The 2008 legislative session continued this week and Crossover Day will soon be upon us. Next week, I expect that committee members will be meeting daily at the Capitol working to pass as many bills as possible within the next four legislative days. At press time, we were completing Day 26 of the session and Senate committees are working hard deliberating bills that will have a great impact on the citizens of Georgia.

On Wednesday, the Senate heard a passionate debate on Senate Bill 433, authored by Majority Leader Tommie Williams, which paves the way for an innovative, comprehensive cancer treatment center to come to Georgia. The measure has seen controversy along the way because it makes certain modifications to Georgia's Certificate of Need (CON) laws, which has brought opposition from those representing Georgia hospitals. Sen. Williams has continually defended this legislation since 2006. SB 433 now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The Senate continued to bring innovative ideas to Georgia when it voted 52 to 0 to pass model Internet safety legislation that seeks to protect children from Internet predators. This is the first comprehensive legislation of its kind in the country, and I am proud that our state Senate is leading the way in the effort to curb harmful online activity. SB 474, authored by Sen. Cecil Staton of Macon, brings law enforcement, parents and educators together to work with Internet providers in helping protect our children from Internet predators. Under the bill, registered sex offenders would be required to provide their e-mail addresses and user names to the state, and their Internet use may be monitored. The legislation seeks to further strengthen the partnership with Internet service providers and law enforcement by granting the ability to obtain records involving a possible sexual offense against a child. In an effort to put more control in the hands of parents, SB 474 also requires Internet access providers to offer subscribers in Georgia the ability to block their child's access to specific Web sites and monitor their child's use of the Internet.

Discussions on the budget continue as we move forward in our joint Conference Committee on House Bill 989 - the amended FY 08 budget. A Conference Committee is a committee appointed by Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and House Speaker Glenn Richardson, made up of Senate and House leaders who will work to negotiate the differences on a bill, and, in this case, work to finalize the annual budget. The only bill that our state Constitution requires the members of the Georgia General Assembly to pass during the legislative session is the state budget. Last week, the Senate approved the state budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2008, which ends June 30. The bill adds $300 million overall to the existing $20.2 billion budgeted for fiscal year 2008. The Conference Committee will ultimately agree on a compromise between the proposed budgets to offer a state budget that will be of benefit to all Georgia citizens.

This week, I'd also like to update you on some of the other legislation the Senate has recently passed:

SB 402 establishes the Georgia Coordinating Council for Rural and Human Services Transportation to encourage efficient transportation in rural areas of the state, and to coordinate human service transportation services in both rural and urban areas. This bill passed 51 to 0, of which I am a sponsor.

SB 366 prohibits state inmates from receiving or possessing cell phones, which passed 49 to 0. The bill was authored by Sen. Johnny Grant (R-Milledgeville).

SB 406 increases penalties for reproducing, transferring, selling, distributing or circulating certain recorded material, which is more commonly referred to as CD or DVD piracy. The bill passed 51 to 0, and was authored by Sen. Bill Hamrick (R-Carrollton).