The newsroom received a press release today from the Office of the Governor concerning the state's agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice investigation of Civil Rights violations in the state's seven mental health hospitals.
The funny thing is, it's the same release they sent out almost a month ago. And there's still no information about the details of the settlement as it says the settlement is still pending a federal judge's approval.
Update: Mystery solved! The newsroom can be a crazy place and sometimes that craziness results in the same e-mail being sent to you twice.
But this raising of the Department of Human Resources alert is appropo as we're all waiting to find out what the fate of the state's mental health system will be.
Rumor is there are movements going on at the Payton Cook Building.
We'll write more about that once DHR refuses to say anything about it tomorrow!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Does this mean the session won't last until June?
The U.S. Senate passed the President's Economic Stimulus Plan today.
What will this mean for the General Assembly now that they've voted to stay in session until June?
What will this mean for the General Assembly now that they've voted to stay in session until June?
Friday, February 6, 2009
Quite possibly causing the post below...
January's revenue figures dropped 14.3 percent or $262 million between the numbers posted January 2008.
The AJC reports that the low figures will probably force the governor to lower the revenue estimates, thus dropping the digits on the state's projected $20.2 billion FY2010 budget.
The AJC reports that the low figures will probably force the governor to lower the revenue estimates, thus dropping the digits on the state's projected $20.2 billion FY2010 budget.
Not so fast...
The state House voted to meet three times a week until March 25, adjourn and then return in late June so as to be able to respond to any federal stimulus package.
Read the professional's story about it here.
Update: Both Political Insider and Lucid Idiocy make an excellent point that a newbie like myself might have forgotten: You can't raise money during the legislative session.
Read the professional's story about it here.
Update: Both Political Insider and Lucid Idiocy make an excellent point that a newbie like myself might have forgotten: You can't raise money during the legislative session.
Lake Sinclair no longer to be small pond for big boats?
State Senator Johnny Grant, R-Milledgeville, filed S.B. 99 to outlaw large boats on Lake Sinclair.
If passed, boats longer than 30 feet, 6 inches will not be allowed on the lake. It also prohibits--and I'll have to quote here because I'm no mariner--"Any vessel equipped with any type of bypass mechanism that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of the muffler or baffler system."
This legislation was a big to do on the local level last year during boating season as many area residents began to worry about lake lizards with the large boats traveling from Lake Lanier to Lake Sinclair as it is one of the few lakes in the state that has no legislation prohibiting large water crafts.
On a side note, last year I did a ride along with DNR on Lake Sinclair and their understanding of any prohibition legislation was that it would outlaw any boats that couldn't make it under the 441 bridges.
If passed, boats longer than 30 feet, 6 inches will not be allowed on the lake. It also prohibits--and I'll have to quote here because I'm no mariner--"Any vessel equipped with any type of bypass mechanism that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of the muffler or baffler system."
This legislation was a big to do on the local level last year during boating season as many area residents began to worry about lake lizards with the large boats traveling from Lake Lanier to Lake Sinclair as it is one of the few lakes in the state that has no legislation prohibiting large water crafts.
On a side note, last year I did a ride along with DNR on Lake Sinclair and their understanding of any prohibition legislation was that it would outlaw any boats that couldn't make it under the 441 bridges.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Privatization deferred...
Yesterday in a surprisingly brusque conversation with Department of Human Resources spokesman David Noel, it was confirmed that a Request For Proposals issued for private companies to take over the state's forensics operations was canceled.
Noel said that the RFP was canceled so that DHR could review the request to see if the correct experience requirements were in place.
But, Noel went on to say that once review of the RFP is concluded, it would be reissued.
State Senator Johnny Grant, R-Milledgeville, called the Union-Recorder to inform us about this piece of information, which he had initially heard as a rumor at the Capital.
This RFP is of particular importance to the community as it may come to be all that is left of Milledgeville's mental health industry once privatization changes the state's mental health system as we know it.
Forensics is the branch of the state's mental health serves clients who are referred for psychiatric evaluation and treatment from various components of the state's criminal justice and corrections systems. According to Central State Hospital's ,Web site, the hospital currently has 192 operating beds in its forensics unit.
Although I haven't been able to acquire a copy of the RFP, word is that it was to center the entire state's forensics services in the Milledgeville area.
This would pose a strange fate for the state's former mental health capital--sometimes referred to as Asylum City--as it is now the home of the state's first mental health prison, Baldwin State Prison. The community has gone from the service center of the state's mental health system to the weigh station of the state's criminally insane.
Update: The Savannah Morning News wrote a story about changes to the "Game Plan." Maybe the U-R will have a story about this soon.
Noel said that the RFP was canceled so that DHR could review the request to see if the correct experience requirements were in place.
But, Noel went on to say that once review of the RFP is concluded, it would be reissued.
State Senator Johnny Grant, R-Milledgeville, called the Union-Recorder to inform us about this piece of information, which he had initially heard as a rumor at the Capital.
This RFP is of particular importance to the community as it may come to be all that is left of Milledgeville's mental health industry once privatization changes the state's mental health system as we know it.
Forensics is the branch of the state's mental health serves clients who are referred for psychiatric evaluation and treatment from various components of the state's criminal justice and corrections systems. According to Central State Hospital's ,Web site, the hospital currently has 192 operating beds in its forensics unit.
Although I haven't been able to acquire a copy of the RFP, word is that it was to center the entire state's forensics services in the Milledgeville area.
This would pose a strange fate for the state's former mental health capital--sometimes referred to as Asylum City--as it is now the home of the state's first mental health prison, Baldwin State Prison. The community has gone from the service center of the state's mental health system to the weigh station of the state's criminally insane.
Update: The Savannah Morning News wrote a story about changes to the "Game Plan." Maybe the U-R will have a story about this soon.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
District 12 without representation on DOT board
The AJC reported that Twelfth District Department of Transportation Board member Raybon Anderson announced that he will be resigning his post on the Transportation Board effective Feb. 17.
Let's hope that it doesn't bring this battle back to the Gold Dome.
According to the AJC, Anderson's seat on the board was taking too much away from his fertilizer company. But the story hints at the fact that the Transportation Board may be losing some sway over the state's transportation agenda.
"In the current session, legislators have said they were dismayed at the DOT board’s proposals to cut road projects without furloughs or layoffs, and ideas for bills have surfaced that may take power from the DOT board."
Let's hope that it doesn't bring this battle back to the Gold Dome.
According to the AJC, Anderson's seat on the board was taking too much away from his fertilizer company. But the story hints at the fact that the Transportation Board may be losing some sway over the state's transportation agenda.
"In the current session, legislators have said they were dismayed at the DOT board’s proposals to cut road projects without furloughs or layoffs, and ideas for bills have surfaced that may take power from the DOT board."
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