It is the season for study committee meetings.  Earlier this week, I participated in the first meeting of the Senate Study Committee on Genetic Technology, chaired by Senator Eric Johnson.  The committee was formed to consider the legal issues arising out of advanced fertility treatments.  For example, what should happen to frozen eggs and sperm if a couple divorces or one of the donors die?  What are the inheritance and other rights of a child conceived after the death of the mother or father, using frozen eggs or sperm? 

Fascinating questions, and I am glad that Senator Johnson has taken the lead in gathering the information that we need to answer them.  At our first meeting, we heard from a leading fertility doctor, a lawyer who practices in adoption and surrogacy law and two couples who received fertility treatment. 

Less fascinating, but still important, was a meeting of the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee, called by Senator Bill Hamrick to review a proposed revision of Georgia’s securities law.  Bob Terry of Secretary of State Karen Handel’s office presented, section-by-section, a new model law prepared by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.  We will likely take up the new model in the 2008 Legislative Session, and I am glad that Chairman Hamrick has already begun familarizing the members of his committee with this complicated issue.

I also met this week with Mike Cassidy, President of the Georgia Research Alliance, a public-private partnership originally organized in 1990 to use the research capabilities of Georgia’s universities to encourage economic development.  The GRA is at the beginning of a major initiative to make Georgia a leader in vaccine research.   I strongly support the GRA and believe that Georgia is fortunate to have Mike Cassidy at its helm.

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Our regular session began as usual at 10:00 a.m.  We unanimously approved Senate Bill 14 dealing with the Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority.  We also approved Senate Resolution 126 setting forth our schedule through Monday, February 12, which will be the eighteenth day. 

I introduced Senate Bill 84 at the request of the Insurance Department.  This bill updates the unfair trade practices section of the Insurance Code to deal with insurance scams aimed at members of the military.

My lunch hour was taken up meeting with lobbyists and constituents. I met with both hospital and insurance lobbyists about Senate Bill 73 dealing with continuity of care.  I visited with groups of architects, homebuilders and school children from my district.  I met with electric lobbyists about the shared use of the utility poles (”pole attachment”).  I met with a lobbyist from a leading beer maker about Sunday sales.  I also worked on legislation that would create a Gwinnett County Stormwater Authority.

My afternoon was packed with committee meetings.  At the Banking and Financial Institutions Committee meeting, we heard a presentation from the Commissioner of Banking.  He outlined the annual departmental “housekeeping” bill updating the Banking Code. 

The Health and Human Services Committee acted on several bills and resolutions, most creating study commissions and task forces.  We favorably reported Senate Bill 57 which would provide for a system of licensing dialysis technicians. 

The Rules Committee voted to place Senate Bill 10 on the calendar for tomorrow, the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act.  The Democrats, self-proclaimed champions of the downtrodden, appear to be gearing up to oppose this bill.  It should be interesting.

I returned calls right before I left the office.  I reached the one constitutent who had contacted me in opposition to Senate Bill 10.  I explained my reasoning for supporting the bill, and I seemed to win him over.

We go into session tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. You can watch our proceedings live tomorrow at the Georgia General Assembly website.

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