Category Archives: Radio Commentaries

January 22, 2016 Radio Commentary

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The Grow-Marijuana-in-Georgia Bill

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, January 22, 2016 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Last year Representative Allen Peake got his 12-page H.B. 1 passed to legalize medical marijuana! This year he’s trying to pass his 25-page H.B. 722 that would legalize a marijuana-growing and product-selling business in Georgia.

Last year’s bill authorized the use of marijuana for eight specific medical conditions; this year’s bill more than doubles that number, to 16 conditions, plus “any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the commissioner.”

The commissioner would have until December 1st, to register as many as six Georgia medical marijuana producers and new producers could be hired every December 1st. July 1, 2017 is the target-date for producers to supply marijuana, but this bill requires distribution to patients to begin by July 1st this year. Continue reading →

January 15, 2016 Radio Commentary

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War on Traditional Morality goes “Full Speed Ahead!”

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, January 15, 2016 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Today ends the first week of this legislative session that convened with a back-breaking workload of bills from last session. It wouldn’t be so bad if the bills were about issues that don’t mean much, whether they pass or fail. But, that’s not the case!

Schools have become a major battlefield where the vicious war on morality is waged and is being intensified through the legislative process. Last session, Representative Keisha Waites introduced H.B. 40 to force public and private schools to give sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity civil rights status in instances of bullying. Non cooperative schools would suffer the consequences. The problem is: the definition of bullying has been expanded to include any negative comment to anyone.

If H.B. 40 were to pass, all public schools and all private schools would be forced to discard life-long policies that support traditional morality and replace them with blatant affirmation of alternate lifestyles. If that were to happen, students would lose their freedom of speech. They couldn’t say anything negative about any lifestyle.

Also last year, H.B. 142 was introduced by Representative Simone Bell. It would penalize schools that refuse to adopt pro-homosexual policies. The penalty outlined in her bill would be to withhold scholarship money from any school that would not implement the change. Continue reading →

January 8, 2016 Radio Commentary

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2016 Session Convenes Next Monday

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, January 8, 2016 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Next Monday our senators and representatives report to work at 10:00 o’clock to begin this year’s 40-day legislative session. Among the legislators will be eight new representatives and two new senators, who won special elections since last session.

If I were a new legislator, I would be astonished to learn that 786 bills and resolutions are still alive from last year’s session and I would be even more astonished to know how critically important some of those bills are.

For example: If I were a new representative, I might ask Representative Ron Stephens why he waited until the last week of last session to introduce two highly controversial bills. One is H.R. 807 that would change the State Constitution to authorize the building and operation of six resort casinos in Georgia. The other is his 127-page H.B. 677 that would legalize and regulate those six resort casinos. Then, I would ask him why he thinks Georgia needs an industry that charges a half-million-dollars to simply apply for a license. If the application is accepted, the license will cost the applicant $25,000,000 or $10,000,000 depending on where the casino will be located. Even if the application is turned down, the half-million-dollars won’t be refunded. Continue reading →

January 1, 2016 Radio Commentary

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Marijuana for the New Year

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, January 1, 2016 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

In May 2015, Governor Deal created the Georgia Commission on Medical Cannabis to study the issue until the end of the year and make recommendations for full implementation of H.B. 1 that legalized medical cannabis last session. Representative Allen Peake, who introduced and spearheaded passage of H.B. 1, was appointed Commission chairman. The Commission’s full report was due December 31st.

The first meeting of the Commission was in June, on the same day the Health Department launched the Low THC Oil Registry for patients who prove they have at least one of eight medical conditions approved for treatment. Patients that qualify get a two-year card authorizing them to possess enough cannabis oil to fill a 20-ounce soft drink bottle.

The August meeting featured four out-of-state medical marijuana manufacturers who proposed different models for in-state growth and distribution. Jason Cranford, originally from Georgia, wants Georgia to cultivate ten-, twenty-, thirty-percent potency marijuana, so users can avoid breaking federal laws against transporting illegal drugs across state lines. Continue reading →