Legislation for the People of Georgia

Friends,

Last week was one of the busiest weeks of the session so far. We passed the FY 2023 budget, House Bill 911. Next week’s newsletter will provide details about the budget.   

Tax Cuts

Georgia’s economy is thriving, thanks in large part to the partnership between the House of Representatives and Governor Kemp over the last several years.  As a result, the state is bringing in more tax revenue than expected.  Rather than spend this money without thinking about Georgia’s taxpayers, the General Assembly has prioritized tax cut legislation. 

Last week the House passed House Bill 1437, the Tax Reduction and Reform Act. This legislation will reduce the tax burden faced by 95 percent of all Georgia taxpayers, including the vast majority of those who take the standard deduction.  At the same time, it protects deductions for charitable contributions, education, and healthcare.  

House Bill 304, the Gas Tax Relief, would waive the state gas tax through the end of May to keep more money in Georgian’s pockets as gas prices reach record levels.

Taking Care of Our Public Servants

Even after these historic tax cuts, we were able to take care of the teachers and state employees that serve our communities every day. From the Georgia Department of Agriculture to our state parks and numerous agencies in between, everyone in Georgia benefits from the work of our state workforce. That is why I was proud to support raises and increased retirement savings matching for state employees and continuing education opportunities for Georgia Law Enforcement Officers.

Taking Care of All Georgians

Addressing the mental health needs of Georgians has been a priority of the General Assembly this session.  I’m proud to say that the House of Representatives passed the Mental Health Parity Act, House Bill 1013, last week by a vote of 169 - 3 in an important step toward improving access to this type of care.  

This legislation will increase patient access, strengthen workforce development, expand transparency for consumers, and provide the right types of resources for our frontline responders. 

In addition to this legislation, we also passed two pieces of legislation designed to improve care in rural parts of the state. House Bill 1042 creates a program to establish primary care medical facilities in areas suffering from shortages of medical professionals, while House Bill 1371 creates the Rural Health Advancement Commission which will lead collaboration between educational institutions and healthcare facilities.  

We passed House Bill 1304, the Georgia Caregivers Act.  House Bill 1304 would allow inpatients to designate a caregiver to be involved in the patient’s discharge planning process, working with the hospital to ensure continuity of care tailored to the patient’s needs.

Standing up for Your Rights

House Bill 1358 passed by a vote of 94 - 57 on March 11, and allows law-abiding adults who are legally allowed to carry a concealed firearm to do so without first having to obtain a government-issued permit or pay a fee to exercise their rights.

As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I was proud to join my colleagues in passing this bill, and look forward to the day Governor Kemp signs it into law.  

Issues You Care About

Do not hesitate to reach out to me at 404.656.5052, Jon.Burns@house.ga.gov, or on Facebook at www.FB.com/JonBurnsGA.  You can always watch session proceedings and our committee hearings at https://www.legis.ga.gov/house.  I look forward to hearing from you.