Day 16 - 2/09/2007

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Both the House and Senate are voting on more bills in recent days.  Specifically, today, the Senate voted 50-0 to pass SB 54 which provides for gender neutrality with regard to the offense of incest.  The Senate also voted, 51 to 1, to delay the implementation of the requirements of the Federal Real ID Act.

The debate about solutions to the current PeachCare funding crisis continues to play center stage.  Lt. Governor Casey Cagle announced the formation of a "PeachCare Task Force" to “consider options that protect the ability to continue insuring the maximum number of Georgia children, and ensure it is done in a way that is fiscally sound and requires users to shoulder some personal responsibility."  Members of the Task Force are:  Sen. Greg Goggans (R-Douglas); Sen. Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg); Sen. Horacena Tate (D-Atlanta); and Sen. Tommie Williams (R-Lyons).  The Task Force met privately this afternoon.

In addition, Speaker Richardson introduced HB 340 this afternoon which would change the income-based eligibility requirements from 235% of the federal poverty level to 200%.