SEN. SMITH'S ADDRESS TO THE GEORGIA SENATE
In retribution for my refusal to go along with the Lt. Governor and the rest of the Senate Republican leadership and vote for a tax increase, my role as chairman was stripped away from me by them. I take the well today with a heavy heart – not because of a loss of any position, but rather because of what is happening in State Government and its larger implication for the legacy of our Republican party and the posterity of our state. (More)
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SEN. SMITH CHAMPIONS EDUCATORS SALARY PROTECTION ACT
The Georgia Senate today voted in favor of protecting teachers’ salaries by passing Senate Bill 515, the Educators Salary Protection Act, by a bi-partisan margin of 35-11. The measure, sponsored by Senator Preston Smith (R-Rome), seeks to protect Georgia teachers from additional furlough days if school systems have large unencumbered reserves of taxpayer funds available. (More)
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SEN. SMITH'S BILL TO CREATE NEW "SMASH AND GRAB" CRIME PASSES SENATE
In response to the rash of high profile “smash and grab” burglaries across the state of Georgia, the Georgia State Senate today unanimously voted in favor of Sen. Preston Smith’s (R-Rome) legislation to create a new crime for these burglaries that are taking a financial toll on Georgia’s retail industry. (More)
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SEN. SMITH INTRODUCES EDUCATORS' SALARY PROTECTION ACT
Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) is championing the cause to protect Georgia teachers from additional furlough days. He has introduced the Educators Salary Protection Act to prevent school systems with more than 6 percent funding in their reserve accounts from furloughing teachers, when funding is readily available to prevent the furloughs. (More)
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SEN. SMITH NAMED 'LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR' FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM EFFORTS
ATLANTA (March 5, 2010) – Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) has been named the 2010 Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Society of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (GSASC) for his work this session to reform Georgia’s health care system using consumer and patient-focused solutions. Smith was chosen for his efforts in advocating for patients and the highest quality of health care. He has introduced a package of health insurance reform legislation to address issues from all sides of the health care spectrum, from health care providers, hospitals, physicians and individual consumers and employers. (More)
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SEN. SMITH RELEASES LEGISLATIVE REPORT ON PUBLIC DEFENDER STANDARDS COUNCIL
As chairman of the legislative oversight committee on the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council, Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) today announced the release of the committee’s report that reviews the council’s standards, programs and budgets. The committee’s recommendations recognize the enormous financial strain this economy places on our courts, and offers solutions to balance their duties with the limited funding we have available. This report also addresses issues that have arisen in Advisory Opinions of the State Bar as well as opinions and orders recently issued by Georgia Courts. (More)
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LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT OF GEORGIA'S MEDICAID SYSTEM ESTABLISHED UNDER SEN. SMITH'S LEGISLATION
Continuing his work toward consumer-driven reform of Georgia ’s health care system, Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) is working to establish legislative oversight of Medicaid and Care Management Organizations (CMO), which manage the delivery of Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids services to patients. Senate Bill 443, a bipartisan measure that has already received the support of almost 50 of the Senate’s 56 members, is designed to bring transparancy and accountabilty to the healthcare delivered through Medicaid and CMO's. (More)
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SEN. SMITH ANNOUNCES FUNDING AND EFFICIENCY BILL FOR GEORGIA'S COURTS
Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced bipartisan legislation to enhance funding and efficiency for Georgia’s overburdened courts. A judicial operations fund will be created under Senate Bill 429 to fund the operations of the courts and a significant portion of judges’ salaries. The bill also appoints additional members to Georgia’s Supreme Court and Court of Appeals to help expedite case load. (More)
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SENATE UNANIMOUSLY PASSES SEN. SMITH'S VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE BILL
The Georgia State Senate today unanimously passed Sen. Preston Smith’s (R-Rome) bill to allow licensed, out-of-state emergency personnel to assist the state in the event of a disaster. The Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act (SB 315) will make it easier for health professionals to quickly respond should a disaster or emergency arise in Georgia. (More)
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SEN. SMITH FILES BILL TO PROTECT CITIZENS' GUN RIGHTS DURING AN EMERGENCY
Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) filed SB 342 today to expand citizens’ gun rights during an emergency. Currently, code section 38-3-51(d)(8) of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated grants extraordinary powers to a Georgia Governor during a state of emergency to suspend or limit the sale, dispensing or transportation of firearms. Sen. Smith’s bill would repeal that portion of the code and eliminate the Governor’s power to limit gun rights during an emergency. (More)
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SEN. PRESTON SMITH INTRODUCES HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM PACKAGE
Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) today introduced his package of health insurance reform legislation in the Georgia State Senate, which is co-sponsored by more than 20 of his Senate colleagues. “After meeting with local health care providers, hospitals, physicians and individual consumers and employers who purchase health insurance for their employees, I have proposed a number of consumer-oriented solutions.” (More)
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SEN. SMITH VOLUNTARILY TAKES FURLOUGH DAYS THROUGH JUNE 2010
State Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) is voluntarily taking six more furlough days for the remainder of the legislative fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2010. With these additional days, legislators will have taken a total of eleven furlough days in fiscal year 2010. The money will be returned to the State Treasury to help fill additional budget gaps. (More)
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SEN. PRESTON SMITH INTRODUCES VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE BILL
Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) introduced the Volunteer Emergency Assistance Bill (SB 315) which allows out of state licensed emergency personnel to assist the state in the event of a disaster. It seeks to ensure organization and rapid medical attention during a disaster. (More)
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SEN. SMITH APPOINTED TO COMMITTEE OF ESCORT FOR THE GOVERNOR
Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) was appointed today to the Committee of Escort for the Governor for his statewide address reporting on the ‘State of the State.’ HR 1089, passed unanimously by the Senate and House of Representatives, calls for the convening of a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives, along with statewide constitutional officers and members of the Georgia Supreme Court and Georgia Court of Appeals. (More)
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SEN. SMITH HONORS FALLEN GEORGIA SOLDIER IN MOTORCYCLE ESCORT
Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) today joined the Patriot Guard Riders of Georgia to escort fallen soldier Sgt. Jeffrey W. Jordan of Rome from the Richard B. Russell Airport to the funeral home in preparation for burial. Jordan, 21, died June 4 near Kapisa, Afghanistan, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. (More)
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SEN. SMITH AWARDED HIGHEST HONOR BY NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
The National Federation of Independent Business, Georgia’s leading small business association, has presented state Sen. Preston Smith, R-Rome, with a '2009 Guardian of Small Business Award'. The 'Guardian of Small Business Award' is the most prestigious honor that NFIB bestows on legislators in recognition of their efforts to support small business issues. NFIB/Georgia’s Leadership Council voted to honor Sen. Smith for his work in the Georgia Legislature. (More)
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GOVERNOR SIGNS SEN. SMITH'S LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE BILL
Governor Sonny Perdue today signed Sen. Preston Smith’s (R-Rome) legislation (SB 13) to expand sentencing options in murder cases. Prosecutors will now have the option to seek sentences of life imprisonment without parole in non-death penalty cases. (More)
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SEN. SMITH'S TEA PARTY SPEECH
On the evening of December 16, 1773, a group of patriots gathered dockside at a place named ‘Old South Meeting House’ nestled in Griffin’s Warf in Boston, Massachusetts. Warmed only by the fire in their own belly, over the course of three hours, more than 100 of the participants helped to heave 346 chests – or 46 tons of tea leaves into the harbor. (More)
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Sen. Smith Helps To Pass A Balanced State Budget
“Today the Georgia General Assembly passed a balanced budget that meets the essential needs of our state during these challenging times in our economy, cutting nearly $2 billion from the original 2009 budget,” said Smith. “We accomplished this without raising taxes. We prioritized the needs of Georgians and cut wasteful spending. While Washington D.C. saddles us with over $1 trillion dollars in debt, the Assembly worked together and passed this budget without a single ‘pork barrel’ project.” (More)
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AJC Opinion-Editorial: The Defenders have become the Accusers
Although the statewide Public Defenders' Council falsely accuses the legislature of failing to appropriate enough money, the truth is that zealous advocates of an almost unlimited taxpayer funded defense system simply cannot be satisfied. Regardless of how much money is spent, we have learned that they will always spend, or over spend, every dollar made available to them, and then demand more. (More)
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Sen. Smith's 'life without parole' bill gets support
The No. 1 issue raised by murder victims’ families is their desire to be assured that the person who took away their loved one never again walk the streets, McDade said. SB 13 gives DAs that option... (More)
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Smith's Public Defender Council Bill Passed by Judiciary Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed a measure to restructure the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council during its recent meeting at the Capitol. Authored by Judiciary Chairman Preston Smith (R-Rome), Senate Bill 42 changes the council’s board to an advisory body under the director, who will be responsible for setting policy and accountable for the council’s actions. (More)
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Sen. Smith Reappointed Judiciary Chairman and Other Notable Committees
State Senator Preston Smith (R-Rome) has been reappointed by Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee, a position he has held since 2005. The Lt. Governor also granted Sen. Smith’s request to serve on the powerful Rules Committee for the 2009-2010 legislative term. (More)
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Opinion-Editorial: Budget Shortfall Requires Sacrifice
In the last few months, Georgia has seen a significant decline in revenue collections that fund all of the state’s activities from education and healthcare to public safety and transportation. The state constitution wisely requires legislators to pass a balanced budget in which planned expenditures do not exceed anticipated revenue collections. Unlike the federal government, the state does not run an annual deficit and we do not print our own money. At the end of the day, lawmakers must balance the taxpayers’ checkbook. (More)
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AJC Opinion-Editorial: Public defender system out of control
The Georgia Legislature created a new statewide public defender system in 2003 to fulfill its constitutional obligation to provide an adequate criminal defense for indigents. However, there is a raging ideological debate
between advocates and taxpayers over the meaning of an "adequate defense" that dramatically impacts the policy,
structure and funding of the system. (More)
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Sen. Smith to Seek Re-Election
State Senator Preston W. Smith (R-Rome) announced his intention to qualify for re-election to a fourth term in the Georgia Senate for District 52. Smith, who has represented... (More)
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Notes from the Georgia Senate
Legislators worked hard this week as the General Assembly heads down the home stretch of our 2008 session. Crossover Day... (More)
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Notes from the Georgia Senate
The Senate moved forward with its work on tax reform when it passed two Constitutional Amendments this week that will freeze property taxes at the 2008 rates until the property is sold... (More)
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Notes from the Georgia Senate
We are well into the 2008 legislative session now, and we are nearly half way through the 40 legislative days of business. The pace is increasing daily as Senators and Representatives introduce new bills... (More)
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Water, transportation, education and health should dominate 2008 Session
The first week of the 2008 Session of the Georgia General Assembly got off to a fast start. Governor Perdue gave his annual State of the State Address on Wednesday and outlined his vision for the state... (More)
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How one person can victimize nine million Georgians
Standing outside the State Capitol on the morning of March 11, 2005, I knew there had been a tragedy. A cacophony of sirens, circling helicopters, police motorcycles... (More)
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Smith named Council on Aging Legislator of the Year
ATLANTA – State Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) was named 2007 Outstanding Legislator by the Georgia Council on Aging recently at the Coalition of Advocates for Georgia’s Elderly meeting... (More)
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Sen. Smith awards scholarships to area students
ATLANTA – State Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) has awarded two $500 scholarships to students living in his district to assist them in pursuing a college education... (More)
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Resolution urges DHR to name new health building after famous Rome physician
Gov. Sonny Perdue, today, signed Senate Resolution 87, authored by Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome), urging the Georgia Department of Human Resources to name... (More)
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Governor signs Deaf Child's Bill of Rights Act
ATLANTA – Gov. Sonny Perdue today signed the Deaf Child’s Bill of Rights Act, which will require local school systems to take into account the specific communications... (More)
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Sine Die is just around the corner
In less than a week, the President of the Senate, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and House Speaker Glenn Richardson will declare the 2007 session of the Georgia General Assembly adjourned Sine Die... (More)
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2007 Amended budget is working its way through the process
The only bill that our state Constitution requires the members of the Georgia General Assembly to pass during the legislative session is a state budget... (More)
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Teen driving law needs to be revamped
I filed Senate Bill 315 last week to restructure a piece of legislation I authored with the best of intentions two years ago. In 2005... (More)
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Deaf Child’s Bill of Rights Act passes Senate
ATLANTA – The Deaf Child’s Bill of Rights Act passed the Senate State today, 46 to 0. Sponsored by Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) (More)
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Two week break gives us opportunity to work on budget, perfect legislation
The legislature is taking a two-week break to work on the budget and give Congress the opportunity to fund Georgia’s PeachCare... (More)
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You inspire legislation that affects all of us
Several months ago, Kimberly McGuiness came to visit me to talk about several issues. Kimberly is the mother of a hearing impaired child who attends the Georgia School for the Deaf right here in Cave Spring (More)
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Sen. Smith files legislation to allow “life in prison without parole”
ATLANTA – State Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) filed legislation Saturday to allow district attorneys to seek a “life without parole” sentence without first prosecuting a murder charge as a death penalty case (More)
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We’ve got to find a way to fund PeachCare
Last week, Georgia Department of Community Health Commissioner Rhonda Medows announced that while children currently enrolled in Georgia’s PeachCare for Kids (More)
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Education is focus of Senate this week
Education is always at the top of the list when Georgia citizens discuss issues that are important to them. It is no different for the members (More)
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Protecting our citizens will be focus of 2007 session
Less than 100 bills have been filed in the Senate thus far, and I have authored and signed onto my share (More)
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Budget process begins as we look at what the agencies need to best serve you
Week two brought legislators appointed to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees together to listen to many of the state agency directors as they came to us and (More)
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Formal ceremony kicks off first week of 2007 Session
There was excitement in the air under the Gold Dome this week as legislators from across the state convened on the Capitol for the start of the 2007 legislative session. (More)
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Sen. Smith presents Chieftans Museum with check
State Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) presented the Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home with a $25,000 check from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs... (More)
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Sen. Smith honored by Southeastern Legal Foundation
ATLANTA – State Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) has been awarded the inaugural Charles H. Barco Award for Public Leadership by the Southeastern Legal Foundation for his work... (More)
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Smith announces Re-Election Candidacy
State Senator Preston W. Smith (R-Rome) qualified today for re-election to the Georgia Senate, District 52... (More)
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