It is hard to believe that today we will have completed 13 legislative days out of our 40 day allotment for the year.
We have completed much of our required administrative duties and have also completed much of our subcommittee work on the 2010 budget which will cover the period through June 30, 2010.
My Higher Education Subcommittee of Appropriations meetings have been very stressful due to the large budget cuts being made. We will have enough money for the essentials, but money will not be available for a number of desirable items which have been funded in the past. Everyone will have to call on all of their skills to get through this period.
My Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee is starting to prepare for the very big and important job that we will have next year after the census is completed this year.
Under the U.S. Constitution a census must be taken every ten years, mainly to reapportion the U.S. House of Representatives to get the congressional seats as close as possible to a one person-one vote basis.
Then while that is being done, we also reapportion the State Senate, State House, County Commissions, City Commissions and School Boards.
To show you why it should be done I will use my House seat as an example. When I first entered the House in 1989 I had 30,000 constituents in my district, I now have 50,000 and they are estimating that after the 2010 Census a Georgia House seat will have 55,000.
We will work to ensure fairness in our districting.
As Chairman of the Defense & Veterans Affairs Committee I chaired a meeting in which the committee passed House Resolution 1106 which urges congress to designate the "Honor and Remember Flag" as a national emblem of service and sacrifice by the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who have given their lives in the line of duty.
My Motor Vehicles Committee had a long three hour meeting to try to come to a reasonable cost and charge system for the Georgia Department of Revenue to charge companies for the valuable service of providing information to auto dealers and customers on recalls. We will have more meetings to settle the matter.
The Legislature will be in adjournment on February 12, 15, 19, 22 and 26 to work on the budget.
I can be reached at 217 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia, 30334 and my numbers are (404) 656-5126
FAX (404) 656-6700. I can also be reached at night at (770) 227-1474.
Yates, a World War II veteran, represents southern Fayette County and Spalding County in the General Assembly |
