|
During 2016, House leadership created the Georgia House Military Affairs Working Group which was tasked with ensuring we brought forth meaningful plans of action to foster our military, veterans, and defense communities. The group had such success, that in 2018, we also saw the inception of the “Georgia Joint Defense Commission.” Still in action today, this commission provides recommendations that promote the economic growth and expansion of Georgia’s military installations and support long-term sustainability for active-duty veterans and civilians alike.
Our Commission meets on a regular basis and has open discussion about various issues impacting our defense communities. In August, we met in Savannah at Hunter Army Airfield to receive an update from our federal partners on any news regarding Georgia’s installations. And just last week, we met at the University of North Georgia to learn about the successes of the Cadet Military Leadership Programs while discussing our challenges with recruitment. Unfortunately, the competitive landscape from other institutions across the US coupled with youth who are hesitant to serve, has resulted in recruitment challenges.
It has been an honor to serve within this commission as we work to advise executive leadership and members of the general assembly on statewide and national military issues. We have heard positive feedback from our federal team as our commission continues to submit meaningful policy for substantive change to benefit of our military/defense communities. To give you an idea of how dedicated we are to Georgia’s defense communities, over the last few years our legislature has passed 52 new laws and allocated over $104M to Georgia’s 750,000 veterans and 108,000 servicemembers who work on her nine military installations. Listed below is a summary of all the bills passed over the last legislative term, solidifying our commitment to Georgia’s service men and women.
2021/2022 Military and Veterans Legislation Highlights
HB 34 enters Georgia into a new compact that allows all Audiologists and Speech Pathologists to practice in-person across state lines until they get a Georgia address.
HB 105 authorizes the DoD to provide compensation to guardsmen who volunteer for active duty.
HB 156 requires utilities and state and local governments to report cyber-attacks to the Georgia Homeland Security Agency.
HB 268 enters Georgia into a new compact that allows all Audiologists and Speech Pathologists to practice in-person across state lines until they get a Georgia address. The military requested this flexibility to help the military member and their spouses get to work in Georgia.
HB 395 enters Georgia into a compact that allows all Counselors to practice in-person across state lines until they get a Georgia address. The military requested this flexibility to help the military member and their spouses get to work in Georgia.
HB 466 allows young Georgians under the age of 18 to immediately get a drivers license without having to wait a year if they have enlisted in the military.
SB 225 allows for a special veterans' drivers license tag to Georgia residents who served in the armed forces as an ally of the United States.
SB 237 creates a veterans' drivers license tag to Georgia residents who served as Army Rangers.
HB 1064 brings us the first military retirement income exemption in Georgia history
HB 884 expedites licenses for military spouses, insuring they are issued within 90 days of applying so that they may continue their chosen career path.
SB 96 allows veterans to use their Veterans Health Identification Card from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs when they seek the service of a public notary.
SB 87 gives taxpayers an opportunity to donate all or a portion of their annual tax refund to scholarships for disabled veterans.
| 
