My friend Mike Baer called me last night and said, “Hey man, have you heard about Ammendment 1? As a contractor, it kind of freaks me out – go check it out.”

So this is a proposed amendment to the Georgia State Constitution that reads like this:

Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to make Georgia more economically competitive by authorizing legislation to uphold reasonable competitive agreements? (__) Yes

(__) No

More economically competitive, you say? Reasonable agreements, you say? Well, golly gee, yes – that sounds great!

This description is misleading at best! This is what the amendment is about:

A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to allow the enforcement of contracts that restrict competition during or after the term of employment or of a commercial relationship so long as such contracts are reasonable in time, area, and line of business; to provide that courts may modify such contracts to achieve the intent of the contracting parties; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.

Do we really want plumbers to not be able to work for other plumbing companies (or start their own)? How about electricians, carpenters, painters, software developers, lawyers, paralegals, medical receptionists, and so on, and so on, and so on?

With an unemployment rate of 10% (PDF), we really need more restrictions on the ability of individuals to find a job? We want to discourage people from starting small businesses? This will make Georgia more economically competitive? If by attracting employers to open business in Georgia so that they can lock employees into employment contracts and render them practically unable to quit their jobs despite low pay, poor working conditions, or simply better opportunities, then yes, I suppose it would make Georgia more economically competitive.

Read the summary, or the full text.

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