With only three meeting days left in the 2007 session, both the State House and State Senate have been extremely busy trying to reach agreements on the amended 2007 state budget and the 2008 state budget. Negotiators from both sides reached a compromise on the amended 2007 spending proposal, and the House approved this plan without opposition. It includes funding for PeachCare for Kids, indigent defense, and a major tax break for homeowners. The $142 million tax cut will be distributed either in the form of credits on property tax bills or via checks. Every homeowner should expect to receive around $100.

Several important and controver- sial issues remain on the table. While these bills may have been through the committee process in the House and Senate, the Speaker has final say on what bills are brought before the full House for a vote. The same principle applies in the Senate, with the Lieutenant Governor possessing similar authority.

One Senate Bill pending in the House would allow developers to issue bonds and collect taxes from residents in the development. Supporters argue that this will spur development in rural Georgia, while detractors claim this simply gives developers too much power.

Another measure currently under consideration would give special education students the option of attending private schools by using a state education voucher. I have received a number of comments on both sides of this issue from parents and educators.

It appears that a much-needed increase in trauma funding will have to wait. This past summer, I served on the Joint House and Senate Trauma Services Study Committee. Our committee recommended a number of things that would be used to pump more money into this struggling system. Thus far, those proposals have stalled and prospects for passage are bleak. The additional funding would have been used to provide this critical care in large underserved areas of the state.

If you have any questions or concerns about these or other issues, please do not hesitate to contact me. During the Session, I can always be reached at 404-656-7855; mickey.channell@house.ga.gov; or 401 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia 30334.