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"Representing The Interests of Police and Veterans"

Sponsored Legislation | Opposed Legislation

COLUMBUS LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The Georgia General Assembly

Amending language in O.C.G.A. 16-12-60, relating to bingo prize awards.

No action was taken as the 2007 General Assembly ended, on Georgia's Police and Veterans Coalition's, Shrine Clubs, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars request to amend the above referenced code section so that these non-profit organizations can compete on a level playing field with our sister border states and our Georgia military installations who operate bingo. In addition, the Georgia Lottery has a bingo scratch-off card. Georgia's non-profit bingo is restricted by law to awarding a maximum of $1,500 per session. The named organizations enumerated herein have no restrictions on prize awards. In Phenix City, the minimum paid per session is $6,600. The attendance is in the 300 + range. Our average attendance is about 65-70. A big difference. Columbus organizations just can't compete as the law stands now. We have asked the members of our Columbus Delegation to help their local police and veterans and the shriners with changing the law. None has come forward to help us. The Alabama Christian Coalition's President Randy Brinson has spoke out in favor of allowing electronic bingo at Greyhound Race Tracks. According to Representative Richard Smith (R) of HD-131 in an e-mail to the association president "our delegation always supports police and veterans". Well, their voting records don't match their rhetoric. Why they won't fix this for us is a mystery to us. We need to remember this when they stand for re-election. Letters have been sent by each of the Commanders and Presidents of the effected organizations to each of the Columbus House and Senate delegation members, regarding this very serious problem that effects our ability to raise funding for our programs and services to police officers and veterans. We will await their response as to what they intend to do to help us solve this problem.

UPDATE - NOVEMBER 5, 2007:

We have received positive responses from most of the members of our Columbus State House and Senate Delegations, reference amending the Georgia Bingo Act on Non-Profit Bingo. AMVETS Commander and President of the Southern States Police and Veterans Coalition has sent letters to each member of the delegation requesting a joint meeting to address the issues with the current law and the adverse effect that it is having on veterans and other organizations who depend on the revenue from our bingo/raffle programs to fund the various service and other programs that help veterans and their dependents.

UPDATE - DECEMBER 17, 2007:

Representatives from the American Legion, AMVETS, VFW, Shrine and the Southern States Police and Veterans Coalition met with three members of our Columbus Delegation in the Georgia House and Senate, regarding legislation amending the current law on maximum prize awards that can be awarded in a bingo session. These members agreed to introduce legislation that will either remove the cap or set an amount so that non-profit bingo organizations can compete with Fort Benning bingo, and the Georgia Lottery bingo scratch off tickets and Alabama non-profit bingo. The Dog Track at Shorter now offers bingo. None of these bingo organizations have an restriction on the amount cash or prizes they can award. Since bingo became legal in Alabama about three years ago, the non profit bingo halls in Columbus have suffered a severe blow to the revenue generated from our bingo program. This has severely hurt our ability to assist veterans and police officers and their families. The Shrine's transportation fund has been severely hampered by a reduction in their revenue from their bingo program.  We expect that Senator Harp, Representatives Debbie Buckner and Carolyn Hugley will have a bill ready for pre filing. We also expect Senator Harbison, Representatives Richard Smith, Vance Smith and Calvin Smyre to sponsor or co-sponsor this legislation. Ed Richards is the lead commander on this initiative. The delegation has ask the coalition to assist them, by contacting all other leaders in their respective organizations and asking them to contact their legislators and ask them to join our delegation in this effort. This will be done. If anyone should desire information or want to help with this effort, please e-mail: adjutant@galegion323.org in addition, to information on this site, please visit: www.amvetsga9.org , www.galegion323.org

H.R. 4424-Health Benefits for survivors of Public Safety Officers killed in of duty

HB218 - secret meetings bill tabled in Senate 

HB-218 amendments offered by Senator Seth Harp of the 29th and others and Senator Eric Johnson of the 1st and others: Amendment 1 Amendment 2

U.S. FLAG DESECRATION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States authorizing the Congress and the States to prohibit the act of desecration of the flag of the United States and to set... (Introduced in House)

HJ Res. 5 IH Introduced January 4, 2005

HJ Res. 10 IH Introduced January 25, 2005

SJ Res. 12 IS Introduced April 14, 2005

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States authorizing the Congress and the States to prohibit the act of desecration of the flag of the United States and to set criminal penalties for that act.

Mrs. EMERSON introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States authorizing the Congress and the States to prohibit the act of desecration of the flag of the United States and to set criminal penalties for that act.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

`Article --

`The Congress and the States shall have power to prohibit the act of desecration of the flag of the United States and to set criminal penalties for that act.'