I went head to head in a debate with two of my opponents for Chairman on March 9th. It was a great experience and I enjoyed seeing so many friends and supporters in the audience. You can read more about the event in the Clayton News Daily write-up.
On March 4th last week I officially submitted my application to qualify to run for Chair of the Rockdale County Commission. I’m excited for the opportunity to once again serve our county and our community and I would appreciate your vote!
This week, I presented SB 422 before the Senate Public Safety Committee. SB 422 is a bill I sponsored with the intent to help our county and local municipalities maintain vacant structures or lots, without going through a lengthy and expensive judicial process. Many times due to an owner moving away or perhaps fire damage, these homes pose a threat to our community in the form of lower property values and damaging community aesthetics. While this bill was not passed out of committee, I am encouraged by the committee’s proposals and look forward to presenting this bill again once it has been polished and refined.
I sponsored SB 409 to provide protection for children who are the victims of child abuse and neglect. SB 409 instructs public schools to post a sign, which displays the phone number for the Department of Family and Children Services, so that children can report child abuse and neglect. Oftentimes, we forget the dangers some children face each night as they head back home from school. This bill would provide a method for these victims of abuse to seek help and comfort without risking harm at home. SB 409 is on the Senate Rules Calendar for Monday and will be up for a vote by the Senate.
I am looking for an aide to help with constituent services for the rest of February March and April. The ideal candidate would be someone who is at least a high school graduate and has college experience. The person needs to have good writing skills and be able to create letters regarding key policy issues that I draft. This would be a great learning experience for someone who enjoys working with the public and attending committee meeting as well as researching potential legislation. In my efforts to be extremely responsive to the needs of our community, this person would be able to represent me at community events on occasions when I am not able to attend all of the requested events. Experience working with social media is a plus. The hours would be 930 to 5 PM and are somewhat flexible.
The 6th week of Legislative Session 2016 begins on Tuesday, February 16th this week. We are officially halfway through the legislative session and I could not be more proud to be representing Senate District 43 in the State Senate.
Last Monday the Senate passed Senate Bill 278, which increases the criminal penalties for pimping and pandering, and requires those convicted of a second offense to register with the National Sex Offense Registry. This legislation is particularly important to me, as it helps to minimize the effects of sex trafficking in our state and gives prosecutors more leeway in keeping criminals off our street. If you are interested in hearing more on this issue, click here to watch a video of my analysis on SB 278.
Tuesday also marked an important day for me as we celebrated Women’s Caucus Day at the Capital. Formed in 1990, this bicameral and bipartisan caucus brings female legislators of the General Assembly together to work on issues important to Georgia women and their families. While the caucus meets weekly to discuss issues directly impacting Georgia’s women, Women’s Caucus Day allows female legislators to come together and recognize our accomplishments.
This week, I also welcomed quite a few members of the Rockdale, Newton and Conyers communities. On February 9, I celebrated Realtor Day with the East Metro Board of Realtors President Dr. Cynthia M. Davis as well as board members of both Rockdale and Newton Counties. It was an exciting day as we discussed the impact realtors have on our community in connecting families and individuals with safe and affordable housing. Trade associations such as these are integral to our economy as they promote a skilled and connected work force.
On Saturday we marked the opening of a new intersection in Porterdale at the Burger King. This project, which was funded by SPLOST, was almost $2 million and significantly improves the safety of this very busy area. Mayor Arline Chapman, Representative Dickerson, Chairman Keith Ellis and Commissioner JC Henderson joined me at the event.
Even as the session gets busier, please let me know if I can be of service in any way. With only 20 legislative days remaining, there will be more and more legislation to read, vet and vote on. I want to thank you all personally for everything you do in our community and for entrusting me to work on behalf of Georgia’s 43rd Senate District.
Senator JaNice Van Ness represents the 43rd Senate District, which includes portions of DeKalb, Newton and Rockdale counties. She may be reached at 404.463.2598 or by email at janice.vanness@senate.ga.gov.
Today, we marked the opening of a new intersection in Porterdale at the Burger King. This project was almost $2 million and significantly improves the safety of this very busy area. Mayor Arline Chapman, Representative Dickerson, Chairman Keith Ellis and Commissioner JC Henderson join me at the event that was funded by SPLOST.
Working to find solutions to STOP sex trafficking. Thank you to Senator Renee Unterman and all of the non-profits for their leadership with this important issue.
It was a pleasure to welcome a constituent, Christian Johnson, as a page in the Georgia Senate recently. It is important for us to connect with the youth of our community and promote civic engagement. I was delighted to welcome Mr. Johnson to the Senate for his inaugural experience in state politics.
Today marks Day 17 of the 40-day Legislative Session with 23 days of session left on our calendar. The pace is picking up here, and I am proud to be representing Senate District 43 at the Gold Dome.
Last week we passed Senate Bill 193, which amends penalties for family violence and battery, with a vote of 56 to 0, our first unanimous vote. It is always an honor and a pleasure to vote on bills such as this, especially when we can all put aside our differences and work to truly better the lives of Georgians.
Along with passing key legislation, we celebrated some very special groups this past week. We recognized representatives from the state 4-H organization who encouraged us to always remember the important role agriculture plays in our state’s economy. Along with these special guests, we also celebrated Stop Violence Against Women Day in order to bring awareness to issues that affect millions of women all across the country. We also recognized the Georgia Farm Bureau and their critical work in supporting and promoting our #1 industry in the State of Georgia – Agriculture. This industry contributes approximately $72.5 billion annually to the state’s economy, according to UGA Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development.
I also met with cadets of the Georgia Piedmont Technical College Law Enforcement Academy. As the future protectors of our state, I encouraged the cadets to act as leaders and role models for our local communities. I was very impressed with the fact that the program allows students to earn college credit while also getting POST certified. This allows them to be very close to earning their Associates Degree by completing the course that is full time for 17 weeks.
I am also pleased to announce that one of our community initiatives is well under way. The Granite Crossing in the City of Lithonia was awarded grant money in 2015, which will fund the development through 2016. The property will have 74 affordable housing units and I am told that tenants may begin moving in as early as January 2017.
It is an honor to serve as the senator from Senate District 43. To receive periodic emails specific to your interests in District 43, visit my website at janicevanness.com. Do not hesitate to reach out to me with your concerns and questions. My door and phone lines are always open. I look forwarding to having our community members at the Capitol!
####
Senator JaNice Van Ness represents the 43rd Senate District, which includes portions of DeKalb, Newton and Rockdale counties. She may be reached at 404.463.2598 or by email at janice.vanness@senate.ga.gov.