Capitol View – by Joe Mack

The state budget took center stage even before the General Assembly began the 2009 session. The senators and house members opened the session one week and furloughed themselves the next. Hopefully, we will have a productive year when everything settles down.

Joe Mack

This is the first of the mandated two-year cycle that bills have to be in the active workflow of the legislature. Some are bills we’ve been working on for years and others are new. As expected, a few members are promoting gambling as though they have an investment in the games themselves. We will keep a watchful eye on these issues.

Although we try to be aware of every bill that adversely affects families, there are too many for us to follow on a daily basis. We appreciate people helping us in this endeavor. If you hear about a bill we haven’t addressed, please give us a call and we’ll check it out. For now, here’s a short list of bills we are already addressing:

? Protect every infant born alive by granting full legal rights to any person born alive at any stage of development, including those who survive abortion procedures (adopt language of existing federal bill).

? Revise the existing ultrasound legislation to increase the abortion waiting period from one hour to 24 hours.

? Regulate sexually oriented businesses.

? Restrict the way payday lenders operate.

? Eliminate common-law marriage.

? Mandate students’ rights pertaining to religious speech/point of view in the classroom and outside assignments.

? Allow homeschool students access to public school extracurricular activities (sports, teams, clubs).

I continue to ask for your prayers. Specifically, for wisdom and guidance for me and for the legislators who generally are charged with making laws that will benefit the people and the workings of our state government. I ask that you’d pray for more open doors as I share and pray with our elected officials. I appreciate the time you afford me as I work with and minister to these men and women who spend time away from their jobs and their families to serve the people of our state. Please remember this particular mission field in your daily quiet times.