Week 11 Session Update

On March 18, my fellow representatives and I reconvened at the Capitol for the eleventh week of the 2024 Legislative Session. We gathered in the House Chamber for three legislative days, diligently advancing numerous Senate bills. With just two days left until Sine Die on Thursday, March 28, our agenda intensifies as we wrap up our legislative affairs before the deadline. These final days are notably hectic as we conclude our business for the year.

Soapbox Derby Bill Update

I was able to get House Bill 1026, the Soapbox Derby bill, out of Senate Rules Committee and on the Senate floor for a full vote last week. It passed the Senate with a vote of 49-2. It will now require an agree vote of the House since it was amended in the Senate Economic Development Committee, which I am hoping it will have received by the time of this article’s publication. We are one step closer!

More Support for Our Teachers

The House passed Senate Bill 464, the School Supplies for Educators Act, which would establish a program to provide financial and technical assistance for educators to purchase school supplies. The State Board of Education would be tasked with establishing this program to allocate funds for eligible educators to be used for the online purchase of school supplies. This bill will lessen the financial burden that many teachers face when supplying their classrooms with necessary learning materials and supplies.

Combatting Fentanyl

Last week, the House addressed the escalating fentanyl crisis in our state by unanimously passing Senate Bill 465. This measure establishes aggravated involuntary manslaughter for those who intentionally manufacture or sell controlled substances containing fentanyl, and it is determined to be either the sole cause or a contributing factor in a victim’s death. Prosecution doesn’t require proving the defendant’s knowledge of fentanyl presence. Offenders face 10 to 30 years’ imprisonment for this felony. Additionally, possessing, purchasing, delivering, or selling pill presses for manufacturing controlled or counterfeit substances becomes a felony punishable by one to 10 years’ imprisonment if there is reasonable suspicion of intent. Named “Austin’s Law” after a victim from south Georgia, this bill holds drug sellers accountable for fentanyl-related overdoses. Austin’s parents were present to witness the bill’s passage, honoring their son’s memory. The Senate’s subsequent approval sends the bill to Governor Kemp for enactment, marking a significant step in combatting the fentanyl crisis.

Sex Offenders & Drones

Senate Bill 493 boosts public safety in Georgia, focusing on minors’ protection and sex offender regulations. It outlaws using drones to photograph minors without parental consent, penalizing offenders with a $1,500 fine initially, followed by felony charges and up to 30 years in prison for subsequent violations. The bill also bars registered sex offenders from operating drones that invade privacy. It allows sex offenders who have completed all aspects of their sentences to request removal from the registry at 80 years old. SB 493 is vital for shielding minors from predators and enhancing community safety in Georgia.

Protecting Victims

My colleagues and I took action to support victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, human trafficking, or sexual assault with Senate Bill 324. It establishes a victim-centered address confidentiality program under the Secretary of State. Certified participants can use an address confidentiality card to shield their personal information, safeguarding them from potential harm. The bill also restricts mutual protective orders in specific cases and allows for dating violence protective orders. This bipartisan effort enhances protection and assistance for victims, empowering them to rebuild their lives safely. Other Bills Receiving House Passage

Senate bills passed by the House last week include: Senate Bill 112, which would create the Workforce EXCELeration Act, which would provide for a pilot program to establish a high school diploma program for adult learners. The program would be facilitated by the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia. continued from page

Senate Bill 340, which would amend current law related to the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption to extend the sales and use exemption to diesel exhaust fluid used for agricultural purposes.

Senate Bill 362, which would prohibit companies that receive economic development incentives from the state from using labor organization authorization cards instead of a secret ballot. These employers would also be prohibited from voluntarily disclosing an employee’s personal contact information to a labor union without prior consent or requiring a subcontractor to engage in these activities. Any employer who receives economic incentives and engages in prohibited conduct would be required to repay all economic incentives received over the life of the project.

Senate Bill 368, which would prohibit foreign nationals from making contributions to a political candidate or political action committee. The bill requires that whenever an agent of foreign principal appears before an elected official, agency, officer, or General Assembly committee to advocate for the interests of the foreign principal, the agent must affirmatively disclose such.

Senate Bill 420 prohibits a noncitizen or nonlegal resident of the United States from purchasing agricultural land or land within a 10-mile radius of a military base if they are a citizen of a country considered a foreign adversary, like China. Any possessory interest in agricultural land acquired by a nonresident alien through inheritance would be disposed of within one year after acquisition. A broker would timely disclose to their client the requirements regarding relevant land acquisition.

Senate Bill 480, which focuses on improving and expanding mental health services across our state. This legislation would provide student loan repayment assistance to mental health and substance use providers who practice in geographic areas of the state lacking adequate services. To be eligible, applicants must be legal residents of Georgia with non-defaulted student debt. We know there is a pressing need for increased mental health and substance use providers in Georgia, particularly in rural and underserved areas where access is limited.

Senate Bill 496, which would extend the sunset date of tax credits for historic structures rehabilitation to 2029 and clarify the definition of a historic building or structure to require the structure to be certified by the Department of Community Affairs as having met certain criteria. The bill would amend current law relating to revitalization zone tax credits to extend the sunset date of the program to 2032.

Senate Bill 533, which would allow the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), in an appropriate facility within a jail, to restore an accused person back to mental competency so that they could stand trial. To use these facilities, DBHDD would have to have a mutual agreement with the local sheriff’s office.

Conclusion

By the time you read this article, this year’s legislative session will be down to only one more day, Sine Die. With the session coming to a close, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support, encouragement, and participation in the 2024 session. It is an honor to serve and represent you in Atlanta. Once session ends, I’ll provide a more comprehensive update of all the big bills that received final passage this year. Then, members of the General Assembly will turn towards focusing on constituent services and campaigning for re-election!