A Strong Finish to a Long Session
Friends,
This week brought a close to the 2020 legislative session. During five busy days, the General Assembly transmitted some very important bills to the Governor’s Office before adjourning Sine Die on Friday, June 26th.
On Monday, we passed HB 847 which would require that hemp farmers and processors obtain licenses for the transportation of their product. This bill will assist police officers in determining whether the product is legal hemp or marijuana, which remains illegal under Georgia law.
This week the Senate passed HB 244, which was passed by the House earlier this Session. HB 244 now heads to the Governor's desk and will improve the availability of broadband internet services in rural parts of the state by regulating the rates broadband service providers are charged to attach their lines to power poles.
The House and Senate passed a revised version HB 838 which will protect police and other first responders from bias-motivated crimes. This also would allow officers to sue individuals who make false complaints against them. The measure shows our support for our first responders - the people who risk their lives for our protection.
The final version of HB 1114 passed on Wednesday and will extend Medicaid for low-income mothers from two to six months after giving birth. Georgia’s maternal mortality rates are much higher than they should be, and this legislation will provide further support to new mothers when they need it most.
SB 367 passed this week, and it eliminates five mandatory Milestones tests, targeting mostly high school testing, to help Georgia teachers get back to what they do best - teaching students.
I was proud to vote on Thursday for SB 416 which will cut legislative pay by 10 percent. This decision places legislators on an equal playing field with Georgia agencies, schools, and universities. It is important that we lead by example in these difficult times by sharing in the cuts that are being imposed on other agencies in the state.
On Friday, the Governor signed HB 426, the hate-crimes legislation that the House passed last year and the Senate passed just this week. This historic bill extends protections to individuals who are targets of hate crimes. I was proud to attend the bill-signing ceremony along with Speaker David Ralston and other House members who played an integral part in getting this bill across the finish line.
Georgia’s FY 2021 budget was passed on Friday. COVID-19’s effects are still being felt in our state, both medically and economically. Chairman Terry England and Chairman Blake Tillery, along with their staff, worked tirelessly to prevent state agencies from furloughing state employees and teachers. While the initial outlook had cuts as high as 14%, our state’s ever-improving economic outlook reduced the projected cuts to almost all areas in the budget. Each year the General Assembly works hard to craft a balanced budget that benefits all Georgians. I look forward to sharing more details about the budget in future newsletters. In this tumultuous time, it is imperative that funds are carefully appropriated so that we can maintain a healthy state economy and a strong state.
With the close of this year’s session, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank you all for allowing me to represent Georgia House District 159. It is truly an honor to work for you and this great state. If you have any feedback, do not hesitate to call (404.656.5052), e-mail (Jon.Burns@house.ga.gov), or engage on Facebook (www.facebook.com/JonBurnsGA). If you would like to receive email updates, please visit my website to sign up for my newsletter or email me.
Jon Burns represents District 159 in the Georgia General Assembly where he serves as the House Majority Leader.