REP. STEPHANIE STUCKEY BENFIELD'S

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

Week of February 19 - February 23, 2007

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT - February 23, 2007

Lowering death penalty requirement threatens justice

By Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield

House Bill 185, which would reduce the requirement of a unanimous jury vote for a sentence of death to be imposed in capital trials, is under consideration in the House Judiciary Committee.

This proposal, which would allow judges to impose the death penalty when at least nine of 12 jurors vote to recommend capital punishment, reportedly addresses the public outcry that has followed the failure of juries to reach a 12-0 death penalty recommendation in certain high-profile cases.

But this change could actually lead to less, rather than more, justice in cases involving particularly heinous crimes. Recent cases where DNA evidence has led to convictions being overturned demonstrate the potential injustice of convicting the wrong person in a capital case, then sending an innocent citizen to death row. Because it would make such an injustice much easier to occur, I am strongly opposed to HB 185.

DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Claudia G. Lawson is reminding homeowners that the deadline to apply for homestead exemption and the assessment freeze exemption is March 1, 2007. If you owned and occupied your home on January 1, 2007, application for homestead exemption and the assessment freeze exemption must be received by the March 1, 2007, deadline.

The homestead exemption and assessment freeze exemption may be applied for on-line at: www.co.dekalb.ga.us/taxcommissioner or by clicking here or in person at one of the three Tax Commissioner's office locations listed below.

• Central Location: 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur (across Memorial Drive from DeKalb County Jail)

• North Satellite Location: 1358 Dresden Drive, Atlanta (2 blocks east of Brookhaven Marta Station)

• South Satellite Location: 2389 Wesley Chapel Rd., Suite 101A, Decatur (Wesley Chapel Square Shopping Center)

Taxpayers with questions should contact the Tax Commissioners Office at (404) 298-4000 or visit thier web site at

www.co.dekalb.ga.us/taxcommissioner

Governor Perdue has proposed a constitutional amendment that would establish the Citizens Redistricting Commission, an independent redistricting commission that would help ensure fairly drawn districts and improve public faith in the elective process. I am in strong support of Senate Resolution 344, which is very similar to a proposal I have introduced twice before.

If the amendment passes, the Commission would function independently with respect to both congressional districts and state legislative districts, and would submit its report to the General Assembly for an up or down vote. If either house declines to give approval, the report would return to the Commission with specific suggestions that would eliminate the basis for disapproval. If either house declined a second time, the General Assembly would proceed to complete the redistricting process on its own.

This legislation would restore confidence to our redistricting system, which has been misused by both political parties when they were in control.

Legislation I co-sponsored that would allow Georgia consumers to have wine shipped to them directly from wineries. A similar version of the bill I introduced has been favorably reported by the House Regulated Industries Committee. HB 393 would allow consumers have up to 20 cases of wine a year shipped to them directly from wineries they had visited, such as those in Georgia or in places like California's Napa Valley. When the wine is delivered in Georgia, an adult would have to sign for it, according to the legislation.

I have also co-sponsored HB 438, which would encourage the use of renewable energy by Georgia businesses by providing a state income tax credit for the sale or use of business property for renewable energy. The legislation has been referred to the House Ways & Means Committee for its consideration.

DeKalb Montessori School Program: At the request of a constituent who lives in the Midway Woods area, I want to make my listserve subscribers aware that Midway Elementary School offers Montessori classes to students ages 4-8. This program is available to all DeKalb residents, regardless of where you live. Pre-registration for the program will be from March 12 - 26. Interested parents may contact Dr. Alice Thompson, Executive Director of Student Assignments, at 678.676.0793 for additional information, or by applying in person at Midway Elementary, located at 3318 Midway Road, Decatur, GA 30032.

• Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D-Atlanta) represents the 85 th District (DeKalb County) in the Georgia House of Representatives. Contact her at 512 Coverdell Office Building, Atlanta, GA 30334; by phone at 404-656-7859 or by e-mail at stuckey@mindspring.com. You may also contact her through her web site www.stuckey.org.

Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D-Atlanta) represents the 85 th District (DeKalb County) in the Georgia House of Representatives. Contact her at 512 Coverdell Office Building, Atlanta, GA 30334; by phone at 404-656-7859 or by e-mail at stuckey@mindspring.com.

Friends & Neighbors of Stephanie Stuckey Benfield
940 Artwood Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
(404) 377-7014

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