LEGISLATIVE REPORT - February 3, 2004, by J. A. Davis

Progress is being made in the process to get legislation advanced in the Georgia senate.

The Georgia Heritage Coalition supported by participating members has arranged a green light from Majority Leader, Bill Stephens, (R) Canton, to proceed in the Senate.

Those Senators who have been withholding an announcement of support for the Georgia Fair Vote Act are urged to contact Senator Stephens for confirmation that he has no objections to majority Senators providing their support and sponsorship of the GHC bill.

Several Democratic Senators have announced support for the non-partisan bill. More are expected to confirm support as the Republican majority moves the bill forward.

Grass roots activism by GHC participants throughout the state has brought us to this point. There is much to be done in order to accomplish victory in the Senate. We are at a crucial point and need an all out campaign contacting Senators.

Many of the Senators supporting the bill are doing so regardless of their personal choices for a state flag. They are joining The Fair Vote Act because they recognize the unfairness of previous legislation which eliminated a full choice of all of the flags that have flown over Georgia in the past three years.

Virtually all lawmakers in both chambers agree the flag issue will never be settled until the people have the right to choose freely from all three options available. Some legislators have expressed concern the rigged March 2nd flag referendum will not be accepted by a majority of Georgians, regardless of the outcome.

Some legislators have expressed support for the Fair Vote Act as insurance against a grass roots citizens refusal to accept the unfairness of the March 2nd referendum regardless of the result.

The Fair Vote Act provides the March 2nd referendum will be voided and superseded by a fair vote on all three choices in July when the turnout for primary elections for both parties will be more reflective of the complete voting population.

We need the support of all Georgia patriots who will contact their Senators who have not yet made a commitment to support The Fair Vote Act.

At the moment we are concentrating on Republican Senators who have either said they oppose giving Georgians the right to a fair choice, or who have been sitting on the fence. These are:

District 1, Eric Johnson, Savannah
District 4, Jack Hill, Reidsville
District 6, Ginger Collins, Cobb County
District 9, Don Balfour, Snellville
District 13, Rooney Bowen, Cordele
District 16, Seth Harp, Midland
District 18, Ross Tolleson, Perry
District 22, Randy Hall, Augusta
District 27, Dan Moody, Alpharetta
District 28, Mitch Seabaugh, Sharpsburg
District 29, Dan Lee, LaGrange
District 30, Bill Hamrick, Douglasville
District 32, Charlie Tanksley, Marietta
District 37, Chuck Clay, Marietta
District 45, Renee Unterman, Loganville
District 46, Brian Kemp, Athens
District 47, Ralph Hudgens, Comer
District 56, Tom Price, Roswell

Our calculations show we need four or five from this list to gain a majority in the Republican caucus. At least that number have indicated a willingness to support us with the green light from Senator Stephens. Now is the time to get them confirmed.