Government Legislative Bill HB 6 and HB 316

Government Legislative Bill HB 6 and HB 316

The voting systems and transport systems of Georgia are under legislation to improve their efficiency to the members of the public. The voting, and the transport systems in Georgia are not an exception. Georgia is described to be having a “shaky” voting system, and thus needs prompt changes to achieve a uniform voting system. Georgia currently offers two voting systems, which encompasses the absentee ballots, and the physical attendance to the polling stations to cast votes. Any nation in the world, which has not developed efficiency in the absentee balloting systems are most likely exercising voting delays. Most of the absentee ballots get rejected, and there is no account of the time it takes to get another absentee ballot. The outcomes are the lengthened voting process because of the long waits. The House Bill number 316 (HB 316) will provide uniform election equipment, and speed up the voting process. While HB 6 is a bill which seeks to provide affordable transport means to the people of Georgia by relating to the “Georgia Rail Passenger Authority Law.” Both bills are currently underway in the legislative chambers of Georgia. The amendments in the laws or the constitution of any country are done with the spirit of the overall well-being of the citizens.

House Bill number 6

The bill seeks to rename the authority to Georgia Rail Passenger and High-Speed Rail Facilities Authority according to the amendments in Section I of this act chapter 9 of title 46. The bill also seeks to revise the legislative purpose, and to revise the general definitions, and powers of the authority (Von, 98). The House Bill number 6 creates the Georgia Rail Passenger and High-Speed Rail Facilities Authority for financing, operating, constructing, and developing the passenger rail services, and the high-speed rail system facilities. The development of the other public projects within the state of Georgia is also pegged to this section of the amendment (Nilsson, 109). The HB 6 also amends paragraph (4) of code section 46-9-272. According to the changes, there is the reviewed definition of projects with regards to the transport facilities. The proposed description of the project according to this section means the acquisition, installation, modification, construction, renovation, and rehabilitation of any passenger rail facility, and the facilities of the high rail systems.

The bill further asserts that a project may be for any public passenger transportation, given the majority members of the determined by the resolution duly adopted by the public. The article further revised paragraphs (18) and (19) of the code section 46-9-273 about the general powers of the authority. According to paragraph (18) of the section, the amendment, the high-speed rail systems, and facilities are to be promoted to enhance the profitability of tourism to the state and the citizens (Nilsson, 111). According to paragraph (19) of the code, the amendments charge the political authorities to be in charge of their respective jurisdictions to ensure maintenance of the high-speed rail systems, and the facilities, and the other public transportation projects (Weiser, 14). The article generally seeks to develop, and promote the general welfare of the citizens of Georgia by promoting tourism, trade, industry, and increasing the employment opportunities among the Georgian citizens.

House Bill number 316

The Bill HB 316 seeks to provide uniform election equipment to the Georgia electorates, and consequently speed up the unwanted wait times. The bill will also give the ballot marking devices as well as the standards and procedures for the devices. The section I of the law redefined the meaning of the ballot marking devices (Nilsson, 113). The new definition of the term ballot marking devices asserts that any related writing tool or electronic devices meant for the use in marking the paper ballots, in a way that can be detected as a casting vote and counted by the ballot scanners falls under the category of ballot marking device (Weiser, 25). The bill is also responsible for providing time for the filing of the nominations by political body candidates, clarify the voting age (Von, 91). In Georgia, the electoral body needs to give the audits for the election results, and this can only be achieved by passing the HB 316 bill. The bill clarifies the voter respiration processes, and mandates the secretary of the state to become a member of the non-governmental entity with the view of maintaining the electors’ list and other associated conditions.

Within the provisions of chapter 2 of the official code of Georgia, the HB 316 bill provides information to the ballot makers to have some of the records and documents made confidential (Weiser, 20). Besides, the law provides for the extension of the timelines for the public comments on precinct realignments. The HB 316 also includes time limits for the relocation of the polling centers, and provides for the formation of additional places of registration for the absentee ballots (Raskin, 47). The same bill provides for the processing of the absentee ballot applications. In cases of the rejection of the absentee ballot, HB 316 section two offers for the curing of an elector whose absentee ballot was rejected. In this case of the ballot rejection, the Bill HB 316 invokes the use of the ballot oath envelopes, which provide time for advance voting as well as the location of the advance voting. Sometimes, the long waits during the voting processes in Georgia are necessitated by difficulty in reading the ballots (Von, 93).

The bill provides the baseline for the voters in Georgia regarding the unification of the electors. Section 5 of the law, which is the amended subsection (a) and (c) of code section 21-2-2016 gives the eligibility criteria for the electors. According to these amendments, section (a), no person shall participate in any primary elections in Georgia unless the person shall be:

    Registered as an elector as provided by the law

    A citizen of the Georgia state and the US

    A resident of the state of Georgia, and of the municipality or county in which the person seeks to vote; and

    The person must possess all the qualifications as prescribed by the law.

All these provisions ensure a smooth voting system since the eligibility criteria for the voters are well spelled. The provisions also act as the frameworks for ensuring fast elections by the electoral authority in Georgia.

In concussion, the House Bill number 6, focused more on the general welfare of the citizens of Georgia by making amendments, which promote the overall social well-being of the citizens. The lawmaking house of Georgia took with significant concerns about the welfare of the people of Georgia ad pushed for amendments, which considered the sectors of tourism, transport, trade, and commerce. On the other hand, HB 316 focused on the electoral system in Georgia. Georgia is one of the global countries with a shaky voting system necessitated by longer waist during the voting process due to the rejection of the absentee ballots. The HB 316 seeks to provide a solution by providing uniform election equipment, and speeding up the unacceptable wait times during voting.