The Green[e]house Effect: a Weblog

Hot Legislative Action!

Curious about the latest doings in my work life? Funny that you should ask.

• We snagged a victory last week when the Senate affirmed our indoor smoking ban legislation with a 45-7 vote. The sponsor expected 30, maybe 35 votes, so to carry that large a margin blew him away.

  We traded a few votes for minor exemptions — one for businesses with fewer than seven employees, another for bars. Those points aside, the bill looks set to arrive in the House largely intact.

  I owe thanks and shout-outs to the student group from Salem Middle School that came to the Capitol on Thursday and worked the Senate with me. It did fabulous work — although it's just as well for my job security that one kid backed down from popping Robert Lamutt in the mouth. [In my experience, that sort of lobbying doesn't go over well.]

• Before the rally at the Capitol today against legislative laziness, I helped council president Cathy Woolard by unearthing a fun fact: in the 29 business days since the legislature convened, guess how many all-new bills lawmakers have managed to pass?

  Seventy-eight? Fifteen? Think lower — way lower.

  One? Ding ding ding! You win the prize. And the boys only have eleven business days left ...

• I keep up a sidelight in desktop publishing and web design, which can come in handy when a group or campaign needs, say, a big document done. Imagine, for instance, that a group needed to produce a legislative scorecard. Could I whip one up?

  Twenty hours and a copy of Adobe InDesign says I can. You can see for yourself at Georgia Conservation Voters, which has the 2003 scorecard I produced — including a lingering typo or two — available for download. Bon apetit!

Posted by Greg Greene at March 8, 2004 11:59 PM