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Senator Don Balfour’s
2010 Legislative Session Weekly Update
Week 5
This week the Georgia Legislature completed four days in the Chamber. We have 23 days remaining in Session. While moving forward with the business of Georgia, many issues were discussed:
Legislation Targets Campaign Money
“State Representative Austin Scott on Thursday introduced legislation that makes it illegal for the state insurance commissioner to accept campaign contributions from executives of companies regulated by his office. The bill is in response to months of reporting by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other media outlets that current Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine has collected more than $2.6 million from employees and owners of insurance and small-loan businesses that Oxedine regulates.”
“The existing law has not proven sufficient to prohibit this type of conduct in some cases, most notably by our current insurance commissioner,” Scott said.
To read the article published in the AJC click here: http://littlelink.webtrouble.com/?7w33
State Bank Loan Renewal
A House Bill that was introduced on the third day of session was passed out of the House on Monday. The bill received unanimous support from the Senate’s Banking and Finance Committee. Its intention is to help Georgia consumers, real estate developers, large borrowers, and state banks. This bill brings state laws regarding lending limits to a single borrower into alignment with federal code. It allows state banks to renew a loan to a borrower that has made all payments on time, even if the market value of the asset has declined. Georgia business will continue to work with Georgia banks. Consumers benefit by not having to change lenders and banks benefit by keeping performing assets and healthy lending relationships.
Legislation Introduced to Change Teachers’ Pay Structure
Governor Sonny Perdue has introduced legislation, SB 386, requiring the State Board of Education to adopt a performance based salary schedule. There will continue to be a minimum salary schedule for ALL teachers, but teachers in the performance pay system will also be eligible for additional pay increases based in part on their students’ academic improvement.
The performance-based salary schedule will apply only to current teachers who choose to opt into the new system and all new teachers. All other current teachers will continue to be paid based on their years of experience and the advanced degrees they have earned. The new salary schedule will not adopted by the State Board of Education until 2013, giving the state sufficient time work with school systems and teachers to work out the intricate details of this plan.
Town Hall Meetings
Senator Balfour will join Senator Unterman in hosting town hall meetings for Gwinnett County. The purpose of these meetings will be to provide legislative updates and to discuss the issues that the citizens of Gwinnett County find most important. The first meeting will be Thursday, February 25th 2010 at 7PM at the Buford City Hall in the commission chamber. The second meeting will be held Thursday, March 11th 2010 at Lawrenceville City Hall in the council chamber. Please plan to join us at one, or both, of these town hall meetings.
I appreciate your support throughout the 2010 legislation session. It is an honor to serve you.
Please contact me with questions or concerns.
Best Regards,
Don
