New Legislation Addressing Crime and Education
Friends,
Over the last week, several important pieces of House-passed legislation have been signed into law by Governor Kemp that I wanted to take a moment to update you on.
Human Trafficking
Unfortunately, human trafficking is a reality in our world today.
The GRACE Commission is led by First Lady Marty Kemp and made up of leaders from law enforcement, government, and the private sector - including my colleague, Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones.
The Commission was created to combat the threat of human trafficking here in Georgia, and SB 42 is part of that effort.
This legislation was carried in the House by Representative Will Wade of Dawsonville and passed the House unanimously. It was signed into law by the Governor on April 11.
SB 42 mandates penalties for business owners that refuse to post signage informing Georgians about the human trafficking hotline - a requirement that applies to businesses with increased risk for human trafficking.
The law allows for a willing business owner to come into compliance, but makes clear that continued non-compliance is not an option as we work to protect vulnerable Georgians.
Meeting the Educational Needs of Georgians
Governor Kemp signed several education-related bills into law on April 13th, including legislation meant to keep children safe in school and ensure that they’re receiving the most effective instruction possible.
HB 147, the Safe Schools Act, passed the House 148 - 20. Introduced by Representative Will Wade, this important legislation ensures that schools have safety plans in place, conducting intruder alert drills designed to keep students and teachers safe from harm.
Additionally, in an effort to identify the presence of criminal gangs in our schools, HB 147 requires state law enforcement and other experts partner to create a school safety and anti-gang endorsement to teach best practices for promoting safe schools and identifying and deterring gangs.
To address the health needs of some Georgia students, the Governor signed into law HB 440 and SB 45.
HB 440, introduced by Representative Doug Stoner of Smyrna, allows schools to stock glucagon for general use by any diabetic students in need. This potentially life saving medication previously could only be used for the individual student for which it was prescribed, costing time in an emergency.
SB 45, carried in the House by Representative Katie Dempsey of Rome, requires that schools have an employee present at all times - whether the school nurse or another employee - trained in proper protocols for dealing with a student experiencing a seizure.
To address literacy in Georgia schools, the Governor signed two bills carried by Representative Bethany Ballard of Warner Robins.
SB 211 creates the Georgia Council on Literacy which will conduct a comprehensive review of literacy programs for the purpose of improving literacy outcomes of Georgia students.
HB 538, the Georgia Early Literacy Act, requires schools to teach with high-quality instructional literacy materials approved by the State Board of Education in grades kindergarten through third grade. Training will be provided under this legislation for kindergarten through third-grade teachers on the science of reading to provide the skills and knowledge to teach young students to read.
All the legislation I’ve discussed today was drafted to address very real issues facing Georgians across our state. I was proud to see the Governor sign these important bills into law, and I will continue to update you on legislation that the Governor signs in the future. Always 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.