of Georgians
to make autonomous medical decisions without intrusive government interference
(POSITION: SUPPORT).
DNA Data Bank (SB430) – Passed Both Chambers; On Governor’s Desk
Originally, this bill allowed the collection of a suspect’s DNA and it’s
placement into a data bank for law enforcement officials; did not allow for
DNA removal if the suspect is cleared of charges. It was amended so that DNA
could be collected and compared to existing data banks but not retained (POSITION:
OPPOSE).
Sex Offender Residency Restrictions (HB 908) – Passed House; Failed
A bill relating to the Sexual Offender Registration Review Board residency and
employment restrictions for certain sexual offenders; to provide for restrictions
on where sexual offenders and sexually dangerous predators may reside, work,
volunteer, or loiter; to provide for punishment. This bill was later added to
SB 1 and passed (POSITION: OPPOSE).
Sex Offender Photos (SB1) – Passed Both Chambers; On Governor’s
Desk
A bill which prohibits a registered sex offender from taking pictures of a minor
without parental consent; amended to reinstate registered sex offender residency
restrictions. The employment and residency restrictions in HB 908 were added
to SB 1 (POSITION: WATCH).
Prescription Monitoring (HB455) – Passed House; Failed
A bill which allows for the creation of a central database of prescription information;
including a person’s name, address and date of birth (POSITION: WATCH).
No Knock Warrants (SB259) – Passed Senate; Failed
A bill relating to searches with warrants, changing provisions relating to issuance
of search warrants by judicial officers; to provide that no-knock warrants shall
not be issued in this state except under limited circumstances (POSITION: SUPPORT).
Parental Controls (SB474) – Passed Both Chambers; On Governor’s
Desk
A bill providing for parental controls over Internet access by children; to
provide for the development and distribution of Internet online safety curricula
and information; to provide for the monitoring of Internet use by registered
sexual offenders; to provide for the registration of e-mail addresses and usernames
of registered sexual offenders (POSITION - WATCH).
Social Networking (SB59) – Failed
A bill prohibiting the owner or operator of a social networking website to allow
a minor to create or maintain a web page without the permission of the minor's
parent or guardian and without providing such parent or guardian access to such
profile web page; allowable only after age verification (POSITION: WATCH).
Microchips (HB940) - Failed
A bill prohibiting requiring a person to be implanted with a microchip in Georgia
(POSITION: SUPPORT).
Prevention of Online Child Predators Act (HB1287) - Failed
A bill which requires registered sex offenders to provide an appropriate official
any Internet accounts with Internet access providers belonging to such offender;
to require certain conditions of probation or conditional release for a registered
sex offender’s Internet use (POSITION: WATCH).
Death Penalty
Non-Unanimous Jury (HB185) – Passed Both Chambers; Failed House Amendment
A bill which provides that the death penalty may be imposed where the jury finds
at least one aggravating circumstance but is unable to reach a unanimous verdict
as to the sentence, taking into account the majority vote of the jurors in some
circumstances and nine jurors in other circumstances; to change provisions relating
to the requirement of a jury finding of aggravating circumstance and recommending
the death (POSITION: OPPOSE).
Eyewitness Identification Standards (HB997 & HR1071) – Passed House;
Failed
A bill mandating a standardized eyewitness identification procedure for all
law enforcements departments across Georgia by January 2009, including the development
and implementation of written policies for conducting showups, photographic
lineups, and physical lineups; the accompanying resolution urges best practices
to be included in policy (POSITION: SUPPORT).
Indigent Defense (HB 1245) – Passed Both Chambers; on Governor’s
Desk
A bill relating to courts and legal defense for indigents, revises matters relative
to funding, budgeting, and the organization of providing indigent defense (POSITION:
WATCH).
Trial Timings (HB1293) – Passed House; Failed
A bill extending the period of review for the Georgia Supreme Court's consideration
of applications for pretrial proceedings in cases in which the death penalty
is sought (POSITION: WATCH).
Criminal Justice
Speedy Trials (HB1052) - Failed
A bill to lengthen the time frame for cases in which a demand for speedy trial
is filed in felony, misdemeanor, and capital cases (POSITION: WATCH).
Voting Rights
Voting Rights (HB1175) – Failed
A bill which provides that persons applying to register to vote shall provide
proof of United States citizenship prior to the acceptance of their registrations;
to provide for acceptable forms of proof of citizenship (POSITION: OPPOSE)
Election Moral Turpitude (HB1112) – Passed Both Chambers; On Governor’s
Desk
A bill prohibiting someone with a conviction of moral turpitude in Georgia or
any other state from serving as an elector (POSITION: WATCH).
Student Rights
Bullying (SB461) – Passed Senate; Failed
A bill relating to discipline of students in elementary and secondary education,
so as to provide schools with certain guidelines regarding bullying; to require
schools to submit to the Department of Education a policy regarding bullying
(POSITION: SUPPORT).
Parent Protection Act (HB901) – Failed
A bill requiring private employers to provide 24 hours of leave annually for
employees to attend school conferences and medical appointments (POSITION: SUPPORT).
Immigrant Rights
English Only (SB335) – Failed
A bill designating English as the official language of Georgia, and prohibiting
a state agency or political subdivision of this state from requiring an employee
to speak or learn any language other than the official language of the state
in order to be employed, maintain employment, or to be eligible for a promotion
(POSITION: WATCH).
Drivers License (SB350) – Passed Both Chambers; On Governor’s Desk
A bill relating to driving while license is suspended or revoked; to specify
punishments and exceptions for driving without a license; including after four
violations it becomes a felony; to provide for determination of nationality
of person convicted of driving without being licensed (POSITION: OPPOSE).
Sanctuary (SB340) – Failed
A bill prohibiting counties, municipalities, and other governmental entities
from establishing sanctuary policies where cooperation with federal immigration
enforcement would not occur (POSITION: OPPOSE).
English Only (HR413) – Failed
A resolution amending the Georgia Constitution declaring English as the official
language of the State of Georgia; providing that official state actions be in
English; to prohibit any requirement that any language other than English be
used in any documents, regulations, orders, transactions, proceedings, meetings,
programs, or publications (POSITION: OPPOSE).
Civil Forfeiture (HB 978) – Passed Both Chambers; On Governor’s
Desk
A bill allowing law enforcement officers to impound the vehicles of drivers
who are not in the country legally who are involved in a traffic accident or
stop (POSITION: OPPOSE).
Fingerprinting (HB 1119) – Failed
A bill requiring a person convicted of driving without a license to be fingerprinted
for identification purposes (POSITION: WATCH).
Birthright Citizenship (HR127) – Failed
A resolution urging the United States Congress to amend the citizenship laws
of the United States to provide that infants born in this country become citizens
only if the mother is in the country legally (POSITION: OPPOSE).
Tags/Drivers License (SB25) – Failed
A bill requiring proof of citizenship to obtain a motor vehicle tag; requiring
proof of citizenship before obtaining a driver's license (POSITION: OPPOSE).
Drivers License (HB971) – Failed
A bill providing that a driver's license issued by another state to an alien
illegally present in the United States shall not be recognized as valid in the
State of Georgia; if an illegal alien who displays a driver's license issued
by another state to a law enforcement officer as authorization to drive a motor
vehicle in this state shall commit a misdemeanor offense (POSITION: OPPOSE).
Wire Transfers (HB1028) – Failed
A bill providing for a fee on money received from a wire transmission; to provide
for an income tax credit with respect to wire transmission fees; to use fees
collected to fund trauma care (POSITION: WATCH).
Foreign Driver’s License – (SB488) – Passed Both Chambers,
On Governor’s Desk
A bill allowing foreign nationals to keep their driver’s license from
their home country and also have a valid international driver’s permit;
to provide that verification of lawful presence in the United States is necessary
to receive a temporary Georgia driver's license (POSITION – OPPOSE).