DARREL EALUM: Busy week ahead for Georgia Legislature

Crossover Day came and went without significant fanfare in the General Assembly, and this past week was quieter than I had expected. In the House, we passed 196 general bills to cross over to the Senate, and the Senate sent us 74 general bills. We will no longer consider general bills, and this week we will mainly concentrate on local bills and Senate bills. Local bills are not restricted to the crossover date, and we will continue to take up local legislation. Although the House may not pass additional general bills, previous bills not passed may be attached to an already passed general bill to create a totally new bill. With slightly less than two weeks remaining in our 2015 session and a projected adjournment sine die on April 2, this week will be exceptionally busy.

With substantial revisions and by a very thin margin, the Senate passed Transportation Bill HB 170 last Friday (29 yes votes and 24 nays). A bill must pass both houses in exactly the same form and language to become an act, therefore HB 170 will be returned to the House and then sent to a Conference Committee composed of three senators and three representatives. I am confident a compromise will be reached and the General Assembly will pass a transportation bill before adjournment.

An Albany College and Career Academy would be a tremendous advancement for our community, and Senate Bill 2 would help our local school system to move closer to that goal. Under the provisions of SB 2, qualifying students would be allowed to skip their 11th- and 12th-grade high school years and become college students. We already have dual-enrolled students in both high school and postsecondary classes, however, SB 2 would allow students who have completed the state required 9th- and 10th-grade high school courses and who have received an acceptable score on the postsecondary institution’s readiness exam to enroll in certificated and associate degree programs. Upon the students’ completion of an associate degree or technical college certification program, our local Board of Education may award the students with their high school diplomas. The students would simultaneously earn their postsecondary degree or certification and their high school diploma.

To take advantage of our sunny Georgia climate, we passed the Solar Power Financing Act (HB 57) that would provide for financing of solar technology on privately owned property. HB 57 would allow third-party financing for homeowners, small businesses, churches, and schools for small power roof systems. The residential application would limit the electrical system to 10kw in size and to 125 percent of projected peak demand.

“Bio-similar” and “interchangeable” drug replacements are increasing rapidly. Senate Bill 51 would allow Georgia pharmacists to give an “interchangeable,’’ or “bio-similar,” drug to a patient rather than a currently prescribed drug. As medical innovation continues to advance, more doctors are using complex drugs made from living organisms, called biologic medicines, to treat their patients with chronic diseases like arthritis and psoriasis. SB 51 could substantially reduce medication costs by allowing physicians to prescribe and pharmacists to dispense bio-similar drugs. Furthermore, to ensure patients have full disclosure and knowledge of the drug change, SB 51 would require pharmacists to indicate the substitution on the original prescription and label and would require them to notify the prescriber of this substitution within 48 hours. Prescribing doctors would also be made aware of the changes to the patient’s treatment.

Last year, 43 percent of our teenagers were cyberbulled, according to statistics provided by the National Crime Prevention Council, and a higher percentage of these bullied students attempted suicide. We passed “The End to Cyberbullying Act” (HB 131) that would expand anti-bullying school policies to prohibit bullying through technology media or devises, i.e. Internet, cell phones, computers, email, instant messaging, social media. Cyberbullying acts under our bill would apply to actions on and off campus, during and after school hours, and with school or personal devices.

Earlier this session, we passed the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget (HB 76) for July 1 to June 30, 2016. The Senate has now passed HB 76 and has returned it to us with their revisions. A conference committee with three representatives and three senators will formulate a compromise budget, and both houses will approve the bill before the end of session.

In addition to recognizing former Govs. Jeb Bush of Florida and Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, we enjoyed the unique honor of recognizing Chris “Ludacris” Bridges with Resolution 643. Ludacris is a Georgia native, renowned recording artist, actor, rapper, executive, entrepreneur, philanthropist and hi-hop icon. His Ludacris Foundation has donated over $1.5 million to youth organizations and programs.

During these last few weeks of the session, I urge you to contact me and express your ideas and opinions. I am anxious to hear from you.

State Rep. Darrel Ealum, D-Albany, represents House District 153 in the General Assembly. Contact Ealum at (404) 656-0116 or email [email protected].