06 LC 37
0185S
House
Resolution 1558 (RULES COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By:
Representatives Setzler of the
35th,
Hill of the
21st,
Loudermilk of the
14th,
Lindsey of the
54th,
May of the
111th,
and others
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the House Study Committee on Biological Privacy; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
emerging technology is rapidly advancing the capacity of governments and private
organizations to physically monitor and biologically profile law abiding
citizens; and
WHEREAS,
the use of these technologies is being increasingly integrated into ordinary
life both in the private and public sectors for purposes of personnel
identification, access control, medical assessment, profiling, and for other
purposes; and
WHEREAS,
the uses of technologies such as DNA profiling, digital fingerprint recognition,
and retinal scan utilize indelible physical characteristics that are
unalterable; and
WHEREAS,
radio frequency identification, global positioning systems, and emerging
nanotechnology have the potential to provide public and private entities
significant information regarding the whereabouts and behavioral history of
citizens without their knowledge or consent; and
WHEREAS,
no information that is collected and centrally maintained can be kept completely
safe from theft or misuse by unauthorized parties; and
WHEREAS,
theft of indelible biological information could be devastating to a
citizeńs
personal or financial future; and
WHEREAS,
both the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Georgia provide
"[t]he
right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects .
. . shall not be violated . .
.";
and
WHEREAS,
the government has a duty to address through its laws the basic protection and
welfare of its citizens.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that there is created the House Study Committee on Biological Privacy. The committee shall consist of five members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker shall designate a member of the committee as the chairperson. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that there is created the House Study Committee on Biological Privacy. The committee shall consist of five members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker shall designate a member of the committee as the chairperson. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, issues, and uses of biological information and technology by
government and private entities and the problems mentioned above or related
thereto and recommend any actions or legislation which the committee deems
necessary or appropriate. The committee shall seek the advice and opinions of
private, institutional, and law enforcement experts and officials. The
committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may
deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully its powers, perform
its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The
members of the committee shall receive the allowances authorized for legislative
members of interim legislative committees but shall not receive the same for
more than three days unless additional days are authorized. The funds necessary
to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from the funds
appropriated to the House of Representatives. In the event the committee makes
a report of its findings and recommendations, with suggestions for proposed
legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or before December 31, 2006.
The committee shall stand abolished on December 31, 2006.