Meeting the Needs of Georgians
Friends,
As many of you know, one of the late Speaker David Ralston’s legislative priorities was addressing the mental healthcare needs of Georgians.
That’s why I was so proud to work with the Speaker, Representatives Todd Jones of Forsyth County and Mary Margaret Oliver of Decatur, and Georgians from across our state to ensure mental health care is accessible to everyone in our state.
Continuing to advance the goals of mental health access for all, Representatives Jones and Oliver recently introduced HB 520. This legislation will help us ensure we have the data we need by defining “severe mental illness”, studying available beds, and collecting workforce data recruitment, retention, and licensing needs, while also expanding existing student loan forgiveness programs.
In addition to these important healthcare needs, we passed several pieces of legislation addressing issues including taxes, policing, healthcare access, and resilient construction.
Working with the Governor, we passed HB 162 and HR 66. HB 162, introduced by Representative Lauren McDonald of Cumming, passed by a vote of 170 - 0 on February 23, 2023. This simple legislation simply recognizes what we all know - that tax funds collected by Georgia belong to you, and excess funds should be returned to you. This legislation includes a $500 credit for those who are married filing jointly, a $375 credit for those filing head of household, and a $250 credit for those filing single.
HR 66, which passed on February 23, 2023 by a vote of 170 - 0, was introduced by Representative Matthew Gambill of Cartersville and ratifies the state gas tax cuts that the Governor extended to all Georgians during the height of recent inflation. Georgians saved over $1 billion at the pump, important relief during difficult financial times.
To address policing needs in parts of southwest Atlanta, I was glad to see the House pass HB 142. This legislation, which was offered by Representative Mesha Mainor of Atlanta and passed 157 - 2, allows the Atlanta University Center Consortium schools of Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College to establish a unified campus police force. This effort, limited to these schools and supported by them and the broader community, allows them to work together to keep their students and community safe across boundaries, just as they work together today as some of our nation’s oldest and most prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
To address healthcare needs of Georgians, the House passed HB 203 by a vote of 171 - 0. This legislation, offered before the House on February 22, 2023 by Representative Mark Newton of Augusta, modernizes the practice of eye care by allowing low risk patients to renew contact lens prescriptions via a virtual appointment.
High risk patients, and those who have gone more than 2 years since an in person appointment will still have to be seen in person, and a doctor can always require a patient seen virtually to visit in person.
In an effort to recognize advancements in construction and building technology and practice, the House passed HB 279. This legislation, which passed the House by a vote of 172 - 1 on February 21 after being offered by Representative Gambill, allows insurers to provide premium discounts to those who build their homes to fortified standards which provide better protections from tornado, hurricane, or other catastrophic windstorm events. Like you, I know many of our south Georgia neighbors have faced impacts from these dangerous storms; any action we can take to encourage stronger and better building will save lives in the future.
Remember that should you have questions about my work as your Representative or as Speaker of the House, 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.