OPINION: Legislation a first step toward downsizing state bureaucracy

HB 642 would abolish the State Properties Commission and the State Personnel Administration and transfer their functions to a newly created Georgia Services Administration, which would also replace the Department of Administrative services. Under the bill, the Georgia Aviation Authority, the State Accounting Office, the Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services, the Georgia Building Authority, the Office of State Administrative Hearings and the Georgia Technology Authority would be administratively assigned to the Georgia Services Administration.

A related proposal, HB 805, which would revise state law to account for the retirement of employees associated with the State Personnel Administration, was also approved and sent to the Senate for its consideration, along with HB 642.

Hopefully this is only the first step, and your Legislature will continue to work toward a zero-based budgeting process, with a close scrutiny of every state agency and program to determine whether they are a necessary and effective use of your tax dollars.

Charter School Amendment: Legislation that would change the Constitution to allow the state to set up charter schools fell 10 votes short of the required two-thirds majority approval in the House on Feb. 8. But the following day, House members agreed to reconsider HR 1162 later in the session.

This resolution is intended to address a state Supreme Court decision handed down last year that struck down in a broad manner the state’s ability to authorize charter schools. The amendment is intended to reassert the state’s partnership role in public education.

The Supreme Court ruling took away that mechanism for the state’s role in public education and also opens other components to court challenges, including QBE funding, equalization, state teacher pay scales, qualifications for employment and maximum teacher/student ratios.

I understand the concerns of many education professionals who are concerned that HR 1162 would create a drain for funding if local tax dollars were used to pay for them, but the House Committee substitute omitted any reference to funding or student achievement as requested by school boards, superintendents and teachers associations. The Governor, Speaker of the House and other leaders have committed to no indirect reduction in local school funding as a result of state-approved charter schools.

As with all legislation, the “devil is in the details.” HR 1162 itself simply calls for the constitutional amendment to be decided by Georgia voters, only after two-thirds majority approval by both the House and Senate. Specifics on how the change is implemented would be written in enabling legislation, which would itself have to be approved by the House and Senate and signed by the Governor.

The resolution’s sponsors will be working in the coming weeks with fellow House members and representatives of the education community to make it more acceptable to all parties before it is reconsidered in another floor vote.

Finally, if HR 1162 does not ultimately pass, I am concerned that some proponents will react by pushing for other, more radical changes, such as school vouchers, by statute requiring only a simple majority of 91 votes in the House, rather than by constitutional amendment, which requires a two-thirds majority of 120 votes.

As with all issues, I make my decisions based on how they will affect Franklin, Hart and Madison counties. Due to the stability and good leadership of our local schools, I do not see any possibility of state charter schools being developed in our district. I am devoted to the success and stability of our public school systems and fear the potential alternatives to HR 1162 could prove to be devastating.

“No Child Left Behind” Waiver: Georgia’s request for its public schools to receive an exemption from the academic performance requirements in the federal “No Child Left Behind” law has been granted by the U.S. Department of Education. Gov. Nathan Deal said, “This waiver will give Georgia the flexibility we need to pursue our goals of student achievement.” Georgia is one of 10 states given a “No Child Left Behind” exemption to free states from the standardized test performance requirements that are part of the education law if the states developed a better accountability plan for their public schools. Georgia’s plan will include an index made up of several different test scores and student attendance rates.

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State Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell) represents the 29th District (Franklin, Hart and Madison counties) in the Georgia House of Representatives. Contact him at 507 Coverdell Legislative Office Building, Atlanta, GA 30334; by phone at 404-656-0202; or by email at alanpowell23@hotmail.com.