The Holland Report - 2024, Week 12

Florence Luranc

That’s a Wrap!

At 12:59 am in the wee hours of March 29, the Georgia General Assembly adjourned Sine Die. The last week of session may be remembered for what didn’t pass as much as what did. Several worrisome bills never progressed to the House floor for a vote, and a handful of good measures were able to cross the finish line. Read below for the highlights from this 2024 session. And I hope you’ll join me and a few colleagues next week for an in-person legislative wrap-up town hall!

Bills that We Blocked
Sometimes the greatest wins of the legislative session are the bills that get stopped before they reach a vote. In the 2024 session, we managed to block HB 501, a bill aimed to weaken child labor protections in the state. We stopped HB 370, a bill that would have undermined the state’s long-standing policy of marsh protection and set a dangerous precedent for privatizing public lands along the coastline. Another dangerous Religious Freedom Referendum came up in the Senate in the form of SB 180 which had the potential to legalize certain forms of discrimination, but the bill failed to advance to the House. And the bill that got me the most concerned starting in January? That was SB 390, a bill that would have forced Georgia libraries to sever ties with the American Library Association and its affiliates resulting in loss of grant funding, elimination of professional development, dramatic increase in costs of resources and more. We were able to block that bill in committee, and it never progressed to the House floor.

Several “frankenbills” had us all worried leading up to Sine Die - these were good House bills that the Senate amended to include harmful provisions including the prohibition of hormone therapy/puberty blockers for minors, regulations around who can use school locker rooms and bathrooms, and parental notification requirements for libraries. Most of these measures were attached to HB 1104 and HB 1170, neither of which passed on Sine Die.

Bills That Help the People of Georgia
We had some great bipartisan wins in the legislature this session. Earlier in the session, we passed HB 1010 extending paid leave for state employees, HB 1037 creating a commission on maternal and infant health (a long-standing priority for Georgia Democrats), HB 404 which boosts tenant protections with a renters’ bill of rights, and HB 30 which strengthens protections against antisemitism.

Wait, what about...?
For years, gambling (in general) and mobile sports betting (specifically) have been hot topics under the Gold Dome. For the first time this year, a pair of bills that would legalize and regulate mobile sports betting passed out of the Senate chamber and made it all the way through House committee. However, the bill did not make it to a vote on the House floor before we adjourned. I fully expect the issue to return next year.

Democrats introduced bills to restore women’s rights to make their own healthcare decisions (HB 75), create a ballot question to allow voters to decide on abortion rights (SR 136), require mental health screenings for postpartum mothers (HB 1302) and protect access to IVF and contraception (HB 1424). None of these measures progressed out of committee.

A couple of bills to improve gun safety were also introduced including the Pediatric Health Safe Storage Act (HB 161) and a bill requiring training courses for certain gun licenses (HB 195). Despite widespread public support, neither of those bills progressed.

Finally, many legislators are bewildered by the lack of progress on legislation that would protect the Okefenokee Swamp, a unique eco-system and Georgia treasure, despite overwhelming bipartisan support. Neither HB 71 (prohibiting mining near the swamp) nor HB 1338 (a three-year moratorium on mining near the swamp) received a vote on the House floor.

It's great to have family visit the legislature. Alex served as a Senate Page on Sine Die for Sen. Esteves, and he made a quick visit to the House floor before session started.

For a thorough recap of the legislative session, join me and my legislative colleagues for an in-person Town Hall on April 16.

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.