Although some major proposals failed in the 2008 session of the Georgia General Assembly, a number of good measures were approved. In the midst of headlines screaming about what did not pass, productive and positive work led to important legislation.

I was particularly pleased that two of my legislative priorities for the session were approved. The first bill was designed to reinstate residency restrictions on sex offenders after a court decision voided provisions in existing law last November. When signed into law, this bill will insure that sex offenders and predators cannot live or work near specified areas where children congregate. This also means that Georgia will continue to have one of the nation’s toughest laws to protect our children.

The other measure was a comprehensive reform of the public defender system in Georgia. Georgians have watched in shock and dismay at the exorbitant costs of the legal defense for accused Fulton County Courthouse killer Brian Nichols. This legislation is designed to bring some fiscal common sense to this program through better controls, management, and accounting. The public defender system is worth saving but it had to be changed.

A lot of good legislation doesn’t generate headlines or controversy. A good example this year was budget transparency reforms which will shine the light on the way our state spends money. This bill will establish a searchable, free website to access state expenditures, state contracts, state audits and salary and travel expense data for every state employee.

Both the House and the Senate approved House Bill 89, which results in the single greatest expansion of Second Amendment rights in our state’s history. This bill expands the list of places where Georgians licensed to carry concealed weapons can take their firearm.

Efforts to pass a credit freeze law finally paid off with the passage of House Bill 130, which allows consumers to place a security freeze on their credit report with the reporting agencies to protect their identity and credit rating.

State lawmakers also toughened Georgia’s drunk driving laws by passing a bill which makes the fourth and subsequent DUI conviction within a ten-year period a felony.

Many other bills were passed by both chambers and, like the ones discussed above, now await the signature of the governor. Obviously, even a summary of each bill would be lengthy. I would encourage you to contact me if you would like to get information on any bill.

However, the 2008 legislative session will likely not be remembered for what did get done as much as for what did not get done.

Georgians deserve better than they got this year in terms of tax relief and transportation improvements, among other issues. I am hopeful that leadership will come together and work in a genuine way to truly implement the conservative agenda we were sent to do. We need a little more civility in our public discussions and less gamesmanship.

It is a high honor to represent you in the House of Representatives. I have tried to work hard to earn and keep your trust. I hope to have the opportunity to continue working for you.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions or need information on your state government. You can reach me by phone at (404) 656-5943 or by e-mail at dralston1@etcmail.com.