Crossover Day and Budgeting for All Georgians
Friends,
Crossover Day is the day by which legislation must be sent from one body to the other to be enacted into law. The House had 60 recorded votes on legislation that will now proceed to the Senate for its consideration.
Crossover Day Highlights
Education
HB 101 - Representative Clint Crowe, passed the House. This legislation increases the credits available for various state programs that encourage taxpayer contributions for student scholarships, rural hospital organizations, and qualified charitable mortgage loan originators that expand the ability to purchase homes to more Georgians.
HB 228 - Representative Katie Dempsey, expands eligibility for tuition assistance to students attending higher education institutions which offer baccalaureate programs in nursing; have had a physical presence in Georgia for five years; and are accredited.
HB 249 - Representative Chuck Martin, provides Georgia College Completion Grant eligibility to students who have completed 70 percent of a four-year program or 45 percent of a two-year program.
HB 538 - Representative Bethany Ballard, the Georgia Early Literacy Act requires that reading be taught to elementary students via approved curriculums that implement the science of reading in Georgia.
HB 607 - Representative Clay Pirkle ensures that the opportunity for students to receive a Zell Miller Scholarship isn’t affected by different or changing scoring models for ACT and SAT test takers.
Crime
HB 30 - Representative John Carson, enshrines the definition of antisemitism into law, protecting our Jewish friends and neighbors from discrimination while protecting the first amendment.
HB 231 - Representative Joseph Gullett, would create the Prosecuting Attorneys Oversight Commission. This legislation would create a commission to ensure that Georgia’s prosecutors enforce laws passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor.
Our hospitals should be places of healing; unfortunately, too often violent crimes committed against healthcare workers have put these hard working men and women at risk. That’s why we passed HB 383, the Safer Hospitals Act, by Representative Matt Reeves. HB 383 imposes increased penalties for crimes against healthcare workers, while granting properly trained hospital security personnel arrest powers on their hospital campuses.
While it’s important that we prosecute criminals, it’s just as important that we do our best to avoid wrongful convictions. And when we discover that the state of Georgia has put an innocent man or woman in jail, we owe that person compensation. That’s why we passed HB 364, the Wrongful Conviction Compensation Act, to simplify the compensation process. HB 364 by Representative Scott Holcomb would create a Claims Advisory Board to review claims from the exonerated, while preserving the role of the General Assembly through the annual budget process.
HB 462, the Raise the Age Act by Representative Mandi Ballinger recognizes that we should do our best to try children accused of crimes in juvenile courts. Superior courts will maintain jurisdiction when a 17 year old is accused of a gang offense, a felony, or has a pre-existing criminal record.
Infrastructure
HB 189, introduced by Representative Steven Meeks will allow a variance for truck weight limitations of up to 10% on top of the standard 80,000 pound limit. It is important to note this legislation only applies to the hauling of certain commodities for processing within a 250 pound radius. Today many trucks are operating under temporary COVID restrictions at a 95,000 pound limit, while federal regulations allow trucks to operate at up to 100,000 pounds when hauling containers to or from a port.
In order to address concerns about road maintenance, we included a five year plan to implement a 50% increase in Local Maintenance and Improvement Grants in our motor fuel tax collections.
HB 283 - Representative Beth Camp and reduces the tax burden on manufactured housing, putting this important source of housing for Georgians on an even playing field.
Budgeting
Some of the highlights of HB 19, the 2024 Budget, included $13.1 billion to fully fund Georgia’s education system; pay raises for law enforcement officers, teachers, and state employees; $2.7 million for a GBI cold case specialty unit; and $1.6 million for behavioral health needs for Georgia’s children.
HB 18, The amended 2023 budget included $1 billion in property tax relief grants for Georgians; $138.8 million in school security grants; $56.4 million in funds for technology, safety, and security projects at state prisons; and $35.7 million to establish the Rural Workforce Housing Fund.
These important bills represent the hard work of Chairman Matt Hatchett, his subcommittee Chairmen, and the House Budget and Research Office team to implement provisions that impact all Georgians. More about the budget in future columns….
Conclusion
Remember that you can always reach out to me at 404.656.5020, Jon.Burns@house.ga.gov, or on Facebook at www.FB.com/JonBurnsGA. If you wish to sign up for my weekly emailed newsletter, visit https://www.friendsofjonburns.com/home to sign up.