News from Senator Lester Jackson | Senate District 2
January 19, 2015
 

Sen. Lester Jackson The first week of the 2015 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly concluded Jan. 15 and was highlighted by the State of the State Address delivered Jan. 14 by Gov. Nathan Deal to a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives.  

 

Following the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday on Monday, Jan. 19, the Senate and House and Appropriations Committees will hold hearings and begin work on the proposed budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2015 and the annual budget for fiscal year 2016. The full General Assembly is scheduled to reconvene Jan. 26 for the fifth legislative day of the session.

 

Throughout the legislative session, I hope you will contact me with your views on the issues being addressed at the Capitol, or whenever I can be of service to you.  

 

Sen. Lester Jackson

Georgia Senate District 2

 


Sen. Jackson takes the oath of office for the 2015-2016 legislative term.

Sen. Jackson, senior Senator from Chatham County, welcomes new District 1 Sen. Ben Watson to the Senate.

Sen. Jackson greets former Congressman Jack Kingston of Savannah and Chatham County Commissioner Tony Center at the State Capitol.
Georgia State Capitol Senate Democrats present legislative priorities for 2015 session 

Democrats have put together a legislative package designed to address many of the concerns of Georgia's working families. We are willing to work with the majority to find common ground in order to make the lives of real Georgians easier. We've always believed in a better way for Georgia's families and always will. Democrats' legislative package produces concrete solutions proven to help middle class families and small businesses. We have 50 bills drafted this month to address health care, to address public education and to advance working families.

 

Our package will also allow the people to gain trust in how the business of this state is handled by elected officials through an independently operated ethics commission. Democrats want to end the taint of scandal that has surrounded our state for too long, open the process to the people and restore confidence in their government. Making the state a great place to do business and a great place for working families will be a priority for Democrats.

 

Our President said, "The true test of the American ideal is whether we're able to recognize our failings and then rise together to meet the challenges of our time." Democrats stand ready to help build the communities of our dreams. This fight is for all Georgians. Only with your involvement can we move Georgia forward. Please engage in the process: send us letters, call our offices, write us e-mails and visit us at the Capitol or in the district. I promise we will listen. This is our beloved state. These are our communities. Together we stand or fall.

 

Senate Committee Assignments: Sen. Lester Jackson has been appointed to serve on the following Senate Committees for the 2015-2016 legislative term:
  • Agriculture & Consumer Affairs
  • Finance
  • Health & Human Services
  • Higher Education
  • Urban Affairs
'State of the State': In his annual "State of the State" address to the General Assembly, Gov. Nathan Deal spoke in favor of an additional financial investment to improve the state's transportation infrastructure, as recommended by a special study committee.

While the Governor recommended increase spending on transportation, he did not come out in support of a specific plan to generate revenue for the additional spending. The study committee had estimated the need for an addition of $1 billion to $1.5 billion annually to maintain the current road system.

On education, Gov. Deal asked lawmakers to pass a constitutional amendment to establish an "Opportunity School District," in which the state would take over the operation of individual failing schools. He has also appointed an Education Reform Commission for the purpose of overhauling the state's Quality Basic Education funding formula for local school systems.

 

The Governor continued his call for criminal justice reforms and proposed combining the supervision functions of three state agencies -- the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Corrections -- into a new Department of Community Supervision.

 

Gov. Deal expressed support for decriminalizing and controlling the use of cannabis oil for the medical treatment of certain conditions, including childhood seizures. He said he does not support the legalization of marijuana for recreational use and opposes allowing marijuana to be grown or sold in the state.


Sen. Jackson will be hosting a half-hour radio show "Under the Gold Dome" each Tuesday during the legislative session at 8 a.m. on Magic 103.9 FM , which will also be broadcasting live from Savannah Day at the State Capitol on Jan. 29.
Sen. Jackson's Legislation
Recent action on legislation sponsored or co-sponsored by Sen. Lester Jackson:

SB 12 Quality Basic Education Formula; require the full funding (referred to Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 13 HOPE Scholarships and Grants; provide amount; shall be accepted as full payment of tuition by University System of Georgia institutions (referred to Senate Higher Education Committee)

SB 14 'Pay Forward, Pay Back Student Grant Act' (referred to Senate Higher Education Committee)

SB 15 Minimum Wage Law; provide for substantive and comprehensive reform; provisions (referred to Senate Insurance & Labor Committee)

SB 16 Job Creation Standards Act of 2015 (referred to Senate Finance Committee)

SB 17 Taxation and Revenue; allow an individual with no taxable income to claim a tax credit (referred to Senate Finance Committee)

SB 18 Technical College System of Georgia; establish policies for granting academic credit for college level learning from military service, work experience (referred to Senate Higher Education Committee)

SB 19 "Employment Security Law"; change certain provisions (referred to Senate Insurance & Labor Committee)

SB 20 Citizens' Redistricting Commission; create; membership and duties (referred to Senate Reapportionment & Redistricting Committee)

SB 21 "Ethics in Government Act"; revise; change the name; reconstitute the membership (referred to Senate Ethics Committee)

SB 23 Evidence; privileges; expand for information obtained by news media for news gathering or dissemination (referred to Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 24 General Assembly; provisions; provide definition; local bill (referred to Senate State & Local Governmental Operations Committee)

SB 25 Elections; provide for election day voter registration and voting; procedures and methods (referred to Senate Ethics Committee)

SB 27 Election; change the time periods for advance voting (referred to Senate Ethics Committee)

SB 28 Elections; remove certain requirements regarding proof of voter identity at the polls (referred to Senate Ethics Committee)

SB 30 Income Taxes; require the department to prepare a tax return for certain taxpayers (referred to Senate Finance Committee)

SB 31 Elections; provide for automatic voter registration in certain circumstances (referred to Senate Ethics Committee)

SB 32 Community Health, Board of; reopen the 2014 open enrollment; major medical facility declared out of network; define certain terms (referred to Senate Insurance & Labor Committee)

SB 33 Elections; provide for election by plurality vote; date of the general primary (referred to Senate Ethics Committee)

SB 37 Law Enforcement Officers; require certain persons with arrest powers at university or college campuses; report allegations of rape to local law enforcement (introduced)

SR 11 Senate Study Committee on Employee Misclassification; create (referred to Senate Insurance & Labor Committee)

SR 12 General Assembly; authorize to provide limitations by general law on the amount of tuition charged to students receiving lottery funded scholarships - Constitutional Amendment (referred to Senate Higher Education Committee)

SR 14 Appropriations Bills; preparation, submission and enactments; education appropriations act - Constitutional Amendment (referred to Senate Appropriations Committee)

SR 22 4-H Day; recognize February 23 (adopted by Senate)

Click here for all of Sen. Jackson's 2015-2016 legislation.

Contact Sen. Jackson
At the Capitol: 
432 State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: 404-463-5261
Fax: 404-463-5547

In the District:
1501 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31401
Phone: 912-233-7970
Fax: 912-201-0431

Email: [email protected]