Policy Update

Fuel Crisis Sparks Special Session

9/06/2005

Source: Gold Dome Report

In the wake of horrible Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast region, Governor Perdue called a Special Session of the General Assembly beginning today at 1:00 p.m.  Legislators arrived from all parts of Georgia to take up two issues:  the gasoline tax; and reimbursement for State employees when they use their private vehicles for State business.

 Sine Die is expected on Saturday, September 10, 2005.

The House kicked off its day with a lot of grousing and grumbling by the Democrats to the called Session. Tempers became heated between both sides of the aisle on the State’s expenditure of money for this “special session.”  By approximately 2:00 p.m., the House had adjourned for the day while the Senate plugged along.

The Senate adopted rules (SR 1 EX) for the Special Session by a vote of 52 to zero.  The Senate also appointed its Committee of Notification (to tell the Governor that it had convened).  Persons on this Committee are Sens. Cagle; Stephens; Brown; Kemp; Rogers; Starr; and Unterman.

The Senate passed by a vote of 50 to zero to form the “Committee of the Whole” to take up SB 1 EX, the bill by Sen. Johnny Grant which increases the reimbursement rate of $.28 per mile for State employees using their personal vehicles for State business to a rate of $.405 per mile.  Sen. Grant explained that this Special Session would be a good time to “take care of State employees” while the Senate had an opportunity to do so. 

A number of witnesses spoke to the Committee of the Whole including Department of Human Resources (“DHR”) Deputy Commissioner, Gina Simpson.  She explained that this would impact a number of DHR employees including 3,500 Division of Family and Children’s Services Caseworkers.  These workers rack up numerous miles annually on their personal cars.

The General Assembly will return for more work on Wednesday for the main purpose of this Session, as noted above, for the General Assembly to ratify the moratorium imposed by Governor Perdue on the collection of motor fuel taxes, including the 7.5% prepaid excise tax and 4% sales tax.

 
Both of these issues impact the Budget.  Late in the day, the House Appropriations Committee’s Health Subcommittee announced that it will meet on Thursday, September 8, 2005 one hour after the House adjourns.