Georgia State Rep Matt Ramsey

Rep. Matt Ramsey Comments on Supreme Court Decision

2012-06-25T16:29:00.001-04:00

State Representative Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City) released the following statement today regarding the United States Supreme Court decision in Arizona v. United States:

“I look forward to reading the opinion in its entirety, but I am pleased that the United States Supreme Court has recognized that the states do clearly have a role in enforcing our nation’s immigration laws. By upholding an Arizona provision that is similar to a provision in Georgia’s law, which allows state and local law enforcement officers to check the immigration status of criminal suspects, the Supreme Court has confirmed that states can implement this common-sense and important public safety measure. Today’s ruling confirms our belief that not only was Georgia’s H.B. 87 an important step in protecting taxpayers from the social and economic consequences of illegal immigration, but the statute was also drafted to withstand constitutional scrutiny.”

Representative Matt Ramsey represents the citizens of District 72, which includes portions of Fayette County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2007, and was elected by the House Majority Caucus to serve as their Caucus Vice-Chairman in 2010. He also serves on the Appropriations, Congressional and Legislative Reapportionment, Judiciary Non-Civil, and Regulated Industries committees.

State Rep. Matt Ramsey earns “A+” from Georgia Chamber for 2012 Session

2012-05-29T18:06:00.006-04:00

State Representative Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City) received an ‘A+’ from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce for his support of pro-business measures during this year’s legislative session. Last week, the Chamber released its 2012 Legislative Scorecard, grading state lawmakers on key business votes during the 2011-2012 General Assembly.

“I am truly honored to receive this designation from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce,” said Rep. Ramsey. “The General Assembly has made good strides in recent years, but it is critical we continue our efforts to lower taxes, remove burdensome regulations on business and promote the principles of the free market in Georgia. I look forward to continuing to partner with the Georgia Chamber and its members in the years ahead to ensure Georgia has the most jobs and investment-friendly business climate in America.”

“The ‘A+’ grade given by the Georgia Chamber to State Rep. Matt Ramsey reflects an unwavering commitment to bringing jobs, investment and long-term economic growth to Georgia,” said Georgia Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark. “Without question, he is a true champion of the state’s business community. We are tremendously grateful to have such a strong voice at the capitol working to strengthen Georgia’s pro-business climate and help companies across the state effectively compete in the global marketplace.”

For 2012, the Georgia Chamber identified nine key pieces of legislation critical to the business community for lawmakers to be scored on in policy areas including education, judiciary, and economic development. Prior to votes being taken, the Chamber communicated its position to members of the General Assembly and noted that those bills were eligible to be designated as “scorecard issues.”

This is the second year the Chamber has included letter grades in its report. Legislators were assigned final grades of A, B, C, or U based on their support of the scorecard bills from 2012, and House and Senate members in office during the 2011 General Assembly had last year’s “midterm” grade combined to result in an overall grade for the two-year term. To receive a grade in either year, the legislator must have been present to vote for 50 percent of the total scorecard votes. If the legislator was not present for 50 percent of the votes, they received an ‘N/A’ grade. For some legislators, subjective factors – including but not limited to bill sponsorship, speaking for or against bills and committee votes – were taken into account.

To view and download the complete Georgia Chamber 2011 scorecard, please click here.

Representative Matt Ramsey represents the citizens of District 72, which includes portions of Fayette County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2007, and was elected by the House Majority Caucus to serve as their Caucus Vice-Chairman in 2010. He also serves on the Appropriations, Congressional and Legislative Reapportionment, Judiciary Non-Civil, and Regulated Industries committees.

Thank you for your support

2012-05-29T12:35:00.005-04:00

It is with great humility and appreciation for this wonderful community that I am announcing that I will seek reelection as the State Representative for Georgia House District 72. Every time I’ve had the privilege to stand before the voters, I have pledged that I will work as hard as I know how to represent this district’s interests at the Georgia Capitol. I again renew that pledge. I also believe the most important thing any elected official can do is be responsive to those who elect him and I have strived to always remember that during my five years in office. I will continue to do so if given the opportunity to serve for two more years.

I believe voters want solutions, not politics. I believe voters are fed up with elected officials and political candidates that spend all their time attacking the motivations and ideas of their “opponents” rather than offering anything of substance themselves. Voters simply want what they’ve always wanted: government interfering in their lives as little as possible. As an unapologetic conservative, I believe the best way to advance this district’s and state’s interests is by focusing on legislative initiatives that limit government, keep our taxes low and promote individual responsibility. While in office I have tried my best to represent this district in a positive, results-oriented manner. I will strive to continue to do so if given another two years.

Ideologically, I believe empowering the free-market, rather than government, is the best way to grow our economy. I believe in reducing spending, rather than raising taxes, to balance our state’s budget. I believe in ensuring we have a criminal justice system that spends tax dollars efficiently and keeps our families as safe as possible. I believe in guarding personal liberty against government overreach and expansion. I believe in providing an educational system that allows every child in Georgia to strive for and achieve their very best. I believe in ensuring Georgia has a tax and regulatory system that fosters job creation and economic growth. I believe in promoting a culture of life in Georgia that protects those that cannot protect themselves. I also believe that every single hard-earned tax dollar that is sent to the state treasury needs to either be spent efficiently or returned to the hardworking citizens of Georgia.

However, it is not enough to simply have conviction and ideas. An effective legislator must be able to turn those convictions and ideas into legislation and ultimately law. Some of the initiatives I have helped author and advance during my five years in the legislature and are now law include:

· Legislation to close a loophole in our child molestation law that now keeps children safer from predators.

· Amendments to both our driving laws and controlled substances act aimed at providing a safer Georgia for our teens.

· Legislation to allow health insurance to be sold across state lines to provide Georgians with more choice and competition in the health insurance market.

· Comprehensive immigration reform legislation to protect Georgia taxpayers from the social and economic consequences of illegal immigration.

· Education legislation aimed at filling the shortage of qualified math and science teachers in our public schools to ensure Georgia’s students get the kind of instruction they need to compete in today’s challenging job market.

· Tax reform legislation that provided some of the most significant tax relief to Georgians in decades; including a big step toward eliminating the “marriage penalty” in Georgia’s tax code and eliminating the ad valorem or “birthday tax” on Georgia’s automobile owners.

· Five years of balanced state budgets that have reduced the size of our state government by more than twenty percent and moved Georgia to the 2nd lowest per-capita spending state in the country.

These are the type of initiatives I want to continue to work on over the next two years.

I am a husband to an incredible wife, a father of two young children, a Sunday school teacher, a youth sports coach, an active volunteer at my children’s school and a partner in a small business. I want the same things for this community and state that every other parent does: a safe place to raise a family, quality educational opportunities for our children and a vibrant job market and economy that reward hard work and entrepreneurship. We have so much to be proud and optimistic about in our community and state and I will continue to work to move Georgia in the direction that ensures all of these things are possible for our families.

It has been the greatest honor of my professional life to represent this great community, the community that I grew up in, at the State Capitol. I would be honored and humbled to have the opportunity to represent the hardworking citizens of Fayette and Coweta County for another two years.

Matt Ramsey

Legislative Wrap Up - Day 40

2012-04-02T16:25:00.003-04:00

Sine Die marks the end of a busy session

Last Thursday as the clock struck midnight the General Assembly concluded its 40th and final day of the 2012 legislative session. It was a busy session and I believe our continued focus on jobs and the state economy led to some important measures being sent to the Governor’s desk in the final days of the session. I thought I would quickly summarize a few of the measures that received final passage in the last week of the session.

FY 2013 Budget Act, HB 742

The final House and Senate Conference Committee Fiscal Year 2013 $19 billion budget passed the House on Day 39. As is required by the Georgia constitution the budget is in balance. Education remains Georgia’s highest priority, receiving more than 54% of the state’s appropriated revenues. Meanwhile Georgia continues to do more with less by eliminating 540 state employee positions. What growth we have seen has been appropriated to essential spending such as market salary increases for certain law enforcement officers and increasing resources for physicians so they will practice in our state. All in all, Georgia continues to be very fiscally conservative ranking 49th in the nation in per capita spending with only Alaska spending less per-capita.

Georgia Government Accountability Act, HB 456

The Georgia Government Accountability Act establishes a review process for agency efficiency by creating the Legislative Sunset Advisory Committee. The “Sunset Committee” will review of all state agencies and executive branch subsidiaries that receive funds through a state Appropriations Act. The committee will have the ability to recommend the abolition of an agency, if the responsibilities and obligations, fiduciary or otherwise, of the agency in question are repealed, revised or reassigned by the General Assembly. In fact, the legislature got a head start on this process by eliminating the State Personnel Administration Department in House Bill 805 because it is duplicative and unnecessary. This is an important measure as part of our continued effort to eliminate government waste.

Child Protection and Public Safety Act, HB 641

The Child Protection and Public Safety Act is a comprehensive revision of the juvenile court provisions of Georgia’s Code. These provisions govern the state’s response to children and their families in case of abuse, neglect, violations of the law by children, and other circumstances requiring court intervention. The measure is a critical bill that will enhance public safety and provide abused and neglected children greater protection under the law.

Georgia Tax Tribunals Act, HB 100

A primary recommendation from the 2010 Joint Tax Reform Council, the Georgia Tax Tribunal Act will provide a low-cost mechanism for Georgia’s citizens to resolve disputes involving taxes that are currently administered under the Department of Revenue. The measure will give Georgia citizens and businesses the ability to come before an expert in a quick and efficient forum to challenge state tax assessments and denials of state tax refund claims. The goal is to give citizens and businesses a more efficient and less costly dispute resolution mechanism than going to Superior Court to challenge tax disagreements. This tribunal does not limit a citizen’s ability to file their matter with the Superior Court and all decisions of the tribunal are subject to appeals to the Superior Court by citizens that disagree with the outcome.

Drug Testing for TANF Act, HB 861

As a condition of eligibility to receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, this act will ensure that individuals who seek aide are not using the money to subsidize an addiction to illegal drugs. In order to guarantee that children are not victimized by an ineligible parent, a protective payee would be designated for any child that needs assistance. I was one of the co-authors of this measure and believe it will save taxpayers money and ensure children are getting benefits that are currently being directed to drug abuse.

Fetal Pain Act, HB 954

The Fetal Pain Act is an important measure meant to end Georgia’s status as one of the late-term abortion leaders in the country. In fact, only two states have more late-term abortions (i.e. after 20 weeks) than Georgia. That is disturbing and unacceptable. The measure uses the recent recognition by legal scholars that states do have a legal interest in protecting the unborn after the 20th week to prohibit abortions after this point in the pregnancy except in very, very limited circumstances. I will continue to work to protect the unborn as long as I am a member of the Georgia General Assembly.

False Claims Act, HB 822

The False Claims Act bill expands the use of the state Attorney General’s office to investigate individuals and corporations that engage in fraudulent activity with taxpayer money. Medicaid claims are already subject to this investigative measure. This act is an attempt to recover potentially millions of dollars in fraudulent claims similar to other states, such as Kansas, Florida, California, and New York.

Metals Theft Act, HB 872

Metal theft has been on the rise in Georgia which not only affects us when we have our property stolen but also impacts Georgians through rising insurance premiums. The Metals Theft Act places additional purchasing requirements on secondary metals recyclers in order to limit the individuals who may sell copper coil or wire. It requires that additional information be kept in the records of each transaction, provides for forfeiture proceedings when any copper has been taken illegally, and requires registration of secondary metal recyclers with the Sheriff of each county. It also makes metals buyers liable to a civil case if the provisions of this code section are not followed and the metals purchased proved to be taken through criminal means. I was a co-author of this bill and a member of the Conference Committee that drafted the final version of the bill.

Safe at Schools For Diabetic Children, HB 879

As I have previously reported, I authored legislation this year to provide additional resources for diabetic children and their schools. This important measure passed the Senate two weeks ago and the House voted this week to agree to the minor amendment made by the Senate and thus this measure now goes to the Governor’s desk for signature. This is an important bill to the thousands of children impacted by diabetes in children and will ensure they are in the classroom more and will help to avoid the severe health complications that can result in a diabetic emergency.

These are a few of the bills that passed this past week in the final two days of the session that now await signature by the Governor. I will continue to provide information as the Governor’s bill review process moves forward. As always, thank you for the honor of allowing me to serve on behalf of this great community.

Thank You to Georgia Citizens

2011-05-20T10:47:00.002-04:00

Last week Governor Nathan Deal signed into law House Bill 87 that I co-authored with many other outstanding legislators which aims to comprehensively address the social and economic consequences of illegal immigration. Over the course of the last several months similar comprehensive efforts in some other states have failed and I have been asked repeatedly “why did Georgia’s effort succeed when other’s failed?” My answer has always been “because the CITIZENS of Georgia demanded action.” This was not an issue led by politicians, but rather by the hard working people of Georgia that recognize the serious consequences of our federal government’s failure to secure our borders. The purpose of this note is to simply say THANK YOU to every Georgia citizen that took the time to write, e-mail, call or visit the Capitol on behalf of this bill. The measure would not have become law without you.

In particular I want to thank the Dustin Inman Society, under the leadership of D.A. King, for its untiring and unflinching work on behalf of this initiative. D.A. has been the staunchest advocate in Georgia for years on behalf of efforts to address the issues posed by illegal immigration and his knowledge and passion are unmatched. There is no one in Georgia that has a greater knowledge of state and federal immigration law enforcement efforts than D.A. and he was integral in the passage of the landmark illegal immigration reform measure SB 529 in 2006 and HB 87 this year. D.A. is the voice for thousands of Georgians that are fed up with their federal government’s failure to enforce the rule of law and I appreciate his friendship and am proud to have worked with him on HB 87 and look forward to working with him in the years ahead as we continue the effort to address this critical issue.

I have never been involved in an issue that had such a high level of citizen involvement and engagement and the measure would not have ever gotten out of committee, much less signed into law, without the persistent lobbying efforts of thousands upon thousands of Georgians. Let me again say thank you to all of the thousands of Georgians that supported this effort.

Sincerely,
Matt Ramsey

Rep. Matt Ramsey Comments on Signing of HB 47

2011-05-13T20:07:00.000-04:00

Rep. Ramsey (R) watches as Governor Deal signs HB 47

State Representative Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City) released the following statement today regarding the governor’s signing of House Bill 47:

“I want to thank Governor Deal for signing this legislation today, and by doing so, providing Georgians with more options in the health insurance market.

“HB 47 places more power into the hands of insurance-buying consumers and makes it possible for us to break down the barriers to competition in the health insurance market in our state. As a result, consumers will see an increase in options and greater latitude in their ability to make decisions that benefit their families. The consumer wins when the forces of the free-market are unlocked on their behalf, and that is exactly what HB 47 provides.”

Representative Matt Ramsey represents the citizens of District 72, which includes portions of Fayette County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2007, and was elected by the House Majority Caucus to serve as their Caucus Vice-Chairman in 2010. He also serves on the Appropriations, Congressional and Legislative Reapportionment, Judiciary Non-Civil, and Regulated Industries committees.

Affordable Health Care through Free-Market Solutions

2011-05-02T09:10:00.000-04:00

The following is a response to opponents of HB 47 and free market health insurance solutions
by Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers and House Majority Caucus Vice-Chair Matt Ramsey

Georgians don’t just need access to affordable health care; Georgians need greater access to meaningful health care. The free-market principles of competition can help drive down costs, provide for greater accessibility, and provide Georgians with more health care options.

It’s true that House Bill 47 will allow Georgia licensed insurance companies to sell products they sell in other states to Georgians. It is also true that cost isn’t the only consideration for the uninsured. Many consumers are stuck in a stagnant health insurance market with fewer carriers and plan choices than their cross-border neighbors. HB 47 would help the uninsured access a more-customized benefits package that meets their health needs.

18% of Georgia’s population has no health insurance. These Georgians are one bad illness or accident away from a complete health and financial disaster. Our state’s uninsured are individuals, families and small business owners that do not have access to insurance through their employer or a family member. The only option they have to purchase insurance is in Georgia’s one-size-fits-all individual market place, which simply lacks the choice and competition to work well for the consumer. HB 47 will unlock the forces of the free market and provide more options for Georgia’s insurance buying consumers.

In addition to bringing greater choices and access to health insurance, HB 47 will also allow Georgia to benefit from innovative plans in other states. Cross-border purchasing of health insurance will cause pressure to create a more competitive Georgia health insurance market. It will bring about quicker access to innovative plans because insurers would face fewer “barriers to entry” into Georgia. In other words, HB 47 will allow Georgians to benefit from new ideas in other states while maintaining access to all of the core consumer and licensing protections important to this state.

If a greater range of plans enters Georgia’s market, it only means that Georgians are freely choosing those plans and becoming insured and it would also reveal that Georgia’s current market place, which inhibits choice, simply is not working. It is also important to remember that this will be Georgia companies selling plans it offers in other states to Georgia consumers. This will ensure Georgia citizens with access to Georgia courts, Georgia’s Insurance Commissioner’s grievance resolution process and all other consumer protections afforded insurance buyers today in Georgia. Simply put, the purpose of insurance regulation is not to achieve fairness or protection for insurers. It is to achieve fairness and protection for Georgians.

It is clear that a one-size-fits-all solution is not working for Georgia’s diverse uninsured population. The Georgia Legislature chose to provide a way for Georgians to gain greater access to more affordable, meaningful coverage without added government regulation.

In the end the debate boiled down to one simple point. Opponents of HB 47 believe the state government is in the best position to decide what is and is not in a consumer’s insurance policy in Georgia. The majority party in the General Assembly, on the other hand, trust Georgia’s citizens to make an informed choice about what insurance option is best for their family or business. We also understand that in the history of humankind it has been proven over and over again that it is a good thing for consumers to have more choice and more competition in a market place. That is exactly what HB 47 will provide.

4/20/11 Sine Die Wrap Up

2011-04-27T12:44:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday night, just before midnight, the gavel came down and brought the 2011 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly to a close. It was a tough, but in many ways, a very productive session. Earlier in the session the legislature again passed a balanced budget without raising taxes on Georgians that will ensure Georgia will remain a leader among states in terms of fiscally conservative and responsible budgeting practices. The General Assembly also took necessary action to ensure the financial solvency of the HOPE Scholarship program for future generations of college students by realigning the program with the fiscal realities of a program that was paying far more in benefits than it was receiving in lottery receipts.

I wanted to use this letter as an opportunity to give a quick update on legislation I was personally involved in that was still in doubt on the last day of the session. First, and perhaps most talked about, was HB 87, legislation I sponsored to address the social and economic consequences of illegal immigration. I am happy to report the measure received final passage by both the House and Senate on Thursday and is on the way to Governor Deal’s desk. I have never been involved in a more difficult and time consuming legislative initiative and believe the final product is one that will truly make a difference in the years ahead in the State of Georgia. I believe the bill will benefit the taxpayers, who are currently subsidizing the presence of nearly 500,000 illegal aliens in Georgia. I believe the bill will benefit our public schools, which are overcrowded and underfunded. I believe the bill will make our communities safer. I also believe it will ensure jobs are protected for U.S. citizens and LEGAL immigrants. In the waning days of the session there was a great deal of debate and discussion with the opponents of the measure, but in the end, we got the vast majority of what we wanted in the bill with the most critical provisions remaining intact. In fact, it has been called the toughest, most comprehensive bill in the country. To citizens that wrote me and other members of the legislature in support of this measure, please know the support of grass roots citizens is what made the enactment of this bill possible by allowing us to overcome the special interests that were lobbying against the bill.

Another bill that came down to the wire on Thursday that I have been working on for more than two years is a bill to allow Georgia health insurance companies to sell products to GA consumers that they sell in other states. This is a critical free-market oriented reform meant to give Georgia insurance buying families and businesses the benefits of more choice and competition in the individual insurance market. I am very happy to report that with about an hour to spare on the last night of the session we were able to secure final passage of the bill in the Georgia House. HB 47 is now on the way to Governor Deal’s desk for his signature.

Finally, a less talked about but important bill I sponsored this year also received final passage on the final day of the legislative session. Many have read in recent weeks about the proliferation of internet sweepstakes cafes around the state, including a facility right here in Fayette County. Prosecutors and cities alike have been struggling with how to address these facilities which have been exploiting what they believe is a loophole in our state’s gambling laws and have been operating what are tantamount to slot machine casinos under the guise of running legitimate sweepstakes. City officials in every city in which one of these facilities have been opened or are attempting to open have expressed concern about their impact on crime and safety and a degradation of local community standards. The bill I sponsored with other legislators, and which is now on its way to the Governor’s desk, closes the loophole that has been exploited. I worked very closely with the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia, the Georgia Municipal Association and the Attorney General’s office in crafting the language and they all believe this will address the issue we sought to address.

Thank you again for giving me the honor of serving on behalf of Fayette County in the Georgia General Assembly this year. Please never hesitate to contact me if I can be of service or address any question or concern you may have regarding your state government.

Rep. Matt Ramsey Comments on Passage of Common Sense Immigration Reform

2011-04-14T22:48:00.000-04:00

State Representative Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City) released the following statement today in response to the passage of House Bill 87:

“Today members of the General Assembly came together and firmly resolved to uphold the laws of our society. This legislation closes gaping loopholes that have allowed illegal aliens to flood into our country and state, where they unlawfully take advantage of taxpayer funded services. Current economic conditions have made it painfully obvious that the state of Georgia literally cannot afford to continue this broken system. Our classrooms are more crowded, our healthcare system is at its limits, our transportation infrastructure is overburdened and our law enforcement community is pushed to the brink. Georgians have demanded action, and their state legislature has complied. We continue to welcome and encourage legal immigration, and this legislation helps those individuals, as well as all other legal Georgia residents, by ensuring that employment opportunities are filled by legal residents.”

Rep. Ramsey to Introduce “Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011”

2011-01-26T14:39:00.000-05:00

There is no country in the world more welcoming to immigrants than the United States of America. While we offer immigrants an opportunity to improve their employment, standard of living, and personal freedoms, perhaps the greatest opportunity we provide is a chance for immigrants to join the American melting pot of cultures and become American. Only in America does the stranger become, not simply a permanent resident, but one of us; every bit as American as the descendant of a Mayflower pilgrim.

With this great privilege, however, comes responsibility. The most basic responsibility, shared by us all, is to obey the law. The rule of law is the keystone that holds together our orderly society. Unfortunately, it is clear that we have experienced a complete breakdown of America’s immigration law.

Though long ignored by Washington, Georgia literally cannot afford to ignore the economic burden created by our unsecure borders. The economic downturn caused Georgia’s unemployment to rise to record highs and state revenues to plummet to new lows. We continue to see huge reductions to every segment of our state budget, meaning state services are stretched thinner than ever before. School classrooms are more crowded, our healthcare system is at its limits, transportation infrastructure is overburdened and our law enforcement community is working feverishly to do more work with fewer resources. It would be patently irresponsible not to address the issues posed by Georgia’s estimated 400,000- plus illegal aliens.

With this in mind and after a great deal of study, the members of the Special Committee on Immigration Reform are introducing the “Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011.” This legislation includes numerous common-sense reforms aimed at addressing the social and economic consequences in Georgia resulting from the federal government’s inability to secure our nation’s borders.

This legislation will require the use of the federal E-Verify system by private employers in this state. This is a common sense step towards ensuring that available job opportunities are afforded only to our legal residents and that employers stay within existing law.

The legislation will also protect citizens from an unlawful burden on taxpayer-funded services by requiring the use of only secure and verifiable identification documents for any official purpose, including the dispensation of public benefits. Further, it will provide greater incentives for law enforcement agencies to apply for participation in federal partnerships that provide for faster and more efficient identification and transfer of illegal aliens.

In addition, the bill provides important new tools for law enforcement officers and provides them greater latitude in handling immigration issues during a lawful stop or detention. The bill also creates criminal penalties for any individual that encourages an illegal alien to come to Georgia or that transports or harbors an illegal alien once they arrive. This is not an exercise in scapegoating. Our nation’s illegal immigration crisis ultimately represents a failure of government. The federal government’s failure to secure our borders serves as an open invitation for illegal immigration. The employers who encourage and reward illegal immigration are certainly not blameless. Make no mistake: those here illegally did not act alone. However, violation of the law cannot be simply ignored, particularly when the enormous costs of those violations weighs so heavily on Georgia taxpayers during these difficult economic times.

Week 1 Legislative Update

2011-01-20T14:35:00.002-05:00

Last week saw the 2011 term of the Georgia General Assembly gavel into session. However, it was certainly the most unusual start to a legislative session in my short career. There was tremendous uncertainty with the weather on the eve of session as snow and ice began to fall. However, the Georgia Constitution does not have any provision for bad weather and states we SHALL convene on the second Monday in January. With that in mind I set off for what turned out to be a four hours plus roundtrip commute to Atlanta on Monday to be sworn in myself and to see the inauguration of Georgia’s 82nd Governor, Nathan Deal, which had to be hastily moved inside to the House chambers due to the bad weather. Governor Deal gave an excellent speech which set out many of his goals and aspirations for his impending first term.

Governor Deal’s inaugural speech on Monday was followed on Wednesday by his first state of the State address before a joint session of the House and Senate. The state of the State address is historically primarily focused on the Governor’s budget recommendations and this year’s speech by Governor Deal was no different. Taken in the aggregate, his budget calls for an average spending reduction of roughly 7 % per agency, however, his recommendations certainly did not call for straight across the board cuts. Governor Deal in his speech underlined his intention to hold state funding for K-12 education harmless. Governor Deal’s budget also calls for the elimination of 14,000 state government positions, many of which are already vacant. This is definitely a good step in continuing the efforts the General Assembly have advanced in recent years to reduce the size of state government. Now that the Governor has unveiled his suggested FY 2011 amended and FY 2012 full year budgets the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will begin this week holding agency by agency hearings to review his requested budget and begin the process of authoring the appropriations bills for the General Assembly to consider in the weeks ahead.

Wednesday was the General Assembly’s second and final legislative day of the week and I introduced my first bill of the session before we adjourned that afternoon. The measure is House Bill 47 and is very similar to legislation I authored last year to allow health insurance companies to offer health insurance products that they sell in other states to Georgians. The measure passed the House last year mostly along party lines, however, stalled in the Senate Rules Committee before it could be considered by the full Senate before the end of the session. In my opinion it is a critical free-market oriented reform that will provide the hundreds of thousands of Georgians that only have access to insurance through the individual market a much greater opportunity to find a policy that fits their specific needs. This is particularly important in light of the Obama Administration’s health care reform measure that imposes a mandate on every American to buy health insurance. It is critical that we as state policy makers remove barriers to competition and put more power in the hands of the Georgia insurance buying consumers.

Due to my position in House leadership I serve on the Committee on Assignments which is tasked with making committee assignments for every member of the State House. Much of my time at the Capitol last week was spent in meetings with that Committee working to get House standing committees set for the next two years. On Friday Speaker Ralston announced the slate of Committee Chairmen and Committee positions for 2011-2012. I was honored to be appointed to serve as the Vice-Chairman of the House Reapportionment Committee. I look forward to working with the Chair of that Committee, Roger Lane (R-Darien), and all of its members over the next year to do the constitutionally mandated once-a-decade process of redrawing Georgia’s State House and Senate and Congressional legislative lines to reflect population shifts that have occurred over the past ten years. I was also appointed to serve as the Vice-Chairman of the Special Rules Committee and as a member on the House Appropriations and Ethics Committees. In addition, I will continue to serve on the House Judiciary Non-Civil and Regulated Industries Committees, as I did last term.

Next week the House and Senate are out of session so that joint Appropriations Committee hearings can be held. Over the next few weeks the legislative pace will pick up as more legislation is introduced and committees begin to meet. I look forward to providing regular legislative updates so that the citizens of this community remain informed on the goings on at their State Capitol. As always, I encourage any feedback or questions and hope citizens will call on me if I can be of any service to them.

1/17/11 - Majority Caucus Vice-Chairman Ramsey Announces Legislation Aimed at Providing More Options in the Health Insurance Market

2011-01-20T14:34:00.003-05:00

Today House Majority Caucus Vice-Chairman Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City) announced the introduction of House Bill 47. This legislation is aimed at providing Georgians with more options in the health insurance market.

“We are convinced that the best way to provide Georgians with more affordable and varied health insurance options is to unlock the forces of the free market and put more power in the hands of the health insurance buying consumer,” said Rep. Ramsey. “In light of the Obama Administration’s imposition of a mandate to buy health insurance on every single American through his healthcare reform package, it is absolutely critical that we break down the barriers to competition in the health insurance marketplace in Georgia.”

Similar legislation to HB 47 passed the House last year before stalling in the Senate. HB 47, like its predecessor, would allow insurance companies licensed in Georgia to sell health insurance products that are approved for sale in other states.

Joining Representative Ramsey in introducing the measure were House Insurance Committee Chairman John Meadows (R-Calhoun), House Retirement Committee Chairman Howard Maxwell (R-Dallas), House Majority Whip Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta), House Majority Caucus Chairman Donna Sheldon (R-Dacula), House Majority Caucus Secretary/Treasurer Allen Peake (R-Macon) and more than a dozen other majority caucus Representatives.

1/7/11 - 2011 General Assembly Session Set To Convene

2011-01-20T14:34:00.000-05:00

With the recent flip of the calendar from 2010 to 2011, it is almost time for the Georgia General Assembly to convene again for its annual 40 day session beginning on January 10th. I wanted to take the opportunity to give a preview of some of the prominent issues that will be considered by the State House and Senate this year. Before I do that, however, I would like to wish all of the readers of this column a very blessed and happy new year. I would also like to again say thank you to the citizens of Fayette County for giving me the opportunity to serve our home in the State House. I will be sworn in as a member of the Georgia General Assembly for my third term on January 10th, and please know I continue to believe the greatest honor of my professional career is to serve a wonderful community like ours.

The General Assembly has been forced to deal with some challenging issues in recent years brought on by the historic economic downturn and the resulting unemployment. I have written much in recent years about the state’s budget difficulties that have resulted in billions in spending cuts and a large reduction in the size of our state government. This has not been an easy process, but the good news is that our state maintains its balanced budget and we remain among the three lowest per-capita spending states in the country. While the state’s economy is beginning to show some signs of stabilization, we will have another session of very difficult choices, with many predicting we will need to make well in excess of $1 billion in spending reductions to keep our budget balanced. It is critical we continue to balance our budget by reducing spending and the size of government rather than look to Georgia’s families and businesses for additional revenue through the enactment of broad based tax increases. Further, we must continue the process we have engaged in over the past three years to scrutinize every dollar that is being spent by the state government to ensure taxpayers are receiving the greatest value possible for their hard earned state tax dollars.

Along those lines, I am very hopeful that a measure I have strongly supported and co-sponsored in recent years, the Zero Based Budgeting Act, will be brought up very quickly in the legislative session for consideration by the State House. The measure passed both the House and Senate last year but was ultimately vetoed by Governor Perdue. It will give current and future legislatures another tool in the effort to ensure agencies are spending tax dollars in the most efficient manner possible.

The Georgia unemployment rate continues to hover above 10 percent, and it is vital that we continue to promulgate policies that promote job creation, business expansion and business relocation to Georgia so that Georgia’s 650,000 unemployed can get back to work as soon as possible. Relatively speaking, Georgia is an incredibly well managed state considering the fact we are one of only a small handful of states to maintain its AAA bond rating through the current fiscal crisis and are among the lowest tax states in the country. However, we must continue to look at our tax code to ensure we are poised as a state to remain an economically vibrant and competitive state for generations to come. In that regard, last year the General Assembly created a Tax Reform Council whose mission was to comprehensively study our state’s tax code and provide recommendations to House and Senate on potential reforms. The Council will be releasing its findings in the coming days, and I very much look forward to reviewing the product of their months of study and public input. I strongly believe that we, as a state, need to move our tax code to one that is more consumptive based and less reliant on the taxing of individual and corporate income. Numerous states have moved in this direction and it is already bearing fruit for those states from an economic development standpoint. This is an issue that will surely receive serious consideration this session.

Another issue that must be addressed this session is the financial solvency of the HOPE scholarship program. HOPE has been very successful over its almost two decades of existence and has helped tens of thousands Georgia students continue their education beyond high school. Unfortunately, the program is becoming a victim of its own success in that its annual benefits are exceeding the amount it is collecting in lottery receipts, its primary source of revenue. Over the last several years the state has been forced to withdraw significant sums from the program’s reserves to fund benefits. In fact, the House Budget Office recently estimated that the amount that will need to be drawn down from HOPE reserves in 2011 will be approximately $250 million. The fund’s reserves peaked in 2009 at just over $1 billion, but if current projections are accurate the fund will drop to just over $300 million in 2012, a $700 million decrease in just three years. Clearly this is a trend that cannot be allowed to continue. The House Higher Education Committee has been meeting throughout the summer and fall analyzing potential solutions to this critical issue. At the moment, all options are on the table to ensure the financial stability of this important program. Although no legislation has been filed to date, this will certainly be an issue that receives a great deal of attention this session.

Finally, an issue I have been personally involved in that will undoubtedly be hotly debated this upcoming session will be that of illegal immigration reform. Georgia has passed aggressive laws in recent years seeking to address the social and economic problems that have resulted from the federal government’s failure to secure our nation’s borders; however, more needs to be done. In that regard, Speaker Ralston and Lieutenant Governor Cagle created a Special Joint Committee on Immigration Reform this past fall, and Speaker Ralston honored me by appointing me as the House Chair of the panel. We have engaged in an exhaustive study process over the past several months in anticipation of the upcoming session and will have legislation ready to be introduced in the first two weeks of the session. I will certainly write a great deal more about this topic upon the introduction of the legislation and look forward to interacting with constituents on this important issue.

As we are set to embark on another session of the Georgia General Assembly, I again very much look forward to interacting with constituents from Fayette County. Please know how much I depend on and appreciate feedback from the citizens of this great community. As always, please never hesitate to call on me if I may be of service.

Governor Perdue Introduces Legislation to Expand Access to Health Insurance

2010-02-16T22:23:00.000-05:00

Today Governor Sonny Perdue announced that Rep. Matt Ramsey, one of the Governor’s Floor Leader in the House, has introduced House Bill 1184 to expand access to health insurance.

“This legislation will open up the individual insurance market and allows consumers to find the plan that best fits their needs,” said Governor Perdue. “It will also help those that are uninsured find a plan that works for them.”

The legislation will allow individuals and families to buy health plans that have been approved for sale in other states. Insurers that are licensed in Georgia, but who have alternative products that are sold in other states, will also be able to sell those policies in Georgia. Allowing for the purchase of health insurance across state lines will make affordable health insurance more accessible and increase the variety of health plans available to Georgians.

“This legislation empowers Georgians to find a health insurance plan that meets the needs of their family,” said Rep. Ramsey.

The Governor first announced this proposal in January at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs and Issues breakfast.
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Rep. Matt Ramsey Praises Signing of HB 123, Closing Loophole in Georgia's Child Molestation Statute

2009-05-06T16:07:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, Governor Sonny Perdue signed House Bill 123 into law. This legislation was authored by Representative Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City) to close a loophole in Georgia’s child molestation statute.

House Bill 123 fixes a problem created by a mid-nineties Georgia Supreme Court ruling in which the Court, in a close decision, interpreted the statutory definition of child molestation to require that a perpetrator be physically present with a victim in order to be prosecuted for child molestation.

“The Court’s ruling created a barrier that limited prosecutors' ability to go after predators that subject children to lewd acts via electronic means such as webcams or live streaming video. It was an unusual result in that it meant an offender that commits a lewd act in the presence of a child can be prosecuted for molestation, whereas another person who induces a child to watch the exact same act on a webcam cannot, despite the fact that the impact on the child is the same. HB 123 corrected this flaw,” said Rep. Ramsey. “Our laws must keep up with technological changes and in this case that means closing a loophole that allows predators to use technology to prey upon our children.”

Rep. Ramsey was joined at the signing ceremony by two of the legislation’s co-sponsors, Representative Mark Williams (R-Jesup) and Representative Kevin Levitas (D-Atlanta). Judge Christopher Edwards, District Attorney for the Griffin Judicial Circuit Scott Ballard and his Chief Assistant District Attorney Randy Coggin were also present at the signing.

“I truly appreciate Judge Edwards for bringing the issue to my attention and to Scott Ballard and Randy Coggin for their efforts throughout the legislative session, including participation in several committee hearings, in support of this bill,” said Rep. Ramsey.

The legislation was carried in the Senate by State Senator Ronnie Chance and passed the House and Senate overwhelmingly with bi-partisan support.

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Session Wrap Up

2009-04-27T17:41:00.001-04:00

The General Assembly adjourned for the year on April 3. I have previously written an update on several initiatives that were passed during the last week of the session. However, I wanted to follow up with information on some additional measures that were passed by the General Assembly and are on the Governor’s desk awaiting signature. Facing the toughest economic times in recent memory, the 2009 General Assembly Session proved to be a successful one for Georgians. In addition to passing a balanced budget and addressing the governance of DOT, the legislature addressed several important policy areas, including tax relief, education and our state’s trauma network.

Over the past year a statewide task force of educators, policy makers, school administrators and other education policy experts have worked to identify issues that need to be addressed in Georgia’s public education system. One of the most critical problems identified by the task force is a shortage of math and science teachers. In recent years, Georgia has beefed up its math and science curriculum to ensure our students come out of high school ready to compete in college and in the job market in a world that gets more levered to technology every day. However, currently there is a shortage of between 15%-20%, depending on the subject, of the number of teachers necessary to teach this new math and science curriculum. According to the task force, the shortage of math and science teachers is, by far, the greatest area of needs in terms of teacher recruitment. To underscore the problem, Georgia’s colleges last year only produced one physics teacher and nine chemistry teachers.

To address the issue, several legislators, including myself, introduced a measure to provide pay incentives to math and science teachers in an effort to encourage college students that excel in math and science to consider teaching as a possible occupation, rather than other opportunities. This is a market-based, common sense approach to employee recruitment that has been used successfully in the private sector forever. Simply put, if you have a need that is not being met at a given salary and benefit level, you must enhance the salary and benefits to incent additional prospective employees to consider the position. This will benefit all of Georgia’s students as they move out of high school and into college or the workforce. Further, this is an economic development issue, in that it will help make sure Georgia continues to have the kind of technically proficient workforce that will entice technology based companies to invest in and bring jobs to Georgia in the decades to come.

Tax relief for Georgians was a key issue for the General Assembly this year. It is critical in these difficult economic times that we provide measures aimed at helping financially strapped families and businesses, while encouraging economic activity, job growth and increased investment in our economy. The General Assembly passed a measure that will prevent property tax assessments from increasing at all over the next two years to help Georgians who are already struggling with out of control property tax bills. In addition, the House and Senate passed the Jobs Opportunity and Business Success Act (JOBS Act), which was introduced as a package of legislation to create, expand and attract jobs for Georgians. By combining a series of tax cuts, fee suspensions and incentives to hire unemployed Georgians this legislation actually encourages private sector economic activity, rather than the federal government’s version of a stimulus plan that seemed only focused on using taxpayer dollars to stimulate the growth of the size of the federal government.

Finally, the General Assembly worked to provide for a more robust trauma care system in this state. Georgia has the worst per-capita access to Level I trauma care in the southeastern United States. We are losing thousands of lives every year in Georgia because individuals involved in traumatic accidents are not treated quickly enough to mitigate the physical harm caused by the accident. In that regard, the Legislature and Governor Perdue worked together to craft the “Super Speeder” legislation that provides for enhanced fines for excessive speeding, reckless driving, habitual DUI offenders and other dangerous driving activities that are the leading causes of traumatic accidents on our roads. As one of Governor Perdue’s floor leaders, I was significantly involved in the passage of this legislation out of the House. The increased fines are intended to make drivers think twice before excessively speeding or engaging in other dangerous driving activities that endanger all of our families every day on Georgia’s roads. The additional funding derived from the violators of these laws will be used to help fund a statewide trauma care network that will benefit any Georgian that suffers a traumatic accident.

I believe the legislature implemented a number of common-sense measures this session that will benefit millions of Georgians. The information above is but a few of these bills. I welcome any questions from constituents on these or any other matters relevant to our state government. As I’ve said before, thank you so much for the opportunity to serve this great community in the General Assembly.

Matt Ramsey

Final Report of the Current Session

2009-04-14T11:07:00.000-04:00

The Georgia General Assembly adjourned the final day of the session on Friday night at 11:59 p.m. It was a hectic final week with several important pieces of legislation getting enacted, while several others were held over to next year. I wanted to give a brief overview about the final week of the session and follow up with a more comprehensive wrap up in the weeks to come.

First, the General Assembly passed the final $18.6 billion FY 2010 budget on Friday evening by an overwhelming bipartisan vote in favor of the House/Senate Conference Committee’s final budget. As I have constantly stated, it was a very difficult budget cycle as the state endeavored to deal with rapidly decreasing revenues that necessitated nearly $3 billion in cuts. However, we were able to balance the budget without raising taxes, unlike countless other states going through similarly difficult times, by making difficult choices and shrinking the size of government. While the cuts will certainly be felt throughout every sector of state government, I strongly believe the final budget document protects to the greatest extent possible critical state missions such as education and public safety, while focusing the largest reductions on other areas of the state budget. As I stated, I will provide a more detailed report on the final budget in the weeks to come and welcome any questions or comments.

Two of the most important pieces of legislation to pass the General Assembly were major restructurings of our state’s two largest agencies, the Department of Human Resources and the Department of Transportation. Since being elected in 2007, I have repeatedly written about my concern over mismanagement of the DOT. I strongly believe our current system is broken, which is partially evidenced by our hopelessly overburdened transportation infrastructure in Metro-Atlanta. The current system was set up several decades ago and provides an unelected Board of thirteen individuals, with no direct accountability to the citizens of Georgia, complete and total power over every aspect of planning, funding and project delivery. In my opinion, it is good ol’ boy politics at its worst and has led to the DOT over-obligating itself to the tune of several billion dollars. The legislation passed last week will provide those that are directly accountable to Georgia’s voters, the Governor and members of the General Assembly, a greater voice in our state’s transportation system. The planning and funding process will be completely transparent, rather than the current system where the process occurs in a Board Room and is often based solely on political favors and clout.

The General Assembly also provided for a significant reorganization of the Department of Human Resources, a department that provides for an incredibly wide array of services to Georgia’s most vulnerable citizens, including abused and neglected children and the elderly. The reorganization will help to ensure a more streamlined and transparent service delivery system by breaking the massive agency into three smaller more focused and targeted agencies. It is the result of a year long Health and Human Services task force that focused its efforts on determining a more effective way to serve Georgia’s citizens.

Finally, I have received a great deal of interest and wanted to provide an update on legislation I authored to add cell phone use to the list of restrictions placed on under-18, Class-D license holders. The legislation passed the House Motor Vehicles Committee unanimously, passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, passed the Senate Public Safety Committee Unanimously, but got hung up in the Senate Rules Committee in the final days of the session without getting to the Senate floor for a vote. In the end, it was a numbers game whereby many bills didn’t make it to the House or Senate floor due to time simply running out on the session. To use a football analogy, we moved the football down inside our opponent’s five yard line but didn’t quite get it into the end zone. However, the good news for supporters of the legislation is that this is a two-year session, and the bill will still be on the five yard line when next year’s session convenes.

I am very proud to report that legislation I authored to address a gap in our child molestation statute is on its way to the Governor for signature. In addition, legislation I introduced to protect parties from costs resulting from meritless lawsuits was adopted and on its way to the Governor for signature. Also, legislation I worked on to provide our school systems greater flexibility from state mandates to help in the current economic crisis was also adopted by the House and Senate and awaits the Governor’s signature.

I look forward to providing additional information on this and other legislation addressed by the General Assembly in the weeks to come. Let me also say thank you to the numerous citizens that wrote and called me during the session. I truly enjoy the interaction with constituents and the input is absolutely invaluable.
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Week 10 Update (3/30/09)

2009-03-30T23:34:00.001-04:00

This past week proved to be another busy one for the House of Representatives. We are set to start our last week and the pace of bills and resolutions being considered is brisk. Last week we considered several important bills.

Earlier this year, we voted on Senate Bill 83 which would have provided Georgia’s voters the ability to increase their homestead exemption by $2000, which has not been increased since the 1930s on a statewide basis, but it failed along a party line vote. This week it was reconsidered and came back up for a vote, but again fell short of the 2/3 majority vote necessary to provide for such a constitutional amendment. Unfortunately, House Democrats blocked this bill’s approval again. If passed, it would have been put before the citizens and given them an opportunity to vote to give tax relief to our homeowners during these difficult economic times.

After months of committee meetings and hearings, several bills made it through the General Assembly and to the Governor’s desk this week. If signed by Governor Perdue, these bills will become law. Some of the bills awaiting the Governor’s signature include House Bills 149 and Senate Bill 13.

Senate Bill 13 gives prosecutors in Georgia the option to seek life without parole convictions for serious criminal offenses. Under current law, the only way a prosecutor can secure a life without parole conviction is to seek the death penalty. Death penalty trials are usually very costly and take longer to complete at a greater expense to our taxpayers. Often times, prosecutors seek the death penalty just to secure the life without parole option. This change in law will allow prosecutors to seek this type of conviction directly without going for the death penalty. It will also ensure that the people who need to be locked up for the rest of their life will be sentenced quicker and reduce the cost of such trials.

House Bill 149 allows 11th and 12th grade public school students to attend a college or technical school to complete high school while receiving credit towards a higher degree. This bill, commonly called the “Move on When Ready” Act, gives public school students and their families more options to fit their individual educational needs. By allowing students to choose courses that fit their personal life goals we can foster the educational interest students need to succeed.

I am also pleased to report that House Bill 123, legislation that I authored to close a loophole in our child molestation statute, passed the Senate unanimously and now comes back to the House to be agree to one technical change that was made by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Chance has worked closely with me on this important legislation and did an excellent job presenting the bill on the Senate floor. We are one small step away from sending this bill to the Governor and providing for additional tools in the effort to protect children from predators.

As the 2009 Session comes to an end, many House and Senate bills are now closer to becoming law. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at my Capitol office (404-651-7737). I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Week 9 Report

2009-03-30T23:32:00.000-04:00

With Crossover Day behind us, the end of a challenging 2009 regular session draws near. The House and Senate have six legislative days remaining before we adjourn on Friday, April 3. As I have stated over and over again, this session continues to be dominated by budget discussions brought on by the historic economic downturn our state is currently facing. The shortfall in revenues will result in the largest reduction in the size of state government over a two year period in the history of the state. Last week, the House passed its version of the 2010 Budget. The measure has now been sent to the Senate where the Senate will surely adopt a differing version which will result in a conference committee meeting to iron out differences before the end of the session. As the 2010 Budget was far and away the most significant legislation adopted by the House last week, I have listed some information below about areas of the budget in which I have received the most inquiries from constituents.

Healthcare .

The budget passed by the House restores a proposed reduction of $434 million in reimbursement to hospitals and healthcare providers. The Governor continues to express concern about the ability of the State to fund expected growth in Medicaid, which will certainly come as our unemployment rate continues to rise. This will certainly be a key point of negotiation in the remaining days of the session. One issue I have heard a great deal about is the proposed elimination of the State’s supplement for school nurses and its potential impact on student health. The version passed by the House fully funds the school nurse program. The House version of the budget also maintains the current state-to-employee State Health Benefit Plan contribution ratio for current and retired employees, however, that figure may be adjusted in the Senate.

Education

The House budget includes full funding of the state salary supplement for National Board Certified Teachers, which was initially slated for elimination in the Governor’s budget recommendation. In addition, the House budget provides that Quality Basic Education enrollment growth projections for K-12 grade and the university system will receive full
funding. Education makes up roughly 60% over our State’s budget. Virtually every agency of state government went through spending reductions of 10% or greater. The House’s 2009 and 2010 budget both have reductions of approximately 3% in the area of K-12 education, far and away the least impacted area of the state budget in terms of percentage reductions. While the economic downturn has necessitated cuts (the only other alternative is tax increases, which would be a terrible idea in this economy), I believe you will continue to see the House and Senate work to the greatest extent possible to ensure that the economy does not impact our children’s education. I pledge to represent that view throughout the remaining days of the session.

Public Safety

The safety and security of the Georgia’s citizens is one of the primary responsibility of State government. It is vital that we not allow the economic downturn to jeopardize the safety of our citizens. While economic necessity has forced some cuts in public safety, the House version of the budget funds GBI crime labs throughout the state and 23 new State Patrol cars to help keep our roads safe.

These difficult economic times certainly impacts us all in one way or another. Some important services were reduced in the FY 2009 supplemental budget and in the House’s version of the 2010 budget, and if revenues continue to diminish further cuts may be necessary. However, both budget documents represent a concerted, diligent effort to cut wasteful spending and prioritize the needs of Georgians in the face of a marked and continuing economic downturn. We are constitutionally obligated to live within our means in Georgia and balance the budget, which ensures our children are not burdened by additional State incurred debt, as our federal government is fond of doing. If there is one good thing to come from these hard times it will be a renewed appreciation for the proper limits of government and fiscal responsibility.

Serving as your representative is an honor, and I take this responsibility
seriously. As the session progresses, I will continue to update you on legislation
and events important to the state and our district. Please do not hesitate to
contact me with your thoughts and comments by calling my office at (404) 651-7737.

Week 7 Update

2009-03-30T23:31:00.001-04:00

(Somehow we managed to get a bit behind on Rep. Ramsey's posts.)

Last week, the General Assembly convened for Days 25, 26 and 27 of the legislative session. We are rapidly approaching Day 30, known as “Cross-Over Day” which is the last day that bills originating from the House and Senate can pass out of their respective bodies and be heard by the other body this session. Last week we considered some important measures on the floor and in committee.

For the last several years, Georgia has passed some of the strictest immigration laws in the country. Despite this, a loophole in our elections laws allowed thousands of illegal immigrants to register to vote. As a result of this problem, we passed House Bill 45, which requires all people registering to vote to prove their citizenship. Birth certificates, driver’s licenses, passports, and U.S. naturalization documents are among the numerous types of proof that will be accepted. This small step is crucial to preventing voter fraud and preserving confidence in the electoral system.

I have continually heard from people in the education community about the difficulty in finding sufficient numbers of math and science teachers to deal with Georgia’s beefed up curriculum in those areas. Every day our economy becomes more levered to science and technology and our children’s ability to compete in the global job market in the future will depend largely on their proficiency in math and science.

Our colleges are simply not producing enough teachers in these areas to meet the current need. For example, our state colleges and universities produced only one certified physics teacher and only nine chemistry teachers. We currently have a close to twenty-percent shortage of science teachers in our public schools. House Bill 280 seeks to address the problem by providing a stipend to new math and science teachers in their first five years of teaching to encourage college students to look at teaching in the area of math and science.

Members of the Appropriations Committee while the bill was being debate on the floor that the funding needed for these increases would be derived from the Board of Regents and will not be a shift from within the Department of Education. It is my hope that this incentive will encourage more teachers in these critical areas.

Last week, legislation that I have introduced on the behalf of Governor Perdue aimed at protecting innocent parties from incurring unnecessary costs when a meritless lawsuit has been introduced against them passed unanimously out of the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation would provide for a 120 day stay of discovery whenever a motion to dismiss is filed by a party aiming to get a claim against them, that they deem to be without merit, dismissed. The discovery stay will provide time for the Judge to rule on the motion before significant dollars are expended on discovery. Fairness dictates that a party should not have to bear discovery expenses (depositions, document production, etc.) if the court ultimately determines that the underlying claim lacked legal merit.

Finally, this week the House and Senate amended our previously set schedule. This new schedule will result in the General Assembly concluding the 40th and final day of the legislative session for this year on April 3.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at my Capitol office at (404)651-7737. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Week 3 Update

2009-02-09T22:42:00.001-05:00

This past week was the third full week the General Assembly was in session, and Friday marked the fifteenth legislative day out of a Constitutional maximum of forty. The big news of the week was the announcement at the end of the week of the official state revenue numbers for the month of January. Governor Perdue announced that the revenues in January 2009 were close to fifteen percent (over $250 million) less than the revenues in January 2008. This was one of the largest year-over-year monthly decreases in our state’s history and significantly less than the revenue estimate for the month. What this means, in real dollar terms, is that the General Assembly will likely need to cut as much as $3 billion, rather than the previously estimated $2 billion in reductions, to balance the budget.

Because of the rapid deterioration in revenues, a resolution was adopted on Friday setting our schedule for the rest of the session. The House and Senate leadership determined that it was prudent to set a schedule which reserves five legislative days in the event that revenues continue to drop precipitously between now and the end of the fiscal year in June. This will allow the General Assembly to come back into session and make any necessary budget adjustments in the months to come. In order to save these days, it will require the legislature to finish our business by the thirty-fifth day of the legislative session.

Given the revenue difficulties brought on by the economy, it is important that all levels of government use their discretion to allocate dollars to critical needs. Recognizing this fact, Governor Perdue is working to provide relief from expenditure controls to give maximum flexibility to school systems in their effort to ensure classroom instruction is not diminished during this difficult time. In that regard, I have introduced legislation on behalf of Governor Perdue that will provide relief from several state budgetary restrictions for this school year and next school year. It should be heard by the Education Committee in the coming week. It is absolutely critical that we work to ensure that our children’s education is not impacted by the current budgetary limitations. I strongly believe that is the sentiment of the Governor and my colleagues in the General Assembly.

On Friday of last week, I presented my “cell phone bill” before a subcommittee of the Motor Vehicles Committee. This bill, if adopted, will prohibit cell phone use by 16 and 17-year-old drivers. The hearing went well, with the Medical Association of Georgia, AAA, and other groups testifying in favor of my legislation. I am hopeful a vote will occur in another committee meeting in the days ahead. Also, my legislation to strengthen the child molestation statute will be heard in subcommittee this upcoming week. I will provide updates on both pieces of legislation in the weeks ahead.

While the budget news is not good, I believe a good and important discussion is being brought on by the economic difficulties. Because revenues are significantly diminished, all levels of government are being forced to truly assess and evaluate the necessity of all programs and services. On the state level, budget cuts are necessary; however, when the economy improves, Georgia’s government will be more lean and efficient because of this experience, which is the silver lining to the economic black cloud hanging over us.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. I look forward to interacting with the members of this great community.

Matt Ramsey

Week 1 Report

2009-01-19T20:00:00.000-05:00

Last week the 2009 Georgia General Assembly was gaveled into session. The first day the entire body was sworn in by the Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. It is truly an honor to serve this community, and again swearing the oath to uphold the Constitution was an incredibly humbling moment.

Let me again thank the voters of Fayette County for the opportunity to serve this wonderful community. It was a particularly exciting day for me, as my wife and five-year-old daughter accompanied me to the swearing in. My daughter held the Bible for me when I was sworn in, which was a really exciting moment for my family, although, the high point for my daughter was pushing the “yes” button and lighting up the green light next to my name in the chamber when we took a roll call attendance vote to begin the day.

The first week of a two year session is typically light on legislative business. That is primarily due to the fact that people are just beginning to introduce bills and committees are not constituted until the end of the week when the Committee on Assignments makes committee assignments. I was excited to learn that I will again get to serve on the Non-Civil Judiciary Committee. This committee writes all the legislation that deals with criminal justice issues. It is a wonderful committee, as it allows me to work on critical community safety issues.

This week, I introduced legislation to deal with a problem created in the child molestation statute by the Georgia Supreme Court. In a controversial and close decision, the Court recently construed the child molestation statute in a way that, in my opinion, ignores the Legislature’s intent and puts numerous child molestation prosecutions in jeopardy. My bill will address the problem created by this ruling and ensure prosecutors have every tool necessary to go after these predators. It will be heard by the Judiciary Committee on which I serve.

I was also excited to learn I will be serving on the Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee, under the leadership of my friend Chairman John Yates. Chairman Yates has long been an advocate for the rights of the brave men and women that serve or have served our country in the armed forces and I look forward to working with him in that effort. I will also be serving as the Secretary of the Human Relations and Aging, which works on issues created by our rapidly aging population, and on the Regulated Industries Committee.

The big event of the week from a substantive policy standpoint was Governor Perdue’s “State of the State” speech on Wednesday. It is the first opportunity for the public and members of the General Assembly to hear Governor Perdue’s legislative agenda for this session. He outlined proposals in areas such as tort reform, local school board governance and reform of the Georgia DOT. I look forward to seeing the details of all of his proposals as the session gets underway and we begin to see the nuts and bolts of these measures.

Governor Perdue also outlined his requested budget. Obviously, the biggest challenge facing the legislature this year will be addressing our massive budget shortfall created by declining revenues. We are required by the Constitution to balance the budget, and that is exactly what we will do. While we will be undergoing significant belt-tightening, which will certainly be felt across all sectors of state government, we should all take heart that Georgia is a state that lives within its means. Now that Governor Perdue has proposed his budget, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will meet this upcoming week to begin hearings as they start the process of writing the budget. I will provide updates as details of the budget begin to come out.

It is my intention to again write regular columns in an effort to keep the community informed during this session of the General Assembly. As always, please never hesitate to write or call with any questions or opinions. Let me also say a special thanks to all that have responded to the citizen survey that I mailed out in December. In this difficult time where resources are limited and government certainly cannot be all things to all people, I believe it is more important than ever for policy makers to reach out to their constituents for input on their priorities. I have been extremely impressed by the rate of response and very much appreciate all of the thoughtful comments and opinions. This information will be invaluable to me during this and future sessions.

Matt Ramsey
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General Assembly Session Rapidly Approaching

2008-12-04T22:43:00.001-05:00

After a year dominated by difficult and hard fought elections, January will see a new President, Congress and Georgia General Assembly sworn into office. The challenges resulting from our current economic condition that are facing both the federal and state government are daunting. It will be important that elected officials on all levels of government leave the acrimony of the campaign trail behind to focus on the critical issues facing our state and nation. In Georgia, the gavel will come down on a new session of the General Assembly on January 12.

The number one issue that we will be confronting when the legislature convenes is the state budget. Due to the economic downturn in recent months, the revenues have been much less than anticipated by the Georgia Department of Revenue, meaning a significant budget reduction will be necessary. Depending on how the revenue numbers look in November and December, it will likely be somewhere between 6 and 12 percent out of a $21 billion state budget. No doubt, this will be a difficult process and hard decisions will have to be made. However, there is some good news. Georgians should take heart that they live in a state that lives within its means. Just like all of our families and businesses, when less money comes in, less money is spent. Georgia does not borrow money to engage in deficit spending and heap debt obligations on our children like the federal government does year in and year out. Our constitution requires that that the budget be balanced and that is what Georgia’s government will do. In a time when we read almost daily about huge taxpayer bailouts and an ever increasing federal deficit, we should all be proud to live in a state that coded fiscal responsibility into its constitution.

I am personally working on several pieces of legislation for introduction this session. I am working closely with Senator Ronnie Chance and other legislators on a bill addressing the metal theft problem that has become endemic in Georgia in recent years. Individuals, churches, businesses and other property owners are suffering thousands of dollars in property damage at the hands of copper thieves. Our goal in crafting this legislation is to give law enforcement the additional tools they need to help stem the tide of this problem.

I am also working on a law clarifying the definition of child molestation in Georgia. Our Supreme Court, in a close decision in a recent case, significantly limited the scope of the child molestation statute in Georgia in a way that severely limits efforts to prosecute child molesters using new technologies such as web cams to target our children. We cannot let the law fall behind the times as the proliferation of new technology gives predators more ways to prey on Georgia’s children. In my opinion, the majority of the Court in this decision ignored both the legislature’s intent and the plain meaning of the statutory language and the issue needs to be clarified through legislation.

I have also pre-filed legislation to ban cell phone use by drivers subject to graduated license restrictions (under 18) in Georgia. Studies show over 50% of all 16 and 17 year olds text while driving and over 90% talk on cell phones while driving. Another study showed that 16 year old drivers were 4.5 times more likely than adult drivers to fail to identify and react to dangerous situation on the road due to the distraction of cell phone use while driving. The focus of our graduated license law that was passed in 1997 is to provide teens with a training period, absent distractions, to more safely learn how to drive. Eliminating cell phones is the next logical step in this law. I believe there is certainly merit in considering limiting cell phone use by all drivers, but frankly, I would not be optimistic it would pass this year. Given the incredible success our graduated license law has had on reducing crashes in young drivers (37% reduction in fatal crashes for 16 year olds), the case is more compelling to address the issue with the most inexperienced and vulnerable drivers first. If the law is enacted and proves successful it will bolster the case for further efforts to reduce distractions among all drivers. Over 100 teens were killed in traffic accidents in Georgia last year. That is unacceptable and we can and must do better.

In addition to the budget, there will be significant debate this year on issues such as transportation, trauma care and education policy during the legislative session that begins in January. I look forward to interacting with the residents of Fayette County throughout the session on all issues pending before the General Assembly. It is my intention to again write regular columns updating the community on legislative matters (hopefully they won’t all be as long as this one). In the meantime, I hope everyone has a merry Christmas and my family and I wish you all nothing but the safest and happiest holiday season.

Rep. Matt Ramsey Speaks on Memorial Day

2008-06-23T06:20:00.001-04:00

WWII Remarks

2008-05-21T09:02:00.000-04:00

On April 26, the Dixie Air Wing in Peachtree City hosted World War II Heritage Days, an annual event commemorating World War II and honoring its veterans. I was honored to be asked to give the remarks during the opening ceremony. The ceremony was attended by over 80 WWII veterans and their families, along with many citizens from our area. It was a wonderfully attended celebration and it is a credit to our community to host such an event. With Memorial Day coming up next Monday, I thought it appropriate to submit the text of the speech I delivered thanking and honoring this incredibly brave generation of veterans for their sacrifice.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is truly an honor to speak to you this morning. Since being invited to give these remarks I have been wrestling with what to say. It is a difficult task I’ve been given. What can I say to you? I who never served? To you, who did? I have known only the fruits of your sacrifice; I have lived only in safety and comfort, which you bought so dearly. What can I say to you, you who served in uniform and saved the world?

That's right. I believe the veterans, the heroes, of World War II did nothing less than save our world. All military service is noble, and all wartime service has a special nobility beyond anything I will ever likely achieve. But the men who scaled the cliffs at Normandy, who flew the missions over Hitler's Fortress Europe with little hope of survival, and who took the Pacific back from Imperial Japan island by island -- these can lay claim to a special distinction. They saved us all. Never have the stakes been higher. Never has the call to duty, to honor, to valor, been answered more resoundingly.

I have always relished hearing the stories of the battles that were fought and the great victories that were won in Europe and the Pacific. Just the other day, in my office, a man told my law partner his personal story of how he ran away from home at the age of 14, enlisted in the Army, and flew more than two dozen missions over Europe as a belly gunner in a B-17. When his mother eventually discovered his true whereabouts, she ratted him out. He received a dishonorable discharge, which was rescinded several years later and changed to an honorable discharge. And what did he do when his discharge was changed to honorable? He reenlisted and went on to fly missions over Korea. Just an incredible story from an incredible person. However, what is truly incredible is that this is but one example of millions in a generation that sacrificed and risked everything to save the free world.

I've heard these stories my whole life, for my family was touched by World War II. My great grandfather, Russell West, was killed during the Battle of the Bulge and lies buried in France. Both of my grandfathers served in combat -- one in the navy in the Pacific and the other as a pilot who flew numerous missions over North Africa and Europe.

Both my grandmother and grandfather that told me stories of those fateful days during my youth have passed. It is a scary thought to me that one day, all across our great nation, there will be only silence where there was once the sound of grandfathers, like mine, telling children, like me, upon their knee the stories of those great victories. This realization gives me a deep sense of sadness, and a powerful appreciation for the need to treasure our relationships while we can.

You, having left so many of your fallen brothers on a far away shore, understand this only too well. Though it has been so long since you have seen their faces -- which stay frozen in youth even now all these long years later -- you still feel bound to them, as if no time had passed at all. They live on forever in your hearts, as all of those who pass will in ours.

Douglas MacArthur said that “old soldiers never die; they just fade away." As the father of two children, I can promise you that the story of the Greatest Generation will never be allowed to fade from their memories, or from their children's. The story will be told and retold, and will endure long after we are all gone from the earth. How dare we ever forget the unforgettable? We can not and we must not and we will not.

It is not only in our memories that your works are commemorated. The brave and selfless acts of our uniformed men and women in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere do their predecessors proud. Last month, when Michael Monsoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for throwing himself on a grenade to save his comrades, I could not help but think of those who went before him, who committed similar acts of extraordinary valor, who fought for the same flag, and who made the same sacrifice, in the words of Lincoln, “upon the alter of freedom.” When such men are struck down in the flower of their youth, I take comfort in knowing that God is just, and that the scales will be made even; though we in this fallen world cannot see how.

Ladies and gentlemen, all men in their hearts long to do something great. Some of us still await our chance. Until then, we have to make due with moments like these, when we can be near greatness. World War II was one of the most significant events in the history of mankind. When it mattered most, this generation of Americans showed the best qualities our country is all about. This group of men and women gave some of the best years of their lives to the most important mission this country has ever accepted. And for that I thank you -- America thanks you -- and generations not yet born, in every corner of the globe -- thank you for your service, and your greatness. And let us pray that such exertions as you endured will never be necessary again.

Thank you again for this incredible opportunity.