The Holland Report - 2024, Week 10

Florence Luranc

Things Heat Up with Only Five Days Left to Go!
With less than two weeks and only five legislative days left in the session, things are heating up at the Capitol. Committees are rushing to pass out bills, local legislation is getting dropped just ahead of the Day 35 deadline, and debates are growing longer on the House floor. Read on for the news about what happened this week and what we’re keeping our eyes on for next week (the penultimate week of the 2024 session).

School Vouchers
SB 233 (widely referred to as the school vouchers bill) barely squeaked through the House this week with 91 votes, exactly the number required to pass. A bipartisan collection of legislators opposed the bill, including me, out of concerns that it would siphon support away from public schools. The bill now has to go back to the Senate for an “agree/disagree” vote. If the Senate does not approve of the amendments made while the bill was in the House, the bill will have to go to Conference Committee. We’ll be watching this one closely.

Good Bills Passed
SB 483 allows Georgia to enter into the newly revised Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children which is a win for those working to place foster children in safe and suitable homes.

SB 421 increased penalties for “false alarms” and is meant to target those who participate in “swatting,” the practice of calling in emergencies to 911 to harass public figures. Several elected officials were victims of swatting last year.

SB 50 was a win for swimmers, as it allows local boards of education to provide instruction in lifeguarding and aquatic safety.

SB 370 adds massage therapist practices, convenience stores, body art studios, manufacturing facilities and medical offices as establishments required to post human trafficking hotline information. This is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to prevent human trafficking in the state.

Local Legislation
Some of the most impactful work we do in the legislature flies under the radar–local legislation. Issues like homestead exemptions, city charter changes, and pay increases for local officials get handled by a local delegation comprised of elected officials who represent those areas. I’ve been working on several local bills this year, including one that crosses jurisdictions from the City of Atlanta to the City of Brookhaven to clarify school district boundaries. And I sponsored a local bill this week, HB 1443, to allow MARTA to utilize cameras to issue parking tickets for cars blocking the newly created Bus Rapid Transit lanes next year.

Bills To Watch
The following bills are working their way through House committees. Since these bills raise concerns, we’ll be watching their progress closely next week.

SB 132 prohibits people born in certain countries from owning or renting agricultural property or property within a certain distance of military installments. The bill appears to violate federal laws and the Fair Housing Act.

SB 362 prohibits certain businesses from voluntarily recognizing employee labor unions.

SB 507 creates a special license plates proclaiming "America First,” a slogan that many consider partisan.

SB 390 would cause Georgia libraries to cut ties with the American Library Association, the world’s largest and oldest library association. This bill will be heard in Higher Education on Monday, so I’m reading up on the ramifications for our school and local libraries if this bill goes through.

HB 1170 was a good bill when it passed the House but it received a crummy amendment when it reached Senate committee banning the use of certain hormone treatments in minors. If the amended bill passes in the Senate, it will have to come back to the House for an agree/disagree vote.

Junior League of Atlanta
The Junior League of Atlanta is an organization of women whose mission is to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact. The JLA brought members to the Capitol this week to advocate for safe, accessible housing.

Chaplain of the Day from the Neighborhood Church
We begin each session day with scripture reading and prayer with the Chaplain of the Day. On Monday, our Chaplain of the Day was particularly notable. The Rev. Andi Woodworth leads the Neighborhood Church and was the first-ever transgender chaplain to serve the House.

Sandy Springs Education Force STEAM Showcase
The future is bright! On Thursday, I visited with Sandy Springs students participating in the Sandy Springs Education Force STEAM Showcase at North Springs High School. These young scientists showed off experiments ranging from chemistry demonstrations to robotics to nature-fueled artwork. It was inspiring to see these young people so excited about applying their creativity and scientific thinking.

Planned Parenthood Southeast

Our friends at Planned Parenthood are tireless in their efforts to promote healthcare access. It was great to meet with advocates this week who are laying the groundwork to expand Georgia’s sex education curriculum with a focus on science-based information.

Happy St. Patrick's Day
Savannah celebrates its 200th anniversary of the famous St. Patrick's Day parade this weekend! A few of my colleagues in the House and I had fun dressing to welcome the holiday.

Make plans to join our upcoming virtual listening session to learn about what to expect the last week of the session. 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.