The Holland Report - 2023, Week 9

Sara Fuchs

What a week of highs and lows! We began on Monday with Crossover Day - the house gaveled in at 10:00 a.m. Fourteen hours later, we had passed more than 50 bills in time for them to crossover to the Senate chamber. On Sunday afternoon, I will cohost a legislative update with Senator Josh McLaurin to talk about what passed - and what didn't - by the Monday deadline. See details below about how to join us!

On Wednesday, we welcomed Georgia Supreme Court Justice Boggs for the State of the Judiciary. Boggs touched on a number of topics, from the still-present backlog of cases stemming from the pandemic to the need to leverage technology to make the court process more efficient. His strongest words, however, were about the desperate need for more mental health services in the state. Much of the incarcerated population in Georgia suffers from mental illness, and the cost of housing that population dwarfs the potential cost of treating the illness and preventing crime in the first place. Boggs praised the work the legislature has done to expand mental health access but lamented that we have a long way to go.

Thursday was a day of great sadness in the House. Representative Tish Naghise died unexpectedly on Wednesday afternoon at the age of 59 after a very brief illness. While this was Rep. Naghise's first term in the legislature, she was already respected and beloved for her work with the Democratic Party and DNC. Her seat in the chamber was draped in black on Thursday, as the Speaker, the Minority Leader and those closest to her shared remembrances. Her positive energy and caring smile will be greatly missed.

Monday will be Legislative Day 32 - only eight days left to pass out bills during this session. Take a look below to see what notable legislation made it out of the chamber this week and what bills we're keeping an eye on during this final stretch.

HB101. Income tax; change certain definitions.
This is a "Christmas tree bill" - it combines tax credits related to rural hospitals, mortgages, and private schools. Although I am, of course, in favor of supporting rural hospitals, this bill would drain money from public schools by increasing the annual limit on the Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit to $130 million from $120 million. I voted no on this bill. The bill passed the House, 102-73.

HB196. Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission; subject to Administrative Procedure Act and laws governing open meetings and records; provide.
Although medical marijuana was legalized in 2015, and growing and dispensing these products was legalized in 2019, about 27,000 registered patients have been unable to buy the product. This bill increases the number of licenses issued, removing the bottlenecks created by pending lawsuits. I voted yes on this bill, and it passed the House, 170-2.

HB231. Prosecuting Attorneys Oversight Commission; create.
This bill creates a five member commission who can investigate, punish, and remove district attorneys and solicitor generals. There are already layers of accountability in the system, and this is a blatant attack on district attorneys representing Democratic areas, such as Fulton county & Athens-Clark county. I voted no on this bill, and it passed the House, 98-75.

On the Senate side, two very problematic bills passed along party lines.

SB233. 'The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act'; establishment of promise scholarship accounts.
This bill gives $6000 to parents who send their children to private school. This bill has no fiscal note, no cap on how many students could receive it, and no eligibility requirements. It diverts much-needed money from public schools, and gives them to schools with no accountability. Given that Georgia is one of six states that does not provide extra funding to low-income schools, the average cost of private school tuition averages $11,500, and many counties do not even have a private school for children to attend, I hope that this bill does not come to the floor of the House for a vote.

Sb 140. Hospitals; the treatment of gender dysphoria in minors performed in hospitals and other licensed healthcare facilities; prohibit certain surgical procedures.
This bill stops hospitals from providing gender-affirming health care procedures or therapies to Georgians younger than 18 years old. These decisions should be made by families and health professionals, not by legislators.

At the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods meeting this week.

HB19. General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.

We also passed the budget this week! The $32B+ budget includes raises for state employees (including teachers), funding for school breakfasts and lunches, and a new Georgia State patrol satellite office in Buckhead. I voted yes on the budget, and it passed, 167-1.

Join me & Sen. Josh McLaurin (SD6) for a legislative update after Crossover Day! What bills passed? What bills didn't? And what bills might be resurrected before Sine Die?
Pre-register for the link on Zoom.
Facebook event link

If you haven’t already, please browse my website, betsyforgeorgia.com.

As your Representative, your concerns are important to me. Please contact me at betsy.holland@house.ga.gov or 404-656-0116 with questions, concerns, or solutions you may have regarding legislation or other happenings in District 54.

To stay updated, follow me on Twitter and Facebook, and follow the Georgia House of Representatives @GAHouseHub on Twitter. Additionally, in-depth information regarding current bills, Georgia's annual and supplemental budgets, committee meetings, and livestreams from the General Assembly can be accessed via www.legis.ga.gov.

I encourage you and your family to visit our State Capitol and my office, where all constituents are welcome. I look forward to connecting with you!

My office is located at:
18 Capitol Square, SW
409-B, Coverdell Legislative Office Building
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative.