Tillery: Week 11 Under the Gold Dome
We’re heading into the final week of the 2025 Legislative Session, and what’s happening under the Gold Dome right now matters more than ever. The decisions we make in Atlanta affect your family, your wallet and your way of life. This past week marked the deadline for bills to make it out of committee and still have a shot at becoming law. Several important bills are now moving forward, each one aimed at protecting our values and improving life for hardworking Georgians. Here are a few of the key measures I wanted to share with you: House Bill 268 – Keeping Our Schools Safe Keeping our kids safe at school is something every parent should expect.
But there were provisions regarding a database of student activities that caused a lot of concerns with privacy. That provision is removed from the Senate version.
House Bill 340 – The Distraction-Free Education Act Too many kids are glued to their phones when they should be paying attention in class. HB 340 tackles that head-on by: Requiring public schools to create clear rules for keeping personal devices out of sight during the school day for grades K–8.
Letting schools choose how – whether that’s lockers, locked pouches, or school-approved apps that disable devices during the day.
Less screen time means more focus, fewer discipline issues, and better learning.
We have another bill I’ve signed for next year that prohibits social media accounts for children before the age of 14.
House Bill 68 – The 2026 State Budget
I’m proud to report we’re balancing the budget the right way, by cutting waste, holding the line on debt, and investing where it counts: education, public safety, economic growth, and mental health services. We’re keeping Georgia the No. 1 state to do business, but we’re also making sure rural families and communities aren’t forgotten.
Here’s one area I feel strongly about: Right now, only 29% of third graders are reading on level. That’s not success, that’s settling. This budget increases funding for school vouchers so families have more options and our public schools are held to a higher standard.
We also reviewed a report on tax credits and exemptions costing our state billions. Just 11 of those credits make up two-thirds of the entire budget. If we’re serious about eliminating the state income tax, we need to start talking about which of these credits are actually helping and which ones are just blocking progress.
Senate Bill 21 – Enforcing Immigration Law This week, SB 21 cleared another hurdle. I sponsored this bill to make sure cities and counties follow Georgia’s existing immigration laws. It doesn’t change the law, it simply creates a way to enforce it.
If a local government ignores the rules and a citizen gets hurt, that government can be held accountable in court. Lawabiding citizens deserve protection.
Period. This bill made it out of the House Committee on Public Safety and is now in the House Committee on Rules.
We also had another young mother murdered in Cobb County this week at the hands of an illegal immigrant. This bill is important.
Senate Resolution 455 – Recognizing QuikTrip’s Hurricane Relief Efforts When disaster hit, QuikTrip stepped up. I was proud to sponsor a resolution honoring their generous support during hurricane recovery efforts here in the 19th Senate District. They didn't just talk – they acted, and our families are better off because of it.
As we approach the finish line of this session, don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns. I’m working daily to protect our values, support our families, and strengthen our state.
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)
