Senator Staton's Take on Senate's Crossover Day | Politics

The Georgia General Assembly reached a significant milestone in the 2013 Legislative Session—Crossover Day. Day 30, also known as Crossover Day, marks the point at which legislation must pass either the House or the Senate in order to be eligible to pass into law this session.

During Crossover Day, members of both chambers are in session from 10am until well into the evening hours as we consider every piece of legislation that’s been placed on the calendar. On Crossover Day, the Senate took action on 29 bills and passed them to the House for further consideration. In total, the Senate passed 54 bills this week.

This week, the Senate passed numerous bills. I’ve outlined some of the most important ones below, but a full list of passed legislation is available online. For more information regarding a specific piece of legislation, visit the Georgia General Assembly website at http://www.legis.ga.gov/.

SB 62 would create the Federal and State Funded Health Care Financing Programs Overview Committee. The Committee would be charged with periodically reviewing the actions of the Board of Community Health (BCH) and the Department of Community Health (DCH) to evaluate the success and functionality of their programs. With rising costs of health care, Georgia must make every effort to ensure the integrity of our health care system.

SB 76 would create a Returning Veterans Task Force under the State Department of Veteran Services. The task force would meet quarterly to investigate how state services can be provided to veterans returning from military service. Our returning veterans are often overlooked when returning to the work force, and it’s time Georgia took up the fight to support these returning heroes. The Returning Veterans Task Force will be a valuable resource to help our veterans readjust to civilian life.

SB 101 removes burdensome reporting requirements for firearms dealers and recognizes out-of-state weapons carry licenses in Georgia. This is the first weapons bill we have passed through the Senate, though we expect to vote on additional House legislation during the next 10 days.

SB 160 will help streamline the process of verifying residence status when applying for or renewing business licenses. Under current law, there is some confusion about how this information should be reported, which is burdensome to both local governments and businesses. This legislation is meant to clarify some of that language and make the renewal or application process easier.

SB 163 would require the Board of Community Health to examine and identify options for reforming Georgia’s Medicaid Program. If passed, this effort is expected to bring significant cost savings to the state.

SB 224 creates the Invest Georgia Fund, which would allow access to seed capital for Georgia high tech companies. Capital distributed from this fund would help build healthy businesses and require recipients to keep their business headquartered in Georgia. The financial growth of Georgia is a rising concern among many citizens, and passing SB 224 is just one of the ways the Georgia General Assembly is working to ensure that business remains and thrives in Georgia.

During the remaining 10 days of the 2013 legislative session, I will be voting on legislation which will directly affect the constituents of district 18th Senate District. I encourage you to participate in our legislative process by contacting me to let me know which issues are most important to you and why. You may always email me or call my office to set up an appointment; I’m happy to speak with you to better understand your needs.