Athletics, Religion, Tattoos, and Space Flights

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, March 11, 2016 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

This year’s religious liberty debate took on a new subject February 1st when Senator Burt Jones introduced S.B. 309. Despite the haggling over religious liberty bills, this not only passed the Senate February 18th, it immediately passed the House Education Committee March 2nd.

S.B. 309 may be the first-of-its-kind in Georgia, and it’s especially important in this culture. It provides that (a) no high school or high school coaching staff receiving state funds could participate in interscholastic athletic events in athletic associations that do not allow personal and voluntary religious expression of student athletes. Likewise, (b) high schools that receive state funds could not participate in athletic associations that don’t allow member schools to organize and play scrimmage matches, games, or other athletic competitions with nonmember schools.

S.B. 309 passed the Senate 39-16 on February 18th, and passed the House on March 10th by a vote of 123-34. It becomes law July 1st, unless the governor vetoes it.H.B. 654 may put a crimp in the tattoo business, but teenagers need to be informed of a certain consequence of having tattoos. In March, Representative Sandra Scott introduced H.B. 654 that requires tattoo studios to post notification that certain tattoos could disqualify the wearer from military service, and it passed the House 112-38 on February 29th.

If H.B. 654 becomes law, tattoo studios must conspicuously display in a prominent place that’s easily seen by patrons entering the studio the following printed sign: “WARNING: YOU WILL LIKELY BE DISQUALIFIED FROM JOINING THE MILITARY IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO ON YOUR FACE, NECK, FOREARM, HAND, WRIST, OR LOWER LEG.”

All the letters on that sign must be at least one inch high. The first failure to display the sign would bring a warning. A second failure would bring a $25 fine, $75 for a third offense, and $300 for each additional offense. Call Senator Jeffares 404 463-1376 and ask him to pass H.B. 654 out of the Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committee.

H.B. 734, the Georgia Space Flight Act, authorizes the development of space flight activities that are now designated for Camden County, one of Georgia’s first counties. The original language of the bill, arbitrarily, interfered with local government control. It (a) declared that space flight operations “shall not constitute nuisances,” and (b) prohibited local government regulation of noise associated with space flights operations. Wisely, the House Judiciary Committee deleted the two sections limiting local control and H.B. 734 passed the House 164-8, with 4 not voting and 4 excused. Call the Senate Judiciary Committee at 404 463-3931 to express your opinion about space flight operations in Georgia. Along with more jobs, they’ll bring noise, but local governments remain free to regulate such nuisances. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.