Atlanta Progressive News

(APN) ATLANTA — Former State Rep. Yasmin Neal (D-Jonesboro), who represented District 75 from 2011 to 2012, is currently running for State House District 74, a seat currently held by State Rep. Valencia Stovall (D-Ellenwood).

 

 

Rep. Neal lost the District 75 seat in the 2012 election to erstwhile former State Rep. Mike Glanton (D-Jonesboro), who had previously served in the Legislature and returned in 2013.

 

 

As for the switch in districts, Neal moved around the time of re-districting and ended up living in District 74, but because she had not established one year residency in HD 74, she had to run in HD 75 in 2012.

 

 

Rep. Neal is not the only former representative challenging Rep. Stovall.  Rep. Roberta Abdul-Salaam, who served from 2005 to 2012, and who in 2012 ran unsuccessfully for Clayton County Chairperson, is running for her old seat.

 

 

It is unusual for three current or former State Representatives to be running for the same seat.

 

 

Atlanta Progressive News sent questionnaires to all three candidates.  Neal is the only one to provide responses.  Stovall acknowledged receipt, but did not provide responses.  Abdul-Salaam did not respond.

 

 

Neal’s responses are as follows:

 

 

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON NUCLEAR POWER?

 

 

I am not well versed on the topic, but I do know that Nuclear power can be dangerous.  We have seen the devastation it caused overseas and the effects can be disastrous.

 

 

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS, IF ANY, TO EXPAND WIND AND SOLAR IN GEORGIA?

 

 

If outstanding ideas are created as it relates to wind and solar energy in Georgia, I would be more than happy to draft and/or support legislation for it.  Wind and solar energy are clean alternatives and would definitely move Georgia forward.

 

 

WOULD YOU SUPPORT REDUCING PETITION REQUIREMENTS FOR INDEPENDENT AND POLITICAL BODY (MINOR PARTY) CANDIDATES FROM THE CURRENT ONE PERCENT STATEWIDE, FIVE PERCENT NON-STATEWIDE REQUIREMENT?

 

 

[Neal told APN that she had not put enough thought into it to provide an answer.]

 

 

WOULD YOU SUPPORT ADDING A VOTER VERIFIABLE PAPER AUDIT TRAIL TO ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS IN GEORGIA?

 

 

Anything that would maintain integrity of the ballot will always be supported by me, as long as its reasonable.

 

 

WHAT  WAS YOUR POSITION ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO RE-CREATE THE  CHARTER SCHOOL COMMISSION TO OVERRIDE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD AND STATE SCHOOL BOARD DECISIONS REGARDING CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS?

 

 

Against it.

 

 

WOULD/DID YOU SUPPORT HB 885, THE MEDICAL CANNABIS BILL THAT WAS BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR?  WOULD YOU SUPPORT A STRONGER MEDICAL BILL?  WOULD YOU SUPPORT DECRIMINALIZATION OR FULL LEGALIZATION?

 

 

I would have supported medical marijuana.  Especially as it relates to making the lives of children and their parents a lot easier to cope with day to day.  As it relates to decriminalizing and full legalization, I would definitely have to do some soul searching on that one.  On one hand, it would reduce the incarceration levels that are obscene as of this moment and costing government an obscene amount of money to maintain.  It would also unclog the court system. But, it is still a drug.  So it has its pros and cons, but before I go on record as supporting fell [sic] legalization or decriminalization of it… I would have to have a few conversations with a lot of citizens, government officials, and law professionals as well.

 

 

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THE CITY OF LAKESIDE PROPOSAL?

 

 

[Neal told APN she generally opposes cities being carved out of counties, but that she could not comment specifically on Lakeside].

 

 

DID YOU SUPPORT THE INCORPORATION OF THE CITY OF BROOKHAVEN IN 2012?

 

 

[Neal voted against allowing a referendum on the incorporation of Brookhaven, according to Legislative records.]

 

 

DO YOU SUPPORT GMO (GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS) LABELING?

 

 

Yes.

 

 

WHAT IS/WAS YOUR POSITION ON HB 891, TO REDUCE EARLY VOTING FROM 21 DAYS TO SIX DAYS?

 

I would be against it.  I feel that the citizens need access and opportunity to vote and reducing the days does not encourage that

 

.

 

DID YOU/WOULD YOU HAVE SUPPORTED THE PREVIOUS REDUCTION OF EARLY VOTING FROM 45 DAYS TO 21 DAYS?

 

 

No.

(END/2014)