The Georgia House of Representatives resumed our work on Tuesday, February 19 to begin the sixth week of the 2019 legislative session. We started this week by convening for a joint session with our colleagues in the Senate to hear the Supreme Court of Georgia’s Chief Justice Harold D. Melton deliver the annual State of the Judiciary address. In addition to hearing the State of Judiciary address this week, my colleagues and I met in the House Chamber for four legislative days, as well as in our committees, to consider and pass several important bills.
Accountability in the Georgia House of Representatives
I was one of 11 Representatives to sign a resolution on Friday asking for Speaker Ralston to step down. As elected officials we HAVE To and MUST hold ourselves more accountable. While his actions may be legal, they aren’t ethical or moral in my opinion.
You can read more here.
The State of the Judiciary
The recently appointed Chief Justice, Harold D. Melton delivered his first State of the Judiciary address before a joint session on Tuesday. This annual address recounts the accomplishments of Georgia’s judicial branch and the challenges it will face in the year ahead. Due to the great relationships built between the judiciary branch, the state legislature and the executive branch, Chief Justice Melton reported that Georgia’s judiciary branch stands sturdy, stable and strong and is poised to meet the inevitable changes that lie ahead.
HB 158 - Medicaid access for HIV-positive Individuals
On Tuesday, the House unanimously passed House Bill 158, legislation that would giveHIV-positive individuals on Medicaid access to the most effective antiretroviral medications on the market. This bipartisan legislation would require that all individuals suffering from HIV/AIDS, whether in the state drug program or on Medicaid, receive the same antiretroviral drugs, including single tablet regimens. The cost to treat an individual with HIV/AIDS under the state drug program is $338,000, whereas, the cost per individual without this program is $1.7 million. Our state has an extremely high number of new HIV diagnoses per year, and the proposed legislation seeks to ensure the health and well-being of all Georgians while combatting the spread of HIV/AIDS in our state.
Scouts at the Capitol
I got to spend time with the Scouts from Christ Chapel in Zebulon last week! They had a lot of good questions. Such a treat to host these young men at their State Capitol.
HR 37 - Georgia Commission on Freight and Logistics
On Thursday, the House adopted a resolution that would seize the potential of our coastal ports and expand our growing economy. Georgia is fortunate to have a range of deep water ports and transportation systems that are utilized by businesses across the nation. Our ports and freight industries provide 439,000 jobs a year, generate $25 billion in personal income and $2.9 billion annually in state and local tax revenues, and 10 percent of all exports in the country come through our ports. While these ports, rail systems and highways have great potential, the Georgia General Assembly must be proactive in implementing policies that will aide these industries as they grow.
House Resolution 37 establishes the Georgia Commission on Freight and Logistics, which would be comprised of members of the House and Senate, along with various area experts from the Georgia Municipal Association, Association County Commissioners of Georgia, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Ports Authority. The joint commission would spend one year analyzing, determining and recommending comprehensive public policy development and funding for the 2020 legislative session that would support our freight and logistics industries and keep our state economically competitive. The current and future economic health of Georgia relies on a thriving and productive freight industry, and through the work of the Georgia Commission on Freight and Logistics, Georgia will remain one of the top states to do business.
House Bill 186
My colleagues and I also passed House Bill 186 this week to continue in our efforts to provide quality health care to all Georgians. This bill ensures that the proceeds from the sale or lease of a hospital property are put into an irrevocable trust fund solely for the purpose of providing indigent care in our state. After selling or leasing hospital properties, hospital authorities in Georgia may have significant assets available, but, there is not a purposeful avenue for a hospital authority to use these funds to give back to the local community.
Currently, proceeds over $100,000 from a sale or lease are placed in a trust fund and used for hospital care for indigents, but HB 186 amends current Georgia law so that the interest on these funds can be used for health care purposes for indigents instead of for hospital only use. This change would allow local authorities to use the funds generated by the trust fund for a wide variety of healthcare purposes for indigents, including clinics and preventative measures. This important legislation would be economically efficient, provide better health care for indigent patients and ensure that citizens throughout Georgia can receive desired health care within their communities.
House Bill 59
HB 59 was passed last week to ensure that military families that move to Georgia have the same access to public education as Georgia residents. HB 59 would allow parents or guardians on active duty in the military to pre-enroll a student in a local school district when they receive official military orders to transfer to Georgia, instead of requiring the family to establish residency first. This legislation would expedite the enrollment process for these students so that they can continue to learn without interruption.
Mercer Medical at the State Capitol
Mercer's Student Pharmacists swarmed the Georgia State Capitol last week to advocate for HB 233 and HB 323. It was great to see Jasper Westbrook from home!
Page Recognition
Colby was my first page this year. Very impressive young man with a great family!
Our Capitol address:
504-F Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg.
18 Capitol Square SW
Atlanta, GA 30334
404.656.0188 - Office
Our District address:
P.O. Box 295
Zebulon, GA 30295
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