Day 18 - Feb. 14, 2008

Valentines Day was celebrated under the Gold Dome in style as flower delivery people worked overtime and lobbyists were freely giving gifts of flowers and candy to legislators.  But, work did not stop despite the festive atmosphere.

The Senate passed a resolution which creates the five-member Senate Comprehensive Firearms Law Study Committee to study Georgia’s firearms laws and how they affect citizens to ensure constitutional rights are protected, as well as the right of self-defense and public safety, and whether firearms licensing is a fair and equitable process.  Members are to be appointed by the President of the Senate and a report is due by the end of January 2009.

The House passed out HB 969 which adds a definition for "approved driver education training course" to "include instruction given in the course of a home education program that satisfies the reporting requirements of all State laws governing such programs, provided that such instruction utilizes a curriculum approved by the department.
Committees were quite active today.  The House Appropriations Human Services Subcommittee listened to public comments on DHR’s FY 2009 budget, and the House Judiciary Committee passed HB 1040 which will allow the court to appoint permanent guardians without terminating parental rights.