The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA

Local News

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. To join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address. Once you do, your comments will post automatically. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
March 6, 2011

Bethel: This Week in the Senate

State Sen. Charlie Bethel, R-Dalton

Health Care Compact Introduced

I have introduced a bill that would restore the power of states to regulate their individual health care systems. The Interstate Health Care Compact seeks to protect Georgia’s 10th Amendment rights granted by the U.S. Constitution. The 10th Amendment affirms any powers not granted to the federal government are reserved to the states such as health care regulation.

No place in the U.S. Constitution gives the federal government control of how a state should operate its health care system which means that the states reserve a 10th Amendment right to manage it how we see fit.  

This legislation is a joint effort from states across the nation to ensure that right is protected going forward by installing it into our state laws.  States deserve control over health care goods and services and this Compact will guarantee our 10th Amendment rights are protected. – SB 177

 

Senate passes Zero-Based Budgeting Act

The Senate unanimously passed the Waste Reduction Act of 2011 on Tuesday, also known as the Zero-Based Budgeting Act. The bill, sponsored by Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth), would require one-fourth of the state budget to be rebuilt from scratch each year, so that the entire budget is justified over a four-year term. Currently, expenditures approved in prior years are routinely rolled over into the next year’s budget under a single line-item identified only as “continuation”. – SB 33

 

Georgia Public/Private Water Supply Act of 2011 passes

The Senate passed legislation on Wednesday sponsored by Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry) that would allow local governments to utilize public/private partnerships to finance water infrastructure projects. The bill would allow state and local governments to voluntarily partner with private investors on the construction of reservoirs and other water infrastructure projects.  The bill would provide a new option for financing as local governments and the state continue to face significant budget challenges. – SB 122

 

Charter school athletics bill moves on to the House

The Senate approved legislation on Wednesday sponsored by Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) that requires public schools to allow charter and virtual school students to participate in any extracurricular activity offered by the school outside of regular school hours. Students at these types of schools could pursue sports programs offered at other schools in their district with approval from the principal and as long as the sport is not already offered through their current school. – SB 34

 

Student exercises Senate in recognition of Healthy Kids Challenge Day

Greensboro student Major Dukes challenged senators to a brief exercise routine in Chamber on Thursday, in honor of Healthy Kids Challenge Day at the Capitol to fight childhood obesity.  The challenge, initiated by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, encourages schools to sign up for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program, for which Dukes serves as Georgia’s Wellness Ambassador to the advisory board.

Georgia is the second highest ranked state in the nation for childhood obesity, with more than one out of every three children suffering from obesity. – SR 258

 

Text Only
Local News