The Holland Report - 2024, Week 4

A Somber Week in the Georgia House
A dark cloud seemed to hang over the Capitol this week during what usually would have been a bustling time. First, the chamber learned early in the week of the passing of four brave Georgians killed while doing their work to protect us. The first was State Patrol Trooper and former Atlanta Police Officer Jimmy Cenescar who lost his life during a car crash in pursuit of another vehicle. Then, we mourned with the three families of Sgt. Kennedy Sanders, Sgt. Breonna Moffett, and Sgt. William Jerome Rivers who were killed in a drone attack while serving in the Army Reserves in Jordan. The grief that hit closest to home was the unexpected loss of Representative Richard Smith, the chair of the House Rules Committee. Chairman Smith was a highly respected and very well-liked member of the body whose sharp sense of humor brought much-needed levity to House Rules Committee meetings. The General Assembly has altered its adjournment schedule to allow members time off on Monday to attend his funeral in Columbus.

As the Speaker said, Chairman Smith would have wanted us to get back to business, even in our grief. Work on the floor slowed considerably as the Rules Committee didn't meet again after Monday to pass any additional legislation, but the work of other committees, the Senate and our delegations continued. Read details below about the highlights of days 11 through 14.

HB 30 Signed into Law
On Wednesday Governor Kemp signed HB 30 defining antisemitism as part of Georgia's hate crimes law. With antisemitic crimes on the rise both in our local neighborhoods and on our college campuses, this legislation makes an impact showing that the state stands with Jewish people facing hateful criminal actions. A huge crowd gathered in the Capitol on Wednesday for the signing, including representatives from Jewish advocacy groups across the state.

HB 881 Passes the House
Many remember that the General Assembly passed a law last year forming a Prosecuting Attorneys Qualification Committee meant to oversee and discipline duly elected district attorneys. A key piece of that legislation requires the Georgia Supreme Court to review the standards and rules of the PAQC. However, once the law passed, the Supreme Court declined to do this out of concerns about the constitutionality of the bill. So, Republicans have now introduced HB 881 as a way to "fix" the original legislation and bypass the Georgia Supreme Court altogether. 

I voted no on this bill. HB 881 sets a dangerous precedent for our state. Essentially, the bill will allow unelected. partisan agents to potentially investigate and discipline elected district attorneys. In our state, the DAs are elected by the people, and they can fail to be re-elected if the voters feel they're not fulfilling their office. The creation of the PAQC allows an unelected body to undo the will of the people who elected a district attorney, and that raises great concerns.

Wear Red for Women's Heart Health
The tradition of wearing red to bring attention to the importance of women's heart health continued on Thursday. Led by Rep. Doreen Carter, men and women throughout the chamber donned their best red to mark February as American Heart Month. According to the CDC, more than 40% of women in the United States are living with some form of heart disease, and heart disease is responsible for 1 in 5 female deaths each year. The American Heart Association was on hand at the Capitol to take blood pressure readings, offer healthy lunches and give advice on other heart disease factors including smoking, excessive drinking, lack of exercise and stress.

Librarians Oppose SB 390
A large cohort of librarians came to the Capitol on Thursday to protest SB 390, a bill that would ban Georgia libraries (including those with the University System of Georgia) from using public funds to pay for materials, services or programs offered by the American Library Association. The bill would also remove the requirement that public librarians receive their certification from the ALA. Currently, the ALA is the largest and oldest library association in the world. It's an essential organization that promotes education and lifelong learning, literacy, intellectual freedom and equitable access to library resources and services. If you are interested in making your voice heard on this issue, you can contact the Senate Government Oversight Committee that will be hearing the bill.

Counselors on the Front Lines For Mental Health
January 31 was National Licensed Professional Counselors Day. Several graduate students from Georgia State University were on hand with LPCA of Georgia to educate legislators about the critical role LPCs play in providing mental health support in our communities.

Capitol Page Day
Hosting pages brings some joy to otherwise tough days at the Capitol. This week, I got to work with the sibling duo of Georgia and Alex! Our page program enables students to participate in the legislative process during a full day of session, assisting as runners to keep legislation work flowing smoothly.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Higher Education
The Higher Ed committee met this week to pass out two more bills. The first, HB 970, improves the very popular REACH (Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen) Scholarships by lowering the barriers for various school districts to participate and by adding additional ways a student can qualify for the scholarship. The other bill, HB 982, allows the State Workforce Development Board to publish a definitive list of High Demand Careers that can inform the way the state is managing its workforce development programs, including apprenticeships and special scholarships.

Creative Arts and Entertainment
The Fayette County Development Authority delivered a fantastic report to the Creative Arts and Entertainment Committee showing the economic impact of the state's film production tax credit on their community. Fayette County is home to Trilith Studios. While you may not know the name Trilith, you certainly know many of the films created in their studios from Guardians of the Galaxy to Spiderman: No Way Home to Haunted Mansion. The presentation provided great insight into the ways Georgia's economy has grown thanks to the film and television production that has taken root in the state.

Small Business Development
In Small Business Development this week we heard from independent automobile dealerships in Georgia. We learned about the ways the state can support their industry.

Join us for our next virtual listening session, a Joint Town Hall with Senator Jason Esteves. Pre-register here for the Zoom 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.

Representative Betsy Holland
GA House District 54