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House Floor
The House Floor is getting busier as we move into Week 6 for Legislative Days 19 - 22. Below is this week's rundown of some of the measures that passed the House.
Supporting Our Schools
On Thursday, I presented and passed a resolution, HR 804, calling for an amendment to the State Constitution to assist our school systems, cities, and counties. If approved during the November General Election, these entities will have more flexibility when executing Tax Anticipation Notes, preventing possible service interruptions.
The House voted on an important measure this week, House Bill 1037, which would create the Georgia Commission on Maternal and Infant Health. The commission would be assigned to the Georgia Department of Public Health and consist of 14 members, and the appointees would include an obstetrician, either a pediatrician or neonatologist, a midwife, and a representative of a perinatal facility.
Continuing our commitment to Georgia’s families, the House also took up legislation this week to expand parental leave for our state employees and teachers. The House first led the way on this issue in 2020, and subsequently, House Bill 146 was signed into law in 2021 to provide state employees and teachers with up to 120 hours, or three weeks, of paid parental leave after the birth of their child or after an adoptive or foster child is first placed in their home. House Bill 1010, passed in the House on Thursday, would modify the current law by extending paid parental leave for state employees to six weeks, doubling the time state employees currently receive. If both parents are state employees, they would each be entitled to six weeks of paid leave, with the flexibility to split these weeks over a twelve-month period. Recognizing that the current three-week period following the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child often falls short for many parents, HB 1010 would address this by granting parents additional time at home with their families. Also, by expanding this crucial benefit to our state employees and teachers, our state could also retain and recruit the best and brightest workforce.
My colleagues and I also gave unanimous passage to House Bill 1022, the Colton-McNeill Act, which would fortify protections for disabled minors by elevating penalties for acts of cruelty against them. The legislation would address a critical gap in existing laws, seeking to impose harsher consequences for perpetrators who target vulnerable children. Under this bill, the severity of the offense would determine the length of imprisonment, with the first degree of cruelty to a disabled minor carrying a sentence ranging from 15 to 30 years, and the second degree of the crime would result in imprisonment between 10 and 30 years. By increasing penalties, the bill would send a clear message that our state will not tolerate the mistreatment of disabled children, striving to safeguard their well-being and ensure justice for those who suffer from such reprehensible acts.
The House also turned its attention toward our state’s education system and its workforce with the passage of House Bill 282. This legislation would provide a significant step to enhance career preparedness among middle and high school students in Georgia. By clarifying that the career course mandated by the State Board of Education must prioritize career readiness, HB 282 would underscore the importance of practical instruction and training experiences. With a focus on equipping students with essential skills for the workforce, the Department of Education would be tasked with assembling comprehensive resources and materials on career readiness and employability, ensuring that state public schools have access to vital tools for student success. With the minimum course of study slated for implementation by July 1, 2024, this legislation would pave the way for a more robust and effective approach in preparing our youth for future career paths.
This week, we also passed House Bill 874, a bill that would require every public school in Georgia to have a functional automated external defibrillator (AED) machine on the premises of school grounds at all times and during school-related functions. This crucial legislation highlights the importance of safeguarding the well-being of Georgia’s students by ensuring teachers and school staff have access to this vital, lifesaving equipment. Additionally, HB 847 would require schools in Georgia to create a written emergency action plan, conduct at least two emergency action practice drills annually and designate an internal response team to provide necessary training to team members and potential users of an AED. By guaranteeing the presence of AEDs and establishing protocols for their use, HB 874 would empower teachers and school staff to respond effectively in emergency situations. This bipartisan measure would align with Georgia’s commitment to prioritizing Georgia’s students and creating environments where timely medical intervention can significantly increase the chances of saving young lives.
Additional bills from Week 6 - click to download
Additional bills from Week 6 - click for PDF
Committee Schedules
House Committees are beginning to meet, and once again, I serve on nine committees in addition to leading House Higher Education. Full committee schedules are available online by clicking here.
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