Sesión en el pleno del Senado, 16 de marzo de 2026 (día legislativo 32)

Transcripción

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1. 0:22:49

   Good morning, good morning.

2. 0:22:53

   The time for convening has arrived. Senate will come to order. All unauthorized visitors please exit the chamber at this time. I recognize the senator from the 6th. Danny, how are you today, Senator?

3. 0:23:08

   Mr. President, I'm doing well. And how are you?

4. 0:23:10

   I'm great.

5. 0:23:11

   You look very dapper today. You look very lieutenant governor-ish.

6. 0:23:20

   Mr. President, we have a great group of pages here today from all over this great state. From Cumming, Georgia, we have Kaushal Avancha. From Griffin, William Barrow III. From Lawrenceville, Jonathan Beacham. From Jesup, Macy Blizzard. From McDonough, Jillian Boucek. From Cumming, Sarvesh Dilipkumar.

7. 0:23:50

   From Sandy Springs, Matthew Duncan. From John's Creek, Rohan Grafagnini. From Milton, Grace Green. From Marietta, Vanshi Gujarati. From Statesboro, William Herman. From East Point, couple of brothers, Asad and Aseem Hill. From Smyrna, Katherine Howard.

8. 0:24:21

   From Brookhaven, Gigi Imagoro. From Alpharetta, Alexandra Killoh. From Roswell, David Kim. From Forest Park, Jakai McNair. From John's Creek, Akachi Nwuzuobu. From Bethlehem, Valerie Uma. From Atlanta, Jacob Pahachek.

9. 0:24:54

   From Brookhaven, Whitney Pittman. From Milton, Avi Saxena. From Roswell, Elizabeth Shenk. From Cumming, we have another set of brothers, Eli and Lee Schnell. From Decatur, we have Eva Schroeder. From Guyton, Anjali Shobaeron. From Decatur, Elena Sherman.

10. 0:25:26

    And from East Point, we have Salem Turner. 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 this rainy morning with my power off, getting dressed and checking the journal and found no errors. I dismiss we-

11. 0:25:54

    I move we-

12. 0:25:54

    I move we dismiss with the reading of the journal.

13. 0:25:59

    All right, Senator. I'm so glad that you, uh, spent so many hours on getting this done for us, Senator. That means, that means a lot coming from you. And we thank the pages for being here today as well. Glad to have each and every one of you. I know a lot of schools let out today for the potential storm, so hopefully, uh-

14. 0:26:25

    Y'all have a half day

15. 0:26:25

    ... y'all have a half day. But hopefully, uh, hopefully we won't have too much, too much damage if the storms do end up hitting. So, but we do appreciate the pages for being here today. Is there objection to dispensing of the reading of the journal? Chair hears none. The reading of the journal is dispensed with. Is there objections to the confirmation of the journal? Chair hears none. The journal is confirmed. All senators who have bills and resolutions to introduce, please bring them to the secretary's desk at this time. First reading references of Senate bills. Mr. Secretary?

16. 0:26:57

    Senate Bill 619 by Senator Lucas of the 26th.

17. 0:26:59

    State and local government.

18. 0:27:00

    Senate Bill 620 by Senator Dixon of the 45th and others.

19. 0:27:02

    State and local government.

20. 0:27:03

    Senate Bill 621 by Senator Dixon of the 45th and others.

21. 0:27:06

    State and local government.

22. 0:27:07

    Senate Resolution 955 by Senators Davenport of the 17th and others, a resolution creating the Senate Rosenwald School Study Committee and for other purposes.

23. 0:27:15

    Education and Youth.

24. 0:27:16

    Mr. President, that completes the order.

25. 0:27:18

    First reading references of House bills.

26. 0:27:22

    House Bill 1507 by Representative Meeks.

27. 0:27:24

    State and local government.

28. 0:27:25

    House Bill 1501 by Representative Franklin.

29. 0:27:27

    State and local government.

30. 0:27:28

    House Bill 1513 by Representative Bonner of the 73rd.

31. 0:27:30

    State and local government.

32. 0:27:31

    Mr. President, that completes the order.

33. 0:27:35

    Secretary read reports of standing committee.

34. 0:27:38

    Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Education and Youth has had under consideration the following legislation, as instructed me to report the same back to the Senate with the following recommendation. House Bill 1030, do pass by substitute. House Bill 1284, do pass. House Bill 1293, do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Hickman of the 4th District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Rules has had under consideration the following legislation, as instructed me to report the same back to the Senate with the following recommendation. House Bill 445, do pass. 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, as instructed me to report the same back to the Senate with the following recommendation.

35. 0:28:16

    Senate Bill 609, do pass. Senate Bill 618, do pass. House Bill 1057, do pass. House Bill 1424, do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Dixon of the 45th District, Chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order.

36. 0:28:34

    Secretary read bills and resolutions for a second time.

37. 0:28:39

    Senate Resolution 789 by Senator James of the 28th and others. Senate Study Committee on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence, create. House Bill 376 by Representative Hilton of the 48th and others. Income tax, rehabilitation of certified structures, increase amount of tax credits. House Bill 519 by Representative Stephens of the 164th and others. Revenue and taxation, amount of federal work opportunity credit claimed by a taxpayer shall also be allowed as a tax credit, provide. House Bill 892 by Representative Holcomb of the 101st and others. Professions and businesses, prohibit massage ther- therapy businesses from operating during certain set hours.

38. 0:29:12

    House Bill 986 by Representative Jones of the 25th and others. Motor vehicles, personal delivery devices, revise operation procedures and restrictions. House Bill 998 by Representative Leverett of the 123rd and others. Public utilities, authorize certain tier two local exchange companies to elect to become subject to rate of return regulation. House Bill 1086 by Representative Chastain of the 7th and others. Preston Fant and Brandt Chesney Firefighter Safety Act, enact. House Bill 1107 by Representative Rice of the 139th and others. Excellent Teacher Preparation Act, enact.

39. 0:29:44

    House Bill 1123 by Representative Jones of the 47th and others. Quality Basic Education Act, require certain schools that offer after, uh, after-school programs to make such programs available to pre-kindergarten students. House Bill 1159 by Representative Gamble of the 15th and others. Income tax, all income received by individuals, corporations, and partnerships under the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program exempt from taxation. House Bill 1164 by Representative Wade of the 9th and others. Education, require State Board of Education to appoint an audit committee. House Bill 1181 by Representative Ballard of the 147th and others. Motor vehicles, applications for certificate of title, provisions.

40. 0:30:17

    House Bill 1195 by Representative Leverett of the 123rd and others. Veterinarians, practice and provision of veterinary tele- teletriage and veterinary telemedicine, revise provisions. House Bill 1202 by Representative Corbett of the 174th and others. Georgia Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Advisory Board, correct a, a scriber's error in a cross-reference. House Bill 1234 by Representative Taylor of the 173rd and others. State Employees Assurance Department, assignment of certain group term life insurance benefits to pay for funeral services of a deceased individual who was a member of certain retirement systems, provisions.

41. 0:30:50

    House Bill 1295 by Representative Cooper of the 45th and others. Physician Assistant Licensure Compact, enter into an interstate compact. House Bill 1302 by Representative Gamble of the 15th and others. Education and Workforce Strategy Act, enact. House Bill 1379 by Representative Gaines of the 120th and others. Foreign Funding Transparency and Accountability Act, enact. House Bill 1391 by Representative Fleming of the 114th and others. Specialty license plates, honor public safety officers, establish. House Bill 1408 by Representative Camp of the 135th and others.

42. 0:31:21

    Veterinarians, authorize licensed veterinary technicians to administer anti-rabies vaccinations to animals. House Resolution 1243 by Representative Martin of the 49th and others. Georgia Next Generation 911 Fund, authorize creation. Mr. President, that completes the order.

43. 0:32:00

    It is now time for the morning roll call. Are there any motions to excuse? Recognize the senator from the 33rd. Thank you, Mr. President, and good morning, y'all. I ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senators from the 5th, 9th, 15th, 22, 26, and 43 for business inside the Capitol. Write those down.

44. 0:32:30

    Sa- say those again, Senator. The 5th- Oh ... the 9th, the 15th, and what else? 5, 9, 15, 22, 26, and 43. All right. Without objection, those senators are excused. Any other motions to excuse? All right. Secretary will call the roll. Senators, signify your presence by voting the yeas. Secretary will unlock the machine.

45. 0:34:20

    It is now time for our morning devotion. All senators, please take your seats and cease all conversation. I would ask the doorkeepers to secure the chamber at this time.

46. 0:34:34

    We got us a very special pastor of the day. Dr. George Dillard is a person who's no stranger to this chamber, but he always brings us an inspirational message every time he comes. So, I hope y'all all give him your undivided attention. And I call on the senator from the 6th to lead us in our pledge and introduce our pastor of the day.

47. 0:35:03

    Please join me in the pledge to our nation's flag. 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. And now our Georgia flag. I pledge allegiance. To the Georgia flag, and to the principles for which it stands, wisdom, justice, moderation, and courage.

48. 0:35:37

    I'm gonna bring the microphone down, and I know Pastor Dillard's gonna have to bring it back up, but

49. 0:35:44

    Normally, Dr. Dillard is a, uh, is a fill-in. See, he lives down in Fayette County and it's a short drive, so if we have a, a, a quick need for a pastor of the day, we call him up. But however, today I actually invited him up, so I'm glad to have him here. And I'll have you know, he has gone before the US House on multiple occasions, and I believe the US Senate as well, but, uh, he's got a, uh, a time coming up where he will be the pastor of the day at the US House, and he wanted, uh...

50. 0:36:17

    They asked for a bio, which he hadn't written in about 20 years, and so he wrote a bio, and we're gonna test it out today. We're the, we're the test run for the US House of Representatives. So, uh, George Dillard III, the oldest of five children, grew up in Fairburn, Georgia, just south of Atlanta. His family heritage dates back to the Virginia colony in 1647. He graduated from Campbell High School. Over the next seven years, he prepared for his life calling as a pastor, attending Atlanta Christian College, which is now Point University, Emanuel Theological, Theological Seminary, and Evangel- Evangelical Theological Seminary.

51. 0:37:02

    Eventually obtained a PhD in theology. Since 1985, he has served two churches, first in, was that Rincon? Rincon, Georgia, and since 1993 is the lead pastor of Peachtree City Christian Church, where I have known Dr. Dillard f- for many years, longer than most of y'all in this chamber. He's authored four books, and he is an active in his community and around the world, leading a ministry that has built homes for the homeless in Georgia, Arizona, Ghana, Africa, Mexico, and Guatemala.

52. 0:37:39

    He has previously preached in Africa, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, and many states in the US. But most importantly, he is married to Renee since 1988, and they have three wonderful children and eight grandchildren. I give you Dr. George Dillard.

53. 0:37:58

    All right.

54. 0:38:02

    All right. Thank you, Senator. It's good to be with you this morning. You know, somebody asked me the other day, "So what do you do?" And I said, "Well, basically I'm a storyteller." So I'm gonna tell you a story this morning. Few years ago, a buddy of mine and I went fishing down in Effingham County, which is where Rincon, Georgia is. And, um, it had been raining and it was kind of mushy. We were fishing off the bank, and, uh, he decided to get some corn stalks to put his feet on 'cause he didn't wanna get his boots muddy.

55. 0:38:38

    And he threw his line out before he went to get the corn stalks, and I was standing there watching. And as I watched, the end of the rod went like this, and before I could even take a step, that rod shot off and, and out in the middle of the lake. And he was, he was just beside himself 'cause he had just bought it two days before, and he wanted to leave. And I said, "We're not leaving. We just got here. You go to my truck, you get you another rod, and you fish." So he did. He came back, threw his line out there, and he caught a fish.

56. 0:39:12

    And the fish came up out of the water, and it had a worm coming out of this side of its mouth and a worm coming out of this side of its mouth. And he reeled that fish in, and I took the line that was still going into the lake, and I waded out to my waist and pulling on that line, and I pulled in his brand-new rod and reel. And when I got back to the bank, he said, "There's no sense in telling this story to anybody 'cause nobody will believe it." And I told him then, "Does it matter if they believe it or not?

57. 0:39:50

    It's the truth." See, the truth matters, and we live in a culture right now where people think that just because they don't believe something that it is not true, and just because they believe something, it is true. And we need to be sure that we are people who tell the truth and live by the truth. And one of the great protectors of truth is to be interested in other people.

58. 0:40:27

    In fact, the Apostle Paul says in Romans 2:8, "But for those who are self-seeking, they reject the truth. They do not care about justice, and they don't look out for anybody else."

59. 0:40:51

    We have to be people who care about others. Everybody matters. Everybody in this world is important. We need to be sure... You know, I, I, I... The Rotary Club has this thing that says, "Make sure that it's fair for everybody concerned." Well, it can't be fair for everybody concerned because if it is fair for one group, it may not be fair for the other group.

60. 0:41:24

    Fairness has nothing to do with it. The truth is the truth is the truth. Stand by your truth. My grandmother used to have a saying, "That boy would lie when the truth would do."

61. 0:41:37

    We need to be people who are known for the truth, regardless of what it is. Just tell the truth. It doesn't matter if people believe it or not. Doesn't matter if they accept it or not. It's still the truth. And I hope that the men and women of this chamber will be people who represent the truth about the issues that we face today and not just interested in their own self-interest, but count other people as more important than yourself.

62. 0:42:23

    You know, my favorite passage of scripture is, is in Philippians 2:5. It says, "Have this attitude in yourself, which was also in Christ Jesus." And so we understand what that attitude is. He goes on to explain it. Says even though he was equal with God, he didn't see that equality with God as something to be grasped or held onto, but he emptied himself for our sakes and became obedient to God to the point of dying on the cross. That's the way we're supposed to live, in the truth and making sure that we're not self-seeking.

63. 0:42:58

    This chamber cannot function as it was intended to function in its creation if the people who occupy these offices are self-seeking. We have to do what is right, what is honorable, what is just, what is true for the people of Georgia. And I pray that you are the men and women who agree and will stand for the truth in this nation under God.

64. 0:43:36

    Would you pray with me? Father, we love you and we thank you for loving us. And we ask you to bless this assembly. Give them wisdom, courage, strength, integrity. Give them a thirst for the truth and compassion for the other. Help us to be united in our desire to do what is good and right for the people of this great state.

65. 0:44:11

    Now Father, bless their deliberations, their assembly today and in the days ahead, and we'll give you thanks for everything that we have, every good and perfect gift, and we bless each other because you've blessed us. And we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus' name, amen.

66. 0:44:35

    Amen.

67. 0:44:36

    Amen.

68. 0:44:37

    Good job. Good job. Always good job. Always.

69. 0:50:42

    If I could have everybody's attention real quick.

70. 0:50:44

    Okay.

71. 0:50:45

    If I can have everybody's attention. We have always appreciated our doctors that come down here and give their time to this, uh, this body and this Capitol building and, um, and I'd always l- like for us to pay the appropriate respects to those men and women that come down here. So if y'all could, uh, let's welcome a senator from the 32nd, uh, to introduce our doctor of the day. And, uh, her being a physician herself, she knows how important their time is, so thank you.

72. 0:51:18

    Here's senator.

73. 0:51:18

    Thank you, Governor. Thank you, Mr. President. I want to introduce you all to Dr. Jennifer Christie. She is a gastroenterologist and she worked at Emory for 16 years as a gastroenterologist, and currently she's in Colorado, although she still has a home here in Georgia, and she's back in Georgia right now doing a project on FQHCs with the gastroenterology community. So I would like for you all to welcome Dr. Jennifer Christie.

74. 0:51:50

    Thank you so much. Thank you, Dr. Kirkpatrick. Thank you and good morning, and I am truly honored to be here, uh, with you all, and thank you for this warm welcome. Thank you also for everything you do for the patients of Georgia, um, and we really appreciate your partnership. I look forward to helping you out in any way I can during the course of the day. I'll be downstairs with Ms. Mack, um, but I hope you guys stay well and have a, a really great day.

75. 0:52:21

    So thank you again.

76. 0:53:47

    We have a very special guest today. We've got Miss Georgia here in the chamber, so we're glad to have her. Secretary, read the caption.

77. 0:53:59

    Senate Resolution 786 by Senator Still of the 48th and others. A resolution recognizing and commending Audrey Quittilla, Miss Georgia 2025 and for other purposes. Whereas in recognition of her unwavering commitment to education, service, and leadership, Audrey Quittilla of Milton, Georgia, was crowned Miss Georgia in 2025 and was named third runner-up at the Miss America 2026 competition. And whereas she is the founder of Education for All, a community service initiative aimed at reducing school dropout rates by expanding access to early literacy and educational resources to ensure no student is overlooked or underserved due to their zip code, family background, or access to tools for learning.

78. 0:54:34

    Now therefore be it resolved by the Senate that the members of this body recognize and commend Audrey Quittilla, Miss Georgia 2025, and extend sincere best wishes for her continued health, happiness, and success. Mr. President, I complete the order.

79. 0:54:46

    Is there objection to the adoption of the resolution? Chair hears none and the resolution is adopted. Recognize the senator from the 48th to introduce our special guest today. Senator.

80. 0:54:59

    Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, I am honored today to introduce Fulton County's very own Miss Georgia, uh, as was just read in the caption from her resolution. She finished third runner-up and we are so very, very proud of her, and I love the fact that she is taller than every single one of y'all. Ladies and gentlemen, I am introducing-

81. 0:55:19

    Audrey Kittila. Audrey.

82. 0:55:21

    All right.

83. 0:55:26

    I guess that means I get permission to lift the microphone just a little bit. Um, good morning, Mr. President and distinguished members of the Georgia Senate. First, I wish to thank each of you for this tremendous honor. I would also like to thank Senator Shawn Still for his support and for making today possible. My name is Audrey Kittila, and I have the privilege of serving as Miss Georgia 2025. It is truly an honor to stand before you today and to represent the Miss Georgia organization and the young women across our state who participate in the Miss America opportunity.

84. 0:55:58

    In September, I had the privilege of representing Georgia at the Miss America competition where I was honored to be named third runner-up to Miss America. Like many people in Georgia, my own journey has been shaped by education. I'm a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia, go Dogs, and today I'm continuing my education there as a graduate student pursuing a career in speech-language pathology. That passion for education is one of the reasons the Miss Georgia organization has meant so much to me.

85. 0:56:30

    For nearly a century, this organization has served as one of the nation's leading scholarship and leadership programs for young women. Through local competitions across our state, participants develop professional skills, serve their communities, and pursue higher education with the support of scholarship funding. One of the most meaningful parts of serving as Miss Georgia has been the opportunity to champion my community service initiative, Education For All. This initiative was inspired by two young boys who had gone without many early educational opportunities.

86. 0:57:06

    By the time they were five years old, they did not know their colors, their numbers, or even the alphabet because they had not been given the chance to learn. But when our state stepped in to provide educational opportunities, everything changed. Once they were given access to books, encouragement, and educational support, the change was remarkable. Their academic growth improved. Their personalities began to emerge, and for the first time in their lives they were truly individuals.

87. 0:57:38

    It reinforced for me a simple truth, that every child deserves access to the tools they need to succeed. Education For All focuses on addressing barriers that contribute to school dropout, particularly literacy gaps and acce- lack of access to educational resources. Research shows that reading level as early as first grade can be an indicator of whether a student will graduate high school. That means that the work we do to support literacy and educational access truly shapes the future of our students.

88. 0:58:11

    Through this initiative, I've had the opportunity to visit classrooms across Georgia, read to students, partner with organizations that provide educational support, and advocate for educational opportunities that help every child succeed. I also want to take a moment to express my gratitude to each of you in this chamber. As someone who spends so much time in classrooms and communities across our state, I see firsthand the impact that thoughtful policy and legislation can have on Georgia's students.

89. 0:58:42

    Your work to pass legislation that strengthens education, supports schools, and expands opportunities for young people makes a real difference in the lives of families across Georgia, and I am grateful for your commitment to investing in the future of our students. Serving as Miss Georgia has allowed me to experience the incredible diversity and strength of Georgia's communities. Since being crowned nine months ago, I have traveled more than 32,000 miles visiting schools, speaking with students, and meeting communities both large and small.

90. 0:59:18

    From rural classrooms to city auditoriums, I've seen firsthand how deeply Georgians value education, community, and opportunity. And everywhere I go I'm reminded that the future of our students sits in those classrooms, and ultimately the, ultimately the future of our state does as well. It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent this great state and the people who call Georgia home. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be here today, and thank you for your continued commitment to the people and the future of the great state of Georgia.

91. 0:59:50

    All right.

92. 1:02:58

    Good job. Good job. Good job. We have some very special guests here today, and I'll let the, uh, secretary r- read the resolution and, and then I'll have the senator from the 49th introduce our special guests.

93. 1:03:12

    Senate Resolution 942 by Senator Echols of the 49th and others. A resolution commending the w- Atlanta World Cup Host Committee and for other purposes. Whereas in June 2022, Atlanta, Georgia, was selected to serve as one of the 16 host cities across three different countries for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Whereas the FIFA World Cup 2026 will occur over a month in Georgia with the first group match in Atlanta on June 15th, 2026. And whereas the Atlanta Sports Council spearheaded the bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2026 alongside its partners in the community and state, including the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, Arthur M.

94. 1:03:48

    Blank Sports and Entertainment, Georgia World Congress Center Authority, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Metro Atlanta Chamber, the City of Atlanta, and the State of Georgia. And whereas the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be hosted at the world-class Mercedes-Benz Stadium. And whereas the FIFA World Cup 2026 has catalyzed development all across our state, spurring over 5 million, billion in private development and over 100 million in infrastructure investments, improving Atlanta's preparedness for residents and visitors from around the world. Now therefore be it resolved by the Senate that the members of this body commend the Atlanta World Cup Host Committee for its efforts to prepare Atlanta and the State of Georgia to welcome national and international visitors for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

95. 1:04:26

    Mr. President, I complete the order.

96. 1:04:29

    Is there de- objection to the adoption of the resolution? Chair hears none. The resolution is adopted. It is nice to have our FIFA representatives and Atlanta, uh, Council here, the Atlanta Chamber here today. We actually got to go to the New York Stock Exchange a couple weeks ago.

97. 1:05:03

    I know there's a big conspiracy about where I really was, but it was at, I was at the New York Stock Exchange with the Metro Chamber and everything. So, but, uh, had a great time. Uh, we're gonna the, uh, we're gonna have a great event, uh, here in the, in the city of Atlanta and the State of Georgia here just in a few weeks when we have the FIFA World Cup. Uh, I understand it's about like having eight Super Bowls all packed into a month's time. So, uh, so it will be exciting. They've done a lot of work. We're excited about all the work that's been done, and I'd like to recognize the senator from the 49th to speak to the resolution.

98. 1:05:42

    Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning, colleagues. I'm excited to be up here. I think we're 91 days away from, uh, from... I don't know if kickoff is the, the right term or not in, in soccer, but it is my honor to welcome members of the Atlanta World Cup Host Committee as we recognize their leadership in preparing our capital city and state for one of the largest sporting events on the planet, uh, the FIFA World Cup 2026. We're now within 91 days, uh, of this thing, k- match number one on June 15th.

99. 1:06:16

    With me today I have Dan Corso, President of the Atlanta Sports Council, have Kay Kirkpatrick, President and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Dietmar Exler, Chief Operating Officer from Arthur M. Blank Sports and Entertainment. This summer, the world's eyes will turn to Atlanta, Georgia, for the biggest World Cup ever, where we will host eight matches, including five group matches, and a round of 32 match, a round of 16 match, and a coveted semifinal. With a world-class stadium, the busiest airport on the planet, and a storied history of hosting major sporting events, including the 1996 Olympics, two Super Bowls, and two CFP National Championship games, we're well-positioned to showcase Atlanta, Georgia, to millions of visitors and billions of viewers worldwide.

100. 1:07:03

     But this moment is about more than soccer and the matches on the field. It is about economic development, tourism, and global visibility for our entire state. It's about small businesses, restaurants, hotels, and hospitality communities across Georgia benefiting from the excitement that the FIFA World Cup brings. So today we proudly welcome them to the Senate and thank them for their leadership as we prepare to host the world right here in the Peach State. Y'all welcome Dietmar Exler.

101. 1:07:36

     Thank you. Good morning, everybody.

102. 1:07:40

     Good morning.

103. 1:07:40

     Lieutenant Governor Jones, Chairman Echols, dear members of the Senate, thank you so much for being here. Thank you on behalf of my colleagues, Kay Kirkpatrick and Dan Corso, for the resolution we just heard, and even more, thank you for the ongoing support we all get from you for all the events we're doing. Without you and your support, FIFA World Cup 2026, the biggest sporting event in the world, would not be possible to have here in Georgia.

104. 1:08:11

     But it's not just about that one event. As you well know, Georgia is the number one state for sports events in the whole country. We're leading the nation with having SEC champions in Peach Bowl every year, only state that had the college football championship twice. Now having FIFA, having already Super Bowl committed, Final Four, and talking about other big events coming to the state. That would not be possible, we couldn't do that without you.

105. 1:08:43

     Let me assure you, we are all working hard to deliver an unmatched fan experience. Whether that is anywhere at our hotels, anywhere else in the city, at Fan Fest, or at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, we will deliver the well-known Southern hospitality to all of the visitors that come from the whole world. Now, it might sound a little bit funny to you if a guy with my accent talks about Southern hospitality. Uh, you all probably didn't expect that, but I came to Georgia about 10 years ago.

106. 1:09:16

     I experienced it, and believe me, I drank the Kool-Aid. I know what that is. And that prompted us, that experience, that hospitality, to put FIFA '26 in Atlanta under the heading Welcome Home to Georgia. And that's what we're gonna deliver to the whole world, a Welcome Home to Georgia environment to make everybody appreciate what our great state can offer. Thank you so much for all you do every day.

107. 1:09:47

     We really, really appreciate all your help. Thank you.

108. 1:09:59

     I want Dan to say a little something to the chamber. He did, he, he said he spoke over at the House and, and, uh, but I, uh, Dan, uh, Corso deserves a lot of credit, uh, for all these events that we have here in the, in the city of Atlanta and the State of Georgia. Uh, you know, he's helped, uh, steer Super Bowls here, national titles, obviously the, uh, now the FIFA World Cup, and many, many other things. So I wanna give, uh, I wanna give him, uh, opportunity to speak because he deserves a whole lot of credit.

109. 1:10:30

     It's always a team effort when obviously the Blank, um, uh, family and its organization obviously are great partners as well as the Metro Chamber. But you always gotta have a person who's kind of the workhorse, uh, behind the scenes and everything else, and that's what, uh, Dan Corso is. So Dan, take a minute and let's welcome Dan Corso.

110. 1:10:51

     Uh, good morning, uh, Lieutenant Governor. Thank you for that. Um, I want to underscore what you said. It does take teamwork, uh, to be number one in something, and this state, as Deep Mar said, is used to being number one in many things, including the number one state to do business year after year after year. And we, of course, are also number one in the country for hosting the biggest sporting events in the world here in our state. That takes a lot of people, a lot of organizations from the public side and the, and the private side working together, and you can't have a better example than, uh, this group, this body, the Georgia General, General Assembly working together to make sure that Georgia is top of mind to the biggest, uh, sporting events in the world when they are looking for destinations to host their events.

111. 1:11:33

     Uh, one thing I would, uh, ask you to consider, tell all your constituents, tell your colleagues, your friends, your families, your neighbors, anybody you know, to come out and be a part of this celebration. This is a once in a lifetime event. Uh, it- the last time it was held in the US was in 1994. Atlanta, Georgia was not a host, and it will be many, many, many years before we get an opportunity to host it again. So come out and celebrate it. You don't need to be a soccer fan to enjoy the World Cup. This is a celebration of the sport. It's a cultural event. It's a global event coming to a global state, and we want everybody in the state to be a part of it.

112. 1:12:07

     So thank you for the time, and thank you, Lieutenant Governor.

113. 1:25:05

     Are there any unanimous consents?

114. 1:25:11

     It is now time for points of personal privilege. Senator from 56, do you, did you have something? Senator, did you have something? It was 43 again. Sure. I would do that after. I know. All right. Recognizing the senator from the 28th. Do you want to do it from your seat? You want to come down here? All right. Senator from the 33rd, are you gonna have a quick message?

115. 1:25:41

     Yes, sir.

116. 1:25:41

     Why don't you come on down here while we're waiting on the senator from the 28th.

117. 1:25:49

     Yeah, I get-

118. 1:26:05

     Thank you, Mr. President, my fellow senators, colleagues, friends, and y'all.

119. 1:26:15

     I rise to welcome the activists behind the drive for the Equal Rights Amendment to the State Capitol. They are driving a restored 1914 two-seater Yellow Saxon motor car, the same make and model used in 1916 by two suffragists to build support for the 19th Amendment and women's right to vote. Today, advocates are retracing that historic journey, traveling through 25 states and driving over 10,000 miles to finish what the suffragists started 110 years ago, securing full constitutional equality across sex.

120. 1:26:54

     The ERA once enshrined into our nation constitution would ensure that equality of rights under the law cannot be denied on the basis of sex. Please join me in welcoming the advocates here today, and I encourage you to attend the ERA History Showcase this morning at 10:45, followed by a tour send-off at 11:00 AM as they continue on to Knoxville, Tennessee. Let's give them applause, please.

121. 1:27:24

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

122. 1:27:27

     Thank you, Senator. Recognizing the senator from the 28th.

123. 1:27:50

     Let me see. Uh-oh. I'm scared. Woo. Thank you. Thank you. I got it.

124. 1:28:03

     One more step. I can't wait until I can run down, walk, jump, dance, everything, so I'm hoping you won't have to see me too much longer with this. But thank you, Mr. President.

125. 1:28:24

     Today is Morris Brown Day at the Capitol, and I proudly wear my purple to celebrate Morris Brown College here at, under the Golden Dome. And we have SR789 that commemorates them. There you are. We also have our president of Morris Brown College, Mr. Kevin, Dr.

126. 1:28:55

     Kevin James. Also, Dr. Jamie Jamison, uh, Shermi- uh, Sherman, Shermanetta-

127. 1:29:05

     Carter

128. 1:29:05

     ... Carter, and Todd Blackburn, DeQuincey Atterberry, Shandra Hill Smith, and Dr. James Allen, and Wylene White Smith, and many up in the gallery. So I'm, I'm so happy that they are here today. I'm especially proud to call myself a Mor- Morris Brownite. It is my alum, uh, uh, alma mater, and to remain closely connected to the alumni community that helped nurture my educational and professional growth, but so many other thousands and thousands.

129. 1:29:49

     It feeds hungry minds. So I'm glad that we're standing and we're, we've been here since 1881, and we're gonna continue to grow and grow and grow. So step out for a minute just so they can see you, President. Say hello. And everyone in the gallery, please stand. And colleagues, give them a warm welcome from the Senate chamber. Thank you for being here.

130. 1:30:22

     Y'all, th- this purple is looking good around here. Thank you and thank... And it, I do have a resolution, and, uh, the yellow light is already on, but I am going to present the resolution to our president this morning. So thank you, Mr. President of the Senate, and I yield the well. Thank you.

131. 1:30:51

     11:00. 11:00, we're gonna take- Oh, it's after 11:00, but we're gonna take a picture on the steps. Thank you.

132. 1:31:22

     Recognize the senator from the 41st.

133. 1:31:41

     Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, today I rise to honor my own Sorors, the Sigma Gamma Rho. Today is Sigma Gamma Rho Day here at the Capitol, and so I'm so honored to welcome Sorors here to my right, and they're also in the gallery. Um, thank you all so much for being here. The Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated is a s- a sorority, a part of the Divine Nine, that works diligently to make sure that Georgians and those all across the United States have opportunities to thrive.

134. 1:32:15

     Um, we are a very large sorority in terms of having members that represent all the different fields and varieties that you could possibly have, but we have a great emphasis on uplifting communities through education, civic engagement, and social action. The motto for Sigma Gamma Rho is, "Greater service, greater progress," and I can say that that is truly something that Sorors live out each and every day. Um, I'll add with this little point of personal privilege, I became an SGRho because my middle school teacher had a keychain that said, what I thought said, "ERP," and I asked her, "What is ERP?" And she taught me all about Sigma Gamma Rho.

135. 1:32:58

     So when I went to join when I was in college, um, I was really clear that I wanted to find my Sorors in Sigma Gamma Rho. So again, happy Sigma Gamma Rho Day. So glad to have you all. If you all would please give them a warm welcome from the Senate. Thank you.

136. 1:37:23

     Senator from the 35th.

137. 1:37:39

     All right. Good morning. Thank you, Mr. President. Just really briefly wanted to, uh, shout out the quiet folks who are working sometimes in the shadows, praying for this chamber and the chamber across the hall. Uh, we have a doorkeeper who, uh, wrote the most beautiful card, and then there's so many people who love the Lord, and they love people, and they're, they do it in their own quiet way. So I just wanna say thank you to the folks who may not be an elected official.

138. 1:38:11

     They may not have an official vote in this body. They may not be here in the well, but they do the quiet work. They encourage on the side. They nudge. They're doing all of the little things because we have learned that the little things are, in fact, the big things. So this is just a quick thank you. You know who you are and others who were praying for each other, helping each other through these, uh, sometimes difficult days because our state needs praying folks to move us forward.

139. 1:38:45

     Thank you. I yield the well.

140. 1:39:19

     Recognize the senator from the 34th.

141. 1:39:27

     Thank you, Mr. President. Today, I ask that we pause for a moment of silence in honor of Brandon A. Shaw, a devoted soldier, a leader who served our nation in honor of, and distinction. Lieutenant Colonel Shaw, a proud graduate of University of Georgia, and dedicating his service, leading with courage, integrity, commitment to those he served beside.

142. 1:40:02

     He carried his value into his military, defined with duty and sacrifice. As a vet- as a fellow veteran, I know the weight of the oath that we've taken.

143. 1:40:15

     To defend this nation and stand beside our fellow brothers and sisters in arm. Today, we remember Lieutenant Colonel Shaw, not just for his rank, but for his life of service and legacy he leaves behind. Please join me for a moment of silence.

144. 1:40:38

     Senator has asked for a moment of silence. If everyone could please stand and-

145. 1:40:43

     To honor the Lieutenant Colonel Shaw, his service, and his family, and the sacrifice for him and his family. Thank you, Mr. President.

146. 1:40:51

     Thank you, Senator.

147. 1:40:57

     Thank you.

148. 1:43:14

     You have 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 resolution on the consent calendar? Chair hears none. The resolutions on the consent calendar are adopted.

149. 1:43:46

     Recognize the senator from the 56th for a motion.

150. 1:43:51

     Thank you, Mr. President. I'd ask unanimous consent that House Bill 369 be withdrawn from the Committee on Public Safety and committed to the Committee on Ethics.

151. 1:44:01

     Secretary, read the caption.

152. 1:44:04

     House Bill 369 by Representative Sharper of the 176- 7th and others. A bill to be entitled in act to amend Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 8 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to general provisions relative to equipment of motor vehicles so as to provide for vehicle equipment standards for motor vehicles used for the sale of food or beverages that primarily conduct such sales upon roadways to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, that completes the order.

153. 1:44:42

     Senator, would you like to speak to the motion? Is there objection to the motion? Without objections, motion granted.

154. 1:44:52

     Recognize the senator from the 31st.

155. 1:44:56

     Good morning, Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent that HB 583 be withdrawn from the Committee on Public Safety and committed to the Committee on Ethics.

156. 1:45:05

     Secretary, read the caption.

157. 1:45:08

     House Bill 583 by Representative Glaze of the 67th and others. A bill to be entitled in act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to prestige license plates and special plates for certain persons and vehicles so as to provide for the issuance of two free license plates for veterans who are totally disabled or disabled, to provide for application, to provide for conforming changes, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, that completes the order.

158. 1:47:51

     Does the majority leader wish to speak to his motion? You pass? All right. Is there objection?

159. 1:47:56

     Objection.

160. 1:47:57

     There is objection. You, you wanna speak to it? You wanna speak to it, leader?

161. 1:48:17

     You still on my mark limit?

162. 1:48:18

     I got called.

163. 1:48:22

     Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to object to this motion to move what is on its face a license plate bill that's properly placed in public safety over to ethics. We've asked the majority party, "Can you tell us more about it?" They've refused to speak to us offline. They refuse to speak to us in the well. And so we just object to the refusal that you all have to even have some type of participatory action in this democracy. Um, the mi- minority party, we are here to have, be reasonable in our conversations and in our approach.

164. 1:48:56

     If you just simply tell us the conversation, we wouldn't have to put another vote on the board. But because you refuse, we object.

165. 1:49:46

     All right, Senator. You got three minutes. I know you can get it done in 59 seconds.

166. 1:49:58

     Well, thank you, Mr. President. And the reason I am in the well today as we object, uh, to this motion is the senator from the 14th made a very similar motion, uh, to move a bill that many of us signed for interstate cooperation, uh, and it did not move. And I'd like to quote the senator from the 27th. Uh, we believe, uh, the senator from the 27th stated that he believes that the Committee on Assignments assign bills to where they want them to go, and when they do that, they don't intend for them to move. And so, Mr. President, with precedent already being set and the senator from the 27th, uh, echoing that, he believes the Committee on Assignments m- makes the right call when they place bills into the right committee, uh, and that they are infallible.

167. 1:50:39

     Therefore, Mr. President, I hope that the majority party will vote no on this as they trust the Committee on Assignments, which is made up by everybody in the majority party. And so with that, I yield the well.

168. 1:50:58

     All right. Thank you, Senator. So we have a motion from the majority leader, have objection from leader from the 41st. So we will just vote on the motion. The majority leader moved on the motion to withdraw and recommit. All those in favor of the majority leader's motion will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

169. 1:52:39

     On the motion, the ayes are 31 and the nays are 17, and this motion has prevailed.

170. 1:52:48

     Recognize the majority leader for a motion. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that HB 297 be withdrawn from the Committee on Finance and committed to the Committee on Transportation.

171. 1:53:12

     Secretary, read the caption. House Bill 297 by Representatives Anderson of the 10th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 40-1-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to definitions relative to motor vehicles and traffic so as to revise the definition of multipurpose off-highway vehicle to amend Article 10 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to ad valorem taxation of motor vehicles and motor homes so as to define multipurpose off-highway vehicle and subclassify such vehicles for ad valorem taxation purposes, to provide that such vehicles shall not be returned or taxed for ad valorem taxation purposes, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date and applicability, to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes.

172. 1:53:51

     Mr. President, that completes the order.

173. 1:54:08

     Hello, Madam Whip.

174. 1:54:11

     Okay.

175. 1:54:13

     You're gonna object to it again?

176. 1:54:16

     Yes.

177. 1:54:16

     Thought everybody was getting along today. All right. Got ob- Would you like to speak to your objection? Would you like to speak to your motion? All right.

178. 1:54:29

     All right. All those in favor of the majority leader's motion will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

179. 1:55:40

     On the passage of the motion, the yays are 32 and the nays are 17, and this motion has prevailed.

180. 1:55:53

     You have before you a local consent calendar. Mr. Secretary, are there any objections?

181. 1:56:01

     Mr. President, no objections have been filed.

182. 1:56:05

     Is there objection to agreeing to the fourth committee which owns state and local government operations, which is favorable to the passage of the bill on local consent calendar? Chair hears none. Fourth committee is agreed to. Questions on the passage of the bill on the local consent calendar, all those in favor will vote yay. Opposed, nay. Secretary will unlock the machine.

183. 1:57:43

     On the local consent calendar, the yays are 48 and the nays are one, and this, having reached the constitutional majority, is therefore passed.

184. 1:58:09

     Recognizing the senator from the 31st.

185. 1:58:18

     Mr. President, I think we know what's about to happen, right? I ask for unanimous consent that HB 1000 be engrossed.

186. 1:58:28

     Secretary, read the caption.

187. 1:58:32

     House Bill 1000 by Representatives Gamble of the 15th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 7 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to income taxes so as to provide for a one-time tax credit for individual taxpayers who filed income tax returns for the 2024 and 2025 taxable years, to provide for a definition, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. Mr. President, that completes the order.

188. 1:59:18

     Is there objection? You do have objection. Would you like to speak to your motion? Would you like to speak to your objection?

189. 1:59:26

     No.

190. 1:59:26

     Okay. All right, then all those in favor of, uh, motion to engross on H- HB 1000 will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

191. 2:01:36

     On the motion, the yays are 32, the nays are 20, and this motion has prevailed.

192. 2:01:44

     Moving on to rules calendar.

193. 2:01:51

     Secretary, read SR 697.

194. 2:01:56

     Senate Resolution 697 by Senator Burns of the 23rd and others, a resolution recognizing and commending Jason Colbert and inviting him to appear before the Georgia Senate and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Higher Education recommend that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Burns of the 23rd District, Chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order.

195. 2:02:48

     Recognize senator from the 23rd.

196. 2:03:03

     Thank you, Mr. President. I'll be brief. Uh, colleagues, this is a resolution recognizing Jason Colbert, who is a nontraditional nursing student at Southeastern Technical College in Vidalia, Georgia. He is the 2025 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership winner or the GOAL winner. We will have Jason and his colleagues in the chamber next week. I ask for your favorable consideration. If there are no questions, I will yield the well.

197. 2:03:33

     No questions.

198. 2:03:34

     Thank you.

199. 2:03:39

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

200. 2:05:32

     On the adoption of SR 697, the yays are 52, the nays are 0. And this resolution has a c- the majority therefore is adopted.

201. 2:05:54

     Secretary read SR 698.

202. 2:05:58

     Senate Resolution 698 by Senator Burns of the 23rd and others. A resolution recognizing and commending Dr. Ekaterina Mirzakulova and inviting her to appear before the Georgia Senate and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Higher Educations recommend that this resolation- resolution do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Burns of the 23rd District, Chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order.

203. 2:06:29

     Recognize senator from the 23rd.

204. 2:06:45

     Thank you, Mr. President. Again, uh, colleagues, I'll be brief. This is a resolution recognizing the 2025 Rick Perkins Award, uh, Excellence in Teaching and Technical Instruction. Dr. Ekaterina Mirzakulova is from, uh, teaches chemistry at Central Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins, Georgia. I request your favorable consideration for Senate Resolution 698. Thank you, Mr. President. If there are no questions, I will yield the well.

205. 2:07:30

     Recognize senator from the 33rd. Thank you, Mr. President. I wanted to ask the senator if he could pronounce that name three times in a row.

206. 2:07:44

     That's his name. Oh, yeah. All right. Any other senators wish to speak?

207. 2:07:51

     Does 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. The previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the reporter committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill, or the resolution I should say? Chair hears none. The, the report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. The question is on the adoption of the resolution. All those in favor vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary will unlock the machine.

208. 2:09:59

     On the adoption of SR 98, the yays are 49, the nays are 0. This, the resolution has received the requisite constitutional majority and is therefore adopted.

209. 2:10:16

     Secretary read House Bill 521.

210. 2:10:20

     House Bill 521 by Sen- Representatives Anderson of the 10th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 8 of Chapter 36 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to municipal de-annexation so as to revise procedures relating to the de-annexation of certain properties, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. Mr. President,

211. 2:10:42

     the Senate Committee on Rules recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Brass of the 6th District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Rules offers the following substitute to House Bill 521, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 36 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to annexation of territories so as to provide for equal reporting requirements for annexations and de-annexations, to provide that certain such annexations are contingent upon approval of the county in which the subject property is located, to revise procedures related to the de-annexation of certain properties, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes.

212. 2:11:16

     Mr. President, that completes the order.

213. 2:11:21

     Recognize senator from the 45th. What purpose do you rise? Thank you, Mr. President. I move that HB 521 be committed to the Committee on State and Local Governmental Operations general. All right. Is there objection? No objection. So granted.

214. 2:11:40

     Secretary read House Bill 535.

215. 2:11:55

     House Bill 535 by Representative Smith of the 18th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 42-8-38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to arrest or graduated sanctions for br- probationers violating terms, hearing, disposition of charge, and procedure when probation revoked in county other than that of conviction so as to provide for credit for time served regarding probation revocation sentencing, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Judiciary recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Strickland of the 42nd District, Chairman.

216. 2:12:27

     Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Judiciary offers the following substitute to House Bill 535, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 13 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to schedules, offenses, and penalties relative to the regulation of controlled substances so as to clarify and revise mandatory minimum departure provisions for defendants convicted of trafficking of certain substances, to provide for a statutory sentencing limit applic- applicable to the offense of trafficking in fentanyl, to amend Code Section 40- 42-8-38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to arrest or graduated sanctions for probationers violating terms, hearing, disposition of chain- of charge, and procedure when probation revoked in county other than that of conviction so as to provide for credit for time served regarding probation revocation sentencing, to provide for effective dates and applicability, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

217. 2:13:16

     Mr. President, Senator McLaurin of the 14th District offers the following amendment. Amendment 1. Amend the Senate Committee on Judiciary substitute to House Bill 535 by replacing line 20 with the following, "or brings into this state 4 grams or more of fentanyl as identified in." Mr. President, that c- that completes the order.

218. 2:13:44

     Recognize senator from the 46th. Athens, Georgia's finest.

219. 2:14:03

     Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate that splendid introduction this morning. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, this goes back to our ongoing battles. The senator from the 8th has been committed to tightening up the rules on fentanyl possession and distribution in this state. It has become quite the plague, a scourge on our society. Young people dying from unintentional fentanyl overdoses. This goes back to the version we passed out last year which got confused in the process and, and the, the penalties were not as severe as we had wanted them to be.

220. 2:14:40

     Makes it very clear if you possess 4 or more grams of fentanyl, you're gonna be dealt with severely. Two and a half years minimum to 10 years maximum and it, the, the penalties go on up to 35 years depending on the amount of the substance or, or fentanyl mixed with other substances that you have. I would heartily endorse your support of this bill. We have to put an end to the fentanyl invasion in our state and this is the way you do it. You lock these people up so they don't continue, uh, spreading this poison to our children and in our communities.

221. 2:15:14

     It also has another piece in the bill in Section 2 which is a fix, uh, for time served if you're arrested on a probation revocation warrant. In Georgia, under almost any circumstances where you're arrested and placed in jail waiting for your court date, waiting for trial, you're given credit for time served because you're being incarcerated, you just hadn't been formally sentenced, so it reverts back and you get credit for that time. Uh, due to a recent court decision, there's some confusion whether that same principle applies if you've been picked up on a r- probation revocation warrant.

222. 2:15:50

     This just says if you're picked up, you're put in jail for violating the terms of your probation, you're given credit for time served towards your sentence, uh, in the event that your sentence is revoked. Good policy and I'd appreciate the support of the full Senate on these very common sense measures. Happy to take any questions, Mr. President, or I will yield the well. You do have one question, Senator. Recognize the senator from the 14th. Oh, never mind. All right, no questions. Uh, since you mentioned that, I did see the amendment, late arriving amendment from the senator of the 14th.

223. 2:16:23

     I think if, if I'm reading it right, it weakens the bill to it's not just simple possession. You have to have transported fentanyl into the state. Uh, I do not support that amendment. Thank you. I yield the well.

224. 2:16:37

     Recognize the senator from the 14th.

225. 2:16:54

     Thank you, Mr. President. This is not just a simple cleanup bill. Uh, I commend the author, or I should say the Senate sponsor, on being forthright about the purpose of this bill. The purpose of this bill is to increa- increase criminal penalties that the House of Representatives did not want to increase to this point. And, uh, I think it's really important for us to be very precise about what this code section says and what this bill is trying to do.

226. 2:17:35

     1971 was when Nixon declared the war on drugs. And I'm gonna quote one of Nixon's top advisors at the time in the early '70s.

227. 2:17:50

     Mr. Fuentes, could you give me one second? If everybody could give the senator's attention please. Senator Whale.

228. 2:18:00

     One of the top advisors to Richard Nixon said in the early 1970s, and I quote, "We couldn't make it illegal to be either against the war or Black." So that was the purpose of increasing penalties on simple possession of drugs at that time. But I wanna be even-handed because in the 1990s, under the Clinton administration, 1994, there was a massive crime bill that people like Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have been criticized for participating in because at the time, in the 1990s, this country believed wrongly that dumping millions of dollars into mass incarceration would somehow solve society's ills.

229. 2:18:41

     And as a result of those policies, starting in the '70s and continuing through the 1990s, the United States has one of the largest incarcerated populations in the world. 25%, roughly, of people who are incarcerated are locked up for drug offenses, millions of people behind bars in this country. And I think this body just acknowledged in the amended budget that we need more mental health resources and more addiction resources as opposed to being, quote-unquote, "tough on crime" when it comes to people who are addicted to drugs.

230. 2:19:19

     Now undoubtedly there are gonna be some ads in September or October of this year that tell you that I somehow want communities to suffer or somehow want to poison communities. You'll, you'll hear allegations like this, and you'll hear allegations of that nature against any politician that wants you to be reasonable and think about how best to prevent drug addiction, how best to treat drug addiction, and how best to keep harmful substances like fentanyl off of our streets. I wanna keep fentanyl off of our streets. I think we have a, a cartel problem where cartels south of the border are moving large amounts of illicit drugs, including deadly fentanyl, into our country.

231. 2:20:00

     We absolutely need a coordinated federal strategy to stop that. But starting in the 1970s and continuing through the 1990s, we have experimented for decades with failed policies that just increase penalties, criminal penalties, on people who are addicted to drugs, thinking that somehow that is going to deter them from being addicted or, or solve their addiction somehow. No. What it does is it puts more people in a mass incarceration setting where their addiction becomes even worse, and they succumb to sickness and death inside prison walls, not to mention inside prisons is where gang activity is primarily coordinated, and so drugs become part of the life of people in prison.

232. 2:20:49

     So even after playing Red Rover and putting a bunch of people who are addicted in prison, you don't get the policy benefit that you want when prisons themselves become places where drugs are trafficked, places where coordination of gang activity outside of prison walls happens. So we've deceived ourselves in this country for decades thinking that more punitive policies on the war on drugs, so-called war on drugs, will do anything for us. Now, I can make all those arguments as to any of the criminal penalties in this bill, but I wanna be very specific.

233. 2:21:24

     I'm only objecting to criminal penalties for simple possession of a mixture containing fentanyl. I'll say it again. Simple possession of a mixture containing fentanyl. What this bill does not do is increase penalties purely on fentanyl itself unmixed with anything else. We've heard testimony over the last few years that we're trying to criminalize, you know, some sort of illusory imagined packet of fentanyl as if people walk around with a little baggie of fentanyl.

234. 2:21:56

     That is not how fentanyl is distributed. Usually, substances like Adderall, cocaine, other drugs are laced with fentanyl, and usually the person who has the drug in their possession doesn't know that there's fentanyl in the drug. And if they knew, they wouldn't want it because they know about the increased risk of death and serious harm. This bill goes into the trafficking offense in the code. That's code section 16, I believe it's 1331.

235. 2:22:30

     And it goes into B1, which is the new fentanyl language that's been added in the last couple years, and it increases penalties. But part of the code is if you have possession of four grams or more of any mixture, again, not pure fentanyl, but read on down to line 23 and 24 of this Senate substitute, any mixture containing such substance violates the trafficking offense. So you could have four grams of Adderall, four grams of cocaine, and if it's even just laced with fentanyl and you don't know that, then you are not just guilty of a simple possession offense, you're guilty under the code of trafficking.

236. 2:23:09

     Trafficking. So it's not, as the sponsor from the 46 said, that I'm just eliminating, you know, all liability under this bill, or he suggested that it's only when you bring it across state lines. No, there's lots of hooks for liability outside of this amendment. If you read the bill itself, if you sell, manufacture, deliver, or bring into this state four grams or more, there's still a trafficking offense. And folks, I'll vote yes on your penalty enhancements if you limit it just to those hooks for liability. But the problem is what it says on line 20, "Or has possession of." This bill enhances a sentencing scheme for criminalizing simple possession.

237. 2:23:49

     Now, you might say four grams is a lot though, Senator. Four grams is, you know, if you've got that amount of drugs, then we, we might think you're trying to traffic. Let me tell you what four grams is. Four grams is 80% of the mass of a nickel, the coin. A nickel has five grams. That is the weight. Imagine a nickel in your hand, but 80% of that. That's how much of a drug mixture you have to have to be liable for trafficking under the Georgia Code, and that's without any intent, that's with no knowledge that it has fentanyl, that's with no intent to traffic.

238. 2:24:22

     That's with no intent to even give it to a friend. If you just have it in your car, then you get charged and convicted of trafficking. So that's already in the code, but let me ask you a question. Do we wanna enhance penalties, years of people's lives, tens of thousands more dollars in fines, for that structure of an offense, an offense that shouldn't be defined that way? Because we know that people who are addicted don't want to be addicted. We know that people who are addicted have drugs in their possession without any intent to do any harm to anybody but themselves, with no intent to do harm to themselves either.

239. 2:25:02

     And there are these tragic scenarios. I know because I've lived them. I've been doing advocacy around prison conditions for years, and I've-- I'm part of the Recovery Study Committee. When I meant, uh, was at one of those meetings, I actually did a poll. This was after Austin's Law, and I commend the senator from the eighth on his intentions and the work that he's doing to try to bring some sort of relief to grieving families who have lost family members because of fentanyl. But I went to the Recovery Study Committee and I asked all of the recovery stakeholders who were assembled. It was actually quite a convenient opportunity because you had a lot of recovery experts in the room.

240. 2:25:35

     I said, "Can anybody tell me how many grams four grams is? Is that a lot of drugs?" Folks, the audience laughed. The recovery advocates laughed at the notion that four grams is somehow a lot for any one person to have in their possession. So after the 1970s, after the 1990s, Nathan Deal was governor. He did a lot of terrific work on trying to reform some of those outdated notions that we had been using for decades to try to penalize people who were just suffering from addiction, and we've tried to move in a better direction.

241. 2:26:14

     The last eight years under this administration, the governor's administration, have not been moving in the right direction on this stuff, and I fear that as soon as the pendulum swings back and we get another governor who wants to move the ball in the way that Nathan Deal did in a more enlightened direction that doesn't criminalize addiction, I fear that we're just gonna go along with the flow on days like today until we get leadership that provides you permission, like Nathan Deal did, to do the right thing on drug policies that have been failures for decades.

242. 2:26:47

     So my amendment is very simple. All it does is strike the possession language in the trafficking offense. This does nothing to touch the possession offenses that already exist with separate sentencing regimes. This is just the trafficking offense to say that to be guilty of trafficking in this state, you have to sell, manufacture, deliver, or bring into the state four grams or more. If you pass this amendment today, I will vote yes on the bill.

243. 2:27:18

     So I want you to know, and, and, and I'll do one little epilogue here. Uh, the senator from the 33rd and I went to Minnesota a couple years ago. It was a fun trip. Uh, we went for a post-conviction justice conference to discuss in Minneapolis what different regimes for post-conviction could look like in order to rehabilitate people in prisons, in order to deter people from committing crimes. What would a sensible post-conviction s- legal landscape look like? And we went with members of the Department of Community Supervision in Georgia.

244. 2:27:52

     These are top officials at DCS that handle felony probation. Georgia has, or, uh, if not right now, certainly recently, the largest probation population in the country. Felony probation on average in this state lasts, I think, almost a decade or longer, and the research shows, which is why the senator from the 42nd has led on some amazing legislation to limit felony probation.

245. 2:28:22

     The research shows that only two to three years really matter on probation. That is what really gives you the benefit of the probationary regime, is a little bit of supervision as you get back into society, but anything further than that, anything past that two to three year mark does not do anything to rehabilitate or to prevent the risk of harm. So these five years, 10 years that we're adding for simple possession, there's no evidence whatsoever after decades of research that that does anything to deter people from distributing drugs, anything to deter people with addiction from using drugs, and it certainly doesn't do anything to rehabilitate people who suffer from the disease of addiction once they're inside prison walls.

246. 2:29:12

     So I'm asking you today to vote yes on amendment one, even though the senator from Athens and Brad Vaughn are opposed to that amendment. Brad, the name on everyone's mind, the reason that this amendment can't move. So I know where your politics are, but I'm asking you to reflect on this, and as you move forward, as you make laws after 2026, whether I'm here or not in the future, please, please, please do not be ignorant of history and do not be doomed to repeat it.

247. 2:29:46

     The war on drugs failed.

248. 2:29:48

     The code language that criminalizes simple possession is anti-mental health. It's anti the rights of people who suffer from the addiction, the disease of addiction, and this language has no place in our code. So again, when you make your ads for September, October and tell everybody that, you know, I'm setting police cars on fire, whatever it is you're gonna say, just remember there is a reasoned, thoughtful way to prevent addiction, to promote mental health, and to keep fentanyl off our streets, and this is not it in its current form.

249. 2:30:25

     So I urge your favorable consideration on Amendment 1, and if Amendment 1 fails, I urge that you vote no for harmful war on drugs policy. And I'll yield for any questions. You do have a few questions, Senator. Recognize the senator from the 13th.

250. 2:30:43

     Senator, do you yield? I do. Senator, I find your, your topic compelling and I just, I guess I don't know enough about it to speak intelligent about it, so if you don't mind, enlighten if you possibly can. Four grams of fentanyl would kill everybody in this building, would it not? If fentanyl were distributed in concentrated form, it would kill anybody as far as the eye could see. That never happens. When you have four grams of drugs on the street, it is not pure fentanyl. It's four grams of Adderall, or it's four grams of cocaine or some other substance, and as you can see, as I pointed your attention to on lines t- 23 and 24, the trafficking offense applies to anybody who has any mixture, any mixture, and there's no minimum requirement for the amount of fentanyl.

251. 2:31:29

     So what that means is effectively if you have four grams of any street drug, but it just happens to be laced with fentanyl, then you are guilty of a trafficking offense under this code section. Further yield? I do. Uh, it, if that's the case, and I, I, and once again, I'm, I'm having-- I gotta figure this out. Yeah. Why do the dealers lace their products with fentanyl? I mean, wouldn't that be killing the people that buy their products? That, and that has been the discussion around fentanyl now for as long as it's been around.

252. 2:32:00

     Synthetic opioid, right? It's, it's a painkiller. It's used in clinical settings very carefully controlled under the supervision of clinicians. Again, I'm no, you know, drug expert, but what I will-- what I understand to be the case is that fentanyl can function like an opioid in terms of pain relief or killer, uh, being a painkiller, and it adds to the high. And so if you don't have a lethal dose, it can make people feel higher or, or, you know, accentuate the, the high that they get from the drug somehow. And so it, it has more potency, but again, that potency comes with a cost, which is that a lot of people are very sensitive to it.

253. 2:32:35

     There are stories about first responders getting a lethal dose from touching it. It's a very dangerous drug. And I, and I like, I hate it. I hate being in a scenario in this building where we have a real policy problem that we all agree about, that we wanna solve somehow, we wanna fix it, but the, but the hammer that we have, the criminal justice system just hammering away doesn't mean that we're gonna hit the nail. And the problem here is when people are addicted, when people are at such a low point in their life where they're buying drugs that could be laced with fentanyl off the street, you know, the idea that we're gonna solve their life problems, their, their lack of healthcare, you know, their lack of a job, their addiction, the, the idea that we're gonna solve that by adding five years to a sentence for simple possession, decades of research and experience shows that that's a ludicrous concept.

254. 2:33:21

     And so I-- Listen, I, I want just as much as you all do to go to our voters and say, "I went to the General Assembly and I did something about fentanyl." But the problem is it's a much bigger picture than just adding a handful of years to a sentence. We need mental health resources. We need tougher federal policy with regard to the cartels. There's so many things we need to, to combat the scourge of fentanyl, and I think we are really at risk in this building if we pat ourselves on the back and say, "We've done it. Mission accomplished," and tie a bow on it just because we added to a criminal sentence in the same way that Nixon and the 1990s laws did.

255. 2:33:57

     It's not gonna do what we want it to do. Do you have one more question? I do. W- would not it-- the part you're taking out, or has possession of, the part you're taking- Yeah ... striking out, would that not be left up to a DA to make that call whether it's considered a possession charge or not? All right. Y'all ready for the 100% real truth here? You ready? The DAs don't want to strike this language because they like the flexibility of being able to charge cases with drug dealers without showing intent to distribute.

256. 2:34:29

     So to be very clear, if they catch a dealer, like let's say law enforcement, you know, catches a local dealer, catches somebody who's trafficking, normally to show that somebody's trafficking without this language, you'd have to go and prove they either sold it to somebody, they did a deal, they had intent to distribute it. Y'all, I would do a version of this amendment that says possession with intent to distribute, and I'd vote for that bill because I think the harm that we're trying to get at is we don't want dealers to be poisoning our communities by spreading this stuff around.

257. 2:34:59

     But the problem with it right now is it applies to people who are addicted. It applies to people who simply have possession with no intent to distribute whatsoever. And so I can tell you that the straight dope on this is that the, the dealer or the, uh, prosecutors who are taking these cases, they want an easier road to conviction, so they don't wanna have to prove the element that the dealers are somehow there to try to distribute it. And so they-- it's very easy to prove possession. You just have to prove it was in the car, so that's a shortcut to the prosecution that they want. But I think it's worth protecting people who are addicted.

258. 2:35:32

     It's worth protecting the victims here who have chemical addictions by requiring prosecutors to just prove their case. If you wanna prove somebody's a dealer, prove they're a dealer. Don't just skate by on the fact that you found four grams in their car. Actually show, "Hey, look, we, we had a, a wire on a guy who bought from you. We know that you're a dealer. We've got, you know, plans that we collected when we did a search warrant on your house to show, you know, where you sell and how much money you made this year." That's not that much work to do, and I think the most sensible way to construct this law is to require the DAs to prove

259. 2:36:07

     that somebody is actually a dealer rather than just bunching everybody who has possession together and making it really easy to, to trump up charges on somebody who's not actually trying to distribute.

260. 2:36:16

     Last question.

261. 2:36:17

     Yes.

262. 2:36:20

     How does one prove the product is laced? Do they have... Is it, is it a chemical test that's done on the product?

263. 2:36:26

     They-

264. 2:36:26

     You can't just look at it and say it's laced.

265. 2:36:28

     You can't just look at it, which again is why, I mean, it cuts both ways, right? It's why so many people who are addicted, who are in possession of drugs, have no idea that they're in possession of fentanyl. So, like, imagine somebody on their worst day, clinically, chemically addicted to drugs. They are not trying to purchase fentanyl. They don't want to have fentanyl or use it. But if they've got four grams on them, no intent to distribute it, and it happens to be laced with fentanyl, maybe they have tested it, maybe they haven't, uh, they're gonna be guilty of trafficking under Georgia law, which just, that word trafficking just intuitively doesn't even apply to a situation like that.

266. 2:37:05

     So I think if we're gonna, look, if we're gonna increase penalties, if we're gonna use the existing regime to try to ratchet up the war on drugs, then we should be making our code smarter, more compassionate, and more effective in addressing the problems that we actually say that we want to address. Thank you, Senator.

267. 2:37:21

     Thank you, Senator.

268. 2:37:22

     Yeah. Any more questions?

269. 2:37:25

     Yeah, you have several questions. Recognize the senator from the 30th.

270. 2:37:32

     Does the senator yield?

271. 2:37:33

     I do.

272. 2:37:34

     As a former law enforcement officer, I appreciate your arguments, so I'm gonna kind of go to what you were talking about. Let's say it's laced. Can you tell me how much fentanyl it takes to be a lethal dose?

273. 2:37:46

     A, a very small amount. A very, very s- and I'll acknowledge, it could be laced with the tiniest bit of fentanyl and it could be deadly, and that creates a huge policy problem because it means that people who are addicted are dying in record numbers. I mean, we all know the stories nationally from the last few years. Fentanyl is one of the deadliest public safety threats that we've ever experienced in the United States.

274. 2:38:09

     So the answer on that would be two milligrams. So if we're talking about four grams, I know you're talking about possibly laced, four grams is a small amount considering 28 grams is an ounce. Even if it's laced, we're talking about someone in possession of something that could kill tens or hundreds of people. And you said they may or may not know it, but I think the intent here is if you're carrying such a potent drug like this, then would you not agree that trafficking would not be the proper charge on that or?

275. 2:38:38

     But with all due respect to the senators who have advanced this legislation in the past, I want to be clear, there's never a scenario where somebody has a pure bag of fentanyl, just a bag of fentanyl. That doesn't exist. What we have is street drugs, ordinary street drugs, the way that people are used to thinking about it, that are laced with the tiniest trace amounts. So every time you hear an argument like this, one little baggie would blow up a stadium of people, that is sensationalism because that's never how it's delivered. So the, the reality is, and you as a law enforcement officer or, or previous officer know this, that it, it's a very trace amount that gets put in, and the, and the vast majority of the time you have to do the drug yourself in order for it to harm you or kill you.

276. 2:39:23

     So again, we're, we're talking about philosophically harm to yourself, harm to others. I'm standing here telling you today that if somebody intends to do harm to others, these penalties are appropriate. But if somebody's addicted, you know, somebody is out of a job, out of housing, buying drugs just to ameliorate the pain in their lives on a daily basis i- in the most destructive way possible, but they're trapped in that loop, and they, and they simply possess four grams of something that happens to have a trace amount of fentanyl, that is not what this trafficking charge is for, and the code section language that's in there is a relic of a failed decades-long era of trying to combat addiction by criminalizing it.

277. 2:40:03

     And so what-- this amendment is very surgical. This amendment just says taking simple possession out of this bill will make it a true trafficking offense as opposed to also criminalizing possession and addiction.

278. 2:40:15

     Well, I do appreciate your arguments. As I said, I think we just have a philosophical difference on this, and I appreciate it very much.

279. 2:40:21

     Thank you.

280. 2:40:23

     Recognize the senator from the 47th.

281. 2:40:29

     Thank you, Mr. President. Would the senator yield?

282. 2:40:31

     I do.

283. 2:40:33

     Uh, first off, you know, I was never a good chemist, said, but I, I can do math pretty well. If I had 56 senators in the room and I wanted to mix them all up a eight-ounce cup of Kool-Aid, I think that's about three and a half gallons. If I took that, uh, the, uh, four grams of fentanyl and I, I did that for everybody in the building, I can kill everybody in this building twice, said the, uh, uh, according to the DEA, two grams are there. So why do we wanna make this, wow, less restrictive on criminals that are dealing in drugs to kill more people?

284. 2:41:12

     And i- is it not true that you're running for lieutenant governor?

285. 2:41:16

     There's a lot in that question, Senator. Uh, you know, let's start with the first part of your question. I'm gonna watch this movie, I guess, 100 times where the response to my argument is, "But isn't it true that a bag of pure fentanyl would kill, you know, 50 billion people?" And I'm acknowledging the point that if, if hypothetically there were a bag of pure fentanyl, it would hurt a lot of people. That is not how this drug gets distributed. It is laced into all kinds of other drugs. And so, like, you know, Senator, I, I respect your ability to concentrate a tough-on-crime, war-on-drugs talking point into a 15-second question, but all you're doing is regurgitating 50 years of failed federal and state policies that criminalize addiction.

286. 2:41:58

     And so to your latter point, yes, I am running for higher office, and this is going to be used against me. I have to really mean it to get up here today and tell you that I think this is a bad idea, because there are people who are going to distort my argument today and pretend that I want communities somehow to be less safe, which is a total lie. But this bill doesn't do anything to fix the problem. Senator, I think if you vote yes on this legislation today, the net effect of this legislation is that a handful more people who otherwise wouldn't have gone to prison for so long who have addiction, addicted people, will go to prison and suffer even more for even longer in a clinical medical state that they can't fix effectively because they don't have access to the healthcare resources that they need to do it.

287. 2:42:44

     So, you know, this idea of we're gonna make streets safer by putting every person who's addicted to drugs in prison is something we have tried and has failed for 50 plus years. So, let's break our addiction as a legislative body to the political talking points that are so easy. I mean, it's low- the lowest hanging fruit you could imagine to be tough on crime and tough on drugs. Those are just words. But the reality is, when you go to Minnesota with me and the senator from the 33rd and we do post-conviction justice at a conference, it's not just Democrats or Republicans, it's, it's everybody.

288. 2:43:16

     It's, it's administrative professionals. And we realize that throwing people in prison for decades and putting them on probation for decades isn't doing anything to make us safer. It's just giving us political talking points so we can all say we're tough on crime. That's a hard realization to swallow for a lot of people in this building, but it's a necessary realization because, again, if we are ignorant of the drug war history, the failed policies, we are doomed to repeat it. And before we uncritically enhance these penalties today for something that shouldn't be trafficking, we should reflect and we should chart a new course, Senator.

289. 2:43:46

     One final question.

290. 2:43:47

     Please.

291. 2:43:48

     Can you name one more drug that's more potent or more lethal than fentanyl? Any, any type of, uh, chemical that's more lethal than fentanyl.

292. 2:43:58

     Senator, you're asking redundant questions with respect because a minute ago I said that this is one of the most dangerous public safety threats that has ever existed in the United States of America. So what I encourage you to do, if you're going to participate in caucus mailers or caucus messaging, make these arguments because they are the best arguments you have. But I think they're arguments that are belied by 50 years of research and experience. Thank you, Senator.

293. 2:44:20

     Thank

294. 2:44:23

     you.

295. 2:44:23

     Recognize the senator from the 35th.

296. 2:44:28

     Thank you. Senator, do you yield?

297. 2:44:29

     I do.

298. 2:44:30

     Oh, thank you for the presentation. Just for my own understanding, isn't it true that your amendment, uh, removes the four words, um, or has possession of?

299. 2:44:41

     Correct.

300. 2:44:42

     Do you yield for another question?

301. 2:44:43

     I do.

302. 2:44:44

     Um, is it also true that your amendment would focus this bill on those who sell, manufacture, and deliver four grams or more of fentanyl?

303. 2:44:54

     Absolutely. If this amendment passes, you will get a yes from the 14th district today because it would focus the enhanced penalties on the people who are causing harm to others, not just themselves.

304. 2:45:05

     Um, does the senator further yield?

305. 2:45:07

     Correct, I do.

306. 2:45:07

     Is it my understanding that, is that correct that this amendment will kind of de-emphasize simple possession and focus the attention on those who sell, manufacture, and deliver?

307. 2:45:21

     Absolutely. My understanding of the intent of these enhanced penalties is to stop the scorge- scourge of fentanyl in Georgia and the United States.

308. 2:45:27

     Mm.

309. 2:45:27

     The way to do that is to focus on the people who are selling, manufacturing, distributing, bringing it into the state, who are actively moving it and harming other people. If this trafficking offe- trafficking offense were tailored to the harm it's actually intended to solve, I would vote yes for the enhancements. Because it's not so tailored, because it does further criminalize addiction and simple possession, I will be against the bill if it, if it contains that provision.

310. 2:45:51

     Thank you. Does the senator yield?

311. 2:45:53

     I do.

312. 2:45:53

     Um, is it your opinion that we need a separate bill that may be able to address the nuances of possession?

313. 2:46:00

     I think this is a, a good first start. This is a way of putting into the code section a, a value judgment that we do not want to criminalize simple possession as trafficking. We have possession offenses already. This bill does not affect those. They are currently in effect. DAs can use them anywhere and everywhere. But this is to make sure that when we penalize trafficking, that we don't make the mistake of repeating the war on drugs failed policies of criminalizing simple possession and addiction.

314. 2:46:28

     And one final question.

315. 2:46:29

     Sure.

316. 2:46:29

     Do you yield? Um, is it true that sometimes to be tough on illicit drugs, it's also wise to be smart on illicit drugs?

317. 2:46:38

     The only way, Senator, to be tough on drugs is to be smart and to get people the mental health resources they need, the rehabilitation that they need to not find themselves in the situation where they're in possession of this stuff. Thank you, Senator.

318. 2:46:50

     Thank you.

319. 2:46:51

     Recognize the senator from the 8th.

320. 2:46:56

     Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, does the senator yield?

321. 2:46:58

     To my good friend, I do.

322. 2:46:59

     I've just got, got one question that I think is just for the benefit of, of, uh, the discussion that we're having. Um, Senator, do you know what the leading cause of death is for people between 18 and 45 in this country?

323. 2:47:12

     Please enlighten me.

324. 2:47:14

     It's fentanyl. Fentanyl poisoning. I just, just wanted to bring that to the chamber's attention. And so anyway, thank you for-

325. 2:47:22

     We, we, thank you, Senator. And in response to that, we concede the point that fentanyl is one of the most dangerous things in the United States, and we could still come to the conclusion correctly, reasonably, that enhanced penalties for people who are addicted is not the way to solve that problem. Thank you, Senator.

326. 2:47:40

     You have no more questions, Senator?

327. 2:47:41

     Thank you, Mr. President. And listen, I know y'all are thoughtful people. I know you vote the way you have to oftentimes, but I'm grateful for your attention to this issue today, and I genuinely request and believe that in the future when the circumstances are better for us to be smarter on these policies, that there will be a lot, a lot of bipartisan consensus to do that and to address it in the ways that we're discussing today. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

328. 2:48:05

     Recognize the senator from the 29th.

329. 2:48:18

     Thank you, Mr. President I want to start out by saying I really appreciate what the senator from the 46 is doing. Find our jails are overcrowded with people with violation of probation charges, and they're not, they're not gaining any time while they're sitting in there waiting, even when a lot of times that violation of probation charge comes from, uh, a secondary charge. They may be out on violation of probation for, um, possession and they go out there and violate some other law and they're arrested and because they violated that second law, their probation officer violates their probation, they go into jail.

330. 2:48:58

     We got to understand they're not going to go in front of the same judge for both of those cases. They're going to go in front of whatever judge is handling the new case and then they'll go in front of the judge that had originally sentenced them to probation to deal with the second case. And a lot of times that time they're sitting there waiting to go handle the new case, they're on dead time on the violation of probation. So what the senator's trying to do does decrease the amount of time the individual is going to be in jail on the original violation of probation.

331. 2:49:29

     It's very smart. I think it's very wise and it solves some of the problems that we have with people spending too much time on probation, even those who are on jail or go to jail on new charges. Now to the amendment. Everybody when they talk about drugs, they like to talk about the war on drugs, they like to talk about Richard Nixon and all this. Let's be clear. The war on drugs was doing what it was supposed to do. What we did from a political standpoint, and I want to be clear, from a liberal political standpoint, is we surrendered.

332. 2:50:05

     And if you don't believe we surrendered, go grab you a copy of the DSM-5 TR and see how we surrendered. We have created a population of mentally ill people. When we were talking up here the other day and I brought up a personal incident where my wife was recently assaulted here in Atlanta by a mentally ill lady who had been arrested 28 times.

333. 2:50:34

     The primary cause of this lady's issue are drugs and it's everywhere. What we do is we allow drugs to run throughout our community and then we sit on the sidelines and say we don't want to punish people for being addicted. We don't want to punish people for having drugs. And I agree, nobody should be punished for being addicted. But where does the addiction come from? It comes from the lax policies that we have. Everybody runs around saying, "You know, marijuana's natural.

334. 2:51:04

     There's nothing, there's no problem with it." They don't talk about the psychosis. They don't talk about the schizophrenia. They don't talk about anything else because they're trying to get a message out and if they don't think they're getting their message out, they love to use the phrase mass incarceration because that really, you know, makes you, makes you feel like it's your fault. But do you know what mass incarceration comes from? From a mass of people, whether they're Black, White, brown, male or female, committing a lot of crimes.

335. 2:51:37

     Those masses end up in jail. That's mass incarceration. That's what it is. And to my friend who is one of my classmates, we came in together, he's an intelligent guy. There's no such thing as simple possession. That's a lawyer term. It's either misdemeanor possession, it's felony possession, it's possession with intent. Those are possessions. And let's talk about some simple math. What science shows pure fentanyl, two milligrams, 15 grains of salt will kill you.

336. 2:52:16

     15 grains of salt. Four grams is 4,000 milligrams. It's a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of sugar, if you will, trying to match grain to grain. So he's okay with 4,000 milligrams knowing that or should knowing that two milligrams are deadly.

337. 2:52:47

     And trying to use the excuse that they mix it with cocaine and other th- uh, stuff, mixing one deadly drug with another deadly drug. And listen, Bill Clinton, President Clinton had some very aggressive, uh, crime policies as did Richard Nixon and other presidents, as did Bill Clinton's wife who ran for president, had very aggressive. But what you can't do, you can't come up here and be soft on drugs and then complain about wanting to get out and help the mentally ill.

338. 2:53:27

     If you open up the New Testament, there's a cool word right at the beginning called begat because one begats the other in a mass and those that it doesn't begat, it magnifies and intensifies. So why our jails are overcrowded with the mentally ill, if you look in there, you'll see what a lot of it is caused by. But here's one thing that must be understood. About 80% of the people in our prisons today are in there because of violence, not because they're addicted to drugs.

339. 2:54:05

     Most drug dealers that I ever arrested were not addicted to drugs. They were addicted to selling drugs to people who were addicted to drugs. And if I went to go buy meth, I could describe to you almost every time without seeing them the individual who I was going to buy meth from. And if it was crack cocaine, I could almost identify the individual who I was gonna buy the crack cocaine from because chemistry on both sides, one group was much more reckless, those who built meth labs.

340. 2:54:44

     And my friends who've been on the job before will tell you a meth lab's dangerous about 18 different ways, where making crack cocaine is not that hard. All you need, the best thing, is a gas stove, a pot, a little bit of water, and some base cocaine, and you can go to town and make bank all day long, and they didn't care who they sold it to. But let's don't get confused up here trying to act like people that are possessing fentanyl are innocent people who are just trying to get through life and all this stuff is mixed in.

341. 2:55:15

     Because when he brought up the fact of first responders being overcome by fentanyl and having to be given Narcan to save their life on the scene, this fentanyl is mixed with nothing. This is fentanyl. They don't mix fentanyl in Mexico and bring it over here. They bring fentanyl over here. So understand that because it's easy to stand up here and talk about it. It's easy to make a trip to Minnesota.

342. 2:55:45

     I've made trips to Colorado. I've made trips to, uh, Washington State. I spent a week in Seattle walking amongst heroin addicts and opioid addicts. I've been to Minnesota, St. Paul, and looked at everything there. And let me tell you, there's no excuse for possessing drugs. And do not ever use the fact that people have mental illness as an excuse to be soft on drugs, because that's exactly what the other side wants us to do.

343. 2:56:20

     And we're in the problem today because we didn't lose the war on drugs, we surrendered. So when you see these addicts out here and you wanna talk about war on drug, that victim's on you. It's not on the people that stood with me. I would ask you to vote down the amendment and vote for the underlying legislation. And Mr. President, I'll yield unless there's any questions. Thank you, Mr. President.

344. 2:56:49

     We have, uh, some later arriving amendments here, so I'll let the secretary read those amendments.

345. 2:56:59

     Senator Jackson of the 41st and others offers the following amendment to amend Senate Committee on Judiciary Sub to House Bill 535, Amendment 2, by striking any mixture containing any subs- s- such substance on line 23 and 24, and insert unadulterated fentanyl in place of the above struck language. Mr. President, that completes the order.

346. 2:57:26

     Senator from the 41st, would you like to speak to your amendments or your amendment? Madam Leader.

347. 2:57:45

     Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today as the proud minority whip to speak in favor of this amendment. Uh, the conversation that we've had today has really been about trying to criminalize, as we should, possession of lethal doses of fentanyl. Uh, that's really what we're trying to get at. We wanna make sure that if someone has enough fentanyl on them to kill multiple people, then we will prosecute them for trafficking.

348. 2:58:22

     That's the heart of the bill. That's the heart of what we're trying to do. And so my amendment seeks to do that by eliminating, by striking the language of mixture and saying that it has to be the metaphorical baggie that we've been talking about. It cannot be a mixture of all these other substances. It needs to be actual unadulterated fentanyl. That gets at the heart of what we're discussing. Instead of mixing it with four grams of marijuana, 'cause I wanna be clear, marijuana is now being laced with fentanyl.

349. 2:58:58

     So instead of having four grams of marijuana laced with a trace amount of fentanyl get you caught up on a trafficking charge, I'm simply cleaning this up to say, no, you have to have four grams of unadulterated fentanyl, what we all agree is lethal, instead of muddying the waters with a whole lot of other substances. So I, I hope that the majority party will take this amendment seriously and truly consider it, because if we really are trying to get at actual traffickers, this does that by eliminating all the mixtures and going for the people who have the fentanyl that they are using to then s- muddy other substances.

350. 2:59:45

     There is someone out there. There is a dealer. There are manufacturers out there who possess four grams of fentanyl, and then they take it and they spread it out amongst all of their other products. There is someone out there who has that, and those are the people I suggest that we need to get, the people who have all of the fentanyl, who are ultimately killing our brothers and sisters, our neighbors, and our friends. And so that's what this, uh, this what amendment does, and I urge your favorable consideration. I will stand for questions.

351. 3:00:13

     You have no questions, Senator. Eh, well, wait a minute. Senator from the 35th.

352. 3:00:17

     Ma'am, thank you. Do you yield?

353. 3:00:19

     Yes, I'll yield.

354. 3:00:20

     I really appreciate this amendment. Um, is it your opinion that w- with this, adopting this amendment, we w- may need to make an adjustment to the four grams and maybe go down to one or two grams?

355. 3:00:34

     Senator, I- I am open to those types of things, but fundamentally, I wanna make sure we are all on the same page, that we are talking about actual fentanyl. So if this body decides that in order to capture that, that the distribution rate needs to be a smaller amount, then let's have that conversation. But again, we need to get very clear and plain. It is fentanyl that killed the brother from District Eights, um, from District Eight. It, it was fentanyl that killed him, not the four grams of Adderall that it was laced with.

356. 3:01:07

     It's fentanyl that is killing people, not the four grams or four ounces of marijuana that someone might have. It's fentanyl. And so instead of criminalizing the possession and calling it trafficking of fentanyl when people only have trace amounts, let's do this right. Let's do this accurately. If you have unadulterated fentanyl in a large enough amount to kill people, we wanna, we wanna charge you with trafficking. That's what this amendment helps get at instead of having us have mixtures where people really, it's essentially someone bought a cup of coffee, they didn't know it had a trace amount of fentanyl in it, and it kills them.

357. 3:01:46

     But we're gonna charge them with trafficking? No, they just bought the cup. We need to go after the people who put that fentanyl in there, the people who actually have the baggie with the four grams in it, the people who have the actual, who are the actual distributors, the actual traffickers of fentanyl. That's who we need to be targeting at this, and this, this amendment is very precise in doing that. I'll yield for further questions.

358. 3:02:11

     You have no questions, Senator?

359. 3:02:12

     With that, I'll yield the floor.

360. 3:02:15

     Recognize the senator from the 22nd.

361. 3:02:38

     Thank you. In looking at this bill, it seems like a p- people have a lot of questions about it. Do- So I wanna clear up a couple of things, and I support both amendments, of course. Number one, the issue of possession, just the issue of possession itself. The possession actually means that you're possessing for your personal use, because there's ways actually to make a determination of a person actually f- for distributing or with intent to distribute. You do the same thing even for, like, marijuana. You can have less than an ounce of marijuana in Georgia, but you could actually be charged with possession with intent.

362. 3:03:14

     Because what happens is the prosecutor looks at the different things that you may have. They may look at how it's bagged. They may look at whether you have a gun on you. They may look at do you have a lot of money on you. There's a lot of different factors that they can look at to make a determination whether you possess for personal use or whether you possess with intent to distribute or for trafficking. That is something that they will make that decision on. So what we're saying here, though, is s- there is such a thing as called simple possession. It exists. What then has happened is the prosecutors made a determination, because if they find that you have a gun, if they find that you have a bunch of money on you, if they find that it's bagged different ways, if they find other indicia, they'll make a decision that you actually are trying to distribute it.

363. 3:03:56

     But if they don't find that, it's their obligation to say that you only have it for possession, and that's all you have it for, is possession. And a person who only has it for possession, we are now criminalizing that and making them actually into traffickers, and this is something that we've actually done before. And this is w- a very important conversation, and definitely glad that the senator from the 14th decided to draft this amendment, because it's a conversation that can get out of control, and it has before.

364. 3:04:26

     On the federal level, when we talked about crack and regular cocaine, the same type of situation took place, and all of a sudden it took a life of its own and we started penalizing people for having possession, and we destroyed communities by doing that, only by possession. That's not my opinion about it. What happened was in 1984, Congress developed what's called the United States Sentencing Commission. It is in charge of saying what sentences should be for all offenses, federal offenses.

365. 3:04:57

     In 1995, Congress said, "Hey, tell us what you think the sentencing should be between crack and regular cocaine." The Sentencing Commission, who Congress follows for every other type of offense, said, "You're doing it wrong. This idea that you should punish one greater than the other is incorrect." And they suggested it should be a one-to-one type penalty, the same penalty. That came from the Sentencing Commission, not flaming liberals, not liberals from Minnesota, but with the United States Sentencing Commission that recommends sentencing for all sorts of different federal crimes.

366. 3:05:32

     It- they would revisit this again basically in 1997, and they basically made the same recommendation, and Congress once again ignored it. It's the only time that Congress ever actually ignored a sentencing recommendation from the United States Sentencing Commission. And one of the things that happened with that was possession by itself of crack cocaine would allow you to have minimum of five years incarceration. Regular cocaine you actually could possess and you had up to one year, it was a misdemeanor.

367. 3:06:03

     That's what it was, and the US Sentencing Commission said, "That doesn't make any sense. They're both cocaine." And we heard all the same kind of stories that we almost hear today, and the United States Sentencing Commission said, "You guys need to stop this. It's not right." And it wouldn't be to 2013 that that actually changed, and even today it still is not one for one. And what has happened in that 18-year period, think about all the lives that are lost, because I think we're being a little bit exaggeratory when we say that these people are on the street. They're not necessarily on the street.

368. 3:06:34

     They may possess and have a job. They may possess and actually own a home. They may possess and have an apartment. They may actually possess, but they have issues in their life, addiction problems, but they're still in society. 18 years Congress kept having these differential sentencings that the Sentencing Commission said, "Cut it out." And what happened? All of those people lost jobs. They're now, they were in jail. All of those people lost income. All of those people lost ability to take care of their family. 18 years that continued even though a person said, "Stop." And today we have the opportunity to say, "Stop." That's the key.

369. 3:07:14

     That's what's on our backs today. And some of the horror stories that are told, and I don't make light of them, but I also think we ought to realize that at the same time, alcohol kills 178,000 people a year, and not one person is talking about prosecuting people for alcohol. Over 410,000 nationwide. Tobacco is over one million nationwide. Over 410,000 a year in United States alone, tobacco related deaths. Nobody's suggesting to prosecute somebody for possession only.

370. 3:07:45

     So when we talk about the leading cause of this, the, the, much more people are dying for alcohol related diseases or tobacco related diseases than this, but it's not a, it's not a game of who kills, what kills people more. But the fact of the matter is don't get caught up in that unless you're gonna be consistent. If that's your metric, then you have to be consistent and say that you're willing to pass a bill to outlaw alcohol, if that's your metric, if that's your only metric. And the thing that always goes back to, well, this person, if they're robbing somebody, they're not robbing anybody.

371. 3:08:16

     That's why they're charged with possession. If the DA believes they're robbing people and they're actually doing, we have crimes for that. Well, what happens if they knock the old lady up down the head? There's a crime for that. This crime is for possession. That's what you're dealing with today. And you can come up with all the different scenarios. Those scenarios will be covered. Well, what if they're really a drug dealer? The prosecutor would know they're really a drug dealer, and they will prosecute them for drug dealing. This says, "Mr. or Ms. Prosecutor, you have made a determination that this person only possesses it." That's the determination that you have made.

372. 3:08:53

     They only possess it, and you're gonna be treated like a trafficker. Understand that. So you can come up with all these stories, they're going to cover the stories. Well, what if he has a gun? If he has a gun, he's gonna be charged with intent to distribute. Well, what if he has a bunch of cash on him? He's going to be charged with intent to distribute. All of those things have been worked through, and this bill says the prosecutor's determined he's not trying to sell it, he's not trafficking it, I'm determining that it only for their possession.

373. 3:09:28

     There's no point in you trying to go through all these different scenarios, 'cause the prosecutor's gonna do that for you, and they will make that determination. And what this bill says is once that determination is made, if it's possession, you actually will be treated like a trafficker, and that is wrong, and it is a repeat of what we did in the '90s and even up to the 2000, even the 2000, middle of 2000s, and we don't want to do that. And today, even though we didn't know this would be such an important day, it is one of the most important days we've had up here in this legislature.

374. 3:10:01

     We have an opportunity to stop, 'cause I'll be quite frank from the Senate the 14th, I'm not sure who may get in office, whether they'll have the courage to stop it. Because when Democrats got in office actually in the '90s, they continued it and doubled down on it. Today is the day possibly to stop it. That's how important this is. So maybe we didn't think this was gonna be an important day, but it is. And with that, I yield for any questions, Mr....

375. 3:10:30

     I have one question actually, Senator. Re- uh, recognize senator from 36.

376. 3:10:34

     Thank you, Mr. President. Does the senator yield?

377. 3:10:36

     Yes.

378. 3:10:37

     Uh, senator, and I know you are, are a learned attorney with a quite a bit of depth in this subject matter, uh, for those who might not realize that, I just wanna flag that. Isn't that true?

379. 3:10:49

     Yes.

380. 3:10:49

     Uh, and i- i- i- if you could, uh, explain how this

381. 3:10:58

     s- the way this language is written, it's sweeping up a person who is simply possessing for personal use.

382. 3:11:05

     That's correct.

383. 3:11:06

     And, and, and that, uh, uh, can you point that out on lines 23, 24, and 25, that w- when you insert those, that language, four grams or more of any mixture containing any such substance?

384. 3:11:24

     Right. So it's not even the pure fentanyl that everyone's talking about, it's also the mixture which we've been discussing, so it's mixed with other items, too. So, and that's really what's normally going to happen because of the fact that a person may be buying Adderall, other things on the street, and a person who's doing that has serious issues that they-

385. 3:11:39

     It's-

386. 3:11:39

     ... they're dealing with, quite frankly. But that also doesn't mean that they're not in society. That doesn't mean they're not effectively in society. They may have a job. You know, they're gonna have kids. They may have a family, but at the same time, they can't get it normally, they don't wanna go to the doctor for whatever reason, and they're saying, "Well, maybe I can get it from somebody over here." And so I don't necessarily even wanna get caught up in necessarily the stereotype that a person is just destitute and they're just down on their luck. They, just a person may need help, and they go get whatever other drug they're looking for help from, and then what happens is it's laced with fentanyl, find out he's got f- you know, the four grams or more, and say now you're a trafficker, and this person's just trying to deal with day-to-day life.

387. 3:12:16

     That's what's happening with them.

388. 3:12:18

     A follow-up question, if you'll yield. Um, i- i- so i- isn't it true that w- what a user needs, such as you've described, and a- again, uh, could be holding a job, owning a home, et- et cetera-

389. 3:12:33

     Absolutely, 100%

390. 3:12:34

     ... uh, to, to, isn't it true the impact of this legislation as it's written will be to sweep up people that are, uh, have an addiction-

391. 3:12:48

     Right

392. 3:12:48

     ... issue?

393. 3:12:49

     That's absolutely correct.

394. 3:12:49

     They're not dealing anything to anybody. They're not selling stuff. They have an addiction issue-

395. 3:12:53

     They have an addiction issue

396. 3:12:53

     ... and they obtained a d- uh, a, a, a, a, a street drug that unknown to them contains some trace of fentanyl. This language in, a-a-as, as has been presented by the, uh, gentleman from Athens would be filling up our prisons-

397. 3:13:12

     Yes

398. 3:13:12

     ... grabbing people, uh, tearing up lives for, for the people that, that have issues that need treatment as opposed to incarceration. Isn't that true?

399. 3:13:22

     Right. Because they'll be treated as a trafficker. That's correct. And the fact of the matter is the DA's hands will really be tied because they'll say that's what, what the legislation wanted us to do, that even if it is just possession, and that's all it is. I'm, I'm, I'm telling you, you work through this as a prosecutor-

400. 3:13:39

     Mm-hmm

401. 3:13:39

     ... and you look at all the surrounding facts and circumstances. And if they got the gun, they got the shotgun, if they're ready to murder somebody, they'll understand he's a trafficker. We don't need to get into all those hypotheticals. They will. But what we're saying is, we don't care if you determine if he is only for possession, you've got to prosecute them as a person basically trafficking and that just, just doesn't make any sense. And it may just be a few people, maybe hundreds of people. But the fact of the matter is some people just have it for their possession. There's no doubt about that.

402. 3:14:09

     And you can come up with any example you want. The prosecutor will cover all those. You're not making something up.

403. 3:14:14

     That's right.

404. 3:14:14

     Either the facts are going to show that or it will not. Either they got the gun, either they got a bunch of money on them, whatever one you wanna come up with, either those are gonna be the facts or they're not gonna be the facts. And if they're not the facts, and it simply is this person's like, "I gotta get through the day."

405. 3:14:30

     Mm-hmm.

406. 3:14:30

     "And I know such and such has something and I would like to buy something off of them." If those are the facts, and you look at all the surrounding circumstances, you're like, "There ain't no gun. This guy, he works. He's just wanting to get through the day, get through the week," he or she has to be prosecuted as a trafficker.

407. 3:14:47

     And isn't it true-

408. 3:14:47

     And that, we shouldn't be a part of that

409. 3:14:48

     ... and isn't it true that with this language as it's presented in, uh, to us, uh, uh, f- uh, before us today for a vote, if it passes, it sweeps up a whole, it threatens, but because the prosecutor won't have to look at any of those other things that indicate dealing and selling and trafficking.

410. 3:15:09

     Right. That's exactly right.

411. 3:15:10

     It's just, yes.

412. 3:15:10

     There won't, there won't be any point to look at the other aspect of it because they're just simple possession. Now they get this penalty.

413. 3:15:15

     That's right. Well, thank you, thank you for taking my questions.

414. 3:15:18

     Absolutely.

415. 3:15:18

     Thanks for your expertise.

416. 3:15:19

     With that, I yield the well, Mr. President.

417. 3:15:32

     All right. Got a third amendment. Mr. Secretary, read the amendment, please.

418. 3:15:38

     Senator Cowsert of the 46th offers amendment number 3 to amend the Senate committee substitute to House Bill 535 by striking or 4 grams or, or more on line 23 and inserting 4 or more grams of fentanyl following the word containing on line 24. Mr. President, that completes the order.

419. 3:16:02

     Senator, would you like to speak to your amendment or you wanna... Go ahead. All right then.

420. 3:16:32

     Thank you, Mr. President. Boy, I love this process. I am gonna miss y'all so badly, uh, after this year, and I, I wanna commend everybody that's come with their suggestions. 14th, 41st, 22nd, you, you're hitting on something that, uh, is a potential inadvertent, uh, unintended consequence of the bill and I think I have the fix for that. And, uh, I have said many times if you ever find a legislator that is not open-minded and not willing to change their mind, you need to, to, uh, elect somebody else that will.

421. 3:17:12

     You know, we get called flip-floppers or whatever if you change your mind, but what you're pointing out here is that we're not trying to criminalize somebody that inadvertently buys a Xanax or an Adderall or marijuana that has trace amounts of fentanyl in it. That can be deadly. We're trying to stop the person selling it, the person distributing it, and inherently 4 grams is a lot of fentanyl.

422. 3:17:44

     We've got doctors in this body, the senator from the, the 52nd has told me that he administers anesthesia, like 5 micrograms. You know, one-80th of the amount we're talking about here is what they give in a clinical setting. 4 grams is not an amount for personal use. I think the senator from 35th is probably onto something that even a, a mixture containing 1 gram or 2 grams is, is enough that, uh, it, it's way more than any personal use.

423. 3:18:23

     But what I have attempted to do here in amendment 3 is to consolidate what you are all saying. Every one of us in this room knows that we are dealing with a horrific, I call it an invasion of fentanyl, but we have got an epidemic. The senator from 8 pointed out this is the leading cause of death of our young people, and they're not necessarily taking fentanyl on purpose.

424. 3:18:54

     They're taking other drugs that have been laced with it because it makes them more, uh, effective or more enhancing or more mood altering or gets you higher or whatever it is. It makes people want to buy it more, maybe without even knowing that they're taking a poison that can kill them like that if they get too much I do not agree with the First Amendment because it takes out possession and it says you have to be transporting or selling. I say if you possess four grams or more, there is no good reason to do that other than to sell it or to share it or to give it to others and that's what we're trying to stop.

425. 3:19:37

     So I am still strongly opposed to Amendment One. I think Amendment Two is attempting to get at what I believe is more effectively done with Amendment Three. If we walk through me with this, go to page two, line 23 and towards the end is where we talk about or any mixture or any amount of, of a mixture containing, you know, fentanyl basically. I believe if you take out the words after or all the way down to of on line 23 and it would then read or of any mixture containing and after containing put four grams or more of fentanyl, any such substance is a violation.

426. 3:20:27

     I think you get there. So if you got four grams of fentanyl or if you got some other mixture that has four grams in it rather than a trace amount, you don't need to be having that. It's not for your personal use and I want you in jail because I don't want you selling that to our kids and people at college at the University of Georgia, anybody around the state of Georgia, the folks down in South Georgia that thought he was getting a Xanax I think it was. Uh, if you got this kind of content, you got no good motives and we got to put an end to this.

427. 3:21:05

     Help me do it. I welcome your constructive suggestions on how to perfect this bill. I think we get there with this amendment. I'd like to see that board light up unanimous. Let's pass Amendment Three and let's pass the bill and let's do our part to put an end to this plague that our society is faced with. Mr. President, I will yield the will but I'm happy to answer a question if there's one needed.

428. 3:21:32

     You do have a couple questions.

429. 3:21:33

     All right.

430. 3:21:34

     Bringing out Senator from the 14th.

431. 3:21:36

     Uh, thank you, Mr. President. Senator yield?

432. 3:21:37

     I'll yield to you.

433. 3:21:38

     Senator, isn't that true that first of all, I'm very grateful for your openness to this amendment. Uh, it is not true that I will be supporting your amendment and I will be withdrawing Amendment One by virtue of the fact that I think this is an acceptable compromise and I will be voting for the v- for the bill. Is that not true, sir?

434. 3:21:55

     That is true and it's fantastic news and I appreciate your support and your flexibility.

435. 3:22:00

     Thank you very much, sir.

436. 3:22:01

     I'm going to the same location.

437. 3:22:07

     Bringing down Senator from the 41st.

438. 3:22:10

     Thank you, Mr. President. Does the senator yield?

439. 3:22:12

     I do. Are we friends again?

440. 3:22:13

     Senator, isn't it true-

441. 3:22:14

     I-

442. 3:22:14

     ... we have enjoyed six years of working in a bipartisan fashion on any myriad of things and it's been an honor and privilege to work with you. Isn't it true?

443. 3:22:23

     Oh, wow. That, anybody in here could say that that is true, but I will say you're a very quick study and there's a reason you're the whip in such a short period of time. Thank you for your contributions to this-

444. 3:22:34

     Thank you, Senator

445. 3:22:35

     ... and your friendship and support.

446. 3:22:36

     I appreciate this. Thank you.

447. 3:22:37

     All right. Thank you.

448. 3:22:39

     Before we start singing Kumbaya, I'm gonna get down so we can vote on here. Uh-

449. 3:22:43

     I about say-

450. 3:22:44

     Please vote for this

451. 3:22:44

     ... I don't, I don't know what's going on on that back row there, Bill-

452. 3:22:47

     Hey

453. 3:22:47

     ... but y'all-

454. 3:22:48

     Bipartisan love.

455. 3:22:49

     Y'all-

456. 3:22:49

     We're doing it good for the people of Georgia.

457. 3:22:51

     Sh- y'all got some love potion going on back there, I tell you. Something else. Never seen anything like that. All right. Se- Senator from the 14th, for what purpose do you rise?

458. 3:23:04

     Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent to withdraw amendment number one.

459. 3:23:08

     All right. Is there objection? Without objection, s- amendment number one is withdrawn. Wow, Senator from the 41st, what purpose do you rise?

460. 3:23:19

     Mr. President, I ask for unanimous consent to withdraw amendment two.

461. 3:23:24

     Wow. Is there objection? No objection.

462. 3:23:32

     Tell you what, Senator from the 26th, I, I mean, this feels like, this feels like making Georgia all over again, doesn't it? Mm-hmm. All right, so now we're gonna take up the amendments. Oh, excuse me. Senator from the 6th, for what purpose do you rise?

463. 3:23:49

     Parliamentary inquire.

464. 3:23:50

     State your inquiry.

465. 3:23:52

     Mr. President, is it possible to withdraw the time we just spent on those two amendments?

466. 3:23:58

     It's one thing we can't get back, Senator, unfortunately.

467. 3:24:07

     All right, the question is on the adoption of amendment number three authored by the senator from the 46th. Is there objection? Without objection, amendment three is adopted.

468. 3:24:19

     It, the question is on the adoption of the committee substitute as amended. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute as amended? Hearing none, the committee substitute as amended is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the forward committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The forward committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. But this is a perfect example, before I call the vote, of if you would just listen a little bit and, and be willing to hear the other side's opinion, whether that other side is in your party or not, doesn't matter.

469. 3:24:57

     But if you'll just listen and talk through things, it, some of these things can get worked out, uh, without, uh, without having to posture so much. So I do appreciate each one of the senators illustrating that today. Used to be something that was very common around this chamber. That's become uncommon, but it i- it still does happen from time to time. So all those in favor of the bill will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary Allen will note the machine.

470. 3:26:32

     On the pass of the bill, the yeas are 53, the nays are zero. This bill having received requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed by substitute. All right.

471. 3:26:44

     Recognize senator from the 36. For what purpose do you rise? Um, a parliamentary inquiry. State your inquiry. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, isn't it true that I want to introduce, uh, in the spirit of, uh, uh, the u- u- unanimity- ... and all of us pulling in the same direction, I wanna introduce, uh, a colleague who is here with us from the State of Oregon- All right ... uh, Senator Janine Solomon, who's spending the day here, uh, in, in preparation for a, a conference that she's arrived at.

472. 3:27:17

     But she's my guest here, and I want, uh, her to just stand and- All right ... be recognized from the great State of Oregon. She's in the rear of the chamber.

473. 3:27:30

     A hard-working public servant. Thank you, sir. All right. Well, good deal. Welcome to Georgia, Senator. We hope you have a good time here. And thank you, senator from the 36th, for recognizing her. Secretary Reed, House Bill 983.

474. 3:27:49

     House Bill 983 by Representative Hagan of the 156th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 6 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to forest resources so as to clarify that prescribed burning for silvicultural purposes is exempt from certain burning notice and permit requirements, to revise requirements for prescribed burning, to provide for definitions, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Anderson of the 24th District. Chairman.

475. 3:28:19

     Mr. President, that completes the order.

476. 3:28:30

     Is this the ag- Is this Clinch County's finest right here? The ag man himself. Huh? You pretty all right, Senator. Come on up here.

477. 3:28:46

     All right, I'm gonna make this quick. Um, Mr. President, this is an agency bill from the Georgia Forestry Commission. Uh, per code, municipalities and counties may set rules regarding burning within their jurisdictions. However, they may not prohibit prescribed burns. In order to eliminate confusion for local governments and landowners about what a prescribed burn is, this legislation was requested. It more clearly defines what constitutes a prescribed burn. This bill also defines silviculture and clarifies that prescribed burning is an important part of managing and caring our forests.

478. 3:29:16

     This bill passed unanimously out of the House, passed unanimously out of the Senate Natural Resources Committee. One tree produces enough oxygen to support two to four people annually. So, Mr. President, let's show that unanimity and let's support the trees of Georgia today. I yield the will.

479. 3:29:38

     All right, Senator. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure?

480. 3:29:45

     Chair hears none. Is there objection previous question be in order? Chair hears none. The previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the committee which is favorable to the pass 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. The main question is ordered. Questions on the passage of the bill. All those in favor of the bill, vote yay. Opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

481. 3:31:50

     On the pass of the bill, the yeas are 51, the nays are zero. This bill, having received requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed.

482. 3:32:03

     Secretary Reed, House Bill 1000. House Bill 1000 by Representative Gamble of the 15th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 7 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to income taxes so as to provide for a one-time tax credit for individual taxpayers who file the income tax returns for the 2024 and 2025 taxable years, to provide for a definition, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Finance recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Huffstetler of the 52nd District.

483. 3:32:34

     Chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order.

484. 3:32:40

     I recognize the longest serving floor leader in the history of the Senate right here. Come on up here. Huh?

485. 3:32:53

     Bo, I'll keep you there if you wanna stay there. Thank you, Mr. President. I'll keep you there. And when you get elected, I can, I can continue the streak if you want. You obviously like that office 'cause you've been in it a long time, so. Well, if someone would appoint me to a committee, but, uh... No, I'm just kidding.

486. 3:33:10

     Mr. President, I rise to bring you House Bill 1000. This is a repeat of three pieces of legislation that we've approved in the past, HB 1302 from 2022, HB 162 from '23, and HB 112 from '25. Uh, this benefits Georgians by giving back $250 for individual filers, 375 for heads of household, and 500 for those married and file, filing jointly.

487. 3:33:40

     This is a good tax refund, giving Georgians back their money, and I'm happy to answer any questions. No questions, Senator. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the will. Is there any other senator who wishes to speak for or against the measure?

488. 3:33:57

     Chair hears none. Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. The previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the committee, the report of the committee that is favorable to the pass of the bill?

489. 3:34:12

     The report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. The question is on the pass of the bill. All those in favor of the bill vote yay, opposed nay. Secretary will unlock the machine.

490. 3:36:01

     All on the pass of the bill, the yays are 53, the nays are zero. This bill having received the requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed.

491. 3:36:11

     I need everybody please pay real close attention to this next bill because, uh, it's a senator from the 18th. This is his first one. Woo. Woo. And, uh, it's already, it looks already pretty self-serving here, so y'all get ready for it. Secretary, read the, read the count. House Bill 1196 by Representative Smith of the 18th and others. A bill to be entitled in act to amend code section 16-7-21.2 to, of the official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to criminal trespass involving a wild animal so as to provide for the offense of criminal trespass involving a wild animal, to provide for definitions, to provide for penalties, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

492. 3:36:49

     Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Judiciary recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Strickland of the 42nd District, Chairman.

493. 3:37:00

     Senator Summers of the 13th and others r- offers the following amendment to House Bill 1196. Amendment one. On line 20, add, "And trial lawyers" after wild animals. Mr. President, Senator McNeel, Mr. 101 for amendment two. Mr. President, Senators McNeel of the 18th and others offers the following amendment to House Bill 1196. Amendment two, by adding the word not between stray and include on line 25, and by adding a new line, line nine that says, "This act shall be known as the Steven McNeel Act," and renumbering any subsequent lines accordingly.

494. 3:37:34

     Mr. President, that completes the order. All right. All right. Um, Senator, senator from Macon, Georgia.

495. 3:37:50

     You worked all this hard to bring this for us here, I'll tell you what. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I'd like to present House Bill 1196, which is adding to the current law, um, just adding to the criminal offenses of protecting wild animals held in enclosures. It's a rising issue at the, our aquariums and zoos in the state and we, and, um, mm-mm.

496. 3:38:20

     Thank you. Thank you. Um-

497. 3:38:26

     It's a good bill carried by Representative Tyler Paul Smith in the House and, um, I'm glad to support it. Now, the amendment I signed originally stated adding, adding on line 25 to this bill to exclude domestic animals and livestock, not to, not to add my name to the act, but s- merely to exclude domestic animals and livestock.

498. 3:38:58

     But if anybody rashes- Senator, are you talking about the same bill? Are you ta- are we, are we talking about the same thing here, Senator? I believe so, Mr. President. All right. There's a lot of amendments to keep up with, but, um, I am in favor of the amendment I signed with the exclusion of my name being, uh, included to the act. But I encourage your support, support, and with that, I will, uh, answer any questions. There's definitely some questions. Um, senator from the 56th.

499. 3:39:32

     Thank you, Mr. President. Would the senator yield for a series of questions? I do. Senator, you were recently elected. Is that not true? That is true. Senator, isn't it true that, uh, most of us in this room have, uh, reviewed your campaign website and you talk about things like faith and family and freedom and, let's see, farmers and Second Amendment. Can you tell me how this bill applies to those campaign promises you made? Absolutely. Um, I mean, all creatures great and small, I believe we should care for them all.

500. 3:40:06

     And this is, this is part for, this is part of the, um, you know, when we, when we take them into our, our custody, I th- I believe we have a duty to take, to care for our animals. Thank you, Senator. Would you further yield? I do. Senator, let's talk about enforcement for this act. Now, if some type of object was thrown into a cage, will the animals be held to testify? Will they be trained to do so?

501. 3:40:32

     Don't wait on translation, Senator. Tell us now. Well, um, objective evidence of the injury would be enough to testify for a, a prosecuting attorney, but, uh, let's hope there's witnesses as well, or a video camera. All right, Senator. My neighbor next door has chickens. If someone were to throw something in that chicken coop, would we be guilty of this crime? No, sir, you will not, Senator. Uh, this would not be for a public visitation, conservation, education, or science use.

502. 3:41:03

     All right, Senator, last question. We used to have a member of this, uh, body who used to always remind people of a very important clause called moral turpitude. Now, are you familiar with moral turpitude? I am. Is there a reason why you wouldn't have that in this bill, Senator? Why I would not have that in this bill? Correct. Uh, well- Maybe you could tell us how it would apply. A- a- as applied to animals, I'm not sure how it would involve crimes of theft or lying or cheating or stealing, but these are c- crimes of just, of, um, let's just say ill design and just pure hatred towards another living creature.

503. 3:41:44

     All right, Senator. Good job. Recognize the senator from the 42nd.

504. 3:41:53

     Does senator yield for a series of questions? I will. Senator, you're an attorney as well, aren't you? The senator knows what she speaks. Do you agree that as a lawyer when we write certain laws, especially criminal laws like this one, and we're creating new offenses, that it's important that the public understands and has knowledge of the new offenses that we're creating, correct? That is correct. So just for the sake of the tens of thousands watching at home right now, if you could, I, I saw on my desk you gave an illustration about a Komodo dragon and how that applies to your bill.

505. 3:42:29

     So I wonder if you could just show us, um, right now from the well, if you could imitate a Komodo dragon that is sitting there by itself in a cage right now presenting this bill.

506. 3:42:44

     Great question. I am not a floater. All right, good job. Thank you. I, I, I- Now, I'd like, s- since you've already done that now, so your bill makes it a new offense to inflict stress on a caged animal, correct? That would be a harm, correct. So you've already showed us what a Komodo dragon looks like in a cage. Can you show us what a stressed out Komodo dragon in a cage would look like? I would have to defer to the zoological, uh, psychotherapists in, in, in that regard.

507. 3:43:18

     I'm sure there's some objective signs, none of which I could list off to you right now. You have to talk to your therapist about it? The zoo, zoo, zoos' psychotherapists. So senator, I'll close with this. So you ran in a special election, beat out several other opponents and got in a really tough runoff. People, including people in this chamber, spent thousands of dollars trying to help you get elected. You get elected, you get up here, you finally make it to the well, and is this what you ran for office for?

508. 3:43:50

     This is step one, senator. Step one.

509. 3:43:57

     Recognize senator from the 6th.

510. 3:44:03

     Thank you, Mr. President. Does the senator yield for a series of questions? I do. Senator, I was looking at your little handout you gave about the Komodo dragon. By the way, does the Komodo dragon have a name? That I don't know. Could you come up with a name real quick for it?

511. 3:44:28

     We- we'll name him Matt.

512. 3:44:34

     So senator, senator, I noticed Matt lived in, uh, Memp- in the Memphis Zoo. I assume that's Memphis, Tennessee? That is correct. And then in, you're also referencing something that happened in Omaha in the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Senator, why are you bringing this bill for Georgia when you're referencing other states? Well, I don't believe there's walls that separate these states, and what can happen there can happen here.

513. 3:45:07

     Um, the senator from the 32nd brought up a good point in, in your committee, I believe, of, you know, potential for somebody deciding to fish at the Georgia Aquarium, and we would not want, want that to occur.

514. 3:45:21

     All right, Senator. Well, one serious question, sorta. I was looking through your bill and there's, when, when does the bill take effect? I don't see an effective date on here.

515. 3:45:38

     Upon the governor's signature, in the absence of any other language. And, and Matt knows that? How will the animals know that this is effective? The animal would never know, but the, uh, the leaders at Zoo Atlanta and Georgia Aquarium, and many other places around the state would, should well, be well aware. All right. I'm done with you. Yeah, this subject matter's not going anywhere real quick, but go on. Come, come bring us home, uh, senator from the 50th.

516. 3:46:12

     Uh, thank you, Mr. President. Does the senator yield? I do. I've got three amendments on my desk right now. My understanding is that you're likely opposed to number one. That is correct. And then I've got number two and number three, and if my memory serves me, you stated that you would be for the original couple lines on amendment two, but not the rest, which I think the part on number two that you're in favor of is actually reflected in number three.

517. 3:46:54

     I have not gotten a copy of that amendment, but I- Well, let's just say that- Thank you ... the language that I believe you're in favor of is on number three. Could I just get you, for clarification, to go on record to say that you are against the second amendment? I am against the second amendment in all forms. Okay, thank you.

518. 3:47:16

     Just got a soundbite. Thank you. Amendment number three, it would be the amendment I'm for, and now with that, I will yield the well. I mean- Oh, one more. You're not going anywhere. Oh. Recognize the senator from the, uh, let's see. Trying to find somebody funny here.

519. 3:47:44

     Senator from the 41st, I'll give you a chance. Thank you, Mr. President. Does the senator yield? He does. Senator, are you familiar with the Great Wolf Lodge?

520. 3:47:56

     I am. I've never been there, but I am familiar. Senator, do you know who represents the Great Wolf Lodge? I do not. I believe it's the senator from the 29th. And so I would like to know, does this protect all of the animals at the Great Wolf Lodge as well? As long as they're a defined wild animal as we commonly know them in, in, uh, in the wild. Well, I hope it includes the senator from the 29th. Thank you so much.

521. 3:48:27

     Thank you. Recognize the senator from the 46th. Thank you, Mr. President. Will the senator yield? I do. Senator, I've been sitting back here and I'm, I'm just really kind of torn up about this. I, I don't know how many of you saw the ABC News program recently with the poor little monkey that was being bullied by the other people in his troop, and some kind soul threw him a stuffed animal, a little monkey toy. I think his name was Tunk.

522. 3:48:58

     And, and they drug him around, and the poor little thing, you know, it helped rehabilitate him, and all the other monkeys began to love him. Yeah, that, that might be it. And, uh, I, I, I hate the thought of you criminalizing some good humanitarian gestures like that to take care of little children and animals that have been bullied. Is that your intent with this legislation? No, distinguished senator from the 46th, that is not my intent. In that particular case, it, it, that you, that you saw that, that was a zoologist who gave him a, a comfort animal, a service animal, if you will, even if it wasn't a real service animal.

523. 3:49:39

     Um,

524. 3:49:43

     uh- I think Punch was his name, if I remember right. And, and I'm glad that you do have a heart. You, you may have a chance here in this body after all. Recognize the senator from the 48th. Thank you, Mr. President. Senator yield? I do.

525. 3:50:01

     Uh, this bill had a lot of questions in the rules committee, um, and you referenced aquariums. And I know we did talk just a moment ago about fishing, uh, at our beloved Georgia Aquarium. But when you talked about it in rules, and you're talking about it here, and then I don't see that word anywhere in the bill, and I'm wondering how well do you know this bill?

526. 3:50:28

     Uh, fairly well, Senator. Okay. If you know it well, does this include zoos that may have a limited number of wild animals in it? It would. Particularly small ones, um- Well, a- as defined in code section 48-8-3, which it does include aquariums. I don't know the threshold size required referenced by that code section.

527. 3:50:59

     I would have- What I, what I'm getting to, Senator, is this. Um, there is a domestic animal, it's a small canine, long coat, um, if you could help me remember the name. Starts with an S. But I'm, I'm thinking about a time when you and I were spending some time together in, in south Georgia and, and we came across a residence that, that had some of these canines in the backyard. Um, but if a, if a zoo only had one canine in it, would that make it a Shih Tzu?

528. 3:51:40

     Indeed. All right, we got time for one more. Senator from the 27th. Thank you, Mr. President. Does the representative yield? I do. Oh. Appreciate you bringing this good House bill to us, Mr. Representative. Uh, do you ever have plans on bringing Senate bills to the floor of the Senate? One day. I do have a, a serious question about the bill. You, on line 17, expand the definition of harass, and I think that Chairman Brass or the senator from the 6th mentioned this as well, to include the infliction of stress to wild animals.

529. 3:52:19

     Is that correct? That is correct. And then amendment one here seeks to expand the definition of wild animals to include trial lawyers. Is that correct? That is correct. And looking below the amendment here, I, I see a signature on here from the senator from the 19th in Toombs County. Is that correct? Yes. I- is it true that you and he share the same profession,

530. 3:52:48

     generally speaking? In a general sense, yes. Is this perhaps the swan song from the senator from the 19th and your attempt to ensure that no more stress is brought to the trial lawyers in an attempt to permanently block any fu- future tort reform efforts in this chamber, Senator?

531. 3:53:10

     Uh, or it could be the, the senator from 13th's desire not to have any of those billboards attacked, uh, that had trial lawyers on them as well. Ooh.

532. 3:53:25

     Yes. Well, since we brought up it being a House bill, yeah, that did, that did escape me, so I need to call an old House member to s- to help explain this thing. Senator from the 30th, you, you, you wanna help bring this home for us? We'll try. Senator yield? I do. Did you tell the senator earlier that if he threw something at some chickens next door that would not qualify? If it wasn't a, a educational center in the, in the, in a zoo in the common sense for conser- conservation, education, or science.

533. 3:54:00

     Am I reading lines 25 through 27 wrong?

534. 3:54:07

     Such terms shall include any domestic animal or livestock, cows kept or maintained by a person or corporation that is not operating with the purpose of public visitation, conservation, education, or science.

535. 3:54:21

     On amendment three behind-

536. 3:54:23

     No, this isn't an amendment. We're talking straight off the bill.

537. 3:54:26

     On the bill itself.

538. 3:54:27

     On the bill itself.

539. 3:54:28

     There was a scrivener's error that, uh, escaped plenty of attention.

540. 3:54:34

     So which one is it?

541. 3:54:37

     It needs to be the term shall not include any domestic animal or livestock, cows kept or maintained by a person or a corporation that is not operating with the purpose of public visitation, conservation, education, or science.

542. 3:54:49

     Uh, a- as formally trained by the former Speaker Ralston d- from the House, it's very clear that we need to make sure the language is correct before we bring this bill to this, to this body, correct?

543. 3:55:02

     That is correct.

544. 3:55:04

     How are we gonna fix this?

545. 3:55:07

     Via amendment and sending it back.

546. 3:55:09

     The amendment will take care of that? The one that's, uh, naming it after you?

547. 3:55:16

     The amendment three, not named after me.

548. 3:55:19

     Okay. Thank you so much for your time.

549. 3:55:21

     Thank you.

550. 3:55:25

     All right, Senator. Y- you got more questions, but I think we're done with you, so you, you can get out of the well.

551. 3:55:31

     All right. I will now get in the well.

552. 3:55:46

     All right. Good job, Senator. We're gonna, we're gonna take up the amendments. Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead and read. I'm, I'm sorry. Mr. Secretary, read, uh, amendment number three.

553. 3:56:00

     Mr. Pre- Mr. President, Senators McNeel of the 18th and others offers the following amendment to House Bill 1196. Amendment number three, by adding the word not between shall and include on line 25. Mr. President, that completes the order.

554. 3:56:20

     Neema, who's, uh, uh... Would you like to speak to the amendment? Who is, McNeel? Oh, the senator from the 18th.

555. 3:56:28

     Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to withdraw, uh, amendment number two.

556. 3:56:34

     John.

557. 3:56:39

     All right. Yeah, you're out of order. It's time for lunch. All right. On amendment number three, uh, Senator, is this... Would you... This is your amendment too. You wanna keep this one? We need to keep this one. Is there objection? Without objection, amendment number three is added. All right, now on amendment number one, is there objection to amendment number one?

558. 3:57:21

     Senator from the 13th, what purpose do you rise?

559. 3:57:26

     Mr. President, probably one of the most important amendments we've ever had in this chamber, amendment number one. It's very profound. It states everything perfectly. The only thing I left out was the word in cages, 'cause that would've, that would've covered everything, and he let the rest of them off the hook. So therefore, I with- respectfully withdraw amendment number one.

560. 3:57:51

     Yeah. Wow. All right. Is there objection to it? Without objection, amendment number one is withdrawn. All right, so we're in the posture to vote on this thing.

561. 3:58:06

     Congratulations, Senator from the 18th. I'm glad you worked so hard to make it, to get this House bill across the finish line. Gr- graduations. He's not, he's not there, right. You're right. We still gotta vote on this thing, don't we? We gotta vote. All right. Is there objection to the main question be in order? Chair hears none. Main question is ordered. Questions on the passage of the bill as amended. You, you, Senator, you actually bring up a good point. Should we just table this thing? No. Be done with it?

562. 3:58:37

     Yes. What do you think? Move the table. Move the table? Not now.

563. 3:58:43

     Stonewall it.

564. 3:58:43

     Don't y'all have r- y'all don't have lunch, uh, prepared for us, Senator Pro Tem? You've got lunch for everybody? Cold hamburgers. Oh, oh, cold hamburgers? Yeah. Cold, cold, cold. Now, all those in favor of the bill, vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

565. 3:59:58

     On the passage of the bill, the yays are 50 and the nays are two. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed as amended.

566. 4:00:12

     Recognize senator from the 6th for a motion.

567. 4:00:16

     Mr. President, pursuant to, pursuant to Senate Rule 7-1.10B, I give notice that on the next legislative day, I intend to move that the Senate consider House action on SB 220.

568. 4:00:33

     Secretary, read the caption.

569. 4:00:35

     Senate Bill 220 by Senators Brass of the 6th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend various provisions of the OCGA so as to rename low-THC oil as medical cannabis, to amend Chapter 12 of Title 16, Article 2 of Chapter 13 of Title 16, and Article 1 of Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the OCGA relating to offenses against the public health and morals, regulation of controlled substances and general provisions relative to the Department of Public Health respectively, so as to clarify and revise criminal penalties, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

570. 4:01:05

     Mr. President, that completes the order.

571. 4:01:12

     Thank you for the notice, Senator. Recognize the majority leader for a motion.

572. 4:01:19

     Mr. President, I move that the Senate stand adjourned pursuant to HR 998 till 10:00 AM, Wednesday, March 18th.

573. 4:01:25

     Secretary, read the announcement.

574. 4:01:28

     The Rules Committee will meet upon adjournment in Room 450 of the Capitol. The Public Safety Committee will meet at 2:00 PM in Room 450 of the Capitol. The State Institutions and Property Committee will meet in Room 125 of the Capitol at 2:00 PM. The Health and Human Services Committee will meet in Room 450 of the Capitol at 3:00 PM. The Finance Committee will meet in Room Mezzanine 1 at 4:00 PM. The Judiciary Committee will meet in Room 307 of the CLOB at 5:00 PM. Mr. President, that completes the order.

575. 4:01:56

     Any other senators have any announcements?

576. 4:02:02

     Senator from the 33- 33rd, are you, uh, you got your light on? You just daydreaming over there. I tell you, he's daydreaming. Any other announcements? All right. Majority leader has moved that the Senate stand adjourned until tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM, Wednesday morning at 10:00 AM, Wednesday morning at 10:00 AM, March 18th. All those in favor of the motion, signify by saying aye.

577. 4:02:30

     Aye.

578. 4:02:30

     All those opposed, no.

579. 4:02:32

     No.

580. 4:02:32

     The ayes clearly have it. We're adjourned.

581. 4:02:40

     Thank you, sir. Will you work that back into the special action box?

582. 4:02:44

     Okey-doke.