The Gold Dome Download

Monday, April 3, 2023

It's official: this year's legislative session has come to a close! In this week's edition of the Gold Dome Download we'll break down what big pieces of legislation passed and which ones will have to wait until next year. We hope this weekly newsletter has served as a tool to help you better follow what's going on under the Gold Dome!

ELECTIONS NEWS

ZUCKERBUCKS BAN

Senate Bill 222, a bill to ban local elections offices from accepting outside money to fund election operations, PASSED and is heading to the Governor's desk for his signature. See Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler's statement below and click here to read our official press release.

"Once again, conservative lawmakers have led the effort in Georgia to keep our elections secure, fair, and - most importantly - trusted," said Loeffler. "Senate Bill 222 builds on previous law to ensure that our election operations are never bought and paid for by partisan or special interests. This critical measure levels the playing field for election boards across our state, and safeguards them from outside influence. I am grateful to Lt. Governor Jones and Speaker Burns for their commitment to election integrity, and to legislators in both chambers who took immediate action to end this partisan practice once and for all in the state of Georgia."

PASSED LEGISLATION

The General Assembly was hard at work this year passing legislation to enhance public safety, education, election integrity, and more. With over a thousand bills passed this year, we thought we'd spare your eyes and show you the ones that caught our attention. The bills below have all been passed, and the Governor has 40 days to sign them:

ECONOMY

$1B TAX REBATE (Signed by Governor)

House Bill 162, a bill that delivers a $1B state income tax rebate to Georgia taxpayers, received final passage. It has been signed by the Governor.

FY 2024 BUDGET

House Bill 19, the Fiscal Year 2024 budget that includes pay raises for law enforcement and teachers as well as record spending for education, received final passage.

LICENSE RECIPROCITY

House Bill 155, a bill to recognize occupational licenses obtained in other states by new Georgia citizens, received final passage.

REDUCING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT

Senate Bill 3, a bill to require state agencies to assess whether a 4-year degree is needed for state jobs, received final passage.

EDUCATION

PROTECTING CHILDREN (Signed by Governor)

Senate Bill 140, a bill to ban health care providers from administering hormones or performing surgeries to change the gender of underaged children, received final passage. It has been signed by the Governor.

SCHOOL SAFETY TRAINING

House Bill 147, a bill to mandate school safety training, received final passage.

IMPROVING LITERACY

House Bill 538, a bill to require the State Board of Education to approve materials to improve the literacy rate of students in K-3rd grade and Senate Bill 211, a bill to establish the Georgia Council on Literacy, received final passage.

PUBLIC SAFETY

CREATING DISTRICT ATTORNEY OVERSIGHT

Senate Bill 92, a bill to establish ancommission that will investigate and remove District Attorneys if they are found to be in willful misconduct in office or incapable of performing their duties, received final passage.

COMBATTING GANG VIOLENCE

Senate Bill 44, a bill to establish a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison for gang activity, received final passage.

PREVENTING HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS

Senate Bill 62, a bill to prohibit local governments from blocking the removal of homeless encampments, received final passage.

ELECTIONS

ZUCKERBUCKS BAN

Senate Bill 222, a bill to ban election offices from accepting outside money to fund elections operations, received final passage.

TIME OFF TO VOTE

Senate Bill 129, a bill to provide time off for employees to vote, received final passage.

OTHER

TIKTOK BAN

Senate Bill 93, a bill to ban TikTok and other foreign-owned technology on state devices, received final passage.

SUPPORTING MOTHERS

House Bill 129, a bill to allow low-income expectant mothers to receive assistance through the state's TANF program, received final passage.

LEGISLATION THAT DID NOT PASS

Below are bills that did not pass this year. Although they didn't make the cut this year, they will still be in play next legislative session.

SCHOOL CHOICE

Senate Bill 233, a bill to create a $6,000 voucher program for students wishing to attend the private school of their choice, failed to pass.

HATE CRIMES

House Bill 30, a bill to define antisemitism to aid prosecutions for antisemitic hate crimes, failed to pass.

SPORTS BETTING

House Bill 237, a bill to legalize and tax sports betting with revenue dedicated to the state lottery, failed to pass.

BUCKHEAD CITYHOOD

Senate Bill 114, a bill to enable the formation of the City of Buckhead, failed to pass.

CASH BAIL

Senate Bill 63, a bill to require cash bail for a list of new crimes, failed to pass.

PROTECTING GEORGIA LAND

Senate Bill 132, a bill to ban foreign entities from purchasing Georgia farmland or any land in close proximity to our military bases, failed to pass.

JUSTICE THOMAS STATUE

Senate Bill 69, a bill to build a statue of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on the Capitol grounds, failed to pass.

CERTIFICATE OF NEED

Senate Bill 99, a bill to modify the state's Certificate of Need law, failed to pass.

KNOW YOUR STATE SENATE & HOUSE MEMBERS

THANK YOU LEGISLATORS

Thank you again to our Georgia lawmakers who upheld our conservative values by passing pivotal legislation addressing crime, election integrity, education, and more. Together we are building a Greater Georgia!

WHAT WE'RE READING

ANF– ‘Zuckerbucks’ banned by Georgia lawmakers on legislative session’s last day

WSJ – Senate Votes to Overturn Biden Clean-Water Rule

Fox News - US attorney declined to prosecute 67% of arrests in DC as nation's capital suffers crime spike

Washington Examiner– Why China props up Putin

Daily Caller – Biden EPA Chief Wants Funding To Hire Hundreds Of ‘Environmental Justice’ Bureaucrats

GET INVOLVED

Greater Georgia's work is critical to defending conservative values, and it is only possible through the hard work and support of strong, grassroots volunteers.

We need your help! — Click the buttons below to find out how you can join the fight for conservative values.

To learn more, visit www.greatergeorgia.com, and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up to date with the latest information.