Legislative Session Newsletter: March 15, 2022

Crossover Day

Today is Crossover Day at the State Capitol. This is the day all bills must pass out of their house of origin in order to live on this session. We will likely be in session until the late hours of the evening as the GOP leadership tries to push through as many partisan, election year bills as possible before midnight.

Here are bills to watch for today:

House

• House Bill 1464 - Interfering with Georgia Elections

This bill adds onto last year’s omnibus SB 202 that aimed to disenfranchise voters in Georgia. This is a blatant effort to perpetuate the Big Lie and make it harder for our state to run elections. 

• House Bill 1547 - Repeals Certificate of Need

This bill would eliminate the Certificate of Need laws in Georgia. Certificate of Need protects hospitals that are required to offer indigent care to stay afloat by having the rights to more profitable specialized medical services in a given area. 

• House Bill 1531 - Reduces minimum staffing requirements in senior care facilities

This is a bad bill that would repeal a 2020 law that requires all senior care facilities to have two direct-care staff present at all times in the memory-care unit. Having at least two staff present at all times is vital for responding to the needs of these patients, and it allows staff to monitor each other to prevent neglect or abuse. 

• HB 1400 & HB 1453 - Addressing the delay in access to medical cannabis

Access to low-THC oil in Georgia is currently held up due to lawsuits over what companies received licenses to distribute this product. These bills are two different approaches to expedite this process. I signed on to and support HB 1400. 

Senate

• Senate Resolution 131 & Senate Bill 212 - Legalizing Horse Racing
• Senate Bill 601 - School Vouchers
• Senate Bill 171 - Harsher penalties for crimes during a protest

Week 9 Recap

On Tuesday, March 8, my colleagues and I returned to the Georgia State Capitol for another eventful week of the 2022 legislative session. Crossover Day is today, and as such, this past week was one of our busiest and most crucial times of the session thus far. We took advantage of an entire committee work day and spent three long days in the House Chamber to vote on a multitude of bills, including the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget and mental health care reform legislation.

On Monday, I officially qualified to be on the May 24th primary ballot for Lieutenant Governor. Together, we’ll take the Lieutenant Governor’s office to the next level, expand Medicaid, fully fund education, and make Georgia the best place to raise a family - 365 days a year. 

On Tuesday, we passed House Bill 1013, the Georgia Mental Health Parity Act, one of the most important, bipartisan bills of the entire session. This legislation provides comprehensive reforms for our state’s mental health care system and gives Georgians struggling with mental illness the resources they need. 

On Wednesday, my colleagues and I unanimously adopted House Resolution 920 to formally show our solidarity with Ukrainians, as well as strongly condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and call on Vladimir Putin to end this unprovoked aggression. This resolution commends Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine who have courageously sought to defend their nation. In this resolution, the Georgia House of Representatives also calls on both President Biden and the U.S. Congress to continue to take prudent actions to bring about a peaceful and timely end to this conflict. I proudly voted “yes” on this measure that puts the Georgia House on record that we are against Putin and his government’s horrific acts against the sovereign nation of Ukraine and its people.

On Thursday, it was a joy to be out on the campaign trail and join the Clayton County Democrats for the evening. This group has been at the forefront of turning Georgia into the purple state that it is today!

Friday was a busy day on the House floor - from passing the FY 2023 budget to the GOP passing legislation that would make it legal to carry a gun without a concealed carry license. 

Here are the notable bills passed Friday:

• House Bill 911 - The FY 2023 budget 

This budget dedicates all of our state funds for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2022, and ends the following year on June 30, 2023. The FY 2023 budget is set at a revenue estimate of $30.2 billion.

• House Bill 304 - Suspension of the state motor fuel excise tax.

This bill suspends the gas tax through May of 2022 to address the rising price of tax due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

• House Bill 1358 - “Constitutional Carry Act”

This legislation would allow anyone to conceal carry a firearm without possessing a concealed carry license. Rather than taking common sense steps to protect our communities, Republicans are passing this dangerous legislation to throw red meat to their base during an election year.

Key Election Dates

March 7th - First day to request an absentee ballot

April 25th - Deadline to register to vote in May primary

May 2nd - Early Voting Begins

May 13th - Last day to submit an absentee ballot

May 24th - Primary Election Day

Register to vote here!

Please continue to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you have about legislation, policies or issues that impact our community. My Capitol office number is 404-656-0109, and my email is [email protected]. As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your state representative.

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