Articles
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Solar Power
Imagine that, just like many of us, your child’s school is being forced to pay electricity bills that get higher and higher every year. School administration decides that they’d like to stabilize and reduce their electricity costs. Specifically, they want to invest in an array of solar panels to be installed on the school’s flat roof and can generate electricity that can provide for some of the school’s electricity needs on-site. However, your child’s school has limited access ... Read More40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 5
To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 9, 2012 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 19 (Wednesday, February 15, 2012): Without question, in my eight years that I have served in the legislature, this has been the busiest that I have ever experienced. While I am happy that leadership is trying to get us out by the end ... Read MoreHope for the Best and Brightest
Since its inception in 1993, the HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) scholarship has awarded more than $6.3 billion to over 1.4 million Georgia students in what many consider to be the most successful merit based scholarship program in the nation. Under the leadership of then Governor Zell Miller, the HOPE scholarship- funded by lottery revenues- was intended to address the then growing problem of our best and brightest students’ leaving Georgia to pursue educational ... Read More40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 4
To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 9, 2012 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 15 (Monday, February 6, 2012): After what had to have been the shortest weekend ever, we’re back up here today with everyone’s analysis of yesterday’s Super Bowl being the topic of discussion. Although we don’t go into session until the afternoon, my ... Read More40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 3
To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 9, 2012 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 10 (Monday, January 30, 2012): Much of what we do in the legislature is related to preparation and this morning is a perfect example as I am at the Capitol at 8 AM to review the Criminal Justice Appropriations budget with the ... Read More40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 2
To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 9, 2012 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 6 (Monday, January 23, 2012): Although we were not in session last week, as a member of the Appropriations committee I was at the Capitol most of the week for budget hearings. We began on Tuesday of last week with the Governor presenting ... Read More40 days at the Capitol Wk 1 ’12
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 1 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 9, 2012 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. . Day 1 (Monday, January 9, 2012): As the second year ... Read MoreOur next generation column
One of my favorite activities as a State Senator is when I get to speak to students at our local schools. This year I spoke to 3rd grade students at May Howard Elementary and Marshpoint Elementary in Chatham County and Button Gwinnett Elementary in Liberty County. The students from each of the schools had been studying civics and were familiar with the three branches of government- executive, judicial ... Read MoreUnemployment in Georgia column
This year 483,605 Georgians have the same item on their Christmas wish list- they want a job. That’s how many Georgians were unemployed for various reasons as of October 31st of this year. Currently, Georgia’s unemployment rate stands at 10.2% while the national rate is at 9%. Perhaps even more disturbing is that Georgia’s unemployment rate has exceeded the national rate for 50 consecutive ... Read MoreThe toughest budget yet column
Eight years ago when I was running for state representative, I participated in a candidates’ forum where we were asked questions by voters on issues of interest to them. Having served as Mayor of the City of Pooler for many years and having fought water wars with the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and the City of Savannah, I was quick to answer one voter’s question of what we candidates thought would ... Read MoreThe Spice Dilemma Column
In September a sheriff’s deputy in Statesboro responded to a call of a young man who had nearly beaten his girlfriend to death with a beer mug after both had ingested the drug spice. While the girlfriend ended up in intensive care with a shattered cheek and eye socket, a plate in her jaw and a bruised brain, the boyfriend was charged with aggravated assault with the intent to murder, changing both ... Read MoreLions and Tigers and Bears Column
Dorothy: Do you suppose we'll meet any wild animals? Tin Woodsman: Mm, we might. Scarecrow: Animals that eat... s-traw? Tin Woodsman: Some, but mostly lions, and tigers, and bears. Dorothy: Lions? Scarecrow: And tigers? Tin Woodsman: And bears. The Wizard of Oz (1939) On Tuesday, October 18th in Zanesville, Ohio, the owner of a privately owned wild animal park opened the cages of dozens of lions, tigers, bears and other exotic animals allowing them to ... Read MoreNational Healthcare- law or no law- column
National Healthcare, ObamaCare, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act(PPACA)- whatever you refer to it as- the historic legislation passed by Congress in 2010 revolutionizing the American health care system is now law. Or is it? On September 28th of this year, Georgia joined 25 other states asking the U. S. Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of the federal healthcare law that is the cornerstone of President ... Read MoreOgeechee river column
My parents named me after my two grandfathers. Both of them had a great influence over me and I am proud to have been named in their honor. One of my grandfathers was Earl Ford. He owned Ford’s Bait Station located on Highway 80 near Dean Forest Road in what is now Garden City. I used to help my grandfather around the station ... Read MoreNational Guard column
I grew up on Osteen Street in Port Wentworth, GA. Although my parents told me that for the first few years of my life we lived in the old Savannah Garden Apartments on President Street that have long been demolished, I don’t remember those times. My childhood memories start and end in Port Wentworth. And they are good memories. Unlike those who ... Read MoreSpecial session completed column
At 4:31 PM on August 31st, the special session of the Georgia state legislature that began three weeks earlier came to an end. Called by an executive order of Governor Nathan Deal, the special session was necessary to redraw house, senate and congressional district maps as required every ten years after the census is performed. Gov. Deal included in the items to be considered during the special ... Read MoreSpecial session report column
Last week, the Georgia state legislature convened into special session as a result of an official call issued by Governor Nathan Deal. As expected, Gov. Deal included in his list of issues to be considered redistricting, or the redrawing of the state’s legislative and congressional districts, as well as formal approval by the legislature of the suspension of the July 1 increase in the state‘s gas tax. ... Read MoreSpecial session ’11 column
Next week, the Georgia State Legislature will convene into special session to redraw house, senate and congressional districts to conform with the 2010 census. The special session is expected to last 2 to 3 weeks. When a Governor calls for a special session, he must call for the items to be acted upon in his executive order. While other subject matters can be discussed, only the items called ... Read MoreDebt ceiling limit column
As hard as I try I just can’t fathom $14.3 trillion. In fact, the only thing harder to try and fathom is probably that $14.3 trillion is not enough to cover our national debt. Thinking back on my career I realize that at certain stages all I did was add 0’s. When I was a college student 0 was a big part of my finances and the biggest ... Read MoreSchool is out for Summer!
While this may be true for students and teachers, it does not mean that education is not on the mind of Georgia’s state legislature. From charter schools to QBE funding to the Atlanta school system cheating scandal, education in our state has remained a hot topic during the summer. As a result of the Georgia Charter School Act of 1993, the first ... Read MoreJudge to rule on immigration law column
After hearing arguments last week from a coalition of immigration attorneys and civil rights organizations seeking to block implementation of Georgia’s new immigration law (HB 87) scheduled to go into effect July 1st. , U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash issued his ruling on Monday afternoon. The attorneys were asking the federal court judge appointed by former President Bill Clinton to issue a preliminary injunction blocking the law until a pending lawsuit challenging it as ... Read MoreWhat you had to say column
Every year after the legislative session ends, I send out a newsletter to constituents reporting on the activities of our session and asking for feedback on issues important to them. Although not scientific, the results of the survey are always interesting and give my fellow legislators and me an idea of where we need to be concentrating. This year I asked two questions. The first ... Read MorePrescription Drug Monitoring Bill becomes law column
Last week, Governor Nathan Deal signed into law SB 36, the Patient Safety Act of 2011, making Georgia one of the last states in the nation to implement a prescription drug monitoring program to combat the growing problem of prescription drug abuse. Supported by numerous state pharmacy, physician and other healthcare groups across the state and nation, SB 36 is the culmination of over ... Read MoreIllegal Immigration column
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no ... Read MoreChatham Co Comm Chair Term Limits column
Earlier this year I introduced SB 148, a bill that calls for a voter referendum to be held this November throughout Chatham County to decide if the current term limits for the Chairman of the County Commission should be eliminated. Term limits for the Chairman and Mayor of Savannah were passed in a voter referendum in 1990 by an overwhelming vote of 23,981 to 7,149. I filed this legislation in response to repeated requests from the current ... Read MoreA few things I learned during the 2011 session column II
The 2011 General Assembly marked my 7th year as a legislator. Every year I learn something new or am reminded of something along the way. This year was certainly no different and following are a few things I either learned or of which I was reminded. From Rabun Gap to Tybee Island, Georgia state legislators understand the importance ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 12 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 12 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March middle of April. Day 38 (Monday, April 11, 2011): After a week off for spring break, we’re back at it this morning knowing full well that these final few ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 11 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 11 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March middle of April. Day 34 (Monday, March 28, 2011): This morning I find myself right back where I left off last week- in front of the House Judiciary committee ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 10 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 10 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March middle of April. Day 31 (Monday, March 21, 2011): After a very short weekend, we’re back at it bright and early as I meet with the Chairman of Senate ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 9 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 9 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 29 (Monday, March 14, 2011): The Capitol is a sea of green today as we welcome the Grand Marshall and other members of the St. Patrick’s Day committee from Savannah. ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 8 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 8 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 25 (Monday, March 7, 2011): Today is 10th Amendment Day in the Senate as we take up 3 bills aimed at strengthening the rights of the State of Georgia under ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 7 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 7 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 20 (Monday, February 28, 2011): For the second session day in a row I have a bill on the floor as I present SB 95, legislation that I am sponsoring ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 6 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 6 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 17 (Tuesday, February 22, 2011): While much of this session has been dedicated to talks about the HOPE scholarship program and the changes that will have to be made, Governor ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 5 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 5 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 14 (Tuesday, February 15, 2011): The Capitol is abuzz today with the disappointing news that the President’s budget did not include funding for the deepening of the Savannah Harbor. Members ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 4 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 4 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 11 (Monday, February 7, 2011): As we begin this week, we welcome the Leadership Liberty County group to the Capitol. After pictures with the Governor and a tour of ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 3 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 3 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 7 (Monday, January 31, 2011): In my seven years of serving in the state legislature this session has started off slower than any other. Compared to other sessions very few ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 2 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 2 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 3 (Monday, January 24, 2011): According to our state’s constitution, we start our legislative session on the second Monday of every January. The Governor gives his state of the state address ... Read More40 days at the Capitol – wk 1 ’11
40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 1 To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 10, 2011 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 1 (Monday, January 10, 2011): If the late Atlanta Braves broadcaster Skip Carey were describing the start of the 2011 Georgia legislative session he would, no doubt, say that it was ... Read More
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Solar Power
Imagine that, just like many of us, your child’s school is being forced to pay electricity bills that get higher and higher every year. School administration decides that they’d like to stabilize and reduce their electricity costs. Specifically, they want to invest in an array of solar panels to be installed on the school’s flat roof [...]
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40 Days at the Capitol- Installment 5
To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 9, 2012 and is expected to last until the latter days of March. Day 19 (Wednesday, February 15, 2012): Without question, in my eight years that I have served in the legislature, this has been [...]
