Category Archives: Radio Commentaries

May 8, 2015 Radio Commentary

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Two Good Bills that Did NOT Pass

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, May 8, 2015 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

On the first day of the first legislative session after their election to the General Assembly, senators and representatives swear an oath to uphold the laws and constitutions of Georgia and the United States. That’s why some of their actions are so startling. You’d think some bills would be important enough to sail through the system and become law immediately. But in many cases that does not happen.

Consider the treatment of S.B. 6, which is a classic example of a much-needed bill to protect the law. Senator Josh McKoon introduced S.B. 6 on January 28th, and it went to the Senate Public Safety Committee, chaired by Senator Tyler Harper, who decided it would not be heard in his committee. The fact is: Senate Rules allow committee chairmen to decide which bills to handle and which to set aside. So, Senator Harper has a right to keep S.B. 6 in committee, but by doing so, he may be violating his oath of office, since S.B. 6 would prohibit the issuance of driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. Also, there’s another angle to consider.

Because he refuses to honor S.B. 6, the senator has bowed to the 2012 unlawful presidential order that deferred deportation for anyone under age 31, if they entered this country illegally before their 16th birthday. Adding federal action to the Georgia situation, simply, builds upon unlawful acts surrounding driver’s licenses and illegal aliens. So, count the illegalities. 1. They entered the country illegally; 2. They received amnesty without congressional authority, 3. They got Georgia driver’s licenses, despite their illegal status; and 4. S.B. 6 was kept in committee because the chairman does not want illegals to go to jail for driving without a license. Continue reading →

May 1, 2015 Radio Commentary

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Children, Adults & Sexual Orientation Bills

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, May 1, 2015 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Without exception, bills promoting alternate lifestyles are introduced every year in Georgia, and the five bills we’re considering today fit that category. Not one of them passed, but all five are alive for action in the 2016 session.

Representative Keisha Waites (D) pre-filed H.B. 40 on January 9th, but waited until March 2nd to introduce it. Initially, it went to the House Education Committee but was moved to the Juvenile Justice Committee, where it remains until 2016. So, that committee will decide next year whether public and private schools should be forced to give sexual orientation, gender and gender identity civil rights status in bullying situations. Actually, H.B. 40 is unnecessary, because Georgia law was rewritten years ago to treat all students equally when bullying is an issue.

On January 29th Representative Simone Bell (D) introduced H.B. 142, requiring schools and nonpublic pre-kindergarten, primary and secondary schools to adopt LGBT-affirming policies. LGBT is short for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transsexual. Schools and programs that refuse to implement such policies would not be eligible to receive student scholarships. H.B. 142 was left in the House Education Committee for consideration in 2016. Continue reading →

April 24, 2015 Radio Commentary

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Troublesome Bills That Passed

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, April 24, 2015 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

In 2009 when House Judiciary Chairman Willard introduced H.B. 582 to decriminalize prostitution and other sexual conduct for anyone under 18 years old, it was assigned to his committee and died there. The next year, Senator Renee Unterman introduced S.B. 304 to decriminalize prostitution and other sexual conduct for anyone under the age of 16. Although she dropped the age to 16 instead of 18, she expanded the parameters of the previous bill by deeming sex offenders under 16 to be victims of sexual exploitation, thereby making them eligible for victim compensation benefits.

At the end of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for her bill, the members did not vote, but kept it on the agenda for their next meeting. Realizing her bill was not moving, she had the language transferred to the “unruly child” Code Section, where under-age illegal sexual conduct was listed alongside the offense of skipping school, which suggested that sexual offenses are no more serious than missing a day in school.

In February 2011, Representative Ed Lindsey introduced a much-more-sophisticated bill to do the same. His H.B. 200 “threw the book” at panderers and pimps, and increased by two years the age in Senator Unterman’s bill. So, he decriminalized prostitution, sodomy, pornography and other sexual conduct for anyone under 18, and included language making them eligible for victim compensation funds, as well. Continue reading →

April 17, 2015 Radio Commentary

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Clean Slate in 2015, Over-Load in 2016

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, April 17, 2015 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

When Georgia’s representatives and senators convened for the 2015 General Assembly January 14th, their legislative plate was empty, well it was almost empty, except for several dozen pre-filed bills and resolutions that accumulated after November 15th. Some of them were officially introduced during the session, but those left in limbo could be brought to life as late as next year’s session.

Since the Constitution of the State of Georgia ordains the power structure of the state it, also, outlines the responsibilities of state officials and their terms – two-years for senators and representatives and a two-year life span of legislation. For example: since 2015 was the first half of the current two-year legislative term, bills and resolutions introduced this session remain alive for the 2016 session, unless they passed both House and Senate or were defeated in either House or Senate this year.

House bills and resolutions that remain alive for the 2016 session are returned to committee for next year’s business, along with bills and resolutions that passed the Senate but not the House. Continue reading →