BY REP. MICHAEL HARDEN
This year, the Georgia General Assembly’s legislative session wrapped up April 3. Over the last few months, I sent periodic updates to you discussing key legislation and events. At the end of the 2009 session, the House and Senate sent all legislation that had been passed by both chambers to the governor’s desk. The governor then had 40 days to decide what legislation to sign into law. Wednesday, May 13, was the final day for the governor to sign or veto those bills and resolutions. Now that this deadline has passed and the governor has signed 337 bills and eight resolutions into law, I would like to update you on the status of some of the legislation I mentioned earlier this year.
As you may remember, House Bill 261 created a six month window during which anyone purchasing a single-family residence will receive a tax credit of up to $1,800. The tax credit, which would be taken over three years, took affect on Monday, May 11, when the governor signed the bill into law. It is my belief that this six month tax window will immediately improve Georgia’s real estate market by creating an incentive to buy homes now rather than later. The effects of jumpstarting the housing industry will ripple out to many other areas of Georgia’s economy, including construction and manufacturing.
The governor signed House Bill 280, which starts new fully-certified math and science teachers at the same salary as a fifth year teacher, into law on April 22. This new initiative is intended to increase the number of these types of teachers and will continue to improve our education system. For example, in the 2007-2008 school year Georgia produced 2,000 early childhood teachers, but only one physics teacher, nine chemistry teachers and 140 math teachers. Hopefully, the financial incentive provided in HB 280 will encourage more people to become teachers in these critical need areas.
Finally, the governor recently signed Senate Bill 86, which requires all people registering to vote after December 31, 2009, to prove their citizenship. This legislation was modeled after an Arizona law that has already been approved by the U.S. Department of Justice. I hope this new provision will strengthen the confidence of all Georgians in our election process.
Please keep in mind that last year the Secretary of State’s office sent out 4,771 “citizen status advisory” letters to registered voters whose citizenship was uncertain. SB 86 will streamline the process so that citizenship questions are raised and settled at the beginning of the process, rather than at polling locations on Election Day.
Now that the 2009 legislative session is over and the governor has finished signing bills into law, I will continue to look at issues affecting our state and our district. I appreciate the opportunity to serve you and please do not hesitate to contact me at (706) 599-6028 or by email at ‘michael.harden@house.ga.gov’, if I can be of assistance to you or your family.
Michael Harden represents Banks County in the Georgia House of Representatives.
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