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Hello!
It’s me, Sonya Halpern. I serve as a Georgia State Senator representing District 39 (Atlanta, College Park, the City of South Fulton, East Point, Union City), one of the most socio-economically diverse districts in the state of Georgia.
Committee meetings are running longer, bill hearings are getting more intense, and new legislation is being introduced daily—all clear signs that we have reached the halfway point of the 2025 Legislative Session. Read the latest updates below.
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Feb 18: Sen. Halpern and CAU President George T. French, Jr. | |
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This week, I had the privilege of welcoming students, faculty, and alumni from two of Georgia’s HBCUs: Savannah State University and Clark Atlanta University.
Took this occasion to recognize Cynthia Robinson Alexander, the outgoing Interim President of Savannah State University. You can hear my remarks here.
These institutions have produced incredible alumni, many of whom still live in Georgia helping to move our state forward every single day. Thank you to the students for coming to visit; your passion for policy and our government inspires us all.
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Georgia’s Child Tax Credit
A legislative win this week was the passage of SB 89, which expands Georgia’s Child Tax Credit to provide some financial relief to families with young children. This bill builds on the recommendations of the Senate Study Committee on Access to Affordable Childcare, which spent months gathering input from working parents, childcare providers, and business leaders.
The bill increases the state tax credit for childcare expenses to 40% of the federal level and creates a new $250 tax credit per child for families with children under seven. Additionally, SB 89 incentivizes businesses to help employees with childcare costs by raising the employer tax credit cap from 50% to 75%. With the rising cost of childcare making it harder for parents—particularly mothers—to remain in the workforce, this legislation is a step in the right direction for Georgia families.
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Tort Reform
This week the full senate took its first step on SB 68, the Governor’s tort reform legislation, in what is fully anticipated to be a longer legislative process than typical bills. The bill did pass the senate, mostly along party lines, and will now move to the house.
While I voted no on this version of the bill, I do understand why Georgia businesses want tort reform and relief from the cost of high insurance premiums. Senate district 39 is unique in that it is home to major Fortune 500 companies and innumerable small businesses - from trucking companies, housing providers, restauranteurs, independent retailers and hoteliers to fintech giants, among so many others. Regardless of industry sector, I hear the same refrain: something must be done.
| SB68 is a complicated piece of legislation that is 18 pages long tackling 8 different components of tort reform. SB69 deals with third-party funding | |
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The Governor’s office made some changes to the “phantom damages” aspect of the bill. That floor amendment had my support. Next, I believe we need to make improvements on the “premises liability” piece of the bill to better balance consumer protection and business protection. That is missing from the current version of SB68. We need legislation that rewards Georgia businesses that are investing in security features and risk protection on their premises and does not disincentivize them from doing that.
There will surely be more changes made in the house. I am following closely and look forward to reading a new version of the bill when it comes back to the senate for another vote.
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TREES Act
This week, we passed SB 52, the “Timberlands Recovery, Exemption, and Earnings Stability (TREES) Act,” which provides vital tax relief to timberland owners impacted by Hurricane Helene. The storm caused catastrophic damage affecting nearly 9 million acres of forestland and destroying an estimated $1.3 billion in standing timber across Georgia. Many of these landowners depend on their timber harvest for income, and the economic impact has been devastating.
I am proud to be a sponsor of this bill, having served on the Senate Study Committee on Advancing Forestry Innovation last year. The devastation of Hurricane Helene forced the committee’s attention to shift from innovation to recovery and this bill will help stabilize the market, ease the financial strain on affected families and support the long-term recovery of Georgia’s forestry industry—one of the largest in the nation.
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Standing Up For the Georgia Music Industry
I was proud to introduce SB 182, the “Georgia Music Office and Music Ready Communities Act.” This legislation is similar to a measure I introduced last session.
By creating the Georgia Music Office, we can support and promote our state’s growing music industry. It’s time to show the same support to our musicians as we do to the film and television industry. This office would allow us to celebrate our musicians and help us build Georgia’s presence in the music industry. Our state thrives because of its people, and I will continue pushing for legislation that ensures opportunity for all.
Stay tuned: This bill will be heard on Monday at 1pm in the Economic Development & Tourism committee.
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Fulton County Day at the Capitol! | |
Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts addresses the crowd during Fulton County Day at the Capitol on February 20, 2025 | |
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Don’t yet have all the wonderful pictures, but Fulton County Day at the Capitol was a success! With over a million residents, Fulton County leads Georgia in education and economic opportunity, boasting top-tier universities, Fortune 500 headquarters, and a dynamic small business ecosystem. From the historic civil rights legacy of Atlanta to the historic charm of Roswell, from Alpharetta’s booming tech industry to the vibrant arts of College Park and Fairburn’s deep community roots, Fulton County reflects the rich diversity and dynamic growth that make Georgia thrive - and it embodies the past, present, and future of Georgia’s success.
Fulton County Day highlighted all that makes Fulton County a great place to live, work and play and displayed various departments that makes it run. It was a pleasure working with Fulton County staff and leadership to plan this event.
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My door is always open at the Capitol because I’m there to work for you. It’s not my office, it’s our office.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. My office contact e-mail is sonya.halpern@senate.ga.gov.
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn for the latest updates.
You can also stay in touch by visiting the Georgia General Assembly website to watch a live stream of the Senate in action, as well as archived committee meetings, and review legislation that we are considering.
I am honored to serve to you. Thank you for allowing me to be your Senator.
Yours for Georgia,
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Capitol Address
303-B CLOB
Atlanta , GA 30334
Office: (404) 656-9644
District Address
P.O. Box 13142
Atlanta, Georgia 30324
My Standing Committees
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