Legislative service David Shafer (politician)

1 legislative service

1.1 elections
1.2 legislative ratings
1.3 leadership positions
1.4 legislative record

1.4.1 shafer amendments
1.4.2 budgetary disagreements perdue administration

legislative service
elections

shafer first elected state senate in nonpartisan special election on february 12, 2002, defeating 3 other candidates in race succeed senator billy ray, had resigned senate accept judicial appointment superior court. shafer caucused republican party. shafer re-elected in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 , 2012 general elections republican.

legislative ratings

one of state organizers of republican liberty caucus, shafer popularly associated libertarian wing of republican party. describes himself, however, fiscal , social conservative. receives high marks traditional conservative , libertarian organizations. in 2012 re-election campaign, shafer received a+ ratings americans prosperity, american conservative union, georgia family council s center educated georgia , national rifle association. received rating georgia chamber of commerce. shafer recognized environmental leadership georgia conservation voters, moderate coalition of environmental organizations.

leadership positions

shafer unanimously elected serve 68th president pro tempore of georgia state senate on january 14, 2013. such, highest-ranking member of senate , next-in-line lieutenant governor.

in campaign president pro tem, shafer won backing of senate republican caucus @ biennial organizational meeting held @ little ocmulgee state park on november 15, 2012. nominating speech before full senate given senate republican leader ronnie chance. in show of unity, senate democratic leader steve henson seconded nomination.

shafer s election seen end 2 years of infighting between lieutenant governor casey cagle , faction of senate republican caucus led outgoing senate president pro tem tommie williams , senate republican caucus chairman bill cowsert. williams did not seek re-election, backing cowsert defeated within senate republican caucus reported vote of 25 11.

at time of nomination president pro tempore, shafer vice chairman of senate republican caucus. served chairman of senate science , technology committee 2003 2006 , chairman of senate regulated industries , utilities committee 2006 until election president pro tem. served administration floor leader governor sonny perdue 2003 2004.

as president pro tem, shafer serves chairman of senate administrative affairs committee , member of senate committee on assignments , general assembly s legislative services committee. other current committee assignments include: senate insurance , labor committee, senate finance committee, senate rules committee, senate health , human services committee , senate reapportionment , redistricting committee.

shafer supporter of lieutenant governor casey cagle , played prominent role in 2006 campaign. served on cagle s kitchen cabinet appointed member of senate committee on assignments. in 2011, when senate adopted new senate rules transferring power of lieutenant governor senate committee on assignments, shafer remained member of committee virtue of being vice chairman of senate republican caucus. shafer elected leader of caucus continued communicate cagle in reduced state, setting stage him reunify caucus , end infighting 2 years later.

legislative record

best known advocate reforming state s budget procedures, shafer has introduced legislation mandating zero-based budgeting, requiring budgetary surpluses returned taxpayers , requiring periodic sunset review of state agencies. shafer served floor leader governor sonny perdue voted against perdue s proposed 2003 tax increase.

shafer s has compiled pro-business voting record. recognized legislator of year georgia chamber of commerce in 2010 99% pro-business voting record. recipient of guardian of free enterprise award national federation of independent business. shafer has sponsored several major telecommunications bills, encouraging competition , protecting customer privacy. authored legislation in 2007, dubbed corporate samaritan act, limits liability of corporations provide voluntary, uncompensated assistance during times of declared disaster. introduced legislation in 2009 requiring periodic review of state licensing boards determine whether or not still needed.

shafer known advocacy of nondestructive stem cell research involving stem cells derived sources other human embryo. in 2006, authored legislation creating georgia newborn umbilical cord blood bank, passed in 2007 saving cure act. shafer recognized work in area georgia right life, gave him pro-life hero award.

he sponsored resolution passed in 2007 apologizing georgia s eugenics laws , blaming them on social darwinism. in 2008, denounced atrocities in darfur region of sudan genocide , introduced legislation preventing georgia pension funds investing in companies sell weapons sudanese government. in 2009, introduced , won passage of resolution expressing support state of israel in defense against terror attacks gaza strip.

shafer drew national attention in 2008 resolution asserting georgia s northern border erroneously surveyed in 1818 , authorizing litigation recover disputed area. shafer s resolution give georgia access , riparian rights tennessee river.

shafer supporter of fair tax. in 2009, introduced resolution urging united states congress adopt fair tax, calling repeal of sixteenth amendment , expressing of georgia general assembly abolish state income tax , replace fair tax.

in 2010, shafer saw passage of zero-based budgeting bill legislation reform transportation spending, subject state agencies sunset review , expand second amendment rights.

in 2012, authored second 0 based budgeting bill signed law governor nathan deal.

the shafer amendments

shafer authored 2 controversial amendments limiting taxation powers of local government in fulton county. in 2005, shafer attached amendment charter of city of sandy springs prevented mayor , council increasing city property taxes above existing millage rate without referendum. similar amendments subsequently incorporated in charters of city of milton , city of johns creek. more controversially, shafer sponsored legislative amendment prohibiting counties collecting taxes in 1 area of special services taxing district , spending taxes in noncontiguous area. amendment affected fulton county. senator vincent fort denounced shafer amendment apartheid, saying prevented fulton county taxing wealthy, predominately white homeowners in north fulton , spending taxes providing services poorer areas of south fulton. shafer agreed amendment had effect, saying each area should pay own services, called reference apartheid erroneous , insulting. fulton county unsuccessfully sued overturn shafer amendment, losing in front of both fulton superior court judge , georgia supreme court.

budgetary disagreements perdue administration

shafer supported sonny perdue governor, endorsing him, contributing campaigns , making speeches on behalf. served briefly 1 of perdue s floor leaders in senate. however, 2 disagreed on budgetary issues. shafer opposed perdue s 2003 package of proposed excise , property tax increases, voting against scaled version raised tobacco taxes. opposed perdue s 2010 proposed tax on hospital bills, insisting coupled reductions in income , insurance premium taxes. also, shafer introduced zero-based budgeting legislation on perdue s objections. when shafer won passage of 0 based budgeting in 2010 senate bill 1, perdue vetoed it. shafer moved override perdue s veto during 2011 legislative session.