The Parent Press: 2020 Session Week Three

The third week of the 2020 Legislative Session is behind us, and the General Assembly is taking an unexpected break this week to focus on hashing out the state budget. Read on for more details.

Ten-Day Legislative Hiatus 

Governor Kemp’s budget for fiscal year 2021 was unveiled a few weeks ago, but the deep cuts contained therein resulting from a revenue shortfall and a teacher pay raise have led to the most serious disagreements over the budget since I have been at the Capitol. (As explained in earlier editions of the Parent Press, a 0.25% income tax cut from 2018 that I opposed is a main driver of the revenue shortfall.) 

Essentially, the budget as it stands now is a non-starter - not only for Democrats but among some Republicans as well, who are frustrated by the proposed cuts to Georgia’s rural communities.  As a result, the General Assembly is currently in a state of hiatus as key officials sit down to rehash the budget. Ideally, this renegotiation will spark a discussion about being very careful in implementing cuts as well as looking for ways to raise revenue. If Governor Kemp truly intends to raise teacher salaries by $2000 (a measure I support), we are likely going to need to raise revenue. 

We are currently scheduled to reconvene the legislative session on February 18, by which time the additional budget hearings are expected to have concluded. I encourage you to reach out to the chairmen of the two Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate (State Rep. Terry England and State Senator Jack Hill, respectively) as well as to the Governor to let them know your thoughts about the current budget crisis.

Helping Families Climb the Economic Ladder 

This week I introduced SB 354, a bill about the CAPS program (Childcare and Parent Services), which is a joint federal-state program that helps assist low-income families with the cost of child care. This bill would allow enrollment in a four-year Bachelor’s program to be one of the activities that would be approved to be eligible for participation in the CAPS program. The bill is on the agenda to be heard at the Senate Education and Youth committee on Tuesday at 1 p.m.  

Education has always been a top priority for me, and I believe that allowing families to utilize the CAPS program to earn a 4-year-degree will reap huge dividends for the families and the taxpayers of Georgia.  Several years ago, my advocacy on this subject led the Georgia government to make education toward an associates’ degree an eligible activity, and now we should add the Bachelor’s degree. 

Right to Harm or Right to Farm?

Last newsletter, I talked about HB 545, a controversial bill that would make it hard for property owners in mostly rural areas to take action against large-scale agricultural operations or others that can cause a potential nuisance. This week it passed out of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs committee with a minor change. (Read this recent AJC article for more details.)  Even with this change, I still do not support this bill and stand with many of my constituents who have concerns. Please continue contacting me with your concerns about this bill, so I can make sure I hear what my constituents have to say. I also recommend contacting the Rules Committee to ask them not to call it up on the Senate floor. 

Electric Vehicles 

This week I introduced SB 353, a bill that would increase tax credits for individuals who drive low- and non-emission vehicles. Georgia used to have similar tax incentives in place, but they were repealed a few years back over beliefs that they were too generous. Unfortunately, the new policies actually resulted in higher fees for electric vehicles than for gasoline cars, effectively punishing those that purchased pro-environment cars.  Since then, the number of new electric vehicles purchased in Georgia has plummeted. My hope is that reestablishing the tax credit not only encourages people to consider driving alternatively-fueled vehicles (such as electric, natural gas, or propane-based) but leads to greater environmental awareness in our state. Electric vehicles are poised to continue increasing in use in the coming years, and this legislation will signal that Georgia is excited for that transition.

Other News From the Senate This Week!

I am working with the Secretary of State’s Office to host a demonstration of how to use the new voting machines that will be in place for this year’s elections beginning with the presidential preference primary in March. Although the exact date in March has not been confirmed, I will inform you of when and where it is scheduled to occur as soon as we receive confirmation. Given the recent issues Georgia has had with voting, I recommend attending this event so that everyone is prepared for the new machines on Election Day and can cast their vote with as little headache as possible.

In the next week or so, I plan to introduce a bill that encourages greater transparency in the redistricting process, which will begin in earnest after the Census is completed later this year. A more open process will add a measure of accountability for drawing fair districts, which the overwhelming majority of Georgians support.

I also plan to introduce a bill that will allow voters to “sign up once” for an absentee ballot instead of having to request one every year.

My office will be open during the hiatus so please feel free to call, email, or come visit!

As always -- thank you for the opportunity to represent you in the State Senate! It is a great honor.