We are officially over halfway through the 2023 Legislative Session - and we have just four legislative days left until Crossover Day on March 6. Crossover Day is when a bill must have either passed the House or Senate to remain active this year. Over the next week, we will see significant movement on the major issues of the Session.
Please read below for an update on the latest from the Capitol, visitors under the Gold Dome, and events in Atlanta and in the district.
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Overall, we are through Legislative Day 23 of our 40 Day Session. Last week, we passed 30 bills on the House floor. The most important bill we have passed to date is the amended FY23 budget. The Senate completed its work on this budget last week, so we anticipate the amended budget going to Conference Committee this week - with a final amended budget likely to be passed over the coming days. The House will be presenting its version of the FY24 budget shortly, as well.
On Thursday, the House passed another $1 billion tax refund. This will provide another historic refund to taxpayers across the state. Individuals will receive $250, while married couples will receive $500 as a one-time credit for those who filed taxes in 2021 and 2022. We also ratified Gov. Brian Kemp's executive order suspending the gas tax for most of last year. His action and the General Assembly's ratification saved Georgians over $1 billion of gas tax collections. The amended FY23 budget will include $1 billion in property tax relief grants for Georgians - which will save every homeowner approximately $500. This is all on top of our historic income tax cut last year. I look forward to continued efforts to help Georgians in the face of 40-year high inflation.
The House - with the support of Speaker Jon Burns - has introduced two measures to help address major challenges in our state: mental illness and housing conditions. HB 520 - this year's mental health legislation - addresses the workforce shortage in the mental health field, creates a "bed study" to determine the number of mental health beds available as well as how many are needed to meet the growing need, develops a definition of "severe mental illness" so data is consistent and accurate across law enforcement agencies, and other important tweaks to our code to ensure we're addressing this growing challenge. HB 404 addresses some of the challenges we've seen related to housing conditions in our state. It requires landlords to provide rental homes that are "fit for human habitation", accelerates the eviction process if the renter has committed a violent crime to help keep the community safe, and other measures to keep families safe.
Several of the bills that I'm focused on are moving through the legislative process. My top priority remains ensuring that district attorneys and prosecutors have oversight in our state. The Prosecuting Oversight Commission legislation - HB 231 - was heard in subcommittee last week. If you are interested in the testimony on the bill, you can view the Judiciary Non-Civil Subcommittee meeting here. The Senate version of the same bill - SB 92 - was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. You can read more about the discussions in the Senate when Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis gave her testimony to oppose the measure here. I look forward to both the House and Senate bills getting floor votes this coming week.
Another of my top priorities is HB 185 - which provides tuition funding for students with intellectual disabilities who enroll in IPSE programs across the state. IPSE programs help these students develop skills needed to transition into adulthood taking the participants from the classroom to employment. I was honored to help play a part in bringing this type of program to UGA, and now I'm honored to help students get the funding necessary to participate. This bill passed out the House Higher Education Committee on Thursday, and I will be presenting it in the Rules Committee with hopes of having a Floor vote later in the week.
I'll also mention HB 88 - The Coleman-Baker Act - to provide additional resources for law enforcement and victim families to solve cold case homicides. While this bill passed out of committee last week, there were changes needed to the legislation - so it was sent back to the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. We were able to make the requested changes, and it is now back in the Rules Committee. I anticipate us having a floor vote on this bill over the next few days.
Last week, I introduced legislation to help consumers address deceptive tactics from online automatic subscription programs. There are companies that once you sign up for their services online make it nearly impossible to cancel your automatic payment - oftentimes forcing a customer to call in order to cancel (and in many cases, putting you on hold for hours). My bill simply requires that if you can sign up online, you need to be able to cancel your auto renewal subscription online, as well. This bill will be heard in committee on Monday.
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When a member of the House or Senate has an idea for legislation, the member brings it to the Office of Legislative Counsel to have it drafted into a bill format. So far this Session, Legislative Counsel has drafted over 3,400 bills and resolutions for the House and Senate. Only a very small fraction of those drafts become law. With Crossover Day just over a week away, next week will be jam-packed with legislative business. We will convene Monday-Thursday and then hold committee meetings all day Friday to pass out the last of the bills that will be up for consideration in the Rules Committee and potentially on the House Floor for Crossover Day. |
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Visitors at the Capitol are back in full speed after a couple of years with many fewer groups due to Covid restrictions. One of my favorite parts of this role is welcoming folks from back home to their State Capitol.
Thursday, February 16 was Family and Consumer Sciences Day at the Capitol. We were joined by several representatives from the University of Georgia FACS College, including Dean Anisa Zvonkovic.
Earlier in the week, I was honored to join the Governor, the First Lady, and Jarrett Kemp for a photo with the Athens Academy sixth grade class. I enjoyed seeing so many familiar faces in the group - and having the chance to talk with these students about the legislative process.
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Last Tuesday was Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol. We were joined by several groups from across the state. I was happy to meet with a group of FFA students from Jackson County, as well as members of the Georgia Farm Bureau from Clarke County. |
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On Wednesday, we had the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce at the Capitol for Barrow County Day. I was met with the Chamber's Board of Directors, this year's Leadership Barrow Class, as well as other constituents from the District. It's always great to be able to meet with these groups and hear about all of the great work they are doing back home.
We also had a number of other constituents who visited the Capitol last week. From left to right below, we had Judge Lawton Stephens from Athens, Shanna Jackson-Sheats of Jackson-McWhorter Funeral Home, and Kay Keller - CEO of United Way of Northeast Georgia. It was an honor to have these distinguished guests visit the Gold Dome.
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Earlier in the week, we had Senior Day at the Capitol. I was thrilled to be able to meet with the Athens Community Council on Aging to discuss the important work this organization does in our area. Thank you to CEO Eve Anthony for her leadership - and the entire Council on Aging team! |
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ATHENS TECHNICAL COLLEGE TOPPING OFF CEREMONY |
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On Monday, I had the chance to slip away from the Capitol to be on the campus of Athens Technical College with President Andrea Daniel and Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Greg Dozier for the topping off ceremony of the College's new 43,000 sq. ft. Industrial Systems Technology Building. This project has been a focus of mine since first elected as we've worked to secure the funding, and I'm pleased to see its progress. Thanks to our local legislative delegation and Gov. Kemp, this building will make a huge difference for Athens Tech.
The new space off Highway 29 N. in Athens will provide additional classrooms and instructional laboratories for air conditioning, industrial systems, and mechatronics programs. It will also be home to economic development programs. This building will be focused on growing the next generation of workforce in our region. Thanks to Dr. Daniel and the entire Athens Tech team for their great work in our community!
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The next couple of weeks will be critical as we approach Crossover Day - and then ultimately Sine Die, the final day of the 2023 Session. I look forward to keeping you updated as we continue to progress through this year's Session. I'll also continue to post more frequent updates on social media, so make sure to follow along on those accounts.
As always, we stand ready to help with any questions, comments, or concerns that you may have. Please reach out if I can ever be of assistance. As always, thank you for allowing me the honor to serve as your state representative.
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OUR OFFICE
415 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
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