URGENT ACTION NEEDED! WEDNESDAY, March 7, 2012
Cross-Over Day in the General Assembly

Call early to be sure your legislator gets the message in time.

To be connected to your senator’s office, call 404 656-5040.
To be connected to your representative’s office, call 404 656-5015.

Important Bills to be Voted on Tomorrow

S.B. 459 Authorizes PSC to allow consumers to opt-out of smart meters provided by investor-owned utilities.
ACTION: Support.  Ask your senator to vote YES.

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S.B. 673 Urges Congress to call an “Amendments Convention” (another name for a Constitutional Convention).
ACTION: Oppose.  Ask your senator to vote NO.

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H.B. 797 Enabling Legislation for Charter Schools

If passed, it would authorize the state to be in the business of chartering schools to be converted from existing public schools or created as start-up charter public schools, funded with taxes.

The appointed State Board of Education would appoint a Charter School Commission that would authorize and help establish charter schools throughout the state.  State charter schools could enroll students from three attendance zones – from one local school district, from multiple local districts or from all over the state.  Currently, no charter schools in Georgia have a state-wide enrollment zone.
ACTION: Oppose.  Ask your representative to vote NO.  H.B 797 is worthless, unless H.R. 1162 passes in a referendum in the November Election.  If voters pass H.R. 1162 in November, well-studied enabling legislation could be introduced in 2013, after voters have time to consider ramifications of such a major power shift from locally elected school boards into the hands of state appointees.