---
title: Senate floor session, March 4, 2026 (legislative day 27)
collection: meetings
id: 2026-03-04/senate-floor
cite_as: Senate floor session, March 4, 2026 (legislative day 27), video https://vimeo.com/1170080906 (machine transcript by Georgia Commons)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor/text
source_url: https://vimeo.com/1170080906
date: 2026-03-04
status: machine transcript
corpus_version: meetings-2026-10-23-8c15ead0f18d
license: Machine transcript and summaries by Georgia Commons from the General Assembly's public video; the video stays on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/house-rules.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/house-floor-am.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/index.md
chamber: Senate
body: Senate floor
body_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/senate-floor.md
meeting_kind: floor
legislative_day: 27
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
start_time: 2026-03-04T10:00:00-05:00
location: Senate Chamber
duration_seconds: 24933.0
video_id: 1170080906
video_title: Legislative Day 27 | 2026 Legislative Session | 03/04/2026
bills_discussed:
  - SB 569
  - HB 1245
  - SB 306
  - SR 668
  - SB 465
  - SB 498
  - SB 478
  - SB 489
  - SB 503
  - SB 523
  - SB 524
  - SB 552
  - SB 565
  - SR 624
  - SB 406
  - SB 157
  - SB 198
  - SB 216
  - SB 230
  - SB 261
  - SB 285
  - SB 425
bills_read_aloud: 60
summaries_model: gpt-6.1-sol
transcript_turns: 957
transcript_chars: 275054
parts:
  - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md?start=0
  - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md?start=59632
  - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md?start=118992
  - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md?start=178494
  - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md?start=238234
---

# Senate floor session, March 4, 2026 (legislative day 27)

Senate floor; March 4, 2026; legislative day 27; 2025-2026 Regular Session.

Video, on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/1170080906.

> This is a machine transcript of the General Assembly's video, made by a speech-recognition model. It is not an official record and can mishear words, names, and numbers. Speakers are not identified. The video is the record: every timestamp links to the moment it plays.

## Summary written by Georgia Commons

Written by gpt-6.1-sol from the transcript below. It is not part of the record. Quote the transcript or the video, not the summary.

The Senate passed measures on outdoor conservation funding, retirement benefits, rental-home guarantees, condominium insurance, student political expression, school discrimination complaints, campus police protections, specialty license plates and cursive instruction. It also passed [SB 406](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb406), establishing oversight of property owners associations, after adopting two amendments. Senators rejected amendments addressing broader religious-discrimination language, excused absences for civic events and local rent regulation. A road-naming resolution was adopted, while [SR 668](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr668), concerning property taxation of data-center equipment, was set aside. The Senate confirmed a group of governor’s appointments 44-7 and tabled one nomination. Numerous bills received first or second readings. The chamber adjourned until 9 a.m. Friday, March 6.

## Bills discussed (22)

Each account was written by gpt-6.1-sol from the stretch of the transcript it names. The bill's number is said in that stretch, unless it was the only bill on a committee's agenda.

### SB 569. Motor Vehicles and Traffic; the issuance of emergency vehicle light permits for towing service companies in certain instances; provide

[SB 569](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb569) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:45:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2728s), turns 61 to 79.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Committee Favorably Reported, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73567.

The clerk reported a favorable Public Safety Committee recommendation on [SB 569](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb569), concerning emergency-light permits for towing companies. A senator requested suspension of the rules to allow a second reading on the same day as the committee report because of a clerical error. The Senate allowed the request without objection, and the clerk read the bill again. No passage vote occurred.

### HB 1245. Walker County; Board of Education; members shall be elected by voters of the respective education districts; provide

[HB 1245](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1245) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:47:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6470s), turns 206 to 210.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Withdrawn & Recommitted, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73008.

A senator requested moving [HB 1245](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1245) from the committee handling local government bills to the committee handling general state and local government bills. The clerk described the proposal as electing Walker County school board members by their respective districts rather than by voters throughout the school system. The Senate approved the reassignment without objection.

### SB 306. Bona Fide Conservation Use Property; impending expiration to be sent via certified mail; require notices

[SB 306](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb306) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:56:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6995s), turns 239 to 875.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Engrossed, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71006.

The Senate first included [SB 306](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb306) in a four-measure motion to prevent floor amendments, approved 31-22. Later, the sponsor said the bill would require certified-mail notices when conservation-use property agreements approach expiration. The sponsor said these agreements generally last 10 years and reported knowing of approximately 75 cases involving undelivered notices. The sponsor said an owner who did not receive the certified notice in time to appeal would receive an automatic one-year extension. No substantive questions or opposing speeches followed. The Senate adopted the committee substitute and passed it 49-0.

### SR 668. General Assembly; the assessment of property taxes on property; electronic equipment primarily used to process, store, or transmit digital information and data; authorize

[SR 668](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr668) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:56:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6997s), turns 239 to 598.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Engrossed, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72667.

The Senate included [SR 668](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr668) in a four-measure motion to prevent floor amendments, approved 31-22. In the initial reading, the clerk described a proposed constitutional amendment concerning property-tax assessment of manufacturing, storage and data-processing property. When the measure returned later, the clerk read a Rules Committee substitute focused on property housing electronic equipment used to process, store or transmit digital information. The clerk said a fiscal note was attached. The sponsor then moved to set the resolution aside, and the Senate agreed without objection. No vote on adoption occurred.

### SB 465. Income Taxes; business enterprises that hire illegal aliens for large-scale projects from claiming certain tax credits associated with such projects; disqualify

[SB 465](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb465) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:56:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6996s), turns 239 to 250.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Engrossed, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72895.

The majority leader included [SB 465](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb465) in a four-measure motion to prevent floor amendments. The clerk described the bill as disqualifying businesses that hire people unlawfully in the country for large-scale projects from claiming certain related income-tax credits. An objection prompted a vote, and the combined motion passed 31-22. The Senate did not vote on passage of the bill.

### SB 498. Georgia Charter School Facilities Authority; establish

[SB 498](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb498) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:56:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6996s), turns 239 to 250.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Engrossed, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73137.

The majority leader included [SB 498](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb498) in a four-measure motion to prevent floor amendments. The clerk described a charter-school facilities authority that would help schools obtain revolving loans and other public financing for construction and renovation, along with authority for state bonds for charter-school facilities. The combined motion passed 31-22 after an objection. The Senate did not vote on passage of the bill.

### SB 478. Outdoor Stewardship; provide for a sunset

[SB 478](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb478) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [2:01:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7282s), turns 251 to 272.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72998.

The sponsor said [SB 478](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb478) would extend the outdoor stewardship program and add resources for conservation. The sponsor said more than 80% of Georgia voters supported the program in 2018. A supporting senator said the bill would extend authorization through 2039 and cited funding for a trail connection involving Trees Atlanta, the Atlanta BeltLine and the PATH Foundation. The majority leader said the bill would increase the share of existing outdoor-recreation sales-tax revenue directed to the fund from 40% to 80%, without new taxes. The majority leader credited the program with more than $118 million invested, 62 completed projects and protection of 45 miles of waterways. No opposition or substantive questions followed. The Senate passed the bill 55-0.

### SB 489. Board of Commissioners of the Judges of the Probate Courts Retirement Fund of Georgia; allow to set monthly dues

[SB 489](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb489) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [2:11:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7879s), turns 275 to 283.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73112.

The sponsor said [SB 489](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb489) would strengthen the probate judges’ retirement fund, which the sponsor said relies on court fees and contributions rather than state appropriations. The sponsor said actuarial studies projected funding would fall below 100% and described changes to contributions and the portion of existing fees directed to the fund. Although the sponsor initially said no fees would increase, a questioning senator identified an additional $2 charge on criminal cases in probate courts handling such cases. The sponsor confirmed that exception and agreed that the other changes redirected collected fees into the fund. The Senate passed the bill 53-1.

### SB 503. Insurance; rental home marketplace guarantees from the definition of property insurance; exempt

[SB 503](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb503) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [2:17:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8258s), turns 284 to 301.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73184.

The clerk described the committee substitute for [SB 503](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb503) as exempting rental-home marketplace guarantees from the definition of property insurance. The sponsor said rental platforms would have to back their property-damage guarantees with insurance. Asked who would carry the additional coverage, the sponsor said the vendor, not the homeowner. Asked about existing problems and rental costs, the sponsor said there had been issues with guarantees, called the expected fee small and acknowledged having no fiscal note. Another senator opposed the bill, saying marketplace guarantees would not receive the same oversight as ordinary property insurance and that the oversight language was insufficient. The Senate adopted the committee substitute and passed it 42-11.

### SB 523. Education; public schools and postsecondary educational institutions to consider antisemitism in the same manner as discrimination based on religion; authorize

[SB 523](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb523) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [3:25:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12311s), turns 303 to 438.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73343.

The sponsor said [SB 523](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb523) would designate statewide discrimination-complaint coordinators for public schools and higher education, establish uniform complaint handling and require annual reports. The sponsor said existing personnel could perform the work with minimal cost. A supporting senator said the bill would clarify protection against antisemitic harassment while preserving protected speech. An amendment sponsor proposed explicitly naming anti-Christian, anti-Islamic, anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist and anti-Sikh discrimination alongside antisemitism. Supporters of the amendment described bullying of Muslim, Sikh and Hindu students and said naming other faiths would promote inclusion. Opponents said existing language already covered all religions, while antisemitism had a defined legal meaning encompassing more than religion. One opponent cited FBI figures placing anti-Jewish incidents at roughly 69% to 70% of religious hate crimes in 2024. Questions addressed proving discriminatory motivation, existing protections and possible misuse. A supporter answered that evidence could include statements, social media and prior threats. The amendment failed 22-31. The bill passed 50-2.

### SB 524. License Plates; specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia; establish

[SB 524](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb524) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [4:00:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14410s), turns 439 to 459.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73353.

The sponsor presented [SB 524](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb524) as authorizing license plates honoring the Girl Scouts and the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. The clerk described the committee substitute as providing an additional anniversary design and directing Girl Scout plate proceeds to Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia. The sponsor linked the plates to national history, service and preparation of future leaders. A second senator supported the Girl Scout plate, noting that the organization began in Savannah in 1912 and describing its leadership and entrepreneurship programs for girls. No substantive questions followed. The Senate adopted the substitute and passed it 51-0.

### SB 552. "True Patriotism and Universal Student Access (TPUSA) Act"; enact

[SB 552](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb552) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [4:08:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14886s), turns 459 to 523.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73523.

The sponsor said [SB 552](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb552) would protect public-school students’ political expression and give partisan and nonpartisan groups the same access to meeting space, announcements and facilities as other student groups. The sponsor also described protections for political clothing and said schools would retain authority to maintain order and safety. An amendment sponsor proposed at least one excused absence each school year for a civic or political event, citing students punished for speaking out. The amendment sponsor said it would apply across political viewpoints and could cover rallies, protests and strikes, including students too young to work. A supporting senator said uniform policies would protect students from decisions based on school leaders’ politics. The bill’s sponsor opposed the amendment as outside the bill’s focus on school activities. Another senator opposed expanding excused absences and raised the relationship between attendance and achievement. The amendment failed 21-32. The Senate passed the bill 46-7.

### SB 565. Peace Officers; the definition of law enforcement unit and peace officer to include members of police forces of nonprofit private colleges and universities; revise

[SB 565](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb565) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [4:28:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16083s), turns 524 to 563.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73554.

The sponsor said [SB 565](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb565) would include police at nonprofit private colleges and universities in state definitions of peace officers and law-enforcement units, providing protections comparable to those available to other officers. The sponsor cited Emory University officers’ response to a shooting at the Centers for Disease Control, saying they were the first officers to respond among 33 agencies. A questioning senator raised concerns about student protests on public roads and whether private-campus officers owed loyalty primarily to their employers. The sponsor answered that officers’ duty was to serve all citizens and cited their response outside campus as an example. Another senator supported the bill, describing an incident while working with Emory emergency medical services in which an Emory officer identified a weapon and intervened. The Senate passed the bill 53-0.

### SR 624. Officer Drew Haynes Brown Memorial Intersection; Cobb County; dedicate

[SR 624](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr624) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [4:42:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16922s), turns 564 to 593.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72473.

The sponsor presented [SR 624](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr624) as honoring several Georgians through road and intersection dedications. The sponsor focused on a Cobb County police officer, saying the officer was killed in 1983 when a drunk driver struck the patrol vehicle during radar enforcement. The Transportation Committee chair offered an amendment adding road dedications received after committee consideration. The chair requested a rules suspension because of the amendment’s length. One senator questioned using a lengthy amendment rather than a substitute. The Senate approved the rules suspension 49-5. The chair then announced adoption by substitute, 54-0, although the announced resolution number was shortened inconsistently with the measure under discussion.

### SB 406. "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact

[SB 406](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb406) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [4:55:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17753s), turns 598 to 667.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72253.

The sponsor said [SB 406](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb406) would require homeowners, property owners and condominium associations to register information with the Secretary of State, create a complaint-review board and hearings, and collect existing owner protections into a bill of rights. The sponsor described a $100 annual renewal fee and a limited exception for associations collecting dues and assessments but not fines or fees. The sponsor said owners struggled to obtain records or find lawyers for disputes. Several supporting senators described constituent complaints involving fines, threatened foreclosure, parking and association management. The sponsor said the foreclosure threshold would become $4,000 or 12 months of dues. A sponsor-backed amendment added a $2,000 minimum to the dues-based threshold and was adopted without objection. Another senator proposed a $10,000 threshold, citing a constituent facing foreclosure over $3,000. That amendment failed 11-40. A third amendment, barring review-board members with specified ties to association law firms or management companies, was adopted without objection. The Senate adopted the amended committee substitute and passed it 53-0.

### SB 157. Retirement; certain members or former members of the General Assembly to buy into the Georgia Legislative Retirement System; provide

[SB 157](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb157) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [5:26:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19562s), turns 668 to 681.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70262.

The sponsor said [SB 157](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb157) would allow qualifying legislators who had not joined the legislative retirement system during earlier service to purchase credit for that time. The sponsor described legislators returning after a break in service and said participants would pay the money themselves. The clerk said an actuarial investigation and auditor certification were attached. No questions or opposing speeches followed. The Senate passed the bill 49-1.

### SB 198. Georgia Legislative Retirement System; board of trustees of the system to increase benefit multipliers for members; provide

[SB 198](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb198) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [5:30:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19824s), turns 682 to 688.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70478.

The clerk described [SB 198](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb198) as allowing the legislative retirement system’s trustees to increase benefit multipliers under specified conditions, with proportional increases in employee contributions and a minimum 120% funding ratio. The sponsor called it a cleanup measure, said no taxpayer dollars would be involved and said trustees would set benefits to preserve the fund’s financial stability. No questions or opposing speeches followed. The Senate passed the bill 45-5.

### SB 216. Georgia Judicial Retirement System; membership in the system for individuals employed as the director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission; provide

[SB 216](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb216) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [5:34:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20055s), turns 689 to 695.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70557.

The clerk described [SB 216](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb216) as permitting the director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission to join the judicial retirement system. The sponsor said a transferring member could receive credit equal to service earned in the employees’ retirement system. The sponsor said employee and employer contributions, with interest, would transfer, and the member would pay any additional amount needed to cover the full actuarial cost. No opposing speeches followed. The Senate passed the bill 49-2.

### SB 230. Condominiums; maximum amount of insurance deductibles payable by unit owners; remove the limitation

[SB 230](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb230) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [5:37:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20259s), turns 695 to 738.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70638.

The sponsor said [SB 230](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb230) would allow higher deductibles on condominium master insurance policies to help associations obtain more competitive rates. The sponsor distinguished the building-wide policy from individual unit policies and said the change aimed to improve affordability. The clerk described the committee substitute as increasing, rather than eliminating, the maximum deductible payable by unit owners and adding notice requirements. An amendment sponsor proposed repealing the state restriction on local rent regulation, saying cities and counties should decide whether to regulate rents. The amendment sponsor cited rising rents and students’ difficulty finding housing near campuses, and said 44 other states allowed local control. A questioning senator raised whether rent regulation would reduce housing supply. Another senator supported the amendment as a concrete way to address renters’ costs. The amendment failed 22-32. The Senate adopted the committee substitute and passed it 51-2.

### SB 261. Magistrates Retirement Fund; early retirement benefit; provide

[SB 261](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb261) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [5:51:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21079s), turns 739 to 750.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70890.

The sponsor said [SB 261](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb261) would change the magistrates’ retirement fund board, increase member dues and allow retirement at age 55 with a 3% benefit reduction for each year before the normal retirement age of 60. The sponsor said the fund was 150% funded, received no state appropriations and sought neither state money nor increased fees. The clerk described a committee substitute that also addressed the compensation amount used to calculate benefits. No questions or opposing speeches followed. The Senate adopted the substitute and passed it 53-1.

### SB 285. Emergency Communications Authority; increase in the percentage of all 9-1-1 charges to be remitted to the Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund; increase

[SB 285](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb285) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [5:56:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21365s), turns 751 to 863.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70897.

The sponsor said [SB 285](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb285) would stabilize the Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund and improve retirement security, particularly for officers without strong employer pensions. The committee substitute replaced the original approach involving 911 charges with a public-safety telephone surcharge. An opposing senator described the charge as $1 per line and argued that benefits should instead be funded through the state budget. The sponsor said fund members voluntarily contribute $35 monthly and that the fund receives no state appropriations. Questions established that eligible participants included certified peace officers, dispatchers and correctional officers, but generally not EMTs, paramedics or HERO workers without qualifying certification. One senator opposed that limited coverage. Other supporters pointed to recruitment difficulties, small departments’ limited pensions and the stresses of public-safety work. One supporter said qualifying fire-department EMTs and paramedics could use a separate firefighters’ fund. A clarifying amendment was withdrawn, with the sponsor saying the issue could be addressed in the House. The Senate adopted the committee substitute and passed it 49-4.

### SB 425. Education; all schools that receive state funding with students in any of grades three through five to provide instruction in cursive handwriting to all students by no later than third grade; require

[SB 425](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb425) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [6:30:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23445s), turns 876 to 946.

Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-04): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72466.

The clerk described [SB 425](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb425) as requiring schools receiving state funding and serving any of grades three through five to teach cursive handwriting by third grade. The sponsor said the change would help children read family correspondence and historical documents. One supporting senator said committee testimony and personal research indicated cursive could improve word recognition, memory and letter differentiation, especially for children with dyslexia. Another cited students’ difficulty reading historical sources and teachers’ handwritten comments. Opponents supported learning cursive but called the requirement an unfunded demand on teachers’ time, training and classroom schedules. One senator said the Department of Education already required cursive and urged allowing that approach to proceed before changing state law. Another argued that printed versions of historical documents were sufficient and that reading instruction deserved priority. During the discussion, a motion to adjourn failed. The Senate then passed the bill 43-9.

## Bills read aloud (60)

Read aloud only (a first or second reading, a committee's report), with no discussion.

- [SB 613](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb613) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Superior Court of Clayton County; change the compensation of the sheriff: [0:43:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2611s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [SB 614](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb614) (2025-2026 Regular Session), City of Hampton; homestead exemption; ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes; provide: [0:43:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2617s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [SB 615](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb615) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Incorporation of Municipal Corporations; county police services for qualified municipalities; provide: [0:43:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2623s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [SB 616](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb616) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Fulton County; written consent for the creation of community improvement districts; provide: [0:43:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2629s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [SB 617](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb617) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Dispossessory Proceedings; public access to court records of dispossessory proceedings under certain conditions; prohibit: [0:43:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2635s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [SR 890](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr890) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Senate Study Committee on Protecting Free and Fair Markets in Georgia; create: [0:44:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2641s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [SR 897](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr897) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Ellis Crook Highway; Coweta County; dedicate: [0:44:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2646s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 158](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb158) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Commerce and trade; filing of registration statements with the office of the Secretary of State; provide: [0:44:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2662s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 664](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb664) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Property owners' associations; development and affirmative election; provisions: [0:44:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2666s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1045](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1045) (2025-2026 Regular Session), You Are Not Alone Awareness Act; enact: [0:44:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2669s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1076](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1076) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Crimes and offenses; create felony offense of obstruction of a law enforcement officer with a motor vehicle: [0:44:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2673s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1191](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1191) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Motor vehicles; additional military medal awards eligible for special veteran license plates; provide: [0:44:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2677s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1192](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1192) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Public assistance; certain accounting practices by Department of Human Services and Department of Community Health; provide: [0:44:40](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2680s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1195](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1195) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Veterinarians; practice and provision of veterinary teletriage and veterinary telemedicine; revise provisions: [0:44:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2683s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1196](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1196) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Crimes; offense of criminal trespass involving a wild animal; provide: [0:44:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2686s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1201](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1201) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Fire protection; compliance with safety standards for smoke detectors; provide: [0:44:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2690s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1209](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1209) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Sales and use tax; purchases of tangible property and construction materials used for or in the construction and furnishing of certain buildings; provide exemption: [0:44:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2693s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1230](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1230) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Aviation; prohibit operation of unmanned aircraft systems over a place of incarceration: [0:44:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2695s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1268](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1268) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Official Code of Georgia Annotated; revise, modernize and correct errors or omissions: [0:44:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2699s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1290](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1290) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Crimes and offenses; protection of elder persons; sexual abuse; revise definition: [0:45:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2703s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1310](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1310) (2025-2026 Regular Session), State symbols; cotton as official state fabric; designate: [0:45:07](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2707s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1396](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1396) (2025-2026 Regular Session), State government; require certain privately funded organizations that operate a shelter or provide outreach services to homeless individuals participate in the Georgia Homeless Management Information System (HMIS): [0:45:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2710s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred)
- [HB 1199](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1199) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Revenue and taxation; Internal Revenue Code and Internal Revenue Code of 1986; revise terms and incorporate certain provisions of federal law into Georgia law: [0:45:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2745s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Recommitted)
- [SB 190](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb190) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Parks, Historic Areas, Memorials, and Recreation; certain fee waivers for active duty members of the military, veterans, and family members; provide: [0:47:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2828s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 209](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb209) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Teachers Retirement System of Georgia; members of the Public School Employees Retirement System to make an irrevocable election to become members; permit certain persons: [0:47:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2838s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 299](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb299) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Notaries Public; members of the armed forces on active duty to use online notaries public for certain matters; provide: [0:47:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2849s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 324](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb324) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Life Insurance; certain protections for life insurance policyholders and beneficiaries; provide: [0:47:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2858s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 367](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb367) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Certificate of Need; health care facilities, services, and equipment dedicated exclusively to the treatment of cancer; provide for exemption: [0:47:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2865s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 410](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb410) (2025-2026 Regular Session), State Sales and Use Taxes; the data center equipment sales and use tax exemption; repeal: [0:47:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2875s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 418](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb418) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Torts; cause of action against the knowing and unauthorized use of an individual's photograph or image together with representations of nudity or sexually explicit conduct; provide: [0:48:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2882s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 423](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb423) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Government Transparency; campaign committees, independent committees, political action committees, and leadership committees from accepting contributions or donations from non-Georgia persons that exceed 50 percent of all contributions received; prohibit: [0:48:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2895s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 442](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb442) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Drivers' Licenses; revocation and expiration of commercial drivers' licenses for noncitizens; provide: [0:48:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2909s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 445](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb445) (2025-2026 Regular Session), "Georgia Promise Scholarship Act"; public schools with a state-wide attendance zone and certain charter schools shall not be included in the separate list of public schools annually reported by the Office of Student Achievement; provide: [0:48:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2916s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 488](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb488) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Torts; generative artificial intelligence systems shall constitute personal property for purposes of certain actions for product liability alleging injury to a minor; provide: [0:48:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2930s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 499](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb499) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Dangerous Instrumentalities and Practices; prohibition on possessing a silencer; repeal: [0:49:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2941s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 510](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb510) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Board of Education of Cobb County; future elections for members of the board of education shall be nonpartisan; provide: [0:49:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2948s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 515](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb515) (2025-2026 Regular Session), "Quality Basic Education Act"; grants for educational programs; provisions relative to the teacher recruitment and retention tax credit program; revise: [0:49:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2957s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 532](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb532) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Proceedings; defendant notices of certain proceedings and pleadings when such defendant failed to file pleadings; provide: [0:49:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2968s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 547](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb547) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Offenses of Pimping and Pandering; modify the penalties: [0:49:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2977s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 553](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb553) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Professions and Businesses; repeal Chapter 14, relating to electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low voltage contractors, and utility contractors and enact a new Chapter 14: [0:49:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2983s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 556](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb556) (2025-2026 Regular Session), HOPE Scholarship; the inclusion of advanced placement and international baccalaureate fine arts courses in the calculation of grade point averages; provide: [0:50:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3006s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 555](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb555) (2025-2026 Regular Session), War Veterans Home; the admission of eligible nonveteran residents to a Georgia War Veterans' Home under certain circumstances; authorize: [0:49:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2996s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 566](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb566) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Ad Valorem Taxation of Property; the acceptance of tax digests in the event of a publication error made by a newspaper; provide: [0:50:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3016s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 568](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb568) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Elections and Primaries; the list of eligible voters is posted and made public prior to each primary or election; require: [0:50:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3026s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 572](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb572) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Criminal Prosecutions; an additional justification for use of force in defense of self or others; provide: [0:50:41](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3041s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 570](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb570) (2025-2026 Regular Session), "Georgia Human Trafficking Prevention Training Act"; enact: [0:50:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3036s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 573](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb573) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Primaries and Elections; the nonpartisan election for county officers and district attorneys in certain counties; provide: [0:50:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3050s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 576](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb576) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Ad Valorem Taxation; assessment of tangible real property used for community housing provider properties; provide: [0:50:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3059s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 586](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb586) (2025-2026 Regular Session), "K-9 Law Enforcement Heroes Act of 2026"; enact: [0:51:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3068s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 587](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb587) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Offenses Against Public Health and Morals; the establishment of an animal cruelty database; provide: [0:51:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3074s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 589](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb589) (2025-2026 Regular Session), "Quality Basic Education Act"; the date by which a child must attain a certain age to be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten or first grade; revise: [0:51:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3082s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 591](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb591) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Offenses Against Public Order; the disruption of a religious service; prohibit: [0:51:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3092s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 592](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb592) (2025-2026 Regular Session), "One Strike Act"; enact: [0:51:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3099s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 593](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb593) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Development Impact Fees; disclosure of impact fees upon transfer of ownership; provide: [0:51:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3103s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 594](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb594) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Internet and E-mail Fraud; the criminal offense of digital identity fraud; establish: [0:51:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3114s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 604](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb604) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Crimes and Offenses; the Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction with district attorneys to conduct criminal prosecutions of violent crimes, illegal immigration offenses, and fentanyl offenses; provide: [0:52:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3120s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 605](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb605) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Prosecuting Attorneys; additional grounds for discipline of a district attorney or solicitor-general or for his or her removal or involuntary retirement from office; provide: [0:52:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3132s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 606](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb606) (2025-2026 Regular Session), "District Attorney Compensation Reform Act"; enact: [0:52:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3143s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SR 875](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr875) (2025-2026 Regular Session), State-Wide Grand Juries; jurisdiction, powers, and duties; provide -CA: [0:52:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3164s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)
- [SB 607](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb607) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Grand Juries; creation, selection, composition, compensation, procedures, and term; provide: [0:52:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3149s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time)

> The transcript runs 275,054 characters. A reader that cannot take it at once can read it in 5 parts: part 1 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md?start=0; part 2 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md?start=59632; part 3 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md?start=118992; part 4 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md?start=178494; part 5 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-04/senate-floor.md?start=238234.

## Transcript (957 turns)

[0:40:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2423s) Good morning, good morning, good morning. Everybody looks so chipper this morning. The time for convening has arrived. The Senate will come to order. All unauthorized visitors, please exit the chamber at this time. I recognize the Rules chairman for his description on the journal.

[0:40:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2447s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I got a lot to tell you about the journal, but before I do, I'm gonna tell you what great pages we have here today. Out of Clarksville, we have Sabrina Blackburn. From Alpharetta, we have Alexandra Borman. From Duluth, Chloe Choi. From Woodstock, Isabella Cloette. From Lincolnton, Harper Cunningham. From Atlanta, Ashley Evans. From Atlanta, Lydia Foy.

[0:41:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2480s) From Jefferson, Chance Gravitt. From McDonough, we have brother and sister Brooks and Hannon Grimwood-Moss. From Jefferson, Peyton Hawkins. From Lincolnton, Kylie Hedrick. From Loganville, David Horton. From Glenwood, Gabrielle Keene. From Riverdale, Josiah Lewis. From Jefferson, Tripp Moore.

[0:41:51](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2511s) From Acworth, Preston Wynn. From Jonesborough, Xylie Perry. From Buford, Dana Reeves. From Jonesborough, Aja- Ajani Sweeney. From Atlanta, Emma Timberlake. And from Woodstock, we have Stockton White. 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.

[0:42:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2547s) Mr. President, let me tell you about this journal. It has been read and I have found everything to be correct, so I move that we dispense with the reading of the journal.

[0:42:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2559s) Second that motion.

[0:42:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2562s) I second.

[0:42:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2563s) All right.

[0:42:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2565s) You heard it.

[0:42:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2565s) I mean, it's, you know, bipartisan-

[0:42:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2567s) You heard it

[0:42:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2567s) ... bipartisan efforts right here already. Everybody's feeling good this morning, I can tell you. All right, is there objection to dispensing of the reading of the journal? Chair hears none, and the reading of the journal is dispensed with. Is there objection to the confirmation of the journal? Chair, chair hears none. The journal is confirmed. And we are very grateful for all the pages that are here today as well. So I appreciate the, uh, senator recognizing each and every one of you, and always like to have the, all the young folks down here to page, and we got a good group here today.

[0:43:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2599s) So, all senators who have bills or resolutions introduced, please bring them to the secretary's desk at this time. First reading and references of Senate bills. S- Mr. Secretary.

[0:43:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2611s) Senate Bill 613 by Senator Davenport of the 17th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend an act placing the sheriff and-

[0:43:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2617s) State and Local Government

[0:43:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2617s) ... Senate Bill 614 by Senator Davenport of the 17th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to provide a home-

[0:43:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2622s) State and Local Government

[0:43:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2623s) ... Senate Bill 615 by Senator James of the 28th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend chapter-

[0:43:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2628s) State and Local Government General

[0:43:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2629s) ... Senate Bill 616 by Senators Halpern of the 39th and others, a bill to be entitled-

[0:43:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2634s) State and Local Government

[0:43:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2635s) ... Senate Bill 617 by Senators Halpern of the 39th and others, a bill to be entitled an a-

[0:43:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2639s) Judiciary

[0:44:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2640s) ... Senate Resolution 890 by Senators Halpern of the 39th and others, a resolution to-

[0:44:04](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2644s) Economic Development

[0:44:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2645s) ... Senate Resolution 897 by Senators Brass of the 6th and others, a resolution re-

[0:44:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2651s) Transportation

[0:44:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2652s) Mr. President, that completes the order.

[0:44:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2657s) First reading references of House bills.

[0:44:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2662s) House Bill 158 by Representative Franklin of the 160th and others-

[0:44:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2665s) Government Oversight

[0:44:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2666s) ... House Bill 664 by s- Representative Silcox of the-

[0:44:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2668s) Judiciary

[0:44:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2669s) ... House Bill 1045 by Representative Herring of the 140-

[0:44:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2672s) Education and Youth

[0:44:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2672s) ... House Bill 1076 by Representative Erhart of the thir-

[0:44:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2676s) Judiciary

[0:44:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2677s) ... House Bill 1191 by Representative Osinna of the one-

[0:44:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2679s) Public Safety

[0:44:40](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2680s) ... House Bill 1192 by Representative Taylors of the one-

[0:44:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2682s) Government Oversight

[0:44:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2683s) ... House Bill 1195 by Representative Labrecque-

[0:44:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2685s) Agriculture

[0:44:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2685s) ... House Bill 1196 by Representative Smith-

[0:44:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2689s) Judiciary

[0:44:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2690s) ... House Bill 1201 by Representative Gullett of the 100-

[0:44:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2692s) Public Safety

[0:44:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2692s) ... House Bill 1209 by Representative Stephens-

[0:44:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2695s) Finance

[0:44:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2695s) ... House Bill 1230 by Representative Jones of the-

[0:44:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2697s) Transportation

[0:44:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2698s) ... House Bill 1268 by Representative Burchett of the 176th and others, a bill to-

[0:45:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2703s) Judiciary

[0:45:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2703s) ... House Bill 1290 by Representative Hilton of the 48th and others, a bill-

[0:45:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2706s) Judiciary

[0:45:07](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2707s) ... House Bill 1310 by Representative Sward of the 100-

[0:45:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2709s) Economic Development

[0:45:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2709s) ... House Bill 1396 by Representative Strachan-

[0:45:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2712s) Health and Human Services

[0:45:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2713s) Mr. President, that completes the order.

[0:45:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2715s) Secretary Reedy reports of standing committee.

[0:45:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2719s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Public Safety has had under consideration the following legislation, and has instructed me to report the same back to the Senate with the following recommendation. Senate Bill 569, due pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Albers of the 56th District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Rules has had under consideration the following legislation, and has instructed me to report the same back to the Senate with the following recommendation. Pursuant to Senate Rule 2-1.10B, the Committee on Rules has referred the following legislation from the general calendar. House Bill 1199 to the Committee on Rules. Respectfully submitted, Senator Burton Brass of the 6th District, Chairman.

[0:45:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2752s) Mr. President, that completes the order.

[0:46:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2769s) Recognize the senator from the 56th.

[0:46:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2777s) Thank you, Mr. President. I'd ask unanimous consent that Senate Rules 4-2-9C and 4-2.6 be suspended to allow for a bill to be second read on the same day that it was reported out of committee due to a clerical error.

[0:46:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2792s) Secretary, read the caption. Senate Bill 569 by Senator Strickland of the 42nd and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to motor vehicles and traffic so as to provide for the issuance of emergency vehicle light permits for towing service companies in certain instances to revise the definition to provide for related matters through appeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[0:46:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2816s) Is there objection? Not objection.

[0:47:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2825s) Secretary, read bills and resolutions for a second time. Senate Bill 190 by Senator Wicks of the 34th and others. Parks, historic areas, memorials, and recreation. Certain fee waivers for active duty members of the military, veterans, and family members provide. Senate Bill 209 by Senator Goodman of the 8th and others. Teachers Retirement System of Georgia. Members of the Public School Employees Retirement System to make an irrevocable election to become members, permit certain persons. Senate Bill 299 by Senator Walker III of the 20th and others. Notaries public, members of the Armed Forces on active duty to use online notaries public for certain matters provide.

[0:47:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2858s) Senate Bill 324 by Senator Harbin of the 16th and others. Life insurance, certain protections for life insurance policy holders and beneficiaries provide. Senate Bill 367 by Senator Cowsert of the 46th and others. Certificate of need, healthcare facilities, services, and equipment dedicated exclusively to the treatment of cancer provide for exemption. Senate Bill 410 by Senator Brass of the 6th and others. State sales and use tax, the data center equipment sales and use tax exemption repeal. Senate Bill 418 by Senator Burns of the 23rd and others. Torts, cause of action against the knowing and unauthorized use of an individual's photograph or image together with representations of nudity or sexually explicit content provide.

[0:48:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2895s) Senate Bill 423 by Senator Bearden of the 30th and others. Government transparency, campaign committees, independent committees, political action committees, and leadership committees from accepting contributions or donations from non-Georgia persons that exceed 50% of all con- contributions received prohibit. Senate Bill 442 by Senator Dickerson of the 21st and others. Driver's license, revocation, and expiration of commercial driver's license for non-citizens provide. Senate Bill 445 by Senator Dolezal of the 27th and others. Georgia Promise Scholarship Act. Public schools with a statewide attendance zone and certain charter schools shall not be included in the separate list of public schools annually reported by the Office of Student Achievement provide.

[0:48:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2930s) Senate Bill 488 by Senator Setzler of the 37th and others. Torts, generative artificial intelligence systems shall constitute personal property for purposes of certain actions for product liability alleging injury to a minor provide. Senate Bill 499 by Senator Ginn of the 47th and others. Dangerous instrumentalities and practices, prohibition on possessing a silencer repeal. Senate Bill 510 by Senator Setzler of the 37th and others. Board of Education of Cobb County. Future elections for members of the Board of Education shall be nonpartisan provide. Senate Bill 515 by Senator Hickman of the 4th and others.

[0:49:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2960s) Quality Basic Education Act. Grants for educational programs, provi- provisions relative to the teacher recruitment and retention tax credit system revise. Senate Bill 532 by Senator Halpern of the 39th and others. Proceedings, defendant notices of certain proceedings and pleadings when such defendant failed to file pleadings provide. Senate Bill 547 by Senator Strickland of the 42nd and others. Offenses of pimping and pandering, modify the penalties. Senate Bill 553 by Senator Hatchett of the 50th and others. Professions and businesses, repeal Chapter 14 relating to electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low voltage contractors, and utility contractors, and enact a new Chapter 14.

[0:49:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=2996s) Senate Bill 555 by Senator Williams of the 25th and others. War Veterans Home. The admission of eligible non-veteran residents to a Georgia War Veterans Home under certain circumstances authorize. Senate Bill 556 by Senator Payne of the 54th and others. Hope Scholarship. The inclusion of advanced placement and International Baccalaureate fine arts courses and the calculation of grade point averages provide. Senate Bill 566 by Senator Hufstetler of the 52nd and others. Ad valorem taxation of property, the acceptance of tax di- tax digests in the event of a publication error made by a newspaper provide. Senate Bill 568 by Senator Dolezal of the 27th and others.

[0:50:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3030s) Elections and primaries, the list of eligible voters is posted and made public prior to each primary or election require. Senate Bill 570 by Senator Still of the 48th and others. Georgia Human Trafficking Prevention Training Act, enact. Senate Bill 572 by Senator Strickland of the 42nd and others. Criminal prosecutions and additional justification for use of force in defense of self or others provide. Senate Bill 573 by Senator Setzler of the 37th and others. Primaries and elections, the nonpartisan election for county officers and district attorneys in certain counties provide. Senate Bill 576 by Senator Tiller, uh, by Senator Tillery of the 19th.

[0:51:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3063s) Ad valorem taxation, assessment of tangible real property used for community housing provider properties provide. Senate Bill 586 by Senator Williams of the 25th and others. Canine Law Enforcement Heroes Act of 2026, enact. Senate Bill 587 by Senator Still of the 48th and others. Offenses against public health and morals, the establishment of an animal cruelty database provide. Senate Bill 589 by Senator Brass of the 6th and others. Quality Basic Education Act, the date by which a child must attain a certain age to be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten or first grade revise. Senate Bill 591 by Senator Gooch of the 51st and others.

[0:51:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3095s) Offenses against public order, the dis- disruption of a religious service prohibit. Senate Bill 592 by Senator Gooch of the 51st and others. One Strike Act, enact. Senate Bill 593 by Senator Hatchett of the 50th and others. Development impact fees, disclosure of impact fees upon transfer or ownership provide.

[0:51:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3114s) Senate Bill 594 by Senator Bearden of the 30th and others. Internet and email fraud, the criminal offense of digital identity fraud establish. Senate Bill 604 by Senator Cowsert of the 46th and others. Crimes and offenses, the Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction with district attorneys to conduct criminal prosecutions of violent crimes, illegal immigration offices, and fentanyl offenses provide. Senate Bill 605 by Senator Cowsert of the 46th and others. Prosecuting attorneys, additional grounds for discipline of a district attorney or solicitor general or for his or her removal or involuntary retirement from office provide. Senate Bill 606 by Senator Cowsert of the 46th and others.

[0:52:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3146s) District Attorney Compensation Reform Act, enact. Senate Bill 607 by Senator Cowsert of the 46th and others. Grand juries, creation, selection, composition, compensation, procedures, and term provide. Senate Resolutions 838 by Senator Dolezal of the 27th and others. State Assurance of Voter Eligibility Amendment. Senate Resolution 875 by Senator Cowsert of the 46th and others. Statewide grand juries, jurisdiction, powers, and duties provide. Mr. President.

[0:52:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3173s) Senator, read the bill item.

[0:52:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3174s) Oh. Senate Bill 569 by Senator Strickland of the 42nd and others. A bill to be entitled An Act to amend Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to motor vehicles and traffic so as to provide for the issuance of emergency vehicle light permits for towing services companies in certain instances, to revise the definition, to provide related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[0:53:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3210s) It is now time for the morning roll call. Are there any motions to excuse? Recognize the senator from the 35th.

[0:53:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3218s) All right, morning. I ask for unanimous consent to excuse the following senators for business inside the Capitol. 17, 36, 44, and 40.

[0:53:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3229s) 17, 36, 44.

[0:53:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3232s) And 17.

[0:53:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3233s) She's here.

[0:53:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3237s) M-

[0:53:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3237s) I'm sorry, I forgot.

[0:53:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3238s) I'm sorry. Take 17 off. I'm looking right at you. My apologies. Please take 17 off. So that's 36, 40, and 44.

[0:54:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3245s) Without objection, the senators from the 36th, 44th, and the 40th are excused. Any other motions to excuse? Any other motions?

[0:54:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3257s) Secretary will call the roll. Senators, signify your presence by voting the yeas wish. Secretary will unlock the machine.

[0:55:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3350s) It is now time for the morning devotion. All senators, please take your seats and cease all conversation. I would ask that the doorkeepers secure the chamber at this time.

[0:56:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3362s) I now recognize the good senator from the 33rd, Cobb County's finest, to lead us in our pledge and introduce our pastor of the day. Thank you.

[0:56:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3375s) Let's stand for the pledge, please.

[0:56:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3378s) 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.

[0:56:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3392s) Now the Georgia flag, y'all.

[0:56:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3395s) I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag and to the principles for which it stands: wisdom, justice, moderation, and courage.

[0:56:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3405s) Thank you, Mr. President, my fellow senators, colleagues, friends, and y'all. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing Dr. Timothy Williams, affectionately known as Dr. Tim. He is a devoted husband, proud father of three adult children, and the joyful grandfather of four grandsons. A native of Detroit, Michigan, he is the founder and pastor of New Beginnings Community Church and has dedicated his life to strengthening people, communities, and the common good.

[0:57:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3443s) Dr. Williams is a Morehouse man, a graduate of Morehouse College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Sociology. He also holds two masters and a Doctor of Divinity from Ashland Theological Seminary and is currently completing his PhD in philos- in Theology at the University of Ghana in West Africa. He serves as a professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Morehouse College and as Assistant Dean of Campus Ministry at Martin Luther King Jr.

[0:57:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3477s) International Chapel, where he helps guide the spiritual and moral formation of students. And in addition to his pastoral academic work, Dr. Williams is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Tim Williams International Leadership and Consulting Practice. We now have the pleasure of allowing me to introduce to you Dr. Tim.

[0:58:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3516s) Good morning, Mr. President and honorable members of the Georgia State Senate. Thank you for the privilege of sharing a brief thought as you begin another day of service to the people of this great state. I would like to offer a reflection from an ancient wisdom text from Proverbs 20:5, which says, "A person's thoughts are like deep waters, but one with insight draws them out." Public service, I don't need to tell you, is demanding work.

[0:59:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3557s) The responsibilities are great, the expectations are high, and the issues before you are rarely simple. In environments like this, there's a constant pressure toward what I would call compression. The pressure of deadlines, competing voices, urgent decisions, and the weight of representing many different communities. Compression can make leadership feel crowded on the inside, but the wisdom tradition from the text that I read offers a different path.

[0:59:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3596s) It reminds us that insight does not come from the surface of things. It comes from depth. The proverb says, "The thoughts of the heart are like deep water." That means wisdom is rarely found on the surface, rarely found in the rush of the moment. It is drawn from the deeper well within. In other words, leadership

[1:00:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3625s) is at best not about activity only, but it is about cultivating an inner life. The capacity to lead others is strengthened when leaders protect a space within themselves that is not overwhelmed by the pressures around them. I often describe this occupying from a wholeness rather than compression. To occupy from wholeness means that in even demanding moments such as these, you do not allow the moment to crowd out your clarity, your values, or your sense of purpose.

[1:01:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3665s) Instead, you lead from a place of spaciousness, a mind that can think clearly, a heart that can listen deeply. And when leaders operate from that kind of inner spaciousness, something powerful happens. They begin to see beyond immediate pressures. They begin to hear perspectives that may otherwise be missed, and they are able to make decisions that serve not only the urgency of the moment, but the long-term welfare of the people.

[1:01:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3698s) So as you today deliberate, debate, and decide today, my encouragement is simple: Guard your inner spaciousness. Because from that deeper well come the insight, discernment, and wisdom that public servants require. And when leaders draw from that well, the communities they serve are strengthened. And with that spirit in mind, let us pause together for a moment of prayer.

[1:02:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3733s) Will you please stand?

[1:02:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3741s) Gracious and loving God, at the beginning of this day of service, we pause to acknowledge that wisdom does not come from the noise alone, but from the deeper places of reflection and understanding. We ask that you grant the leaders gathered in this chamber clarity of mind and steadiness of heart. In moments of complexity, give them discernment. In moments of disagreement, give them patience. In moments of pressure, help them remain grounded in wisdom.

[1:02:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3774s) And may their deliberations today be guided by integrity, fairness, and a sincere desire for the well-being of the people they represent. Bless their work, strengthen their leadership, and may they serve, and may their service contribute to the flourishing of every community across the great state of Georgia. And the House said, "Amen."

[1:03:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3806s) Amen.

[1:03:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3806s) Thank you.

[1:03:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=3806s) Appreciate you.

[1:08:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4098s) We have our doctor of the day. I'll call on the senator from the 33rd to introduce.

[1:08:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4104s) Thank you, Mr. President, my fellow senators, colleagues, friends, and y'all.

[1:08:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4112s) Dr. Joanne Zhu received her master's degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. She received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Zhu completed her internal medicine residency at the University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Dr. Zhu is board certified in internal medicine with focused practice in hospital medicine.

[1:09:07](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4147s) She is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the Society of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Zhu currently is in practice with the WellStar Hospital Kennestone group. I now introduce to you Dr. Zhu.

[1:09:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4164s) Yeah, yeah.

[1:09:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4165s) Thank you.

[1:09:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4166s) Good job. Yep.

[1:09:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4166s) Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. I won't take up too much of your time. It's my pleasure to be here to serve all of you. If you have any medical needs, come to see us, me and Julia. Okay, have a good day.

[1:09:41](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4181s) All right.

[1:11:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4316s) Are there any unanimous consents?

[1:12:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4321s) Does any senator wish to rise on a point of personal privilege? Recognize the senator from the 7th.

[1:12:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4335s) Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to recognize the Shia Ismaili Muslim community of Georgia. Georgia's strength has always been shaped by the rich- richness of its communities. Today, we are proud to recognize one that exemplifies that spirit. As the global community observes Ramadan, a sacred month of reflection, gratitude, and service, we commend the Shia Ismaili Muslim community of Georgia, compromising approximately 15 million members across 35 countries.

[1:12:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4369s) The Ismaili community is guided by His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, the 50th hereditary imam in an unbroken chain of leadership spanning over 1400 years. Here in Georgia, the Ismaili community members are our neighbors, educators, healthcare providers, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders. And through Is- Ismaili Civic, they partner with organizations like the American Red Cross, the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and Hands On Atlanta to address real needs across our state. Today, they are here in the South Wing exhibiting the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, which celebrates excellence in the built environment across the Muslim world.

[1:13:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4407s) We commend the Shia Ismaili Muslim community for their outstanding contri- contributions to Georgia and join them in commemorating the holy month of Ramadan. Please rise to be recognized. Thank you for being here.

[1:13:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4428s) In addition, I would like to also address some of these Islamophobic comments, uh, coming from the senator from the 27th. He's introduced an Islamicphobic, Islamophobic bill purporting to ban Sharia law, a bill that serves no legislative purpose except to malign and belittle the Muslim community. Yesterday, he introduced a video that was AI slop that was used as a political prop to stoke fear and hate. It is disheartening to see my community members turned into this political prop.

[1:14:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4465s) The senator referred to fellow Americans as invaders and enemies. These are not neutral political terms. These are the same kinds of words that are dehumanizing that, that history's worst regimes use to justify pers- persecution. To the senator of the 27th, I am your colleague, and I have never tried to blow you up. That is what his video suggested, that Muslim Americans are dangerous and that we were reduced to caricatures.

[1:14:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4497s) It was a disgusting, hateful, racist video, and I am outraged that he had the audacity to introduce this video. This video needs to be taken down, and he needs to apologize. He should be ashamed of stooping so low. We should not be spreading fear and hatred about our fellow citizens, and we should be building a better Georgia where we all belong. As a Muslim woman, as the first Muslim woman in this chamber, as I mentioned, I am outraged.

[1:15:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4529s) This video has created more Islamophobia to my colleagues like the senator from the 5th and myself, my family, my children, my parents, the Muslim communities. How dare you release such a disgusting video? I yield the floor.

[1:15:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4555s) Recognize senator from 26th.

[1:16:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4587s) Thank you, Mr. President. Today I come to the, uh, well

[1:16:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4597s) to talk about somebody

[1:16:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4602s) who is history.

[1:16:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4610s) The senior se- senator from the 15th.

[1:17:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4623s) Even though February is

[1:17:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4630s) Black History Month,

[1:17:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4639s) we are watching

[1:17:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4645s) Black history unfold in our eyes.

[1:17:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4656s) The senior senator

[1:17:40](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4660s) is the longest s- serving senator

[1:17:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4669s) of color.

[1:17:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4678s) You know, it takes a, a lot of sacrifice

[1:18:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4686s) to s- to serve in this body.

[1:18:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4694s) He, he, he is leaving us, and

[1:18:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4702s) I wanna wish him the best in all of his endeavors

[1:18:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4716s) as, uh, he, he leaves the Senate.

[1:18:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4724s) I wanna thank the folks from Columbus that sent him our way.

[1:18:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4735s) He served with hu- humility

[1:19:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4743s) and conviction.

[1:19:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4748s) I think we all need to stand a- and give him an applause.

[1:19:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4771s) Senator Harbison. Do you want to say anything?

[1:19:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4786s) I know, uh, I know you weren't expecting that, but, uh, whether you, uh-

[1:19:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4789s) Thank you. Well, good morning. Surprise, surprise. But, uh, the young man from Macon has always been a lineback, and he backs that line with fury, doesn't he? But just let me say this, it's, uh, it's a great honor, a wonderful honor to have people think good, because people don't have to be kind to you, and they don't have to work with you. But I'm certainly in an august body that embraces, uh, that kind of fairness that we can work together on as many issues as we need to.

[1:20:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4823s) And I know we play political partisanship sometime, as we probably should, but at the same time, we know that a standard for all of us should be and is the godly vision of how to run a state, how to run ourselves, and how to run our lives. What your mother told you, what my mother told me, is that do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and that's the way you should live your life. And I've tried to do that in all my endeavors and everything. I've tried, and I will always do that. So you guys are just wonderful.

[1:20:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4855s) You're, you're the best, uh, body that I've ever served in. I've served in a couple, school board and, and, and the council type stuff. That's tough, but this is really a step up to show your, show your ability to, to live with others, to work with others, and that is just a great thing to do, and I'm just totally honored. This has been the greatest honor of my life. And just thank you, God bless you. And wherever my mama is now in heaven, she's looking down, saying, "That's my boy." God bless you.

[1:21:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4885s) Thank you. Appreciate it.

[1:21:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4903s) Well, those are very kind words from our good friend from Macon, Georgia, but, uh, they couldn't be truer than, uh, than what they've said about the Dean of the Senate here. We were, uh, the dean c- came to me yesterday and let me know that he wasn't gonna be qualifying again. And, uh, he's been walking these halls a long time, both over in the House and the Senate, and, uh, he's always been a dear friend to me. And he and I would sit in that ante room most times when people were out hi- out here having big debates on things, and we would laugh and cut up.

[1:22:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4934s) And, and I will always remember the good stories you, you told me about w- literally war stories when you served in the Army, and, uh, and, and, uh, in your days through radio, and, and se- and you, you used to be an insurance salesman, and, uh, everything else, and, and, uh, and, and y- and telling me about your mother and how y'all grew up and how she taught you how to do exactly what you just said, uh, uh, do unto others as... And this is the, there's not a finer gentleman that has served in this body, uh, than Senator Ed Harbison, and I appreciate your friendship.

[1:22:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4969s) Yep, mm-hmm.

[1:23:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=4981s) And he would always tell me, you know, uh, we, when we'd get it, when we'd quit laughing and, and picking at one another back over there in the ante room, we'd start talking about whatever bill we were doing today. And, and, uh, he'd always, he'd, uh, when I knew he was gonna tell me no on something, he'd always lead, "Well, you know I love you, Jones, but-

[1:23:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5002s) ... but, uh, but, you know, I can't take it from them folks in my caucus. They'll be on me if I go with you on this one. But I'll get you on the next one," you know? But, uh, and, uh, but yeah, no, Senator, you've been a real treat. And, uh, I won't tell everybody how old you really are, because you've been around here a long time here. But he's well in his 80s, and he looks like he's in his 60s. And I still tell him, I still tell him all the time, he still has that silky smooth radio voice, so he got a, he's got a career in that as soon as he leaves here. We can get you a podcast, you know? So the stories of Ed Harbison, right?

[1:23:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5035s) We can call it, I can see it right now. But, uh, but, uh, we, we, we appreciate you, appreciate your service, and wish you nothing but the best. But we're gonna do something special for you before the end of this session. Uh, the senator, our good friend from Macon, just kinda got ahead of us, but that's all right, though. He had, he, he had it on his heart to talk about it today, so we appreciate you, and we look forward to celebrating you when we get towards the end of session here. So thank you. Mm-hmm.

[1:31:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5468s) Recognize the senator from the 44th.

[1:31:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5473s) 17th. 17th. Used to be 44th.

[1:31:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5487s) I can't hear. Hold on.

[1:31:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5495s) Thank you very much, Mr. President. Colleagues, today is Clayton State University Day at the Capitol.

[1:31:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5508s) Clayton State University is an institution committed to social mobility and improving the lives of its students through teaching, scholarship, and service. Clayton State University was named number 21 by the US News and World Report in social mobility, marking a third year in a row of increase. And 2025, Clayton State University earned national recognition for its commitment to first generation student success by the First Gen Forward network.

[1:32:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5542s) Students in the Clayton State University School of Nursing earned a 100% pass rate on the most recent NCLEX Nursing Board Exam. Isn't that wonderful? A new bachelor's degree in cybersecurity was established in 2025 to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in one of Georgia's fastest growing fields. Clayton State University partnered with Clayton County to launch a data sharing partnership to bo- boost workforce and economic growth.

[1:32:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5578s) The economic impact of Clayton State University reached nearly $300 million. Spivey Hall on the campus of Clayton State University continues to be an internationally recognized concert hall. So I'm just so enlightened to recognize Dr. George Lewis and the Clayton State, uh, faculty, students, and supporters here today. Would you please w- welcome them?

[1:33:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5608s) If we have students in the audi- in the balcony, would you please stand? I see Dr. Lewis and the others. Dr. Lewis, we wanna make sure that people know who you are, so if you can stand right, right there and wave your hand. And we have one of the students here, in the back of the... Give them a big hand. Welcome to your state capital and to the Georgia State Senate. Thank you very much, Mr. President, and I yield the well.

[1:33:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5635s) Thank you, Senator. And thank you, Clayton State leadership for being here today. Always good to see you. And doing a wonderful job there at Clayton State University. I recognize the senator from the ninth for a point of personal privilege.

[1:34:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5659s) Why didn't you bring your laptop in?

[1:34:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5661s) I did bring my laptop. That's good. Thank you, Mr. President. And colleagues, I rise today because Georgia families are paying the price for decisions made in Washington, and we cannot pretend under- otherwise. Last weekend, President Trump escalated conflict with Iran, launching military strikes that have deepened US involvement. And when Washington escalates conflict, it's not billions who feel it first, it's working families filling their tanks, single parents commuting to work, and small businesses trying to keep their do- their doors open.

[1:35:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5702s) Georgia families are already paying too much for groceries, rent, childcare, insurance. Now they face the possibility of higher gas prices because of a fabricated war being used to boost the president's ego and distract from failed policies and unresolved scandals. Instability in the Middle East always moves global oil, oil markets. And when oil markets move, gas prices rise. According to the AJC, gas prices in Metro Atlanta hit two point- two, $2.83- $2.83 on Monday.

[1:35:41](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5741s) That was up 14 cents from the previous weeks. The statewide average climbed 12 cents. Analysts warn prices could, warn prices could rise another 10 to 30 cents as markets react to the volatility surrounding the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Experts agree that the US is, is unlikely to face supply shortages, but even as net, as a net exporter, we are not insulated from global price shocks.

[1:36:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5772s) Higher gra- gas prices don't stop at the point, pump. They rise transportation costs, shipping costs, and ultimately the price of everyday goods. While working Georgians brace for higher costs tied to this escalation, this chamber is debating policies that benefit the wealthiest, considering incentives for massive data centers, while everyday households wor- worry about their power bills and advancing measures that have nothing to do with the basic cost of living.

[1:36:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5802s) Because when instability abroad drives up costs at home, it's our constituents who are going to feel it first. Not the powerful, not the well-connected, but families already stretching our, uh, stretching their everyday dollar. And I'm gonna leave these headlines for all of you to see. This war, it will cost us, and it will cost Georgians ultimately. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the well.

[1:37:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5831s) Recognize the senator from the fifth.

[1:37:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5850s) Normally I don't come to waste my time in the well. Friends and colleagues, last night after I left this chamber, I had to go attend a Boy Scout, uh, fundraising in Gwinnett, and suddenly at night I got a text message from one of my aide, "Did you see this video?" So I texted, "No, I'm gonna see it once I get out of the program." And I watched that video posted by one of my colleagues running for higher office.

[1:38:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5881s) By the way, I know a lot of my, my colleagues are running for higher office, and you have to do campaign. I understand. People ask me, "Are you running?" No, I'm not running. I'm staying. I'm here. I'm not running, so I don't have to post any video or anything else. But when I looked at the video, my response was, it's pathetic, it's unbelievable. It is really pathetic to see how low you can go. That's not, that's not good. That's not good.

[1:38:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5912s) I believe that all of you have a constituency in trying to serve your constituency, get to higher office, which is understandable. You drop a bill, ban Sharia law, whatever it is. I've seen this game before. It's not new, which is okay. We can debate. There's no Sharia law in Georgia, anybody following. I understand. But in order to get a nomination, you want to go that low, that's unwarranted.

[1:39:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5943s) That's not good. That's beyond the dignity of the office. This is the beyond dig- you know. You portray a Muslim. I'm a Muslim. You know, you should have known that you serve, you know. I served with you all for a long, long time, and that's, that's not honor- that's not wanted. That's not, you know... It's crazy. It is really crazy. So I urge you, take that video off and you apologize. You apologize to the Muslim community, hundreds of thousands of folks.

[1:39:34](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=5974s) You want to serve in this chamber to represent them? This is not gonna happen. If you think that will get you nomination, you're not gonna go nowhere. But anyway, I'm right kind of outraged. I'm really outraged. That should not have happened. I, I respect you all. I know you respect me. So please take that video off and apologize if you want to go farther office, higher office in State of Georgia.

[1:40:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6005s) Georgia is better than that. I represent Georgia, not only in Georgia, all around the world. If you want to represent Georgia, you gotta be better human being. You got to be. And I know people, you know, when I go around the sta- around the country, around the world, I can assure you I've been to more places than most of you all in this chamber, most of you. And people respect me because who I am, how I get elected in Georgia.

[1:40:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6036s) Before people ask me, "How is a Muslim man, how is somebody from Bangladesh can get elected in State of Georgia?" And I tell them, "Georgia is not the same Georgia you have read and seen 30, 40 years ago. Georgia has changed. Georgia is much better than people think around the world." So you want to represent Georgia, you better be a better human being.

[1:40:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6059s) Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

[1:41:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6063s) Recognize senator from the 13th.

[1:41:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6079s) Senators, today, um, they're asking for a senator to come join the 300 licensed professional counselors who are here at the State Capitol to celebrate their 2026 LPCA Day at the Capitol. They'll be on the south steps from 8:30 this morning until 12:00 noon. The Licensed Professional Counselors Association represents more than 12,000 licensed counselors in Georgia who provide critical medical- mental health services to patients across Georgia. And since we just passed the, the great money, uh, the $409 million for mental health, go down to talk to them, tell them how much we appreciate them.

[1:41:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6117s) That's today. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

[1:42:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6121s) Recognize senator from 30th.

[1:42:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6137s) Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I was hoping I wasn't gonna have to come down here today, but I was afraid I was gonna have to, because I knew he was gonna have someone come down to attack the commander in chief of our country with our men and women of the service in harm's way. And we have lost six service members since this campaign has started. And may God bless their souls, and we, and their families, and we hope that every one of our service members are safe during this conflict. Who did the president remove?

[1:42:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6170s) A dictator and a killer that's been in office since 1989. 10 years earlier in 1979, the, uh, the Islamic Revolution took over, kidnapping 444, um, American citizens. The Ayatollah was responsible for widespread human rights abuses, including the imprisonment, torture, and execution of pol- political dissidents, students, protesters, and people that just sought basic human rights.

[1:43:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6204s) If you lived an alternative lifestyle in Iran, you were hung from a crane or a building. This man and his

[1:43:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6215s) military was responsible for the thousands of American soldier lives, and also many of those soldiers lost limbs because of Iran and the Ayatollah. So we're in the middle of a conflict. We took out a dictator that's killed many of our service members and maimed them, and we're gonna come down here during combat and go after our commander in chief. We wanna talk about gas prices?

[1:44:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6245s) Let's do it. During Biden's administration, for 1,400 days, gas prices were higher then than they are now. The hatred for the commander in chief-

[1:44:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6259s) has got to stop and let's rally around our country, especially when they're in harm's way in this combat and may God keep every one of them safe. Thank you, Mr. President.

[1:44:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6277s) Recognize senator from the 14th.

[1:44:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6292s) Somewhere else. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I'm gonna be brief and not very specific. I just think this election year has proven that you can claim that you're gonna focus on something that voters are talking about all day. You can say the word affordability 900 times, cost, cost affordability, but at the end of the day when the rubber meets the road, when the cards are on the table, voters see your priorities by your actions and your words.

[1:45:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6325s) And instead of focusing on healthcare and childcare and the cost of groceries and now oil spiking because of a new war, instead what we get are more bills about trans people, slights about entire communities, Muslim communities, some of the most racist stuff you've ever seen, and ultimately a crossover day and a signing day, signing day that will be defined by a failure to resist the impulse to revert to culture war.

[1:45:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6356s) Because when you're out of ideas, that's all that's left is culture war. And so I think we are seeing in real time how the choice is going to be teed up for November. Is it going to be a party with 20 years in power that is addicted to culture war as the only way to mobilize its base, or is it going to be the party that's saying real things about healthcare subsidies going away, about doing something about affordable housing? The choice will be clear and there's nothing we can really do to change the trajectory of the next few weeks.

[1:46:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6386s) We're going to see this continue to play out. Thank you, Mr. President.

[1:46:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6410s) Any more points of personal privilege?

[1:46:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6416s) How you doing, Senator? Did you go qualify? I did. You did? I'm ready to go. You ready to roll? Let's roll. All right. I'll take a motion.

[1:47:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6429s) So ordered. You have a consent calendar of privileged resolutions. Does any senator wish to remove a resolution from the consent calendar? Is there objection adoption of the resolutions on the consent calendar? Chair hears none. Resolutions on the consent calendar are adopted.

[1:47:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6446s) Are there any motions to withdraw or commit?

[1:47:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6451s) It is now time to consider the confirmation of the governor's appointments. Recognize the senator...

[1:47:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6464s) Senator from the 45th, for what purpose do you rise? Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I ask that, uh, House Bill 1245, uh, be removed from state and local government local and be recommitted at state and local general bill. Did you know about that?

[1:48:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6485s) Colton's bill. Stand by, Senator. We got to pull that bill so we can read it. Yeah.

[1:48:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6522s) Just stand by. We just got to get the caption so we can read it to the body.

[1:49:07](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6547s) Senator from the 45th has made a motion. Secretary, read the caption. House Bill 1245 by Representatives Cameron of the 1st and others. A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act providing for the election of the members of the Board of El- Education of Walker County approved March 8, 1968 as amended so as to provide that future members of the board shall be elected by the voters of the respective education districts instead of by voters of the entire school system to provide for related matters to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. Mr. President, I complete the order. Senator from the 45th, would you like to speak to it?

[1:49:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6579s) All right, he waives. Is there objection? No objection.

[1:50:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6622s) Recognize the Majority Leader for a motion.

[1:50:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6625s) Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading of the names of the governor's appointments.

[1:50:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6636s) Majority Leader has moved for unan- ask for unanimous consent to consent to dispense with the reading of the names of the governor's appointments. We're about to take up here.

[1:50:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6646s) Is there objection?

[1:50:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6648s) Is there objection? It is suspended. Recognize the Majority Leader again.

[1:50:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6653s) Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that one roll call vote suffice for the confirmation of the governor's appointments.

[1:50:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6658s) Objection.

[1:51:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6661s) All right. Majority Leader has moved that we have one vote. We have an objection. Senator, uh, who would you like to...

[1:51:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6669s) Mr. President, I would deny unanimous consent as to EO 5.23.25.01, Mr. Vincent Daniel Dooley's appointment to the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority.

[1:51:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6681s) All right, Senator. So you object to that individual, so would you like a roll call vote?

[1:51:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6687s) I would like a roll call vote on that one separately, Mr. President.

[1:51:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6689s) Okay. All right. We can do that, we can do that.

[1:51:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6692s) Thank you.

[1:51:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6695s) So we will have two separate votes. We'll have one on all the governor's appointees with the exception of one that he objected to, and then we'll have a separate vote for that individual right there. So.

[1:51:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6719s) Majority Leader.

[1:52:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6723s) Mr. President, may the governor's appointments be confirmed as submitted.

[1:52:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6728s) All right. All right. Majority Leader has moved.

[1:52:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6742s) All right. Majority Leader has moved that we, uh, vote on the governor's appointees with the exception of the one that the senator from the 14th objected to. I recognize the senator from the 42nd. For what purpose do you rise?

[1:52:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6756s) Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to be excused from voting on the governor's appointments pursuant to Senate Rule 5-1.8D.

[1:52:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6766s) All right. Without objection, senator from the 15th.

[1:52:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6770s) Thank you, Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent to be excused from voting on the governor's appointment pursuant to the Senate Rule 5-1.8D.

[1:53:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6780s) All right. Without objection, then recognize the senator from the 10th.

[1:53:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6786s) Who is, who is not here, so...

[1:53:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6794s) He's, he's asking to be excused anyway, so he'll not be here for the vote. So we are going to, uh, take up the vote on, uh, the entire body with the exception of one. All those in favor of the governor's appointees will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[1:55:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6911s) On the confirmation of the governor's appointments, the yays are 44 and the nays are seven, and these members have been confirmed. All right. Now we're gonna take up the senator from the 31st, Majority Leader. For what purpose do you rise?

[1:55:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6927s) Mr. President, it's, uh, unanimous consent to table, uh, the nomination of Vincent Dooley.

[1:55:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6938s) S- The Majority Leader has asked that we table the nomination of Vincent Dooley. Is there objection? Without objection, we are tabled.

[1:56:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6985s) Recognize the Majority Leader for a motion.

[1:56:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=6988s) Mr. President, once again, I ask unanimous consent for the following bills and resolutions being grossed, SB306, SB465, SB498, and SR668.

[1:56:40](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7000s) Majority Leader has moved that SB306, SB465, SB498, and SR668 be engrossed. Secretary, read the captions.

[1:56:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7016s) Senate Resolution 668 by Senators Dolezal of the 24th and others. A resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by general law for the assessment of property taxes on property used primarily for the manufacturing, assembling, processing, or storage of products or the housing of electronic equipment primarily used to process, store, or transmit digital information and data, to provide for related matters, to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection, and for other purposes. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[1:57:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7044s) Oh, never-

[1:57:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7048s) Senate Bill 306 by Senator Robertson of the 29th. A bill to be entitled in an act to amend Code Section 48-5-7.4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to preferential assessment for bona fide conservation use property and bona fide residential transitional property so as to require notices of impending expiration to be sent via certified mail, to provide for the reinstatement of certain covenants and preferential assessments in certain limited circumstances, to provide for appeals and refunds, to prohibit additional fees or interest, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[1:58:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7080s) Senate Bill 4- 465 by Senator Gooch of the 51st and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 7 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to imposition, rate, computation, exemptions, and credits relative to income taxes so as to disqualify business enterprises that hire illegal aliens for large-scale projects from claiming certain tax credits associated with such projects, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Senate Bill 498 by Senator Dixon of the 45th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 31B of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the OCGA relating to charter school capital finance so as to establish the Georgia Charter School Facilities Authority for the purpose of enabling charter schools to obtain revolving loan funds and other public financing assistance for purposes of constructing, renovating, and rehabilitating educational facilities for such schools, to amend Article 2 of Chapter 17 of Title 50 of the OCGA, the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission Act so as to provide for the state issuance of general obligation bonds by the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission to provide for educational s- facilities for charter schools, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[1:59:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7145s) Mr. President, that completes the order.

[1:59:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7148s) Senator from the 9th, what purpose do you, what purpose do you rise?

[1:59:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7152s) I ask for a unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the 7th.

[1:59:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7155s) Without objection, the senator from the 7th is excused. All right, the s- majority leader has moved that SB 306, SB 465, SB 498, and SR 668 be engrossed. Is there objection? Objection. There is objection. All those in favor of engrossment- We waive. You waive? We have to speak to it. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I meant, yeah. Yeah, would you like to speak to it? I think we're all clear you're, you're against engrossment.

[1:59:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7187s) All right. All right, all those in favor engrossment will vote yay. All those opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine. But thank you, Senator.

[2:01:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7265s) On the motion to engross, the yays are 31, the nays are 22, and the motion has prevailed.

[2:01:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7279s) Onto the rules calendar, SB 478. Secretary, read the caption.

[2:01:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7291s) Senate Bill 478 by Wa- Senator Watson of the 11th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 6A of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to outdoor stewardship so as to provide for a sunset, to raise the percentage of monies appropriated, 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. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[2:02:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7320s) Recognize the senator from the 11th. Class of 1997-

[2:02:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7325s) You got it, Mr. President

[2:02:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7326s) ... that runs Colquitt County down there. I mean, everybody's in the class of 1997 down there.

[2:02:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7331s) Heck yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, members of the Senate, I do bring before you Senate Bill 478. Uh, this was a, uh, monumental piece of legislation that, uh, this body and the entire general assembly passed back in 2018, uh, to protect our natural resources in this state. And so, uh, today we are looking to extend that program, but also to add some more resources to that program. Um, and if you don't remember, this was, uh, voted on by the, uh, people of Georgia by over 80% of the voters in the State of Georgia in 2018 when we put this into law.

[2:02:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7367s) It has been a very, very, very beneficial program to the State of Georgia, and we've been able to protect a lot of our natural resources, and I hope we can continue to do that going forward. And I would, uh, greatly, uh, appreciate your support. And, uh, if there are any questions, I'll be glad to take them. If not, I'll yield the way, Mr. President.

[2:03:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7386s) You have no questions, Senator.

[2:03:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7388s) Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate your support. Thank you.

[2:03:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7396s) Senator from the 39th, would you like to speak to the bill?

[2:03:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7410s) Colleagues, I rise in support of this legislation. SB 478 strengthens the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund by increasing the percentage of funds dedicated to conservation and outdoor recreation, and extending the program's authorization through 2039. This program's quietly become one of the most effective tools we have for protecting land, expanding access to nature, and strengthening our outdoor economy across the state, and I've seen the impact firsthand in my district. Through this fund, Trees Atlanta, working with the Atlanta BeltLine and The Path Foundation, received support to extend the Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail toward the Silver Comet Trail.

[2:04:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7449s) That project helped close a major connectivity gap between Downtown Atlanta and one of the longest trail systems in the Southeast. But it does more than just connect trails. It restores fragmented wildlife habitat in the middle of a major metropolitan area, it expands the BeltLine Arbor- Arboretum, and it creates new outdoor spaces where families can walk, bike, and experience na- nature. This bill ensures that the stewardship fund can continue doing what it has always been meant to do, which is protect land, support local projects, and expand access to the outdoors for communities across Geo- Georgia.

[2:04:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7484s) For those reasons, I urge your support. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield.

[2:04:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7490s) Thank you, Senator. I recognize the majority leader.

[2:05:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7500s) Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today in support of SB 478. We are blessed to live in a state with remarkable beauty. From the longleaf pine forest stretching along the southern border to the mountain ridges of the north, to the rivers and wetlands winding through our communities, Georgia is a living inheritance. And like every inheritance, it comes with responsibility to protect it, to nurture it, and to leave better than the way- than we found it for those after us. For too long, conservation has been treated as somebody else's job, the federal government's domain, a distant concern for places like Yellowstone or the Rockies, but the truth is, the most meaningful conservation work often happens closer to home.

[2:05:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7543s) It happens right here in the State of Georgia when we choose to invest in our own land, our own wildlife, and in our own communities. Seven years ago, Georgia made exactly that kind of choice. The Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act established the Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund with a clear, common sense mission: to protect critical lands, support parks and trails, whether you're in rural Georgia or inner-city Atlanta, and safeguard the natural systems that keep our water clean and our wildlife thriving.

[2:06:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7577s) The results speak for themselves. More than $118 million has been invested. 62 major conservation projects completed across the state. Tens of thousands of acres of habitat preserved, including the endangered longleaf pine forest along the Georgia-Alabama border that I will note was done with bipartisan leadership in this state. Protecting rare plants and animals while creating recreational access for families and outdoor enthusiasts.

[2:06:51](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7611s) 45 miles of waterways secured for future generations. A program that truly benefited Georgians and the land we dearly love. This is not a partisan program. It's a Georgia program supported by hunters and hikers, by rural landowners and urban families, by Republicans and Democrats who understand that clean water doesn't ask for your party affiliation, that a forest doesn't care who you voted for. Now, we have an opportunity to build on that success through this Senate bill. It would double the share of outdoor recreational sales tax credit, uh, sales tax revenue directed to the Outdoor Stewardship Fund from 40% to 80%.

[2:07:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7651s) No new taxes, no new government bureaucracy, simply a smarter allocation of revenue that is already being collected, and stronger commitment to the caring of the land that defines our state. Doubling the funding means doubling the impact, doubling the conservation projects, doubling the amount of wildlife habitats nurtured and protected, doubling the impact that we will leave behind, a mark of commitment of conservation that will last for many generations. Georgia will be the leader in the nation on conservation from a practical, effective, and rooted in our genuine love for the land of, of our state and country.

[2:08:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7688s) Now, let's honor that legacy today as we honor the rest of our country, knowing that you don't have to wait on Washington, DC, to do the right thing. You can act right here at home with the people who know this place best. So I urge you to pass this bill, protect Georgia's national natural heritage, and make an investment into the land that our children and grandchildren will inherit for generations to come. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

[2:08:41](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7721s) Thank you, Senator. 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 reporting committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The reporting committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. Main question is ordered. Question, uh, is on the passage of the bill. All those in favor will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[2:10:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7829s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 55 and the nays are zero. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed.

[2:10:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7845s) It really, it really is remarkable. I mean, I've never seen so many people from one class and one county that are, uh, literally, y'all, y'all, you're on the school board, you're on the county commission board, the sheriff's in your class, the state senator. It really is. It's pretty remarkable, so.

[2:11:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7869s) What do you think about that, Senator? It's wild, isn't it? I know. I can tell you're excited about it, huh?

[2:11:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7877s) All right, moving on. Senate Bill 489.

[2:11:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7886s) Senate Bill 49 by Senator Goodman of the 8th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 11 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the Judges of the Probate Courts Retirement Fund of Georgia so as to allow the Board of Commissioners of the Judges of the Probate Courts Retirement Fund of Georgia to set monthly dues, to provide for limitations on such authority, to provide for factors in such determination, to increase the fee on marriage license, to increase the fee on civil filings, to increase the fee on certain fines and bond forfeitures, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[2:11:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7917s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Retirement recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Burns of the 25th District, Chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order. All right, I see we've got one of our former colleagues on the floor here, former Senator John Kennedy. Let's give big John Kennedy a round of applause.

[2:12:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7948s) Good to see you, Senator. Good to see you. I hear you're out there working hard. Recognize senator from the twen-- no, excuse me, the eighth. Senator from the eighth to present the bill.

[2:12:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7964s) Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill 489, the, uh, the Probate Judges Retirement Fund relies primarily on court-generated fees and employee contributions. It's important to note that the fund does not receive any appropriations from the general assembly. All this bill does is, by current actuarial studies, uh, due to, uh, a decline in, in, in applications, um, their, uh, their funding is gonna fall below the 100% level. This bill does not increase any fees. All it does is make a minor adjustment in the percentage of the fees, uh, that go into the retirement fund and it also increases the import- the employer contribution.

[2:13:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=7999s) So, uh, with that, Mr., Mr. President, I'll yield for any questions or yield the will. You do have one question, Senator. Recognize the senator from the 42nd. Does Senator yield? Yes, sir. Senator, to make sure I understand, so this bill does not actually increase any of the fees that someone that's going to a probate court would pay- Mm-hmm ... with the exception of the last part of the bill that does increase the fee that's tacked on to a criminal charge for someone for $2 extra.

[2:13:51](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8031s) Is that correct? Y- Yes, sir, that's correct. Uh, do you further yield? Yeah, be glad to, to my friend- Sir- ... the chairman of the Judiciary Committee ... out- outside that $2 charge added to those probate courts that do criminal law, all we're doing is saying to help make sure that our probate court judges retirement fund has what it needs. We're increasing the amount that the probate court puts in from the fees they collect into that fund. Is that correct? That, that is correct, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. No other questions, Senator. All right. Thank, thank you, Mr. President. I urge your favorable consideration.

[2:14:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8082s) Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Is there objections to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none and the previous question is ordered. Is there objections to agreeing to the report of the committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objections 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 will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary will allot the machine.

[2:17:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8245s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 53, the nays are one. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed.

[2:17:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8256s) Secretary will read SB 503.

[2:17:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8267s) Senate Bill 503 by Senators Harbison of the 16th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 7 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to kinds of insurance, limits of risk, and reinsurance so as to exempt rental home marketplace guarantees from the definition of property insurance, to require certain language, to r- provide for c- compliance with certain registration requirements, to provide for definitions, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Harbison of the 16th District, Chairman.

[2:18:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8300s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor offers the following substitute to Senate Bill 503, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 7 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to kinds of insurance, limits of risk, and reinsurance so as to exempt rental home and m- marketplace guarantees from the definition of property insurance and for other purposes. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[2:18:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8325s) Recognize the chairman of Insurance and Labor, senator from the 16th.

[2:19:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8340s) Thank you, Mr. President. I bring you SB 503. It is a rental home marketplace guarantees and insurance. What's happened is that we are renting homes, uh, Airbnbs, things of that nature, and what this does, they give a guarantee, but what this bill does is it requires also to have an insurance policy as a backstop to any property damage done. So it's not only their guarantee from who you're renting it for, through whatever organization that is, but it also requires a policy that would cover damages that were done to property.

[2:19:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8373s) It's a f- simple bill, but a great consumer bill for those people who are renting out houses.

[2:19:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8395s) You do have one question, Senator. I'm sorry. Recognize the senator from the 41st. Thank you, Mr. President. B- Back here, Senator, do you yield? Yes. Thank you. Was trying to figure out where you were. Yes. Um, thank you, sir. I just wanna make sure, is it true that this is requiring the homeowner to have an additional insurance, um, product to protect their property, or is this requiring the vendor to have an additional insurance, um, piece, uh, a- a- additional insurance available?

[2:20:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8429s) Good observation. It is the vendor that's being required this to back up their guarantee, 'cause many of the homeowners or policies may have limitations when you're renting a house back out, so this is making the vendor provide that. Do you further yield? Yield. Has there been a problem with vendors not, um, honoring their guarantee already?

[2:20:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8452s) There have been issues, but what we were looking at is this would give a backstop. It's a good consumer bill to keep, if there's questions, they can default to the insurance if there is a problem, and that's why we think it's a good consumer bill in case they get that, because many different organizations are getting into this type of business. One final question, if you'll yield? Yes, sir. Yes, ma'am. What will the impact be on rental prices if these vendors are forced to have to have another insurance product? How will this impact the cost of being able to have a short-term lease?

[2:21:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8485s) It's, it's not r- it's, it's a very small fee from that standpoint overall. What we're trying to do, though, is that if you rent your house out and somebody comes in and does damage, most of the agreements that are online say, "We'll fix it," but this is requiring an insurance policy to be in place. I don't have any kind of fiscal note on it, but I, I believe that it's re- we require this for so many other businesses, it just makes sense when you're renting your home out or your property. Thank you.

[2:21:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8516s) Yeah, no further questions, Senator. Thank you. I yield the will. Does any other senator recognize the senator from the 9th? Would you like to speak to the bill?

[2:22:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8532s) You, you miss me when I come up here. See, sometimes you're gone when I've been up here. That's true. You just let Walker.

[2:22:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8541s) Okay. Uh, thank you, colleagues. So I think the 10th, the intent of the bill is okay, but I do have some issues, 'cause a guaranteed insurance isn't the same as insurance. Um, my concerns in committee and my concerns are still that this would not have the same proper oversight, uh, that under our insurance commissioner that would normally be required when there is real insurance on properties. So that's my main concern. Um, I'm voting no.

[2:22:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8572s) I voted no in committee. Uh, supposedly there's some language in the bill that, um, determines that it does have some oversight, but I was not satisfied with that language in the bill or the answers that I got. So with that, Mr. President, I yield the will.

[2:23:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8589s) 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.

[2:23:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8602s) There, is there objection to favor, uh...

[2:23:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8608s) Question is on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered, b- question is on the passage of the bill by substitute. All those in favor of the bill, vote yay. Opposed, nay. Secretary, allot the machine.

[2:24:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8697s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 42, the nays are 11. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitute. All right, here we go. We're going to, it's about 12:10. Um, the pro tem has lunch for us in the Annie Room, and, uh, it's probably a lunch that you won't, can't bring to your desk. And so, um, I think it's chicken pot pie. Is that right, Senator, or something like that? Yeah, that's gonna be one that you're probably gonna wanna have a little space to eat. So, um, so let's break for lunch for about 30 minutes.

[2:25:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=8729s) We'll come back and then, um, try to get through these bills. So just stand at ease for the next 30.

[3:25:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12306s) The Senate will come back to order. Secretary, please read Senate Bill 523.

[3:25:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12317s) Senate Bill 523 by Senator Goodman of the 8th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to education so as to authorize public schools and post-secondary educational institutions to consider antisemitism in the same manner as discrimination based on religion, to require the Department of Education to establish a statewide K through 12 Title VI coordinator, to a- authorize withholding of funds for noncompliance, to provide for notice and appeal procedures, to provide for definitions, to provide for an effective date, to provide for annual reporting, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[3:25:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12353s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Higher Education recommends that this bill do pass. Signed by Senator Burns. Chairman. Oh, Chairman Burns. Mr. President, Senator Howard. Mr. President, Senator Howard offers, Senator Howard and others offer the following amendment one. Amend SB 523 by replacing lines 29 through 31 with the following. "Each public school shall consider harassment or discrimination against students or employees motivated by or including, but not limited to, antisemitism, anti-Christian sentiment, anti-Islamic sentiment, anti-Hindu sentiment, anti-Buddhist sentiment, or anti-Sikh sentiment in the same manner as discrimination motivated by actual or perceived religion." Mr.

[3:26:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12391s) President, that completes the order.

[3:26:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12396s) Recognize the senator from the 8th.

[3:26:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12404s) Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill 523, a statewide Title VI coordinator. For decades, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 prohibiting sex-based discrimination has required designated coordinators at educational institutions. Uh, this structure has proven effective for ensuring consistent complaint handling, training, and accountability. On the other hand, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, and shared ancestry has no equivalent requirement, creating a gap in civil rights infrastructure for ensuring safe, non-discriminatory environment-

[3:27:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12444s) For our students and employees. This legislation will create parity between these two foundational civil rights protections by creating a statewide accountability through designated coordinators and annual reporting. Building on the foundation established in OCGA 50-1-12 and existing Board of Regents policies with a uniform process across all public schools and university system institutions. Demonstrate leadership by taking proactive action alongside peer states. Five states have already enacted Title VI coordinator legislation in 2025, including Tennessee, Oklahoma, New York, and Arkansas, and additional states, uh, are actively considering similar measures, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri.

[3:28:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12488s) Protect all students by ensuring discrimination complaints are addressed promptly and thoroughly. Senate Bill 523 will do the following: identify two statewide coordinators, one for K through 12 and one for higher ed. The coordinators will be designated within 90 days of enactment. The duties of the coordinator will be to establish and maintain a uniform complaint submission process, both electronic and written, receive, document, and investigate discrimination complaints, provide written notice to institutions requiring corrective action within 30 days, refer unresolved violations to the US Department of Education and Department of Justice, and submit annual reports to state leadership by June 30th each year.

[3:28:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12533s) This legislation does not mandate the creation of new positions, as it is expected to have min- minimal fiscal impact. Coordinator responsibilities can be assigned to existing, existing personnel with civil rights complaint experience. And again, there's, uh, already New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, uh, have these coordinators. Uh, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas are, uh, currently have, uh, um, legislation going through the process, and, uh, with that, Mr.

[3:29:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12564s) President, um, I urge, uh, my friends in this chamber, uh, your favorable consideration, and I yield the will. All right, Senator.

[3:29:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12575s) Senator from the 39th, would you like to speak to the bill?

[3:29:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12582s) Oh, Senator. Senator, hold on one second. Let me, um, let me, uh, do the, read the amendment first. I'm sorry. You're good.

[3:29:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12596s) Oh, Senator from the 35th, we need you to speak to the amendment. Senator from the 35th. Senator from the 35th, we need you to speak to the amendment first, and then Senator from the 39th, I'll call on you to speak. Sorry about that.

[3:30:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12620s) All right. Thank you, Mr. President. I'm here today, um, happy that this chamber will vote on a, what I think is a, a really good bill with excellent intentions. Uh, it's broken up into two parts, part one and part two, and the part one section specifically, um, this amendment would just, uh, broaden our scope. Instead of focusing on antisemitism only, you'll see antisemitism, anti-Christian sentiment, anti-Islamic sentiment, anti-Hindu sentiment, anti-Buddhist sentiment, um, or anti-Sikh sentiment in the same manner as discrimination motiv- uh, motivated m- by actual or perceived religion.

[3:31:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12665s) So I think this is a great opportunity for us to, uh, love our neighbor as ourselves and make sure that we are expanding our idea of who our neighbor is. So I think this is a, a great opportunity for this body to show unity and not singling out, uh, one specific religion, but making sure that we have those protections for all of our major religions. And, um, I'm sure many of you, I know we're all coming from different walks of life, but as a body that's setting law for the entire, uh, state of Georgia, I believe that this is a, a great way to move forward together.

[3:31:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12702s) So I thank you for your favorable consideration for this, uh, amendment for this bill. Thank you so much. I yield the will.

[3:31:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12719s) I now recognize Senator from the 39th to speak to the, the bill.

[3:32:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12726s) Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. I rise today in support of this legislation, and I do so with both clarity and humility. I understand that some of my colleagues and many in our communities approach this bill with hesitation. Whenever legislation touches on identity, speech, and civil rights, people understandably take a careful look. Those concerns deserve respect, and they deserve to be heard. But at its core, this bill is about something quite straightforward, ensuring that discrimination and harassment in our schools are taken seriously and handled consistently.

[3:32:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12763s) Our laws already prohibit discrimination in education based on race, ethnicity, ethnicity, natio- national origin, sex, disability, and religion. This legislation clarifies that when harassment occurs that targets Jewish identity, students must address it under the same civil rights framework that already protects other groups. And that clarification matters because Jewish identity has never fit neatly into a single category. For many, it is religious.

[3:33:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12794s) For others, it is cultural, ethnic, or ancestral. Often, it is all of those things at once. So the purpose here is not to elevate one community above another. The purpose is to make sure our civil rights protections function as they are intended. When discrimination occurs, schools respond clearly and consistently.

[3:33:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12815s) The legislation strengthens accountability by establishing a statewide Title VI coordinator so complaints can be documented, investigated, and addressed through a uniform process across Georgia's education system. And importantly, the bill explicitly affirms that nothing in it diminishes First Amendment protections. Debate, disagreement, and criticism, including criticism of government, remain protected speech, but harassment and discrimination have never been protected.

[3:34:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12849s) Now, I am very aware that there are discussions and an amendment happening to broaden this conversation to other forms of hate or bias, and those are serious matters, and every form of hatred deserves attention. But the question before us today is simple: Should our schools have clear guidance when discrimination occurs and a process for addressing it? This bill provides that clarity. And Mr. President, I also stand here today as a Black woman who understands deeply what it means for the law to recognize discrimination and what it means when it does not.

[3:34:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12886s) The history of civil rights in this country teaches us something important. Protecting one community does not come at the expense of another. Civil rights are not a zero-sum game. So when we strengthen protections against discrimination, we strengthen the integrity of our institutions and the safety of every student who walks through the schoolhouse door. That includes Muslim students, that includes Christian students, that includes Hindu students, that includes Jewish students, and all other religious affiliations.

[3:35:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12918s) And most importantly, it includes every child who expects dignity and safety in their classroom. Georgia schools should be places of learning, not places where students feel targeted because of who they are. This bill may not be perfect. Few pieces of legislation ever are, but it represents an important step toward ensuring that our education system responds clearly and responsibly when discrimination occurs. And for that reason, Mr. President, I will be voting yes.

[3:35:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12949s) Thank you. I yield the will. Thanks, Senator. Recognize Senator from the 23rd.

[3:36:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12961s) Thank you, Mr. President. I'll be brief. Uh, I rise in support of Senate Bill 523 in its original form. I believe it was carefully crafted and focused. I want to thank the senator from the 39th for her remarks. I want to thank the senator from the 35th for offering the amendment. We had robust discussion in committee about this amendment, and we chose to not include it at this time.

[3:36:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=12993s) I look forward to having that discussion at future, in a future, uh, committee meeting with future legislation. But I'd ask the body to support Senate Bill 523, oppose amendment number one. Thank you.

[3:36:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13008s) Recognize the senator from the 50th.

[3:37:04](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13024s) Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today in support of this bill for a lot of reasons which have already been discussed. Specifically, I rise today in opposition of the amendment, and I want to commend the freshman senator for bringing this. You were not here over the last few years when we were debating a bill on antisemitism, and to hear the testimony about what antisemitism really means.

[3:37:40](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13060s) We spent several years defining it. We finally got it into law. I want to commend my friend who came up earlier that spoke in favor of this bill because she hit it head on. Antisemitism is broader than just religion. It extends to culture. It extends to all things Jewish, including, um, the nation of Israel. And while I believe your heart's in the right place, what I'm concerned about with this amendment is, number one, antisemitism is defined in law and in code and is actually defined in this bill.

[3:38:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13105s) The terms that are being used in this amendment are not defined. Also, cautiously, as a, uh, Antonin Scalia fan and a textualist fan when it comes to the interpretation of statutes, sometimes you may think that this list is, has encompassed all religions you could think of, but when you are sitting on a Supreme Court and there may be a religion that you haven't thought of that's not included, sometimes silence can be deadly, and the legislative intent of a specific code absent on a specific religion may exclude that religion.

[3:39:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13155s) Now, the good thing is, if you look at lines 23 through 28, it does specifically list discriminatius, discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital s- status is going to be protected. The definitions that you added to this code section are religions. Antisemitism is much broader than that.

[3:39:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13187s) So I feel, once again, I feel your heart's in the right place. I think there will be some unintended consequences if we were to adopt this amendment, and I think that the cleanest thing that we can do is to protect the Jewish community while also protecting all religions and not just those that are listed on this amendment. And so I would respectfully request that we vote this amendment down. And, um, with that, Mr. President, I'm happy to yield for any questions.

[3:40:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13215s) You do have one question, Senator. Your, your seatmate back there from the 42nd.

[3:40:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13221s) Does Senator yield?

[3:40:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13222s) I do.

[3:40:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13223s) Senator, this is a little bit in the weeds of this, but I think it's important. Are you saying that antisemitism is currently a defined term as we see on line 17 of this bill?

[3:40:34](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13234s) It is. It is defined in code section 50-1-12 in a bill that we passed last year. I believe it was carried by our current president pro tem at the time.

[3:40:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13242s) Do you further yield?

[3:40:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13243s) I do.

[3:40:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13244s) So Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, these are not defined terms in the Georgia law. They're all different religions that would be covered, um, on lines 23 through 28 of the bill. But they're not defined terms under Georgia law, is that correct?

[3:41:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13260s) That is correct.

[3:41:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13261s) Do you further yield?

[3:41:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13262s) I do.

[3:41:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13263s) So the best way to make sure that everybody is protected in our state is to not try to create new definitions to rule out different religions, but to go with every religion being covered, but also making certain the one faith that we have a definition under is also listed here as well. Is that right?

[3:41:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13279s) That is correct.

[3:41:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13280s) And so we should oppose the amendment to leave the bill in place to protect everybody?

[3:41:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13284s) That is correct.

[3:41:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13285s) All right. Thank you.

[3:41:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13286s) Thank you.

[3:41:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13288s) Recognize the senator from the 23rd for questions.

[3:41:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13292s) Thank you, Mr. President. Does Senator yield?

[3:41:34](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13294s) I do.

[3:41:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13295s) Uh, is it not true, Senator, that as we had this bill in committee, we did discuss this proposal? The proposed amendment, I mean. We did discuss the proposed amendment in committee?

[3:41:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13306s) The senator with nobody speaks, I was not present during that discussion.

[3:41:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13309s) We, uh, uh, if the, the record would show that that was the case, and I do appreciate the senator from the- 47th ... 47th, uh, clarification. Thank you, senator 47. Uh, clarification on how Protected classes are defined. Is that not true?

[3:42:07](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13327s) That is true.

[3:42:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13328s) And indeed, right now, uh, this is without regard to race, creed, color, religion, or national origin. Is that not true?

[3:42:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13335s) That is true.

[3:42:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13336s) Thank you.

[3:42:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13337s) Thank you, ma'am.

[3:42:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13341s) You have a couple more questions, Senator. I recognize the senator from the 41st.

[3:42:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13345s) Thank you, Mr. President.

[3:42:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13346s) Yes.

[3:42:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13346s) Does the gentleman yield?

[3:42:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13347s) I do.

[3:42:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13348s) Thank you. I'd actually like to speak to the heart of the bill, if you would. I'm looking on line, um, 30, where it talks about, um, s- the students or employees being motivated by... Uh, can you help me understand, um, how we know if someone was motivated by something when they made a harassing statement?

[3:42:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13372s) Well, that is a good question, and I'm not the author of this bill. But traditionally, if you were to say someone is motivated, that's kind of the crux and the intent behind our hate crime statute to begin with. It is gonna be up to the state to prove their case that someone is motivated for a certain re- r- uh, for a certain reason. And I, I know in some cases they can go through social media, look at someone's background, uh, see if they have made threatening comments in the past.

[3:43:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13409s) Sometimes you get it from just direct testimony, "I did this because I hate this person because this." So sometimes it's much cleaner, uh, sometimes it's harder. But that is how most of our statutes involving this type of behavior, um, are written.

[3:43:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13425s) Do you further yield?

[3:43:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13425s) I do.

[3:43:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13426s) Uh, isn't it true that there are members, particularly of your party, who have been very resistant to us passing laws that, uh, seek to understand the minds of what makes somebody do something? Is that not true?

[3:43:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13439s) The senator knows of what she speaks.

[3:44:04](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13444s) Recognize the senator from the 35th.

[3:44:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13448s) Thank you, Mr. President. Um, does the senator yield?

[3:44:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13450s) I do.

[3:44:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13451s) Um, thank you for your comments, and I appreciate your motivation as well. Um, isn't it true that there are, uh, numerous, uh, students who belong to major faith traditions that are experiencing, uh, unique challenges of anti-sentiment?

[3:44:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13471s) Uh, of antisemitism?

[3:44:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13473s) Anti-sentiment of their religion.

[3:44:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13477s) I, I'm sure there are. And, uh, it is obviously something that we want to protect, which is why I'm glad this bill encompasses, uh, on line 23, that you're... or excuse me, yeah, 23, you're not allowed, uh, to discriminate on the basis of religion.

[3:44:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13495s) Does the senator further yield?

[3:44:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13497s) I do.

[3:44:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13498s) Um, isn't it true that, uh, there are tons of emails from students of various faith traditions that, uh, believe that this, uh, Senate bill without the amendment, uh, feels more like an attack against their faith because of the, uh, Semiti- antisemitism being singled out?

[3:45:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13522s) I have not received those emails, and I hope that's not true. I'm sure that there are some that feel that way, but the message that I would want to send them from this chamber and with the bill that we're passing is that we are codifying that the discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital s- status is wrong. And if that is occurring in our school system, this, or in our public universities, this bill will go to protect them.

[3:45:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13557s) Yeah. Does the senator further yield?

[3:45:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13559s) I do.

[3:45:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13559s) Um, isn't it true that, uh, a good bill with good intentions can be, um, misused by the wrong people in power to then be used as a weapon?

[3:46:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13573s) The senator will know of what he speaks.

[3:46:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13576s) Thank you.

[3:46:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13576s) Thank you.

[3:46:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13578s) Recognize senator you-

[3:46:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13581s) I'll take another q- I'll take one more.

[3:46:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13582s) All right, do you have another question? Uh, senator from the 9th.

[3:46:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13587s) Senator, do you yield?

[3:46:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13588s) I do. To my friend from the 9th.

[3:46:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13589s) Isn't it true that Georgia already has statewide non-discrimination law?

[3:46:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13595s) They do.

[3:46:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13595s) Okay. Um, is it also not true that Georgia law already prohibits discrimination in public schools on race, sex, religion? Is, is that not true?

[3:46:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13605s) That is true.

[3:46:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13607s) Okay. So is it not true that this bill is really just repeating what is already in law? So why would we need to single out in this way?

[3:46:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13617s) I think you're 100% right, except for the fact that antisemitism with regards to the university system and the technical college system of Georgia hasn't been codified, which is why I wanna commend the author. And what this bill is trying to do is just include antisemitism on that list. Now, to your point, I think that the amendment is duplicative and unnecessary because we already prohibit discrimination on religion, but the antisemitism which is in the original bill is something that I do, I do think needs to be codified in, into our code.

[3:47:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13651s) W- would the senator yield for one more question?

[3:47:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13652s) I will. Yeah, I will, I will.

[3:47:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13653s) So again, just including antisemitism, why, and I, and I guess maybe this is continually not being answered because we have the amendment, why are we not including other religions? And I think it was referenced that it, that this bill does, but I believe that is not clear in this particular legislation.

[3:47:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13678s) Well, I think this bill does include religion.

[3:48:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13680s) All of them?

[3:48:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13681s) It does.

[3:48:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13682s) Okay.

[3:48:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13683s) On line 23. However The discrepancy between religion and antisemitism, which we've seen you were in this chamber when we had those lengthy debates. Antisemitism includes religion, culture, all things being Jewish, which is not just religion. And so people were-- could discriminate against someone for being Jewish and then claim, "Well, I'm not discriminating against them because of their religion. I'm discriminating against them because of their culture or because of their, um, association with Israel," which is why antisemitism needs to be...

[3:48:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13719s) Which number one, why it is defined, and number two, why this bill is necessary and why this amendment, while it addresses several religions, I think the catch-all for all religions is in line twenty-three, which is why I feel like this is an unnecessary amendment.

[3:48:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13739s) Okay.

[3:49:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13743s) Thank you.

[3:49:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13743s) No more questions.

[3:49:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13743s) And with that, Mr. President, I will yield the will. Yeah.

[3:49:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13745s) Yeah, no more questions, Senator. Recognize the senator from the seventh.

[3:49:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13766s) I rise to speak in support of this amendment, amendment one. Look, this is a, a good bill. SB-523 is a good bill. But if we're trying to do this, we need to treat all faiths the same. Georgia needs to be inclusive of all faiths. Judiam- Judaism is not alone in being a faith and culture. Islam and other faiths are like that too, which is why we need to add those other faiths into this legislation.

[3:49:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13797s) I would like to share some stories. Basira, a high schooler in DeKalb County, was bullied constantly by a male classmate for wearing the hijab, the Muslim headscarf. One day in science class, that boy pulled off her headscarf in front of the entire class. This is a deeply violating experience for a Muslim woman, and Basira was so traumatized she didn't go to school for days. Harmeet, a Sikh student in DeKalb County Schools, was bullied for years because of his faith, especially because he wore a patka, a Sikh head covering that's an essential part of practicing his faith.

[3:50:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13833s) Harmeet was bullied for years, and his school knew about it, but refused to take any action until he got a lawyer involved. A Hindu student, Vivaan, was bullied for months, including being beaten up, and his teachers took no action, and at one point, a group of bullies held him down and forcibly shaved off his eyebrow. Karima was a high school student in Clayton County. Her science teacher asked her what her religion was, and when she answered that she was Muslim, he yelled at her for thirty minutes, badgering her about being part of an evil religion.

[3:51:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13866s) After all this, he asked her not to tell her parents about what had happened. One high school boy, Samir, had a teacher who knew he was Muslim and repeatedly called him a terrorist or a junior terrorist, both to his face and to other students. The teacher continued to do this even after other students told him that it was inappropriate and he needed to stop. Arit, a Hindu boy who wore a tilak, another form of Hindu forehead marking, experienced bullies ducking and yelling, "Sniper." They took his lunchbox and threw it away, yelling, "Bomb." No action was taken.

[3:51:41](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13901s) Bhoomi, a Hindu sixth grader, wore a bindi, a small dot on her forehead that many Hindus wear. She was attacked by a group of billy- bullies who held her down and rubbed her bindi off her forehead.

[3:51:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13914s) Senate Bill fifty- 523 is a good bill aiming to address the problem of religious dis- discrimination in public schools. But unfortunately, every religious m- minority experiences discrimination in school. Just because we don't hear about them as much doesn't mean it's not a major problem impacting a large number of students. That's why it's important that if this bill is going to name one faith group, we should name... be, be inclusive of all faiths. Thank you, and yield the will.

[3:52:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13941s) Recognize the senator from the fifty-second.

[3:52:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13958s) Thank you, Mr. President. I rise here in support of this bill and in opposition to the amendment. The amendment, though well-intentioned, broadens and dilutes the message that is being sent here, because there is a unique nature of antisemitic hate. There's a disproportionate share of antisemitic hate in this country. The data from the FBI indicated that sixty-nine to seventy percent of the hate in the US against religion was against the Jewish people, and this was 2024.

[3:53:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=13992s) This was not Kash Patel, if anybody's wondering. This was 2024 data that says despite being two percent of the population in the US, they were sixty-nine to seventy percent of the hate against religion. But as was noted, the Jewish people are targeted as a race, an ethnic group, and a faith. Universities in particular have established anti-bigotry standards, but yet have failed to protect Jewish students specifically. They've allowed Jewish students to be prevented from going to class in many states, and they've been the subject of lawsuits that force them to remove an anti-Jewish zone they had set up in the university.

[3:53:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14034s) Now, everybody's correct here. All forms of racism are wrong, but I believe a specific threat requires a specific response. This legislation is a focused response. It doesn't need to get diluted by trying to combine it with other broader or different religious discriminations.

[3:54:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14053s) When this small group of the population is recipient of the majority of discrimination, uh, particularly within universities, then we need to, we need to specifically call it out and stand and protect the Jewish citizens of United States. That's what this bill does. I support this specific response, and I urge your support for the bill and against the amendment. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the well.

[3:54:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14089s) Recognize the minority leader, senator from the 22nd.

[3:55:04](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14104s) Thank you, Mr. President. I would just say that I'm in support of the bill and the amendment because the amendment, the amendment merely adds to the persons who are gonna be protected, and that is not a negative at all. It simply expands those covered religions to make sure, and if it is duplicative, that is okay because the bill itself is duplicative because we already actually cover religion in any event. And one of the things we discussed last year was that this is exactly the situation that was going to happen, that we were gonna get into this situation over and over. And one of the things that was promised was, well, we'll cover other people, we'll cover other religions, we'll cover other areas next year, and that wasn't done.

[3:55:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14139s) Instead, we're back here again. And so once again, people are saying, "We feel excluded. We feel like we're not part of this." And all we're saying with the amendment is, we want to make sure they don't feel excluded and they're also part of it. And it's also a little bit inaccurate to say that we created a definition. We basically took the definition of IRA. We really didn't create a definition. We took a definition, which also was roundly debated and also critiqued. So I am in favor of the, the bill and also the amendment, but I want persons to realize this is not a negative amendment. It's a positive amendment. It's one to make sure that people feel included, and it's also one that we said was going to happen.

[3:56:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14173s) So whether the senator from the 35th was here last year or not is immaterial. He actually recognizes the problem that we discussed last year. People would feel like they're actually not included in this, this language, and he's actually trying to do what we talked about last year, w- uh, w- exactly what would happen, and it's happening here again. With that, I yield the well.

[3:56:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14195s) All right. Senator from the 31st.

[3:56:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14202s) Mr. President, call the question. Senator, we have come to that moment already, naturally, actually.

[3:56:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14212s) So, all right, so we will, uh, take up amendment. The question will be on amendment, adoption of amendment number one. Oh, I'm sorry. Senator from the 8th, would you like to close? Thank you. I appreciate that. We don't need it either. So all right. With the question on the adoption of amendment number one, is there objection to amendment number one? Objection. We got objection on amendment number one. All those in, in favor of amendment one will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[3:58:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14310s) On the adoption of amendment number one, the yays are 22 and the nays are 31, and this amendment has failed.

[3:58:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14319s) Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none and 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 passage of the bill. All those in favor will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[3:59:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14395s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 50 and the nays are two. This bill, having received requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed.

[4:00:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14408s) Secretary, read SB 524.

[4:00:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14413s) Senate Bill 524 by Senator Harbin, and we've got to pass.

[4:00:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14420s) Senate Bill 524 by Senator Harbin of the 16th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 40-2-86 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to license plates promoting or supporting certain agencies, funds, or nonprofit corporations with proceeds disbursed to the general fund and the agency fund or nonprofit corporation so as to establish a specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia, to establish a specialty plate honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States of America's independence, to provide for related matters, to provide for compliance with constitutional requirements, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[4:00:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14459s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Public Safety recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respect- respectfully submitted, Senator Albers of the 56th, chairman.

[4:01:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14472s) Mr. President. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Public Safety offers the following substitute to SB 524. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles so as to provide for an additional license plate design honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States of America's independence, to establish a specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia with proceeds distributed to the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia organization, to provide for related matters, to provide for compliance with constitutional requirements, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[4:01:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14507s) Mr. President, that completes the order.

[4:01:51](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14511s) Recognize the senator from the 16th. Speak to the bill.

[4:02:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14529s) All right.

[4:02:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14535s) Thank you, Mr. President. We appreciate it. Um, today we're gonna consider two Georgia specialty license plates that first glance may seem quite different, but together they tell one powerful story. Our nation approaches two hundred and fifty years of liberty and freedom. This commemorative Georgia tag invites us to pause and reflect upon the extraordinary journey that began in 1776. And two, two and a half centuries, Americas have defended the principles of freedom, self-government, faith, service, and responsibility.

[4:02:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14568s) The principles of freedom continue. Georgia has played a vital role in that history, one of the original thirteen. And from the founding era, that struggle for independence, civil rights, and opportunity to the present day, this tag is more than a design of a license plate. It is a rolling reminder that freedom is not automatic. It is inherited, protected, and passed on generation to generation. That brings me to the Girl Scouts of America's specialty tags. For more than a century, the Girl Scouts have helped prepare young women to be leaders in characters, teaching service, integrity, responsibility, love of country.

[4:03:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14604s) These are not abstract ideas. They are habits that sustain liberty. In America, the first two hundred and fifty years were built by courage and sacrifice. The next two hundred and fifty years will depend on how well we prepare the next generation. The Girl Scout tag honors that investment, recognizing young women who are learning to lead, serve, and strengthen their communities right here in Georgia. Together, these flags remind us of the simple truth: freedom has a history and a future. By approving these tags, we honor the sacrifices of the past, celebrate the values that unite us today, and affirm our responsibility to pass on liberty stronger than we received it.

[4:04:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14643s) I would ask for your support.

[4:04:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14648s) You have no questions, Senator. Thank you, sir.

[4:04:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14652s) Recognize Senator from the forty-fourth to speak to the, the bill.

[4:04:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14671s) Thank you, Mr. President. Just wanted to add, um, just a couple more things about the Girl Scouts. Y'all know I've had the honor of presenting the resolution on Girl Scout Day every year, and when the Girl Scouts approached my office and said, "Will you help us, um, achieve a license, a Georgia license plate?" I was actually totally shocked that we didn't already have one. Girl Scouts of, um, America is undoubtedly one of the very most important civic organizations in the history of our country that is founded right here in Georgia by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, senators from the first and second, um, in 1912.

[4:05:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14710s) And so it is certainly fitting that we have this, um, license plate finally and celebrate all the good w- good work they do as one of the l- largest, if not the largest, um, hands-on, um, leadership and entrepreneurship-focused organizations for girls in our country and indeed in the world. So couldn't let this moment pass without calling out that this is a Georgia born and bred organization that we should all be very proud of.

[4:05:40](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14740s) Thank you. I yield the well. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Chair hears none. Senator from the ninth?

[4:05:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14753s) Mr. President, I ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the seventh. Without objection, the senator from the seventh is excused.

[4:06:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14761s) Yeah, yeah. Go ahead. I recognize the senator from the sixty-sixth. Mr. President, can I ask unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the thirty-seventh for business inside the Capitol? Without objection, the senator from the thirty-seventh is excused. Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none and the previous question is ordered. Question is on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the reporter committee, which is favorable to the passes of the bill?

[4:06:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14793s) Chair hears none. The reporter 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 passes of the bill by substitute. All those in favor will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[4:07:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14874s) On the passes of the bill, the yays are fifty-one, the nays are zero. This bill, having received requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitute. Secretary, read SB 552.

[4:08:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14903s) Senate Bill number 552 by Senator Burns of the first and others. A bill to be entitled an Act to Amend Subpart 2A of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to clubs and organizations so as to provide for equal access to public schools for students engaging in political or philosophical expression, to authorize the organization of partisan and nonpartisan student groups and gatherings, to provide for school disclaimers of sponsorship, to prohibit discrimination based on the content of student speech with limited open forum, to provide for the maintenance of order and discipline, to provide for a short title, to provide for definitions, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[4:09:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14952s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Judiciary recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Strickland of the forty-second, Chairman. Mr. President, Senator Kemp of the thirty-eighth, others offer the following amendment one.

[4:09:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=14965s) Mr President, Senator Kemp of the 38th and others offer the following amendment one. Amend SB 552 by replacing lines one and two with the following. To amend part one of article 16 of chapter two of title 20 with the official Code of Georgia annotated relating to school attendance so as to provide for equal access by inserting, "To require the local governing body for each school system and public school to adopt a policy providing that students shall be granted not less than one excused absence per school year for attending or participating in a civic or political event" after "Definitions" on line seven-

[4:10:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15002s) For other purposes

[4:10:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15003s) ... and for other purposes. Mr President, that completes the order.

[4:10:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15010s) The amendment that, uh, Secretary just read will be hitting your desk here shortly. I recognize the senator from the 23rd to speak to the bill. I'm sorry, senator from the 1st, I apologize.

[4:10:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15026s) Trying to do too many things up here, Senator.

[4:10:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15033s) You're good. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, so the True Patriotism Universal Student Access Act is inspired by Charlie Kirk's brave efforts to bring both the word of God and the truth of conservative values to school campuses across America through open discussion and debate in public forums. In the spirit and memory of Charlie's work, the TPUSA Act in Georgia will ensure that students' First Amendment rights to organize, gather, and speak are protected re- re- regardless of their religious, political, or social viewpoints, or those of school administrators.

[4:11:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15071s) Georgia will be the first state to codify this in a state law. This bill makes it clear public school students in Georgia must be permitted to engage in political activities and expression before, during, and after the school day in the same manner and to the same extent that students may engage in non-pol- political activities and expression. Public school students may organize partisan or nonpartisan political activities and groups before, during, and after school to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activities and groups during non-instructional time.

[4:11:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15109s) Public schools that provide a limited open forum are barred from denying equal access or fair opportunity or discriminating against students who wish to conduct a meeting within the forum on the basis of the group's political, philosophical, ideological, or other content of the speech made at such meetings. Partisan and nonpartisan political groups will be given the same access and opportunities to announce and advertise meetings and use school facilities as other groups, and cannot be discriminated against on the basis of the political content of their expressions.

[4:12:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15141s) And lastly, public school students are guaranteed the right to wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry that display political messages and symbols. Basically, what this does, this codifies what is in our constitution to guarantee the rights to students for extracurricular activity that would allow them, whether political or non-political or religious or non-religious. It does not take away any of the rights of the school administrators from, and let me read to you the very last section of the bill, uh, nothing in this code section shall be construed to limit the authority of a public school or its employees or agents to maintain order and discipline on school premises, to protect the well-being of students and staff, and to assure that attendance of students at meetings is voluntary.

[4:13:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15190s) With that, Mr. President, I would ask your favorable consideration. I'll be happy to answer any questions.

[4:13:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15197s) You have no questions.

[4:13:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15199s) Thank you, Mr. President.

[4:13:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15202s) Had a late arrival, so he's, the senator's yielded. You can speak to the amendment if you like.

[4:13:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15209s) The, from the amendment standpoint, let me just say that, uh, this has to do with extracurricular activities. Uh, this is, uh, not having to do with protests outside of the school. That is gonna be between the parents of the, uh, students, uh, and the school itself. So I would, uh, like to keep this, uh, bill, uh, Senate Bill 552 clean and, uh, would, uh, not support that amendment. Thank you.

[4:14:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15240s) All right. Any other senat- senator wish to speak for or against the measure?

[4:14:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15246s) Recognize the senator from the 38th to speak to his amendment.

[4:14:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15263s) Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, colleagues, I filed this amendment, uh, because we've seen students being punished and suspended for using their voices and speaking, uh, out, uh, for injustices that they believe that they've seen. This amendment would allow school districts to come up with policies that allows for students to have one ex- one excused absence to participate in a political or civic event. Um, it is fair for any student who supports ICE as well as students that are opposed to ICE.

[4:14:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15299s) The same thing for a student who may be a Turning Point USA student and a student who, uh, supports Black Lives Matter. They would be given the same opportunity to engage in civic dis- discourse. As a former high school principal, I know that not everything that a student needs to learn is taught or learned in a classroom or in a school building. It happens outside the school building. And so if we want students to be well-informed voters when they turn 18, we should allow them to flex those muscles and build those muscles as they are going, been matriculating through their educational career.

[4:15:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15338s) So what this does is just simply gives an opportunity- ... for school districts to come up with a process so that we don't have situations like we've seen occur recently where students were being suspended for trying to engage in civic discourse. What this will do was, will put some processes in place so where if I'm a student and I want to attend a walkout or I want to go see Donald Trump speak or Barack Obama speak, I will have an opportunity to be able to do that. Um, so I think it is very true to the spirit of this bill, uh, that allows for students to express themselves, but we all know that that expression should not be kept held hostage in a classroom or in a school building.

[4:16:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15381s) They should be able to do that in the public square. And so that's what this bill does, and I'm happy to take any questions, uh, as it relates to this, to this amendment, uh, if there are any, Mr. President. You do have a couple questions. I recognize senator from the 19th.

[4:16:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15396s) Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, do you yield? Yes, I do. Senator, on your amendment, I hear what you're talking about political speech, but on line 16, you include the word strike. Is your intention to allow students, those many times that are not old enough to be able to work yet, to attend a strike? Absolutely. If a student is going to be 18 and they can vote, eventually they're going to work, right? And so I should be able to speak out and support folks that are out on a strike, maybe fighting for fairer wages, maybe fighting for better, you know, working conditions.

[4:17:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15431s) But as a student, we should be encouraging them to do this. If I am passionate about something and you want me to be a part of the workforce or the voting pool, you should be wanting me to be engaged in these processes. So yes, I think a student should be able to attend a strike if they want to. Will the senator further yield? Yes, I do. Does your amendment limit, though, you mentioned 18, being able to work, does it limit folks being able to leave school for striking for their own job?

[4:17:41](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15461s) I'm sorry. Repeat that. I'm- So if, if someone's working, yeah, you said you want them to participate in political dialogue. Yeah. They're entering a strike for a job that they work for. Does this bill limit a student striking on just a job that they have? No, they can strike for any job. They can st- attend- Will the senator- ... a strike that- For anybody ... a union is holding, even if I don't work there, yes. Will senator further yield? Yes, I do. You mentioned being involved in the workforce. Yes. Does your bill a limit, limit rather, students being able to strike when they're old enough to be in the workforce?

[4:18:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15497s) I'm not following your question. Uh, I- Will senator yield? They can attend any strike that they want to attend, so there's no limit, so I'm not sure, I, I follow what you're saying. Would they be able to attend a strike even if they're not old enough to work yet? I think I just answered that question. Yes, sir. I see. Just wanted to make sure that was your intent. Yep. Recognize the senator from the 23rd. Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, do you yield? Yes, I do. Uh, simple question. Does the underlying bill provide for excused absences? That's the whole point of the amendment, to allow for an excused absence. I, I understand that. I asked does the underlying bill, senator, does it provide for excused absences?

[4:18:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15530s) That's my response. It, this amendment is to provide for an excused absence. As I shared in my remarks, what this, the underlying bill allows for activity in the school. What I am trying to do is allow for out- at, uh, activity outside of the school. Senator, further yield? Yes, sir. Clarify your point. Um, the underlying bill, my understanding of it is it does not provide for any absences from school required, um, activities.

[4:19:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15560s) This is an additional, these are additional after-school activities. Is that not true? This is even during school. I don't wanna say after school, 'cause it's not just after school. So this would allow for activity during school that is outside of the school. Yes, sir. All right. One final comment or one final question. Is it not true that attendance and achievement are highly correlated? Absolutely. And you know, as I shared, uh, Mr. Chairman, I was a former principal, right? I would encourage my students to participate in something that they are passionate about 'cause they are going to learn just as much in the field, speaking up and engaging in political discourse as they will in a social studies class.

[4:20:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15603s) Thank you, Senator. I, I appreciate your, uh, your amendment, but I oppose it because I don't believe we should enhance the amount of excused absences. I appreciate your response.

[4:20:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15620s) You still have a couple more questions. Recognize senator- Yes, sir ... from the 2nd. Thank you to my, my good friend from Fulton County. Senator, do you yield? Yes, sir. Senator, is it not true that in our laws that govern compuls- compulsory attendance, is it not true that in order for a student to attend, uh, a political event or some sort of speech would have to then be approved by, uh, that actual school district? Is that not, that not true? That's absolutely true. Uh, so do you further yield?

[4:20:51](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15651s) Yes, sir. So Senator, uh, if, uh, the President of the United States were to speak in Chatham County, which is very Democratic, over 60%, would it then not be true that in order for a student to get an excused absence to attend the, the president's rally in Savannah, Chatham County, he would ha- that student would have to get permission from the school, and that school may deny such request. Is that not true? That is very true. Yes, sir. Does the senator further yield? Yes, sir. So Senator, would this allow for the schools to have guidelines so that they would not necessarily automatically deny a student because it's a political event and remove partisan politics from the decision where that principal may have a political leaning, uh, as you're a Democrat and you're a former principal?

[4:21:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15690s) Is that not also true? That's right. What my goal is to say, like, even as a Democrat, I, I may like, "Ugh, do y'all really wanna go hear Donald Trump speak?" We're putting in a policy that will say, "You know what? Regardless of your partisan belief- We have now have a policy that's gonna allow that student to go see President Donald Trump speak at an airport hangar, the same as a student would be able to do any future president, uh, of the United States.

[4:21:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15717s) And so, Senator, it's not that we are changing compulsive- compulsory attendance, it's just that we are enhancing what is already allowed because those carve-outs already exist. However, political, uh, events are not allowed in that carve-out, so we would only be updating what's already allowed. Is that not true?

[4:22:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15733s) That's very true. Thank you, sir.

[4:22:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15735s) Thank you so much, Senator.

[4:22:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15735s) Yes, sir.

[4:22:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15739s) You have one more question.

[4:22:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15740s) All right.

[4:22:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15740s) Recognize the senator from the 35th.

[4:22:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15743s) Thank you so much. Does the senator yield?

[4:22:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15745s) Yes, sir.

[4:22:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15746s) All right. Isn't it true that your amendment cons- Isn't it true that your amendment makes it a l- a little bit easier for students to be able to participate in protests and making their voice heard outside the school day?

[4:22:42](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15762s) Yes, sir. That's the aim.

[4:22:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15763s) Um, isn't it true that if a student was a Turning Point USA, uh, kind of follower and, um, subscribed to some of the same ideals as Charlie Kirk had concerns about maybe foreign wars, um, and wanted to go and make that, uh, make, make their voice heard, d- is it true that your amendment helps to strengthen their ability to share that concern?

[4:23:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15788s) Absolutely. That's my goal, is to allow any student whatsoever their beliefs to have the opportunity to speak out and engage in the civic discourse, and also protecting them should a school leader not agree with what they're trying to do. So that is ultimately the aim of the amendment.

[4:23:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15806s) Isn't it true that in the City of Atlanta, there are few school districts that are strongly conservative politically speaking?

[4:23:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15815s) That's true.

[4:23:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15816s) Um, does the senator further yield?

[4:23:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15819s) Yes.

[4:23:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15819s) Isn't it true that a student who is a strong conservative ideology who's in an area that is maybe a lot more liberal, that your amendment would help strengthen their ability to express their, uh, their concerns?

[4:23:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15833s) Absolutely. That is the goal.

[4:23:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15835s) Thank you.

[4:23:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15836s) Thank you. Um, so, uh, colleagues, I ask for your favorable consideration, uh, on this bill. This is something whether a student is conservative or liberal, will give them an opportunity to engage in the public discourse and also protect them should they have leadership or educators that are opposed to their beliefs. Exactly the intent of what the senator from the first, uh, bill, uh, uh, tries to address. And with that, Mr. President, I yield the floor.

[4:24:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15866s) Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? All right, we're gonna take up Amendment Number 1 offered by the senator from the fif- 38th. Is there objection to Amendment Number 1?

[4:24:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15877s) Objection.

[4:24:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15877s) There is objection. All those in favor of Amendment 1, vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[4:25:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15913s) Yes, sir. Senator from the 1st, what purpose do you rise?

[4:25:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15915s) Friend inquiry.

[4:25:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15917s) Go ahead.

[4:25:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15918s) Is it not true, Mr. President, that the intent of the senator from the 1st was not to do anything, uh, that would give excused absences and, uh, this was extracurricular activities involved in the school to give them their constitutional rights in their school?

[4:25:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15935s) I believe the senator knows what he speaks.

[4:25:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15958s) On the adoption of Amendment Number 1, the senator from the 38th, the yays are 21, the nays are 32, and this amendment has failed.

[4:26:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=15971s) Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. The question is on the passage of the bill. All those in favor of the bill, vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[4:27:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16049s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 46 and nays are seven, and this bill, and this bill having received the requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed. Thank you to Doc- Thank you, Doctor. The good senator from the 1st, I appreciate you getting that done for us. That was a priority of mine, and I greatly appreciate that, and I appreciate all the young people who wanna par- participate in the political process. So, thank you.

[4:27:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16079s) Moving on to Senate Bill, Secretary Reed, Senate Bill 565.

[4:28:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16095s) Senate Bill Number 565 by Senator Robertson of the 29th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 35-8-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions relative to employment and training of peace officers, so as to revise the definition of law enforcement unit and peace officer to include members of police forces of non-private, nonprofit private colleges and universities, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Public Safety recommends that this bill do pass.

[4:28:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16129s) Respectfully submitted, Senator Albers of the 56th, Chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[4:28:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16134s) Thank you.

[4:28:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16139s) I recognize Senator from the 29th. Speak to the bill. Well,

[4:29:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16185s) does the chair of the Public Safety like to carry the water here? Oh, there he is. 29th. We thought you were, we thought you were taking a, a s- a senator from the 18th, a new senator. We thought you'd gone off with him somewhere, so.

[4:30:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16202s) No, sir. I had gone outside to see if anybody had qualified for the District 50 seat.

[4:30:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16211s) Oh.

[4:30:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16211s) Because the senator of the 50th is my favorite.

[4:30:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16219s) Actually, I was saying the 15th, not the 50th.

[4:30:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16224s) I am, I am gonna miss my friend. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, Senate Bill 565, as we say many times in this well, is a very simple piece of legislation. All of our friends that live here in Atlanta experienced something several months back that none of us hope we ever have to experience again. But sadly, we do know at some point we will. An individual showed up at the Centers for Disease Control with a weapon and started firing indiscriminately, and I think some, some of it intentionally at the properties and the people in that area.

[4:31:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16266s) 33 law enforcement agencies responded, 33 from the metro Atlanta area, which was incredible of a response. But the first agency to respond, the first POST-certified law enforcement officers to respond, were the police officers that work for Emory University. They did not hesitate. They did not let the road between the university and the CDC hamper their running into the fire.

[4:31:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16306s) They engaged with the suspect, firing rounds, which caused the suspect to retreat. Excuse me, let me be clear, the perpetrator, causing the perpetrator to retreat inside of the building, where he neutralized himself.

[4:32:04](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16324s) These officers were heroic, and they did what the oath that they took required them to do. But in the State of Georgia, if you work at a private university, you do not have the same qualified immunity that a law enforcement officer who works for a municipality or a county or one of our state agencies has. And so what this means is, as they were engaging this individual, if they had inadvertently, accidentally hurt someone else, or if they had injured the perpetrator, then the perpetrator and others, they would not have the protection from civil liability and possible criminal liability that 90% of law enforcement officers, 90, 99% of law enforcement officers here in the state do.

[4:33:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16386s) So what this does, this bill does, is just include them in the definition of peace officer, those that work at those types of institutions, and I'll run down a few for you. It would include Emory University. It would include Mercer University. It would include Morehouse College. It would include Young Harris. It would include Shorter University. It would include Savannah College of Art and Design. It would include Morehouse School of Medicine. It would include Morris Brown College. It would include, uh, John Marshall Law School. Those universities, they have POST-certified law enforcement officers working for them, and I wanna tell you, the chief at Emory is a long-serving, very, very professional police chief, and he runs an incredible law enforcement agency there at Emory that I would stand up against any other law enforcement agency, not only in the state, but in this country.

[4:33:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16438s) It is extremely professional, well-trained law enforcement. They do everything in an incredibly correct and professional way. And all this does is give them that sliver of protection that other law enforcement officers have. And with that, Mr. President, I'll be happy to yield to any questions.

[4:34:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16457s) I do have one question, Senator. Recognize the senator from the 55th.

[4:34:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16464s) Thank you, Senator, for bringing this fine bill. Uh, is it not true that we just passed a, some, a piece of legislation that, uh, when students or when persons were exercising their First Amendment right, that they could be charged for being in the street for a high and aggravated misdemeanor? Is it not true?

[4:34:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16490s) Is, is, are you, are you saying, is it n- is it not true that we just passed a piece of legislation that would allow an individual who is expressing their First Amendment rights By blocking a street or highway, we are allowing them to be charged with a high and aggravated misdemeanor?

[4:35:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16509s) That is correct, sir.

[4:35:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16511s) Yes, sir. I, I think I'm older than you and my memory fades from time to time, but I do believe the senator is correct that we did do that for the purpose of saving the lives and safety of those driving vehicles, and for those individuals whose right to free, free speech I support fully, but I do not support the right with them putting themselves and others in danger.

[4:35:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16532s) Is it not true... Thank you, sir. Is it not true that we do have college kids who do, uh, exist on campuses that have public roadways going through them? Is it not true?

[4:35:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16550s) There are some college campuses I do believe that would have a public street road or highway that divides the campus, but it does not include the, the streets within the campus. But yes, I'm sure I have, uh, Columbus State University where I'm at, and some of the buildings they have down in Uptown, as we call it, which are represented by the senator from the 15th, do have roads and streets that divide the buildings where the, where the music school and the, uh, student housing is located.

[4:36:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16586s) Is it not true that while I commend the author's interest to bring these persons in line with other law enforcement officers, that their allegiance or loyalty would be to the institutions for which they are employed rather than the general public as opposed to other law enforcement officers?

[4:36:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16610s) Senator, that is an incredibly great question, and I'm happy to tell you where the loyalty of law enforcement officers lie in the State of Georgia. It lies in protecting and serving every citizen in Georgia, whether they are in a university, whether they are in a fast food restaurant, whether they are in a church, whether they are in a mall, and everywhere else. That's the reason every officer carries their own license on them. Their, their commitment as a law enforcement officer does not lie with an institution, it does not lie with a college, it does not lie with a department, it does not lie with an office.

[4:37:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16644s) It lies with that officer to serve every citizen no matter where they are.

[4:37:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16649s) Will the gentleman further yield?

[4:37:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16651s) I will yield.

[4:37:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16653s) With respect to, uh, Emory University, which I attended, and I respect the, uh, officers there, but their interest is protecting that institution and not any other locale. Is that not true?

[4:37:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16669s) No, sir, that is not true. As I said in my earlier testimony, those men and women who you're just, um, not speaking well of, they left the campus of Emory University when an attack befell the CDC. They engaged the perpetrator. By them engaging the perpetrator, they drove the perpetrator back into a building where the perpetrator neutralized himself. That is what they are sworn to do, and that is what they did, and no officer worth his or her salt is gonna stand across the street and watch citizens be injured and, and heaven forbid, murdered by somebody when they have the full training and ability to stop it.

[4:38:34](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16714s) Is it not-

[4:38:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16715s) And I'm gonna do you a favor, Senator. I'm gonna yield the well.

[4:38:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16723s) Senator's yielded. Recognize the senator from the 41st.

[4:39:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16740s) Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today in support of this bill. Um, I had the great honor of attending Emory University and serving on their Emory EMS force. Um, as a part of that work, I got to work side by side with Emory's law enforcement officers, and one day there was a, a, a person who was displaying signs and s- which they needed to have some medical support. And so as an EMT, I approached that person, um, to provide them with the medical treatment they needed. But because we had trained law enforcement officers on the scene too, they were able to see a weapon that I could not see because I was not trained to notice that type of thing, and it was an Emory law enforcement officer who stepped in, intervened, and I believe to this day ultimately saved my life.

[4:39:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16788s) So I think it is imperative that our Emory law enforcement and all campus law enforcements have the same rights, privileges, um, as law enforcement officers who work outside of college campuses. So I urge your support of this bill, and I thank the senator from the 29th for bringing it forward.

[4:40:07](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16807s) Is there any other senator who wishes to speak for or against the measure? Chair hears none. Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? Senator from the 23rd, for what purpose do you rise?

[4:40:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16821s) Mr. President, I ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the 21st for business inside the Capitol.

[4:40:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16825s) Without objection, senator from the 21st is excused. Is there objection to the previous question be ordered? Chair hears none. Previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the voting committee which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The voting committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. Main question is ordered. Questions on passage of the bill. All those in favor of the bill, vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, allot the machine.

[4:41:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16880s) On

[4:41:51](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16911s) the pass of the bill, the yeas are fifty-three and the nays are zero. This bill having received requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed.

[4:42:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16920s) Secretary Reid, SR 624.

[4:42:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16940s) Senate Resolution Number 624 by Senator Setzler of the 37th and others. A resolution honoring the life of Officer Drew Haynes Brown and dedicating an intersex- intersection in his memory and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Transportation recommends that this resolution do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Dolezal of the 27th, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Transportation offers the following substitute to SR 624.

[4:42:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16972s) A resolution dedicating certain portions of the state highway system and for other purposes.

[4:42:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16979s) And for other purposes, Mr. President.

[4:43:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16981s) Mr. President, that-

[4:43:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16982s) Dolezal.

[4:43:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=16982s) Mr. President, Senator Dolezal of the 27th and others offer the following amendment one. Amend the Senate Committee on Transportation substitute to SR 624 by inserting between lines sixty-four and sixty-five the following. Whereas our nation's security continues to rely on patriotic men and women who put their personal lives on hold in order to place themselves in harm's way to protect the freedoms that all United States citizens cherish. And whereas Sergeant Major John Berry Dean was born in Aberdeen, Washington on August 28th, 1949, the beloved son of Eddie and Irene Dean, and for other purposes.

[4:43:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17017s) Mr. President, that completes the order.

[4:43:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17027s) Recognize senator from the 37th.

[4:44:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17050s) Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, um, rise today on behalf of worthy Georgians to recognize them for their accomplishments and their sacrifices. Um, as is often the case, I know we, uh, like to dispose with business very quickly in this chamber, but I think in respect to these Georgians, I will read these resolutions if it pleases the chair. Um, Senate Resolution 624 addresses a number of Georgians to be recognized, um, and just would, would commit to you and commit before Georgia that the sacrifices and contributions of our citizens matter to this state.

[4:44:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17095s) They really are the difference makers in our state, and Officer Drew Haynes Brown was no exception. Officer Drew, Drew Haynes Brown was highly regarded by the citizens of his community and state and by local government officials as a person of unquestioned integrity and dedication to the sound principles of law enforcement. Whereas Officer Brown diligently and conscientiously devoted innumerable hours of his time, talents, and energy towards the betterment of his community and state as evidenced dramatically by his superlative service as a police officer in Cobb County.

[4:45:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17126s) And whereas a native of Thomaston, Georgia, and a graduate of Osborne High School in Cobb County, Officer Brown was the son of Mary Christine Vaughn Brown and Elmore Buddy Hayes Brown, who was a detective with the Cobb County Police Department in the 1970s. And whereas after attending Kennesaw State College, now Kennesaw State University, to, to study business law, Officer Brown began a service with the Cobb County Police Department on September 2nd, 1977, and served as a uniform patrol officer at Precinct two in Mableton before joining the then newly created Cobb Area DUI Task Force in 1982.

[4:46:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17165s) Whereas his life was tragically cut short in 1983 after his patrol vehicle was struck by a drunk driver while he was opening, while he was operating radar on Highway 41. Whereas Officer Brown led an exceptional career, public service, and his inspiring commitment to the welfare of others stands as a shining example of the positive effect law enforcement professionals have on the lives and well-being of others. And whereas he exhibited extraordinary devotion to public service, outstanding loyalty, fine leadership, and meticulous attention to detail in all of his duties, it is abundantly fitting and proper that this remarkable distinguished Georgian be recognized appropriately by the dedication of an intersection in Senate District 37 in his memory.

[4:47:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17222s) Mr. President, uh, there are a number of other great Georgians to recognize. Um, be happy to have members, uh, join me if they would, uh, wanna offer those themselves. But with that, Mr. President, um, Officer Brown was a special gentleman. His, his, uh, brother and sister-in-law have worked some time to get this recognition in place

[4:47:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17247s) And I would urge the members of the State Senate to support Senate Resolution 624 to honor this great law enforcement officer's life. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator. That's a good measure. I think it's a good measure. Recognize the senator from the 27th.

[4:47:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17270s) Thank you, Mr. President, colleagues. This amendment is a few road naming bills that arrived, uh, after the Senate Transportation Committee passed our road naming resolution. So we are amending this resolution to get these road naming bills in. These are from the other senators that signed this resolution. For those of you senators that are still working on road namings for your district, um, if you get those to us with the add and your conflict letter, what we will do is we will amend the House bill when the House bill comes over to us, and we will wait until about day 39 to make sure you have time to do that and send that ba- back over to the House for an agree.

[4:48:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17307s) And Mr. President, when I go to my seat, I'm going to ask for unas- unanimous consent to suspend the rules, uh, due to the length of this amendment. I'll yield the well.

[4:48:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17319s) Thank you, Senator.

[4:48:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17330s) Senator, it's appropriate time now.

[4:48:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17334s) Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to suspend Senate Rule 7-1.6B to allow for the immediate consideration of SR 624 upon adoption of a lengthy floor amendment.

[4:49:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17357s) Senator, I'm, I'm about to recognize you. Senator from the 9th.

[4:49:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17375s) Senator from the 9th, would you like to speak to the, the underlying bill? Just, just a point of order. State your point of order. I know they're coming over to talk to me. Um, I was just objecting to suspending of those rules. I get what we're trying to do. This is a lengthy bill that would better be, be served by a substitute. Well, the senator's entitled to her opinion.

[4:50:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17403s) So are you withdrawing your objection, Senator?

[4:50:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17409s) What's that? Are you withdrawing your- I am withdrawing the objection ... you're objecting to it. Okay. So...

[4:50:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17420s) All right, the senator from the 9th is objecting, so all those who are in favor of suspending the rules and allowing this amendment to take place will vote yay, and those who are not in favor of suspending the rules will vote no. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[4:50:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17443s) It takes 38 votes to suspend the rules.

[4:51:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17490s) Senator from the 41st, for what purpose do you li- you rise? Parliamentary inquiry. State your inquiry. Isn't it true that this has, uh, Dems and Republicans on it? I believe you're correct. I believe you're correct.

[4:51:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17507s) On the motion to suspend the rules, the yays are 49 and the nays are five, so the motion prevails. Now we're gonna take up amendment number one, adoption of amendment number one by the senator from the 27th. Is there objection to adoptmen- adoption of amendment number one? In favor of the resolution will vote yay, oppose nay. Secretary will unlock the machine.

[4:52:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17536s) Senator from the 2nd, for what purpose do you rise? Uh, parliamentary inquiry, Mr. President. State your inquiry. Mr. President, is it not true that the minority caucus just exercised what freedom looks like in this building with every senator in our caucus having the right to vote their own conscience? Is that not true? Senator, I have never ever thought you were a person that was, that followed people blindly.

[4:53:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17609s) On the adoption of the committee substitute and the passage of SR 24, the yeas are 54 and the nays are zero. And this resolution achieves requisite constitutional majority, therefore is adopted by substitute.

[4:53:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17629s) Secretary will read SR 668.

[4:54:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17648s) Senate Resolution Number 668 by Senator Dolezal of the 27th and others. A resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by general law for the assessment of property taxes on property used primarily for the manufacturing, assembly, processing, or storage of products or the housing of electronic equipment primarily used to process, store, or transmit digital information and data. To provide for related matters, to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection, and for other purposes.

[4:54:41](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17681s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Rules recommends that this do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Brass of the 6th, Chairman. Mr. President, Senate Committee on Rules, and the read down today. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Rules offers the following substitute to SR 668. Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by general law for the assessment of property taxes on property used primarily for housing electronic equipment, equipment that is primarily used to process, store, or transmit digital information and data, and for other purposes.

[4:55:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17717s) Mr. President, fiscal note has been- Mr. President, a fiscal note has been attached. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[4:55:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17729s) Senator from the 27th. Mr. President, I move that Senate Resolution 668 be moved to the table. Senator has asked that the bill be, the resolution be tabled. Is there objection? Without objection, the, it's moved to the bottom of the table. Secretary read Senate Bill 407, I mean, Senate Bill 406, excuse me.

[4:56:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17770s) Senate Bill 406 by Senator Brass of the 6th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to professions and businesses so as to require the registration of property owners associations. To provide for renewals and amendments, to provide for appeals, to provide for a state board for review of complaints regarding property owners associations, to provide for review of complaints, to amend Code Section 44-3-232 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to assessments against lot owners as constituting lien in favor of association, additional charges against lot owners, procedure for foreclosing lien, and obligation to provide statement of amount, of amounts due so as to provide for authorization of liens and use of assessments, to provide for a short title, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[4:57:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17822s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Judiciary recommends that this bill do pass by sub. Respectfully submitted, Senator Strickland of the 42nd, Chairman. To provide for

[4:57:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17838s) property owners associations- And for other purposes. All right. And then we'll read the amendment. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Judiciary offers the following substitute to SB 406. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to professions and businesses so as to require the registration of property owners as, associations, to provide for an exception, to provide for renewals and amendments, to provide for fees, to provide for inspection, maintenance, and retention of records, to provide for records maintenance, to provide for denial, suspension, and revocation of records, to provide for notices and orders, to provide for hearings, to provide for referees, to provide for reports, to provide for appeals, to provide for a state board for review of complaints regarding property owners associations, and for other purposes.

[4:57:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17879s) Mr. President, Senator Brass of the 6th offers amendment one. Mr. President, Senator Brass of the 6th offers the following amendment one. Um- Amend the Senate Committee substitute. Amend the Senate Committee substitute by inserting on line 396 after arrears, quote, "Provided such amount is at least $2,000." Mr. President, Senator Rahman of the 5th offers amendment number two to the Senate committee substitute. Mr. President, Senator Rahman of the 5th offers amendment two amending the Senate committee substitute by striking on line 395, beginning with, quote, "The lesser" and ending on line 397 at, quote, "fines," inserting, quote, "$10,000." Mr.

[4:59:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17963s) President, that completes the order.

[4:59:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17968s) Senator from the 6th. This bill's already giving me problems and you ain't even presented it yet. Hmm.

[4:59:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17979s) Well, come on down here. Explain your mess to us.

[4:59:51](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=17991s) Well, Mr. President, I'll tell you the mess we have. The mess we have is with our system right now. The laws we have on the books to protect property owners that are in associations in this state is an absolute mess, so you're exactly right. So this bill is the HOA bill. Many of you know of it. Many of you heard of it. You've heard from your constituents.

[5:00:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18022s) So what this bill addresses, we're gonna add accountability, transparency, and fairness. We're gonna do that in several ways. Number one, HOAs, POAs, COAs moving forward will register with the Secretary of State's office. They will register their financials, their bylaws, their officers, and then the ad- address of which, uh, their association is located. And, uh, this does a couple things. Number one, it, it adds the transparency.

[5:00:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18054s) We've heard issues from constituents that can't get ahold of their, their bylaws. They can't get ahold of their financials. And, uh, so when filing them with the Secretary of State, they'll be subject to, uh, Freedom of Information Act and Open Records Act, so anyone can obtain them.

[5:01:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18074s) The other part it does, if, if there's a HOA, POA, COA out there where everyone is happy and merry and there's no problems, they don't actually have to register. They just send their letter to the Secretary of State's office saying they exist, and that letter will allow them to collect dues, and it will allow them to col- collect an assessment. They cannot do fines or fees, but they can exist, and people can coexist, and they're ...

[5:01:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18104s) We're not really making any of these associations do anything that they aren't already doing, or at least that they should not be doing, 'cause all of them should be having keeping up financials yearly, keeping up their bylaws, and keeping up with their officers. The only added step we're gonna do is that they have to upload that information into a portal with the Secretary of State's office, and then they will pay a, $100 yearly to, um, to renew that.

[5:02:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18137s) The other thing we're doing, and we've, we've heard many problems of when there's a grievance between a property owner and their association, the only recourse they have is to go to court. Well, the problem with that is you can't find a lawyer. Even if you can afford a lawyer, you cannot find ... A property owner cannot find a lawyer to defend them because, uh, because the laws are, are tough for them to win, number one, um, but B, it's just such a small amount of money that there's just not a very many lawyers, if any, that, that practice in that space.

[5:02:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18176s) So what it does is it sets up an administrative hearing through a board process, and now that administrative hearing will be the first line of defense. So the Secretary of State will assign an investigator, and then that investigator will look into it and then report their findings to the board, and then the hearing can be requested. Third thing it does is it establishes a property owner's bill of rights, and that takes ... Basically, it's taking existing laws and putting them, putting them under one umbrella so everyone's very clear on what their rights are.

[5:03:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18209s) And then the fourth and final thing this bill that it does is right now, if you get $2,000 in the arrears with your, with your local association, uh, they can foreclose on your, on your home or your property. And so we're taking that $2,000 to $4,000. Uh, that's the first part of that. Now, the other part, you need to understand why the whole purpose of the foreclosure is, is to make sure people are paying their dues.

[5:03:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18239s) Uh, you know, outside of that, there would be, be no, no way for an association to force someone to pay their dues. And so, um, so that's why we've got the language in there or 12 months of total dues. Now, it has been presented to me that some, some homeowners associations, their dues might only be 100 bucks. They file it annually, and if someone didn't pay that in 30 days, they would be in the arrears. So, so that is amendment one that addresses that. I think it's amendment one.

[5:04:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18272s) Yes, amendment one addresses that. We would insert on line 396 after the word arrears and comma, we would add a provided such amount is at least $2,000. So that takes that minimum back to, back to the original law, the current law. So that's the bill. I'll, I'll answer questions at this time. You have no questions, Senator. All right. Well, I'll speak to amendment two.

[5:05:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18303s) Um, amendment two, I'm not on there. It's ... There's a few issues with it, but let me tell you the main issue is, is the people that have been coming up here, our constituents that are coming up here with the issues, they don't have lobbyists. They have us. The other side that doesn't necessarily, some don't want this, they have lobbyists. And so if you do the ... Right now, this bill is drafted where the lobbyists are not working against us. If we add amendment two, the very people we're trying to help could get hurt 'cause this bill, we're gonna have opposition on the other side.

[5:05:41](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18341s) So I would encourage number one will address most of what we're trying to do with two, not necessarily all of it. Um, but I would encourage your vote on one. I would encourage you to vote down amendment two. And let's pass Senate Bill 406, and let's help these people that have been wronged for too long. Thank you, Mr. President. If I still don't have questions, I'll yield the will. You have no questions, Senator. All right.

[5:06:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18373s) We have a la- we have a third amendment. Secretary, read the amendment. Mr. President, Senator James of the 28th and others offered the following amendment three. Amend SB406 by inserting between lines 257 and 258 the following. No member of the board shall be employed by or have material business interests with the law firm that represents property owners association boards or be employed by or have material business interests with a property management firm offering services to such associations.

[5:06:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18407s) Mr. President, that completes the order. Senator from the 28th, I'll just let you speak from there.

[5:06:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18416s) I thank you, Mr. President. Senators, it's been a long time coming to see something about predatory HOAs.

[5:07:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18437s) My district and Georgia, not just the metropolitan Atlanta district. So we've had five hearings, and each time more and more people come and we cannot hear from all of them. They're having problems. The media didn't know whether we were telling the truth, so they started going interviewing people. And so now they see that we have to do something because there's no oversight on, uh, these, uh, HOAs and COAs.

[5:07:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18469s) When you go and buy your, uh, home, in, in the closing, you get a, a form, another contract that you have to sign, and it is HOA or COA. So, uh, we're, we've tried to listen to everyone and do something to help them. The biggest concern was the liens that they have on property. And most of those liens, it, once you, as, as, uh, the author of the bill said, what- It is not true.

[5:08:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18505s) Is it not true? What? Can y'all please let me Yeah, you're speaking on your amendment. Excuse me. I'm speaking on my amendment. And as I said, um, people, once you get $2,000 worth of liens, which is very easy to do, it does not have to have anything to do with your regular fees. It can be the grass was too high and they cut it and they charge $800 instead of what your person who come to your house would charge $75, less than 100.

[5:08:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18539s) So it's, it's just really bad. They had no way of, uh, dealing with this but going to a lawyer, and as the author said, no lawyer would take their case because the management companies, uh, are over it, and most of them are lawyers. And most of the land that's being, uh, I say taken from people is being bought up by corporations and foreign corporations at that.

[5:09:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18570s) So we brought forth this bill and then, um, people in the, uh, who have been coming to most of the meetings wanted this particular, um, clarity on this bill, and that is why I'm offering this amendment. If there are any questions, I'd be happy to answer it, and I just urge you to just give homeowners in your district, not just mine, to, uh, a chance to at least keep their American dream.

[5:10:04](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18604s) Thank you. All right. Thank you, Senator.

[5:10:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18613s) We're gonna have senator from the fifth.

[5:10:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18626s) Thank you, Mr. President. Dear colleagues, I know this amendment one, two, I have an amend- amendment two coming in. I just, I'm not a lawyer. I guess some of the stuff we're gonna go through, some of them not gonna go through. But from playing from my heart, as we're speaking today about this bill, I get a message earlier today that somebody, my constituency, got a $3,000 behind on HOA fee, and they got a letter that we are referring to the attorney for foreclosure. Do you think it's right?

[5:10:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18657s) I want you to think, you know, and we're talking about we due respect with the, you know, rules chair, and that, you know, we work out with, you know, the other side or the somebody outside the lobby. Lobbies, they're not gonna like it, whatever it is. Lobbies don't vote for me. I have a constituency that vote for us, and we all have constituency that going through this. Maybe not all of them. That's why my amendment, I put it in, at least we put foreclosure amount to up to $10,000.

[5:11:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18687s) You know, I think it's a bit crazy to think that we talk about affordability and all these things rising, you know. Think about it. Somebody can owe $3,000 and refer to foreclosure their property, losing their house? That's insane. If you don't think that's insane, I want you to think it again.

[5:11:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18706s) Yeah, that's all I have to say. This is a good bill. This is a good bill overall. We have nothing right now. I'll take this anytime. This is a good start. We have a lot of mechanism right now for the homeowner to go somewhere to complain. Now we don't have anything. So I support the overall bill, but I just want you to think about it. We should not have, we should not put our citizen in a position that you owe two thousand, three thousand dollars and, and you can lose your, your house.

[5:12:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18737s) That's all I have to say. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the word.

[5:12:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18741s) Senator's yielded.

[5:12:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18745s) Would you like to speak? Recognize the senator from the 31st.

[5:12:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18750s) Mr. President, I just wanna excuse the senator from the 20th for business inside the Capitol. I'm sure he's missing this glorious debate right now.

[5:12:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18758s) All right. Without objection, senator from the 20th is excused. Does any other senator wish to speak on this measure? Senator from the 38th.

[5:13:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18783s) Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, colleagues, I rise in strong support of this bill. This is possibly the most important issue in my senate district. I've gotten so many emails, calls, being stopped in the hallway by folks who have horror stories about their HOAs that have gone rogue. And I want to emphasize that this is not to penalize HOAs. I live in a community that has an HOA, um, but we also have to understand that many folks across this state and across this country, homeownership is that one thing that we all can agree on is that American dream that we can show that we have arrived, we are successful.

[5:13:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18833s) We are providing something to last beyond our time here on Earth, uh, for our families. And when we have a threat to that by folks taking power too strongly to their heads, we have to protect, protect that. And so I just want to show my appreciation to the senator from the 28th and the senator from the 6th for working on this super important issue. I have attended community meetings, and we all know, we've been in community meetings, and sometimes we're lucky to get a few people, uh, but whenever I talk about HOA reform, the room is full.

[5:14:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18875s) And so there are folks that we represent that are, we are standing up for and fighting for in bringing this bill forward. And so I strongly urge folks in this chamber to support this bill because what we're doing is protecting homeownership, and we are not penalizing HOAs that are doing the right thing. I think that is very important for us to express here because there are lots of folks that are doing this on a voluntary basis, um, that, you know, it's a lot of work to serve on a HOA.

[5:15:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18906s) You get a lot of complaints, and you don't make friends, uh, by getting on an HOA board. So there are folks that are doing the right thing, but we have to address the folks that are doing the wrong thing, and also understanding that even folks with good intentions can get things wrong. In my HOA, I was getting fined, uh, for parking on the street while it's a public street, so that should be something that is left up to the local, uh, police agency. But the folks that are on the HOA did not know that's something that they should not be doing. And so I wanna thank the senator from the 56th.

[5:15:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18939s) Uh, uh, we had a very quick conversation in the hallway, but I was able to address that. And so the hope with this bill is that we allow folks to better understand what their responsibilities are, to have some accountability so that they do have to register, uh, with this office. And so I think this is a great bill. It's a great start, and ultimately it's protecting the Amer- American dream. And Mr. President, I yield the will. Thank you.

[5:16:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18966s) Thank you, Senator. Would anybody else like to be for the bill?

[5:16:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18974s) Senator.

[5:16:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18974s) Does the senator from the 6th like to close?

[5:16:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=18979s) Oh, Senator. Oh, senator from the 36th.

[5:16:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19004s) Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, colleagues, I rise in support of this bill, and I wanna, I really wanna thank and appreciate the efforts of the senator from the 28th who, uh, has worked for, I've lost track of the years, uh, uh, of, of the effort that she has put in on, uh, getting some decent regulation and oversight of the, these HOAs. Uh, so I wanna open with that and, and, and thank her heartily.

[5:17:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19034s) Uh, and she's, she's worked with the, with constituents from my district, uh, who had issues. And it's not only homeowners, uh, uh, it's also condominium owners in buildings. Uh, the, uh, there, there's rampant abuse of, of, o- o- of people from, uh, fr- for bad actors in this, uh, world of the HOAs. Um,

[5:17:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19063s) in a building that I've represented for as long as I've, uh, uh, well, both from the Senate and as a House member- there has been a takeover of the HOAs where they, I mean, they, they, they, they wanna turn it into a money maker. You all have all heard of the big frog in the little pond. You will see that phenomenon occurring in the world of the HOAs, drunk with power and also trying to figure out ways to monetize, uh, uh, the, the power that they have, uh, in, in the HOA.

[5:18:17](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19097s) I mean, buying up all the parking spaces and then saying people that, uh, that, that own condos in the building, "You've gotta pay me to park your car here." There are unbelievable stories out here. We could go on with the hour, the hour's late. We've got a long, uh, agenda and I, I won't, I won't, I won't be, uh, you know, I won't ... And I, I own a home and there's, there's no HOA around me, so I'm not personally affected, but I have heard and, uh, loud and clear the complaints from, uh, people who've been absolutely victimized, absolutely victimized, uh, by, uh, folks that see the HOA as a place to get in and be a leader and start monetizing the situation and, and, uh, uh, and violating people's rights.

[5:19:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19145s) So, uh, this, we- we're way over time in moving into, to regulating, uh, the, the, these abuses and, uh, it, it's an important bill. I'll agree with the other comments of those who have taken the well on this, but I wanted to, to share what my experience has been, uh, and recognize the leadership of the senator from the 28th, who's been a stalwart on this for some years now. Thank you so much.

[5:19:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19168s) Thank you, Senator. All right. So now we're at the posture. Would you like to close, Senator? Are you good?

[5:19:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19178s) Sir? Only three. Not really, but I think you got it. All right. We are gonna take up the amendments. We're gonna do them in a, instead of just going one, two, three, we're actually gonna take up amendment two first because it would conflict with amendment one. So on amendment two ...

[5:19:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19199s) Object. You object? Okay. Well, all those ... All right. So amendment two, authored by the senator from the 37th, from the 5th, authored by the senator from the 5th, we have objection to it, so all those in favor of amendment two will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[5:21:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19280s) On the adoptment, adoption of amendment number two, yays are 11 and the nays are 40, so this amendment fails. All right, so now we move to amendment number one, authored by the senator from the 28th. Is there objection to amendment number one?

[5:21:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19297s) No objection. No objection. Amendment mo- number one is adopted. I- and now amendment number three, is there objection to amendment number three from the senator from the 28th?

[5:21:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19310s) Without objection. Without objection, amendment three is adopted.

[5:21:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19316s) Questions on the-

[5:22:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19339s) We have a late arriving amendment. Wow. This is the bill that keeps giving.

[5:22:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19358s) Senator from the 19th, what purpose do you rise? Mr. President? State your, state your order. Mr. President, is it not true that this is how people feel at HOA meetings?

[5:22:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19372s) Oh, man.

[5:22:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19378s) Senator from the 6th, what purpose do you rise?

[5:23:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19436s) I tell you what, you put four lawyers together, they can mess up anything.

[5:24:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19445s) You good? You pulling it?

[5:24:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19446s) Let me close debate.

[5:24:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19448s) Close debate? All right, close debate. All right, here we go.

[5:24:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19452s) The question is on 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. The question is on the passage of the bill by substitute. All those in favor of the bill, vote yay. Opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[5:25:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19543s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 53, the nays are zero. This bill having received a requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed by substitute.

[5:26:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19561s) Secretary, read SB 157.

[5:26:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19568s) Senate Bill 157 by Senator Williams of the 25th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 47-6-40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to qualifications for membership, irrevocable election for certain members of General Assembly, membership of persons who cease to become members before age 60, termination of membership, and application for additional credible service so as to provide for certain members or former members of the General Assembly to buy into the Georgia Legislative Retirement System, to provide for credible service and the payment of the full art- articular value of such to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal, to provide for related matters to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[5:26:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19604s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Retirement recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Williams of the 25th District, Chairman.

[5:26:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19610s) Mr. President, an actuary at Auditor's...

[5:27:08](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19628s) Mr. President,

[5:27:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19632s) an auditor's certification and an actuarial investigation is attached. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[5:27:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19653s) Recognize senator from the 25th.

[5:27:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19670s) Thank you, Mr. President. I bring before you Senate Bill 157. This is, uh, a bill that will help legislators who had gotten elected, served maybe four years in the legislature, and they didn't sign up for retirement. Stayed out a couple of terms, then they decided to get back in the legislature, and they can-- this enables them to be able to buy back that time. So they put the money in themselves and buy back that time and to make themselves whole in the legislative retirement.

[5:28:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19706s) Uh, I'll be glad to answer any questions, Mr. President.

[5:28:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19711s) You have no questions, Senator.

[5:28:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19712s) Thank you. I ask for your favorable consideration. I yield the way. Thank you.

[5:28:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19719s) Is there any other senator who wishes to speak for or against the measure?

[5:28:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19727s) 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 poor committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The poor committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. Questions on the pass of the bill. All those in favor of the bill, vote yay. Opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[5:30:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19812s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 49, the nays are one. This bill having received requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed.

[5:30:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19822s) Secretary, read Senate Bill 198.

[5:30:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19843s) Senate Bill 198 by Senator Albers of the 56th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 6 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the Georgia Legislative Retirement System so as to provide for the Board of Trustees of the system to increase benefit multipliers for members, to provide for the system to maintain a minimum 120% funded ratio, to provide for conditions for such benefit multiplier increases, to provide for automatic increases in employment, employee contributions proportional to benefit multiplier increases, to allow for members who joined after 2009 to receive benefit multiplier increases, to provide for definitions, to provide for conforming changes, to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[5:31:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19881s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Retirement recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Williams of the 25th District, Chairman. Mr. President, an actuarial investigation and a state auditor's certification have been attached. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[5:31:40](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19900s) Bringing down the senator from 56 to speak to the measure.

[5:31:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19912s) Thank you, Mr. President. This is a very simple little cleanup bill for the LRS. It simply states that we'll keep the fund at 120%, which is great. There'll be no taxpayer dollars, fiscal responsibility, and make sure that those who are giving the benefits will set them appropriately to keep the fund solvent. If there are no questions, I can gladly yield the will.

[5:32:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=19931s) Yeah, no questions, Senator. Thank you. I urge your favorable consideration. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. Previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the poor committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The poor 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 passage of the bill. All those in favor of vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[5:33:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20029s) On the passage of the bill, the ayes are forty-five and the nays are five. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed.

[5:34:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20051s) Senate Bill two sixty s- I'm sorry. S- Secretary read Senate Bill two sixteen.

[5:34:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20060s) Senate Bill two sixteen by Senator Robertson of the twenty-ninth and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter twenty-three of Title forty-seven of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the Georg- Georgia Judicial Retirement System so as to provide for membership in the system for individuals employed as the director of the Prosecuting Attorney's Qualifications Commission to provide for an election for such current employees, to provide for transfer of funds, to provide for payment of actuarial costs, to provide for transfer of membership service, to provide for earnable monthly compensation for purposes of contributions and benefit amounts, to provide for applicability, to provide for related matters, to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[5:34:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20093s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Retirement recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Williams of the twenty-fifth District, Chairman. Mr. President, an actuarial investigation and a state auditor's certification have been attached. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[5:35:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20115s) Recognize the senator from the twenty-ninth, our whip.

[5:35:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20124s) Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, uh, Senate Bill two sixteen is very simple. Under the provisions of this bill, the transferring member will be eligible to obtain credible service in JRS equal to the amount of service time earned in ERS. The ERS will be required to transfer all employee and employer contributions with interest to the JRS. The transferring member would be required to pay any additional amount of money necessary to fund the full actuarial cost of the credible service granted. And with that, Mr. President, I yield the floor. Senator's yielded. Do any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure?

[5:35:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20157s) Is there objections to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. The previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. Question is on passage of the bill. All those in favor of vote, yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[5:37:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20249s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are forty-nine and the nays are two. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed. Secretary read Senate Bill two thirty.

[5:37:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20272s) Senate Bill two thirty by Senator Still of the forty-eighth and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article three of Chapter three of Title forty-four of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to condominiums so as to remove the limitation on the maximum amount of insurance deductibles payable by unit owners, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Harbin of the sixteenth District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor offers the following substitute to Senate Bill two thirty. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article three of Chapter three of Title forty-four of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to condominiums so as to increase the maximum amount of insurance deductibles payable by unit owners, to provide for notice, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[5:38:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20315s) Mr. President, that completes the order.

[5:38:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20319s) Recognize the senator from the forty-eighth.

[5:38:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20337s) Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill two thirty, uh, this was a bill that we started last year. It got, uh, got a little hung up, and we worked through a lot of really great, uh, discussions in committee with many of you. What this does is allow HOA policies for condominiums to be able to get a more competitive rate by raising the deductible. So this is for the master policy.

[5:39:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20367s) This is not on a per unit basis. That was a big question that came up. So if you own a condo, you have a policy for that. There's also a master policy that covers the entire building. So in the event of fire, flood, you know, what does that mean? What does that do? The short version is that this allows more protections to be put into place for individual owners. It allows the HOA management company to be able to get a more competitive policy for the overall building and tries to make this a more affordable overall venture for the insured units all the way across the board.

[5:40:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20409s) Happy to take any questions.

[5:40:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20413s) Seeing none, happy to yield the well. Appreciate your consideration. Sorry, Senator, but you had no questions. Thank you. We're good?

[5:40:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20423s) We have a late arriving amendment though, Senator. Secretary, read the caption.

[5:40:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20430s) Mr. President, Senator James of the 28th and others offers the following amendment. Amendment 1, amend the substitute to Senate Bill 230 by inserting after notice on line three the following, to amend Article 1 of Chapter 7 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to landlord and tenant in general so as to repeal Code Section 44-7-19 relating to restrictions on rent regulation by local governments by inserting after line 39 the following, Article 1 of Chapter 7 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to landlord and tenant in general is amended by repealing Code Section 44-7-19 relating to restrictions on rent regulation by local governments and designating said code section as reserved.

[5:41:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20466s) Mr. President, that completes the order.

[5:41:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20472s) Senator, you wanna speak from there? Go ahead.

[5:41:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20484s) Thank you again, Mr. President, for allowing me to speak on this here from my desk. Uh, the amendment that was, was added to it that is a bill that, uh, before HOA bills, that, that, uh, we had hundreds of people even this year to come and say rent control. Well, they found out we can't do rent control in Georgia because there's an amendment against, I mean, there's a law against it.

[5:41:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20519s) So as a result, we've been fighting to see if we could change that law and allow the, uh, cities and the counties to, uh, have control over whether they want rent control or not. So we have, uh, fought for it. There are more people because when I went to all the colleges last year, when I could walk around a little better, uh, the first thing that students asked is, "Can you help us get a rented place close to our school?" So this is Georgia Tech and Agnes Scott and, uh, Morehouse, Spelman, Clark, all of the s- Atlanta cities.

[5:42:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20563s) Then I went outside of Atlanta and all the way down to Savannah, and they were saying the same thing. Rent has double, triple, and even quadruple in, uh, places where they have been renting, uh, because they couldn't get a, get in the dorm, uh, because they had c- only so many students can get on the, in the dorm. So I, uh, offer you this resolution to give all, uh, elected officials on the, uh, city side and on the sta- on the, uh, county side to have control by abolishing, changing that, uh, bill that rec- that will not allow any kind of, um, rent control in the state of Georgia.

[5:43:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20617s) So it's not saying we want rent control everywhere. No, it's only saying let's abolish that bill so, and give local, uh, control to all of, of those who have gotten elected. It, I'll be, uh, happy to answer any questions at this time. Any questions?

[5:43:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20638s) You do have one question.

[5:43:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20639s) Yes, sir.

[5:44:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20640s) Recognize the senator from the 31st.

[5:44:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20643s) Mr. President, does the senator yield?

[5:44:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20645s) I yield, sir.

[5:44:07](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20647s) Senator, do you believe or not believe that, uh, rent control re- reduces the, um, effects of supply and housing on the market?

[5:44:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20656s) This bill will not take away rent control. It will give the authority of rent control to all of the counties, 159 counties, and the cities as well. It will n- it'll just take the, uh, what is it? Um, the rejection of... We can, right now if I wanted rent control at my, in my neighborhood, I couldn't even do it. So this would take, uh, abolish that law and, and, uh, provide what 44 other states do, and that's that their cities, their counties have control over whether they have rent control or not.

[5:44:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20699s) So I know rent control... See, uh, for example, in Fulton County, they have quadrupled all of the, um, rent, and they are foreign controlled, too. Uh, um, I don't have the form in front of me, but I can tell you it's only about four or five different, uh, companies that are buying up all of this, and they are not from Georgia. In fact, many of them are not from even the United States of America.

[5:45:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20730s) So they're coming and taking over and, as a result, people cannot afford, they have to live under a bridge or homeless in, uh, uh, their cars. And that is a reality. This is not just something I'm saying. I have the numbers somewhere.

[5:45:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20750s) All right.

[5:45:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20750s) Thank you. I, if there are no more questions, I yield the rest.

[5:45:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20757s) No more questions. I recognize the senator from the 14th.

[5:46:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20761s) Oh, they wanna speak on it. Oh, I think I'll speak against it. Shoot.

[5:46:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20772s) This will make a hole

[5:46:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20776s) Thank you, Mr. President. I could not be happier about the introduction of the amendment by the senator from the 28th, and I want folks watching to know this is money where your mouth is. This is being specific about what we would do if we had the power to do it. If Democrats were in charge, we would allow local governments to ease the cost of housing for renters. You're hearing a lot this year about condominiums and property ownership. I mean, the House is gonna try multiple times in a row to try to eliminate all property taxes for people who own property. But what about the renters?

[5:46:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20806s) Is a question that voters watching this should be asking. And the answer to that is that affordability, one of the biggest cost drivers for families who rent, who don't own, is their monthly rent. And the 250 or 500 bucks that this body throws back sometimes like a bone, that does not even get you a quarter of the way through a family's rent. So this is an unbelievably important measure by the senator from the 28th, which will have Democratic support, uh, to allow the easing of those major cost drivers for families all across Georgia.

[5:47:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20839s) It's specific. It's not just rhetoric. This is the type of substantive policy decision that this state should be making to ease costs on working families. I'm happy to yield for any questions.

[5:47:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20849s) You have no questions.

[5:47:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20850s) Thank you, Mr. President.

[5:47:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20856s) Would any senator wish to speak for or against any of the measures? All right, we're gonna take up amendment number one, authored by the senator from the 28th. Is there objection to amendment number one?

[5:47:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20867s) Yes.

[5:47:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20867s) We have objection. All right. All those in favor of amendment number one will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[5:49:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20942s) On the adoption of amendment number one, the yays are 22, the nays are 32, so this amendment has failed. Senator from the 48th, would you like to close? But I think we're pretty clear on where you are on everything.

[5:49:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20956s) I yield.

[5:49:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20956s) All right. Thank you. Questions on-

[5:49:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20961s) Mr. President.

[5:49:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=20962s) Questions on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the reported committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The reported 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 passage of the bill by substitute. All those in favor will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[5:50:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21054s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 51, the nays are two. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitute.

[5:51:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21078s) Secretary, read Senate Bill 261.

[5:51:34](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21094s) Senate Bill 261 by Senator Harbin of the 16th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 25 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the Magistrate's Retirement Fund so as to provide for an early retirement benefit, to provide for an employee contribution increase to replace the statutory maximum monthly compensation used to calculate a benefit with an amount determined by the board, to increase the maximum number of years of service used to calculate a benefit, to provide for related matters, to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Retirement recommends that this bill do pass by substitute.

[5:52:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21126s) Respectfully submitted, Senator Williams of the 25th District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Retirement offers the following substitute to Senate Bill 261, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 25 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the Magistrate's Retirement Fund so as to change the makeup of the Board of Commissioners of the Magistrate's Retirement Fund of Georgia, to provide for an early retirement benefit, to provide for an employee contribution increase, to replace the statutory maximum monthly compensation used to calculate a benefit with an amount determined by the board, and for other purposes.

[5:52:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21155s) Actuarial and auditor.

[5:52:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21158s) Mr. President, a state auditor certification and a state audit- auditor's certification have been attached. Mr. President, I request the order.

[5:52:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21170s) Recognize the senator from the 16th.

[5:53:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21181s) Y'all get, y'all get, y'all get delirious over there. Thank you, Mr. President. This is, uh, SB 261 is a Magistrate Retirement Fund of Georgia and is a fully funded retirement plan that receives no, and I re-speak, repeat, no state appropriations and is not requesting any. It is asking to r- uh, not raising to any fees. The bill is seeking changes that are, are requested by its board. Those changes have been, uh, uh, approved and checked by the auditors, investigated by the Department of Audits, and have stated that they are 150%, um, funded.

[5:53:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21219s) It seeks to change their board, raise their dues, and allow for early retirement at 55 with a 3% per year reduction up to their age 60, which is their normal retirement fund.

[5:54:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21240s) No questions, Senator. Masterful job. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the bill? Chair hears none. Is there objections to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. The previous question is ordered. Question is on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the reported committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The reported committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered?

[5:54:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21272s) Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. The question is on the passage on the bill by substitute. All those in favor will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[5:55:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21310s) On the passage of the bill, the yeas are 53 and the nays are one.

[5:55:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21346s) This bill having received requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed by substitute.

[5:55:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21355s) Secretary, read SB 285.

[5:56:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21370s) Senate Bill 285 by Senator Robertson of the 29th. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 12 of Chapter 3 of Title 38 and Part 4 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the OCGA relating to the Emergency Communications Authority and Emergency Telephone Number 911 system, respectively, so as to provide for an increase in the percentage of all 911 charges to be remitted to the Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund to amend Code Section 47-17-80 of the OCGA relating to retirement benefit options, payment to surviving spouse requirements, ef- effective reemployment, effective changes in retirement benefits, and payment on death of member so as to provide for an increase in monthly benefits, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, for other purposes.

[5:56:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21409s) Mr. President, th- the Senate Committee on Retirement recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Williams of the 25th District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Retirement offers the following substitute to Senate Bill 285, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to general provisions regarding telephone service so as to dedicate funds derived from public safety support surcharges to the Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund for the benefit of their membership, to provide for the remittance of such collected surcharges to the fund, to provide for definitions, to provide for exceptions, to amend Article 4 of Chapter 17 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to revenues collected from fines and fees so as to provide for a public safety support surcharge to be paid to the fund, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[5:57:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21457s) Mr. President, Auditor Certification is attached. Mr. President, s- Auditor Certification is attached.

[5:57:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21464s) Mr. President, Senator Bearden of the 30th and others offer the following amendment. Mr. President, Senators Bearden of the 30th and others offers the following amendment. Amendment 1, amend SB 285 by replacing lines 114 and 115 with the following, "Whom it provides telephone service to be remitted under the authority of Code Section 47-17-64 as part of its normal billing process, the service supplier shall," by replacing lines 137 and 138 with the following, "Public safety surcharges that the seller collects from consumers under the authority of Code Section 47-17-64, including all surcharges that the seller," and for other purposes.

[5:58:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21496s) Mr. President, that completes the order. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[5:58:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21505s) Recognize the senator from the 29th.

[5:58:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21512s) 29th, you can present your bill.

[5:58:40](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21520s) He's gonna withdraw it. He's gonna withdraw it.

[5:58:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21523s) Oh, okay.

[5:58:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21524s) He's gonna withdraw it.

[5:58:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21525s) Good, good, good.

[5:58:51](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21531s) Okay.

[5:58:51](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21531s) Friends, we've, we've talked about this for, for several years now, about the problem that we have within law enforcement throughout our community. Many of you in the metro area, you see the same law enforcement vehicles each and every day. You see the Atlanta Police Department, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, DeKalb County, Cobb, and others. Uh, a lot of times what we don't see and what we don't realize is that throughout the State of Georgia, there are tens of thousands of men and women that serve their communities each and every day.

[5:59:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21564s) Um, when we're up and working during the day, they're out there doing the job, answering the calls. When we're in bed at night, they're out there doing the job, answering the calls. And the calls range from everything from the emergency call of domestic violence, the emergency call of a car crash, the emergency call of gun violence. And these men and women, as I described before when I used the Emory University Police Department as an example, they never hesitate to run into that danger, and many of them do it until they're able to retire.

[6:00:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21600s) Most retirement systems in Georgia allow law enforcement officers to retire after 30 years of service and reaching the minimum age of 55 years old. I, myself, was blessed to work for a large enough agency that had a good defined benefit plan when I started. And because I was grandfathered in when I started at 22 years old, I did not have to go through the turmoil when they took that plan and made it a hybrid plan where a portion of it was defined benefit and a portion of it was a 401plan, nor did I have to go through the, the terrible part when it became a straight 401 investment plan, and we saw law enforcement officers leave the profession knowing that they would not have a stable pension once they left beyond Social Security or beyond a plan that they were allowed to pay into, and that is the Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund.

[6:00:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21657s) That plan was started long, long before I ever became a law enforcement officer. And what that plan requires today, when I started, it required a $10 a month premium charge. Today, it is a $35 a month premium charge to the men and women of law enforcement. And please understand, this includes all of the men and women that work in our prisons. the men and women that work in our jails, and the men and women that work as 911 dispatchers throughout all 159 counties here in the state of Georgia.

[6:01:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21691s) And this legislation right here helps this plan that is owned by the men and women of law enforcement that proudly touts itself as a plan not funded by the state of Georgia. This plan is not funded by the state of Georgia. This plan is not funded by the state of Georgia. It is funded by the men and women who put their money into it.

[6:02:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21721s) It is funded by fees of other types, and all this does is make this plan stable. And the reason I emphasize that it is not funded by the state of Georgia is we understand what we're going through now with the ERS plan that has not received COLAs for several years, and it put a lot of our state employees in dire straits, including men and women of law enforcement who work for the state of Georgia.

[6:02:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21752s) We have to make tough decisions in this building, but rarely will you find a law enforcement agency here in the state of Georgia that is not short on manpower. If you listen to the budget hearings we had several weeks ago, I did not have one public safety department come and sit down and say they were fully staffed. People do not wanna work in our prisons and people do not wanna work in our jails. Prison, people do not wanna get in a patrol car and drive up and down our interstates protecting the men and women who, who also drive on those interstates if they know they don't have a good benefit plan because I have a shock for you.

[6:03:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21798s) I nor the man standing in the back of this room who wear the uniform ever got into this job thinking that they would become wealthy, thinking that they could go out and buy multiple homes, condominiums, really cool cars, trucks, boats and other things on a law enforcement officer's salary. But what they do believe is that after years of developing a unique skill, developing layers and layers of scar tissue, and missing many holidays and times with their families, bedtime stories with their children, that at one point they'll be able to retire comfortably as they move into their later years.

[6:04:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21846s) And so that is all this bill does, is gives them that opportunity. And I ask for you to please support this legislation as it moves across the way. I understand the amendment. I appreciate the amendment. There was a mistake made in ledge council that doesn't hurt this legislation. We just need to do it to clarify it, but I do understand the circumstances around the amendment coming in today, and this bill will be, this amendment will be taken care of once it passes across. This amendment was done with, with the senator from the 30th and myself as we both realized, uh, the issue that needed to be corrected.

[6:04:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21883s) But with that, Mr. President, I'll be happy to, um, yield to any questions related to the legislation currently as written.

[6:04:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21890s) You do have a few questions, Senator. Recognize the senator from the 26th.

[6:05:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21902s) Gentleman, you-

[6:05:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21903s) I do.

[6:05:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21905s) L- l- let me ask you a question.

[6:05:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21906s) Uh, please do that.

[6:05:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21911s) When you talk about the increase in percentage of all 911 charges to be remit- r- remitted to the Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund, who pays for 911?

[6:05:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21925s) That is the old bill. Um, sir, that's not the, uh, that's not the substitute. The substitute does not cl- do it to 911 charges. The reason we removed it from the 911 charges is if you would've added it to the 911 charges based on the, uh, numbers we received from, um, GICA and the other groups, it would've raised your telephone bill $1 on a 911 additional charge, would've raised your telephone bill by approximately $129 a month, and I'll let you try to figure out that math.

[6:05:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21958s) No, I don't need to figure it out. I got a calculator.

[6:06:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21961s) Sir, I don't think, uh, they make a calculator. They figured that out over there. But that's why the bill changed. Thank you.

[6:06:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21970s) Senator from the 41st.

[6:06:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21972s) Do you miss- thank you, Mr. President. Senator, do you yield?

[6:06:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21974s) I do, ma'am.

[6:06:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21975s) Um, I just wanna ask, uh, first, what is the definition of a public safety officer?

[6:06:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=21981s) Public safety officer as defined under POAB as who's eligible, it would be a 911 dispatcher, it would be a correctional officer in a jail, it would be a correctional officer in a prison. It would be any post-certified peace officer that could participate in it, and we do have a separate fund for firefighters that identifies who are eligible for that fund. But that's who would be in there, uh, currently, uh, madam.

[6:06:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22005s) So, so it's your opinion that the pe- or is it true that the Peace Officers' Annuity and f- Benefit Fund includes all public safety officers with the exception of the firefighters? Is that true?

[6:06:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22018s) It includes all peace officers, including dispatchers and, and jail officers and correctional officers as defined by the fund and its directors. Uh, uh, I-

[6:07:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22033s) Ma'am, it-

[6:07:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22033s) Because in, in, we, I s- I say peace officers, yes. I wanna be clear that for peace officers, first responders, which I know the, the, the chairwoman understands. Yes, ma'am.

[6:07:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22043s) Right. So does the senator yield?

[6:07:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22044s) I do.

[6:07:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22046s) So would this- Would this allow for EMTs, paramedics to be able to benefit from this fund or is it only for POST certified peace officers and-

[6:07:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22058s) It is for-

[6:07:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22059s) ... dispatchers?

[6:07:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22059s) It is, it is for the peace officers that I stated and those others, it would not be applicable to EMTs, um, and paramedics unless, as we mentioned, uh, during earlier legislation, if they had a peace officer certification such as an arson investigator or something of that nature. So no, ma'am, you're, you're correct, it would not.

[6:08:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22080s) Do you further yield?

[6:08:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22081s) Yes, ma'am.

[6:08:01](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22081s) Would this include, so my understanding is the definition of public safety officer also includes, um, folks who work for the HERO service, the highway emergency. Would this fund benefit our public safety officers who s- serve with the HERO services?

[6:08:16](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22096s) It would, it would benefit only peace officers and those individuals that I talked. I do not know what the certification of a HERO, uh, person is. I do see them a lot as I travel back and forth and realize what an incredible asset they are. But at this time, I do not believe if they were not certified that they, it would, it would apply.

[6:08:34](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22114s) Will you yield for one final question?

[6:08:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22116s) Yes, ma'am, I will.

[6:08:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22116s) So isn't it true that I greatly support, um, all of our law enforcement officers and I'm so grateful for the work that our public safety officers do and therefore I cannot support this bill because it does not actually support public safety officers in total, um, despite the name of the surcharge?

[6:08:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22135s) And, and the, the first part of your, your, is it true and, and I would say yes you do. I've not seen you, um, fail to support public safety officers throughout. Um, to the, to the second part, I think, um, because it doesn't cover a particular group, a lot of these individuals with ambulances work for private ambulance services. Some of them are, are dual certified where they are participants, uh, in possibly in the firefighter side, so they would get a benefit from there, which the firefighter side is currently funded from, um, a fee atta- excuse me, yes, a fee attached to, uh, homeowners insurance.

[6:09:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22179s) So the paramedics and, and those individuals would benefit from that fund, but they would not benefit from this fund. These are two separate funds, separately funded. So I think what you would be doing is, uh, as you continue to pay your homeowner's insurance, you would be supporting the individuals you're concerned about. In voting against this bill, you would not be supporting, uh, peace officers. Thank you.

[6:10:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22203s) Recognize the senator from the 25th.

[6:10:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22206s) Does gentleman yield?

[6:10:07](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22207s) Absolutely.

[6:10:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22209s) I want to thank you for bringing this forward. I think, um, I think in retirement we vetted this bill very thoroughly. Isn't it true in the, uh, retirement committee we vetted this bill very thoroughly and dis- debated it and discussed it? And the peace officers that you're talking about that this will be covering are people who have been certified by POST, is that not true?

[6:10:41](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22241s) That is true. They're certified as either, uh, certified peace officers, certified, uh, 911 dispatchers or POST certified correctional officers.

[6:10:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22249s) So this in essence does cover every peace officer, uh, who has been certified by POST in the state of Georgia. They're eligible to join this benefit and it's not mandated that they join it, but they can join it. Is that not true?

[6:11:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22265s) Chairman, you bring up an incredible point. This is not a mandated pension plan.

[6:11:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22270s) Right.

[6:11:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22270s) Individuals have to opt into the pension plan. They have to agree to have $35 a month payroll deducted from their check, their paycheck, and go into this fund. And a lot of the pride that comes with this fund is the fact that it is owned by the men and women who choose to join this fund, and it does not ask for, uh, appropriated dollars out of our budget every year.

[6:11:34](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22294s) Is it not true that you and one other senator here are POST certified and you have been on the front line, and you have been on that front line representing and protecting the public? And isn't it also not true that anyone who votes against this does not really appreciate the blue? Is that not true?

[6:11:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22317s) Mr. Chairman, myself and the senator from the 30th were, and I can, and I, and I believe in this case I can speak for him, we were absolutely blessed that God allow us to become law enforcement officers. We rolled out of bed every day of our life excited about the job we did, loving the job we did, and through the pains and, and the, the tragedies that we witnessed and had to participate in from time to time, even though I think it may have changed who he is and changed who I am, I think we were both feeling absolutely truly blessed.

[6:12:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22349s) And I think anybody that chooses to vote against this today, while I appreciate their right to be an independent senator and to vote however their vote and their heart and their politics and their policy leads them to do, I, I do, uh, appreciate the fact that they do not have the experiences of myself and the senator from the 30th.

[6:12:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22369s) Thank you.

[6:12:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22370s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for the hard work you and your committee did on this legislation.

[6:12:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22375s) You have no more questions, Senator.

[6:12:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22377s) Thank you. And with that, I would ask everyone to please support this legislation and I happily yield the well.

[6:13:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22385s) Senator from the 30th, now is the appropriate time.

[6:13:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22393s) Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment from earlier.

[6:13:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22400s) Senator-

[6:13:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22403s) Is there objection?

[6:13:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22404s) Is there objection? No objection. Senator's withdrawn the amendment. Recognize the senator from the 8th.

[6:13:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22412s) That's you, babe

[6:13:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22417s) I just wanna say this real quick. I went to a funeral Sunday for Caleb Abney, Lowndes County Stadium. There were about 1,000 people there. That's why I'm sunburnt, 'cause it was outside. And, you know, Caleb, he, uh, he lost his life, 25 years old. One of the things that I hope everybody can help me with in this chamber, did you know that he was engaged to Jordan? I met Caleb's parents. I met Jordan-

[6:13:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22438s) Hold on one second, Senator. I'm sorry. Can we, can we get a little bit of quiet in here? I've been noticing everybody over on that corner over there just keeps talking. So, so can we please pay attention to the senator in the well? Uh, or either just r- remove yourself from the chamber.

[6:14:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22458s) Uh, thank, thank you, Mr. President. I met Jordan, Caleb's fiance, 25 years old. They just bought a home together. Met his sister, Shannon. Met Caleb's parents. Caleb lost his life in the line of duty. If he'd have put in 30 years, he'd have got, what? $900 a month. If he'd have put in 20 years, he'd have got $600 a month. But did you also know because he lost his life in the line of duty, because he was not married yet, he was set to be married in April, that the indemnity fund does not help them because you have to either have a spouse or dependents, right?

[6:14:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22488s) So there Jordan is left with a home. They just bought this home to pay for. Y'all, these people are the folks that are the foundation of society. There is no perfect bill, but what are we saying about the value that we place on these folks if we don't do something to help them? I think what they do is worth more than what they're receiving. So I'm up here today, Caleb isn't here to speak for the police officers, but I'm speaking for him, and I hope y'all support this bill. Thank you.

[6:15:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22520s) Thank you, Senator. Recognize the senator from the 14th.

[6:15:34](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22534s) Thank you, Mr. President. This state should provide for peace officers to have an annuity benefit through the general appropriations process. That is the demand of many of the senators in this chamber, and you could argue that it is a failure to law enforcement, it is an abdication of the duty to law enforcement to fail to use the general appropriations process to provide that benefit. Instead, this bill is saying that taxpayers, people who own phones, should be required to subsidize that benefit.

[6:16:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22565s) It is an abandonment of the state's responsibility to pay those benefits. If this bill had gone through the general appropriations process, it would've gotten overwhelming bipartisan support. There already was overwhelming bipartisan support for the amended budget that came through this chamber not too long ago. So it would be deeply cynical and even a lie to say that there is not bipartisan support for peace officers because people are voting no on this bill. People are gonna vote no on this bill because this is done the wrong way. Let's roll the tape back to a few weeks ago when we discussed income tax cuts in this state.

[6:16:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22597s) We were told by sponsors of income tax repeal legislation that we did not need all the money that the state currently has, the billions of dollars in reserves, the $9 billion per year that this state is going to hand back by cutting the rate and exempting many taxpayers from state taxes altogether. The narrative we were told is that we did not need that money. But when you go to committee after committee after committee and you hear about the intense needs that every sector of this state has, including our law enforcement and first responders who serve, you realize this state has tremendous needs, and we cannot afford to give all that money back.

[6:17:12](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22632s) And what happens if we do? If we give that money back, we then turn to people who own phones and we say, "All of you have to pay $1 per line to subsidize the things that the state should be paying for." So this is a consumption tax. It is a consumption tax on phones. It is exactly the type of tax that we were promised would never appear if we repealed income taxes. And here we are before the session is even over passing a consumption tax in direct violation of that promise. So to all law enforcement watching, you have bipartisan support from your legislators from both Democrats and Republicans.

[6:17:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22668s) There's a legitimate disagreement about how, and you could even argue that the failure to use the general appropriations process in the state budget to support law enforcement is the biggest failure of all. Thank you, Mr. President.

[6:18:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22680s) Recognize the senator from the 30th.

[6:18:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22694s) I'll be brief, Mr. President, 'cause I think we know how we're all gonna vote on this bill. I just wanna say, A, thank you to all the police officers that are here, our state troopers, uh, GBI, DNR, APD that surrounds this facility, Fulton County Sheriff's Office. We are blessed to be in this city with this law enforcement, but I also want you to remember for those that have s- small cities and small counties in your, uh, in your district, there, there are officers out there may have four, five, six, maybe seven people in that agency.

[6:18:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22728s) I worked for one of those departments before. There was just five of us. You was by yourself. Your backup may be 15, 25 miles away. It does help you learn how to talk to people in a much kinder, gentler way when you're all by yourself and there's about 15 people that don't like you. So, uh, I think that did a, a lot for me in able to talk with people from all different walks of life. But they may not have much a retirement plan at all, and this is a big help for them.

[6:19:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22762s) And yes, we are going the phone route because when you call 911, majority of times now because there's not many landlines left, you do use your cell phone. We have been talking about next gen 911 to make sure they can find you. It's quite sad that Uber or Domino's can find out exactly where you are, but if you call 911, they may not know where you are, and you got to explain that in an emergency situation. That could be kind of tough to explain your exact location. So I said, "I don't wanna be up here too long. I just wanna say thank you to all our law enforcement, first responders, 911, everyone involved.

[6:19:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22797s) We do have a great plan for our firefighters that we'd done a few years back. We just wanna make sure that we help our law enforcement officers as well, and I ask you to support this bill." I yield the well.

[6:20:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22806s) Thank you, Senator. Recognize the senator from the 56th.

[6:20:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22821s) Thank you, Mr. President, uh, first for your unwavering commitment to our brothers and sisters in public safety. Senator from the 29th did a great job. This is an important piece of legislation. There are some questions, let me address them first. There are two funds. One is the Firefighter Pension Fund, and that has been in place for quite a long time. It is funded by the members. It's funded by fireworks fees and taxes, as well as what comes off of homeowners association... Or sorry, your homeowners insurance premiums. That fund pays more today than the POAB does because those dollars have come in at a higher level.

[6:20:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22855s) It's very important. EMTs and paramedics, as long as they're associated with a fire department, they can participate in that fund. Works great. Over here, we have the POAB, which is for all of our sworn peace officers, our jailers, and 911 operators. This covers the spectrum of all public safety professionals. The problem is that benefit is much lower. It doesn't even reach $1,000. So we've got men and women out there every day having one of the most highly stressful jobs you can have on the planet.

[6:21:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22887s) If you don't know these numbers, just listen to this for a moment. The average person has four PTS moments in their lives. That's post-traumatic stress. And we often talk about our veterans who might lead to PTSD, and we hope it never gets there because through your family and your faith or other help, you keep those in line. Now, for our soldiers who are praying for right now in the Middle East, who would have a year to two years of combat, which is very rare, they may have up to 100 moments of PTS in their life.

[6:21:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22919s) An average first responder has 700, 700. The rate of cancer, the rate of heart attack, the breakdown of the family, and the lives that they live are going to be shortened on every single study. So now we've got men and women who we need now more than ever to stay in the business, to make a career out of it, and we're often losing them that time of their peak experience. This is a tiny investment for the most important return.

[6:22:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22949s) So if you do vote against this bill, you are voting against our men and women that you count on when you dial 911. So I hope you reconsider your vote because without the folks who serve you each and every day, we would not live in the land of the free. It's because we're the home of those brave. Thank you.

[6:22:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22974s) Recognize the senator from the 41st.

[6:22:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22979s) Wait. Recognize the senator from the 19th.

[6:23:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=22994s) Thank you, Mr. President. Just responding really quickly to some comments about justifying a no vote here.

[6:23:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23004s) When we have a problem, the first thing we do is pick up our phones and make a call, and the thing you wanna make sure of is that there's somebody on the other side to answer it. The idea that somehow tying this retirement to cell phones is wrong, well, I think there's absolutely a direct nexus there. There are folks who run away from problems. There are folks who hear problems are coming and get out of the way.

[6:23:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23037s) But the folks that we're here to help in this bill, they're the ones that run into the problem. They're the ones that look for it and go try to help you, your family, my family, all the folks in this building.

[6:24:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23054s) Justify your no vote any way you want, but the reason I'll be supporting this bill is because when I make that call, I'm thankful for the folks who answer, and I wanna make sure there's someone there. Thank you, Mr. President, I yield this well.

[6:24:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23072s) All right, good job, Senator. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure?

[6:24:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23084s) Senator, would you, uh, the senator from the 29th, would you like to close, or are you good? You good? Does any... Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. The previous question is ordered. The question is on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the voting committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The voting committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered?

[6:25:14](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23114s) Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. The question is on the passage of the bill. All those in favor will vote yay. All those opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

[6:25:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23125s) Russ, should the money at least go to his family? Uh, any, um, any benefit has to go to a dependent or to a spouse.

[6:25:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23139s) If they don't have dependents? Huh? Or another friend or

[6:25:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23146s) anybody else. I want you to carry the bill, Anthony. If you will, call it the Kelly Baddley Bill.

[6:26:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23185s) On the pass of the bill, the yays are forty-nine and the nays are four.

[6:26:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23195s) This bill, having received requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitution.

[6:26:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23203s) Secretary, Secretary read Senate Bill 306.

[6:26:51](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23211s) Okay, read. Burt, we don't wanna go slow, we wanna go faster.

[6:26:56](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23216s) Oh, don't worry, I'm in.

[6:26:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23218s) Okay.

[6:26:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23219s) Senate Bill number three, 306 by Senator Robertson of the 29th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 45-5-7.4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to pref- preferential assessment for bona fide conservation-use property and bona fide residential transitional property so as to require notices of impending expiration to be sent via certified mail. To provide for the reinstatement of certain covenants and per- preferential assessments in certain limited circumstances. To provide for appeals and refunds. To prohibit additional fees or interests. To provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

[6:27:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23250s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Finance recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Hufstetler of the 52nd District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on s- Finance offers the following substitute to Senate Bill 306. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 48-5-7.4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to preferential assessment for bona fide conservation-use property and bona fide co- bona fide residential transitional property so as to require notices of impending expiration to be sent via certified mail and for other purposes. Mr. President, I complete the order.

[6:28:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23283s) I recognize the senator from the 29th to speak to Senate Bill 306.

[6:28:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23291s) Friends, this will be a lot faster and a lot less emotional. This is on bona fide conservative use of property. Uh, currently when individuals put their, um, put their property into one of these covenants and orders so it to be used exclusively for agriculture or other accepted uses, uh, every 10 years they receive a, uh, first-class written notice. Uh, the US Mail has failed to deliver these in multiple cases. I currently have approximately 75 cases that I'm aware of. All this does is require to be sent by certified mail. If it is not received by certified mail, the owner automatically, uh, receives a, um, o- one-year extension if they do not receive the notification in time to appeal.

[6:28:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23329s) And with that, Mr. President, I yield the will.

[6:28:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23333s) Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Chair hears none. Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? The chair hears none and the previous question is ordered. Question's on adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection of adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the committee which is favorable to pass to the bill? Chair hears none. The report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? The chair hears none and the main question is ordered. The question's on the pass of the bill by substitute. All those in favor of the bill will vote yay.

[6:29:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23365s) Those opposed, nay. The secretary will unlock the machine.

[6:30:29](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23429s) On the pass of the bill, the yays are 49, the nays are zero. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitute.

[6:30:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23443s) Secretary will read Senate Bill 425.

[6:30:53](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23453s) Senate Bill 425 by Senators Harbin of the 16th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to competencies in core curriculum so as to require all schools that receive state funding with students in any of grades three through five to provide instruction in cursive handwriting to all students by no later than third grade. To provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Education and Youth recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Hickman of the 4th District, Chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[6:31:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23483s) I recognize the senator from the 16th to speak to Senate Bill 425.

[6:31:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23503s) Thank you, Mr. President. Appreciate it

[6:31:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23506s) Four twenty, uh, SB 1045 is a bill of really common sense. Uh, in 2010, the adoption of Common Core, uh, re- removed cursive writing and it was left by the wayside for the focus on computer systems and other things. This created a generation who cannot read the writing of their parents, their grandparents, and even the Founding Fathers' documents. What this would do is require that cursive writing be required and it's interesting even now the, uh, Department of E- Education has school awards called the John Hancock Award, if you will, if a student can sign his name and write the preamble to the Constitution in cursive writing.

[6:32:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23544s) And I believe this is a missed art, it's a lost art that needs to be there where they can read the documents and even read the letters and the notes from their parents and grandparents of the past. And with that, Mr. President, I'll, uh, exit the well unless there are questions. There are no questions, Senator. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Chair recognizes the senator from the 35th.

[6:33:03](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23583s) Thank you, Mr. President. Um, here speaking in opposition to the bill. Um, I completely agree with the idea our kids should learn how to write in cursive, um, but this is yet another, uh, state law that we are getting ready to pass that is going to take time and we are not providing our educators with more money to go along with this time that it's gonna take. So, um, I w- I, I'm tired of unfunded mandates and I'm sure, uh, I share the disposition that many of our educators have.

[6:33:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23617s) They're tired of giving more things to do and not given more time and more money to do it. Also, I find it almost breathtaking that we're s- gonna debate a bill or vote on a bill about handwriting and we still haven't talked about health insurance for our educators. We still haven't talked about health insurance for our school bus drivers. Um, our school districts are being pulled in 100 different directions and this is just yet another direction they're getting pulled in. These are good ideas but we have to put some money with these different mandates that we give our schools.

[6:34:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23655s) So it's another good idea that is not, um, it's not budget neutral. Anything that takes time takes money and again, we're not giving more money for our schools. We're actually, from what I've been hearing, taking money away 'cause we're trying to mess with the tax code enough that makes it even harder for our schools. So I would love for us to have a more complete conversation, not have conversations in pieces that ignore something as major as unfunded mandates yet again.

[6:34:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23690s) Um, if I were thinking I would have wan- gone ahead and had a laundry list of all the things that we continue to pass without paying for it. So

[6:35:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23702s) I'll pause and I'll yield the will. Actually I was gonna take some questions but, actually I'm sorry, I'll take questions. I'll take questions. I recognize the senator from the 41st. Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, do you yield? I do. Senator, um, are you aware that we have a significant literacy problem in the state of Georgia? The senator knows in which she speaks. I believe that roughly a third of our children in Georgia are reading well.

[6:35:34](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23734s) A third of our children are reading well and I also I know that many of us in this body and the one across the hall believe that literacy is incredibly important. However, we just don't see money training to actually back up what, what we say. Senator- In this body everybody that I've known in here they, they're, they're men and women of their word so they, you know, uh, and a lot of them are of faith.

[6:36:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23765s) They say, you know, where your treasure is that's where your heart is and if our heart is in literacy I would love to have a little treasure to back that up. Senator, do you further yield? Yes. Senator, in your opinion as, um, someone who's served on a school board and, and been involved in education, um, would it be more appropriate use of our educators' time to lean into helping our children learn how to read as opposed to spending time learning how to write cursive? Um, that's a great question. Um, as a former school board member in the second largest school district in Georgia in Cobb County, um, I've heard from hundreds of parents and teachers and everyone else and I, there's probably a list of 20 to 30 things that they would bring up well before learning cursive writing.

[6:36:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23819s) Um, so it doesn't minimize that cursive writing is helpful 'cause I think that there is benefit but our body is designed to prioritize, whether we're prioritizing which bills that we see, we're prioritizing, uh, where we put our money. Um, so this is another, another example of where we're prioritizing cursive writing over a lot of other important things. One final question if you'll yield. I do. Senator, when's the last time you've seen a children's book or a young adult book or even a college textbook that was written in cursive?

[6:37:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23853s) Ooh, senator asked some really good questions. Thank you. I don't have a, a great response there. I yield. Thank you so much.

[6:37:44](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23864s) I recognize the senator from the 40th to speak to the measure.

[6:37:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23878s) Thank you, Mr. President. You might be surprised to know that I actually homeschooled my kids, both of them, from third through ninth grade. And in doing so, I followed the Georgia Performance Standards. And I'm here to tell you that if you teach all of the Georgia Performance Standards, your day is full. Now, if you remember learning cursive in school, it really, it takes a lot of time to practice to really master the skill.

[6:38:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23910s) I'm talking hours and hours of cumulative time to learn cursive. So in actuality, we would need to decide which Georgia Performance Standards we aren't going to teach so that we can teach kids cursive. Now, my kids were of the generation that didn't learn cursive. I did try to teach them when I homeschooled them, but they'd never mastered it because we were teaching all the other Georgia Performance Standards. But my kids are launching into the world now, and they're starting their careers, and this is a generation of kids starting their careers that were never taught cursive in school.

[6:39:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23946s) So some of those people are graduating, and they're becoming teachers. So we are putting out teachers that never learned cursive. So we'd have to start by teaching the teachers how to write in cursive. So the Georgia Department of Education, it's my understanding that they have already implemented requiring teaching cursive writing statewide. It seems more prudent to let them do it at that level and see how it goes before we change the law and require it and find out, hmm, it's not going too well, and then have to come back and reconsider and change the law again.

[6:39:48](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=23988s) Um, so I, I think cursive writing is great. I think it teaches lots of good things, but our system isn't set up now to have enough time to teach it. So I thoughtfully, um, have decided to not support this bill. Thank you. I yield for questions if there are any. No questions, Senator. Thank you. I yield the well. Fred. I recognize the senator from the 50th to speak to the measure. That's getting hard, it's getting hard for me to scribble now, let alone cursive.

[6:40:23](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24023s) Hard to get me done. You putting a mandate in and you ain't putting no money in it? Thank you, Mr. President. Right. Um, I rise in favor of this piece of legislation and want to thank the senator from the 16th. Some of the concerns that have been brought up today are that we need to focus more on literacy and less on teaching cursive writing. Well, I will be the first to admit I had the exact same concern when this bill came through the committee. And I actually asked that question.

[6:40:54](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24054s) I said, "Why are we going to require people to teach cursive writing if we have a literacy problem?" Thankfully, the senator from the 16th, people who testified in committee, and research on my own found that teaching cursive writing actually helps with literacy. It helps with better word recognition, strengthening memory, and improving letter differentiation, especially for children with dyslexia.

[6:41:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24088s) So I would encourage us to vote for this. If your reservations are that our resources should go more towards literacy, this will help with literacy. And I want to thank the senator from the 16th. With that, Mr. President, I yield the well.

[6:41:46](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24106s) I recognize the senator from the 37th to speak to the measure.

[6:41:59](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24119s) Ladies and gentlemen, Senate, I know you've probably heard this from other, other folks that have been up here, but my wife's a high school, uh, civics teacher. Um, and we think about our kids being literate and being able to read, that's, that's, that's the foundation of education. But what we're really looking for is looking for our, our kids to grow up to be, be citizens that can be self-directed and be leaders and take our place. Um, increasingly year by year by, kids have been less able to work with cursive. In fact, uh, my wife with her class, and these are college-bound kids, probably 60% of her kids can't read founding documents that are written in cursive.

[6:42:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24155s) I mean, to, to, to say that primary source documents written within the last couple hundred years are completely unavailable to our kids without being trans- uh, translated over into script is just unacceptable. Um, we can't teach social studies to kids in a serious way without the ability to read cursive, um, as, as, as a foundation. Secondly, speaking on behalf of my wife who's a school teacher, she tells me when she writes notes on kids' test papers, she's very engaged in teaching kids writing. Writing's a really big deal, um, in kids being able to, to kind of take that transition from being adolescents to being adults.

[6:43:10](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24190s) So she works very hard with, with getting them to write with rubrics and, and write not just pers- not, not just effectively, but persuasively. When she marks up their test papers, high school kids can't read the notes from the teacher. My wife writes in very good legible teacher cursive, and her students can't read the notes that she puts on their, on their, um, writing assignments, 'cause cursive is out of the grasp of many of our high school kids. Friends, this is fundamental. I don't know how we got here. I know it's been great. We've been teaching kids coding in kindergarten, and, and I think that can continue with our respect to this.

[6:43:45](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24225s) We, we're gonna teach our kids as, as digital natives to be able to use technology. But, uh, part of being an educated American, really having access to the basics, is having access to cursive. With that, I support Senate Bill 425.

[6:44:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24246s) Senator from the 26th, what purpose do you rise?

[6:44:15](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24255s) Make a motion. State your motion. I move we adjourn.

[6:44:31](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24271s) All right, Se- Senators- Without debate. Senator's made a motion we adjourn. There's a second. Uh, that'll leave a lot of bills missing from crossover, but, um, those in favor of the motion will rise, stand, and be counted. Motion. We need a second. Those opposed, same sign.

[6:45:00](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24300s) No. No. All right, the motion fails, Senator.

[6:45:05](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24305s) Uh, Chair recognizes the ... So just 'cause the Lieutenant Governor left doesn't mean everybody has to come to the well and, you know, I'm, I feel like the substitute teacher, speaking of, uh, cursive and teaching.

[6:45:25](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24325s) Where's Bolock A? Bolock A?

[6:45:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24330s) A.A. Ron. A.A. Ron, come to the well. Uh, Chair recognizes the senator from the 41st to speak to the measure.

[6:45:49](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24349s) Thank you, Mr. President, and I'll, I'll be brief. Uh, I just wanna make one important note. I keep hearing my colleagues come and talk about the importance of being able to read our founding documents in their original font. Well, I believe that this body determined that one of our most important founding documents are the 10 Commandments. Those are written in Hebrew. We don't post those in Hebrew across our c- our schools, wherever they're posted. We have translated those into a language and a font that people can read.

[6:46:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24386s) All of our founding documents are available to us in print, not cursive. Being able to read the original document is typically preserved for someone who's at a master's level. I have a master's of divinity. I know how to read Hebrew, so that I can read Hebrew in its original. But I don't think my third grader needs to be able to read Hebrew in order, in order to understand a foundational document that teaches them their moral values. I'm okay with my kid learning the 10 Commandments in English that's printed in a way that they can read.

[6:47:02](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24422s) The reality is, our kids and our teachers are strapped with many things that they need to learn in a short period of time. This is just not that important. The last thing I will say to this is, I am mindful of the fact that the last time I s- I wrote anything in cursive, it was only my name. I have not written anything, any long document in cursive, since the third grade. This is really, really crucial point.

[6:47:33](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24453s) I'm raising this because you want teachers to teach kids how to write in cursive, but most of us have not done it in 20 years. So if you have a 22-year-old brand new teacher trying to teach a child how to write in cursive, there's a high likelihood that they don't know how to do it. So it will take money, time, and training to get that teacher up to skill to teach a skill that we all recognize is actually becoming obsolete. So with that, I yield the well.

[6:48:07](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24487s) I will yield for questions for the majority whip. Chair recognizes the senator from the 37th for a question. Where's the 37th? 37th, do you have a question? Does the, l- does the lady will yield? I will yield. Um, there's a carefully guarded secret many people may not know, that you and I share the same alma mater. We're both, both Furman graduates. That's right. Um, if in the, somewhere in the ear- I guess your freshman year at Furman was 2005, maybe 2000- Two.

[6:48:40](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24520s) Two. You're te- telling my age, but that's okay. Okay. I'll yield to that. Thank you. Um, do you think the faculty at Furman University, um, would've accepted that you couldn't have any access to even read cursive script as a college freshman? Well, Senator, what I will say is that I was a history major who studied European history quite extensively, and one of the things that I did was I had to have access to documents that were written in a foreign language for me, and I had those translated into English, and that was acceptable for my history professor, that I used a translation in a language that I could read.

[6:49:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24559s) That that was absolutely acceptable and permissible for me to take an original document and have it translated into something that I could read. Does the lady further yield? I further yield. Yes, sir. I just, this is just basic stuff. This is just common sense here, Se- Senator from the 41st. I mean, w- w- w- pe- professors in universities, isn't it true, should expect that kids with high school diplomas, whether it's UGA or whether it's some out-of-state school, can read cursive script, and if kids don't learn it in our schools, they're not gonna be able to pr- they're not gonna be able to do that in college.

[6:49:52](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24592s) Isn't that true? Uh, Senator, with all due respect, I, I simply disagree with you. When I think about when I've had to read cursive, um, it's actually extraordinarily rare, and it has not been for any document of high meaning. Even when I think about documentation that I fill out where my signature is required, after you sign your name, in cursive perhaps, underneath it requires that you print it so that it is legible and understandable for everybody. We as a society have prioritized print over cursive time and time again.

[6:50:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24627s) That's why if you look at a document that's really important, like filling out your health record, it says, "Please print."

[6:50:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24635s) That is why we have determined that that is clear. That's what something can, people can understand, and that is what pe- chi- children are trained to learn. Children are trained to learn how to read print, and that's what I'm saying we need to emphasize and spend our time doing, is learning how to print. And if a parent wants to take the time to teach their kid cursive at home, great. If they have a letter that they need, um, you know, their grandparents to be read to them, absolutely do that. But it is not fundamental to my educational experience for me to be able to read cursive.

[6:51:06](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24666s) All right, Senator, I think we got the point. We- you can yield, Will.

[6:51:09](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24669s) Just yield.

[6:51:11](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24671s) Well, you guys are pushing. I thought I would yield.

[6:51:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24673s) You give him, okay. All right. Don't want to spend any money. It's the policy. Senator from the 29th. It's me?

[6:51:18](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24678s) Does Senator yield?

[6:51:19](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24679s) I will yield for you, Mr. Wipf.

[6:51:20](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24680s) Senator, is it not true you're a minister?

[6:51:22](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24682s) It is true that I am a minister.

[6:51:24](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24684s) Senator, can you quote the Ten Commandments?

[6:51:28](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24688s) Well, yes, sir. I can quote those in English, not in Hebrew though, sir.

[6:51:32](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24692s) Then you just answered my question. Thank you, ma'am.

[6:51:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24695s) Thank you, Senator. And recognize-

[6:51:36](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24696s) I yield the Will.

[6:51:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24697s) Huh?

[6:51:38](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24698s) I'm, I'll yield.

[6:51:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24699s) You.

[6:51:39](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24699s) Yeah, I'll yield.

[6:51:41](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24701s) Thank you, Senator. Thank you. Recognizing the senator from the 6th.

[6:51:50](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24710s) Okay. I'm glad we got to debate that here for a long time. Senator from the 26th, didn't you make a motion a little bit ago?

[6:51:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24717s) No.

[6:51:57](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24717s) All right, hold that motion. All right. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? The chair hears none. Is there objection to the previ- obj- to the previous question ordered? Chair hears none. Previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the forwarding committee which is favorable to the pass of the bill? Chair hears none. Forwarding committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. Main question is ordered. Questions on the pass of the bill. All those in favor of vote, yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary will lock the machine.

[6:52:26](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24746s) Good morning. And so what I say is you do the same as that. It's included in this. Because when they pay it,

[6:52:43](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24763s) that's-

[6:52:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24775s) I was gonna ask you what it's about.

[6:53:13](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24793s) Senator Williams.

[6:53:27](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24807s) On the passage, on the passage of the bill, the yays are 43 and the nays are nine. This bill, having received requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed. Recognize the majority leader.

[6:53:40](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24820s) Mr. President, I move that the Senate stand adjourned till pursuant to HR998 till 9:00 AM, Friday, March 6th.

[6:53:47](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24827s) All right. The, the majority leader has moved. Secretary, read the announcements.

[6:53:55](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24835s) Mr. President, all committees for today have been canceled. On Thursday, March 5th, 2026, at, the Finance Committee will meet in Room Mezzanine 1 at 9:00 AM. At 10:00 AM, the Rules Committee will meet in Room 450 of the Capitol. The Education and Youth Committee has been canceled. The Judiciary Committee has been canceled. The Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee has been canceled. The Insurance and Labor Committee has been canceled. Mr. President, that completes the order.

[6:54:21](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24861s) All right. The majority leader has moved. All those, the, that we stand adjourned until 9:00 AM, Friday, March 6th, which will be crossover day. All those in favor of the motion, signify by saying aye.

[6:54:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24875s) Aye.

[6:54:35](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24875s) All those opposed, no.

[6:54:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24877s) No.

[6:54:37](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24877s) Ayes clearly have it. We're adjourned.

[6:54:58](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24898s) Well, lordy, lordy, don't you know the day is broad. If you don't get away from here before you step, there are gonna be trouble.

[6:55:30](https://vimeo.com/1170080906#t=24930s) Hey, la- ladies and gentlemen. Ladies and gen-