Rep. Tommy Benton’s bill requiring that antifreeze sold in Georgia have a bitter taste has passed the House, but whether it will clear the Senate is another matter.
Benton (R-Jefferson) represents the 31st House District, which comprises most of Jackson and small portions of Barrow and Hall counties. The antifreeze legislation is the result of a contact from a constituent whose dogs had been poisoned.
Benton said the bill was due for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.
“I’ll be there,” he said. “The chairman of the committee is very supportive of the bill. I think I’ll be able to get it out of the committee, but getting it out of Rules has been the bugger.”
That’s where the bill died last year, a victim of personality conflicts between Benton and a couple of state senators, according to Benton.
Meanwhile, Benton said the House continues to work on immigration legislation.
“A group of us, we have organized a rural caucus made up of representatives of rural areas, and we heard the author of the immigration bill and a couple of groups opposed to it — the Georgia Agribusiness Council and the Farm Bureau,” Benton said. “Their biggest concern is E-Verify (the federal verification program). We’ll probably hear from both of them again.”
According to Benton, the author of the bill is open to different ideas.
Benton reiterated that all of the messages he’s been getting from District 31 in regard to the legislation, which is similar to Arizona law, have been in favor of the bill.
Sunday Sales Down The Drain?
It appears that interest in allowing voters to opt for the Sunday sales of beer, wine and liquor has died down.
“The Senate got cold feet, that’s what they did,” Benton commented.
The House, which has identical legislation, will not vote on the matter until the Senate approves it, said Benton.
“There’s no need for us passing ours if they aren’t going to do anything,” he said, adding that there appeared to be enough support in the House to approve the legislation.
“The poll numbers have not changed for the Republican caucus, and a lot of Democrats are for it too,” Benton added.
Contact Rep. Tommy Benton
District 31 Rep. Tommy Benton can be reached by phone at 706-367-5891 (home) or 404-656-0177 (office); or by e-mail at tommy.benton@house.ga.gov.
For daily updates on legislative action and links to Georgia representatives, U.S. Congressmen, Senators and other officials, visit Benton’s Website at www.tommybenton.com.
