Over a month has passed since conclusion of the 2008 session and that all-important day is now upon us when Governor Perdue will either sign or veto legislation that passed. Although a bill will become law without the Governor’s signature, Governor Perdue is typically quite thorough in reviewing every single piece of legislation that passed, either approving or rejecting the measure. Recently, we’ve seen the Governor sign several important bills, and I’d like to take a closer look at these new Georgia laws.

Tougher dog fighting laws

Georgia’s penalties for dog fighting now have some teeth with the Governor’s recent signing of House Bill 301. House Bill 301 expands current Georgia law on dog fighting to prohibit activities such as training dogs for fighting, organizing bets and advertising exhibitions. These new standards include penalties for those who actively participate in dog fighting, but the bill was crafted in such a way that those who train dogs for hunting and law enforcement purposes will not be jeopardized in any way. In the Senate, we have pushed for tougher laws and penalties for dog fighting for several years now, passing tough dog fighting bills on two separate occasions. In 2005, I chaired a subcommittee that focused on strengthening the penalty for dog fighting in our state. In the end, I am very pleased that a stronger dog fighting law is one of the products of the 2008 Session.

New tools for GBI investigations

Another bill signed this week will assist the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) in solving cases that require comparative DNA analysis. Senate Bill 430 allows law enforcement officers to compare DNA samples from suspects in a criminal investigation with legally obtained DNA samples already contained in the GBI database. By removing this legal roadblock, the GBI will have the ability to solve more crimes, particularly cold cases where the evidence was previously unattainable. SB 430 was brought about by the recent case of Meredith Emerson, who was abducted in our area and later murdered. I am sure most of you know this tragic case very well. When law enforcement agents took a suspect into custody, who they believed to be linked to another murder in Florida, the GBI was unable to release the suspect’s DNA information to other states, thus incapable of providing evidence before the suspect eventually plead guilty. SB 430 will eliminate this problem.

Land Conservation Credits

Governor Perdue also signed the Georgia Forest Land Protection Act of 2008, HB 1211, in Swainsboro this week. HB 1211 creates a property valuation classification of forest land, which has no acreage cap and allows all property owners including businesses to put their property into covenant and receive the tax benefits. The legislation will become effective upon the passage of a related constitutional amendment on the ballot in the November elections (HR 1276). The Forest Land Protection Act will protect the state’s environment for years to come and allow forest land owners to continue their ownership of these valuable resources by reducing the burden of unfair property taxes. In addition to maintaining the state’s forest land, it will also help ensure clean air and water. By entering into a covenant to utilize the forest land for conservation purposes for at least 15 years, Georgia’s private property owners will have the advantage of a lower tax burden on qualifying land for as long as the land is kept in its natural state.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008, is the last day for the Governor to either sign or veto legislation. It should be quite interesting to see the other bills that become law this year. As always, please contact me in my office on the issues that are affecting you and your area.

Please feel free to contact Sen. Chip Pearson at 404.656.9221 or by email at chip.pearson@senate.ga.gov.