The 2021 Legislative Session is approaching Crossover Day, the day by which legislation has to clear at least one chamber in order to become law this year. Crossover Day will be on Monday, March 8th.

Last week was a busy and troubling week. Monday, March 8 was Crossover Day – the day by which legislation has to clear at least one chamber in order to become law this year – at the Georgia Legislature. Senate Republicans passed their omnibus voter suppression bill (SB 241), which will restrict voter access and deny Georgians their rights, on a 29-20 party line vote.

The 2021 Legislative Session has been ramping up this week.

The fight to protect access to the vote remains the dominant issue at the Capitol. This week, Senate Republicans added more anti-voter bills to their ever-growing list. The Ethics Committee held several hearings on these controversial and problematic bills, including the bill to end no-excuse absentee voting.

The fourth week of the Legislative Session brought several important developments. The Senate voted on and passed the amended budget for 2021, which will fund the government through June 1. I have introduced several pieces of legislation which I'm excited about.

Greetings!

The third week of the Legislative Session brought major developments, as Republicans introduced a package of bills that outlined their plans to restrict voting rights. More than 10 pieces of legislation have been introduced, all of which attack different aspects of the voting process: mail-in voting, ballot dropboxes, voter registration, poll watcher access and more.

During the second week of the Legislative Session, we saw movement on several important issues, including the contents of the budget, which passed the House on Thursday and will most likely be passed in the Senate early next week, as well as voting rights and public health funding.

I had hoped that 2021 would get off to a more promising start, but unfortunately, that has not been the case – not yet, at least!

Greetings, and happy holidays! At this time of year, all of us normally enjoy taking a break from politics (even me!) and celebrating with family and friends. Such is not to be in Georgia this year. COVID concerns are keeping many apart, even as we celebrate the news of the start of vaccine distribution to our healthcare workers. And we have possibly the most significant double election in the history of Georgia on January 5th, with both of our US Senate seats determining the balance of power in Washington.

A HISTORIC WIN IN GEORGIA!

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. I was elated when the American people elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as their next President and Vice President. Donald Trump has been a danger to American democracy and it was a task of great urgency to have him defeated.

REMINDER: tomorrow, October 30th, is the last day to early vote! Find your early voting and Election Day poll sites here.

To check your voter registration, view a sample ballot, and confirm your polling locations, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s official My Voter Page.

Make a Plan to Vote!

FIRST! TODAY is an election day for those of us that reside in the 5th Congressional District. This Special Election is to fill the unexpired term of our deceased hero Congressman John Lewis. Find your polling place here.

For the NOVEMBER election: Absentee ballots are beginning to arrive in the mail! I want to make sure you have all of the information you need to fill yours out correctly and have it counted.

Make a Plan to Vote!

Absentee ballots are beginning to be sent out for the November election! Have you requested yours yet?

Georgia, the United States, and the world are mourning the passing of civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis at age 80 from complications from pancreatic cancer. Lewis' legacy and words will live in perpetuity, but we have lost a giant, a moral compass, and a powerful voice for dignity, equality and the advancement of civil society.

The Georgia General Assembly’s legislative session resumed on Monday, June 15th, and we adjourned Sine Die Friday, June 26.

The Georgia General Assembly’s legislative session resumed on Monday, June 15th. We have a lot of work to do, especially regarding the budget and the hate crimes bill, and only a few days left to do it. The 2020 Legislative Session is scheduled to Sine Die Friday June 26th at midnight. It’s going to be a busy but incredibly important few days, and there’s no time to waste!

In honor of Juneteenth, I signed on to SB 519, a Resolution to make June 19, Juneteenth, a state holiday in the state of Georgia.

It has been another difficult week for our state and our nation.

Institutionalized inequality and racism are unfortunately nothing new, but their dramatic incarnation in recent weeks with the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and others have catapulted them on the national stage once again. The names of the victims burned into our psyches right now represent many other Black men and women who were forced out of this world much too soon. Many of us, especially Black advocates and constituents, have been fighting for systemic change at the state level for years, and we are glad to have more voices speaking up and joining the fight. However, let’s be clear that we have a long way to go. Recent events have been a wake-up call for many white people in our country, but we need both Democratic and Republican leaders at all levels to do more than denounce anti-blackness. In particular, we need our Republican colleagues to recognize that our society has never given Black Americans “boot straps” to “pull up” and improve their lives. We haven’t done it for centuries, and we still aren’t doing it now.

This week, I’ve been thinking qabout faith, fear, and grief. Growing up in a family where faith was important helped lead me to a path of public service. Faith is important to many during these uncertain and anxiety-producing times. But faith alone won't protect us and our neighbors against this virus -- which is why I am imploring all Georgians to think of others and wear a mask in public. This act shows care and concern for your neighbors, and we could use more of that right now.

During the current pandemic, many of us are looking for hope and true leadership. We are fortunate that the United States and the state of Georgia are resilient. Perhaps less resilience would be needed if we had been more prepared and heeded the advice of medical experts more quickly. By now, I’m sure many of you have seen the projections that the U.S. could have avoided thousands of deaths if we have locked down a week or two earlier.