Several family-friendly bills were passed over the last several weeks. One was an effort to encourage civic responsibility and literacy among our young people by allowing a child under the age of 17 to accompany his or her parent into the voting booth.

We also voted to increase the amount of exemptions for children on state income tax to $2,700. This should cut a family's tax bill. However, when a family or individual does have to pay taxes, new legislation will require the Department of Revenue to cash a payment check within 30 days so as not to hold up someone's bank balance indefinitely.

This clearing of red tape is projected to save Georgia taxpayers as much as $20 million.

And finally, on a bill supported by the Georgia Park and Recreation Association and the Georgia High School Association, the House voted 131 to 34 to "make it a misdemeanor of a high nature with a fine of up to $5,000 to assault a sports official." The hope is that the increased penalty may make parents are spectators better role models at sporting events.

This past week we created the Joint Highway Study Committee to examine challenges brought on by population growth and increasing traffic throughout the state. The committee will also conduct an overall study of driver safety with a thorough examination of an entire range of issues relating to highway safety and the smooth flow of traffic, freight and passengers through Georgia. This is in response to the more than 280,000 accidents in Georgia reported each year.

I personally be believe that this will be a very important study having witnessed yet another terrible accident on exit 12 of I-85. My prayers go out to the families of those involved. On a further note, I contacted the Department of Transportation about the hazards of this exit and they began an immediate inspection of the timing of the traffic signals and the volume of vehicles using this exit.

Mr. Marion Waters of the DOT encourages all citizens to contact his department if they witness an accident or a bad traffic situation that they believe could be corrected by some action on their part. The Department of Transportation number is 404-656-5206.

Lastly, we passed House Bill 278, which will make officials state under oath their reasons for closing government meetings. An affidavit stating that discussions in the meeting remained on the subject matter would have to be signed by the chair of the meeting.