Tillery: Week Six Under the Gold Dome

With Legislative Day 20 behind us, we have officially reached the halfway mark of the 2025 Legislative Session.

You know how badly our area has been damaged by the storm. While I’m working on relief in the budget, this week, the Senate also passed SB 52, the “Timberlands Recovery, Exemption, and Earnings Stability (TREES) Act,” to provide vital tax relief to timberland owners impacted by Hurricane Helene and to encourage replanting. The storm caused catastrophic damage, destroying an estimated $1.3 billion in standing timber across South Georgia. This bill will help stabilize the market, ease the financial strain on affected families and support the long-term recovery of Georgia’s forestry industry — one of the largest in the nation.

Another key legislative win this week was the passage of SB 89, which expands Georgia’s Child Tax Credit to provide direct financial relief to families with young children. The bill increases the state tax credit for childcare expenses to 40% of the federal level and creates a new tax credit for families with children under seven. Too many working families can’t cover the cost of childcare. This should help. Additionally, SB 89 incentivizes businesses to help employees with childcare costs by raising the employer tax credit cap from 50% to 75%. This legislation will provide real relief for Georgia families and help grow our state’s economy.

My legislation this week focused on protecting the exercise of our constitutional rights. SB 57, the “Freedom of Speech and Belief Act,” will prevent the practice of “debanking,” where banks and utilities deny service to businesses and individuals after they express their 1st or 2nd Amendment beliefs. Marty Daniel, the owner a large fi rearms manufacturer named Daniel Defense that you’ve likely passed hundreds of times on I-16 headed toward Savannah, came to the Capitol and testified to the Senate Committee on Judiciary about how his business was “debanked,” not once but twice, just because they sell firearms! It cost Marty and Daniel Defense over $2 million! This is just wrong and has to be stopped. Because of Marty’s testimony, this bill passed through the Senate Committee on Judiciary, and I hope to present it on the Senate floor soon.

I was also proud to see Senate Bill 79, the “Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act,” pass through the Senate Committee on Judiciary as well. SB 79, authored by Sen. Russ Goodman (R– Cogdell), would further reduce the amounts of fentanyl required to constitute an offense of possession, selling, distributing and manufacturing. By tightening restrictions on this dangerous substance, we can better protect our communities and prevent senseless drug-related deaths.

We also passed Senate Bill 68, the Governor’s Tort Reform Bill, on Friday. I voted in favor of it after an amendment accepted by the Governor from Sen. Bo Hatchett. I do not believe it will lower insurance cost though, so we’ll have to revisit insurance reform soon too.

The Senate Committee on Appropriations will meet next week to discuss the Senate budget recommendations. Expect to see large investments in water infrastructure and storm damage relief as well as another tax refund, sending money back to you instead of keeping it in government coffers in Atlanta.

As always, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the 19th Senate District. Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions, concerns, or ideas. Your input helps shape the policies that impact our state, and I value your voice in this process.

Sen. Blake Tillery serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. He represents the 19th Senate District, which includes Appling, Bacon, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Telfair, Toombs, Wayne and Wheeler counties, as well as a portion of Coffee County. He can be reached at 404.656.5038 or by email at Blake.Tillery@senate.ga.gov.

By Sen. Blake Tillery (R- Vidalia) Sen. Blake Vldalla)