LEGISLATIVE REPORT
March 15, 2024
In Today’s Edition:
- President Brian Blake Recognized in the Georgia Senate
- House Unveils Portrait of Late Speaker David Ralston
- Legislation Tracker
- GLIP Intern Spotlight: Q&A with Nicholas Parra
- Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Lauryn Bennett-Walker
- Upcoming Events: Legislative Calendar
President Blake Recognized in the Georgia Senate
Georgia State University alumna and current State Senator Tonya Anderson (D-Lithonia), sponsored SR 672 to recognize and commend President Blake for his exemplary leadership and contributions to Georgia State University and the broader metro Atlanta community. Dr. Blake became the eighth President of Georgia State University in 2021 and is responsible for leading a diverse community of nearly 53,000 students and 8,000 faculty and staff across six campuses.
Under President Blake’s leadership, Georgia State University has achieved numerous milestones, including: the largest number of applications ever for admission to its Fall 2023 entering class, exceeding $200 million in sponsored research, and securing more than $55 million in public support for the new Research Tower that is scheduled to break ground later this year. President Blake was invited to deliver remarks in the Senate Chamber where he thanked elected officials for their support of Georgia State University and public higher education.
House Unveils Portrait of Late Speaker David Ralston
On Thursday, current Speaker of the House Jon Burns (R – Newington) and other leaders unveiled a portrait in memory of the late House Speaker David Ralston (R – Blue Ridge) that will be permanently displayed outside of the House Chamber in the Capitol.
Speaker Ralston was the 73rd Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives and passed away in 2022 following an extended illness. At the time of his passing, Speaker Ralston was the longest currently-serving Speaker of a State House in the country.
Legislation Tracker
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 House Higher Education Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the House Rules Committee.
Workforce EXCELeration Act
SB 112, sponsored by Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas), would create a private-public partnership to develop a pilot program to allow students 21 years of age or older who have aged out of public high schools to attain a high school diploma instead of a GED. The program would be administered in partnership with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). The bill passed the House Higher Education Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the House Rules Committee.
High-demand Career List
HB 982, sponsored by Rep. Matthew Gambill (R-Cartersville), would require the State Workforce Development Board to develop, approve, and annually publish a High-demand Career List identifying those careers most critical to the state’s current and future workforce needs. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 53-1 and now goes to Governor Brian Kemp for his signature and final approval.
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 House Higher Education Committee, and is now eligible for consideration in the House Rules 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 House Education Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the House Rules Committee.
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 passed the House Higher Education Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the House Rules Committee.
Georgia Higher Education Assistance
HB 985, sponsored by Rep. Chuck Martin
(R-Alpharetta), abolishes the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation and transfers any obligations, liabilities, or assets to the Georgia Student Finance Authority. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 55-0 and now goes back to the House to agree or disagree with changes.
Georgia Promise Scholarship Act
SB 233, sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal
(R-Alpharetta), the “Georgia Promise Scholarship Act”, would provide for the establishment of promise scholarship accounts to be funded by the state in the amount of $6,500 per school year for each participating student. Families could use the funds to pay for tuition at a participating school, tutoring, curriculum and other approved educational expenses. This would only apply to children who attend schools that rank in the lowest 25 percent of the state’s school rating system. The bill passed the House by a vote of 91-82 and now goes back to the Senate to agree or disagree with changes.
Tax Relief
HB 1015, sponsored by the Governor’s Floor Leader Rep. Lauren McDonald (R-Cumming), would cut to the state income tax from 5.75 percent to 5.39 percent. The bill passed the Senate Finance Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the Senate Rules Committee.
HB 1019, sponsored by Rep. Matt Reeves (R-Duluth), would double the homestead exemption from $2,000 to $4,000. The bill was heard before the Senate Finance Committee, but no vote was taken.
Trust Fund for Homeless Act
HB 1410, sponsored by Rep. Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula), known as the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Act would establish a stable housing accountability program. The bill passed the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the Senate Rules Committee.
Sports Betting
SB 386, sponsored by Sen. Clint Dixon (R-Buford), would authorize and provide for the regulation and taxation of sports betting to be regulated by the Georgia Lottery Corporation. The bill was heard before the House Higher Education Committee, but no vote was taken.
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 Senate Regulated Industries Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the Senate Rules Committee.
Occupational Therapist
HB 809, sponsored by Rep. Alan Powell
(R-Hartwell), would authorize occupational therapists to perform dry needling as a physical agent modality if certain training and education requirements are met. The bill was heard before the Senate Regulated Industries Committee, but no vote was taken.
Marriage and Family Therapist
SB 373, sponsored by Sen. Larry Walker III (R-Perry), would streamline the licensure process for marriage and family therapists by introducing an expedited license by endorsement for qualified individuals from other states who are in good standing and do not have a disqualifying criminal record. The bill passed the House Regulated Industries Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the House Rules Committee.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
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 also 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 Regulated Industries Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the Senate Rules Committee.
Health Care Workforce
SB 480, sponsored by Sen. 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 House Public Health Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the House Rules Committee.
Georgia Defense Commission
SB 398, sponsored by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick
(R-Marietta), would move the Georgia Defense Commission under the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Includes the chancellor of the University System of Georgia or his or her designee. The bill passed the House
Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the House Rules 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 Senate by a vote of 54-0 and now goes back to the House to agree or disagree with changes.
Veterans
SB 451, sponsored by Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes (D-Duluth), would create a voluntary loan program at certain financial institutions to assist veterans. The bill has been assigned to the House Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee and is now eligible for consideration in the House Rules Committee.
Nicotine Vapor Products 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 was heard before the Senate Regulated Industries Committee, but no vote was taken.
Human Trafficking
SB 370, sponsored by Sen. Mike Hodges
(R-Brunswick), would require certain establishments to post human trafficking hotline information. The bill passed the House by a vote of 164-1 and now goes to Governor Kemp for his signature and final approval.
GLIP Intern Spotlight: Q&A with Nicholas Parra
Q: Where is your hometown?
A: I was raised in Lawrenceville, Georgia in Gwinnett County.
Q: What is your major?
A: I am a second-year Political Science major, with a minor in Public Policy, and a concentration in International Affairs.
Q: Which office/committee are you assigned to?
A: I am assigned to the House Minority Leader’s office.
Q: What are some of your duties as a legislative intern?
A: I create multiple bill research reports for the Minority Leader each day, meet with lobbyists to sponsor meetings with the House Democratic Caucus, and attend subcommittee meetings to speak to the representatives and witnesses.
Q: What do you hope to learn or come away with from the GLIP experience?
A: As a former intern from a U.S. Congressman’s office, I learned about the various federal agencies that provided constituent services. Now, working for the Georgia General Assembly, I would like to educate myself on the different state agencies and programs that can benefit Georgians of all backgrounds.
Q: How will this experience help you in your future career plans?
A: I am building invaluable experience to launch a successful political campaign in 2026. Many elected officials, staff, and candidates have inspired me to seek public office. As the son of immigrants, I am proud to participate in constituent service initiatives, focusing on the importance of voting rights in minority communities. I still have a lot left to learn, but working under the Gold Dome is a step in the right direction.
Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Lauryn Bennett-Walker
Q: What was your graduation year and degree?
A: I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Pre-Law Concentration in December 2023.
Q: What has your career path looked like since you graduated from Georgia State University?
A: I have been an Administrative Assistant with Georgia House of Representatives since February 2023. I am planning for law school with a particular interest in family law or international law. Working at the State Capitol has opened my mind to many careers paths after law school, particularly, paths with law and consulting firms, state agencies and maybe even working with Georgia State University (this could allow me to mix my fields of interest with the school that helped me, so that I could have a positive impact on my community and State in the future).
Q: What advice do you have for current or prospective Georgia State students?
A: Don’t let doubt of any kind rule your life. If I had let my self-doubt win in the Fall of 2022, I would have never applied for the GLIP Program that has lead me to my current position. I would not have met new faces that have been nothing but supportive in my life from personal, to school and career.
Upcoming Events
- Legislative Day 36
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
- Committee Work Day
- Legislative Day 37
- Legislative Day 38