Senator Tolleson's Capitol Update | People

As we write this, the halls of the State Capitol are filled with the smell of peanut butter as today is Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, one of the most anticipated days under the Gold Dome!  PB+J Day brings a smile to the faces of legislators, staff and lobbyists throughout the building.  Our thanks to the Georgia Agribusiness Council and Georgia Peanut Commission for their sponsorship of this great event.  If you have never had a “fried PB+J”, you must treat yourself- you will be glad you did! 

Friday marked the completion of the 27th day of the 2013 legislative session.  Senate committees are hard at work considering Senate bills before the 30th legislative day, otherwise known as “Crossover Day.”  Crossover Day is the final day a piece of legislation can cross from one Chamber to the next.  If a Senate Bill does not pass the Senate at the end of the 30th day, the bill will not be considered this session.  Committees will continue working late into the night to ensure important legislation makes it to the Senate floor before the end of Crossover Day.    

This week, the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee voted numerous influential bills out of committee.  These bills will now be sent to the Rules Committee in consideration for the Senate floor:

SB 136 deals with boating safety and education.  This bill will align boating and hunting while under the influence with the DUI limit by reducing the legal alcohol concentration limit from 0.10 to 0.08.  The bill also increases the age requirement for a child to wear a personal floatation device from 10 to 13 years old.  If passed, effective July 1, 2014, children ages 12-15 years old may only operate a Class A vessel if the person is accompanied by an adult 18 years or older.

SB 156 revises the term of a “borrow pit” to allow a property owner to use earthen materials from excavated areas of less than five acres without having to apply for a mining permit.  However, these materials cannot be sold. 

SB 194 will allow a person to restore historic landmarks built prior to 1965 that previously promoted Georgia tourist destinations such as barns, or agricultural structures. 

SB 210 creates the Georgia Legacy Program to conserve the state’s land, water, fisheries and wildlife resources.

SB 213 creates the Flint River Drought Protection Plan which undertakes studies to use in establishing new and revised rules and regulations pertaining to the management of water resources. 

Tuesday, we welcomed friends from Macon to celebrate the 4th Annual Macon Day.  It was nice to see a couple of familiar faces to discuss the happenings of Middle Georgia.  This exciting day was dedicated to celebrating the culture of Macon with legislators, visitors and staffers from across the state. 

A special thanks to Jordan Stewart of Perry who participated in the legislature’s Page for a Day Program.  Jordan spent the day delivering important information and messages throughout the Senate Chamber and learning about state government.  The Page Program is a great opportunity for students ages 12 to 18 to experience the Capitol first-hand to observe and participate in the legislative process

For the next several months, I will be spending a lot of time at the Capitol working on behalf of you this Session.  If there are any issues you wish to have addressed, I would love to hear from you.  I look forward to continuing my service on behalf of my constituents in the 20th Senate District.  Georgia is on the right track.   I am confident that the steps we take this year will mean lasting prosperity for future generations of Georgians.