Day 1 - 1/09/2006

>> Back to Week One, Jan. 10 - Jan. 13

Lawmakers Introduce Child Safety and Welfare Bills As General Assembly Convenes

The General Assembly convened today for the 2006 session.  This is the  second year of a two-year term, and all members of the House and Senate who decide to run again will face reelection campaigns this year.  Bills introduced last year that did not pass can be considered this year, but will die if they are not enacted by the end of this session. 

Legislators prefiled a number of bills affecting children.  They include HB 942 (Bearden, 68th) increasing punishment for sexual offenses against children under 13; HB 945 (Oliver, 83rd) removing the pregnancy exception allowing children under 18 to marry without parental consent; HB 946 (Oliver, 83rd) prohibiting prosecution of children for prostitution when they are too young to consent to sex; HB 967 (Ashe, 56th) requiring school wellness plans; SB 378 (Wiles, 37th) increasing the distance from schools where registered sex offenders are permitted to live; SB 382 (Harp, 29th) making changes in the child support law enacted last year.

The House and Senate agreed to adjourn the week of January 16th for the King Holiday and for budget hearings.

Coming events:

Governor's State of the State Address and Presentation of Budget

Wednesday, January 13th, 3:00 pm

House Appropriations Health Subcommittee

Thursday, January 12th, On Adjournment, Room 341 Capitol

Program based budgeting, plans for the 2006 session, TANF funding, levels of care, hospital closings, hospital contracts with Medicaid Care Management Organizations, and the 2006 amended budget for DHR, DCH and DOL.

Joint House and Senate Budget Hearings

Room 341 Capitol

Tuesday, January 17th:  Revenue (10:30 am), DHR (11:55 am), Community Health (2:45 pm), Education (4:00 pm)

Wednesday, January 18th:  University System (11:05 am), Technical and Adult Education (11:25 am), Juvenile Justice (3:15 pm)

Senate Appropriations Human Development Subcommittee

Thursday, January 19th, 2:00 pm, Room 450 Capitol

Katie Beckett Deeming Waiver issues