Georgia Senate Announces Special Sub-Committee to address Supreme Court Ruling Striking Down State Charter Schools
ATLANTA- (Monday, May 16, 2011) Georgia Supreme Court passed down a ruling today declaring the state Charter School Commission unconstitutional. As a response to this ruling, Senator Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody) announced the creation of an Education and Youth subcommittee, “Special Subcommittee on School Choice”, to handle all issues, which may arise surrounding the process moving forward, and ensure that students and families affected by this decision remain a priority.
“Today’s ruling could affect thousands of students across Georgia. We must take a proactive approach in order to engage all parties involved and ensure that each of these students have a quality place to learn come this Fall,” said Sen. Fran Millar, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Youth. “At this point, it is vital that we create a Subcommittee to review this disappointing ruling and ensure that educational choice is not neglected in Georgia. The committee will make it our priority to engage all parties involved and determine the best route for excellence in education across Georgia and protect those most affected by this decision.”
Sen. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody) will serve as Chairman of the subcommittee. The first priority of the committee is to see that all students currently enrolled in a state charter school will be placed in an education setting that meets their needs when the 2011-2012 school year begins. The committee will work with all parties involved to make certain a seamless transition occurs for the students affected by the ruling. Assuming an appeal is unsuccessful, the committee will work with the Department of Education and the Charter School Commission to see that each student is properly enrolled into an appropriate school and that a seamless transition is made for all involved.
The subcommittee will be comprised of 5 members of the State Senate. The members are as follows:
Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody)
Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock)
Tommie Williams (R-Lyons)
Hardie Davis (D-Augusta)
Bill Hamrick (R-Carrolton)
Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers said, “I am gravely disappointed at today’s ruling by the state Supreme Court. The legislature has fought tirelessly to see that each and every student in Georgia has the opportunity of a superior education. Today, this unfortunate ruling has created an unnecessary barrier for students across our state that are growing and thriving in these successful institutions. This past weekend, 995 students were selected to fill Cherokee Charter Academy. These parents and students are eagerly looking forward to an individualized education, which will allow these students to excel both in the classroom and in life. We cannot allow these families to miss out on the opportunity or remain unsure of the future of their education. With the creation of this subcommittee, we will oversee the looming fallout from the ruling and continue our fight for the rights of students throughout Georgia.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Tommie Williams went on to say, “Today’s ruling to strike down the Act, which created the Georgia Charter School Commission, by the State Supreme Court is a step backwards for education reform in Georgia. For more than a decade, both parties have worked to offer Georgia students additional options to meet their individual education needs. This jeopardizes the students in 16 commission charter schools and could impact Race to the Top funding that was earned with the help of the Commission.”
Senator Rogers Applauds Signing of Immigration Reform Bill
ATLANTA (May 13, 2011) – Today, Gov. Nathan Deal signed House Bill 87, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011. State Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) released the following statement regarding the final passage of HB 87:
“Illegal immigration into Georgia has generated a crisis in our schools, jails, hospitals and job markets. This bill is the first step to addressing the enormous costs and stress on our public systems caused by illegal immigration,” said Rogers. “The new law is the result of a collaborative effort that sought the input of hundreds of business owners, law enforcement officials, education officials and lawmakers. I’m thankful Governor Deal recognized our need for a solution and signed this bill.”
Senator Rogers authored Senate Bill 529 in 2006, which was the first comprehensive state law addressing illegal immigration.
Senator Rogers Named James Magazine’s 2011
Legislator of the Year
ATLANTA (May 5, 2011) – Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock)
was recently selected as James Magazine’s “2011 Legislator of the Year.” James
Magazine is a monthly publication covering Georgia news, issues and politics. It
is recognized as Georgia’s only monthly news magazine.
“It is a great honor to be recognized as James Magazine’s Legislator of the
Year,” said Rogers. “Serving my constituents and all the citizens of Georgia is
something I truly enjoy. To be recognized for my efforts are both humbling and
inspirational. Now more than ever I am determined to help create better educated
and more prosperous Georgia.”
In a recent article, James Magazine noted: “Rogers is not afraid to lead. Only six
years after he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives, he was
selected by his party mates in the Senate as their majority leader.” The article
continued, “Rogers has been unafraid to tackle tough, even controversial issues,
including school vouchers, illegal immigration and a constitutional limit on
government spending.”
Last November Rogers was unanimously re-elected majority leader of the
Georgia Senate. The elected leader is the primary spokesperson for the majority
party, often working with the lieutenant governor and president pro tempore to
develop policy decisions for the state.
Rogers was elected to his fourth Senate term in 2010 after serving two years in
the State House. During his tenure in the Senate Rogers sponsored and passed
a widespread and significant list of legislative accomplishments including the
nation’s strongest immigration enforcement laws. Rogers has additionally
championed identity theft and protection legislation, government spending
transparency, Georgia’s first credit freeze law, Second Amendment protection,
and some of America’s toughest restrictions on dog-fighting. Recently Senator
Rogers re-wrote the state’s laws on property assessments and appeals. The
measure in part allows property owners to take assessment disputes directly to
arbitration, bypassing lengthy government processes and placing property
owners and government on equal footing when determining valuation disputes.
Rogers has earned the nickname “Taxpayer Champion” for his tireless work on
cutting taxes, reducing spending, promoting private sector pro-growth legislation,
and bringing transparency and efficiency to government.
Majority Leader Chip Rogers Applauds Passage of HOPE Legislation in Senate
ATLANTA (Tuesday, March 08, 2011) – Today, the Georgia State Senate passed House Bill 326, Governor Nathan Deal’s HOPE bill 35-20. The bill was amended to allow all valedictorians and salutatorians from all Georgia schools to be eligible for the Zell Miller Scholarship and establishes a low interest loan program that will help students presently covered under HOPE to bridge the gap between actual tuition cost and costs covered by HOPE once the bill is enacted.
Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) issued the following statement:
“Today, we took a monumental step in preserving HOPE for future generations of
Georgia students. We must continue to support freedom in educational choice for our
youth by refusing to let the high cost of education keep them from the school of their
choice. The economy of our state, the future of Georgia businesses, communities and
families depend on our ability to keep our best and brightest students in our state by
offering them a great education and a way to pay for it,” said Sen. Rogers “I applaud
Governor Deal, as well as members of the House and Senate, for working diligently to
make saving HOPE a priority this session. Working together, we will ensure the legacy of HOPE benefits all future generations.”
Governor Nathan Deal issued the following statement regarding the passage of HB 326:
“I have worked closely with members of the Senate to find common ground on how best to save this important program. Any reforms to the HOPE scholarship require careful consideration because Georgians care deeply about this issue, and we are proud that our HOPE program holds national prominence. Senators understand our choice on lotteryfunded programs is not between reform and the status quo; our state’s choice is between reform and bankruptcy. Senators have played an important role from Day 1 on negotiating the best plan, and today they courageously did the right thing for our state.”
“Sen. Rogers, along with other leaders in the Senate, has played an important role not
only in crafting this legislation but also in working to build a broad consensus to get it
passed. This team effort has allowed us to educate Georgians all across the state on the crisis we face in our lottery-funded programs. With the leadership of Sen. Rogers and others, the Senate has passed a responsible bill that will maintain the most generous state education benefits in the nation for the next generation of Georgians.”
Senate Passes Constitutional Amendment to Limit State Spending
ATLANTA – (February 24, 2011) State Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) introduced Senate Resolution 20 - “Taxpayer Protection Act of 2011” in late January. The proposed Constitutional Amendment would limit the growth in state Government. Today, the resolution passed through the Senate with overwhelming bi-partisan support.
“The citizens of Georgia have a right to say ‘how much is too much’ when it comes to state spending. This Amendment would be the very best tool we have to ensure government does not spend beyond its means,” said Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers. “Once enacted Georgia taxpayers can expect our state to eventually refill the rainy day fund and begin to gradually eliminate the state income tax.”
The resolution has garnered enormous support from many advocacy groups such as the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Americans for Tax Reform and the National Taxpayers Union. Kyle Jackson, the NFIB State Director said, “SR 20 not only protects the taxpayer from unsustainable accelerated growth in state government but it also contains language to help rebuild budget reserves and even give back to the taxpayer in the form of income tax cuts.”
Senate Resolution 20 would restrict the state from spending any money in excess of the previous year budget adjusted for inflation and population. Any additional revenue beyond the spending limitations would be required to go into the Rainy Day fund until it reaches a point of 15% of the previous year spending. Once the rainy day fund is at 15%, additional revenue would be used to slowly phase-out the state income tax.
Senator Rogers Applauds Health Care Ruling & Co-Sponsors Measure to Stop Federal Law
ATLANTA – (February 2, 2011) State Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) today released a statement applauding the ruling by a federal judge in Florida striking down the nation's health care overhaul as unconstitutional.
“I applaud Judge Vinson’s ruling labeling Obama’s health care overhaul unconstitutional,” said Sen. Rogers. “Today’s decision reaches far beyond the issue of healthcare, and makes a fundamental statement in protecting the personal rights and liberties of American citizens. Once again, a federal judge has found that Congress exceeded its constitutional authority by mandating citizens purchase health insurance.”
Vinson’s ruling follows a similar ruling made by Judge Henry Hudson in Virginia last December, making Hudson the first judge to strike down any part of the proposed overhaul to the nation's health-care system.
Sen. Rogers is a co-sponsor on Senate Resolution 55, the Health Care Freedom of Choice Constitutional Amendment. If passed this resolution would amend the Georgia Constitution to prohibit any law that would force any person, employer, or health care provider to participate in any health care system.
“The right of every Georgian to determine on their own whether to purchase, or not purchase, health care should be protected. Government is established for the purpose of protecting rights not diminishing them,” said Senator Rogers.
In additional to protecting Georgians from Federal mandate, SR 55 would also allow citizens and employers to pay directly for lawful health care services without penalties or fines.
Senator Rogers Authors Constitutional Amendment to Limit State Spending
ATLANTA – (January 27, 2011) State Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) has introduced the Senate Resolution 20 - “Taxpayer Protection Act of 2011”. The proposed Constitutional Amendment would limit how many tax dollars the state of Georgia can spend in any given year.
“The citizens of Georgia have a right to say ‘how much is too much’ when it comes to state spending. This Amendment would be the very best tool we have to ensure government does not spend beyond its means,” said Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers. “Once enacted Georgia taxpayers can expect our state to eventually refill the rainy day fund and begin to gradually eliminate the state income tax.”
Senate Resolution 20 would restrict the state from spending any money in excess of the previous year budget adjusted for inflation and population. Any additional revenue beyond the spending limitations would be required to go into the Rainy Day fund until it reaches a point of 15% of the previous year spending. Once the rainy day fund is at 15% additional revenue would be used to slowly phase-out the state income tax.
The Amendment was approved Wednesday by the Senate Finance Committee in a unanimous bi-partisan vote.
Rogers Elected to Serve on Board of Directors for American Legislative Exchange Council
ATLANTA – (January 20, 2011) State Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) was recently selected by the American Legislation Exchange Council (ALEC) to serve on their national Board of Directors, as well as the State Co-Chair for Georgia.
“ALEC is the premier legislative organization in the world for supporting limited government. I am honored to be elected to serve on their national Board of Directors” said Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers. “As state lawmakers we can benefit the entire nation when we work among the states to share and spread the best ideas of limited Government and personal freedom. This is what ALEC does so well and I am excited to help them in this cause. Bringing the best ideas to Georgia will help Georgians and taking our best ideas to the other states will help America.”
“ALEC is excited to have Majority Leader Chip Rogers as a member of ALEC leadership. His experience, knowledge and success on fiscal responsibility, government transparency and federalism will bring great contributions to the ALEC Board and Georgia as the State Co-Chair,” said ALEC National Chairman Noble Ellington (R-LA). “His passion for the issues and leadership skills are a welcome addition to this organization and I look forward to working with him on good, conservative policy solutions for the states.”
FULL STORY - CLICK HERE
Senate Majority Leader Rogers Announces Town Hall Meetings for 2011Session
WOODSTOCK, GA – Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) today announced several 21st Senate District town hall meetings for the 2011 General Assembly. Rogers will update constituents on the upcoming legislative session, as well as, legislative developments, which happen during the session.
The current scheduled locations and times to meet with Sen. Rogers are:
April 2011
April 14th: 6:30 – 7:30pm Mountain View Library, 3320 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta, GA 30066
April 21st: 6:30 – 7:30pm Woodstock Library, 7735 Main Street, Woodstock, GA 30188
FULL STORY - CLICK HERE
Rogers Chosen for Legislative Leaders Advisory Board
WOODSTOCK (December 14, 2010) – GOPAC, the nation’s premier training center for Republican leaders, has selected Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) to serve on the 2011 Legislative Leaders Advisory Board. He will provide guidance to GOPAC to enable the organization to continue to be the education and election center for a new generation of conservative leaders.
“GOPAC has played a critical role in restoring elected leadership across the country,” said Rogers. “I am honored to serve this organization and look forward to working with my fellow board members to identify key areas of growth and opportunity. Our state and nation need conservative leadership that will instill principles of limited government and market competition so that we make government smaller and more accountable.”
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Sen. Rogers Selected as Honorary Chair for Transition Team of State School Superintendent–Elect John Barge
ATLANTA (December 6 2010) – State Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) has been named Honorary Chair for the transition team of state school Superintendent –elect Dr. John Barge.
"Majority Leader Rogers has been a driving force in the legislature for true education reform,” said Dr. Barge. “I am honored he has agreed to help lead our transition team and I look forward to working with him to substantially change education in Georgia for the better."
“I am honored to be a part of this talented transition team and I look forward to working closely with Dr. Barge in our efforts to improve education in Georgia,” said Sen. Rogers. “Under his leadership, I believe we will make great strides through offering more choice, embracing the digital age of learning and setting high standards for both teachers and students. They deserve it.”
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Senator Rogers Unanimously Re-elected Majority Leader
ATLANTA – After earning more than 80% of the vote in his re-election bid to the
Georgia Senate, Senator Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) was unanimously chosen by the
Georgia Senate Republican Caucus to return as Senate Majority Leader.
Senator Rogers enters his fifth term in the General Assembly and his second term as
Georgia Senate Majority Leader.
“I am honored by the trust placed in me by the citizens of Cherokee and Cobb counties. I
continue to work tirelessly as their voice in Georgia General Assembly. I am also
honored that my Senate colleagues have re-affirmed their support for my leadership
service,” said Senator Rogers. “I pledge to continue the fiscal conservative
policies that mean balancing the state budget, cutting spending, improving the
transparency and efficiency of state government, and promoting an environment that
makes Georgia the most jobs-friendly state in the country.”
Under Senator Rogers’ leadership as Senate Majority leader, the Georgia General
Assembly balanced the 2009 and 2010 State budgets by cutting more than $3 billion in spending, eliminating dozens of state programs, promoted job creating legislation, and reformed the property tax system.
Rogers receives Legislator of the Year Award from Taxpayers for Energy Efficiency
Atlanta, GA—Taxpayers for Energy Efficiency (TEE) awarded Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers with its ‘Legislator of the Year’ Award. Senator Rogers spearheaded four pieces of legislation during the 2010 Legislative Session, proving that keen ingenuity and strong, conservative approaches to fiscally responsible business matters can protect both Georgia’s taxpayers and our natural resources. Senator Rogers was instrumental in the passage of the following four measures:
- SR 1231, constitutional amendment for state agencies to do performance contracting appearing on the ballot as Amendment 4
- SB 194, enabling legislation for performance contracting (companion to SR 1231)
- HB 1388, enabling legislation for development authorities to make loans to property owners for water and energy efficiency improvements
- HB 1069, adds solar energy to tax credit acceleration
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Rogers Honored by American Federation of Children
ATLANTA (Oct. 11, 2010) – Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) has been honored by the American Federation of Children as a Champion of School Choice. Sen. Rogers earned this distinction for his dedication to giving Georgia families more education options.
“Giving the power of choice to Georgia parents is the key to transforming education,” said Rogers. “I am grateful to the American Federation of Children for this distinguished honor. I look forward to a continued partnership with the Federation and my colleagues in the General Assembly in an effort to put children’s educational future in the hands of the parents, not government.”
READ MORE - CLICK HERE
Cagle Appoints Senator Rogers to Special Joint Committee on
Immigration Reform
ATLANTA—Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle today announced the
appointment of Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers to the Special Joint Committee on
Immigration Reform.
“A respect for the rule of law is one of the basic founding tenets of our state and
nation. If the federal government continues to neglect its responsibility to enforce the
law, we’re going to use every option at our disposal to lessen its impact in Georgia,” said
Lt. Governor Cagle. “The members of this committee will take a broad, in-depth look at
ways to confront this problem and offer concrete solutions to improve the regulations we
have on the books already.”
This 14-member joint committee, made up of 7 members of the State Senate and
7 members of the House of Representatives, will work to draft legislation that stems the
flow of illegal immigration activity in Georgia. Rep. Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City)
and Sen. Jack Murphy (R-Cumming) will serve as Co-Chairmen of the Special Joint
Committee on Immigration Reform.
"In 2006, Georgia became the first state in the nation to pass a comprehensive
state-level immigration enforcement law. Now, almost five years later we see what has
worked and what has not,” said Senator Chip Rogers. “We need to do more to ensure that
the laws on the books are enforced and that we use all the law enforcement tools at our
disposal to fairly and effectively apply the law."
Senator Rogers Endorsed by Georgia’s Small Businesses
WOODSTOCK, Ga., Sept. 27, 2010 – The National Federation of Independent Business, Georgia’s leading small business association, has endorsed Sen. Chip Rogers in the 21st District Senate race.
The endorsement was made by NFIB/Georgia SAFE (Save America’s Free Enterprise) Trust, which is comprised exclusively of NFIB members. The general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 2.
“Senator Rogers understands the need for a General Assembly that helps entrepreneurs and small, family businesses grow and create jobs. He realizes that small business is the key to a prosperous Georgia and low unemployment,” said David Raynor, state director of NFIB/Georgia.
“As Senate Majority Leader, he’s earned a 100 percent NFIB voting record every year since 2005,” Raynor said. “Our members support the candidates who support small business, and Chip Rogers has supported small business year after year after year.”
Rogers said, “I truly appreciate NFIB’s endorsement. I pledge to continue doing all I can to help Georgia’s small businesses. Small business is the backbone of our economy. When you help small business, you help Georgia.”
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Senator Rogers Earns Georgia Chamber Honor Roll
WOODSTOCK (Sept. 21, 2010) – Continuing his effort to make Georgia the most business-friendly state in America, Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers recently achieved placement on the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Honor Roll. The Chamber’s Honor Roll recognizes legislators that were most supportive of the business community during the 2010 Legislative Session.
“It is Georgia’s private sector businesses and entrepreneurs that will create economic growth and prosperity. As legislators, it is our responsibility to create a pro-business environment and support free-market principles,” said Rogers. “I will continue working with my colleagues at the State Capitol to reduce tax burdens on individuals and businesses, improve our transportation infrastructure and support our free-market economy.”
Legislators focused on the issues most important to Georgia business and passed bills in the areas of transportation, health care, water, tax and education that will benefit our state for years to come.
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Senator Rogers Selected to Join National Digital Education
Council
WOODSTOCK (Sept. 15, 2010) – Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) was recently
selected to serve as a member of Gov. Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education Digital
Learning Council. The Council will work to identify policies that will integrate current and future
technological innovations into public education. The Digital Learning Council unites a diverse group
of nearly 50 national leaders from education, government, philanthropy, business, technology, and
think tanks to develop the roadmap of reform for local, state and federal lawmakers and policymakers.
“Today’s students live and learn in a digital world. If we fail to communicate with them in their world,
we will miss our opportunity to teach. Technology has moved our society forward economically,
environmentally, and globally. We now have the tools to customize education to every student and
make significant improvements our education system,” said Rogers. “I look forward to working with
the council and bringing new education innovations to Georgia.”
The Digital Learning Council will lead this national initiative to develop and transform education by
moving digital learning to the forefront of education and away from the niche role it plays today.
Today, more than 2 million students take courses online and 1.5 million home education students take
online course but that barely scratches the surface of what is possible through technology.
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Rogers Named a “Top Legislator” by ACCG
WOODSTOCK (September 8, 2010) – Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) has been
named one of the Top Ten Legislators during the 2010 Legislative Session, by the Association of
Country Governments (ACCG) for his focus on passing major property tax reform legislation (SB 346)
through an open process and in moving several other pieces of legislation important to counties
through the Senate.
“Georgia’s property tax system has long needed major reform. With the passage of SB 346 we have
taken major steps towards protecting property owner rights through an open and fair
process. Georgians ought to be able to count on a system that works for them, not against them,” said
Sen. Rogers. “I am honored to be recognized by the ACCG for my work on property tax reform, and
other areas vital to the growth and success of counties throughout Georgia.”
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