Gas Chamber Legislation Bill in Georgia

GFP Note: This story was recently covered by the Georgia Front Page on February 15, 2009. Within that article are the Georgia counties and cities who still use the gas chamber for euthanizing animals.

This plea was sent to the Georgia Front Page by the Georgia Heartland Humane Society. Time to act is of the essence as next week is slated to be the "drop dead" date for this bill.

This concerns banning the use of the remaining gas chambers in Georgia animal shelters as a method of euthanizing animals. The more humane method is lethal injection. This is an issue that you can have a direct hand in changing. You can help put an end to this inhumane, cruel treatment of the least fortunate animals. PLEASE read the message and instructions below then make those calls and send those emails. We only have until Monday! Thank you so much.

PLEASE CROSS POST TO PUSH "GRACE'S BILL" THROUGH!

We now have a bill in the House (HB 606) and the same bill in the Senate (SB 232). Two opportunities is better than one!

We have only until next Thursday the 12th for either bill to make its way "out of committee" and through a vote of the full House (or Senate). In other words, the bill (on either side) has to make it to the other side on or before the "crossover" date, which is the 12th. For example, if HB 606 doesn't make it out of the Agriculture Committee, it's dead. If it makes it out of the Ag Committee but doesn't pass a vote of the full House, it's dead. Same scenario on the other side, in the Senate.

The bill has to make through one side (before crossover date), then the other, then the Governor's approval to become a law.

A hearing of the Livestock, Poultry and Aquaculture Subcommittee (subcommittee of the House Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs) is set for HB 606 Monday 8:00 a.m. in room 403 of the Capitol.!

The Chairman of that subcommittee is Ellis Black.

We've been informed by lobbyists and legislative aides that phone calls are the most effective method of communicating your support of a bill to a legislator. So please help us start a campaign of phone calls to the offices of members of both Agriculture Committees (House and Senate).

Here's the link to the General Assembly with all legislators' contact information, bios, etc.:

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/

Here's the link to the House Committee on Agriculture:

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/house/Committees/agriculture/agIndex.htm

Here's the link to the Senate Committee on Agriculture:

http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/senate/agriculture.php


Please call these individuals to express your support of HB 606 [leave messages with their assistants or interns]:

Subcommittee Chair, Ellis Black: (404) 656-0287

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/house/bios/blackEllis/blackEllis.htm

Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, Tom McCall: (404) 656-5115

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/house/bios/mccallTom/mccallTom.htm

Vice Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, Terry England: (404) 656-0183

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/house/bios/englandTerry/englandTerry.htm

Secretary, House Committee on Agriculture, Dr. Gene Maddox DVM (supports gassing!!): (404) 656-0152

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/house/bios/maddoxGene/maddoxGene.htm

Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, John Bulloch: (404) 656-0040

http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/senate/bullochbio.php

Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Ralph Hudgens: (404) 656-4700

http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/senate/hudgensbio.php

Secretary, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Lee Hawkins: (404) 656-6578

http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/senate/hawkinsbio.php

If you prefer to email any or all of these folks, please do so. It's your choice. Their email addresses are on these hyperlinks.

What you can do also, in regards to the Senate bill, which is newer than the House bill, is thank Senator Steve Henson (D-Dekalb County) for his sponsorship of the bill [stevehenson@mindspring.com] and ask your own Senator to co-sponsor the bill.

Please take into consideration that the time and resources of the handful (10) of individuals (myself included) who are "heading" this campaign for the passage of this legislation are limited, as are your own. If you have ideas of how to further the campaign... if you want to draft and cross post something else... if you want to contact the media.... PLEASE DO! There is no proprietary interest in this campaign. It belongs to every resident of the State of Georgia. If you want to see this bill passed, then you do whatever you are able and willing to do to ensure its passage. There are no rules. You don't need anyone's consent. Each and every one of us is a free-thinking, tax-paying registered voter. You don't need anyone's permission or instructions on how to contact our State elected officials to express your opinions and make your requests. Just go for it! There's no time to waste.

Thank you for your active participation in this important and historic campaign for the welfare of Georgia's homeless pets.

Chamblee Abernethy in Dekalb County (678) 640-1177

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