Sen. John Wilkinson serves as the Chairman of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee and Vice Chairman of the Education and Youth Committee. He represents the 50th Senate District which includes Banks, Franklin, Habersham, Rabun, Stephens and Towns counties and portions of Hall and Jackson counties. He can be reached by phone at 404.463.5257 or by email at [email protected].
The legislative session has gained momentum over the past two weeks. As a member and sub-committee chair on the appropriations committee, I have spent time working on the amended budget for FY 2015. The budget must be revised to account for unexpected expenses and growth. The Governor has recommended that the Amended budget include an additional $134 million to cover school enrollment growth, $4.8 million for Georgia Regents University to conduct clinical trials for the use of cannabidiol oil to treat children with severe seizure disorders, and $15.4 million for the improvement and expansion of child welfare services. An additional $20 million is slated for strategic economic development project grants and loans for local communities.
We spent last Monday through Thursday in the Senate Chamber doing the work of the people, and passed the first bill of the session on Thursday. With the passage of Senate Bill 1 insurers will be required to cover children six or younger who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Currently, one in 64 children are diagnosed somewhere on the Autism scale; if left untreated, this can cost an additional $3.2 million over the course of a lifetime. It is simply unacceptable that some of these children are not covered due to a medically proven ailment, and on Thursday, the Senate body changed this. In a sign of unity, the Senate passed SB 1 unanimously, 54-0. I will second what Lt. Governor Cagle said, “I am proud of this body.”
This week the Senate unanimously approved Senate bill 2 by a vote of 56-0. Senate Bill 2 addresses post-secondary high school education and it provides students who complete mandated requirements the opportunity to earn a high school diploma instead of a GED. The most important component in our state’s economic development is a well trained and educated work force. I believe this is a step in the right direction. Again, I am also proud of the unanimous vote. The welfare and education of our children is not a partisan issue.
As reported two weeks ago, we are at a critical junction in our transportation infrastructure funding. This week, the House of Representatives announced their proposal for $1 billion in state funding to maintain our vast transportation infrastructure. Their plan would convert Georgia’s combination of sales and excise taxes on fuel to a 29.2 cent-per-gallon excise tax. When implemented, the package would create a new $200 annual fee for alternative fuel vehicles, with the exception of hybrids. Mass transit systems in Georgia would have access to a combined $100 million in bonds next year. This bill was introduced in the House and will be considered by the Senate after it passes the House.
We will back in session Monday, February 9th, for day 12 of the 40 day legislative session. As we continue to move forward, I will continue working on your behalf. If I can be of any assistance, I encourage you to reach out to my office at 404.463.5257 or by email at [email protected].
