Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Rep. Fludd explains vote on gay unions

Mr. Cal Beverly, you and I first met in January and I agreed to write a guest column for this newspaper. Now is probably as good a time as any to share with your readers some of my activities as well as my thoughts on the legislative process and the General Assembly.

Since the start of the session, I have learned more about septic tanks than I could have ever imagined. Effective April 1, new rules from the Georgia EPD will go into effect with regard to, among other things, the length of drain fields for septic systems.

HB 992 could have a direct affect on the cost and maintenance of septic systems. Since nearly half of the homes in Fayette County are in the unincorporated areas and on septic systems, I felt compelled to evaluate this issue in more great detail.

In late January, I passed my first bill in the House. HB 363 that requires publishers to provide textbooks electronically as well as in traditional form. I know more than a few parents (including myself) would be pleased to know that the homework that is due on Monday can still be completed on Sunday afternoon, even though the school buildings are locked with the textbooks inside. This would also help your readers whose children are weighted down with heavy books and backpacks every day. The bill is currently awaiting Senate approval.

I have co-sponsored legislation (HB 1636) that would exempt high-performing schools from many of the burdensome regulations of state government. Working with House Republicans to get this bill drafted, this would be a welcome relief to many of the schools in our system. The bill would exempt schools that have met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets for two consecutive years from some of the rules that a number of educators have complained about. All of the schools in Fayette County would be eligible for this exemption if they met the targets in 2004.

Since the last session, I have developed a strong advocacy for consumer protections. As a result, I authored HB 1385 which requires the licensing of mortgage originators. This is a bipartisan effort aimed at curbing abuses in the industry, protecting consumers, while giving businesses a mechanism to know more about the people they hire. The bill is scheduled for a hearing soon in a banking subcommittee.

Continuing my consumer advocacy, I worked diligently to pass SB 157 to eliminate the illegal practice of payday lending in this state. While the problem may not be visible in Fayette County, it is a major problem statewide, especially at or near military bases.

The issue was so large that it was part of the consideration by the Pentagon in determining which bases across the country that may be closed. The negative effects of payday loans and the spiraling debt that they can create could have an impact on the readiness of our troops.

I was honored to serve on the Conference Committee that resolved the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. SB 157 is awaiting Governor Perdue’s signature.

My greatest excitement is around a statewide effort. I am leading and have partnered with the University of Georgia and the Georgia Consortium for Personal Financial Literacy to promote financial education in this state. The lack of financial knowledge can be traced to many of the economic problems that have harmed our state.

We plan to heavily promote the “Georgia Saves” program in a week-long campaign to encourage savings and financial education across the state. This initiative will involve banks, credit unions, schools, community groups, seniors, students, working adults, and the military. We expect to have broad-based support from fellow legislators and the governor.

As time has allowed, some of my other activities over the past few months include the passage of HB 208 and HB 210. These bills revise outdated law regulating homeowners and condominium associations. They have passed the House and are awaiting a hearing in the Senate.

I have also worked with several of the county’s mayors to ensure the passage of HB 1714. HB 1714 provides cities a meaningful role in determining SPLOST project priorities and ensures funding for city capital projects. The bill also includes concessions related to the rezoning of annexed property within a year of the annexation. The SPLOST negotiations issue has been one of the highest priorities for many cities across the state and in our county.

Along with my fellow delegation members, we have hosted the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, the Fayette County School Board, the superintendent and his senior staff, and community leaders in north Fayette. I am honored to have spent time explaining state government to the 14 pages that have visited me at the Capitol this session.

I would be remiss if I did not touch on the vote we took recently on the gay marriage amendment. You should be aware that I considered a number of factors before casting my vote. Let me point out that we did not vote on the question of whether or not to legalize gay marriages. We voted on whether or not we should amend the state Constitution to ban gay marriages.

Here is what was considered:

• The fact that same-sex marriage is already illegal in the state of Georgia.

• Georgia and federal law forbid same-sex marriage and define marriage as between a man and a woman.

• In 1996, a federal law was passed (HR 3396, The Defense of Marriage Act, authored by Rep. Bob Barr) allowing a state to decide for itself “whether it wants to grant legal status to same-sex marriage.”

This means that Georgia does not have to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states or municipalities. The law goes further to describe “marriage as the legal union of a man and a woman as husband and wife, and a spouse is a husband or wife of the opposite sex.”

• There are no legal challenges to current law.

• A constitutional amendment can be overturned or repealed just as a statute can.

• Section “b” in SR 595 could cause several major corporations, cities and counties to be in violation of the law because they recognize civil unions, which would be illegal if SR 595 were to pass.

I want to thank your readers who have contacted me and expressed their support. As a legislator, I am sworn to represent all of the people of my district: Democrats, Republicans, men, women, children, blacks, whites, Hispanics, those who voted for me as well as those who did not.

I take my role very seriously. I appreciate the opportunity to share with your readers what I have been doing for the past few months and look forward to continuing my service.

Virgil Fludd

State Representative

512 Legislative Office Building

Atlanta, Ga. 30334

404-656-7859 Capitol

770-486-0942 District

vfludd@legis.state.ga.us