Habersham County State Representative Dan Gasaway(R) says two important bills designed to help ailing children may become a reality in the final days of the 2015 Georgia legislative session.
State lawmakers are wrapping up work this week. In the 38 working days since they started in January, the Georgia House passed 256 bills and the Senate agreed to 358 pieces of legislation. So far though, only 12 passed through both houses and moved on to Governor Nathan Deal meaning these final days will be very busy.
The following report was provided to Now Habersham by Rep. Gasaway –
I am writing this week’s column with two days remaining in the 40 day session of the 2015 Georgia General Assembly. Those who follow the General Assembly know that oftentimes some of the most important votes are cast in the last few days, and that remains true this year. House Bill 1, the first House bill introduced this session, has just been finalized. Senate Bill 1, the first Senate bill introduced, will have to be finalized this week if it is to become law. The good news is that both measures seem to be headed for success this year, after much political wrangling. I believe this is the outcome that the majority of you would want, if you were given all the facts and participated directly in the debate on these bills.
House Bill 1, also known as the medical cannabis legislation, was passed by the State Senate and is now on the Governor’s desk for signature. HB 1 will provide legal immunity for the possession of cannabis oil for individuals with certain medical conditions who have obtained cannabis oil legally in another state. Qualifying conditions under HB 1 include cancer, multiple sclerosis, seizure disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, mitochondrial disease, and sickle cell disease. The short version is… there are families in our community today that are being forced to move to Colorado to get medical help for their suffering children. This legislation means they can come home. Does cannabis oil help all children with seizure disorders? No. Has it helped many Georgia children with seizure disorders that have had to move to Colorado? Yes, without a doubt.
Senate Bill 1, also known as Ava’s law, appears to have found a way through the political log jam that had it completely stopped in last week’s House Insurance Committee. I serve on this committee and have listened to hours of testimony and debate, over multiple years, on this legislation. I am glad we will see a vote on this issue this year. The compromise that allowed this last minute vote included a two part plan. The plan includes legislation that requires insurance companies to cover autism treatment for children 6 years of age or younger. (The original SB 1) The second element of the House and Senate compromise is a new piece of legislation that will be considered during the 2016 legislative session. This bill would create a November 2016 referendum, so that voters can decide on a fractional state sales tax that would fund autism treatment for all children under the age of 18. Between these two measures, I am hopeful that we can begin to address the growing autism epidemic in our state.
Anyone with questions about these issues or any other issues before the General Assembly may reach me at 404-656-0325 or [email protected].
