Sesión en el pleno del Senado, 17 de febrero de 2026 (día legislativo 19)

Transcripción

465 turnos. Seleccione un tiempo para reproducir ese momento del video.

1. 0:26:45

   Good morning, everyone. Good morning. Time for convening has arrived. The Senate will come to order. All unauthorized visitors, please exit the chamber at this time. I recognize the good senator from the 6th for reading of the journal.

2. 0:27:05

   Good morning, Mr. President,

3. 0:27:11

   and happy belated President's Day to you as president of this body. It was a good President's Day. I actually got to do some work at home. Mr. President, we have a long list of great pages here today, so I better get started. Out of Atlanta, we have Tala Baraki. Out of the City of Homes, Newnan, Georgia, we have Christian Bass and his cousin Piper Bass, who's actually from Bremen.

4. 0:27:49

   I grew up with Christian's mama. Uh, from Villa Rica, we have Allison Brown. From Decatur, Vivian Coffin. From Cumming, Naga Duvarapu. From Marietta, Ananya Iyengar. From College Park, Ashley Jackson. From Jefferson, Felicity Johnson. From Atlanta, Giovanni Jordan.

5. 0:28:19

   Also from Atlanta, Chloe Krebs. From Milledgeville, Nolan Leggett. From College Park, London McBurney. From Ellenwood, Norris Moody. From John's Creek, Abhinav Pradeep. From Milledgeville, William Roberts. From Suwanee, Aryan Saxena. From John's Creek, Anya Shah. From Hazara, Mason Slaughter.

6. 0:28:53

   From Atlanta, Tim Wang. From Covington, Isabella Webb. And from Austell, we have Philip Young. Y'all give these pages a big round of applause. We appreciate you being here to serve the great people of the great state of Georgia. Mr. President, I spent the long weekend reading through the journal. I've found it to be correct, so I move we dispense with the reading of the journal.

7. 0:29:28

   All right, Senator. Thank you for that, and, uh, thank you for the pages for being here today. We do have a, a very large bunch, but a very good-looking bunch back there, so glad to have them. Is there objection to dispensing of the reading of the journal? Chair hears none. The reading of the journal is dispensed with. Is there objection to the confirmation of the journal? Chair hears none. The co- the journal is confirmed. All senators who have bills and resolutions introduced, please bring them to the front. First reading and references of Senate bills. Secretary Reed.

8. 0:30:00

   Senate Bill 500 by Senators Hodges of the 3rd and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 10 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

9. 0:30:07

   Health and Human Services.

10. 0:30:08

    Senate Bill 501 by Senators Roberson of the 29th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Titles VIII and-

11. 0:30:12

    Public Safety.

12. 0:30:13

    Senate Bill 502 by Senators Jones of the 2nd of the 22nd and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 48-

13. 0:30:20

    Finance.

14. 0:30:22

    Senate Bill 503 by Senators Harbin of the 16th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 7 of Title 33 of the-

15. 0:30:28

    Insurance and Labor.

16. 0:30:29

    Senate Bill 504 by Senators Parkes of the 7th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 33 of-

17. 0:30:35

    Education.

18. 0:30:35

    Senate Bill 505 by Senator Parkes of the 7th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 9 of Title 33 of the-

19. 0:30:40

    Insurance and Labor.

20. 0:30:42

    Senate Bill 506 by Senator Parkes of the 7th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 9 of Title 33 of the-

21. 0:30:47

    Insurance and Labor.

22. 0:30:49

    Senate Bill 507 by Senators Parkes of the 7th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 4 of Chapter 24-

23. 0:30:55

    Insurance and Labor.

24. 0:30:56

    Senate Bill 508 by Senators Parent of the 44th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Title-

25. 0:31:00

    Government Oversight.

26. 0:31:01

    Senate Bill 509 by Senators Williams of the 25th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article-

27. 0:31:06

    Insurance and Labor.

28. 0:31:08

    Senate Bill 510 by Senator Setzler of the 37th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act providing for the election of members of the Board of Education-

29. 0:31:15

    State and Local Government.

30. 0:31:16

    Senate Bill 511 by Senator Still of the 48th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend-

31. 0:31:20

    Transportation.

32. 0:31:21

    Senate Bill 512 by Senator Echols of the 49th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend-

33. 0:31:25

    Finance.

34. 0:31:28

    Senate Resolution 770 by Senators Williams of the 25th and others, a resolution honoring the life of Ms. Abigail Savoy and dedicating a roundabout in her memory and for other purposes.

35. 0:31:37

    Transportation.

36. 0:31:38

    Senate Resolution 771 by Senators Robertson of the 29th and others, a resolution-

37. 0:31:42

    Children and Family.

38. 0:31:44

    Senate Resolution 772 by Senators Harbin of the 16th and others, a bill recognizing Sheriff Randall Johnson-

39. 0:31:49

    Transportation.

40. 0:31:50

    Mr. President, that completes the order.

41. 0:31:54

    First reading and references of House bills.

42. 0:31:58

    House Bill 935 by Representatives Cannon of the 172nd and others.

43. 0:32:02

    State and Local Government.

44. 0:32:03

    House Bill 948 by Representatives Camp of the 135th and others, a bill, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 14 of Title 44 and Chapter-

45. 0:32:11

    Banking.

46. 0:32:12

    House Bill 966 by Representatives Westbrook of the 163rd and others, a bill to-

47. 0:32:16

    State and Local Government.

48. 0:32:17

    House Bill 983 by Representatives Hagan of the 156th and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article-

49. 0:32:22

    Natural Resources.

50. 0:32:24

    House Bill 998 by Representatives Leverett of the 123rd and others, a bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 4 of Chapter 5 of-

51. 0:32:30

    Economic Development.

52. 0:32:31

    House Bill 1005 by Representatives Wilkerson of the-

53. 0:32:34

    State and Local Government.

54. 0:32:35

    House Bill 1067 by Representatives Smith of the 138th and others, a bill-

55. 0:32:38

    State and Local Government

56. 0:32:42

    House Bill 1090 by Representative Corbett of the 174th and others.

57. 0:32:45

    State and Local Government.

58. 0:32:46

    House Bill 1139 by Representative Campbell of the 135th-

59. 0:32:49

    State and Local Government.

60. 0:32:50

    House Bill 1155 by Representative Ford of the 170th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend and-

61. 0:32:55

    State and Local Government.

62. 0:32:56

    House Bill 1169 by Representative Campbell of the 135th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to-

63. 0:33:01

    State and Local Government.

64. 0:33:02

    House Bill 1170 by Representative Campbell of the 135th and others.

65. 0:33:05

    State and Local Government.

66. 0:33:08

    House Bill 1172 by Representative Campbell of the 135th and others, a bill to-

67. 0:33:11

    State and

68. 0:33:15

    Local Government.

69. 0:33:16

    House Bill 1200 by Representative Stevens of the 164th and-

70. 0:33:18

    State and Local Government.

71. 0:33:18

    House Bill 1203 by Representative Stevens of the 164th and others.

72. 0:33:19

    State and Local Government.

73. 0:33:19

    House Bill 1258 by Representative Reece of the 140th and others.

74. 0:33:23

    State and Local Government.

75. 0:33:24

    Mr. President, that completes the order.

76. 0:33:27

    Secretary will read reports of standing committee.

77. 0:33:30

    Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism has had under consideration the following legislation and has instructed me to report the same back to the Senate with the following recommendation. Senate Bill 463, do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Echols of the 49th District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Rules has had under consideration the following legislation and has instructed me to report the same back to the Senate with the following recommendation. Senate Resolution 744, do pass by substitute. Pursuant to Senate Rule 2-1.10B, this Committee on Rules has referred the following legislation from the general calendar.

78. 0:34:01

    Legislation number, Senate Bill 437 to the Committee on Rules. Respectfully submitted, Senator Brass of the 6th District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Operations has had under consideration the following legislation and has instructed me to report the same back to the Senate with the following recommendation. House Bill 877, do pass. House Bill 936, do pass. House Bill 937, do pass. House Bill 938, do pass. House Bill 939, do pass. House Bill 940, do pass. House Bill 941, do pass. House Bill 952, do pass.

79. 0:34:33

    House Bill 953, do pass. House Bill 982, do pass. House Bill 1026, do pass. House Bill 1029, do pass by substitute. House Bill 1037, do pass. House Bill 1093, do pass. Senate Bill 494, do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Dixon of the 45th District, Chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order.

80. 0:34:56

    Secretary will read bills and resolutions for a second time.

81. 0:35:00

    Senate Bill 432 by Senator Walker of the 3rd, of the 20th, and others. Education. Non-lapsing revenue of institutions of the University System of Georgia and units of the Technical College System of Georgia extend automatic repeals. Senate Bill 440 by Senator Kirkpatrick of the 32nd and others. Department of Public Health, provisions relative to duties or functions, modernize and update. Senate Bill 446 by Senator Dixon of the 45th and others. Student scholarship organizations. State of Georgia to participate in the federal tax credit program for contributions of individuals to scholarship granting organizations, provide.

82. 0:35:31

    Senate Bill 462 by Senator Still of the 48th and others. Surprise billing consumer protection act. Insurance coverage for certain out-of-network ambulance transportation service, provide. Senate Resolution by 6- S- Senate Resolution 668 by Senator Dolezal of the 27th and others. General Assembly, the assessment of property taxes on property, electronic equipment primarily used to process, store, or transmit digital information and data, authorize. Mr. President, that completes the order.

83. 0:36:29

    If I could have everyone's attention real quick, please. If I could have everyone's attention. I got a very special guest here behind me. We've got former Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle's here today. Let's give Casey a round of applause.

84. 0:36:52

    I got to serve under two lieutenant governors, and he's by far my favorite, but- But have you still got one left in you right here, uh, Governor?

85. 0:37:01

    Maybe so. Maybe so.

86. 0:37:01

    Let, uh, let's let him drive the seat here.

87. 0:37:03

    I'd like to say the time for convening having arrived, the Senate will come to order. Y'all haven't had much order in a while, so I'm glad to be back and glad to have a gavel again as well. But, uh, it is now time for the morning roll call. Are there any motions to excuse?

88. 0:37:25

    Senator from the 41st.

89. 0:37:27

    Senator from the 41st is recognized.

90. 0:37:32

    Thank, thank you, Mr. President.

91. 0:37:35

    Uh-huh.

92. 0:37:35

    Former Mr. President.

93. 0:37:37

    That's, that's right.

94. 0:37:38

    I ask for unanimous, uh, consent to excuse the senators from the 7th, the 22nd- 42nd ... and the 42nd, 3rd, 4th, 44th. No, that's me. Sorry.

95. 0:37:51

    There's a lot of excusing-

96. 0:37:52

    I'm sorry

97. 0:37:52

    ... going on there now. Um-

98. 0:37:55

    She can do it.

99. 0:37:56

    Mr. Secretary, do you have all those?

100. 0:37:58

     The 7th, 22nd, and 44th.

101. 0:37:59

     Is there objection? Without objection, the senators will be excused. Any other senator wishing to excuse? Senator from the 43rd.

102. 0:38:09

     Thank you, Mr. President. I ask for unanimous consent to excuse the following senators from the 26th and the 40th.

103. 0:38:17

     26th and 40. Any objection? Chair hears none, and the senators are excused. Senator from the 33rd.

104. 0:38:28

     Thank you, M- Morning. I mean, thank you, M-

105. 0:38:33

     Former Mr. President-

106. 0:38:34

     Yeah

107. 0:38:34

     ... and good morning, y'all. Ask unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the 12th for business-

108. 0:38:41

     Senator from the 12th

109. 0:38:42

     ... outside the chamber.

110. 0:38:42

     Without objection, senator from the 12th will be excused. Chair now recognizes the senator from the 54th.

111. 0:38:49

     Yes, Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent to excuse the, the senator from the 52nd District.

112. 0:38:54

     52nd, 52nd. Is there objection? Without objection, senator will be excused. Chair recognizes now the senator from-

113. 0:39:01

     The forty-seventh.

114. 0:39:06

     Thank you, Mr. President. Parliamentary inquiry. State your inquiry, senator. Yeah, are grandkids the best thing that happened? Uh, grandkids actually are the best thing that could ever happen to you. If you don't have any, you should. Glad to have you. Thank you, senator. Chair recognizes the senator from the sixth, the Rules Chairman, against my better judgment. Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. Parliamentary inquiry. State your inquiry. Is it not true it's nice to have a real president back up there on the roster?

115. 0:39:39

     I knew that was coming. The senator knows from which he speaks.

116. 0:39:45

     We got a new Rules Chairman right after this, too.

117. 0:39:51

     Chair recognizes the senator from the forty-second. Quorum, Mr. President. I'd like to make a motion. Uh, well, well, it's not time for motions now. Uh, well, but state your inquiry. Mr. President, I move that the Senate be adjourned, sine die. That would be tempting, and a lot of folks out in the hall would sure, uh, like for me to take that, I'm certain. But we'll refrain, uh, at the present. Chair recognizes senator from the forty-third. Thank you again, Mr. President. I forgot to ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the seventeenth.

118. 0:40:24

     Senator from the seventeenth, without objection, senator will be excused. Any other senator? Senator from the twenty-first, what's your light on for? Might be by accident. All right. Are they ready for roll? Secretary will call the roll of the senators. Please signify your presence by voting yay. All those in... Or secretary will unlock the machine.

119. 0:46:45

     Yay. It is now time for the morning devotion. All senators, please take your seats and cease all conversation. I would ask that the doorkeepers secure the chamber at this time. I now recognize the senator from the thirty-eighth to lead us in our pledge and introduce our pastor of the day. Senator? All right, we'll start with the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

120. 0:47:23

     And now the Georgia flag. I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag, and the principles for which it stands: wisdom, justice, moderation, and courage.

121. 0:47:35

     All right. Good morning, colleagues. I am truly honored to have, uh, the chaplain of the day in Bishop Ocie Allen, who is, uh, the bishop of Vision Ca- Cathedral. Uh, and he is... The church is in the gentlewoman's from the 36th District, so I thank her for allowing me to, uh, have this amazing leader here in the building today. Bishop Os- Ocie Allen is nationally recognized spiritual leader, human rights advocate, and board member of the Human Rights Campaign.

122. 0:48:06

     He is the founder and senior pastor of the Vision Cathedral of Atlanta, leading a multi-campus ministry, and serves as presiding bishop of the United Progressive Pentecostal Church Fellowship. He has been appointed, uh, previously as, uh, by President Barack Obama to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS. And in a little over a month, on March 19th, he is going to have an official portrait unveiled in Morehouse College. Uh, and so that is a huge honor, uh, and historic honor.

123. 0:48:40

     And so I'm truly honored and, and truly pleased to have this bishop here today. I have visited their church many times and always feel such a strong anointing and the Spirit of God. And so I'm glad to have him here in the chamber with us. Uh, without further ado, Bishop, uh, Over Clyde Al- Allen. All right.

124. 0:49:06

     Mr. President, this esteemed chamber, Senator Kemp, distinguished members in this space and place, and all of our guests today, good morning. Good morning.

125. 0:49:25

     It is a sacred

126. 0:49:28

     opportunity to stand in a room where decisions are made that will shape the lives of millions. Public service is not casual. It is consequential. And in my faith tradition, there is a portion of scripture that says, "What does the Lord require of you?

127. 0:50:04

     To act justly,

128. 0:50:08

     to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Justice, mercy, humility, those are not slogans. They are disciplines. And so justice reminds us that power must protect more than it prefers. Mercy reminds us that policy touches real people with real names and real stories.

129. 0:50:48

     And humility reminds us that none of us sees the whole picture.

130. 0:50:55

     And so this chamber represents different districts, different ideologies, different faith traditions, and that diversity is not weakness, it's a responsibility. That the measure of leadership is not how we defend our positions, but how deeply we consider their impact.

131. 0:51:26

     Dr. Martin Luther King once said that the time is always right to do what is right. That statement is not partisan, it's moral. And moral courage is required in every generation and with all leadership. In moments of tension, may wisdom rise higher than ego.

132. 0:52:00

     In moments of disagreement, may dignity outlast division. In moments of decision, may conscience speak louder than convenience. Because the laws written here will outlive today's headlines. The laws written here will live in classrooms and in hospitals and in small businesses and in family kitchens, in communities that may never step foot inside this chamber but will always feel its influence every day.

133. 0:52:49

     And so leadership is stewardship, and stewardship doesn't just ask what can we do, but stewardship asks who will this bless and who might this burden? So today before votes are considered and debates unfold, we pause not to agree on everything, but to agree that integrity matters, that character matters, and that people matter.

134. 0:53:32

     Please stand for us to pray.

135. 0:53:40

     Eternal God, creator of all, known by many names and honored in many ways, we first thank you for the privilege of service. We thank you for the weight of responsibility that rests on these leaders and for the trust placed in them by the people of Georgia. Grant them clarity of mind in complex decisions.

136. 0:54:12

     Grant them courage when the right path is not an easy one. Grant them compassion that sees beyond statistics and remembers faces. Grant them patience in disagreement and strength in conviction. Guard this chamber from cynicism. Guard it from pride that refuses to listen, and guard it from fear that resists what is just.

137. 0:54:46

     Remind us that every law touches a body, shapes a family, and that even every silence carries consequences. May wisdom sit in every chair. May integrity guide every vote and may humility steady every voice. Help us to believe that liberty and compassion are not opposites and that greatness is measured not by who is protected by power but by who is protected from it.

138. 0:55:24

     May the debates be honest and may our leadership be worthy of the people we serve. Bless the people of this state from the largest city to the smallest town, and may the policies born here promote safety, opportunity, and dignity for all. And when the history looks back on this season and this chamber, may it say that those entrusted with authority used it not merely to win but to serve.

139. 0:56:07

     We offer this prayer in reverence, in hope, and in love. Amen.

140. 1:00:28

     Amen.

141. 1:00:28

     We always like to recognize our doctors of the day and to introduce our doctor of the day, I call on the senator from the second. Senator?

142. 1:00:38

     Thank you, Mr. President. Today, colleagues, I have the distinct honor of introducing to some and presenting to others Dr. Rita Livingston, MD, MPH. Dr. Livingston is a native of Sumter, South Carolina. She is a board-certified prevent- preventist. She established roots here, uh, in Atlanta, Georgia in 1998, where she attended the Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Livingston went on to train in family medicine with the Palmetto Health University System in South Carolina.

143. 1:01:10

     This was followed by completing a preventative medicine residency at the Morehouse School of Medicine, where she earned a Master of Public Health degree with a focus in health administration, management, and policy, graduating summa cum laude. Following her residency, Dr. Livingston trained as a fellow in health systems with the Emory Medical Genetics Department. She has been a Savannah resident since 2013. She has served as medical director of an occupational medicine clinic prior to opening her own consulting medical office where she leads a team of evaluators for Georgia Disability Adjudication Services and the Department of Veteran Affairs.

144. 1:01:49

     Uh, she also ended her tenure and service as medical officer for the US Army Medical Evaluation Board. Uh, Dr. Livingston is married to Philip King II, a retired Army officer, and she's the proud mother of five children. Uh, Dr. Livingston is very active in her community. So colleagues, please join me in giving Dr. Rita Livingston King, MD a round of applause this morning.

145. 1:02:10

     All right. Well

146. 1:02:14

     done.

147. 1:02:15

     Good morning to everyone in their respective places. I am Dr. Rita Livingston, a preventive medicine specialist. I just simply want you to know that the physicians of Georgia care about the citizens of Georgia, our patients, and we realize that what you do here is important for them and for us. So with that, on behalf of the Medical Association of Georgia, the South Atlantic Medical Association of Coastal Georgia, and the Georgia State Medical Association, as well as the proud alumni of the Morehouse School of Medicine, we'd like to thank you for everything that we do, and it is my pleasure this morning to serve you.

148. 1:02:49

     Thank you.

149. 1:02:50

     Thank you.

150. 1:02:55

     Thank you, doctor. Good job. Thank you for being

151. 1:04:23

     here. We, uh, if I can have everybody's attention, as, as you well know, we got a long-standing tradition here in the Senate when we have one of our congressional members from the state come here. We always give them an opportunity to speak to the, the chamber here, and we have a young lady here, Lucy McBath, who's, I just asked her, I said, "How long have you been in Congress now?" I couldn't believe she told me eight years. So she's in her fourth term, and, uh, and so we're glad to have her here today and glad to, uh, have her give us a update on what's going on in Washington, DC.

152. 1:04:57

     So y'all please give a warm welcome to the congresslady.

153. 1:05:09

     Thank you very much. Thank you. Well, good morning. And, and thank you so very much. Good morning. Thank you to Lieutenant Governor Jones for the opportunity to bring greetings on behalf of my office in Georgia's Sixth Congressional District. I also want to thank Minority Leader Jones for inviting me to speak. Senators, it's truly a privilege to be with you all today and to offer just a few words of encouragement during what I know are very long days here at the Georgia General Assembly.

154. 1:05:43

     Being back in our state capital always brings me back to the earliest days of my advocacy when I first began lobbying our state lawmakers for safer gun legislation. Almost 14 years ago, I stood up and began to demand justice for my son, Jordan, justice for his life, justice for his legacy, and the violence that stole him from this world. I was a mother, a citizen, who believed in the power of our legal system and the responsibility of elected officials to represent our common interests.

155. 1:06:27

     Through the years, during my time in the United States Congress and collaborating with our local officials, I see firsthand that making change starts right here at home. It doesn't start in Washington, where we see more division and infighting every single year. It starts and is strengthened by organizing, by testifying, and holding firm to a belief that our country can and should do better for its people.

156. 1:07:06

     I don't have to remind many of you that our communities are living in fear, fear of masked agents in their neighborhoods and of peaceful protests turning deadly. Regardless of our political party or the part of this state that we represent, we must agree that all are protected by the rights guaranteed in our Constitution. Due process, equal justice, and dignity are human ideals, not political talking points.

157. 1:07:47

     When federal actions seek to divide and sow division, it's imperative that our local and state officials choose transparency and common ground over cruelty and chaos. We should be grieved by the injustice. We should be moved by other people's pain. That is why we are elected.

158. 1:08:19

     I encourage all of you to continue moving forward in the spirit of service to the people who elected us. In service to this nation. To stand with one another and with our congressional delegation to defend our neighbors and strengthen the promise of dignity and justice for all. A promise that I am grateful was realized for my family and one I work for every single day to extend to those that have elected me to serve them.

159. 1:09:00

     Thank you once again for having me today and for your work on behalf of Georgia. Thank you. We need you to stand in justice now more than ever. God bless you all.

160. 1:09:33

     We have some, uh, very special guests here today, uh, we would like to recognize. Uh, secretary read the caption.

161. 1:09:41

     Senate Resolution 691 by Senator Jones of the 10th and others. A resolution recognizing and commending the Georgia School of Orthodontics and for other purposes. Whereas the Georgia School of Orthodontics, founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 2016, is an accredited, accredited 36-month residency program focusing on specialized orthodontic education and patient-centered care. And whereas the mission of GSO is to educate qualified dentists to become specialists in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics with a commitment to excellence in patient-centered care, effective teaching, meaningful research, and service to the community.

162. 1:10:12

     Now therefore be it resolved by the Senate that the members of this body recognize and commend the Georgia School of Orthodontics for training expert orthodontics while providing affordable, high-quality care to the citizens of the State of Georgia. Mr. President, I complete the order.

163. 1:10:26

     Is there objection to the adoption of the resolution? Chair hears none, and the resolution is adopted.

164. 1:10:37

     I would like to call the senator from the 10th, uh, to, uh, recognize our distinguished guest and introduce our guest as well. But I also wanna recognize that we have longtime member, Senator Lester Jackson, Dr. Lester Jackson- Yeah. With us today. Glad to have him here today. Senator from the 10th.

165. 1:11:01

     Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. I am excited this morning to, uh, introduce this honor and present to others, uh, the founders of the Georgia School of Orthodontics. Uh, Chris Lazzara, who stand behind me on my right, um, is the founder. And, uh, Dr. Gasper Lazzara, who is not present today, but he is represented by his wife, is the co-founder, by his wife, Irene, is the co-founder as well.

166. 1:11:31

     I'm also joined on the rostrum by Randy Klunder, who's president of the Georgia School of Orthodontics, and Dr. Mauricio Gonzalez, who is the chairman of the board of the Georgia School of Orthodontics, and Dr. Kaylin Hodges. She's on the trustee board of the Georgia School of Orthodontics. In learning about the Georgia School of Orthodontics, I will share with you that I'm actually amazed about the good work they're doing. There's one thing that was shared with me by Chris. He said, "Senator, we've served over 14,000 members in the underserved population, and we're also the largest school of its kind in the State of Georgia, and not just in the State of Georgia, but in the country." So I am honored to recognize this group for the outstanding work they've done in serving the underserved community.

167. 1:12:24

     And with permission of our president, I'd like to recognize-

168. 1:12:27

     Mm-hmm. Absolutely

169. 1:12:29

     ... Chris to come and say a few words.

170. 1:12:40

     Governor Kemp and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Mr. President of the Senate, distinguished members of this honored chamber. On behalf of the founders leadership, faculty, residents, staff, students, and patients of the Georgia School of Orthodontics, I stand before you today deeply humbled and profoundly grateful for this extraordinary honor. First, let me extend my sincere appreciation to Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones-

171. 1:13:09

     Mm-hmm

172. 1:13:09

     ... and to each member of the Georgia Senate for the valuable, courageous, and often unseen work you do every day to protect, serve, and uplift citizens of this great state. Your leadership, particularly in times of complexity and challenge, provides stability, direction, and hope for communities across Georgia. We are truly honored to be recognized by this body on the occasion of our 10th anniversary. When we founded the Georgia School of Orthodontics in 2014, our vision was simple but ambitious: to expand access to advanced orthodontic education while ensuring that high-quality care would not be a privilege reserved for the few, but a resource available to many.

173. 1:13:50

     We believed then, as we do now, that education and service must walk hand in hand. This recognition belongs not only to our founders, but to the dedicated educators who train our residents, the residents who serve patients with compassion and excellence. and the thousands of Georgia families who have trusted us with their care. It belongs to our community partners, our veterans and military families, and those who believed in our mission before it was fully realized. We're especially proud of our commitment to public service through initiatives such as Purple Heart Smiles, our designation as the nation's first Purple Heart school, our scholarships, and our outreach to underserved communities.

174. 1:14:30

     These programs reflect our belief that healthcare is not merely a profession, but it's a responsibility. We are also deeply grateful to many of you in the Senate whose early support affirmed our mission and whose value- values continue to guide our work. Your continued belief in healthcare access and opportunity remains a compass for our institution. Members of the Senate, this resolution is more than a celebration of the past 10 years. It is a charge for the future. It challenges us to continue training the next generation of healthcare leaders, advancing research and innovation, and serving the people of Georgia with integrity and purpose.

175. 1:15:10

     Thank you for this remarkable honor. Thank you for your leadership, and thank you for allowing the Georgia School of Orthodontics to serve this great state. May we continue together to build a healthier, stronger Georgia. Thank you and God bless.

176. 1:15:31

     Dr. Jackson, you wanna get up here and say a few words?

177. 1:15:34

     I will. To the, to the distinguished members of this body, it's just good to be home. Home to the place where we take care of the disenfranchised, home to the place where we take care of the voiceless, home to the place where we take care of the needy, and also home to the place where we're gonna make this state collectively a better place. It's just good to be home to great Georgians that's making this state a better place. So, thank you. Get to work done.

178. 1:16:05

     All right. Good job.

179. 1:17:44

     Secretary, read the caption.

180. 1:17:46

     Senate Resolution 779 by Senator Walker of the 20th, Anavitarte of the 31st, Jones of the 22nd. A resolution commending the Georgia Building Authority, Garbett Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers for their exemplary work on the restoration and remodeling of the historic Georgia Senate chamber and for other purposes. Whereas the Georgia Senate chamber serves as the historic heart of legislative deliberation in the State of Georgia, embodying the d- dignity, tradition, and democratic values of our great state. And whereas the preservation of this hallowed space required meticulous balance of historic rehabilitation and integration of 21st-century infrastructure to better serve the citizens of Georgia.

181. 1:18:19

     And whereas the Georgia Building Authority, under dedicated leadership, provided vision and oversight necessary to ensure this complex project was executed in the highest standards of stewardship and public resources. And whereas the collaborative effort of these firms have resulted in the Senate chamber that honors its past while presiding, providing for a state-of-the-art environment for the legislative process and ensures that the Capitol remains a vibrant working museum for all Georgians. Now therefore, be it resolved by the Senate that the members of this body commend the Georgia Build- Building Authority, Garbett Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers for their extraordinary contributions to the restoration of the Georgia Senate chamber and convey their heartiest regards for a job well done.

182. 1:18:53

     Mr. President, that completes the order.

183. 1:18:55

     Is there objections to the adoption of resolution? Chair hears none, and the resolution is adopted. I call on the Pro Tem to recognize our distinguished guests.

184. 1:19:08

     Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, I wanna get your attention, please. This is a, a important group we're recognizing today. Um, we came back into session for 2026 on January 12th, and we've been enjoying this beautifully refurbished chamber. And I want you to just take a moment and just look at the ceiling, look at all the ornate, uh, decorations, the, uh, painting and the chandelier, and look at your refurbished historic desk, and you are looking at a piece of Georgia history brought back to life.

185. 1:19:52

     For over a year, the people behind me have worked tirelessly to strip away decades of outdated modifications in order to uncover the soul of our chamber. From the carpets benea- beneath your feet, woven together in Dalton, Georgia, to the gold on our Capitol dome sourced from Dahlonega, Georgia, the renovation of our Capitol and our chamber is being built by Georgians for Georgians to enjoy for the next 100 years.

186. 1:20:23

     I'm so proud of this team behind me and their commitment to preserving Georgia's rich history while providing better access for our constituents to get involved in the legislative process. Today, I'm proud to recognize the team who made this historic res- renovation happen. State Property Officer Marty Smith and Chief of Staff Gerald Pilgrim, Sean Moxley of Garbett Construction, which is happens to be located in my district in Lawrence County.

187. 1:20:55

     Tasheen Salindra of SG Contracting. La- Lamar Wakefielde and Henry Cantwell of Nel- Nelson Architecture. I also wanna take a moment to recognize our Senate staff who have been instrumental in coordinating with the design team. Our, our President Pro Tem Office Chief of Staff, Mr. Charlie Barrett, and our very own Secretary of the Senate, Mr. Jack Tripp. They put in a ton of hours working on this. In closing, this chamber is more than just a place of business.

188. 1:21:28

     It belongs to the people of Georgia that allow us all to serve. To our guests and on be- on behalf of the Senate, I wanna say we're deeply grateful for your stewardship of our state's history and your dedication to restoring our chamber. Please join me in a standing ovation for these outstanding partners

189. 1:21:57

     I'm, I'm gonna ask Gerald Smith to say a word. Thank you, Mr. Pro Tem. Governor, thank you for having us. Uh, just on behalf of this team, you know, this has been, uh, a year, well, this is the second phase. We started last year in the governor's office downstairs, and we went into here. We did a little trial run last year. We learned a lot of lessons last year, and so we were able to bring that here. Um, but this team is, considers this a opportunity of a lifetime to be involved with this historic project. And we don't take this lightly as we're working here.

190. 1:22:29

     But I think each one of us would like to reiterate how much we appreciate the General Assembly staff, the Senate staff, but especially Jack Tripp, the Secretary of the Senate, and Charlie Barrett, uh, 'cause they were instrumental in making sure we were able to do this project and we're coming in under budget. So we're very proud of that. All right. Hey. All right.

191. 1:24:42

     Secretary, read the caption. Senate Resolution 778 by Senator Mangham of the 55th. A resolution recognizing February 17th, 2026 as NextGen Youth Entrepreneurship Day at the State Capitol and for other purposes. Whereas Youth Entre- Entrepreneurship Day is an educational and inspiring event designed to introduce young people to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, leadership, and civic engagement. And whereas participants will have the opportunity to learn about business development and the role entrepreneurship plays in strengthening communities while also gaining first-hand exposure to Georgia's legislative process.

192. 1:25:13

     Now therefore, be it resolved by the Senate that the members of this body recognize February 17th, 20266 as NextGen Youth Entrepreneurship Day at the State Capitol. Mr. President, that completes the order. Is there objections to the adoption of resolution? Chair hears none. The resolution is adopted. Recognize the senator from the 55th, uh, to introduce our distinguished guests. Senator. Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning. Good morning. Today I rise recognizing February 17th, 2026 as NextGen Youth Entrepreneurship Day at our State Capitol.

193. 1:25:47

     Youth Entrepreneurship Day is more than an event. It's a celebration of innovation, leadership, and civic engagement. It's an opportunity to introduce young people to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, to expose them to the legislative process, and to remind them that their ideas have power. Hosted here at the Capitol, this day brings together youth, parents, educators, and community leaders to highlight the importance of investing in young minds and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit that will help shape Georgia's future.

194. 1:26:22

     We are especially proud to recognize four remarkable young entrepreneurs who are with us today at the well today. Tyler Sullivan, Diana Solano, raise your hands. Tyler Sullivan, Diana Solano, Jahari Johnson, and Katie Tripp. Through vision, determination, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, they have already reached impressive milestones at an early age in their lives. Their accomplishments far exceed what many would expect at their age, and they stand as powerful examples of what happens when ambition is matched with hard work and innovation.

195. 1:27:02

     We are also honored to welcome our special guest, John Hope Bryant, a nationally recognized entrepreneur and champion for economic empowerment. His leadership in advancing financial literacy and expanding opportunity has its inspired countless individuals across this nation, and his presence today underscores the importance of preparing the next generation to lead. Colleagues, today is about empowerment. It's about equipping our young people with the knowledge, confidence, and vision to turn ideas into impact.

196. 1:27:38

     Please join me in celebrating NextGen Youth Entrepreneur Day in recognizing these outstanding young leaders and our distinguished guest. Thank you.

197. 1:27:55

     And I introduce to you, to Mr. John Hope Franklin. Thank you. John Hope Bryant. You give Franklin a lot. I know. Yeah, that's okay. All good.

198. 1:28:05

     Good morning, State of Georgia. Wanna give respect to Governor Brian Kemp. I wanna give thanks to Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones. Uh, and of course, special thanks to State Senator Randal Mangham, who, whose vision brought all this together. Of course, the Georgia, uh, leaders here today from both sides of the aisle.

199. 1:28:35

     I know today is important around entrepreneurship because I was not only able to get the license plate that says entrepreneur for the State of Georgia, but I know my tax bill paid here as a resident here, um, tied to my entrepreneurship, suggests that magic happens through ideas made real. Let me make this personal and see if I can bring this together real quickly. When, uh, Ambassador Andrew Young, who sends his best, would say coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.

200. 1:29:13

     When I was, uh, five years old, my mom and dad divorced over money. Number one cause of divorce is money. After they built wealth, they lost it. When I was seven years old, another death tied to money. When I was nine years old, another death tied to money. So I went into a classroom and confident to be taught financial literacy, and a banker came in my classroom, uh, about the senator's, uh, height, by the way

201. 1:29:42

     Came in to teach financial literacy. And nobody else was paying attention. He came in once a week for six weeks, but I was focused. How do I get out of this situation? And finally, the second or third week, state senator and lieutenant governor, I said, "Excuse me, sir, what do you do for a living and how you get rich legally?" And I was completely serious. He said, "I'm a banker and I finance entrepreneurs." I said, "I don't know what an entrepreneur is, but it is legal and you're financing it?

202. 1:30:16

     I'm gonna be one." I went on at, uh, 10 years of age to start my first business, the neighborhood candy house. And it reminds me of Tyler behind me, 'cause Tyler started his first business during the pandemic at the same age. Got the lesson at nine, started the business at 10. And like other people, like the Tyler and the other people behind me, the adults paid no attention. And I remember Tyler, I'd went to the, the guy who sold liquor, the liquor store who sold candy.

203. 1:30:51

     I said to him, "You should joint venture with me. You should partner with me." And he dismissed me as a kid, so I went to go work for him as a box boy so I could figure out where he bought his inventory.

204. 1:31:03

     And as soon as I figured out where he got his inventory, it was on the side of the box and the inventory list inside the box, I quit, went home, borrowed $40 from my mother, just like you did. Where's Tyler? Just like you did with your parents. Got a little loan from my mother and she said I had to pay it back and with interest. And, um, opened the neighbor candy house on the way to school. Sh- make a long story short, made a $300 profit on a $40 investment, and within six weeks put the liquor store out of the candy business.

205. 1:31:36

     My confidence went through the roof. And today my combined companies have delivered $5 billion of capital into communities. Four and a half billion through Operation HOPE, the largest financial literacy organization in America, headquartered here in Atlanta, Georgia.

206. 1:31:52

     Whoo.

207. 1:31:55

     That's four and a half billion dollars of US currency. Partnering with banks. We're the only nonprofit allowed to operate inside of a bank branch in US history, getting the bank out of the no business back into the yes business at scale, creating new customers, which leads me to my point here. In my for-profit business, another half a billion, this didn't start from somebody giving me anything. This started because, like these young people, I had a dream and somebody paid attention to it. Somebody invested in it. You got finance behind me.

208. 1:32:28

     You've got, uh, salsa, food services. You've got bakery.

209. 1:32:35

     Bakery.

210. 1:32:36

     And you've got photography. I got it. This is the future, ladies and gentlemen. This is your future. Thank you for honoring them, but y- they are really your bench strength for the playoff games of the rest of our lives. The new issue's not Black or white or red or blue. It's more green. So let's do financial literacy for all legislation, bipartisan for everybody, for the new generation of entrepreneurs, for the State of Georgia as a model for the nation. Thank you very much.

211. 1:33:11

     Good job. Good job. Good job. Great job. Wonderful, wonderful. Good job. Great job. Let's get us a picture.

212. 1:36:48

     Are there unanimous consents? Chair hears none. Does any senator wish to rise on point of personal privilege?

213. 1:37:00

     Recognize the senator from the second.

214. 1:37:17

     Thank you, Mr. President. This morning, colleagues, I rise on a somber note on yesterday in Savannah, uh, right on the tail end of my, my district abutting, uh, the senator from the first. We lost a teacher, an amazing teacher, Dr. Linda Davis, uh, who died in a horrific accident on yesterday. Uh, and so this morning I rise to remember her legacy.

215. 1:37:48

     She was a beloved teacher at Hess Elementary. She did a wonderful job. And, uh, to her family, to her wife, uh, to the students at Hess Elementary, uh, to the principal and all the staff, we just want to lift her name up and offer our condolences this morning. Um, and before anyone decides to make this a, a political football, I want to make sure that we recognize the grieving family, uh, and we do that first and foremost. So with that, Mr. President, I will ask this chamber for a moment of silence to honor the life and memory of Dr.

216. 1:38:22

     Linda Davis.

217. 1:38:23

     The senator has requested ev- everyone stand at attention and for a moment of silence.

218. 1:38:33

     Thank you, Mr. President. With that, I yield the will.

219. 1:38:36

     Thank you, Senator. Recognize the senator from the 15th.

220. 1:38:48

     Thank you, Mr. President. I rise this morning to, uh, honor the memory of a great civil rights leader, Jesse Jackson. Jesse Jackson was a-

221. 1:38:59

     Frequent visitor to Columbus, Georgia, and in his travels around the country, and especially to Columbus, Georgia, he made a great impact on a lot of people who were really uplifted by his Keep Hope Alive, Operation PUSH, People United to Save Humanity was an ambitious thing to make sure it could be infused with a lot of hope that Keep Hope Alive would infiltrate and grow among people who had despair in their life and had no hope.

222. 1:39:32

     And he repeated that over and over again, and I think it uplifted millions of people. I covered his, uh, presidential run here as a reporter in Atlanta, and I thought he ignited a lot of people on behalf of the Democratic Party, and they went to the poll, in polls in droves. But at the same time, the deal was he was a great civil rights leader, started out as a football player at North Carolina, and, uh, he made a great impact in th- in that. Then, of course, he was with Dr.

223. 1:40:02

     King when he was assassinated, uh, at, at that fateful day, uh, in 1968. But anyway, I just wanna make sure that we never forget that we should keep hope alive, reach across the aisle, make sure we embrace one another, and never forget, I am somebody. Thank you.

224. 1:40:43

     We have a- another very special guest, a former member of this body. Uh, uh, Congressman Bishop was telling me he served 14 years in the House, and then he served two years here in th- in this chamber. And, uh, he's only been in Congress for 34 years, he said, so he said he's got a few more years left in him. So, uh, but, uh, it's good to have the congressman here. And as w- as always, we, uh, like to give each and every one of our congressional members an opportunity to speak to this body. Congressman.

225. 1:41:14

     Thank you very much. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, it really, really does my heart proud to come back, uh, to the place where I started. Uh, I've been in Congress now, this is my 34th year, but I went to Congress directly from this body, and I'm happy to say that, uh, uh, I learned what politics and, uh, public service is all about in this body. Uh, let me just share these words with you.

226. 1:41:46

     God give us men. A time like this demands strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands. Men whom the lust of office does not kill, men whom the spoils of office cannot buy. Men who possess opinions and a will, men who have honor, who will not lie. Men who can stand before a demagogue and damn his treacherous flatterers without winking. Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog in public duty and in private thinking. For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds, their large professions and their little deeds, mingle below in selfish strife, low freedom weeps, wrong rules the land, and waiting justice sleeps.

227. 1:42:26

     God give us men and women like those who serve in this Senate, across the hall in the House, this General Assembly, and our great state of Georgia. Uh, we have the greatest General Assembly in the country. We have the most fiscally responsible state in the co- in the country, and I'm so proud to be from Georgia, and I'm so proud of the work that you do, and we do working for the same constituencies. I am so, so proud that in this General Assembly, uh, that we look to our responsibility to work for and in behalf all of the people of Georgia, that we look beyond party, beyond partisan politics, and we look for the things that unite us, our common goals, our common hopes, and our common aspirations.

228. 1:43:14

     And I am happy to be your representative in Washington to work for and in behalf of all of the people of the state of Georgia, uh, and for the people of the United States of America. We occupy these spaces of elective service, uh, for a temporary time, but while we are in these spaces, it is, it behooves us to do our dead level best to work for all in behalf of all. I'll leave you with this. I have only just a minute, only 60 seconds in it.

229. 1:43:46

     Forced upon me, can't refuse it. Didn't seek it, didn't choose it. I must suffer if I lose it. Give account if I abuse it. Just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it. Let us use our collective minute as public officials to do all that we can do to improve the quality of life for the people of this great state and the people of the United States of America. Thank you, and God bless you, and I'm glad to be here, and I love it. All right. Good job. Good job.

230. 1:44:16

     Good job, man.

231. 1:44:32

     Good job. If I could have everybody's attention real quick, I'm gonna call on the, uh, senator from the, good friend from the 11th. And Senator, he has some guests here with us today. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, I have two quick points. Uh, first one is, I, I need to recognize my folks from the city of Thomasville. Uh, if you don't know where Thomasville is, it's down in South Georgia, and they're cele- celebrating their bicentennial, 200 years of the city of Thomasville, so thank y'all for being here, um, and appreciate what you do back home.

232. 1:45:04

     Uh, my second point is, uh, to celebrate, uh, the life of Louis Perry Jr., better known as Big Louis back home.

233. 1:45:12

     Who lived 80 s- his 86 years with a fullness of purpose that touched our community, this state, and the nation in ways that will continue to bear fruit for generations. To know Big Louie was to know a man who loved the land. He was born on Piney Woods Farms in Colquitt County, a place that is as, is as much family as it is soil, and he made it a living testament to generations of stewardship. He wasn't merely a farmer. He was a custodian of history and a builder of futures.

234. 1:45:44

     He modernized farming practices, forged on-farm research with the University of Georgia, and helped to shape an industry that feeds our families and fuels our economy. From the farm to the halls of Congress, as he advocated for ag policy that would sustain farmers, his voice carried the weight of experience and the quiet confidence that comes from decades of doing work and mentoring to others to do the same. He championed scholarships and education and the promise that the next generation would inherit a better, more informed agricultural landscape.

235. 1:46:17

     Big Louie was a teacher, a mentor, and a friend to many. He recruited and nurtured young producers, guided colleagues across s- state and national lines, and demonstrated that leadership is not a title, but a practice. Listening, learning, and giving back. He lived a life of legacy, not for applause, but for progress. Advocating for checkoff programs, expanding international markets, and strengthening policy awareness so that agriculture could thrive in every weather and every shift in the market.

236. 1:46:48

     Big Louie taught us that leadership is a blend of hands-on work, steadfast advocacy, a g- and a generous heart. He leaves behind a lasting legacy, an industry stronger for his efforts, and a community, state, and nation enriched by his service. Uh, we lost Big Louie this past fall, and I'm joined today with, uh, his son, uh, who many of you may know as, uh, Louie Perry, the principal and founder of Cornerstone, who, who works the halls of this Capitol and many capitols across our state and in our nation's capital.

237. 1:47:18

     And he's joined by his wife, Lisa, and their two sons, Jack and Alex. And then Big Louie's, uh, one of his daughters, Ms. Laura Perry Johnson, who spent over 35 years with the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences doing the same thing, uh, for our, for our agriculture industry that her daddy did. And so just thank y'all for sharing Big Louie with us and appreciate what he's done for the agricultural industry. And Mr. President, I'd just like for a quick moment of silence. If everyone could please stand. The senator has requested a moment of silence.

238. 1:47:53

     Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, and our condolences to the family. Louie was a good, good man. Recognize the senator from the 3rd.

239. 1:48:16

     Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I rise today, colleagues, to remind everybody that it is Golden Isles Day at the Capitol. We've got, um, about 100 people who have, um, motored up from, um, Brunswick and St. Simons and Jekyll to be with us. Uh, we've got some of them in the back of the room. If, if you would, raise your hands back there so they can see you. And I want to remind each and every one of you that you are invited to The Depot at 5:00 tonight to help taste the, um, most recent shrimp crop.

240. 1:48:50

     Uh, sweet, real Georgia shrimp and low country boil. Uh, starts at 5:00, and you're welcome to come. Some of you I know have tickets. If you don't have a ticket, come anyway. Anyway, we appreciate, and I yield the well. Thank you, Senator. Recognize the senator from the 47th.

241. 1:49:38

     Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, I'd like to recognize the senator from the 40th and from the 32nd. They, uh, they can't join me on, uh, the, uh, well today, but today, or, or tomorrow will actually be Japan Day. And on your desk today, I hope that everybody sees a little bit of love, ah, with some origami that was provided by three different schools here in Georgia, the International Charter Academy of Georgia, the Georgia Japanese Language School, and the Columbus, uh, Japanese Language School.

242. 1:50:09

     They, uh, tomorrow, uh, General Matsuda, um, will be here. They, uh, there'll be a l- as you see, a list of businesses o- on, uh, show downstairs on the second floor. And I hope everybody will join me in celebrating the business of Japan. They have a huge investment here in Georgia. We're partners, they, uh, with our Japanese, uh, counterparts, and they do a great job of, uh, bringing business to Georgia. So I wanna acknowledge them today and, and thank you for your attention.

243. 1:50:41

     I yield the well.

244. 1:51:57

     Recognize the senator from the 7th. Thank you, Mr. President. Today I rise to recognize Lunar New Year. Today we join millions around the world in celebrating the Lunar New Year, a time of renewal, reflection, and hope.

245. 1:52:26

     This holiday is rooted in thousands of years of tradition honoring family, ancestry, and promise of a fresh beginning. And as we welcome the Year of the Horse, we are reminded of the qualities it represents: strength, resilience, energy, and forward movement. The horse symbolizes determination and progress, a fitting inspiration as we step into a new chapter together. Lunar New Year is more than a day on the calendar.

246. 1:52:58

     It is a time when families gather across generations, when homes are filled with the color red symbolizing good fortune, when children receive blessings for prosperity, and when communities come together in celebration. It reminds us that renewal is always possible, that hope is powerful, and that unity strengthes- strengthens us all. And may this year bring good health, prosperity, joy, and peace to all, and may we move forward with courage, compassion, and renewed purpose.

247. 1:53:32

     Happy New, Happy Lunar New Year. And also, um, you will see these red envelopes on your desk. There are some instructions in them about, um, how the Capitol will be celebrating Lunar New Year. Thank you, Mr. President. I y- yield the ball. Recognize the senator from the 41st.

248. 1:54:08

     Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I rise today to celebrate the life and legacy of the Reverend Honorable Jesse Jackson. Um, no relation in terms of being a Jackson, but he is from South Carolina, um, very close to where I grew up. And as I think about my own life and kind of the pieces that helped get me to this moment, I must say that the Reverend Jesse Jackson was incredibly monumental for me being where I am today. I was just a little Black girl from a small town called Calpin, South Carolina, and when I went to college in Greenville, South Carolina, Jesse Jackson's hometown, um, I happened to be there during a time in Greenville, South Carolina's history where there were protests happening because Greenville would not recognize MLK Day as official holiday.

249. 1:54:59

     And Jesse Jackson, being that it was his hometown where his mom still lived, he came home, and he visited my college where I was just a freshman, this 18-year-old little girl who didn't know much about what life could hold. But he came to my university, and he sat down with a bunch of students who were interested in trying to move Greenville forward. And in that moment, he let me just sit and hear his stories of the ways in which he had changed history. And to be honest, at age 18, I didn't really know much about who he was.

250. 1:55:32

     I did not know that he had tried to run for president. I just knew that he was this civil rights icon. But that day, as he told me the stories of who Martin Luther King was and why it was important that we acknowledge this holiday, I think this light bulb went off for me about this is how you can make real change. It's through civil rights. It's through protest. And so I'm honored to say that the very first protest that I ever participated in, it was with the Reverend Jesse Jackson in Greenville, South Carolina.

251. 1:56:04

     He took me a- and walked with me along the front lines as thousands of Greenvillians marched, calling for MLK Day to be a holiday. And then he did this other thing that I would have never agreed to if he had asked for in advance. During that protest with thousands of people gathered, he turns and he says, "We need to hear from the young people. And so Kim Jackson, you are going to speak on behalf of the young people to this group of thousands of people." I have no idea what I said that day, but I do know that the Reverend Jesse Jackson looked at me and saw that I had gifts and skills to offer the world, and I am so grateful that he did because I'm clear that I am here today.

252. 1:56:50

     I'm the kind of pastor and priest that I am. I'm the fighter and advocate for civil rights in large part because he took a little girl from Calpin, South Carolina, and says, "You can speak to the masses and call them to do something good for the world." So deep gratitude to the Reverend Jesse Jackson for who he was, for his legacy, my prayers for his family, and for all who mourn and grieve his passing. With that, I yield the well.

253. 1:57:20

     Recognize the senator from the 28th.

254. 1:57:58

     I can take this. Let's move it over there.

255. 1:58:04

     I'm doing better, it looks like.

256. 1:58:09

     Okay. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

257. 1:58:16

     And good morning,

258. 1:58:19

     members of the Senate and those in the gallery and anybody listening. My name is Senator Donzella James, but I- I'm gonna talk, uh, for a minute about someone who knew me long before I ran for office.

259. 1:58:36

     And it's probably the reason I ran for office years ago. I rise with this heavy heart to honor the legacy of the great Reverend Jesse Jackson. He was one of the greatest public servant leaders that I have ever known. With his passing earlier this morning, the world lost a staunch advocate for justice, a servant of the people, and a man who I am proud to call a personal friend.

260. 1:59:13

     I worked with him for 11 years, and it's very tough to even talk about this today. But he always said, "Keep hope alive." So I always listen. We were little kids when he said that and told our class, classes as we, he traveled around the country. Growing up, he grew up in South Carolina. Jesse Jackson lived the reality of a segregated America, forced into separate schools, and from this, from restaurants and from buses.

261. 1:59:51

     His neighborhood was always a question mark. What can I do and how can I do it? Not because he couldn't do it, but because they would not allow him to. But rather than to let that bitterness take root, he used it as fuel to ignite a movement that he would eventually change the face of the American presidency.

262. 2:00:21

     You see, in nine- in 1960, he led a silent demonstration in a white-only public library, which led into its desegregation. As a young man, he became a protege of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the forefront of the civil rights movement through Operation Breadbasket, and that was very popular when I was just a little kid.

263. 2:00:52

     But he started PUSH. He lo- lobbied against workforce discrimination of Black workers and advocated for economic equity. During his presidential run, he built a Rainbow Coalition, a movement of the poor, the working class, and the marginalized as well. His courage paved the road that President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris eventually walked.

264. 2:01:26

     His influence was far beyond our borders. I think of 1990 when he flew to, um, Baghdad to successfully negotiate the release of hundreds of Americans held by Saddam Hussein. I think of 1999 when he persuaded Serbia to release three of our downed US pilots.

265. 2:01:57

     He was not afraid to do what he knew he was born to do. That's how he worked with Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King and was unfortunately, uh, on the balcony of the Selma, uh, in Selma, uh, the Lorraine, I believe, yeah, Lorraine Motel, and he was there standing on the porch with some of the other leaders.

266. 2:02:29

     And unfortunately, when Dr. King came out, who they were waiting for and to walk down to the car, he was standing next to him when they shot him, when they shot Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. So on a personal note, I had the distinct honor of serving as a delegate for him in 1984 presidential campaign. I stood beside him again in 2011 in a news conference as we fought to shed light on the injustice surrounding Troy Davis.

267. 2:03:08

     He was a man who never stopped showing up for the least of these. He always taught us to say, "I am somebody. I am somebody." He wanted to leave you with the Reverend's own words, so I wanna leave you with the words that he said about leadership. "Leadership cannot go along to get along. Leadership must meet the moral challenges of the day." Let us honor his memory by meeting the challenges of the day every day, and have courage, and promote equality and justice.

268. 2:03:47

     M- I end now. Thank you very much for allowing me to speak, 'cause Proverbs 16 and 3 says, "Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established." So let's take that advice from the Bible and from the words of Reverend King. Uh, can I, is it possible to ask for a moment of silence for him, for Reverend King?

269. 2:04:13

     Senator has asked for a moment of silence.

270. 2:04:17

     For this great leader and man of God. He was a true, true servant of God, and we pray.

271. 2:04:36

     Amen. Amen

272. 2:04:40

     Thank you. And thank you, Mr. President. I yield the will. Thank you, Senator.

273. 2:05:03

     Chair recognizes the senator from the sixth for a point of personal privilege.

274. 2:05:31

     Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, you know, we honored a, a fallen ag legend in this state just earlier today, and, um, and last night we lost another ag legend in my uncle Darvin Eason, and I'll take time to honor him, uh, at a later date. But, um, but today I wanted to rise to, to recognize our certified registered nurse anesthetists. They are here today, uh, so look for them in the, in the white lab coats, uh, running around and advocating for their profession.

275. 2:06:08

     These are students from around the state. I hope you'll take time to get to know them and, um, encourage them on their, their journey, 'cause one day they'll be taking good care of us. And so for our CRNAs out there, y'all know I'm, uh, passionate for their profession as I'm married to one and, uh, hope to stay married to one, which is why I stay passionate for CRNAs. So, uh, thank y'all. And also had a constituent, Christy Bass, up in the balcony.

276. 2:06:40

     I wanted to give her a shout-out. Christy and I grew up together in church, and her son and, and cousin are here as pages today. So again, thank you.

277. 2:06:52

     Chair recognizes the senator from the seventeenth for a point of personal privilege.

278. 2:07:21

     Thank you, Mr. President.

279. 2:07:26

     I'm, I rise today just to say a few words about Reverend Jesse Jackson. I'm truly heartbroken today.

280. 2:07:38

     Reverend Jackson was the commencement speaker when I graduated from Spelman College, and he encouraged us then to be the best that we could be and to go out and help other people in this life. Little did I know some thirty years later, I would be on his staff riding throughout Georgia and other parts of this country on voter tours, registering people to vote.

281. 2:08:11

     Voter education and voter empowerment was some of the things that he fought for.

282. 2:08:20

     He was born in Greenville, South Carolina some eighty-plus years ago, and this giant of a man inspired generations of students with his oratorical skills, reminding us to keep hope alive. An internationally known civil rights and social justice leader, he inspired millions.

283. 2:08:47

     He fought so hard for equity and justice for all. He fought for access to capital and leveled the playing field where minority and women-owned businesses could thrive.

284. 2:09:05

     He negotiated the release of hostages,

285. 2:09:11

     and some of those hostages never said thank you. But we say today to you, Reverend Jackson, thank you. Even President Ronald Reagan said at that time, "You can't argue with success. You can't argue with getting these people released." Reverend Jackson came to Georgia and visited schools all around and encouraged students to get a good education and to be the best that they could be.

286. 2:09:41

     He also visited jails at that same time and juvenile detention centers to tell those students that were there, just because they were there, they didn't, didn't need to stay there. They need to get out and do something else with their lives. So today, I join other Georgians in celebrating the life and the legacy of the Reverend Jesse Lewis Jackson Sr. We send condolences to his wife, Mrs.

287. 2:10:13

     Jacqueline Jackson, and the entire family. Thank you very much, Mr. President, and I yield the will.

288. 2:10:27

     Chair recognizes the senator from the forty-fourth for a point of personal privilege.

289. 2:10:35

     Senator from the forty-fourth, would you like me to...

290. 2:10:47

     Thank you, Mr. President. Um, this is-- I'm so excited to rise today in honor of Black History Month because we have Black history being made before our eyes, and I want to celebrate with all of you the gold medal that Elena Meyers Taylor won yesterday in Milan in the mono bobsled. Yes. Yes. And I've been here long enough to remember when, um, Elena Meyers Taylor, who was r- born in Oceanside, California, and raised in Douglasville, Georgia, came here to, uh, be celebrated.

291. 2:11:20

     And at that time, she was already a very decorated, um, bobsledder. But the one color medal that she was missing throughout her very dedicated career was an Olympic gold medal. And last night, she completed that trifecta, adding to her, her medals, getting her, her gold, and, um, becoming the most decorated Black, uh, athlete at, at Winter Games ever, as well as tying Bonnie Blair, who some of you may remember, legendary speed skater, um, with the, uh, the medal count of Bonnie Blair.

292. 2:12:01

     So she's also reached that, that major, um, major achievement of a huge number of gold medals, I mean, of medals in the Olympics. And I just want to mention just a couple other things about her that are incredibly inspirational. Uh, she's forty-one years old, which made her the oldest American woman to win Winter Olympic gold, and she has two little young boys. She's also a disability rights advocate.

293. 2:12:32

     Um, her children, I think, um, I think that they are both hard of hearing. So she has done a lot of work in that space. She's really, you know, I, I admire her so much, as do millions and millions of other people, for her athletic excellence, but her resilience, you know, winning an event like this, top of her sport at age forty-one while, um, raising two little boys, coming back from severe injuries, and balancing it all and being an inspiration to so many.

294. 2:13:07

     Um, let's hear it for our most recent gold medalist making Black history before our eyes, Georgia's own Elena Meyers Taylor. Thank you.

295. 2:13:21

     Chair recognizes the senator from the thirty-sixth for a point of personal privilege.

296. 2:13:33

     And just so we can keep this moving, next will be the senator from the fifty-fifth, then the senator from the twenty-first. So if y'all would be ready when you're called on, please.

297. 2:13:54

     Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning, colleagues. Uh, I rise ever so briefly in a, a day that's gonna be a long one for us, it looks like. But I could not fail to come to the well today and acknowledge, uh, the lifetime contributions of Jesse L. Jackson. Uh,

298. 2:14:20

     I remember the phone call that I got that, uh, was quite surprising when the governor's office called and asked me to be the delegate at the 1988 Democratic Convention for Jesse Jackson, held right here in Atlanta, GA. Uh, I f- was honored to do that, privileged to do that, and forever treasure that time and that moment.

299. 2:14:53

     And that was one, one of the many peaks that Jesse Jackson reached, uh, in his lifetime of work. Uh, he, he won the Democratic primary here in Georgia. Um, uh, and we participated with my son, Jesse, who was five then, uh, i- in a, a grand victory party here in Atlanta.

300. 2:15:22

     Much has been said from the well this morning, very moving words, uh, from many of my colleagues, uh, that, uh, were personally touched by the work of this, uh, giant of a man.

301. 2:15:41

     And so I'll, I'll, I'll not be repetitive, uh, but I just want to do say this. He fought for his entire life, entering the civil rights movement as a young, young person. Jesse Jackson fought for, uh, his entire life for access to the ballot, a key struggle, uh, that unfolded in the '50s and the '60s and came to fruition with federal legislation.

302. 2:16:12

     The Voting Rights Act. The Voting Rights Act was a public, national public policy that he fought diligently, uh, and unceasingly, uh, to, uh, help make real, and then to be on the ground across the s- the country. Uh, um, actualizing the opportunity to access the ballot for African Americans and others who'd been denied access to the ballot.

303. 2:16:47

     And so it is, it is profoundly

304. 2:16:51

     Uh, uh, significant that as we stand here today saluting this giant and the work that he did over a lifetime, yet and still again, we continue to face voter suppression efforts.

305. 2:17:10

     Yet and still, here in Fulton County, here in Georgia, and in the US Congress, the Save Act, which ain't gonna save nobody, uh, it, it, it, but, but, but will create huge barriers for people accessing the ballot box. And here in 2026, we continue to rise to face the challenge to fight for access to the ballot box.

306. 2:17:44

     So, uh, as we move through this session here, and as the US Congress, as the House of Representatives and the Senate move, uh, through their legislative agendas, beware of the Save Act and please understand that the life and legacy of Jesse Jackson would be a signal to all to continue this battle, the right to go and cast your vote legally and lawfully across this land and not h- pass, not continue to pass policies that create new barriers to the ballot box.

307. 2:18:26

     Uh, I yield the well and, uh, call on all of us to embrace this mission, the right to vote. That's what he lived and died for, and in that way, we will continue to honor the life and legacy of Jesse Jackson. Thank you. I yield the well.

308. 2:18:47

     Senator has yielded the well. S- uh, Chair recognizes Senator from the 55th for a point of personal privilege. Senator from the 21st is on deck.

309. 2:19:03

     My colleagues, I rise today, not only have we recognized Youth Entrepreneurial Day,

310. 2:19:12

     not only do we recognize Black History Month, but I rise today to honor the Reverend Jesse Lewis Jackson.

311. 2:19:26

     The Reverend Jesse Lewis Jackson was a very phenomenal person that I admired so much because I struggled to go into ministry. But Jesse Jackson let me understand

312. 2:19:47

     that you cannot only do ministry in a pulpit. In fact, ministry just means to serve, and everyone, as Dr. King said, can be great because everyone can serve. But Dr. King had a protege by the name of Jesse Lewis Jackson, and Jesse Lewis Jackson was a young man learning quite a bit.

313. 2:20:17

     And as a young lawyer, I had the distinct pleasure and honor of serving as the state coordinator for his campaign, Jesse Lewis Jackson campaign in 1988. It was there that I got to meet very many persons in this very hallowed hall. I didn't know who Nan Orrock was until 1988 in the Jesse Jackson campaign, Davenport and

314. 2:20:46

     James, and so many in here. But Jesse Jackson was a, a guy who said, "Keep hope alive," because it sometimes get difficult. It gets the winds of challenge when we try to progress as a nation become very challenging. But he had a concept called Rainbow Coalition because he believed in something. He believed that red and yellow, black and white, we all precious in God's sight.

315. 2:21:16

     And Reverend Jackson ran for president, and as was stated, we won Georgia in '88, but not only did we win Georgia, we won the Southeast with the, what was called Super Tuesday. And people said it could not be done, that an African American could do that. But it took a Jesse Jackson to get an Obama. It took a Jesse Jackson to get so many great leaders that will come hereafter. It is why I stand in this well to honor him because he apprenticed me.

316. 2:21:53

     It was an a privilege, it was a privilege to wake up many mornings at, and get him from the airport at 6:00 AM and ride across Georgia, and to see young and old, black and white, say, "Run, Jesse, run." And it was an amazing thing to see rednecks and, and, and, and black folks get together because growing up in middle Georgia, I saw the great divide. But, but Jesse Lewis Jackson brought people together and he believed that it was j- just a racial problem, but it was a classism problem.

317. 2:22:28

     It was an economic problem. And I think today as we serve notice on changing this world, that Jesse J- Lewis Jackson is the shoulders upon many of us, upon which many of us stand. Reverend Jackson, we love you. Thank you for approaching what many considered a racial problem as economic and a class problem

318. 2:22:53

     Thank you, Reverend Jackson, for thinking it not Robert to show us the way to go, to bring, uh, we would get in, in photos and he said, "No, we need some more white people in this photo. We need some more Black people in this photo. We need, we need all colors in this photo." And I am so honored to have been taught by Reverend Jackson that we are all precious in God's sight. And keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive.

319. 2:23:23

     Keep hope alive. And why? Because I never imagined in '88 that I could be on the Rules Committee. I didn't even know what a Democratic Convention would be. But because of Reverend Jackson, I was on that Rules Committee, and I, uh, I'm just amazed that where we've come and where we have to go. God bless you. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. God bless you.

320. 2:23:52

     Chair recognizes senator from the 21st.

321. 2:24:08

     Thank you, Mr. President. Well, colleagues, I would say good morning, but I think officially now it's good afternoon. In honor of Black History Month, um, I ask that you please join me in acknowledging an outstanding man whose career has bridged the worlds of football, broadcasting, and public service, Mr. Lynn Swann. And Mr. Lynn Swann is very special to me. As a lot of you know, he was a Pittsburgh Steeler, and my wife is from just south of Pittsburgh, and she's been a lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers fan. So for me, it's a great honor to, to stand up here and do this.

322. 2:24:40

     Mr. Swann was born in Alcoa, Tennessee, and Swann received a unique introduction to athletics. Since the age of two and continuing through high school, Swann trained in modern dance, tap, and ballet, and has always accredited these teachings for his incredible athleticism. In high school, he excelled in football and track, winning a state championship in the long jump. Swann eventually went on to play football for the University of Southern California, where he was named an All-American wide receiver.

323. 2:25:13

     Swann was selected as a first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and over his career, he played a pivotal role in the Steelers' dominance, helping them secure four Super Bowl titles. He was named to the All-Pro team were, three times, and in 1976, was named the MVP in Super Bowl X. In 2001, Swann was introduced into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After his stellar career in the NFL, Swann transitioned into sports broadcasting, working for ABC Sports for over 30 years.

324. 2:25:47

     During his stint on camera, he hosted and reported on a variety of events, such as college football and NFL games, the Kentucky Derby, and six Olympics. In 2002, President George W. Bush appointed Swann as the chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports because of his understanding of the importance of physical activity and fitness. As chair, Swann furthered the council's initiatives by promoting healthy eating and physical activity for all people by declaring May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month and creating the annual Healthier US Fitness Festival.

325. 2:26:26

     He also enacted the Healthier Feds Physical Activity Challenge for federal employees, ensuring those who work for our nation are healthy and physically fit. Continuing his dedication to public service, Swann ran for governor of Pennsylvania in 2006. Over the years, Swann has contributed to the arts by funding over 100 scholarships for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School. He served a- as the athletic director at the University of Southern California from 2016 to 2019, and most recently was honored at Super Bowl 60 as being introduced as a Super Bowl legend.

326. 2:27:05

     Please join me in honoring a living legend who has made a, a lasting impact not only on the NFL, but on the health and hearts of our entire nation. Mr. President, I yield the well.

327. 2:27:18

     Freshman has yielded the well. I call on the senator from the 40th for a point of personal privilege.

328. 2:27:37

     Thank you, Mr. Pro Tem. I wanted to let you know, um, along with the senator from the 47th, that tomorrow is Japan Day at the Capitol, and you'll see this colorful flyer on your desk, uh, full of beautiful cherry blossoms, the state flag of Georgia, and the flag of Japan. Um, Georgia and Japan have enjoyed a rather unique and flourishing relationship during the last 50 years. Um, you might know of the YKK business that, um, is in Macon, has been in Macon for almost 50 years.

329. 2:28:10

     They're famous for making zippers. As well as we have the home of the, um, Consulate General of Japan here in Georgia, and a long-standing relationship with the late, uh, President Carter, um, with the, with the country of Japan. Uh, they're gonna have about a dozen businesses, uh, on display, uh, represented, represented from many of the districts of, of the senators from this chamber, like the senator from the 23rd, the 6th, the 14th, the 34th, the 7th, the 16th, the 26th, the 4th, the 52nd

330. 2:28:46

     Yes, that's it. Your businesses and your districts will be on display, as well as there'll be a breakfast. But most importantly, and I really want to have your attention now because each of you has on your desk a beautiful paper crane. These cranes were folded by students at three schools here in Georgia, the International Charter Academy of Georgia, the Georgia Japanese Language School, and the Columbus Japanese Language School. And right now it's stapled to your paper, but if you take it and kind of spread it out at its base, then yes, it will sit very delicately and beautifully on your desk, just like the senator from the 23rd has right now.

331. 2:29:32

     Um, so please remember tomorrow, Japan Day at the Capitol. Thank you, Mr. Pro Tem.

332. 2:29:39

     Does any sen- uh, any other senator wish to rise on a point of personal privilege?

333. 2:29:46

     You have before you a consent calendar of privileged resolutions. Does any senator wish to remove a resolution from the consent calendar? Is there objection to the adoption of the resolutions on the consent calendar? The chair hears none and the resolutions on the consent calendar are adopted.

334. 2:30:06

     Are there any motions to withdraw and commit?

335. 2:30:11

     You have a f- Hang on one second.

336. 2:30:17

     You have before you a consent calendar of local bills. Mr. Secretary, have any objections been filed to any of the bills on the local consent calendar?

337. 2:30:27

     Mr. President, there are no objections.

338. 2:30:30

     Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the Committee on State and Local Government Operations, which is favorable to the passage of the bills on the local consent calendar? Chair hears none. The report of the committee is agreed to. Question is on the passage of the bills on the local consent calendar. All those in favor will vote yay, opposed nay. The secretary will now unlock the machine.

339. 2:31:25

     Order.

340. 2:31:25

     On the passage of the bills, the yeas are 48 and the nays are one.

341. 2:31:58

     The bills on the local consent calendar, having received the requisite constitutional majority are therefore passed.

342. 2:32:08

     Moving on to the rules calendar. Secretary will read the caption of Senate Bill 452.

343. 2:32:19

     Senate Bill 452 by Senator Hatchett of the 50th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 47-2-357 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to withdrawal, employer contributions, vesting, and date of election so as to increase the maximum employer contribution to a 401for certain state law enforcement officers, to provide for definitions, to provide for an effective date, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Retirement recommends that this bill do pass.

344. 2:32:51

     Senator Williams of the 25th, chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order.

345. 2:32:56

     I recognize the senator from the 50th District to speak to SB 452.

346. 2:33:16

     Thank you, Mr. President. Today I rise and ask for your favorable consideration of Senate Bill 452. This is a governor's administration bill that will provide a higher employee match, employer match into 401s of our state law enforcement officers. The goal of this investment is to improve recruitment and retention of our public safety officers while protecting the state's long-term financial position.

347. 2:33:46

     This proposed match schedule gradually increases the employer contribution rate based on years of service for any post-certified sworn state law enforcement officer currently enrolled in the GSEP's retirement plan. Currently, officers hired as early as January 1, 2009 can contribute up to 5% of their salary into their 401with an equivalent state match that increases by 0.5% each year.

348. 2:34:16

     Under the governor's proposal, the state will accelerate that increase per year up to 2%. There is a cap of 15% after y- after 10 years of service. When you compare this to the current plan that provi- that provides a seven and a half percent match in year 10, we are effectible- effectively doubling the state's contribution to state law enforcement officers' retirement payout. Georgia ranks 49th in the nation in state law enforcement officer retirement.

349. 2:34:49

     It is high time that we express our support for the brave men and women running towards danger and offer competitive benefits for future recruits. I ask for your favorable consideration, and Mr. President, I'm happy to yield for questions.

350. 2:35:05

     No questions, Senator.

351. 2:35:06

     Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

352. 2:35:10

     Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Chair hears none. Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? The chair hears none and the previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? The chair hears none and the main question is ordered. Question is on the passage of the bill. All those in favor of the bill vote yay. Opposed, nay. The secretary will unlock the machine.

353. 2:36:43

     On the passage of the bill, the yeas are 49 and the nays are zero. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional mar- majority, is therefore passed.

354. 2:36:55

     Ladies and gentlemen, we have members of the state law enforcement community in the gallery, and I just wanna personally say how much I appreciate them, and I know we all do. Let's give them a round of applause.

355. 2:37:18

     Secretary will read the...

356. 2:37:22

     Uh, Chair, w- uh, senator from the 41st, what purpose do you rise?

357. 2:37:26

     Um, ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the 55th for business outside of the Capitol.

358. 2:37:32

     Senator from the f- without objection, the senator from the 55th is excused. Senator from the 39th, what purpose do you rise?

359. 2:37:44

     She's working with her egami or whatever that was on her desk, I guess. Uh-

360. 2:37:50

     I am. I did. That was a-

361. 2:37:51

     It won't turn on

362. 2:37:51

     ... my, my friend and it won't turn on.

363. 2:37:53

     All right. She waves.

364. 2:37:58

     All right. The secretary will read the caption of Senate Bill 143.

365. 2:38:04

     Senate Bill 143 by Senators Albers of the 56th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 7 of Chapter 7 of Title 47 of the OCGA relating to retirement, retirement allowances, disability benefits, and death benefits relative to the Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund so as to provide for certain members to retire at age 50, to amend Article 7 of Chapter 20 of Title 47 of the OCGA, the Public Retirement Systems Investment Authority Law, so as to provide for an exception for the Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund to invest in assets rated below investment grade, to provide for related matters, to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

366. 2:38:40

     Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Retirement recommends that this bill do pass by s- substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Williams of the 25th, chairman.

367. 2:38:50

     Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Retirement offers the following substitute to Senate Bill 143, a bill to be ena- entitled, "An act to amend Article VI of Chapter 7 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to retirement, retirement allowances, disability benefits, and death benefits relative to the Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund, so as to provide for certain members to retire at age 50, and for other purposes." Mr. President, that completes the order. Recognize the senator from the 56th to speak to SB 143.

368. 2:39:25

     Thank you, Mr. President. Senators, Senate Bill 143 is a great bill for our fire service. Firefighters in each and every one of our districts and across our communities are putting their lives on the line, and these are necessary updates to the Firefighter Pension Fund, which is managed, uh, as one of the best pension funds, not just in the state, but America, by our very own Morgan Wurst and his team. We're proud of the great work that they do. This makes updates to allow us to have a similar system and setup for folks that have retired, but then wanna come back and continue to work in the fire service.

369. 2:40:01

     We have done the very same thing for our police officers and for our teachers. And in a time where it's harder than ever to find folks who are willing to rush in when others rush out, this helps fill the gap. It also allows us to change the dates for their retirement for age 50, but with a combined 80 number, which means 30 years of service and 50 years old. Of course, that could change depending on when they joined the fire service and began into the pension system.

370. 2:40:32

     And the last thing it allows for is to take 10% of the fund to invest in different funds, uh, and bonds specifically, uh, that longer term have a higher yield of return, similar to the way 49 other states do it today. Uh, I wanna remind everyone that this pension fund has no state tax dollars. I'm gonna repeat that. There are no state funds that go to this. This is funded by the members and through insurance premiums. Uh, if there are no questions, Mr. President, I will yield the well and ask for your favorable consideration.

371. 2:41:04

     You do have a question, Senator. Chair recognizes the senator from the 46th.

372. 2:41:11

     Thank you, Mr. President. Senator yield? Certainly for my good friend. Uh, so here we go again with alternative investments. We're putting their fire fund, firefighter retirement at risk to, to invest in things that are not liquid, not marketable, highly speculative investments going up to 10%. Uh, Senator, I think you might be reading this, uh, incorrectly. Uh, high yield bonds are different than alternative investments. They are actually in the bond family. Uh, and these- I feel better already.

373. 2:41:42

     Thank you. Uh, they already have the ability to invest up to 20% into alternative investments. We passed that legislation. Uh, those legi- the, um, the ability to do that has made the firefighter pension fund the most successful return in the entire state of Georgia. Just like you and I have discussed in the past, not everyone wants to have their entire portfolio, uh, for their life savings in one area, neither would a pension fund. Most of us have businesses, we have houses, we have, uh, 401ks and other investments.

374. 2:42:13

     That's smarter. But in this case, high yield bonds, uh, in the long term perform two and a half times better, and 49 other states allow their pension funds to invest in this. So this is to make sure the mix of investment strategies best reflect, um, the diversity of options for investment. Will the senator further yield? I do. Uh, let, let me make clear, 'cause it's important to me. On lines 188 to 191, that applies only to, uh, bonds that are not investment grade bonds, not other type of investments, like from private equity buying up all our houses and things like that.

375. 2:42:52

     No, uh, bonds are, are rated in different areas. There are high yield, there are low yield, uh, there are, uh, bonds that pay a lower amount that are safer, bonds that pay a higher amount that are, are less, uh, have a little more risk to them. In the long term, it allows them to have the broad ability to invest across the board because that produces a better return. And again, in this case, over the last 25 years, they've performed two and a half times better. W- well, that would be because they offer higher yields 'cause they're more risky, right, on the bonds?

376. 2:43:24

     It certainly does. Yeah. Just like a mutual fund or anywhere else that we invest in today. And, and back to my question, is, is this Section 3 apply only to bonds, not to equities? Uh, that is correct. This is the bonds. Thank you.

377. 2:43:43

     The chair recognizes the senator from the 41st. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and, and thank you, Mr... Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, just a question following up from the previous senator. Can you define for us what a, a asset rated below investment grade is? This is on line 189. Sure. What we're talking about, Senator, uh, is the difference between a below grade, above grade. They're called high yield bonds.

378. 2:44:13

     Uh, they typically are, in a shorter term, a little more volatile, in the longer term, a lot more stable and a higher yield. Uh, like everything else, if you think about probably your own 401k or savings account, you probably have a blend of things in there. You don't have everything in one stock, one bond, or one mutual fund because that would be dangerous for you to have all your eggs in one basket. This separates it out into the different classes and over the last many years, again, it has shown to be an extraordinary better investment.

379. 2:44:43

     And the more money we get back in those retirement funds, not only are they better funded, but then they're allowed to provide COLAs, cost of living adjustments, for those that are in the fund. And again, 49 out of 50 states do this. We're the one that does not, and I've got the data that shows just in the last 25 years those performed two and a half times better. Uh, so the re- the yield is going to be much better.

380. 2:45:07

     One more question if you would yield. Yes. So if we look at the bill that we already passed last year raising the investment rate up to twenty percent for kind of alternative funds, and then we're bringing this to ten percent or so, does this mean if, can we add those together? Are we saying that thirty percent of the firefighter fund can be invested in these alternative markets, also bonds that are underrated? I just wanna make sure, are we adding, is it up to thirty percent of their fund can be invested in things that we do not allow the TRS or the ERS to be invested in?

381. 2:45:42

     That is correct. And I think it's important the difference between the TRS and the ERS, those are state-funded tax dollar pensions. The firefighter pension fund is the members' fund, uh, and they control it that way. They've had the best returns of all the funds. In fact, I will tell you, the TRS and the ERS wish they had the returns of the firefighter pension fund. Uh, in fact, many years ago when we first o- offered some of the alternative investments, the TRS and the ERS said, "Absolutely don't do that for us.

382. 2:46:13

     Don't change ours." Five years later when the returns were so good, they said, "Ah, just kidding. We'd actually like to be a part of that, too." But again, I wanna remind everybody, this is no state tax dollars. It's their fund. It's the best returns of everybody, and I hope everyone in the room would have a diversified investment portfolio of their own to make sure that they're getting the best return for their dollar.

383. 2:46:43

     Chair recognizes the senator from the ninth. Senator, senator, do you yield? I do. So these, um, below investment grade type bonds, now they, is it true that they're higher risk, a higher chance of default on them, and they're highly volatile? Is, is that not true? I wouldn't call them highly volatile. They are higher risk, but like anything in the stock market or in the bond market or in anything you might have, a business or a property, um, higher risk, higher gain, lower risk, little gain, and you wanna have a balanced portfolio for what you have.

384. 2:47:17

     And again, I'm a numbers guy. I like math, and the investment charts will show you very clearly that over the last twenty-five years they performed two and a half times greater than a traditional one would. But again, I, I think before people misunderstand, we administer any type of a retirement system that goes through the state, but there are no state tax dollars. This is the firefighters' pension fund that does better than all the other ones for returns.

385. 2:47:55

     Chair recognizes the senator from the forty-fourth.

386. 2:48:00

     Thank you, Mr. President. Um, Mr. Chairman, will you yield? Certainly. Thank you. Just to, um, quickly follow up on, I believe I heard you say that we're the last state to have made this, uh, give, had this availability for the, the fund, and that the others were at two and a half percent times our return. Is that what I heard you say? Yeah. Over the last twenty-five years, I actually have the, the data in front of me for cumulative returns.

387. 2:48:32

     If you begin in the year 2000, uh, the return on the traditional market was about a hundred and forty percent, uh, and for these it's almost four hundred percent. Okay. Thank you for that. Sure. Um, my question is, all these other states, do you know and can you share with us what percentage of their, their portfolios can be, um, invested in these riskier investments? Is it similar to what you've got here in the bill or are they lower levels?

388. 2:49:03

     You see where I'm going? I, I don't know all the states off the top of my head, Senator, for what they do, but I think it's important to know that in Georgia, whether it be our ERS, our TRS, our firefighter pension fund, we have the POAB, which is for our law enforcement officers, is we, we hire folks that are investment experts to do that. Uh, and we have some of the best, most fully funded pension funds in the entire nation, and obviously Georgia known to be such a great fiscal responsible one. But already being up here, the firefighter pension fund is even that much better.

389. 2:49:38

     So what you're saying is these professionals, since it's up to ten percent, for example- Mm-hmm ... they don't have to- Absolutely ... invest at that level. Uh, thank you, Senator. And that's a great question. Uh, just to follow up, it's up to the fund managers to balance that portfolio. Again, just like probably each and every one of you do with your own personal wealth and financial advisors. Thank you.

390. 2:50:04

     Do you wish to take further questions, Senator? There are some. Sure. Chair recognizes the senator from the thirty-first. Thank you, Mr. President. Will Senator yield? Yes, to the majority leader. Thank you. Um, is it not true that this bill will help our firefighters and first responders across the state in terms of re- recruitment, retention, protecting their way of life with their families, and helping their families have a, have a future? Thank you, leader.

391. 2:50:35

     I appreciate you saying that because we have lost a lot of people in the fire service, whether they be full-time, part-time or volunteer, and this is going to keep people in the fire service and more importantly, the most experienced people in the fire service when we have critical staffing levels. This will impact every member in their district.

392. 2:50:58

     Thank you. Senator, will you further yield? Yes. Um, is it not true in, during these times when we're talking about affordability, um, finding ways to create economic stability for some of our most important, um, individuals and their families as they put their lives on the line for Georgians during this, these times? Isn't this an, isn't this a, an important bill to accomplish that task? Couldn't have said it better. Uh, Majority Leader, your comments are spot on. This is about helping our first responders, our frontline, uh, heroes every day that are protecting and serving for us.

393. 2:51:31

     Thank you. Thanks, Senator. Great bill. I have no further questions. Thank you. Chair recognizes the senator from the third.

394. 2:51:43

     Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Would senator yield? Certainly, Mr. Chairman. Um, Mr. Chairman, uh, did the representatives, any representatives of the firefighters or more particularly the people who manage their retirement fund ask for the ability to put up to ten percent of that fund into high-yield bonds? And if so, do you believe they understand the risk reward? Thank you. That's a great question. Yes, it was actually the fund managers and the firefighter organizations themselves that asked for this.

395. 2:52:18

     Uh, in fact, you all remember just a couple weeks ago, we had firefighter day here at the Capitol. Uh, and down on the south steps, we had a large crowd of firefighters from all over the state. When I announced that we had passed that out of the retirement committee just a little bit earlier, uh, we got a big standing ovation. Uh, they were excited about the ability to get more, uh, increases through COLAs because they'll get a better return as well as the ability for our experienced firefighters to be able to come back to work when we need them the very most.

396. 2:52:48

     Thank you.

397. 2:52:52

     No further questions, Senator. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, I thought this bill may have gone a little quicker than it did, but let me, uh, end where I began. This is the best run pension system in the state. It has no state tax dollars in it. It has the best returns, uh, and this is the right thing to do, and I promise you that the firefighters that are all over your district, uh, will be very happy with a green vote. Thank you. I yield the well. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure?

398. 2:53:23

     Chair recognizes the senator from the ninth.

399. 2:53:35

     All right. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I rise today respectfully to op- oppose this bill. Um, I fully support our firefighters and, and deeply understand they work, the work that they do, and I want their patien- pension system to remain, you know, fruitful and intact and strong and, and stable. But I do have some concerns with the bill as written. The, my first one is it expands, it expands benefits without a funding plan, meaning early retirement at age fifty i- is, um, is the early retirement age fifty, and it's going to be the ability to keep working while drawing a pension, and then those members who keep working, they stop paying dues, and more money, causing more money to go out than there is, and less money coming in.

400. 2:54:23

     That's one problem. Um, early m- retirement means more years of payouts, um, fewer active contributors paying into the fund, and y- my concern that I raise, you know, the low investment bonds, those are junk bonds. Junk bond, bonds. Excuse me, can't talk. Um, and those are higher risk and they're volatile. Um,

401. 2:54:49

     uh, you know, those assets could default and create, you know, collapses and recessions. So I am concerned about those low investment bonds. Um, uh, in closing, you know, I support our firefighters, but I do have some issues with the bill as written. I'm a little concerned. Um, I, I think not exposing them to unnecessary ri- risk is something that we should consider and, um, you know, expanding benefits while we're simultaneously increasing investment risk is really not good policy for me.

402. 2:55:23

     And with that, Mr. President, I yield the well. Senator has yielded the well. Any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Chair hears none. Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none and the previous question is ordered. The question is on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill?

403. 2:55:53

     The chair hears none. The report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? The chair hears none and the main question is ordered. The question is on the passage of the bill by substitute. All those in favor of the bill will vote yay. Opposed, nay. The secretary will unlock the machine.

404. 2:56:52

     Senator from the thirty-first, what purpose do you rise? Elementary inquiry. What's, state your inquiry. Is it not true that this bill is the same funding mechanism or model that we use for the Teacher Retirement System in Georgia?

405. 2:57:05

     That's for each and every senator to determine for themselves.

406. 2:57:10

     Mr. President, parliamentary inquiry.

407. 2:57:13

     State your inquiry.

408. 2:57:14

     Is it not true that we continue to hear from the minority party that they support public safety, firefighters, and police, and we continue to hear rhetoric about red votes that, um, undermine our public safety individuals across the state of Georgia?

409. 2:57:28

     Senator's passionate about what he speaks. On the pass of the bill, the yays are forty-seven and the nays are three. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitute.

410. 2:57:46

     Rolling on. Secretary will read the caption as Senate Bill...

411. 2:57:53

     Just, just wait just a minute. Chair recognizes the senator from the thirty-six. What purpose do you rise?

412. 2:57:59

     Uh, parliamentary inquiry.

413. 2:58:01

     State your inquiry.

414. 2:58:02

     Uh, is, is it not true that, uh, it, it, contrary to the comments of the majority leader, this was not a party line vote that, uh, an overwhelming majority, we passed this bill, uh, at, at one hundred percent in the re- in the, uh, retirement committee, and only three votes against it on the floor. So it would be spurious for the majority leader to try to categorize this as the minority party being opposed to the best interests of the firefighters and our public servants.

415. 2:58:34

     Is that not the case?

416. 2:58:35

     The bill did pass forty-seven to three, Senator. Thank you.

417. 2:58:39

     Thank you.

418. 2:58:40

     Secretary will read the caption, Senate Bill 369.

419. 2:58:49

     Senate Bill 369, by Senator Still of the forty-eighth and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 31 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the Charter Schools Act of 1999, so as to provide for completion charter schools, to provide for rules, regulations, policies, and procedures, to provide for the conversion of existing charter schools to completion charter schools, to provide for measurable objective performance standards, to provide for separate principles and standards for completion charter schools, to provide for a definition, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

420. 2:59:20

     Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Education and Youth recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Hickman of the fourth, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Education and Youth offers the following substitute to Senate Bill 369, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 31 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the Charter Schools Act of 1998, so as to provide for dropout recovery charter schools, to provide for rules, regulations, policies, and procedures, to provide for the conversion of existing charter schools to dropout recovery charter schools, and for other purposes.

421. 2:59:52

     Mr. President, that concludes the order.

422. 2:59:56

     I recognize the senator from the forty-eighth to speak to Senate Bill 369.

423. 3:00:15

     Thank you, Mr. President.

424. 3:00:19

     Colleagues, this is a good bill to bring us all back together and end the day. I'm pleased to present to you Senate Bill 369, a bill that proposes to help bring more Georgia high school students back into our educational system. How do we do that? By recognizing and incentivizing local districts to approve charter schools that serve marginalized students. Currently, we have a statewide accountability system that attempts to place these school districts into the same box with all other schools using metrics focused on performance on high-stakes tests and four-year graduation rates.

425. 3:00:54

     Senate Bill 369 is a step in the same direction many other states have already taken, creating an alternative accountability system for schools that focus on marginalized students, ones who have already dropped out or are at immediate risk of doing so. Their reason for dropping out vary, but it's often because, um, the student's caring for an adult sibling or a child of their own and can't attend a typical eight to three school. Uh, the student may have to work. Maybe the student's been bullied or feels alienated.

426. 3:01:25

     Uh, for these students, the first job is to get them back into the building and to ensure they are reading at a level that can allow them to complete high school level material. Remedial literacy takes time and the students may not be able to take their end of the course assessments on time resulting in a failing or incomplete score. These types of schools can offer a wonderful alternative that is mastery-based and customized allowing students not only to remediate but to accelerate high school completion if they so choose.

427. 3:01:59

     So you may ask, if not CCPRI, what should we grade them on? There are a variety of short-term and intermediate goals that can be applied such as credit recovery rate, increased GPA, increased attendance, and prior to graduation completion of the FAFSA or acceptance into a two or four-year college. Happy to talk more about the bill, but, uh, I think that we've all been here a really long time and happy to answer any questions if there are any.

428. 3:02:34

     I don't see any questions, Senator.

429. 3:02:36

     Thank you. Ask your, uh, favorable consideration of Senate Bill 369.

430. 3:02:43

     Does any other s- Does any senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Chair recognizes the senator of the thirty-eighth.

431. 3:03:07

     Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, I, uh, was a principal of a dropout prevention high school, uh, prior to stepping into the nonprofit space in education. And having led a school like this in Ohio, I can say that this bill is extremely necessary. Uh, and, uh, just to paint a picture of what this bill does, when we have schools that are focused on dropout prevention and recovery, these students come to us, uh, oftentimes, uh, being the students that we're giving up on, the ones that people wrote off and said, "You know what?

432. 3:03:44

     They're not gonna make it." But at some point, something was sparked in them, uh, to want to try again. Uh, the challenges that they run into is that many of them come into our schools far behind where their peers in many of the traditional schools are. And so these schools have to be graded on alternative measures, uh, to ensure that they are being successful in educating the population of students, um, that they are, you know, here to serve. I remember a student, uh, Miguel, who came into our school, a high school-aged student but was reading on a third grade reading level.

433. 3:04:22

     And I was shocked when our intervention, uh, specialist came to me and said, "Hey, we need to get some ele- elementary books in the school." And my initial reaction was, "No, that's just gonna offend the kid. They're gonna run them away." But what it really did was build confidence in Miguel, uh, to prepare him, uh, to continue to, uh, work that muscle and be more competent in being able to be on grade level. Uh, we have to often take these kids three, four, five, six grade levels in, uh, a couple of years in order to meet the requirements, uh, that are placed upon them.

434. 3:04:56

     And so what this bill does is give some opportunity for schools that are serving a very different population, uh, to continue to survive. And so this is something that is done across the country, um, and I'm glad to see, uh, Georgia, um, following, uh, suit and making this happen, uh, for schools that are serving a very important need in our communities. Uh, with that, I'm happy to pause for any questions.

435. 3:05:21

     Chair recognizes the senator from the 19th. Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, do you yield? Yes, sir, I do. Senator, can you walk me through, and since you've had experience in this field, what this bill does differently that helps the dropout schools that you mentioned you used to be a principal of? Yeah. So what it is doing differently is a lot, uh, our schools are judged on their CCRPI score. So it's saying, "Okay, based upon where your students should be, these are the, you know, ratings that you're getting." A lot of times these schools are getting kids that are far behind, and so you're not gonna make those metrics.

436. 3:05:55

     Uh, you can work as hard as you can, but you're not gonna make those metrics. So what it's doing is giving alternative opportunities. Uh, for example, uh, the gentleman from the 48th shared, like some of the completion requirements are they completed their FAFSA or that they are improving upon their credit recovery. They're making credits, and they're learning. It's not saying it's giving them a different shot. It's saying that based upon where these students are coming in, are you being successful in educating these kids and preparing them for either college or work after, uh, they graduate? Will senator further yield?

437. 3:06:26

     Yes, sir. I do. If, if we take the CCRI, I think I said- CCRPI. RPI. Yes. I knew I left a letter out there. Uh, if we take the CCRPI out, what- does that have an effect on anything else? Just I'm trying to just understand what that does for the school or what that does for other schools. My understanding is it doesn't. Um, these kids, these schools are serving a, such a unique population that they, we-- it actually gives us more information. It says, "Hey, you know, we're getting this population and they're coming in, you know, so far behind. Are we being successful?" So it's still having accountability, it's just recognizing that these, some of these schools are never gonna be able to meet those high CCRPI scores that their counterparts are doing in traditional schools.

438. 3:07:06

     Will senator yield for a final question? Yes, sir. If we then support this bill and it pulls the, the dropout schools out of the CCRPI standards, would that make more schools then be eligible for things like the Promise Scholarship because you're now gonna rebase the bottom 25%? Uh, that I, I would say yes. Yeah, 'cause they would not be, uh, in that pool. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. If there are no further questions, I will yield the will. You do have another- Oh, one more question ... question or two there.

439. 3:07:37

     Okay. Uh, senator, if you'd like to take them. Yes, sir. I'll take them. Chair recognizes the senator from the 21st who, uh- ... could be, I think he waves. I think we have the senators from the 6th and the 19th, uh, might have clicked that button. Oh, no. It could be a, just a malfunction. You know, we did renovate the chamber and it's a lot of bugs still in the electronics possibly.

440. 3:08:07

     Uh, chair recognizes the senator from the 41st. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, senator, do you yield? Yes, I do. I just wanna follow up on the senator from the 19th's last question. So if these schools are removed from, um, the current pools of ratings, does it mean... Uh, maybe I should, maybe let me back up. Do you know how many of the schools fit in this category currently? I don't know the number off the top of my head. It's a small percentage of schools, though. Okay. Um, but to the follow-up on the senator from the 19th, if these schools were removed from that, would it make more schools eligible to be considered in the bottom 25%?

441. 3:08:48

     So it would just be a different, uh, mix of schools because those are now pulled out. So more, because they are completely pulled out... Do you further yield? Yes. Because they are pulled out, then there are other schools that could fit into that slot and more students would therefore qualify for the Promise Scholarship. Is that not true? That's true. It'd just be a different mix of schools because now those schools are not in, and so the schools that are still falling within that 25% are going to be the schools where students would qualify for that scholarship.

442. 3:09:18

     Do you further yield?

443. 3:09:18

     Yes, I do.

444. 3:09:20

     Is it your contention that these schools are absolutely necessary, and this is probably the best pathway we have forward in order to make this happen?

445. 3:09:26

     Yeah, these schools are 100% necessary. These are students, uh, like as I shared, you know, when we had graduations, these were the kids that families were shocked that those were the students that are walking across the stage, and these are the kids that are given another shot at earning their high school diploma that do not want to go the GED route. So they're very necessary for our communities and for our economy. Thank you. Yeah. All right. With that, Mr. President. No more?

446. 3:09:53

     There are no further questions.

447. 3:10:01

     I don't see any other senators wishing to speak, so the, um, the previous question is ordered. The question is on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none, and the main question is ordered. Question is on the passage of the bill by substitute.

448. 3:10:33

     All those in favor of the bill, vote yay. Opposed, nay. The secretary will unlock the machine.

449. 3:11:39

     On the passage of the bill, the yays are 47 and the nays are zero. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitute.

450. 3:11:53

     Chair recognizes the senator from the 31st, the majority leader.

451. 3:11:58

     Mr. President, after all that fun this morning and early this afternoon, I move that the Senate stand adjourned until 10:00 AM Wednesday, February 18th.

452. 3:12:09

     Senator from the 9th, Will Percy rise to make an announcement?

453. 3:12:17

     Members, before you go, I do wanna remind everyone that the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus is having our annual Heritage Gala on the 27th. That's next Friday at the Georgia Aquarium. All are welcome. Uh, dues-paying members, you do not need a ticket, but you do need to register. But, uh, all are welcome. You can go to our website, georgialegislativeblackcaucus.com, and buy your tickets and your tables, and I would love to see more of, uh, my senators come and join us. Uh, we are a nonpartisan organization.

454. 3:12:48

     Chair recognizes our esteemed Appropriations Chairman for an announcement.

455. 3:12:57

     Thank you, Mr. President. Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, we have a meeting tomorrow morning, 7:30 AM, on the amended, uh, AF/IY 26 budget. Uh, it's at 7:30, 'cause there's another meeting that's gonna happen at 8:30, and we wanna make sure we had time. Two bills on the agenda, including the budget. Thank you so much. And, uh, if anyone's wondering where it's happening at, it's in the room formerly known as the House Appropriations Room. Thank you a lot.

456. 3:13:27

     The majority leader has moved that the Senate stand adjourned until 10:00 AM on Wednesday, February 18th, 2026. All those in favor of the motion will say aye.

457. 3:13:40

     Aye.

458. 3:13:40

     Those opposed, no.

459. 3:13:43

     No.

460. 3:13:43

     On the motion, the ayes clearly have it, and the Senate is adjourned.

461. 3:13:47

     Announcements.

462. 3:13:49

     Secretary, read the announcements. It's all yours.

463. 3:13:51

     The Rules Committee will meet upon adjournment in Room 450 of the Capitol. The Children and Families Committee will meet in Room 450 of the Capitol at 1:30 PM. The Retirement Committee will meet in Room 310 of the CLOB at 1:30 PM. The Education and Youth Committee will meet in Room 307 of the CLOB at 2:30 PM. The Higher Education Committee has been canceled. The Insurance and Labor Committee will meet in Mezzanine 1 at 3:30 PM. The Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee will meet in Room 450 of the Capitol at 4:30 PM. The State and Local Governmental Operations Committee will meet in Mezzanine 1 at 5:30 PM.

464. 3:14:23

     Mr. President, that completes the order.

465. 3:14:29

     We are adjourned.