Parent Press Week 8 of the 2024 Legislative Session
Crossover Day 2024 was a mix of hard work and bad bills with a few bones thrown to Democrats. There were a total of 105 bills on the floor of the Senate and the House in 1 day. In the Senate, there were many bills that were benign, garnering bipartisan support but having little consequence on the substantive issues that really affect people's lives, like healthcare. There were bills that were controversial, even dangerous, but were sure to pass with Republican majority support, like SB 180, also known as or RFRA, or the "Religious Freedom Restoration Act." For you long-time Parent Press readers, you will no doubt remember 2015 & 2016, when the State Senate spent hours debating another version of this bill. Ultimately, a version passed by both chambers was vetoed by Gov. Nathan Deal, who decried the damage that legislation permitting discrimination against LGBT Georgians could do to Georgia's reputation and economy.
And, there were bills left on the table like SB 532, the "sex ED bill," or, as it is more rightfully called, the "NO Sex Ed Bill."
Why Getting Legislation Passed Is So Hard
Talking about being in the minority is one thing, but numbers paint the picture clearly. My staff did a little analysis and created the graphics below show you why getting any legislation at all to the floor of the Senate. Our constituents' voices are not being heard. The numbers demonstrate how the Republican majority controls the agenda.
Protecting Reproductive Health and Rights
When the Alabama State Supreme Court threw chaos into IVF treatment by claiming that a human embryo formed outside a human uterus is a child or minor, many women, couples and families in our neighboring state feared their access to medical services that have long been considered standard of care would be stripped away. To protect Georgians from the nightmare our neighbors in Alabama are experiencing, I quickly filed SB 564 -- the Right to Contraception Act -- and SB 565--the Right to IVF Act --, while my colleagues in the House filed a companion bill, HB 1424. Not 1 Republican signed onto these bills and I do not expect them to receive a hearing in committee, but I want to show Georgia's women that some legislators have their backs.
We held a press conference with legislators and experts, including Dr. Mimi Zieman, author of Managing Contraception. You can watch HERE. While our voices were not heard in the legislature, the media took note.
While Opill, a progesterone only birth control pill, will be available soon over the counter, we've learned nothing can or should be taken for granted. We will continue working to codify and solidify access to reproductive health and rights.
Bills Cross the Rubicon to the House
SB 180, the "Religious Freedom Restoration Act," passed the Senate along party lines with passionate opposition from Senator Kim Jackson and is headed to the House. I am hopeful that it will be buried there, amidst opposition from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and Georgia Equality, among other groups. However, the political climate is too unpredictable for me to be certain, so follow along.
SB 390 is a bill borne out of retribution for an interim American Library Association president who self-identified as a "marxist/lesbian" continued a political strategy to fuel the culture wars roiling our schools and communities, is headed to the House. In delivering the minority report, I highlighted research on how good school libraries impact education; that two thirds of Georgia's kids are not reading on grade level; and, that waging war against the American Library Association will harm thousands of children who benefit from having access to materials and resources. You can hear my full remarks HERE.
SB 414, The Personal Privacy Protection Act, is not protection for Georgia voters. Rather, this bill protects dark money at the expense of Georgia voters. How? By allowing 501(c)4 organizations, many of which are not doing real charitable work, to make donations to PACs without disclosing their own donors. This prevents people from seeing who is influencing the vote and the policy process.
Bills Cross the Rubicon to the Senate
In addition to HB 971 discussed below, several bills were passed in the House that will be assigned to and heard in Senate committees before coming to the Senate floor for a vote.
HB 1339 is a bipartisan Certificate of Need (CON) reform bill that includes a study commission to evaluate the option of Medicaid Expansion. This would hopefully improve healthcare outcomes across the state and update the State Health Plan. It addresses mental health, behavioral health, maternal and prenatal care, and in rural areas, will expand healthcare and provide economic development. Needless to say, more studies on Medicaid Expansion hardly seem necessary at this point. Supporting this bill should in no way suggest that we are any less committed to Medicaid expansion. Sometimes all we can do is take baby steps and hope that these steps will continue to build political support in the Republican Caucuses.
HB 1104, by my DeKalb delegation colleague Rep. Omari Crawford, would address mental health risks for public and participating private school student athletes. This bipartisan bill would require athletic associations, in consultation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, to post guidelines and relevant materials on their website to inform and educate students, parents/guardians, school personnel and coaches about the mental health risks and available resources for students.
HB 499 would support disabled Georgians by allowing for child support and insurance policies for disabled children who have become adults and have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities. Filed by Republicans, HB 499 would allow a court to require one spouse or both spouses in a divorce proceeding to pay child support for a disabled child who has become an adult but is unable to care for themselves independently. The legal proceeding could be filed at any time after the child reached the age of 17 and a half years old.
HB 1105, the "Criminal Alien Track and Report Act," passed the House but with 74 No votes. It would require that Georgia law enforcement officials contact and work with ICE when they arrest undocumented persons. Failure to do so would result in losing funding which is why some of my Democratic colleagues in the house have said this bill effectively defunds the police. Current law authorizes Georgia law enforcement officials to work with ICE but does not require it. There were concerns that this would turn local law enforcement into immigration agents, forcing them to ferret out the immigration status of arrestees on limited resources, possibly meaning that other crimes go unsolved.
Stopped at the Border
Several House and Senate Bills that we were anticipating to come to the floor, did not make it. This does not mean these bills can't reappear as amendments to other bills that are proceeding through the legislature in the final days of the 2024 session.
Good Riddance....we hope!:
SB 532 would have gutted sex education in our public schools for K-5 students. I was prepared to speak against the bill but was grateful it wasn't necessary.
HB 1338, assailed by most environmentalists, would have blocked state regulators from accepting any new permit applications for dragline mining for heavy mineral sands in areas where permits have not been previously issued, but would not have stopped Twin Pines Minerals, from moving forward with a 582-acre demonstration proposal planned for Trail Ridge near the Okefenokee refuge.
Baby Come Back?:
SB 498, a bipartisan bill that would have created a Georgia Interagency Council for the Homeless, made its way to but not off the table on the Senate floor on Crossover Day.
The Battle for Gun Safety
HB 971, one-time tax credit of up to $300 for the purchase of a firearm secure storage device, such as gun safes, trigger locks, chamber locks, and cable locks and/or firearm safe handling instructional course is headed to the Senate. I know this doesn't seem like much progress, but we have to take what we can get when we can get it and hope it's a first step! I view it as a big deal!
SB 522, Donna's Law, which I filed with Senator Sally Harrell, would allow those who are suffering from suicidal ideation to put themselves on a "do not sell firearms to" list. The bill will be heard, even though it is after Crossover Day, in the Senate Public Safety Committee on March 13. I am hopeful that this will help us make good progress towards pushing this legislation through in the 2025 session. I am cautiously optimistic that my Republican colleagues may support this policy to help save lives.
Town Halls
My schedule is packed but making time for talking to constituents is a top priority. There are a number of town halls on my calendar. Join me and my colleagues at any of the following:
March 6: 6:30-8pm at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, 980 Briarcliff Rd.
March 13: 6-7:30pm at Bessie Branham Recreation Center, 2051 Delano Dr.
March 14 : 6-8pm at Neighborhood Church, 1561 McLendon Ave.
What can YOU do?
Don't be shy - come down to the Capitol to talk to legislators. If you haven't ever been to the rope lines, it's easy enough to do. Just come to the Senate or House chambers and visit the desk outside the door to fill out a form indicating which legislator you want to speak with and what issue you want to address. We will do our best to break away to come talk with you briefly.
VOTE - No Matter What!
The Presidential primary is underway and I encourage - insist even - that you vote. MARCH 8 IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE EARLY. Many of you have reached out asking if your district has changed. Be sure to check My Voter Page to confirm your registration - even if you've been voting for years. Call your County Board of Elections if you see any issues with your voter registration.
I qualified to run for re-election in Senate District 44 so put May 21, 2024 on your calendar to vote for me. I look forward to continuing to represent you and serve in the Georgia State Senate.
