It never ceases to amaze me at what a Republican controlled Ga. House can come up with! All of this lays squarely at the feet of Speaker David Ralston and the Republican caucus leadership!
This next week a “Gender identity” bill HB 630 http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/Search.aspx will get a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee. According to Sue Ella Deadwyler the laws related to this subject usually include those related to transvestites, transsexuals, cross-dressers and those trying to evade their natural birth identity. In states with laws to accommodate gender identity, anyone claiming transgender status may use any public facility or rest room in any public place, including churches and religious establishments, unless local law includes religious exemptions. Despite that, H.B. 630 would classify “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as civil rights, without defining the terms.
At the same time we have a bill submitted by Rep. Tommy Smith, HB 789 (Georgia Ethics in Government Act) http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display/20112012/HB/798 which is an attempt to place spending limits on lobbyists’ attempts to influence legislators. It would deal with situations where lobbyists are now spending undisclosed sums of money on members of the Legislature, including things like sending Georgia's House Speaker, his family and staff to Europe. This bill is placed in the Rules Committee where it is destined, for all practical purposes, to NEVER get a hearing! Why? Because the House Leadership does not want it! Why is HB 630 getting a hearing? Because House Leadership wants it to!!! This is real simple. It’s not rocket science.
Rep. Smith’s bill only has 2 signatures that are Republican, the rest are Democrats! Rep. Karla Drenner’s bill, in stark contrast, has 7 Republicans names on it! Two of the names are Republican Judiciary committee members - Chairman Wendell Willard and Mike Jacobs. The other republicans are Ron Stephens, Harry Geisinger, Ben Harbin, Roger Williams and Richard Smith!
I am in serious doubt that the House Leadership has a moral center any more. They have totally lost their way! It is time the grassroots of the Republican party knew of this.
God help us in these dark days,
Mike Griffin
Ten Commandments, GA
