State Sen. Ronnie Chance, R-Tyrone, has announced he will run for re-election to his current seat.

Chance sponsored a successful bill that, if signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue, will require local school systems to spend a minimum of 65 percent of their total operating expenditures on direct classroom funding. School systems could apply to the State Board of Education for a one-year waiver to this rule, and any sanctions for violating the rule are left to the discretion of the Georgia Board of Education.

Chance was also one of the original co-sponsors of Senate Bill 529, the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act. The bill requires that any contractor working for the state of Georgia, or any of its cities or counties, must participate in the federal work authorization program to verify information on all new employees.

That bill also requires jailers to verify the nationality of all persons charged with a felony or with driving under the influence. All persons who are determined to be illegally living in the U.S. shall be reported to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or any other agency designated by Homeland Security officials.

SB 529 also sets human trafficking as a felony punishable by 1 to 20 years in prison unless the offense is conducted on a person under the age of 18 for labor or sexual servitude, in which case the penalty jumps to a 10 year minimum sentence.

"It is time for the people who are in our state illegally to realize that what they are doing is against the law," Chance said in a news release. "We have done our part in Georgia. I urge each citizen to contact their Congressman and United States Senators and ask them to pass a tough federal illegal immigration law to protect our borders and our nations security."

Chance serves on the Senate committees of higher education, economic development, finance, reapportionment and redistricting and veterans and military affairs.

Chance serves in the 16th District, which includes part of Fayette County, all of Lamar and Pike counties, and part of Monroe and Spalding counties. He is a graduate of Fayette County High School and the school of business at Georgia State University.