President Blake Meets With Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones
House Passes Amended Budget
The House this week passed HB 18, the FY2023 amended budget by a vote of 170-1. The amended budget totals $32.56 billion, an increase of $2.36 billion, or 7.8% over the budget originally adopted last year. Of the additional spending, a majority of the new revenue focuses on tax breaks. The House agreed with the Governor to provide Georgian’s with Homeowner Tax Relief Grants totaling close to $1 billion dollars.
The FY2023 amended recommendation of interest to the University System of Georgia (USG) includes $105 million for the Medical College of Georgia Hospitals and Clinics, Georgia’s only public teaching hospital, to implement a new electronic medical record system.
In regards to K-12 education, HB 18 includes $138.8 million in school security grants in the amount of $60,000 per school, allowing local school systems flexibility in allocating funds system-wide to enhance security.
Sports Betting
SB 57, sponsored by Sen. Billy Hickman
(R-Statesboro), would authorize and provide for the regulation and taxation of sports betting in this state. The Georgia Sports Betting Commission would be created and regulated by the Georgia Lottery Corporation. New revenue from licensing and taxes would go toward strengthening the HOPE Scholarship and Pre-K programs. Assigned to the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee.
Opportunity Students and Tuition
HB 131, sponsored by Rep. Kasey Carpenter
(R-Dalton), known as the “Workforce Development Act”, provides that certain students shall be deemed opportunity students and shall be classified for opportunity tuition. Opportunity students would include individuals who have graduated from a Georgia high school or obtained a state approved equivalency diploma; continuously maintained domicile since 2013; is not a nonimmigrant alien; is a verified recipient of DACA; and has not been convicted of a felony or high and aggravated misdemeanor. Assigned to the House Higher Education Committeee.
High School Instant Replay
HB 32, sponsored by Rep. Demetrius Douglas (D-Stockbridge), would provide that no high school which receives funding shall participate in sports events that does not utilize instant replay in high school championship games. Assigned to the House Education Committee.
Increase School Safety
SB 32, sponsored by Sen. Jason Anavitarte
(R-Dallas), would require local education agencies to implement a mobile panic alert system capable of connecting disparate emergency services technologies to ensure real-time coordination between multiple state and local first responder agencies in the event of a school security emergency. Assigned to the Senate Education and Youth Committee.
Physical Therapy
HB 150, sponsored by Rep. Mesha Mainor
(D-Atlanta), would allow physical therapist to order diagnostic imaging and use ultrasound. Assigned to the House Health Committee.
Georgia State Athletics Recognized
SR 73, sponsored by Sen. Doc Rhett
(D-Marietta), recognizing and commending the Georgia State University Athletic Department for its outstanding accomplishments in athletics and academics in 2022. Senate Read and Adopted.
Tobacco and Vaping
HB 191, sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens
(R-Savannah), would increase the tax rate on each pack of cigarettes by twenty cents. The proceeds of this tax increase are intended to be appropriated for healthcare issues affecting Georgia residents. Assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee.
HB 192, sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens
(R-Savannah), would increase the rate of the tax consumption on consumable vapor products by 8%. The proceed of this tax increase are intended to be appropriated for healthcare issues affecting Georgia residents. Assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee.
SB 47, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Huffstetler (R-Rome), would add vaping to the no smoking signs in restricted areas and would be considered a misdemeanor punishable by fine. Assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Suicide Screenings
HB 141, sponsored by Rep. Mesha Mainor
(D-Atlanta), would require local school systems to conduct suicide screenings on all students age eight through 18, beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. Assigned to the House Education Committee.
Street Gang Terrorism
SB 44, sponsored by Sen. Bo Hatchett
(R-Cornelia), known as the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, would strengthen the sentencing for all gang-related offenses by imposing mandatory minimum sentences but would specifically target the recruitment of minors by instating even stricter mandatory minimums for those whose gang-related offenses involve a minor or otherwise vulnerable individual.
Assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Intern Spotlight: Caleb Spainhour
Caleb Spainhour is a 20 year old Junior studying Law and Society. Caleb hopes to attend law school in the future, and believes that his GLIP placement will help him gain relevant experience in his career path.
Caleb works in House Majority Leader, Chuck Efstration’s office. In his role he focuses on researching proposed policy and similar legislation in neighboring states, compiling reports on bills, and keeping an eye out for concerns of other members.
When asked what he wants to gain from his internship, Caleb said, “I hope that this internship helps me find a potential area of practice that I can push for. Being immersed in all sorts of legislation hopefully will present me with a subject that I truly find interesting, as I have a rough idea of what kind of law I want to go into but I’m still a bit lost.”
Caleb says he finds witnessing the legislative process fascinating and thinks it may even inspire him to pursue a career in politics. He’s excited and charged for “the networking opportunities that are found nowhere else in Georgia.”
Outside of work, Caleb likes to play chess at local chess clubs in the area and read. One of his favorite reads is Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. While his hobbies may sound boring to some, these activities allow him to recharge during the legislative session.
Caleb chooses to live by the quote “We cannot solve our problems with the same way of thinking we used when we created them,” by Albert Einstein and will continue to carry it in his personal and professional life.