LEGISLATIVE REPORT
March 01, 2024

 

• Governor Kemp Signs FY 2024 Amended Budget
• Legislative Day 28 = Crossover Day
• Dell McGee Named Head Football Coach
• Legislation Tracker
• GLIP Intern Spotlight: Q&A with Ibunkun Ogunkunle
• Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Tyler Adams
• Upcoming Events: Legislative Calendar

 

Governor Kemp Signs Amended FY 2024 Budget

On Thursday, Governor Kemp signed the Amended Fiscal Year 2024 Budget (HB 915) in a ceremony at the State Capitol. He was joined by Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, Appropriations Chairmen Matt Hatchett and Blake Tillery, as well as other members of the General Assembly. The Amended FY 2024 budget includes investments in the state’s infrastructure with one-time needed technology and capital projects – including repairs and improvements to the historic Capitol complex, safety and security projects,
economic development projects, as well as human capital investment.

The final version of the Amended FY 2024 budget also includes $5.1 million in equipment funds for the Research Tower at Georgia State University. This new 155,000 square foot facility will complete the third phase of Georgia State’s Science Park and will allow GSU to continue to be a leader in cross-disciplinary research with life-changing impact. “Georgia State’s faculty, staff and student researchers have had a powerful influence on our university and community at large. Additional research space will undoubtedly stimulate continued, impactful discovery and economic development,” said Dr. M. Brian Blake, President of Georgia State University. 

Other items of interest to Georgia State University and the University System of Georgia (USG) include $66 million in the USG Teaching program to restore original FY 2024 formula funds, $178 million to design, construct, and equip a new dental school at Georgia Southern University in Savannah, and $50 million for the design and construction of a new Medical School at the University of Georgia.

The final version of the budget also includes $10.25 million for the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) to complete the Rivian training center in Newton County and $8.9 million in lottery funds to allow the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) to continue the Summer Transition Program at its current level of service. The Summer Transition Program provides rising Pre-K students and rising Kindergarten students with extra support in language, literacy and math.

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Legislative Day 28 = Crossover Day

Thursday was Legislative Day 28, also known as “Crossover Day” at the Georgia State Capitol, because this is the final day for bills to crossover from one chamber to the other in order to move forward this legislative session. Bills that do not crossover are unlikely to become law so legislators worked late into the evening to debate as many bills as they could before midnight.

Legislators unable to get their bills to the floor, must now look for bills already passed that can be amended to keep their legislation alive. You can view more pictures from the House by clicking here and pictures from the Senate by clicking here.

 

Dell McGee Named Head Football Coach

Dell McGee, a Georgia native with 22 years of coaching experience, including back-to-back national titles as the run game coordinator and running backs coach for the Georgia Bulldogs, has been named the fourth head football coach in Georgia State history by GSU President Dr. M. Brian Blake and Director of Athletics Charlie Cobb.

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Legislation Tracker

Thursday was Legislative Day 28, also known as “Crossover Day” at the Georgia State Capitol, because this is the final day for bills to crossover from one chamber to the other in order to move forward this legislative session. Bills that do not crossover are unlikely to become law so legislators worked late into the evening to debate as many bills as they could before midnight.

Transferable Course Credits
SB 399, sponsored by Sen. Shelly Echols 
(R-Gainesville), would encourage and state expectations for the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to enter into and amend existing agreements with the Technical College System of Georgia for awarding postsecondary course credits that are transferrable between the university system and the technical college system.  The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 53-0 and has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.

Georgia Higher Education Savings Plan
SB 469, sponsored by Sen. Jason Esteves
(D-Atlanta), the “College Success 529 Expansion Act” would increase the maximum amount of contributions allowed per beneficiary of savings trust accounts for higher education expenses. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 54-0 and now crosses over to the House.

Tuition Grants
HB 56, sponsored by Rep. Jesse Petrea
(R-Savannah), would provide for undergraduate full tuition grants to children and spouses of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and prison guards who were killed in the line of duty who attend institutions of the University System of Georgia and who meet certain eligibility requirements.  The bill passed the House by a vote of 170-0 and now crosses over to the Senate.

High-Demand Apprenticeship Program
SB 497, sponsored by Sen. Billy Hickman
(R-Statesboro), would redesignate the High-demand Career Initiatives Program as the High-Demand Apprenticeship Program.  The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 52-1 and has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.

HBCU Planning Districts
SB 235, sponsored by Sen. Sonya Halpern
(D-Atlanta), would create the HBCU Innovation and Economic Prosperity Planning Districts Commission and provide for advisory committees for specified planning districts.  The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 46-7 and has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.

Opportunities for Georgia Students Act
SB 147, sponsored by Sen. Shawn Still
(R-Norcross), the “Boundless Opportunities for Georgia Students Act,” would authorize student transfers without contracts between a local school system where a student resides and the local school system where the student wishes to enroll.  The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 38-14 and has been assigned to the House Education Committee.

Accelerated Career Diploma Program
SB 440, sponsored by Sen. Matt Brass
(R-Newnan), would provide for the Accelerated Career Diploma Program and establish and provide for the ACE Grants pilot program.  The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 52-1 and has been assigned to the House Education Committee.

Protecting Children on Social Media Act
SB 351, sponsored by Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas), would require local boards of education to adopt, implement, and enforce social media policies. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 51-1 and has been assigned to the House Education Committee.

Student Athlete Mental Health Risk
HB 1104, sponsored by Rep. Omari Crawford (D-Decatur), would provide for mental health screenings in addition to or in conjunction with preparticipation physical examinations for student athletes in grades six through twelve. The bill passed the House by a vote of 159-4 and now crosses over to the Senate.

Development Impact Fees for Education
SB 208, sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezall (R-Cumming), provides for development impact fees for education to be approved by local boards of education of a high growth school system to pay for a share of the cost of additional educational facilities.   The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 49-2 and now crosses over to the House.

SR 189, sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezall (R-Cumming), is a proposed Constitutional Amendment that would allow the General Assembly to authorize local boards of education to impose and collect development impact fees for education.  The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 49-2 and now crosses over to the House. 

American Library Association 
SB 390, sponsored by Sen. Larry Walker III (R-Perry), would prohibit the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and city, county, and regional public library trustees from using any public or privately donated funds on any materials, services, or operations offered by the American Library Association or any of its affiliates. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 33-20 and now crosses over to the House.

Sports Betting
SR 579, sponsored by Sen. Bill Cowsert 
(R-Athens), proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Georgia so as to authorize and require that the Georgia General Assembly provide by law for sports betting in this state.  The bill passed the Senate by vote of 41-12 and has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.

Film Tax Credit
HB 1180, sponsored by Rep. Kasey Carpenter (R-Dalton), amends the film tax credit by limiting transferable credits and increasing criteria required to receive an additional 10% credit.  The bill passed the House by a vote of 131-34 and now crosses over to the Senate.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
SB 460, sponsored by Sen. Clint Dixon
(R-Buford), specifies limits on the number of APRNs or PAs a delegating physician can authorize or supervise at any given time, with certain exceptions for specific healthcare settings such as hospitals, educational institutions, public health departments, community health clinics, and emergency medical services systems. The limit is raised from 4 to a maximum of eight combined physician assistants or advanced practice registered nurses at a time.  The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 40-11 and now crosses over to the House.

HB 1046, sponsored by Rep. David Clark (R-Buford), would authorize advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants to order home healthcare services. The bill passed the House by a vote of 163-2 and now crosses over to the Senate.

Teledentistry
HB 441, sponsored by Rep. Katie Dempsey (R–Rome), would authorize and regulate teledentistry in this state by licensed dentists pursuant to permits issued by the Georgia Board of Dentistry.  The bill passed the House by a vote of 167-0 and now crosses over to the Senate.

Health Care Workforce
SB 480, sponsored by Rep. Mike Hodges (R-Brunswick), would establish a student loan repayment program for mental health or substance abuse professionals who provide services to underserved youth or unserved geographic areas.  The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 44-1 and now crosses over to the House.

Second Chance Workforce Act
HB 926, sponsored by Rep. Matt Reeves (R-Duluth), would allow individuals with low-level municipal citation and misdemeanor charges to keep their driver’s licenses during their cases, as long as the charges do not pertain to DUI, reckless driving or child support, so that their ability to drive to work is not interrupted.  The bill passed the House by a vote of 159-1 and now crosses over to the Senate.

Georgia Consumer Privacy Protection Act
SB 473, sponsored by Sen. John Albers 
(R-Roswell), would enact the “Georgia Consumer Privacy Protection Act,” which protects the privacy of consumer personal data in Georgia. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 37-15 and has been assigned to the House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee. 

Military Spouses
HB 880, sponsored by Rep. Bethany Ballard (R-Warner Robins), would allow military spouses to use an existing license in good standing from another state to obtain employment.  The bill passed the House by a vote of 168-0 and has been assigned to the Senate Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committee.

Nicotine Products Vapor Directory
HB 1260, sponsored by Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens), would require the Commissioner of Agriculture to establish and maintain a directory of nicotine vapor products authorized for sale in this state. The bill passed the House by a vote of 163-4 and now crosses over to the Senate.

Human Trafficking
SB 512, sponsored by Sen. Shawn Still 
(R-Norcross), would create the Victims of Human Trafficking Fund and the Victims of Human Trafficking Fund Commission. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 55-0 and now crosses over to the House.

SR 616, sponsored by Sen. Shawn Still 
(R-Norcross), proposes an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide that the General Assembly by general law may provide for the allocation of certain additional penalties and assessments to the Victims of Human Trafficking Fund for the purpose of providing care and rehabilitative and social services to individuals in this state who have been or may be sexually exploited. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 55-0 and now crosses over to the House.

 

 

GLIP Intern Spotlight: Q&A with Ibunkun Ogunkunle

Q: Where is your hometown? 
A: I grew up in Snellville, Georgia.

Q: What is your major? 
A: I’m majoring in Political Science.

Q: Which office/committee are you assigned to? 
A: I support the following offices: Re-Apportionment and Re-Districting under Chairman Leverett; State Planning and Community Affairs under Chairlady Mathiak, along with Representative Persinger and Representative Byrd; and  House Media and Services.

Q: What are some of your duties as a legislative intern? 
A: In this role, my responsibilities encompass a range of essential tasks. These include promptly addressing constituent inquiries, ensuring their concerns are effectively communicated; meticulously tracking bills, retrieving and proofreading them as necessary. Additionally, I’ve been entrusted with the management of emails and letters.

More recently, I was appointed to the House Media and Services committee. Here, I oversee various technical aspects such as camera angles and microphone settings, ensuring seamless operation during floor sessions and committee meetings, which are regularly broadcasted.

Q: What do you hope to learn or come away with from the GLIP experience? 
A: I look forward to deepening my understanding of the comprehensive duties of a State Representative. While classroom learning provides insights into the roles of each representative or senator, firsthand experience offers a richer understanding, fostering greater respect for the members of the legislative body.

Q: How will this experience help you in your future career plans? 
A: This experience will significantly contribute to my future advocacy efforts. I aim to cultivate meaningful connections and drive tangible improvements within the Juvenile Justice System, safeguarding youth from circumstances that could impede their progress or potential. My overarching objective is to empower young voices, ensuring they are not only heard but also valued. Additionally, I intend to pursue a master’s degree following my undergraduate studies.

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Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Tyler Adams

Q: What was your graduation year and degree? 
A: I graduated in 2017 with a Masters of Public Policy – Planning and Economic Development.

Q: What has your career path looked like since you graduated from Georgia State University? 
A: While I was working on my master’s degree at GSU, I was working as a Legislative Director for a lobbying firm in Atlanta. After graduating, I started a job in the Governor’s Office as a Policy Advisor and transitioned into the Kemp Administration following the 2018 election. After serving three legislative sessions for Governor Kemp, I began a new role as Partner at Connect Public Relations, focusing on serving a multitude of clients with their legislative affairs, public relations, and media needs.

Q: What advice do you have for current or prospective Georgia State students?
A: Stay humble and learn as much as possible from mentors in the field you want to pursue. Remember that everyone needs to “pay their dues” and never be too big to do a task too small. If you ask questions, work hard, and build your professional network, the opportunities will follow.

 

 

Upcoming Events

• Legislative Day 30

• Committee Work Day