In the House Feb. 5 2019

The Budget

Our biggest job as legislators is setting the state budget.  By law, the state budget must be balanced. Here are some highlights about the state budget:

Our estimated revenue for the year is $26,933,425,042.  We are amending the 2019 budget as follows:

• $69 million within the amended 2019 budget will go to school safety measures in every public school in the state- We can all agree how important it is for a student to feel safe and secure in their learning environment
• $8.4 million in additional funding to expand the APEX program in public schools that allows mental health school counselors to work on early intervention, diagnoses, and treatment
• $1 million will be allocated to the Department of Community Health to craft state flexibility options for Georgia’s Medicaid Program

Here is what we are considering for the 2020 budget:

• $3,000 permanent salary increase for teachers-To enhance educational outcomes, we must invest in those who educate, inspire, and lead our students toward a brighter future
• A 2% merit increase for all state employees

·      $500,000 in initial funds to create a gang task force within the GBI. 

Legislation

Here is the legislation that is being considered in the Georgia House.

HB2 – To eliminate the need for a permit to carry a gun for law abiding citizens

HB5 – This bill helps Georgians by making sure that everyone has the fair chance to get paid the right amount for a specific position, regardless of past employment salary

HB7 -To make retirement income received from benefits from military service, including any survivor benefits derived therefrom, not to be subject to income tax

HB8 – To create an exemption from state sales and use tax certain feminine hygiene products

HB9 – The bill is to create a lien between hospitals, and nursing homes and the chiropractic practice to have a lien in case there is an injured person due to the practice 

HB11 – To provide the parents or guardians may enroll a student using the address in the school’s zone; The school will also not be held liable to attorney fees or other fees for the use of such individuals’ address to enroll a child in a school

HB12 – To require every public school to post a sign containing the toll-free telephone to receive reports of child abuse or reflect to provide for rules and regulation to provide no cause of action is created to provide for related matters

HB13 – To create an exemption from state tax and use tax on nonprofit horse shows, rodeos, livestock events, and exhibits

HB15 – To develop and implement policies granting housing preferences to veterans who are homeless

HB16 – To provide in state tuition at universities in the University system of Georgia and schools in the Technical College of Georgia for students who are in foster care or homeless

HB17 – To create offenses against public health, gives criminal penalty for someone smoking in a motor vehicle when a person under the age of 13 is present

HB19 – To provide protection for the people from discrimination of sexual orientation, gender identity, and age and changes handicap to disability; real estate may not discriminate against someone based on these premises

HB20 -To limit the possession of firearms for those who are dangerous and a threat to their families and gives them a minimum sentence if found in violation of this law

HB 21 – To add an additional judge to the superior court of Gwinnett making the total number of judges 11 at a time

HB33 – To amend weapons carrying license, temporary permit renewal, & license verification

HB35– To create an exemption from state sales and use tax for certain poultry 3 diagnostic and disease monitoring services

HB36– To allow certificate and diploma seeking students enrolled in a program leading to a career in a field of high demand at a branch of the Technical College System of Georgia to receive HOPE tuition-free grants

HB37– To obtain federal financial participation for funding the state’s portion of the cost to expand Medicaid

HB39 – To revise physical therapy licensing provisions

HB40– To help diagnose learning disabilities in young students

HB42– To prohibit licensing boards from refusing to issue a license or suspending or revoking the license of a person who is a borrower in default under an educational loan

HB43– To revise crime of sexual assault, a person convicted of sexual assault in the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 1 year nor more than 5 years and a fine not to exceed 25,000. And if the victim of the offense is under 16 years of age, such convicted person shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 5 nor more than 20 years

HB 55  Crimes and offenses; prohibit printing or production of certain firearms produced by means of three-dimensional printing  

HB 57  Elections; eligible electors mailed an absentee ballot for each primary, election and runoff in which they are eligible to vote 

HB 58  Crimes and offenses; prohibit persons convicted of misdemeanor crimes of family violence from receiving, possessing, or transporting firearms 

HB 59  Education; military students enroll in public school based on official military orders prior to physically establishing residency 

HB 60  Postsecondary education; dependent children of active duty military members shall be classified as in-state for purposes of tuition and fees by the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia; provide 

HB 73  Public officers and employees; prohibition of persons engaged in bail bond business from serving in certain elected officials 

HB 78  Jeremy Nelson and Nick Blakely Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act

HB 83  Quality Basic Education Act; recess for students in kindergarten and grades one through five

HB 93  Water pollution and surface-water use; notice to local governing authorities prior to the dewatering of coal combustion residual surface impoundments

HB 94  Solid waste management; safe disposal of coal ash in municipal solid waste and commercial industrial solid waste landfills