--- title: Senate floor session, March 23, 2026 (legislative day 36) collection: meetings id: 2026-03-23/senate-floor cite_as: Senate floor session, March 23, 2026 (legislative day 36), video https://vimeo.com/1175570412 (machine transcript by Georgia Commons) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor/text source_url: https://vimeo.com/1175570412 date: 2026-03-23 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/2026-03-23.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/house-floor-am.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/house-floor-pm.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: 36 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session start_time: 2026-03-23T10:00:00-04:00 location: Senate Chamber duration_seconds: 19992.0 video_id: 1175570412 video_title: Legislative Day 36 | 2026 Legislative Session | 03/23/2026 bills_discussed: - HB 1077 - HB 1129 - SR 873 - SR 744 - HB 439 - HB 1085 - HB 1009 - HB 1030 - HB 944 - HB 79 - HB 154 - HB 717 - HB 1020 - HB 1024 - HB 979 - HB 1164 - HB 1096 - HR 1416 - SB 350 - SB 427 bills_read_aloud: 40 summaries_model: gpt-6.1-sol transcript_turns: 751 transcript_chars: 226073 parts: - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor.md?start=0 - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor.md?start=59567 - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor.md?start=119355 - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor.md?start=179084 --- # Senate floor session, March 23, 2026 (legislative day 36) Senate floor; March 23, 2026; legislative day 36; 2025-2026 Regular Session. Video, on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/1175570412. > 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 [HB 1009](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1009), extending school-day phone restrictions to high school students, after rejecting an amendment allowing access between classes. Senators also passed measures on advanced math, forestry tax credits, local property-tax relief, bankruptcy protections, school financial oversight, public health employees and medical treatment rules. A substitute to [HB 154](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb154) replaced its ambulance provisions with a proposal to seek year-round Atlantic Standard Time. A lengthy debate over district attorney pay ended with passage of [HB 1020](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1020), followed by notice of a request to reconsider it. Senators left [SB 350](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb350), concerning DeKalb County officials’ pay, available for later action after questions about conflicting pay provisions. They returned [HB 79](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb79) to the Rules Committee, adopted a family-farm study resolution and agreed to the House changes to [SB 427](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb427). The Senate adjourned until March 25. ## Bills discussed (20) 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. ### HB 1077. Sales and use tax; exemption for sales of tickets, fees, and charges of admission to certain museums and fine arts performances or exhibitions at nonprofit facilities; extend sunset date [HB 1077](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1077) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:31:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1883s), turns 10 to 10. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Recommitted, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72503. The clerk announced that the Rules Committee had referred [HB 1077](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1077) from the general calendar to the Rules Committee. No substantive discussion followed. ### HB 1129. Local government; designation of enterprise zones; provisions [HB 1129](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1129) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:31:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1885s), turns 10 to 10. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Recommitted, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72683. The clerk announced that the Rules Committee had referred [HB 1129](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1129) from the general calendar to the Rules Committee. No substantive discussion followed. ### SR 873. HBCU AWARE FEST Day; recognize March 26, 2026 [SR 873](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr873) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:54:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3243s), turns 39 to 50. The Senate adopted [SR 873](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr873), recognizing March 26, 2026, as HBCU Awarefest Day at the State Capitol, without objection. The presenting senator described historically Black colleges and universities as sources of economic opportunity and said student debt limits graduates’ choices. The president and CEO of Student Freedom Initiative said the organization had served more than 71 colleges and universities and their students. The guest described Awarefest as a gathering to examine student debt and practical ways to expand economic mobility. ### SR 744. Stilettos on Steel Day; recognize May 2, 2026 [SR 744](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr744) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:03:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3787s), turns 54 to 72. The Senate adopted [SR 744](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr744), recognizing May 2, 2026, as Stilettos on Steel Day and International Female Ride Day, without objection. The presenting senator praised the organization’s community service. A representative of Stilettos on Steel described members’ work mentoring riders, supporting nonprofits and promoting safe, sober riding. The representative invited senators to the Newnan chapter’s May 2 ride and urged motorists to watch for motorcycles. ### HB 439. Revenue and taxation; revise deductions allowed to dealers [HB 439](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb439) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:34:26](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5666s), turns 128 to 357. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Engrossed, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70298. The Senate first approved a request to protect [HB 439](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb439) from floor amendments without objection. Later, the clerk read a Finance Committee substitute replacing the original dealer tax-deduction provisions with a local homeowners’ grant program. The presenter said cities and counties could voluntarily use surplus revenue to reduce homestead property-tax bills. The presenter explained that voters would first approve the program by referendum, then local officials could put available money into a separate account each year for homeowner credits. The presenter described the proposal as a flexible local option, not a requirement. No substantive questions or opposing speeches followed. The Senate adopted the substitute and passed it 49-1. ### HB 1085. Income tax; various tax credits for forestry manufacturing facilities; provide [HB 1085](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1085) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:34:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5667s), turns 128 to 298. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Engrossed, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72591. The Senate first approved a request to protect [HB 1085](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1085) from floor amendments without objection. Presenting the Finance Committee substitute later, the president pro tempore said Hurricane Helene and three mill closures had harmed Georgia forestry. The presenter attributed a $60 billion economic impact and about 142,000 jobs to the industry, and said the closures cost about 1,800 direct jobs and 6,000 indirect jobs. The presenter said the proposal would expand manufacturing incentives for forestry investments over five years: transferable credits of 15% in Tier 1 counties and 10% in Tier 2 counties, a 3% investment credit in Tier 3 and 4 counties, and a $500 credit per new job. The presenter listed sawmills, pellet mills, biofuels and mass timber among potential uses and argued Georgia needed to compete with other states for investment. The substitute’s caption also described overall credit limits and a two-thirds vote requirement for future amendments. There were no questions or opposing speeches. The Senate adopted the substitute and passed it 50-0. ### HB 1009. Education; enact policies and procedures for use of personal electronic devices at school and school sponsored events by students in grades nine through twelve; require local school systems [HB 1009](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1009) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:36:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5784s), turns 133 to 249. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72304. The sponsor presented [HB 1009](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1009) as extending bell-to-bell restrictions on personal electronic devices to grades nine through twelve. The sponsor said study committee testimony showed strong support from parents, teachers and administrators, and argued phones distract from learning, social interaction and emergency instructions. An amendment’s sponsor proposed allowing districts to permit phone access during brief transitions between classes, while retaining the option of an all-day ban. The amendment’s sponsor said older students have jobs, children and other responsibilities, and that Fulton County’s existing approach should remain available. In response to questions about loopholes, the amendment’s sponsor said students would still have to follow district policy. One supporting senator clarified that the amendment would not allow lunchtime use. Several opposing senators said between-class access would prolong disruptions and make teachers repeatedly enforce phone rules. The study committee’s other co-chair cited a survey of more than 3,000 teachers, saying 85% of high school teachers supported an all-day ban. Another senator cited positive experiences in Marietta City Schools. The Senate rejected the amendment 13-38 and passed the bill 52-0. ### HB 1030. Math Matters Act; enact [HB 1030](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1030) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [2:14:36](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8076s), turns 250 to 265. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72360. The presenter said [HB 1030](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1030) would guarantee access to advanced math in middle and high school using Georgia Milestones scores rather than selection by teachers or counselors. The presenter also described improved teacher preparation and a requirement for 60 minutes of daily core math instruction in fourth and fifth grades. The presenter said earlier skill-building helps later achievement and cited Alabama’s approach as a model. The committee substitute’s caption also described parent information, enrollment and withdrawal procedures, annual reports and restrictions on waivers. No questions or opposing speeches followed. The Senate adopted the substitute and passed it 51-0. ### HB 944. Motor vehicles; federal regulations regarding safe operation of commercial motor carriers and commercial vehicles; update reference date [HB 944](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb944) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [2:19:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8399s), turns 266 to 279. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72142. The presenter described [HB 944](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb944) as an annual compliance measure updating the reference date for federal commercial motor-carrier safety regulations to January 1, 2026. There was no substantive debate. The Senate passed the bill 50-0. ### HB 79. Firearm Safe Handling and Secure Storage Tax Credit Act; enact [HB 79](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb79) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [2:31:15](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9075s), turns 299 to 303. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69411. The clerk read [HB 79](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb79) and a Finance Committee substitute. The original caption described tax credits for firearm safety courses and secure storage devices. The substitute’s caption described a safety-course credit and a four-day annual sales-tax exemption for firearms, ammunition, gun safes and related accessories. The clerk noted a fiscal note and a minority report. Before any substantive presentation or debate, the majority leader moved to return the bill to the Rules Committee. The motion passed without objection. ### HB 154. Emergency medical services; designate ambulance services as an essential service [HB 154](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb154) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [2:33:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9198s), turns 303 to 336. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69591. The clerk read [HB 154](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb154), originally concerning ambulance services, followed by a substitute replacing that subject with a request for federal approval to place Georgia in Atlantic Standard Time year-round until Congress allows permanent daylight saving time. A senator questioned whether the replacement fit the original bill. The chair ruled that it did because the original text had been completely replaced. The presenter argued that twice-yearly clock changes disrupt sleep, work and family routines, and said schools could adjust start times if needed. One opposing senator supported ending clock changes but warned that Georgia acting alone would complicate business, travel and schedules with neighboring states, including a two-hour difference with Alabama during part of the year. Another senator supported the proposal, citing disruption to young children and children with ADHD or autism. In closing, the presenter said Georgia and more than 20 other states had already passed laws awaiting congressional action, and argued Georgia should use the existing federal process. The Senate adopted the substitute and passed it 45-5. ### HB 717. Medical Practice Act; regulation of the administration of psychedelic-assisted treatment and therapy; provide [HB 717](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb717) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [3:44:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13468s), turns 358 to 375. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71103. The presenter said [HB 717](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb717) would establish rules for psychedelic-assisted treatment clinics if the treatments become legal. The presenter said clinical trials were underway and described the proposal as advance preparation, contrasting it with the need to regulate ketamine clinics after they had opened. The presenter attributed the proposal to work by Georgia’s medical board with other boards nationwide and said medical research suggested potential benefits for anxiety disorders. Another senator supported the bill, saying such treatments could help veterans and first responders with post-traumatic stress and treatment-resistant depression, and that some had traveled abroad for treatment. No opposing speeches followed. The Senate adopted the committee substitute and passed it 50-1. ### HB 1020. Judicial Retirement System; payment of monthly retirement benefits for creditable service as a district attorney at the age of 65 years; provide [HB 1020](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1020) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [3:51:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13913s), turns 376 to 543. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72350. The presenter said the substitute to [HB 1020](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1020) would raise state-funded district attorney pay, tie the maximum to 88% of a federal judge’s salary and cap local supplements at 10% of state pay, with a phase-in. The presenter said current district attorneys could retain their existing system, while successors would enter the new one. Several senators questioned limiting local decisions, arguing metropolitan prosecutors handle larger workloads, more staff and more complex cases. The presenter defended statewide pay parity and said rural offices often lack county-funded support. Another supporting senator said counties could still fund assistant prosecutors, and described retirement changes as part of the proposal. The presenter cited support from the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council and a letter from the Georgia Public Defender’s Office. One opponent argued the cap threatened local control and prosecutorial independence, but did not offer an amendment. The Senate adopted an amendment revising the substitute’s introductory description of county fringe benefits, then passed the amended substitute 32-19. A senator subsequently gave notice of an intended reconsideration request for the next legislative day. No reconsideration vote occurred. ### HB 1024. Property; debtor's aggregate interest in real property or personal property used as a residence; revise exemption [HB 1024](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1024) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [4:32:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16369s), turns 538 to 549. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72354. The presenter said [HB 1024](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1024) would increase the amount of home equity protected in bankruptcy from $21,500 to $50,000 for an individual and from $43,000 to $100,000 for a joint homestead. The presenter said the limits had not changed in 11 years and were among the nation’s lowest. The presenter also described inflation adjustments beginning in July 2031 and cited several states with unlimited exemptions. No questions or opposing speeches followed. The Senate passed the bill 51-0. ### HB 979. State government; procedures for retrocession of jurisdiction in certain circumstances; provide [HB 979](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb979) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [4:38:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16686s), turns 550 to 573. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72239. The presenter said [HB 979](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb979), requested by the Pentagon’s Office of Military Community and Family Policy, would let Georgia accept jurisdiction over juvenile offenses on military installations. The presenter said federal courts lack a juvenile code and that state juvenile courts could provide more appropriate case handling. The presenter emphasized that the framework was optional, not a mandate. An amendment changed the applicable age from under 18 to under 17 to match Georgia’s juvenile system. Asked about a military parent’s deployment, the presenter said the child’s case could still proceed and supervision could be transferred to another jurisdiction. A second amendment’s sponsor proposed public disclosure of legislative employment settlements involving harassment, discrimination or retaliation, with the claimant’s identity removed. The clerk read language applying that disclosure requirement retroactively without broadly subjecting the legislature to open-records or open-meetings laws. Both amendments were adopted without objection. The Senate adopted the amended substitute and passed it 50-1. ### HB 1164. Education; require State Board of Education to appoint an audit committee [HB 1164](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1164) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [4:50:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17424s), turns 574 to 594. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72768. The presenter said [HB 1164](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1164) would strengthen financial oversight of local school systems and state charter schools to catch financial problems earlier and protect classroom funding. The presenter described a State Board of Education audit committee meeting at least six times yearly, annual audits and a December 31 audit-readiness certification. According to the presenter, school leaders would also certify timely health-plan, retirement and Department of Labor payments, responding to a school system that had missed 14 health-plan payments. The presenter said repeated irregularities would trigger risk designations, with high-risk systems requiring audits by the state auditor. The presenter described responses within 60 days, board-approved corrective plans within 120 days, monthly spending reviews and public financial notices. The presenter also outlined expanded investigative authority and possible changes to school flexibility agreements, and said the bill would take effect July 1, 2026. No questions or opposing speeches followed. The Senate passed the bill 49-2. ### HB 1096. Public Health, Department of; provide that if certain employees of a county board of health become employees of such department such employees will retain accrued annual and sick leave [HB 1096](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1096) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [5:00:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18031s), turns 595 to 601. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72612. The presenter described [HB 1096](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1096) as a Department of Public Health cleanup measure for county employees becoming state employees. The presenter said affected workers would keep seniority, retirement benefits and accrued leave, but would not also receive a payout for that leave. There was no substantive debate. The Senate passed the bill 50-0. ### HR 1416. Joint Study Committee on Generational Sustainability of Family Farms; create [HR 1416](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1416) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [5:04:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18240s), turns 601 to 625. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Third Read, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73420. The presenter said [HR 1416](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1416) would create a joint House and Senate study committee on sustaining Georgia family farms. The presenter said Georgia farmers experienced about $800 million in profit losses in 2025, production costs exceeded revenue in 11 of the past 14 years and tractor prices had risen 21%. The presenter defended study committees against criticism in campaign mailers, citing previous work that led to forestry research funding, conservation-tax changes and school phone legislation. The presenter argued that hearings let residents contribute ideas and help lawmakers identify solutions, while acknowledging that many farming pressures lie outside state control. No opposing speeches followed. The Senate adopted the resolution 52-0. ### SB 350. DeKalb County; certain judges, judicial officers, and county officers; revise the compensation [SB 350](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb350) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [5:14:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18868s), turns 627 to 725. The sponsor asked the Senate to agree to the House substitute to [SB 350](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb350), concerning DeKalb County officials’ compensation. The sponsor said the measure corrected a drafting problem, updated the circuit name and restored local salary arrangements affected by earlier statewide judicial-pay changes. A committee chair questioned whether the district attorney provision conflicted with [HB 1020](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1020), passed earlier that day. The sponsor said the local measure did not raise the current district attorney’s pay and expected the current officeholder to retain the existing pay system. The sponsor did not offer a legal opinion on which law would control. Another senator offered an amendment deleting the district attorney salary line to avoid a conflict. A questioning senator argued that the House could resolve any inconsistency, while the amendment’s sponsor preferred delaying action or removing the provision. Both motions to agree were withdrawn. After procedural discussion, the sponsor also withdrew a motion to table the bill and asked that it remain available for special action. No final agreement or amendment vote occurred. ### SB 427. Physicians; limited provisional licenses and a pathway to licensure for certain internationally trained physicians; provide [SB 427](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb427) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [5:28:12](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19692s), turns 729 to 741. Confirmed by the bill's status history on the General Assembly's website (Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub, 2026-03-23): https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72469. The sponsor asked the Senate to agree to the House substitute to [SB 427](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb427), which the clerk described as creating provisional licenses and a licensing pathway for certain internationally trained physicians. The sponsor said the House made only one correction: adding the missing word identifying each offense as subject to a fine of up to $500. There were no questions or opposing speeches. The Senate agreed to the House substitute 46-4. ## Bills read aloud (40) Read aloud only (a first or second reading, a committee's report), with no discussion. - [HB 1485](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1485) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Union County; Probate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee: [0:29:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1765s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1487](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1487) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Cornelia, City of; remove millage rate cap: [0:29:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1771s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1489](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1489) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Douglasville, City of; require candidates seeking election from a district to reside in such district for a certain amount of time prior to the date of such election: [0:29:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1775s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1519](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1519) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Peachtree City Public Facilities Authority; terms of office for certain members; provide: [0:29:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1778s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [SB 629](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb629) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Town of Braswell; transfer of duties and obligations to Paulding and Polk counties; provide: [0:29:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1753s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [SB 630](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb630) (2025-2026 Regular Session), City of Hiram; transfer of duties and obligations to Paulding County; provide: [0:29:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1757s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1523](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1523) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Sumter County Public Facilities Authority; create: [0:29:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1784s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1526](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1526) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Early County; repeal a former local constitutional amendment: [0:29:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1793s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1528](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1528) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Franklin Springs, City of; Municipal Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee: [0:29:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1797s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1529](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1529) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Canon, City of; Municipal Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee: [0:29:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1789s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1531](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1531) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Ball Ground, City of; primaries and elections shall be held and conducted in accordance with the Georgia Election Code; revise provisions: [0:30:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1806s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1532](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1532) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Dalton Independent School System; remove the increased millage rate limitation: [0:30:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1810s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1533](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1533) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Dalton Independent School System; remove the increased millage rate limitation: [0:30:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1817s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1539](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1539) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Ware County; Probate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee: [0:30:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1822s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1540](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1540) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Ware County; State Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee: [0:30:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1825s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1541](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1541) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Ware County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee: [0:30:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1829s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1545](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1545) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Putnam County; board of commissioners; current board members to continue their terms of office; provide: [0:30:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1832s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 1547](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1547) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Liberty County; board of elections and registration; provide staggered terms for certain future appointees: [0:30:36](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1836s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read and Referred) - [HB 718](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb718) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Women's Golf Week; first week of April each year; provide: [0:30:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1859s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute) - [HB 1310](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1310) (2025-2026 Regular Session), State symbols; cotton as official state fabric; designate: [0:31:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1863s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Committee Favorably Reported) - [HB 1328](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1328) (2025-2026 Regular Session), University of North Georgia military scholarships; authorize selection committee to select additional scholarship recipients: [0:31:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1876s) - [SR 882](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr882) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Department of Community Affairs; to refrain from adopting the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code in order to protect housing affordability and maintain the current energy code framework of this state; urge: [0:31:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1861s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute) - [SR 432](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr432) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Senate Higher Education in Prison Study Committee; create: [0:31:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1899s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [SR 834](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr834) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Bangladeshi Peacekeepers in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations; recognize: [0:31:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1906s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 87](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb87) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Insurance; require health benefit policy coverage for medically necessary orthotic and prosthetic devices and their materials and components: [0:32:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1929s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 267](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb267) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Riley Gaines Act; enact: [0:32:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1940s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 323](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb323) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Bridging the Gap for ALS and Chronic Kidney Disease Act of 2025; enact: [0:32:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1944s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 328](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb328) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Revenue and taxation; increase annual aggregate limit for tax credits available for certain contributions to student scholarship organizations: [0:32:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1951s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute) - [HB 369](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb369) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Motor vehicles; sale of food or beverages; provide vehicle equipment standards: [0:32:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1964s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 583](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb583) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Motor vehicles; increase number of free license plates issued to certain veterans: [0:32:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1971s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 634](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb634) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act; expedited completion of a student's first Individualized Education Program; revise provisions: [0:32:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1978s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 641](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb641) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Public utilities; require electric supplier to hold the proposed discontinuation of electrical service to a residential customer who suffers from a serious illness in abeyance for a certain period of time: [0:33:08](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1988s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 676](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb676) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Property; fine for any frivolous mechanic lien filed; provide: [0:33:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2001s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 963](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb963) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Elections; prohibit foreign nationals from contributing to or participating in any campaign: [0:33:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2015s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 1015](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1015) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Self-insurers Guaranty Trust Fund; revise certain funded levels: [0:33:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2023s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 1114](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1114) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Quality Basic Education Act; allow for students in ninth and tenth grade to complete the high school graduation financial literacy course requirement: [0:33:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2031s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 1185](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1185) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Courts; certain shareholder claims to be brought before the Georgia State-wide Business Court; provide: [0:34:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2042s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 1220](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1220) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Education; student eligibility and maximum scholarship amounts; revise provisions: [0:34:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2050s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 1247](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1247) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Georgia Bureaucratic Deference Elimination Act; enact: [0:34:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2058s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) - [HB 1290](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1290) (2025-2026 Regular Session), Crimes and offenses; protection of elder persons; sexual abuse; revise definition: [0:34:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2064s); confirmed by its status history (Senate Read Second Time) > The transcript runs 226,073 characters. A reader that cannot take it at once can read it in 4 parts: part 1 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor.md?start=0; part 2 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor.md?start=59567; part 3 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor.md?start=119355; part 4 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-23/senate-floor.md?start=179084. ## Transcript (751 turns) [0:26:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1584s) Good morning, everyone. Good morning. Time for convening has arrived. The Senate will come to order. All unauthorized personnel, please exit the chamber at this time. Recognize the senator from the sixth to give us a report of the journal. Good morning, Mr. President. It's good to be back. I hope you missed me. I know you did. Mr. President, we got a lot of great pages here from all over this great state. [0:26:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1617s) Out of Buford, we have a Lauren Adamson from Cumming, Arjun Ananda from Cumming, Madhubalan Iyer from Hoschton, Eleanor Chung from Pine Mountain, Madeline Frost from Union City, Iliana Gibson from Clarksville, John Carter Kale from Suwanee, Washake Carrabba from Marietta. [0:27:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1651s) We have a sister and brother in Bella and Jacob Lala from Atlanta, Miriam Magani from Atlanta, Zeday McCoy from Valdosta, Arthur Monroe from Cumming, Adreth Pingali from Homerville, Emmalyn Register from Atlanta, Daira Reyes from Lake Park, Chloe Rogers from Dublin, sisters Margot and Sloane Sellers from Thompson, Georgia. [0:28:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1689s) We have Windsor Smith and from Jessup, Jackson Thomaston and from Homerville, we have Carly Tomlinson. Y'all give our pages a big round of applause. We appreciate you being here to serve the great people of the great state of Georgia. Mr. President, in my absence, y'all did a lot of work on Friday. Therefore, the journal is thick, but it has been read and found to be correct. So I move we dispense with the reading of the journal. [0:28:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1721s) All right. Thank you, Senator. Thank you for the pages that are here today. And we did miss you on Friday, Senator. We did. Just wasn't the same without you. Is there objections for the dispensing of the reading of the journal? Chair hears none. The reading of the journal is dispensed with. Is there objections to confirmation of the journal? Hearing none, the journal is confirmed. All senators who have bills and resolutions introduced, please bring them to the secretary's desk at this time. First reading references Senate bills, Mr. [0:29:12](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1752s) Secretary. Senate Bill 629 by Senator Anavitarte of the 31st and oth- State and Local Government. Senate Bill 630 by Senator Anavitarte of the 31st, a bill to be entitled- State and Local Government. Mr. President, I complete the order. First reading references the House bills. House Bill 1485 by Representative Gunter of the 8th and others, a bill to be entitled- State and Local Government. House Bill 1487 by Representative Anderson of the 10th- State and Local Government. House Bill 1489 by Representative Baker of the 64th- State and Local Government. House Bill 1519 by Representative Bonner of the 73rd and others- State and Local Government. [0:29:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1784s) House Bill 1523 by Representative Ciokis of the 151st and others, a bill to be- State and Local Government. House Bill 1529 by Representative Estration of the 104th- State and Local Government. House Bill 1526 by Representative Green of the 154th- State and Local Government. House Bill 1528 by Representative Powell of the 33rd- State and Local Government. House Bill 1529 by Representative Powell of the 33rd, a bill to be entitled- State and Local Government. House Bill 1531 by Representative Jasper of the 11th and others, a bill- State and Local Government. House Bill 1532 by Representative Carpenter of the 4th and others- [0:30:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1816s) State and Local Government. House Bill 1533 by Representative Carpenter of the 4th and others, a bill- State and Local Government. House Bill 1539 by Representative Burchett of the 100th- State and Local Government. House Bill 1540 by Representative Burchett of the 176th- State and Local Government. House Bill 1541 by Representative Burchett of the 100th- State and Local Government. House Bill 1545 by Representative Rhodes of the 124th- State and Local Government. House Bill 1547 by Representative Williams of the 168th- State and Local Government. Mr. President, I complete the order. [0:30:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1844s) Secretary will read reports of standing committees. [0:30:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1850s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism has had under consideration the following legislation and has instructed me to report the same back to the Senate with the following recommendation. House Bill 718, do pass by substitute. Senate Resolution 882, do pass by substitute. House Bill 1310, do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Echols of the 45th 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. House Bill 1328, do pass by substitute. Pursuant to Senate Rule 2-1.10B, the Committee on Rules has referred the following legislation from the general calendar. [0:31:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1883s) House Bill 1077 to the Committee on Rules. House Bill 1129 to the Committee on Rules. Respectfully submitted, Senator Watson of the 1st District, Vice Chairman. Mr. President, I complete the order. [0:31:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1897s) Secretary will read resolutions a second time. Senate Resolution 432 by Rep- by Senator Harrell of the 40th and others. Senate Higher Education in Prison Study Committee, create. Senate Resolution 834 by Senator Rahman of the 5th and others. Bangladeshi Peacekeepers in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, recognize. Senate Resolution 882 by Senator Robertson of the 29th and others. Department of Community Affairs to refrain from adopting the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code in order to protect housing affordability and maintain the current energy code framework of this state, urge. [0:32:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1929s) House Bill 87 by Representative Clark of the 100th and others. Insurance require health benefit policy coverage for medically necessary orthotic and prosthetic devices and their materials and components. House Bill 267 by Representative Bonner of the 73rd and others. Riley Gaines Act, enact. House Bill 323 by Representative Matijek of the 82nd and others. Bridging the Gap for ALS and Chronic Kidney Disease Act of 2025, enact. House Bill 328 by Representative Carpenter of the 4th and others. Revenue and taxation increase annual aggregate limit for tax credits available for certain contributions in st- to student scholarship organizations. [0:32:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=1964s) House Bill 369 by Representative Sharper of the 177th and others. Motor vehicles. Sale of food or beverages. Provide vehicle equipment standards. House Bill 583 by Representative Glaze of the 67th and others. Motor vehicles. Increase number of free license plates issued to certain veterans. House Bill 634 by Representative Barrett of the 24th and others. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act. Expedited completion of a student's first individualized education program. Revise provisions. House Bill 641 by Representative Lim of the 98th and others. Public utilities. Require electric supplier to hold the proposed discontinuation of electrical service to a residential customer who suffers from a serious illness in advance for a certain period of time. [0:33:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2001s) House Bill 676 by Representative Clemson of the 131st and others. Property. Fine for any frivolous mechanic lien filed. Provide. House Bill 718 by Representative Jones of the 60th and Women's Golf Week. First week of April each year. Provide. House Bill 963 by Representative Martin of the 49th and others. Elections. Prohibit foreign nationals from contributing or participating in any campaign. House Bill 1015 by Representative Workhiser of the 157th. Self-insurers Guarantee Trust Fund. Revise certain funded levels. [0:33:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2031s) House Bill 1114 by Representative Zierta of the 152nd and others. Quality Basic Education Act. Allow for students in 9th and 10th grade to complete the high school graduation financial literacy course requirement. House Bill 1185 by Representative Strachan of the 104th and others. Courts. Certain shareholder claims to be brought before the Georgia Statewide Business Court. Provide. House Bill 1220 by Representative Ballard of the 147th and others. Education. Student eligibility and maximum scholarship amounts. Revise provisions. House Bill 1247 by Representative Reeves of the 99th and others. [0:34:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2061s) Georgia Bureaucratic De- Deference Elimination Act. Enact. House Bill 1290 by Representative Hilton of the 48th and others. Crimes and offenses. Protection of elder persons. Sexual abuse. Revise definition. House Bill 1310 by Representative Ford of the 170th and others. State symbols. Cotton as official state fabric. Designate. Mr. President, that completes the order. [0:34:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2090s) It is now time for the morning roll call. Are there any motions to excuse? Recognize the senator from the 33rd. Thank you, Mr. President, and good morning, y'all. I ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senators from the 5th and 22nd for business inside the Capitol. Without objection, the senators from the 5th and 22nd are excused. Any other motions to excuse? Hearing none, secretary will call the roll. Senators, signify your presence by voting the yeas, which... [0:35:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2125s) Hold on one second. Senator from the 43rd. Thank you, Mr. President. I ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the 26th. Without objection, the senator from the 26th is excused. [0:35:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2140s) Secretary will unlock the machines, senators. [0:36:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2211s) It is now time for the morning devotion. All senators, please take your seat and cease all conversation. I would ask that the Doorkeepers secure the chamber at this time. I now recognize the senator from the 14th to introduce our pastor of the day and lead us in our pledge. Senator. [0:37:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2230s) Thank you, Mr. President. Please join me in giving our allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And now the Georgia flag. I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag and the principles for which it stands: wisdom, justice, moderation, and courage. [0:37:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2263s) Thank you, colleagues. It is my distinct honor this morning to introduce to you His Eminence, Metropolitan Sebastianos of Atlanta. He was born in 1955 in Cyprus, where he completed his early education. In 1978, he graduated from the School of Theology of the University of Athens. Uh, don't believe that was in Georgia. And the following year, he began post-graduate studies in the United States, earning a degree in 1982 with a specialization in pastoral psychology. He was ordained a deacon in 1974 and a priest in 1979. [0:38:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2296s) He served in various parishes in Greece, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, and the United States. From 2006 to 2018, he held the position of Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Church of America. In 2011, he was elected by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumen- Ecumenical Patriarchate as an auxiliary bishop under the title of the once glorious, uh, dio- Diocese of Zila, serving under then Archbishop of America Demetrios. In 2012, he was appointed Spiritual Advisor to the National Philoptochos Society of America. [0:38:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2328s) In 2019, he was assigned to Atlanta as an assistant to Metropolitan Alexios, and on December 2nd, 2024, he was elected Metropolitan of Atlanta by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Please, uh, help me welcome His Eminence. Thank you. [0:39:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2356s) Please allow me first to express my thanks to Senator Josh McLaurin for the kind invitation to offer the invocation this morning at this esteemed assembly, and also to acknowledge the presence of the Consul General of Greece, Constantinos Adamopoulos, who is with us today, and to thank each and every one of you for the honor to pray for you and with you to our Lord and Father of all. [0:39:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2386s) Let us pray to the Lord. [0:39:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2390s) Almighty God, we beseech you to bless all the senators, their staff, and their aides of our beautiful and great state of Georgia. Give them strength, guidance, peace, and love to carry out their duties for the common good of all people of our state and our nation. Lord, we give you thanks for all the blessings you have given us, our families, and our nation. [0:40:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2421s) We implore you in these difficult times we live, times of division, violence, and wars, both in our country and throughout the world, to come to our aid and bring your healing power to unite us and our country in one body, to bring peace to our world. Make us instruments of your love and grace so that we become healers and peacemakers, so that your holy name may be glorified. [0:40:52](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2452s) Bless the work of this assembly and the efforts of th- those who took the responsibility to be the voice of the people so that they can create opportunities for all the citizens, strengthening and caring also for those who do not have a voice so that we may live in harmony. Lord, you have made us stewards of our world. We pray to you to open our hearts for all those who need your help. [0:41:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2485s) Sustain the good in their goodness. Make the wicked good through your goodness. Remember, Lord, the people here present and all your people. Have mercy on them and on us according to the multitude of your mercy. Fill their treasuries with every good thing. Preserve their marriages in peace. Nurture the infants. Instruct the youth. Strengthen the aged. Give courage to the faint-hearted. Bring back those in error and unite them with your truth. [0:41:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2517s) Sail with those who sail. Travel with those who travel. Defend the widows. Protect the orphans. Liberate the captives. Heal the sick. Remember, Lord, those who are in minds, in exile, in harsh labor, those who fight for freedom and justice in the world, and especially for the people of Ukraine and our troops who are in harm's way. For you, Lord, are the helper of the helpless, the hope of the hopeless, and the heaven of the voyager, and the physician of the sick. [0:42:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2552s) Be all things to all, you who know each person, his request, his household, and his need. Deliver this city and our state and country from famine, plague, earthquake, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreign enemies, and civil war. Almighty God, as we approach the date of Greek independence on March 25th, we ask you to remember the brave Greek patriots who fought in the revolution of 1821 to overthrow centuries of Ottoman occupation and regain their freedom. [0:43:11](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2591s) Bless them, for they chose to inaugurate their fight for freedom on March 25th, the day in which we celebrate the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, when the angel announced to, to the mother of Jesus that she will bear a son who is going to liberate us from sin. [0:43:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2613s) As we remember these pious souls, Lord, we ask you to bless also the founders of our nation, whose efforts in the American Revolution inspire our forefathers and mothers to believe that freedom was possible. May you, oh God, continue to bless, protect, and inspire the leaders and citizens of both Greece and America to uphold these legacies of freedom and faith, knowing that we cannot take our freedom for granted. [0:44:08](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2648s) As Benjamin Franklin said when he was asked what kind of government America was to be, he answered, "A republic, if you can keep it." For it is you who endowed us with our inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and so do we pray to you for the continued health, safety, and prosperity of both these republics. God bless America. Zito i Ellas. [0:44:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2679s) Long live America and Greece. Amen. [0:44:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=2682s) Amen. Good [0:53:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3235s) job. We have some special guests here today and w- that we'd like to recognize. I would, uh, Secretary, please read the caption, please. [0:54:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3243s) Senate Resolution 873 by Senator Halpern of the 39th and others. A resolution recognizing March 26th, 2026 as HBCU Awarefest Day at state, at the State Capitol, and for other purposes. Whereas Student Freedom Initiative is a nonprofit organization founded in 2021 to develop and scale the Student Freedom Loan Agreement and other innovative approaches to higher education financing that reduces students' reliance on traditional student loans. And whereas in 2026, SFI, in partnership with the City of Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dickens, and Live Nation Urban, launched H- HBCU Awarefest, a national movement bringing together students, educators, policymakers, philanthropists, the business community, and community leaders to examine the student debt crisis and explore practical solutions to improve economic mobility. [0:54:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3288s) Now therefore, be it resolved by this, that the members of this body recognize March 26th, 2026 as HBCU Awarefest Day at the State Capitol and extend best wishes for the continued growth, development, and success of HBCU Awarefest. Mr. President, that completes the order. [0:55:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3309s) Is there objections to the adoption of resolution? Chair hears none and the resolution is adopted. Recognize senator from the 39th to speak to this resolution. [0:55:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3321s) Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, here in Georgia, we don't have to explain the value of our historically Black colleges and universities because we live it. They are not just institutions of higher learning, they are engines of economic mobility, cultural preservation, and generational opportunity. And as someone who represents the heart of Atlanta and who's made HBCU advancement a legislative priority, I see clearly that if we are serious about Georgia's future, we must be just as serious about investing in the students those institutions serve because talent is not the issue, access is. [0:55:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3359s) Too many students are doing everything right, getting accepted, showing up, doing the work, and still facing financial barriers that shape the trajectory of their lives long after graduation. And that is why the work of the Student Freedom Initiative matters. They are not just talking about the problem, they are offering solutions, reimagining how students finance their education, pairing that with financial literacy and connecting students to real career pathways. So I wanna take a moment to recognize Keith Schoetz for his leadership, his vision, and his commitment to ensuring that HBCU students are not just enrolled but empowered. [0:56:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3400s) His work in efforts like HBCU Awarefest remind us that this is not just about awareness, it's about action. So today, I'm proud to recognize March 26, 2026 as HBCU Awarefest Day at the State Capitol and to commend the Student Freedom Initiative for helping move us closer to a future where opportunity is not determined by circumstance. Better days are surely ahead if we build them, and that's exactly what Keith Schoetz is doing. [0:57:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3433s) Please give a warm Senate welcome to president and CEO of the Student Freedom Initiative, Keith Schoetz. [0:57:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3445s) Good morning, senators, distinguished guests, and the Georgia HBCUs. I'm Keith Schoetz, president and CEO of Student Freedom Initiative, the nonprofit founded by Robert F. Smith, founder, chairman and CEO, and philanthropist of Vista Equity Partners out of Texas. He tried to free those students at historically Black college and universities from the burden of student loan debt. It is a deep honor to stand before you as the Georgia State recognizes March 26th, 2026 as HBCU Awarefest Day. [0:57:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3475s) First, let me express my gratitude to the HBCUs that are here in Atlanta for hosting us, those being Spelman, Clark Atlanta, Morehouse College, the Morehouse School of Medicine, the Inter theological Center, and Morris Brown College. I'd like to also thank and ask those to rise who accompanied us here. We have a group of our student interns, and if you would please rise. Thank you all for joining us. [0:58:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3504s) The Student Freedom Initiative, its mission is very simple: to create pathways that reduce resilience and burdensome traditional student loans and to give students more freedom to pursue careers, buy homes, and build generational wealth. SFI has served over 71 colleges and universities and their students, including those that I just referenced, as well as Albany State University and our bir- birthplace, Morehouse College, reflecting a commitment to student success across Georgia and the nation. [0:58:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3536s) This week, we celebrate HBCU Awarefest, which brings together students, educators, policymakers, philanthropists in business, and community layers, leaders together to examine the student debt crisis and to explore practical solutions that expand economic mobility. We know that student debt is not just a financial issue. It is a workforce issue, housing, and community stabilization issue. Senators, your recognition today helps elevate these conversations across Georgia and beyond. [0:59:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3570s) On behalf of the students we serve, our campus partners, and all who believe in expanding access to higher education, thank you for your leadership and support. You all have a great morning. [0:59:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3581s) All right. Here [1:03:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3781s) we go. [1:03:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3784s) Secretary, read the caption. [1:03:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3787s) Senate Resolution 744 by Senators Brass of the 6th and others, a resolution recognizing May 2nd, 2026 as Stilettos on Steel Day and International Female Ride Day at the Georgia State Capitol and for other purposes. Whereas Stilettos on Steel is a national organization whose mission is to unite female motorcyclists of all skill levels. And whereas Stilettos on Steel has over 100 dedicated members and six chapters in the State of Georgia. And whereas the Newnan Chapter of Stilettos on Steel was founded in July 2023 and is composed of 44 dedicated members. And whereas on May 2nd, 2026, the Newnan Chapter of Stilettos on Steel will be hosting its signature event, International Female Ride Day. [1:03:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3824s) Now therefore be it resolved by the Senate that the members of this body recognize May 2nd, 2026 as Stilettos on Steel Day and International Female Ride Day at the Georgia State Capitol. Mr. President, that completes the order. [1:04:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3842s) Is there objection to the adoption of resolution? Chair hears none and the resolution is adopted. [1:04:11](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3851s) Recognize the senator from the 6th. [1:04:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3856s) Thank you, Mr. President. It gives me great honor to present this resolution today for probably a type of organization I don't think we've ever presented a resolution to, and I, I think it's important that we do. And, and I'm gonna introduce a good friend of mine from home that is a, is a great representation of Stilettos on Steel. And so Ginger Queener is a dear friend of mine. She's, uh, resides in Newnan with her husband Stanley, and they have a passion for Harleys, especially long distance trips. [1:04:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3893s) And when she is not traveling, she's very active in our community. She's past president of the Rota- Rotary Club of Senoia, where she led the club to, to the club of the year and received the prestigious Sheffield Award for leadership for Rotary District 6900 category one clubs. She has served as Rotary District 6900 secretary, uh, for 2014 and '15, and assistant district governor for '15 and '16. [1:05:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3924s) Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, and has been the recipient of the Rotary Club of Newnan's 2019 and 2020 Brigadier General Rob Tourneau Service Above Self Award, and was the President's Cup winner in 2018 and '19. She served as treasurer for the Rotary Club of Newnan, and has also served her community as a past chairman of the Coweta Community Foundation and the Newnan-Coweta Boys & Girls Club. [1:05:54](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3954s) When not riding her motorcycle or volunteering with organizations in Coweta, she is a financial advisor and senior vice president with the world's largest financial services firm, whom she has been with for over 35 years. And she is a great testament to this organization, 'cause these people aren't just, you know, your typical motorcycle riders. These are local community leaders, and I'm proud to, to, to stand with them today and honor them. We, we thank all the ones in the, in the gallery today. [1:06:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3985s) And Ginger, if you'd come up and introduce your, your organization and who's standing with us. [1:06:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=3993s) If we could have everybody's attention please while we've got our special guest here. I would greatly appreciate it. We got some real live biker chicks here. Yeah, we need to celebrate them. All right. Give Miss Ginger a round of applause here. [1:06:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4008s) Thank you, Vern. [1:06:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4013s) Good morning. Thank you for having us. Thank you, Senator Brass, and each of you for having our group of lady bikers here today. As I was preparing what I wanted to say, I came across a story written about one of Georgia's own female riders, and I felt it was important to share it. In 1929, Vivian Bales, at just 20-something, this Georgia schoolteacher climbed onto her Harley-Davidson, kicked it into gear, and rode straight into history. No sponsors, no GPS, just a paper map, a suitcase, and 5,000 miles of open road. [1:07:26](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4046s) For 78 days, Vivian carved her own path across America, through cities, plains, mountains, and storms. Every mile was a quiet rebellion against the belief that women didn't belong on the open road alone. She was confident, fearless, and utterly unstoppable. Before influencers and hashtags, there was Vivian Bales of Albany, Georgia, writing her story with the roar of her engine and the courage to keep going. When I asked my fellow Wind Sisters to describe who we are, the very same words used to describe Vivian kept coming up. [1:08:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4083s) That's why I knew this story belonged here today with us. Standing with me on the floor is Kirsten Levy, Beth Herman, Sandra Knowles, and Randi Redden. These are four incredible women, and we have 13 more with us up in the gallery today. We're mothers, daughters, sisters, wives. We're executives, CEOs, CFOs, COOs. We're nurses, doctors, accountants, and pilots. We're blue collar and white collar women with one thing in common: we love to ride motorcycles. [1:08:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4119s) Like Vivian, we are creating legacies. We mentor women who are just learning to ride, as well as those who have been riding for years. We love to inspire and be a positive image for the next generation. When we see little girls' eyes light up as they realize we're a group of women, it inspires us right back. In our communities, we work hard to be role models for our children, our grandchildren, and everyone we encounter. We support local nonprofits. We ride safe and sober. [1:09:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4150s) We constantly work on our skills because we know we represent women every time we ride. That is a responsibility and an honor that we do not take lightly. Like many of... Like Vivian, many of us have traveled across the United States, riding through tornadoes, sandstorms, extreme heat, and bitter cold, some putting more than 15,000 miles on our bikes a year. Last summer, two of us rode Harleys through the French and Swiss Alps, visiting six countries and covering nearly 2,000 miles. [1:09:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4183s) One of the women standing with me today is 84 years old and still rides. She spent a lifetime on the open road, starting when she was 14. When I ask about her most memorable ride, she said, "When I rode from Georgia to New York City to meet my Motor Maids sisters for the 10th anniversary of September 11th parade." She was 70 years old at the time. We are deeply grateful for your help in commemorating the 20th anniversary of International Female Ride Day on May the 2nd, and for recognizing Georgia Stilettos on Steel Day. [1:10:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4219s) In closing, the next time you see a woman on a motorcycle, we hope you'll remember that there are now more than six million of us in the United States, and we're growing. Please look twice, save a life. it might just be one of us. If you're close to Newnan on May the 2nd, we would love to have you drop by and see us off for the ride or when we come roaring back in. I promise it will be a sight to behold. On behalf of the female riders across Georgia and the Georgia Stilettos on Steel, thank you for allowing us to be here. [1:10:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4253s) This day is a r- one that we will remember and treasure for the rest of our lives. [1:12:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4366s) Are there any unanimous consents? Chair hears none. Does any senator wish to rise on a point of personal privilege? I recognize the good senator from the 8th. [1:13:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4396s) Well, thank you, Mr. President. We have some special guests in the chamber today. We have Miss Gracie Bonanto, um, or Bonanto. [1:13:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4407s) Yes. [1:13:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4407s) Thank you. She's the Georgia Watermelon Ambassador. She's a Warner Robins native and an Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College student, has been named the 2026 Georgia Watermelon Association brand ambassador. She was announced at the 2026 Georgia Watermelon Association convention in January and began a role promoting the state's watermelon industry. She's currently a student at ABAC studying agricultural communications with a minor in agribusiness. As the 2026 GWA brand ambassador, she will represent the Georgia Watermelon Association, promoting industry growth through social media advocacy and consumer education with a goal of increasing consumer awareness and sales of Georgia-grown watermelons. [1:14:08](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4448s) And we also have the national, the 2025 Georgia Watermelon Ambassador, Kaitlyn Lindsey. She's the national queen. She was crowned the National Watermelon Queen at the National Watermelon Association convention in St. Pete Beach, Florida. She's a 21-year-old from Locust Grove, Georgia, and a student at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, and she will be representing the Georgia Watermelon Association nationwide. Mr. President, we also have, uh, a good friend of ours. [1:14:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4480s) Well, f- to start off with, y'all put your hands together for them and thank them for being here. We appreciate everything y'all do. Uh, Georgia is the third-largest watermelon-producing state in the nation. Uh, Mr. President, we have a, a, a dear, uh, mutual friend that's a, a dear friend of both of ours, uh, Kendra Kennedy. Little Allen's wife was a, the Georgia Watermelon Queen, and we also have another Georgia Watermelon Queen in the chamber today to show you what all, uh, the Watermelon Queen can catapult you to doing great things. [1:15:12](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4512s) Uh, in the back is a dear friend of mine and a dear friend to many of us, Ms. Jenna Saxon, who is the Chief of Staff to the Commissioner of Agriculture, Tyler Harper, and she was the Georgia Watermelon Queen. So we, uh, thank you for being here. Thank you what you do on behalf of the farmers in our state, and, uh, we look forward to seeing you around the state, and God bless you. Mr. President, thank you for allowing me this opportunity, and I yield the will. [1:15:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4538s) Good job, Senator, and we appreciate you ladies for being here today. Some really good young ladies that are, uh, is attending ABAC, the school down in Tifton, Georgia. So we're glad to have them here today and appreciate them being here. Recognize senator from the fourth. [1:16:05](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4565s) Thank you, thank you, Mr. President. I would like to say congratulations to Georgia State Patrol Po- Post 45, Statesboro, Georgia. They received the Post of the Year in the State of Georgia. As many of y'all know, there are 53 posts in Georgia, and Post 45 in Statesboro received the Post of the Year. Sergeant First Class Robert Scott and his team do a great job for our area, and we really appreciate, appreciate them. [1:16:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4597s) Thank you, Post 45, your service and commitment to the citizens of our, citizens of our county. Thank you, Mr. President. [1:17:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4652s) Recognize the senator from the 14th, the Instagram, [1:17:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4659s) like, influencer, I guess. [1:17:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4669s) Thank you very much, Mr. President. So we were honored this morning, uh, for His Eminence, the Metropolitan, to join us as the chaplain of the day. Uh, part of the reason that he's here this week is this is a significant week for the country of Greece. Uh, March 25th, Wednesday, we will be in session, but want to give you a preview of, uh, Greek Independence Day. Uh, that was the, uh, day in 1821 when, uh, the war for independence in Greece began, and it lasted, I think, for nine years. But, uh, Greece finally got its independence from the Ottoman Empire after several centuries of oppression. [1:18:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4701s) And so in Greece, March 25th is a huge holiday. And here to celebrate, uh, that and join His Eminence was the Consul of Greece in Atlanta, Georgia. He was here earlier in the chamber. His name is Konstantinos Adamopoulos, and we just want to thank the consul for being here today with us and for helping the State of Georgia recognize this important week in Greece. Thanks very much, Mr. President. [1:18:52](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4732s) Recognize senator from the 10th. [1:18:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4737s) And then senator from the 28th, if you'll start making your way up here, we'll be ready for you. [1:19:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4743s) Good morning, uh, to everyone. Mr. President, I am excited to, uh, present some visitors here in the chamber. This is the Georgia Municipal Court Council, and I'm sure all of you have, uh, interacted with your councils in your respective district. But we have our Madam President here with us from the, uh, Georgia Municipal Court Council, Ms. Gail Drayton. Did I get that correct? Thank you. Just want to, uh, welcome them to the chamber. Welcome to the State Capitol today. [1:19:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4771s) Thank you. [1:19:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4771s) You're welcome. [1:20:11](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4811s) Senator from the 28th, when you, uh, floor is yours when you get up here. [1:22:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4958s) Thank you. Sorry. I'm getting better. It doesn't look like it, but... Whoo. Hello, hello, hello. Good morning, colleagues and the many guests, our constituents who are with us today. Today, we celebrate South Fulton County Legislative Day, and we welcome their elected officials and constituents here to the Capitol. It includes College Park, Hateville, East Point, Union City, Palmetto, South Fulton, the city, and Fairburn. [1:23:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=4999s) And that's really where I live in that area. I'm claiming everybody from those areas. So thank you very much, uh, Chamber of Commerce of the Greater South Fulton area for being here today, and for more than 850 manufacturing and distribution firms in the largest contiguous industrial park in the Eastern United States. It's a powerful contributor to Atlanta's convention and hospitality industries with over 7,000 hotels and et cetera, et cetera. [1:23:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5038s) But today is also, uh, Domestic Violence Day. Who, uh, the, the people who are here for domestic violence, please stand and get a warm, uh, welcome from our senators. This is for our, those who, thank you very much for, for coming today. We're, we've been working with you over the years, and I know it's still so much more to do. So, uh, I, so we're here with you and for you and stand by you. [1:24:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5072s) Domestic Violence Day, uh, in the State of Georgia. And lastly, with the South Fulton Chamber of Commerce, are you here? Are you up there, too, South Fulton Chamber of Commerce? They didn't let you in yet. But anyway, they're here today and, uh, later I will give a farewell to the, uh, upon her retirement, to Diane Matthews, uh, who has been with us for a long time, and she's, uh, was the executive director of this organization, but she worked with Fulton County, uh, government for so many years, and she's still young. [1:25:14](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5114s) So she, she's somewhere around here. So we honor her today. Diane Matthews, thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. I don't see my folk that's supposed to be in here, but we gonna give them a w- farewell anyway. Thank you. [1:25:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5132s) Thank you. [1:25:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5132s) Okay. I think- [1:25:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5133s) Thank you, Senator. Appreciate that. [1:26:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5218s) We have a special guest here today, a gentleman who, uh, who's, uh, had a, had a barbershop in, off West Paces Ferry for almost 60 years now, and, uh, he is, uh, everybody who's running for political office, you hear about people going to churches all the time when they're running for political office. Everybody running for statewide office, if they don't stop by Tommy's place, then, uh, then they're gonna have a hard time, hard time to go. So, um, a senator from the 46 has got a special presentation, and we're gonna go a little bit out of order and let him, let him present that, 'cause these are some very fine folks we have with us today, uh, that, uh, have always been good friends, uh, a lot of people in this chamber. [1:27:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5265s) So, Senator. [1:27:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5269s) Thank you, Mr. President. When I was first elected 20 years ago, I found myself over here in Atlanta, and I didn't have a dry cleaners, and I didn't have a barber. And, uh, my shirt started getting wrinkled, my hair started getting shaggy. So I asked around, you know, who to rely on and- Brian Kemp told me, he said, "Well, can't help you with your dry cleaners. You just need to do that on the weekend back in Athens and, and be, uh, you know, plan ahead on that," he said. "But where you need to get your hair cut is Tommy's Barber Shop, corner of West Paces and, and, uh, the Interstate 75 there near that OK Cafe." So I went wandering in, and this is, I mean, it's like going to Floyd's Barber Shop back in, uh, Mayberry. [1:28:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5314s) Four or five chairs there, no appointments, and you talk about learning the gossip and the scoop. That is the, uh, political center of Buckhead. And I had the pleasure, just walked in and I met Tommy, uh, Tommy Thomas. This barber shop has been open since 1959, and they've got four or five barbers. No appointments, you just go in. And, and let me tell you, he has got pictures on the wall of so many dignitaries and politicians and governors. [1:29:08](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5348s) He cut the hair of, uh, Robert Woodruff, the old chairman of Coca-Cola. Of course, Governor Kemp, Johnny Isakson, Joe Frank Harris, Nathan Deal, Vince Dooley, old Furman Bisher that used to be the sports columnist. The list goes on and on, and you will see just about every statewide elected official in Georgia on his wall. And then you've got a row of football helmets, all the kids that he's cut their hair that have gone on to play in colleges or in the pros. [1:29:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5380s) And he has got a collection, I think he's got every commemorative Coke bottle ever done 'cause of his relationship with Robert Wood- uh, Woodruff and Gazetta and the other guys that have run Coca-Cola. I've learned so much from him, just knowing the, the scoop and what's going on in Atlanta. I've referred a lot of folks to him. Uh, even, even this session we've had more. So I am just tickled to death to have my good friend Tommy Thomas and his wife Linda. Tommy says it's, that she, we all keep asking her how she puts up with Tommy, and he says, "Well, it's easy. [1:30:15](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5415s) She got herself a trophy husband." [1:30:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5417s) So I'm gonna introduce you all to Tommy Thomas. Come on up, say a word. [1:30:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5422s) Get up here and say a few words. [1:30:26](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5426s) Woo. [1:30:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5427s) I don't know how you follow that, but I'm not much at talking, but I'd like to thank everyone for this honor. It's, it's, uh, something special for a barber shop to be put up there in, in high cotton, and right now we're in high cotton right now. And to be part of this, to come down here and meet the people that I've met, people that I know, it's been a great honor. And I like what y'all do here, and I'm glad y'all are doing it for the state of Georgia. And, uh, I'd like to thank Mr. Burt Jones and Bill Cowsert for this great opportunity, and the rest of the guys here. [1:31:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5463s) And, uh, that's about all I can say right now before I get myself in trouble- [1:31:08](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5468s) Yeah, that's all right [1:31:08](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5468s) ... talking. [1:31:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5488s) Good job. Great job, man. Recognize the senator from the 24th. [1:31:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5516s) Thank you, Mr. President. I come to you today, once again letting you know your opportunity is about to run out. We don't have but 13 tickets left to sell for the Sportsmen's Caucus for to be able to win a hunting trip or a shotgun. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a very important fundraiser to be able to, uh, provide a trailer for the handicapped, wheelchairs for handicapped people to get to go in the woods and be able to enjoy outside. [1:32:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5552s) So ladies and gentlemen, I encourage you, 13 tickets are left. Mr. President, 13 tickets only left. [1:32:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5560s) What you got? What's the tickets for? [1:32:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5562s) Here's the picture of the trailer. [1:32:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5567s) Oh. [1:32:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5567s) But you- [1:32:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5568s) Ooh. [1:32:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5568s) Let's don't let the House outdo us, ladies and gentlemen. All you senators that's in the ante room, you can come participate too. Love to have y'all come on and let's, let's get it done. Thank you. [1:33:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5583s) All right, Senator. Sounds good. You want, you want this mic? Does any other senator wish to speak on a point of personal privilege? [1:33:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5603s) You have before you a consent calendar of priv- privileged resolutions. Does any other senator wish to remove a resolution from the consent calendar? Is there objection to the adoption of resolution on the consent calendar? Chair hears none. The resolutions on the consent calendar are adopted. [1:33:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5636s) Are there any motions to withdraw or commit? [1:34:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5658s) Recognize the majority leader for a motion. [1:34:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5661s) Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following bills be engrossed, HB 439 and HB 1085. [1:34:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5669s) Secretary, read the caption. [1:34:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5671s) House Bill 439 by Representative Zwierta of the 152nd and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 48-8-50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to compensation of dealers for reporting and paying tax and reimbursement deduction so as to revise deductions allowed to dealers to provide for related matters to provide for an effective date to repeal conflicting laws for other purposes. House Bill 1085 by Representative Petrie of the 166th 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 provide for various tax credits for forestry manufacturing facilities to provide for transfer of tax credits and conditions to provide for reporting to provide for an effective date and automatic repeal to provide for definitions to provide for related matters to provide for an effective date and applicability to repeal conflicting laws for other purposes. [1:35:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5720s) Mr. President, that completes the order. [1:36:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5762s) Majority leader has moved. Is there objection? Without objection, motion prevails. [1:36:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5780s) Moving on to the rules calendar. Secretary read House Bill 1009. [1:36:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5794s) House Bill 1009 by Representative Hilton of the 48th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to elementary and secondary education so as to require local school systems and public schools to enact policies and procedures for use of personal electronic devices at school and school-sponsored events by students in grades 9 through 12 to revise provisions relative to permissible student use of per- personal electronic devices to revise a definition to provide for related matters to provide for an effective date to repeal conflicting laws for other purposes. Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Children and Families recommends that this bill do pass. [1:37:05](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5825s) Respectfully submitted, Senator Kirkpatrick, Chairman. Mr. President, Senator Kemp of the 38th District offers the following amendment. Amendment 1, amend HB 1009 by replacing lines 18 through 21 with the following, "Bell to bell means the period beginning with the first bell signaling the start of instructional time and ending with the final bell signaling the conclusion of the school day and shall include all scheduled instructional time, assemblies, and other school-related activities, provided, however, that such term shall not include brief transitions between classes for students in grades 9 through 12 during which access to personal electronic devices may be permitted in accordance with policies and procedures adopted by local school systems and other public schools pursuant to this code section." Mr. [1:37:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5865s) President, that completes the order. [1:38:11](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5891s) Recognize senator from the 48th. Speak to the bill. [1:38:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5915s) Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning, colleagues. First bill of the day, House Bill 1009. [1:38:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5929s) Simple bill. [1:38:52](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5932s) This is one of many bills that came as a result of the amazing study committee that I co-chaired with the senator from the 40th on the effects of social media on kids. And the number one recommendation that came out of that committee was what cell phones do to our kids, what a distraction it is, how much it distracts them from focusing on learning time, from what it does to their ability to talk to each other at lunch, to interact with each other, and all that is lost. [1:39:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5979s) In testimony, we heard [1:39:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=5983s) teachers talk about even how school fights had changed. The kids weren't fighting anymore because nobody had a cell phone to record it. If there's no record of it, it didn't happen, right? So when we think about what's best for our children, we have to take away as many external factors as we can. We can't legislate what happens at home, but we can control what happens at school, and that's why this bill is so critically important. [1:40:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6018s) Over the course of the many, many months that we discussed this [1:40:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6027s) We had a lot of interesting testimony, but this one issue from parents, from teachers, from administrators was 90-plus percent in favor [1:40:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6047s) of banning cell phones from bell to bell, not learning time to learning time or anything else. It was strictly focused on bell to bell. [1:41:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6061s) I'm gonna tell y'all a quick story that was shared with me by [1:41:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6070s) a very concerned parent about what this bill would do in the event of another Apalachee school tragedy. He said, "Parents wanna know how they can reach their child in the event of an emergency." And I said, "I understand that. Nobody can take that away from a parent's desire to, to hear that." I said, "But let's talk through that. Let's talk through what does that mean?" [1:41:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6104s) And I said, "Sir, let me ask you this. What did you do as a young man? What was your, you know, your first real job in your 20s?" And he said, "I was a submariner." I said, "Okay, great. Let's talk about that." [1:42:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6121s) I said, "When you went to battle stations, [1:42:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6129s) were you guys focused on anything else? Were-- Did you guys have cell phones? Were you allowed to be distracted by other things?" He said, "No. All distractions turned off, focus on listening for the commands." I said, "Right. What would happen if you didn't listen to those commands?" He said, "People would die." And I said, "Okay. And tell me what, [1:42:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6155s) what would happen if students weren't listening to their teachers, weren't listening to the trained professionals, weren't listening to the adults saying, 'We're gonna barricade the door. We're gonna stay here. We're gonna...' You know, giving them all the commands of what they have to do for their own personal safety. But if they're taking direction from somebody on a cell phone saying run or go do or something contrary to the bigger picture there, what would that mean?" And he said, "More lives would be lost." [1:43:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6186s) And so even a parent who was directly impacted by that horrible, horrible event just a couple of years ago admitted that he recognizes that a cell phone ban is the best thing for our children's safety. It is the best thing for their mental wellbeing. It is the best thing for their mental health. [1:43:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6218s) Before you is an amendment from my friend from the 38th. I got, uh, probably the same phone calls, um, from one of our shared counties on learning time and what does this mean. Um, I will tell you while it may be [1:44:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6244s) positive in certain classrooms in certain schools, collectively across our state it, it doesn't fit with what our boards of education have asked for, and it doesn't fit with what came out of the countless, countless hours of testimony that the senator from the 40th and I and others, senator from the 5th, were all a part of. So while I appreciate [1:44:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6280s) the intent, if we were to pass amendment one it would be very difficult to give our teachers and our administrators the tools they need to be successful in this. [1:44:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6296s) This is one of the more-- most important bills that we'll pass this year for our kids. This will impact every single student in each of your districts, grades nine through twelve. [1:45:12](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6312s) And as the father of three daughters, two of whom are still teenagers, I can tell y'all that the only constituents that have spoken to me negatively about this bill are my teenage daughters. Every single parent unanimously, every teacher, and everyone else out there has said this is the best thing we can do for them and their future success. [1:45:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6337s) I'm happy to answer any questions if there are any. [1:45:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6340s) Yeah, no questions, Senator. [1:45:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6344s) Thank you for your consideration. I'm happy to yield the well. Um, and I will let the senator from the 38th speak to his amendment. [1:45:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6356s) Recognize the senator from the 38th. [1:46:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6378s) Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, colleagues, before you I have an amendment, uh, to this bill. Let me first say last year when we debated banning cell phones, uh, we just went K eight. And I came to this well and said I was in favor of the bill, and I would love to have last year amended that bill to go to high school. I know the distractions that cell phones can have in classrooms. The whole point, the whole point of our cell phone bills is to be distraction-free learning environments. [1:46:54](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6414s) I do not believe that we should do a blanket policy that treats seventeen-year-olds like seven-year-olds. These are two totally different stages in life. And so I visited, uh, some schools in my district. Fulton County, which is the largest school system in my district, allows students to take their cell phones and put them up when they get in the classroom. What my amendment does is not, does not say that all school districts have to do this, but it gives them the flexibility to do so if they so choose. [1:47:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6449s) So Fulton Co- Fulton County has already implemented cell phone bans in high school. They have found what works for them. If we do not accept this amendment, we will force all of those school districts that have already began to implement this to now have to change their policies yet again. And so it's not saying that all school districts have to do this. It's just saying that they may treat transition time differently so that they can continue using the policy that they already use that works. [1:48:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6480s) High school students are not elementary school students, are not middle c- middle school students. We are teaching them to become adults. Many of them have jobs, responsibilities, and also children. And so I do not believe we should be forcing a seventeen-year-old, eighteen-year-old to have to go out without their phones a whole eight hours. We don't do it. We don't enforce that on ourselves, so we should not enforce that on high school students if a school district chooses to do that. [1:48:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6515s) If a school district disagrees with my position, they can still implement a bell to bell ban. This just makes bell to bell mean it can also be when the class bell rings and when that class bell rings again, then you can get your cell phone. And so with that, Mr. President, I'll take any questions if there are any, uh, on this amendment. You do have a couple questions, Senator. Uh, recognize the senator from the 14th. Thank you, Mr. President. Does the senator yield? Yes, sir, I do. Senator, thank you for bringing this amendment. Just to highlight a couple things, uh, for the benefit of the body. [1:49:08](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6548s) So on line seven, where before that it says, "Access to personal devices, electronic devices may be permitted," that may on line seven is not a shall. Is that not true, Senator? That is correct. So, Senator, am I right in understanding that that means that if a school district wanted to ban cell phones throughout the entirety of the day, no exceptions, they would still have the flexibility to do that under your amendment. Is that true? Absolutely. With the bill passed with this amendment, they will still be able to implement that, and I know that there may be some concerns like, "Hey, you know, what about teachers having to enforce this?" If it works for a school district, they can do that, but if they're like, "We don't want our teachers to have to deal with that," they can still do that with this amendment. [1:49:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6587s) Great. And, Senator, um, just to highlight what I think is such an important point about responsibility at the age of seventeen. You know, we heard a, um, a, an anecdote from the author of the bill about battle stations and the necessity of locking in, so to speak, uh, when there are certain crazy things happening. Um, but in the normal course, in between instructional times, if you have a seventeen-year-old who has a job, has a child, doesn't it work the other way too, Senator, that that person is not just the helpless child? [1:50:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6624s) That person is actually a responsible person, who by the way, if we even wanted to get into it in terms of felony liability in the state, a seventeen-year-old can go to adult criminal court. But putting that to the side, is it not true that that seventeen-year-old also has responsibilities that they need an adult capable device to be able to see to during the day at appropriate times? Is that not true? Absolutely, it's true. You know, it's all about teaching students to be responsible and managing their lives, you know? There's times when you need to focus, and there's time when you can address any issues that you may have outside of that classroom, the school building. [1:50:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6659s) So I think it's absolutely appropriate if a school district wants to allow students to have that responsibility and address those responsibilities outside of the school building. They should be able to do that, but not required to do that if they don't want to. Thank you, Senator. Thank you. [1:51:15](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6675s) You, uh, have one more question actually. Okay. Senator from the 55th. [1:51:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6681s) Thank you, Senator. Would the senator yield? Yes, sir. Is it not true that this is a fine legislation designed to stop the distractions that we are having in the learning environment? That's right. You are right. And is it not true that your amendment may even be used by local, local, uh, school systems to reward students or to bring further disciplinary actions? For example, if the students are using foul language toward the teachers. [1:51:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6718s) Right now, what, if anything, can teachers do if students curse them out? Can you tell the, as a former principal, can you tell us what tools does a teacher have if a student just curses them out, a seventh grader or eighth grader curses their teacher out, disrespect them? What, if anything, what recourse does a teacher have right now? Well, you know, as a former principal, I would say they should have very supportive administrators that ensure that that does not happen again. [1:52:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6749s) But to your point, this can be an incentive. W- It could be like, well, you, you lose that privilege of being able to have your phone during t- transition time. If we just blanket say they absolutely cannot, we take away some flexibility from schools, school districts in order to be able to do this. [1:52:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6766s) So is it not true that that could be an additional tool that a teacher could use if a student disrespect them, that they could not have access to that phone, which means so much to our students right now, and to bring some sense of decorum back to our schools? [1:53:05](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6785s) Yes, sir, you're right. [1:53:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6786s) Is it not true that we no longer have corporal punishment and that some of our, some of the people in this very room would not want their students in public education for the lack of discipline in those classrooms? [1:53:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6799s) You are right, sir. [1:53:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6800s) Thank you, sir. [1:53:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6801s) Yeah. [1:53:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6801s) We appreciate your amendment. It's a very fine one. [1:53:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6803s) Thank you. [1:53:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6809s) Got one more. Recognize the senator from the 13th. [1:53:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6814s) Senator, do you yield? [1:53:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6815s) Yes, sir, I do. [1:53:36](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6816s) Senator, well, I think I could... I'm not totally against or for this amendment, 'cause I'm, uh, I wanna make sure I'm not confused- [1:53:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6823s) Yes, sir [1:53:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6823s) ... if you don't mind. How, how is this not creating a loophole that students would be able to just do their own thing with their phone and then create against the policy? How, how we're not creating a loophole here? [1:53:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6836s) So this is still requiring, it's not changing the requirement that school districts have to come up with their policy. So it's still a district-wide policy that would be implemented. This just gives the district the flexibility to say, we want it to be banned the whole school day, or we are just specifically saying during instructional time, students are not to have their phone. So that student will still have to comply with whatever the school district implements. [1:54:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6864s) And you... Senator, do you yield? [1:54:26](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6866s) Yes, sir, I do. [1:54:26](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6866s) And your, your, your bill, though, your amendment is 9 through 12, grades 9 through 12. [1:54:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6871s) That's right, just high school. [1:54:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6873s) And that wouldn't create a loophole for those students in regards to going around the policies? [1:54:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6880s) No, sir, because they still have to follow the policy of the school district. So if that student, if I am in Atlanta Public Schools, I still have to follow the policy of, that Atlanta Public Schools has implemented. This amendment just gives the districts the flexibility to decide what their policy is. [1:55:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6901s) Senator, do you yield? [1:55:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6901s) Yes, sir. [1:55:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6902s) Did our previous bill give those s- schools the option of setting that policy in place? [1:55:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6909s) Yes, sir, it does. But it does not give them the flexibility to determine that during transition times, students can have their phone. So picture the mailboxes over there. Many classrooms in Fulton County have those slots where you could... If I'm a student, my cell phone is put right in that slot soon as I get in the classroom, and it's working for them. They can still do that and say that students cannot have cell phones during instruction time. But with this amendment, some school districts can say, "You know what? [1:55:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6940s) Soon as you get to the building, your phone is put away." And they can still do that. [1:55:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6945s) Thank you, senator. [1:55:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6945s) Yes, sir. [1:55:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6951s) Got one more question. So recognize senator from the 4th. [1:55:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6957s) Senator, yield? [1:55:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6958s) To my esteemed chairman, I absolutely do. [1:56:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6960s) Thank you, sir. Um, senator, are you aware that, um, Georgia Southern University College of Education did a study back latter part of last year? They, uh, contacted over 3,000 people, parents, children, so forth and so on, and over 74% of those people that responded said they wanted to take cell phones entirely out of all s- all the schools. [1:56:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6985s) I am aware, and I'm one of those people that supports a cell phone ban. But I also feel like we should treat our high school students a little differently because they have different responsibilities than students that are six years old. [1:56:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6997s) Yeah. Thank you, senator. [1:56:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=6998s) Yes, sir. Thank you. [1:56:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7001s) Good? All right, Senator. [1:56:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7004s) All right, colleagues, just wanna remind you, this does not change the fact that school districts can still implement a ban to be- a bell to bell ban. It gives them the flexibility to continue to use policies that are working in school districts that ban it during instructional time. And with that, Mr. President, I yield the floor. [1:57:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7024s) Recognize senator from the 29th. [1:57:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7040s) Friends, I appreciate the senator from the 38th, and I appreciate his, uh, his passion. I also understand what the senator from the 48th is trying to do. We have discovered something that has been long needed, and that is to get cell phones out of the classrooms. But they also need to be out of the hallways, and they need to be out of the schools as best possible. I think if we want, if we want to tout the success we've had over the past year with this piece of legislation that Representative, uh, Hilton and, and, um, the senator from the 48th have been working on, then I think we need to trust the results, and the results are it is working. [1:58:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7084s) I've had a sc- one of my largest school districts took last year's legislation, and they banned the phones throughout the district, and the results, while talking to teachers, was astounding. She said that the students seemed happier. They communicated more with each other. They participated more in class. I think giving them the opportunity to not have them in class but then get them in the hallway, not having them here but then getting them here, all we're doing is, are torturing these kids that we know, based on scientific research, are addicted to this electronic device. [1:58:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7122s) We don't need 159 counties with many more school districts than that- piecemealing something that we know works. I appreciate the amendment, but we saw what happened at the school shooting. We saw all the dysfunction that occurred when everybody was calling their parents and everybody was calling 911, and l- first responders could not get to the school because of all the traffic in the road that were not first responder vehicles. [1:59:14](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7154s) They were moms and dads and others parking their delivery trucks, sedans, and SUVs in the road. Giving these students, and understand, if they're seven or 17 or 18, they are students. They are in custody of the school. The teachers are responsible for them. If we wanna maintain order, then we have to do it for everybody, and we have to do it consistently. [1:59:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7185s) So while I appreciate the passion, I think the amendment hurts what we're trying to do, and I would ask that my colleagues would vote against the amendment and vote for the underlying legislation so that we can continue building a strong, strong atmosphere of learning in our schools. And with that, Mr. President, I yield the well. [2:00:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7219s) Recognize the senator from the 37th. Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and gentlemen, Senate, I rise today, uh, in strong support of the underlying bill, HB 1009, but in opposition to amendment one. Um, again, I appreciate the debate that we've had today, but, uh, amendment one, although it would make, um, the, the current policy of one of our school districts unchanged largely, um, is really part of the problem we're trying to address. [2:00:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7255s) Um, allowing kids to have phones between classes puts teachers back into the role of being policemen of cell phones. When they've got their phones between their class periods, teachers are telling kids to put it away, stop that. You know, the, the peace we've seen across our schools that have, that have implemented these bell to bell bans has been significant, and it's because the, the, the texting, the messaging, the picking each other that happens even between classes is part of the, the, the disruption that these, the- these devices provide. [2:01:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7285s) So amendment one would just open up that door again, making, uh, you know, creating the havoc of cell phones between classes, uh, making kids try to manage multiple messages between classes, and putting teachers back as the police officers of cell phones. One thing teachers have said is the ability to not have to police phones and focus on instructing kids is one of the power, is, is the power of the proposal o- of 1009 and what, what a bell to bell ban really means. Mr. President, um, putting phones away all day is what our, our, our experience shows us. [2:01:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7317s) One of my school districts, Marietta City Schools, was one of the early pilots, uh, districts of a full bell to bell ban, and it was really the idea that kids put phones out of their lives from beginning of, of school to end of school. That's what's really brought about the change. Um, between classes, whether it's in the lunchroom or other times, the, the, the, the, the culture change, the positive culture change within the school really happens not just by what happens in class, but what's happening between classes. That's why it's so vitally important not to miss this. So with that, Mr. [2:02:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7347s) President, um, you know, the, the social interaction we've seen improve in, uh, uh, over in the h- in the hallways, in lunch breaks, um, in, in the s- systems that have put true bell to bell bans in place is part of the power of what's behind HB 1009. And although my, my dear friend from the 38th proposes it to maintain the status quo, essentially as it exists in Fulton County Schools today, I think a 10-- I, I think the proposal of HB 1009 for a true bell to bell ban is essential to make the difference in the lives of kids that we're seeking. [2:02:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7379s) With that, Mr. President, I yield the well. [2:03:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7387s) Recognize the senator from the 40th. [2:03:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7404s) Thank you, Mr. President. I rise in support of the underlying bill, but in opposition to the amendment. I co-chaired the Kids Online Safety Study Committee this fall, along with the senator from the 48th, and we heard some really good testimony from high schools who had already, uh, implemented a bell to bell restrict, uh, smartphone, uh, restriction. Uh, w- what I could see from my own kids when they got smartphones in middle school, eighth grade, was that one single text could destroy an evening or destroy a day, and, and you didn't know what happened. [2:04:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7440s) All of a sudden, your kid was fine, and then your kid wasn't fine. And if you dug around a little bit, you found out it was because your kid got one text that was upsetting. So that can happen in the hallway as well. Um, Georgia Southern University did a survey of teachers. Over 3,000 teachers responded, and 85% of those high school stu- teachers did support a bell to bell ban. Only 67% thought that it should be limited to instruction time only, and that's because there's something that teachers know, and that's that when the kids are changing classes in the hallway, there's a certain amount of disruption that happens. [2:04:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7482s) Um, and, and that's the time when the kid's gonna get that upsetting text. [2:04:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7487s) And so when they come back into the classroom, then you lose instruction time because you have to take that time to calm the kids down. Let's just ban the smartphone from bell to bell so that kids can learn what it feels like to not have that distraction, to not have that extra stress and anxiety so their brains can be open to 100% pure learning. Thank you. I yield the well. [2:05:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7533s) Recognize senator from the 41st. [2:05:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7551s) Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today in support of the senator from the 38th's amendment. I, I wanna be clear, Fulton County is the county that is already doing this. They've banned the phones from inside of the classroom. They allow the students to have them and acce- access to them during transitions between classrooms. Fulton County is one of the largest school districts that we have in the state, and they've made it work. They've seen great success in terms of student focus inside of the classroom, while also giving students the opportunity to connect, um, with their phones in the in between. [2:06:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7592s) I, I fundamentally believe that we are now in a s- we are now in a time where phones are just present. I can count on two hands the number of people who are on phones right now in this chamber. Phones are absolutely just a part of our culture, and for us to just blindly ban them, to give them no access, ultimately, I don't think that it's realistic. And I think that we're gonna continue to have problems, and we're going to have school districts who will come to us in the future and ask us to do exactly what the senator from the 38th is telling us now. [2:07:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7626s) Fulton County has tried it. They've been the pilot for it, they've been the tester, and they're right. And the final thing is, I just wanna reiterate, like, the senator is really clear. There are students today who have kids. They have children who are in daycares or are being taken care of by their grandparents. There are students who have jobs. These young people are functioning in a society where they need to be able to know if their own children are okay. They need to be able to be contacted in between. And I don't think that this is... [2:07:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7657s) This is not, uh, the scary thing that everyone is making it out to be. So I rise in support of this very nuanced, very strongly worded, clearly worded compromise language that the senator from the 38th has offered us. Thank you. Thank you, Senator. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Hearing none, senator from the 48th, would you like to close? [2:08:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7704s) Let me give you all a couple more examples just to make the point. [2:08:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7710s) The senator from the 37th brought up turning our teachers into cell phone police. Here's what that looks like. Every class, teachers collect, teachers give back. What happens the first time a teacher fumbles a phone out of their hand and it lands on that floor? Cracked screen, broken phone. Oh, great, now a teacher is liable for replacing a $1,000 c- handheld computer, which is essentially what this is. [2:09:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7746s) Didn't give me the right phone back. It's not my technology. Whatever it is. You're gonna put all that liability on our teachers. They're not asking for this. [2:09:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7759s) Fulton unanimously is not asking for this. How do I know this? I represent Fulton County. [2:09:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7769s) They are doing it with some degrees of success and some degrees of failure. But the teachers have asked us repeatedly, "Legislate this, take the liability off of us, take this out of our hands." [2:09:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7788s) One of our colleagues referenced lunchtime. [2:09:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7793s) Just let them use it during lunch. It's not learning time. They can, they can use it for that. Every one of you, every one of you grew up without a cell phone, and look how you turned out. Some good, some, eh, you know, I guess that's debatable, right? [2:10:12](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7812s) But administrator after administrator, teacher after teacher have said, "Please get these devices out of the classroom, but get them out of the lunchroom, too." Kids have forgotten how to communicate with each other. They have forgotten and lost the ability to have interpersonal skills, and those are critical things that we all learned growing up that kids in this generation do not have. So [2:10:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7843s) I really appreciate what the senator from the 38th is trying to do [2:10:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7849s) It does not fit with what everything that's set from the study committee that the senator from the 40th and I worked so hard to bring. I ask you to please vote down the amendment, vote yes on the underlying bill. And with that, I yield the well. [2:11:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7877s) Senator has yielded. And so now we're on to adoption of the amendments. On amendment number one, and authored by the senator from the 38th, is there objection to amendment number one? There is objection. So all those in favor of amendment number one will vote yay. All opposed to amendment number one will vote no. Secretary, unlock the machine. [2:11:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7915s) Senator from the 14th, what purpose do you rise? Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. President. State your inquiry. Mr. President, Mr. President, is it not true that this amendment only covers brief transitions between classes, meaning it would not cover lunchtime, and that lunchtime, like instructional time, would be protected under this amendment? Is that not true, Mr. President? I trust the, the senator knows of what he speaks. [2:12:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7938s) Senator from the 23rd, what purpose do you rise? Mr. President, uh, parliamentary inquiry. State your inquiry. Is, is it not true that a, a vote yes on this amendment would require the teachers to be the police of cell phones in Georgia schools? Senator knows what he speaks. [2:12:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7968s) On the adoption of the amendment, the yays are 13, the nays are 38, and this amendment has failed. [2:13:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=7980s) Is there objection to agreeing to the reporter committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? 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. Questions on the passage of the bill. All those in favor of the bill vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine. [2:14:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8060s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 52, the nays are zero. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed. [2:14:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8075s) Secretary read House Bill 1030. House Bill 1030 by Representative Donatucci of the 105th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 2, Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to elementary and secondary education so as to enact the MATH MATTERS Act. To require the State Board of Education to adopt content standards for middle and high school advanced math courses. To require local education agencies to establish advanced math courses in middle school and high school. To require the Professional Standards Commission to ensure students completing teacher certifica- certification programs have the knowledge and skills to teach math, including the four strands of mathematical proficiency. [2:15:12](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8112s) To provide for definitions, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Education and Youth recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Hickman of the 4th District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Education and Youth offers the following substitute to House Bill 1030, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 2, Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to elementary and secondary education so as to enact the MATH MATTERS Act. To require the State Board of Education to adopt content standards for middle and high school advanced math courses. [2:15:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8142s) To require the Department of Education to provide guidance and technical assistance to local education agencies. To require local education agencies to establish advanced math courses. To provide for enrollment of students into and withdrawal from advanced math courses. To require minimum core math instruction time for students in grades four and five. To require that parents or guardians are provided information regarding advanced math courses. To require annual reports. To prohibit waivers. To require the Professional Standards Commission to revise standards for acquiring and maintaining teacher certification in elementary education, and for other purposes. [2:16:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8173s) Mr. President, that completes the order. [2:16:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8177s) Recognize senator from the 18th to speak to the bill. [2:16:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8185s) Thank you, Mr. President, today, and colleagues. Today, I'd like to present to you Georgia MATH MATTERS Act. This was a great bipartisan bill coming from Representative Donatucci in, in the House, passed unanims- unanimously over there, and it does three things for our students in the State of Georgia. First and foremost, it guarantees access to advanced math classes, um, starting in middle school and going through high school for those students who, um, achieve a certain test level on their scores [2:16:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8216s) An objective standard as opposed to being selectively picked out by a teacher or a counselor, uh, that we're using objective standards with the, uh, Georgia Milestones testing program. Um, secondly, it improved training for our teachers who will be teaching these advanced math classes. And lastly, it's gonna be guaranteeing sixty minutes of daily core math instructions for our fourth and fifth graders, 'cause studies have shown that the earlier they learn these important skills, the better they'll do later in time. Uh, we are following the approach of our neighbors to the west in Alabama, who, um, w- after COVID, was the only state who is now t- uh, testing at pre-COVID pandemic levels. [2:17:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8259s) And, um, with that, we, um, I will take any questions if anybody has any. [2:17:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8270s) I have no questions. [2:17:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8271s) All right. [2:17:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8271s) You have no questions. [2:17:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8271s) I will yield the wheel. [2:17:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8275s) Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the... He was a little uncertain about himself right there, wasn't he? He's still learning. He's gonna get there. [2:18:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8289s) 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. 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 committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The report of committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. [2:18:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8320s) The question is on the passage of the bill by substitute. All those in favor will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, allot the machine. [2:19:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8387s) On the pass of the bill, the yeas are 51, the nays are 0. This bill having received requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed by substitute. [2:19:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8398s) Secretary read House Bill 944. [2:20:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8402s) House Bill 944 by Representative McDonald, the third of the 26th. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 40-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to safe operations of motor carriers, commercial motor vehicles, and drivers, and safe transportation of hazardous materials so as to update the reference date to federal regulations regarding the safe operation of motor carriers and commercial motor vehicles, to revise a definition to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Transportations recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Dolezal, the 27th District chairman. [2:20:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8435s) Mr. President, that completes the order. [2:21:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8460s) Recognize senator from the 30th. [2:21:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8473s) Colleagues, annual compliance bill changing the date to January 1st, 2026. I yield the well. [2:21:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8483s) Wow. Wow. I mean- [2:21:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8491s) Six seconds ... six seconds, huh? [2:21:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8498s) Yeah. Wow. Wow. That was impressive right there. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Chair hears none. The previous question is ordered. Is there objection to the agreeing to the report of committee which is favorable to the passes of the bill? Report of 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. All those in favor will vote yay. All those opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine. [2:22:15](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8535s) Senator from the 47th, what purpose do you rise? [2:22:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8538s) Mr. President, parliamentary inquiry. [2:22:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8541s) State your inquiry. [2:22:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8542s) Is it not true that it took senator longer to walk to the well than it did his time in the well? [2:22:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8547s) Hmm. Looked like, yeah, senator knows of what he speaks. [2:23:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8590s) On the pass of the bill, the yeas are 50 and the nays are 0. This bill having received requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed. [2:23:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8600s) Secretary read House Bill 1085. [2:23:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8608s) House Bill 1085 by Representative Petrie of the both 166 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 provide for various tax credits for forestry manufacturing facilities, to provide for transfer of tax credits and conditions, to provide for reporting, to provide for effective dates and automatic repeals, to provide for definitions, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date and applicability, to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. Mr. President, that's, the Committee of the Senate on Finance recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. [2:24:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8641s) Respectfully submitted, Senator Hufstetler of the 52nd District chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Finance offers the following substitute data, House Bill 1085. 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 provide for various tax credits for forestry manufacturing facilities, to provide for transfer of tax credits and conditions, to provide for reporting, to provide for aggregate maximum amounts of tax credits, to require approval of future amendments by a two-thirds vote of each chamber of the General Assembly, to provide for effective dates and automatic re- repeals, to provide for definitions, to provide for a short title, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date and applicability, to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. [2:24:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8682s) Mr. President, that completes the order. [2:24:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8690s) Recognize the pro tempore. [2:24:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8698s) Thank you, Mr. President. [2:25:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8704s) It's a great day to be a Georgian. We've got a incredibly beautiful state. We're blessed to live in Georgia. I think one of the reasons our state is so beautiful is we have the highest number of acres of private timberland of any state in the nation Georgia has m- more privately owned timberland than any state in the nation, and that benefits all of us. Um, this bill is a response to what we have seen happening with our forestry industry. [2:25:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8742s) Hurricane Helene, of course, dealt a devastating blow to forestry, and then subsequently we've had three big mills close, uh, International Paper in Savannah, D.S. Smith in Riceboro, and Georgia-Pacific in Cedar Springs. Forestry has a $60 billion ec- economic impact in Georgia. It employs about 142,000 Georgians. Those mill closures, uh, had a $3 billion economic hit to our economy. [2:26:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8778s) We lost about 1,800 direct jobs at those mills and 6,000 indirect, uh, jobs. [2:26:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8788s) What House Bill 1085 does is enhances the existing manufacturing tax credit that's already on the books to define forestry manufacturing. Forestry, many of the forestry manufacturing jobs are already eligible for the existing tax credit, but this defines forestry manufacturing, and it gives a investment tax credit on new investments from, uh, January 1 through, for five years, so it puts a five-year sunset on it. [2:27:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8826s) But for Tier 1 counties, it'll be a 15% transferable tax credit in Tier 1 counties, a 10% transferable tax credit in Tier 2 counties, and a 3% investment tax credit in Tier 3 and 4 counties. It also provides for a $500 per job, job tax credit for new jobs created. We've-- And it would apply to sawmills, uh, pellet mills, biofuel manufacturers like diesel fuel or sustainable aviation fuel, mass timber. [2:27:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8867s) Um, they can use, um, wood to make metal- metallurgic coal for steel, the steel industry out of biochar. We're look-- We've got research, we've invested in our research institutions to look at, uh, expanding for, um, forestry-based pharmaceuticals, nylon. Uh, we put a lot of money in the ReWood project over at Georgia Tech to do that, and we are competing with other states for these top- type of new manufacturing jobs and new investment in manufacturing. [2:28:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8907s) We've just seen some large investments. Uh, Weyerhaeuser made a large investment in Louisiana. Uh, there's a diesel fuel manufacturing out of biomass that just put a $280 million investment in South Carolina. So we're not operating in a void. We're competing with other states, and we need the, these tax credits, investment tax credits, and job tax credits to compete and keep our forestry industry vibrant and create Georgia jobs for real Georgians. [2:29:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8941s) So I'll be happy to answer any questions, Mr. President. If there are none, I ask for your favorable consideration. This passed unanimously out of the Senate Finance Committee, uh, and they scrutinized it pretty hard. As always. [2:29:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8958s) You have no questions, Senator. [2:29:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8959s) Thank you. I'd ask for your green vote on this. Thank you. To keep Georgia green. [2:29:26](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8966s) Does any other senator wish to speak for or against this measure? Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? [2:29:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=8974s) Chair hears none. 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 reported committee, which, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Uh, 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 will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine. [2:31:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9064s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are fifty and the nays are zero. This bill having received the requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed by substitute. [2:31:14](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9074s) Secretary, read House Bill 79. [2:31:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9080s) House Bill 79 by Representative Newton of the 127th and others. A bill to be entitled An Act to Amend Chapter Seven of Title Forty-Eight of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to income taxes so as to provide for a tax credit for certain in- eligible expenses incurred for firearm safe handling instructional courses and firearm secure storage devices, to provide for an aggregate annual cap, to provide definitions, to provide for terms and conditions, to provide for credit pre-approval by the department, to prohibit the creation of certain lists or databases, to provide for rules and regulations, to provide for a short title, to provide for automatic re- repeal, to provide for an effective date and applicability, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. [2:31:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9115s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Finance recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Huff Setzler, the 52nd District Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Finance Committee offers the following substitute to House Bill 79, a bill to be entitled An Act to Amend Title Forty-Eight of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to revenue and taxation so as to pro- provide for a tax credit for certain eligible expenses incurred for firearm safe handling instructional courses, to provide for an aggregate annual cap, to provide for definitions, to provide for terms and conditions, to provide for credit pre-approval by the department, to prohibit the creation of certain lists or databases, to pro- to provide for rules and regulations, to exempt s- sales of firearms, ammunitions, gun safes, and related accessories from sales and use taxes during a four-day period each year, to provide for automatic repeals, to provide for related matters, to provide for a short title, to provide for effective dates and app- applicability, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. [2:32:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9163s) Mr. President, a fiscal note has been attached. Mr. President, minority report has been filed. Mr. President, that completes the order. [2:32:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9173s) Recognize senator from the 31st. You wish to speak? Mr. President, I move that HB 79 be committed to the Committee on Rules. The senator has moved that HB 79 be committed to Rules. Is there objection? Not objection. S- s- HB 79 is recommitted to Rules. Secretary Reed, House Bill 154. [2:33:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9208s) House Bill 154 by Representative R- Richardson of the 125th and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 11 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to emergency medical services so as to designate ambulance services as an essential service in this state, to provide for statutory con- construction, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Health and Human Services recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Watson of the 1st District, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services offers the following substitute to House Bill 154, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to general provisions relative to state government so as to require the governor to request that the United States Secretary of Transportation place this state in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone to provide for observance in the state of such standard time year-round subject to approval of the governor's request and until such time as the United States Congress authorizes the states to observe daylight saving time year-round, to provide for a short title, to provide for legislative findings, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. [2:34:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9267s) Mr. President, that completes the order. [2:34:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9274s) Senator from the 41st, what purpose do you rise? Thank you, thank you, Mr. President. I'm asking for a ruling on the germane-ness of this bill as it relates to the introduced bill originally. [2:34:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9289s) All right. [2:34:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9295s) Sit tight. [2:36:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9392s) The chair, after looking at it, since it was a complete strip of the original bill and a replace of the subject matter in it, it, we will, I will rule it germane. Recognize senator from the 50th to present the bill. [2:36:54](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9414s) Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today to bring you House Bill 154, which deals with a public health and safety concern. Uh, senators, twice a year we disrupt the lives of every family in this state. We force parents to adjust their schedules. We throw off sleep patterns. We interrupt routines that people depend on, not just for convenience, but for their health, their work, and their children. And if we do it, and if we do it for a system that frank- frankly no one seems to be able to defend anymore, this isn't about losing an hour or gaining an hour, it's about disruption. [2:37:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9455s) It's about the reality that every time we change the clock, we create confusion for families, for businesses, for schools, and for anyone trying to maintain a consistent routine. And for what? The evidence that this system does what it was originally intended to do is weak at best, but the evidence that it disrupts people's lives, that is overwhelming. We see it in sleep studies, we see it in workplace productivity, we see it in accident data, and we see it in our own homes. [2:38:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9490s) Now, some will ra- raise concerns about mornings, about it being too dark, and those concerns deserve to be taken seriously, but let's be honest about what we're talking about here. We're not creating darkness. We're creating consistency. And if there are specific concerns at the local level, schools have the ability to adjust start times. That's a local decision. We shouldn't keep disrupting millions of Georgians twice a year because we're unwilling to make practical adjustments where they're actually needed. [2:38:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9524s) What this bill does is simple. It gives Georgia a lawful path under existing federal law to stop changing the clocks. Nothing more. It doesn't force a cha- a time change unilaterally. It doesn't override federal authority. It simply allows Georgia to use the process that already exists to bring stability back to people's daily lives. At the end of the day, this is about stability. It's about letting families plan their lives without unnecessary disruption. [2:39:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9556s) At some point, we have to ask, if a policy that disrupts nearly every family in this state, and no one can clearly defend it, why are we still doing it? Mr. President, I'm happy to answer questions. I ask for your favorable consideration. You do have... Actually, you have no questions, Senator. He wants to come speak on behalf of the bill, so- All right. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor. Bringing out senator from the 37th. [2:39:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9598s) Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, the Senate arrives today to, uh, extend the conversation on House Bill 1050- uh, 154 with perhaps a different perspective. I appreciate the senator from the 50th's thoughtful consideration of all the things we do here, but there is a another opinion about the wisdom of doing this as it's proposed in HB 154 [2:40:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9618s) I think the consistency the senator from the 50th talks about is something we would all welcome. And I think the prospect that, uh, we have uniformity in our lives and less interruptions is something we would all welcome. The concern I have though, and I just, uh, use this as an opportunity to voice perhaps the, the, the alternate opinion is that as interconnected as we are as a state, um, if Georgia moves forward alone, I know we're, we're, we're petitioning the Department of Transportation to, to authorize us to do this pursuant to federal law. [2:40:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9649s) But if this were to move forward as it's proposed, um, without having other states in the eastern seaboard and the eastern time zone moving with us, what this would create, uh, unfortunately, is a circumstance in which Georgia, um, has one uniform time across the year and in the, the, the times of the year in November and March where we normally will, will fall back or spring forward will now be off cycle with our neighbors. Um, you know, if this bill was proposed to move with all the other neighbors in the Eastern Time Zone, I would support this. [2:41:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9683s) I think the idea is a good idea in its underlying intent, but the, what, what's proposed in 154 is not gonna have my support today because what would happen here is, um, by moving us to the Atlantic Time Zone, if Alas- if Al- if Alabama didn't move, uh, we would have a two-hour separation from Alabama. So if you're in Columbus, Georgia, you'd be two hou- i- it'd be two hour difference in time, um, from your folks in Phenix, Ala- Alabama right across the river for, for major portions of the year. [2:41:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9713s) It would also de-sync folks from a business perspective. Uh, have the opportunity to serve clients across the country, not just in the state. And if you think about this, right now when we spring forward or we move, uh, or we, we fall back, we're doing it consistent with the states around us. We're doing it consistent with, consistent with the states in the Central Time Zone, Mountain Time Zone, Pacific Time Zone. What this would do, if Georgia were approved to do this and do it alone, we would be de-synced those months of the year. [2:42:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9744s) Some months of the year we, we, we would be consistent with South Carolina and our neighbors. Other months of the year we, we, we would not be consistent with South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and even folks in other time zones. It would just, it would create chaos, um, by us having to maintain not just what time zone we're in, but what months of the year we're in for scheduling meetings, flights, and schedules. And I think there's just some unintended consequences that aren't contemplated in HB fifty- 154. So I applaud the senator from the 50th as in intentions to try to create some consistency, but I think unfortunately, as it's crafted, it would create more inconsistency and more confusion, and I think, uh, we need to come back another time and do this in a complete holistic way with all the states in the Eastern Time Zone and perhaps all the states across the country so that this is done consistently and it creates the kind of consistency and predictability that's intended in the, in the, in the over- underlying proposition. [2:43:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9799s) And that, Mr. President, is not something that w- that w- I think should excite great passions. But if we stop and think carefully about this, I think the pr- current proposal before us, um, c- actually creates more inconsistency than perhaps it solves. And with that, Mr. President, I'm gonna have to respectfully and in, in, in respect to my friend from the 50th, uh, not support, uh, HB 154. Thank you. [2:43:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9823s) All right. Ready now, senator from the 9th? [2:43:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9839s) It's daylight saving. Daylight saving. We just want one thing. One, no more changing the time back. Uh, thank you, Mr. President. I rise in support of, uh, HB 154. Um, I just wanna point out a few things. I think, I, I know this seems like, yeah, why are we debating about this bill? But I want you to consider something that time changes do disrupt kids with special needs. Um, those with ADHD and those that are struggling with autism, these type of disrupt- disruptions do affect them. [2:44:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9870s) I think we should talk to some parents about this and maybe some teachers and, and understand that this is a problem even for those that have small children. I remember when I had small children, and, um, what children thrive on is a routine, and every time the cha- time changes back and forth, that routine gets disrupted. Um, so it's just something to consider about creating a consistent environment, a calming environment. And I think we've had this bill before in the past or something similar, and I had so many parents reaching out to me at that time saying, "This is what we want. [2:45:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9903s) Our, our kids are complaining every time the time changes. Um, it's just disruptive for them. They're tired." So I'm in support of this bill, um, and I ask my colleagues to please consider other implications. I think the state of Georgia can lead in this and, um, you know, maybe some other states will follow us. And with that, Mr. President, I yield the floor. [2:45:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9922s) Senator has yielded. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? [2:45:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9931s) Senator, would you like to close? All right, come on. [2:45:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9939s) So we're going from Central to Eastern to now Atlantic. Is that right? [2:45:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9944s) That's right. [2:45:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9945s) All right. [2:45:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9948s) Thank you, Mr. President. Just to address some concerns from a senator from the 37th. Um, he, he brought up, "Well, let's do this another time." Well, we've, we've done this, and Georgia along with over 20 other states in the country have always already passed legislation that said, "If Congress acts, we will switch to daylight savings time year round." Well, Congress has not moved on this issue. Actually, the US Senate passed it [2:46:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=9980s) In 2022, the House never took it up. The US House passed it in 2024, the Senate never pis- uh, never picked it up. So I think this is a federal process that's in place that we can take advantage of, and I think other states will follow. We are the number one state in the nation to do business, and I think if other states wanna stay in sync with Georgia, they will, and other states will petition to do the same. [2:46:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=10010s) With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor. All right, sir. Senator's yielded. [2:47:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=10020s) 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 agree to the report of 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 by substitute. All those in favor of the bill will vote yay. All those opposed, nay. Sir Clerk, unlock the machine. [2:48:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=10110s) On the passage of the bills, the yays are 45 and the nays are five, and that's the most interesting coalition of nays I've ever seen right there. [2:48:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=10125s) This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitute. [2:48:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=10133s) Let's take about a 30-minute lunch break, and I know there's some food for the senators in any room. We'll take about a 30-minute lunch break, and then we'll come back. [3:35:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=12948s) The Senate will come back to order. [3:37:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13023s) Secretary, read House Bill 439. [3:37:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13029s) House Bill 439 by Representative Zietta of the 152nd and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 48-8-50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to compensation of dealers for reporting and paying tax and reimbursement deduction so as to revise deductions allowed to dealers, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Finance recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Hufstetler, the 52nd District chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Finance offers the following substitute to House Bill 439, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to local government so as to authorize the establishment of local homeowners incentive adjustment grant programs, to provide definitions, to provide constitutional authorization, to provide for referendums to establish and discontinue such programs, to provide for the appropriation of funds to support such programs, to provide for the calculation, application, and limitations on tax credits, to provide for rules and regulations, to provide for recoverability, to amend Article 7 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to miscellaneous local administrative positions so as to authorize the establishment of local homeowners incentive pro- gr- uh, incentive adjustment grant funds, to provide for an effective date, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. [3:38:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13099s) Mr. President, that completes the order. [3:38:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13104s) Recognize senator from the 24th. [3:38:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13127s) Thank you, Mr. President. I bring you House Bill 439. This is a very important bill that will, we can actually help our property owners reduce their property taxes. This bill authorizes the establishment of local homeowners inc- incentive adjustment grant fund by cities and counties. This too has been a- available in the state already, but now we wanna offer it to the local governments. This bill creates to p- provide a local community's ability to voluntarily rebate homestead property tax using collected taxes that are determined to be more than their budget requires for that year. [3:39:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13173s) Local governments that are experiencing digest growth that does not come along with the additional spending of simply controlling cost- costs so that they have a surplus can use the tool, this tool to direct relief to our homeowners. This tool gives local governments a way to provide relief for, and as flexible. This government, this government decides, the local government decides if it wants to participate. [3:40:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13207s) The voters approve the program by a referendum. Then each year, as long as the government has the available funds, the government places funds in an account of its choosing into a separate account, and that account is used to divide, um, the funds between the homeowners. This grant amount will, will be reduced the homeowners' property tax bill. [3:40:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13237s) Thank you so much, and I ask you for you, uh, to vote green on a very important bill for our people that have property owners, that, that have property. Thank you. [3:40:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13251s) Y- you have no question, Senator? Thank you. I ask you to vote green- Oh, I'm sorry. You, you- ... for the great people of the great state of Georgia. You have a question. He, he, you have a question or not, Senator? Or do you- I do. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You go ahead, Senator. [3:41:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13269s) We'll get to them after we get done with the questions. Recognize the senator from the fifty-first. [3:41:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13277s) Does any other senator want to speak for or against the measure? Chair hears none. Now, senator from the thirty-third, you want to start excusing for some folks? [3:41:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13288s) Thank you, Mr. President. I ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the forty-fourth for business inside the Capitol. [3:41:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13295s) Without objection, the senator from the forty-fourth is excused. Recognize the senator from the fifty-first. [3:41:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13300s) Motion to excuse the senator from the sixth for business inside the Capitol. [3:41:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13304s) All right. Without objection, the senator from the sixth is excused. Senator from the forty-first. [3:41:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13310s) Thank you. I ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senators from the forty-fourth and the twenty-second. [3:41:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13315s) Without objection, the senators from the forty-fourth and twenty-second are excused. [3:42:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13321s) All right. Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. 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 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. The main question is ordered. Question is on the passage of the bill by substitute. All those in favor will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, enlighten the machine. [3:44:11](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13451s) On the passage of the bill, the ayes are forty-nine, the nays are one. This bill, having received the requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitute. [3:44:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13467s) Secretary, read House Bill seven seventeen. [3:44:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13473s) House Bill seven seventeen by Representatives Cooper of the forty-fifth and others, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Article two chap- of Chapter thirty-four, Title forty-three of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the Medical Practice Act of the State of Georgia so as to provide for the regulation of the administration of psychedelic-assisted treatment and therapy, to provide for definitions, to provide for standards, to provide for requirements, to provide for the establishment of rules and regulations, to provide for licensure of clinics, to provide for statutory construction, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws for other purposes. Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Health and Human Services recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. [3:45:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13503s) Respectfully submitted, Senator Watson of the first district, chairman. The Senate commit... Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services offers the following substitute to House Bill seven seventeen, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Article two of Chapter thirty-four of Title forty-three of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the Medical Practice Act of the State of Georgia so as to provide for the regulation of the administration of psychedelic-assisted treatment and for other purposes. Mr. President, that completes the order. [3:45:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13529s) Recognize the senator from the first. [3:45:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13542s) Thank you, Mr. President. I'm here presenting, uh, House Bill seven seventeen. Let me first of all say that there are no psychedelic-assisted treatment clinics in the State of Georgia. As a matter of fact, there are no psychedelic drugs that are legal in the State of Georgia or much less the United States of America. There are Stage 2 and Stage 3 clinical trials going on with, uh, psychedelic drugs, and that is why we're here today, sort of a preemptive strike. [3:46:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13577s) Because what's happened in the past, and I'll give you an example, the ketamine clinics, uh, got ahead of us, and we had to come back in and rein them in. So, um, the Composite Board, Georgia Composite Board of Medical Examiners or Board itself is, uh, has been, uh, working with other boards around the nation and came to us with this, uh, legislation. And this bill, if you'll note, is similar to the ketamine, uh, clinic, uh, legislation that we passed earlier. [3:46:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13613s) So this basically is the, uh, bill that if that ever does become legal, and I will tell you I have reviewed articles in JAMA and other journals, and it does look like the, uh, those potential Schedule 1 drugs would go to a lower schedule and would be, uh, beneficial from disorders like, uh, generalized anxiety disorder from moderately severe. So that's all this does is set a framework for, uh, the psychedelic-assisted treatment clinics in which it, uh, requires, uh, certain conditions and rules and, and all of that. [3:47:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13652s) So, uh, Mr. President, I'll be happy to answer any questions on House Bill seven seventeen. [3:47:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13666s) Thank you. [3:47:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13669s) Recognize the senator from the fourteenth. [3:48:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13682s) Thank you, Mr. President. I rise in enthusiastic support of this bill, and I just wanna m- note this occasion so that y'all can be aware of how important the work you're about to do is, not just for the people of Georgia in general, but specifically for our veterans and our first responders. We've been talking a little bit in the last couple years about breakthrough therapies that go beyond traditional pharmaceuticals to try to treat conditions like treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress, and other debilitating conditions that veterans and first responders, uh, acquire after their years of service to the s- local, state, and, uh, federal governments. [3:48:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13718s) Um, it cannot be stressed enough that some of these breakthrough therapies are so transformational that they don't just treat the symptoms of post-traumatic stress and depression. In many cases, veterans and first responders find after treatment, appropriate treatment, that they are no longer diagnosable [3:48:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13737s) with post-traumatic stress and treatment-resistant depression. Ah, really transformative stuff that because of the federal, ah, culture war from several decades ago against these, ah, medications, there are veterans and first responders who have left the country to go to other countries where these treatments are more readily available. And so, ah, it's just really important for Georgia to recognize the potential for this. Kudos to the senator from the 1st for carrying this, and kudos to the House members who worked on this. Ah, but I just want you all to be very proud of yourselves because this is, ah, in fact, a huge leap forward for Georgia and our ability to respond, ah, to the needs of the people who have given the most for us. [3:49:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13774s) Thank you, Mr. President. [3:49:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13778s) All right. Thank you, Senator. Senator from the 42nd, for what purpose do you rise? Ask unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the 6th. He's, he's been excused, senator. Ah. Now he's not. Oh, never mind. We'll take it now. Apparently he snuck back in here. [3:50:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13803s) All right. Any other for... Any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Is there objection for previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. 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 the agreeing to the reporter committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. Reporting committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. [3:50:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13833s) 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, align the machine. [3:51:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13902s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 50 and the nays are 1. This bill, having received requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitute. [3:51:52](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13912s) Secretary, read House Bill 1020. [3:52:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13930s) House Bill 1020 by Representatives Reeves of the 99th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 23 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the Georgia Judicial Retirement System so as to provide for the payment of monthly retirement benefits for creditable service as a district attorney at the age of 65 years, to provide for calculation of benefits for individuals who first become members after the effective date of this act, to provide for calculation of survivor's benefits, to provide for conforming changes, to provide for an effective date, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicts in laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Rules recommends that this r- bill do pass by substitute. [3:52:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13961s) Respectfully submitted, as, Senator Brass of the 6th District, chairman. Mr. President, an auditor's note has been attached. [3:53:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=13982s) Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Rules offers the following substitute to House Bill 1020, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to general provisions regarding prosecuting attorneys so as to modify provisions regarding the compensation received by district attorneys, to provide for procedures for district attorneys to opt to receive compensation pursuant to such revised provisions, to provide for grandfathering of certain district attorneys so as to not reduce the compensation paid to such district attorneys, to authorize locality pay by counties to district attorneys in lieu of county salary supplements, to abolish most county salary supplements provided to district attorneys, to authorize continuation of fringe benefits provided by counties to district attorneys, to preserve existing rights and obligations related to retirement benefits provided by counties to district attorneys, to provide for retirement benefits relative to optional locality pay, to amend Code Section 45-7-4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, and for other purposes. [3:53:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14031s) Mr. President, an auditor's note has been attached. Mr. President, Senator Hatchett and others offer the first amendment, read to district attorneys and auditors. Mr. President, Senators Hatchett of the 50th District and others offers the following amendment. Amendment 1, amend the Senate Committee on Rules substitute to House Bill 1020 by replacing line 8 with the following: To authorize continuation of fringe benefits provided by counties to district attorneys and for other purposes. Mr. President, an auditor's note has been attached. Mr. President, that completes the order. Recognize the senator from the 50th. [3:54:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14070s) Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to bring House Bill 1020. This is very similar to the bill we passed, ah, last year for the superior court judges. This is the same type of idea for district attorneys across the state. There is a just pretty big, um, gap between what the lowest and the highest district attorneys in the state are paid. This allows for parity across the state for district attorneys. Ah, it would set a district attorney salary. [3:55:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14102s) The maximum would be 88% of a federal judge, and it also caps the local supplement at 10%, but there is a phase in. Happy to answer any questions, but would ask for your favorable support. [3:55:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14122s) Any questions? Recognize the senator from the 26th. 26th. Thank you, Mr. President. Gentleman, you- I do ... you were mighty brief. Tell us what you are doing with these salaries and local supplement. We are increasing the salaries that the state pays district attorneys to address the issue of parity across the state for all district attorneys. [3:55:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14157s) The district attorney salary will be s- capped- [3:55:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14159s) At 88% of a federal judge, which is exactly what we did last year for superior court judges. And then the local supplements we are limiting them to 10% of the s- amount that the state pays the district attorneys. [3:56:15](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14175s) W- w- why are you limiting the local supplement? We in those particular districts decide what the supplement's gonna be. So why, why would you come in and limit what we can do? [3:56:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14192s) It's, it's goes all, all along the same policy that we have with the judges and so we're giving the district attorneys a significant bump from state pay to address an issue that we're seeing across the state where some district attorneys are getting paid much less than others and this is to bring parity across the whole system. [3:56:52](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14212s) You, you talking... Isn't it true you are talking about different localities with DAs which have more money than the other municipalities or the districts and so their supplement is higher than those in the other districts, so why would you cap what we do within our districts where we have these judges? [3:57:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14245s) Once again, it's just a policy decision to make parity across the state with district attorneys. If you're worried about a specific district attorney in your district right now, this doesn't require them to opt in. Your district attorney will have the option to either opt in or out, but all district attorneys elected after your district attorney steps down will have to opt in, but the 10% right now would be over $20,000 so we're making your district attorney, if they get the supplement, will make over $200,000. [3:57:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14275s) Will the gentleman further yield? [3:57:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14277s) I will. [3:57:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14279s) You are changing a bunch of it. I tried to read it. I'm not a lawyer. I'm a street lawyer. What you're doing is a significant change in what we have right now. If I'm not mistaken, you change when new judges come in, you change what we've already been doing as far as our supplement to those judges. Now you are capping them and making the decision for us in the district as to how much we gonna supplement the DA. [3:58:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14315s) I think what we're doing is we're taking the burden of having to finance these district attorneys off the locals and we're putting it on the state and so the state will pay the bulk of the salary and then a local will only be allowed to play, pay 10% of a supplement, which 10% of a supplement a district attorney will be making more than a federal judge. That's pretty good. [3:58:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14339s) You still have not answered my question. Why are you trying to cap what we do on a local supplement? Why are you trying to cap what we do within that district and determine from up here as to what that supplement would be? [3:59:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14362s) You know, I've tried to answer it many ways, but I'll try it again. It is a policy decision to bring parity amongst district attorneys. This is widely supported by district attorneys. We are still allowing for a local supplement, but the local supplement will be capped at 10%. That is the most you can give so that we don't run into this issue again. District attorneys, their caseload, uh, for the most part is similar across the state, they're elected, and they should have parity. [3:59:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14399s) Recognize the senator from the 36th. [4:00:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14404s) Thank you, Mr. President. Does the senator yield? [4:00:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14406s) I do. [4:00:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14407s) Um, i- isn't it true we've heard a lot of language up here in this session about how these metro counties have very special features and, uh, have heavy workloads and are at the center of the state and have the largest populations? Haven't we heard a lot of rhetoric about why we need to treat them differently and in fact have passed a bill that reflects that? [4:00:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14432s) I, I know we have had those conversations. [4:00:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14434s) That's right, and why wouldn't that reasoning apply here, uh, a- as the, the gentleman from Macon was pointing out, those of us in highly populated, uh, um, metropolitan areas who have deci- who want the best and the brightest in our d- district attorney's office and positions and we decide to commit funds to remunerate that position that has a, a- an array of complex cases and, and, and statistically all sorts of, o- outranking other counties in terms of the, the, the demands that are put on that position. [4:01:14](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14474s) Why would, why would it be a smart idea for the state to step in and tell us that we can't compensate our district attorneys in these, uh, areas a- as, as, uh, as is the local will rather than being restricted from that by the state? [4:01:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14492s) I think it goes back to the answer that I gave the gentleman from the 26th. This is a policy discussion and it's, uh, um, surrounds having parity between all district attorneys in the state just like we did with the judges. The prosecuting attorney council is in favor of this legislation, uh, and this is something that will bring parity and it does not do away with local supplements. It allows a local district or circuit to pay their district attorney up to 10% of the state's salary [4:02:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14522s) Further question if I could. [4:02:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14523s) Mm-hmm. [4:02:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14526s) And I'm not picking on anybody's county, but if you compare the workload, the demands, the complexity, ah, that a, a DA in the circuit with Clinch County has with Fulton County, how, what would that comparison look like? [4:02:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14545s) I think if you just looked at case number, you'd be making a good argument. But- [4:02:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14549s) Thank you [4:02:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14550s) ... for- [4:02:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14550s) I appreciate that. [4:02:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14551s) Well, but I will finish. Some counties like mine and, and other rural counties don't have the resources to p- have county funded ADAs, which are assistant district attorneys. They don't have the support staff. So while yes, larger counties and circuits may have a higher caseload, they also have support staff that is funded by the county. This is for district attorneys only in their elected position, which they run for like we do. We all get paid the same. We get paid the exact same as the House members. [4:03:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14584s) It's a government elected position. This is taking a burden off of the locals and if you're a current district attorney now, you can keep the system you're in. [4:03:15](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14595s) A further question if the gentleman will yield. Uh, so you, you, there's no reason really that you would object to a, an amendment that removes this cap, this artificial cap that's placed, uh, on a locality's ability to, uh, enhance the, the pay for their district attorney. Isn't that right? [4:03:36](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14616s) I would object. It goes back to the policy discussion that I've been s- saying since I've been in the well. It's all about parity across the state for district attorneys, and doing that would widen the gap again and would cause an issue where there aren't, there's not parity between district attorneys. [4:03:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14635s) Well, it's, I think considerable grounds for disagreement on that perspective, but I think we've spoken about it, uh, extensively at this point. We will all be voting, won't we? [4:04:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14647s) That's right. [4:04:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14650s) Man, Senator, we were moving smooth and then you brought this up today. We got a lot of questions here. [4:04:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14659s) Recognize the senator from the 55th. [4:04:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14663s) To the gentleman in the well, will the gentleman yield? [4:04:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14667s) Yes, I will. [4:04:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14668s) I think the, uh, distinguished senator prior to me has kind of covered where I was going, but isn't that true that we just had a bill covering five DAs that are in the metropolitan area that was distinctively different than the other DAs in this state? [4:04:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14690s) Are you... I'm sorry to my friend from the 55th, I'm not sure which bill you're talking about. [4:04:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14695s) Well, specifically, um, the, the real issue that I wanted to address is that we did have legislation that only went to, uh, the races, the, how the elections would be held for five metropolitan counties. Is that not true? [4:05:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14717s) Is this... Once again, I'm not sure which legislation you're talking about. [4:05:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14721s) Okay. [4:05:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14722s) But if you can, if you can let me know, I'm happy to address it. [4:05:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14724s) But is it, is it further true that you just stated that some of your rural DAs don't have the resources that are needed to do their job? Is that not true? [4:05:36](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14736s) I think what I said is that some counties have more resources than others to pay county funded positions, and in rural counties, those county funded positions are not as, um, are not as frequent as you see in the metro counties. [4:05:54](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14754s) Will the gentleman further yield? [4:05:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14755s) I will yield for one more question to my friend from the 55th. [4:05:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14758s) Well, this issue is so important and I, I respectfully understand that you only want to take one more question. But is it not true that those of us who represent the metropolitan area want to get all the resources in South Georgia because I don't want to drive through your county, someone else's county and not have competent help, but is it not true that I don't want you limiting what I believe should be in DeKalb County, in Fulton County, in Clayton County, in Cobb County, in Gwinnett County, in any county? [4:06:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14798s) Is that not true? [4:06:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14800s) Well, first off, I'm from North Georgia, but also I think the senator knows of, of what he speaks- [4:06:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14804s) Well, even, even North Georgia [4:06:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14805s) ... and has his own opinions. That, Mr. President, I'm happy to yield the well. Thank you. [4:06:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14811s) Well, you have that right. [4:06:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14817s) Did you... [4:07:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14821s) Recognize the senator from the 19th. [4:07:14](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14834s) Thank you, Mr. President. Let's talk a little bit about this. The debate seemed to center around or think that this is somehow aimed to hurt metro areas or keeps metro areas from funding their DA's office. That is patently false. What it does prevent you from doing is paying certain salaries of a higher amount to elected officials. It says that if you're an elected official at a certain position, we are going to fix your salary on a statewide scale. That is all this bill says. We have already done that in one other instance, in judges last year. [4:07:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14868s) Through the entire judicial branch, we did that. We said, "If you want to be the title judge, here's what your pay will be statewide." The comment came up that this then prevents metro communities from funding their DA's office. No, it does not. You can fund your ADAs, as many of them as you want. In fact, right now, many metro offices already do. What you can't do is pay an elected official an obscenely large amount or a small amount more than they're getting paid in other areas of the state. [4:08:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14904s) When you qualify to run for office, when you put your name on that ballot, when you sign the oath downstairs, you're signing up for public service, not public enrichment. And what this bill ensures is that whatever title you are, wherever you're at in the state, your pay is generally the same. Now, I said generally for a reason, because if you're currently a district attorney, like some people think that this bill is aimed at, you actually have a carve out here. You get to keep the pay you're making right now for as long as you're district attorney. [4:08:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14935s) It is not aimed at you. If it was, we would do what the general assembly can do and make s- kind of like an ex post facto law that brought in all the metro DAs now. But we did not do that. We said instead, if you wanna opt into the new system, you can. If you live in Clinch County like the one of our colleagues, the senator from the 36th brought up, and you wanna opt into this new system, then great. If you wanna stay under your old system, great. But if you do come under the new system, we are gonna make sure if the state's picking up this extra part of retirement, if the state's picking up this extra part of your pay, that the pay has parity across the entire state the exact same way that we did for judges. [4:09:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=14982s) I wanna commend the District Attorneys Council, PAC, for their work on this. I know this isn't universal- versally loved across their board. Neither was the judge pay. But we have seen that a majority of the judges opted into the new system. Some stayed out, as was their prerogative and their right. They also worked with us, PAC worked with us to literally copy the provisions that we put in the judicial bill, noticing that it took us three years to get the judge bill worked out, and they didn't want to do the same. They wanted to get this done a little bit quicker on their side. [4:10:12](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15012s) So I commend them for their work on this, appreciate what they've done to work with us. It also raises district attorney retirement. You know district attorneys could retire right now at 60. There ain't nobody in our state retiring at 60 anymore, so we're moving the retirement ages up to make sure these actuarial numbers fit with what's we're seeing in the private sector, what hardworking Georgians are doing. They're not retiring at 60. Some aren't retiring at 70. So this puts that job title in a position of parity across the state, and it also puts the retirement in a position of parity as it relates to the folks who are actually paying that wage in the first place. [4:10:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15049s) Thank you again, uh, to the senator from the 50th for bringing this bill, and I'll yield the well, or I'll take a question from the senator from the 41st who seems like she wants to ask me one. [4:10:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15057s) Recognize the senator from the 41st. [4:10:59](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15059s) Thank you, M- Mr. President. Does the senator yield? [4:11:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15061s) Of course. [4:11:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15063s) Senator, can you talk a bit about, um, the way that superior court judges are, um, compensated in terms of... Well, not compensated, but just talk to me about their caseload. [4:11:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15073s) Yeah. [4:11:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15073s) Um, are those caseloads maintained with parity across the state, or, or is there fluctuation in those? [4:11:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15079s) We try to balance those out across the state. You'll actually see, not to preview what you may see in, in the later parts of this week, but there's some discussions there on how that caseload system works as well. We don't necessarily need to be crea- creating a system that creates new judgeships every single year. [4:11:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15095s) Sir, do you further yield? [4:11:36](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15096s) Sure. [4:11:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15097s) So is there a similar system for DAs that allow the appointment of an additional DA when we find that the caseload is becoming more greater than the rest of the people around the state? Is there, you know, a new DA who gets added like we add new jud- judges? [4:11:52](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15112s) We have. We have split circuits and done things like that before. We're now in the situation, though, where many of the metro circuits are simply one county. And if you read the state constitution, a district attorney's district has to be at least one whole county, so you're barred by the constitution from splitting that any smaller. [4:12:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15127s) So therefore, is it not true that there are DAs who serve one county who have simply more casework than someone who represents, say, a Clinch County? [4:12:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15136s) Uh, i- if, if you assume that they are trying every single one of their cases, that would be correct. But they are not. In fact, they have many more ADAs than the counties like we... We're, we're picking on our senator from the 8th, buddy, 'cause Clinch County got raised earlier. [4:12:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15152s) I know. [4:12:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15152s) But the ADAs that are in their county are, there are more ADAs in those counties, too. [4:12:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15158s) Senator, do you further yield? [4:12:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15160s) Sure. [4:12:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15160s) Who supervises all of those ADAs? [4:12:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15162s) Y- You have- [4:12:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15163s) Who supervises all of the employees that make that office function? [4:12:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15166s) In the same way that the lieutenant governor supervises every single one of us in the Senate, the attorney general- [4:12:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15173s) Oh [4:12:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15173s) ... supervises every, uh, the, the, or the attorney general supervises his entire office or her entire office, then the district attorney in, would supervise their entire office. [4:13:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15180s) Does the senator further yield? [4:13:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15181s) Sure. [4:13:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15182s) You're smooth with your talk, but, uh, not necessarily all that accurate. [4:13:05](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15185s) Well, when it, um- [4:13:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15186s) But, Senator- [4:13:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15186s) When you, when you say the same thing amount, re- regardless of what room you're in, it sounds smooth, I suppose. [4:13:11](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15191s) So, Senator, is it not true that each and every one of us in this body is paid a base salary that is the same because we represent the same general amount of people? Is that not true? [4:13:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15204s) We are, but we don't change our pay in year eight when those numbers are obviously very skewed. [4:13:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15211s) However, do you further yield? [4:13:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15213s) I will. [4:13:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15214s) Is it not true that people who have to commute longer distances get compensated greater because they are commuting longer distances via mileage reimbursements? Is it not true that legislators who have to drive further have greater compensation, that there are opportunities to try to make it more equal? Is that not true? [4:13:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15231s) Th- th- that, that is not true. Your per diem is not based on your mileage. Your per diem- [4:13:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15236s) Your mileage [4:13:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15236s) ... across district- [4:13:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15237s) Your mileage [4:13:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15237s) ... is all the same. Now, your mileage is if you're actually traveling, but we do that for district attorneys, too. We reimburse their mileage when they travel. So that's, I, again, I think this is an apples and oranges argument. If you wanna make the case that an elected official should be paid more money by their county, I, I, I'm not falling into that- that logic. I think that elected officials know what they're walking into. They are paid the same regardless of their title, regardless of their s- um, location in the state, and I don't think the public would support, e- especially if they realize that a, a local elected official could be paid three times or four times or five times what an ADA made. [4:14:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15280s) W- how is that fair? [4:14:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15282s) Does the senator further yield for one last question? [4:14:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15286s) Sure. [4:14:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15286s) So earlier you stated that this is a situation where current DAs can either opt in or opt out. [4:14:52](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15292s) It is. [4:14:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15293s) Is it not true that when a new DA is elected in that same county that still has a greater workload, that has a larger amount of ADAs that have to be supervised, that is working ostensibly more complex cases than another place, is it not true that that person will not have the option to opt out? [4:15:12](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15312s) Well, I don't accept the premise that they're operating more complex cases. I don't. It doesn't matter how many times the senator from the 36th speaks under her breath, I still do not believe that. So I can't accept that premise. What I can tell you, though, is that an elected official, regardless of where they are located in the state, would be paid the exact same thing based on parity. Remember the argument that was brought to us first on judges and then on DAs is, "Hey, there's not parity across this position." We've solved the parity issue. [4:15:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15344s) What we're not willing to do is solve the parity issue and leave the parity... or solve the pay issue, leave the parity issue, and then be in this exact same position in three or four years. Mr. President, if there are no further questions, I'm happy to yield the well. [4:15:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15358s) You can yield the well whenever you like, Senator. [4:16:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15364s) Does any other senator wish to speak? There is one. Senator from the 55th. [4:16:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15387s) Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I really don't even wanna dog in this fight, but I'm all for having justice in North Georgia, I'm for having justice in South Georgia, I'm in h- I'm for justice all over the state of Georgia. But too often, we are now picking on metro Atlanta, and it's getting out of hand. You wanna allow the next DA in DeKalb, Gwinnett, et cetera, to, to be paid what may be an unconstitutional system in the first place, 'cause I believe that we really need to look at the malapportionment of justice in this state and how we are electing DAs. [4:17:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15444s) Because we are from districts that probably do violate the 14th Amendment, and that's a fight that maybe we need to look at so that we can stop playing these other games. Now, with respect to, [4:17:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15461s) I represent DeKalb County and Gwinnett Counties. I don't represent Fulton County, but I do represent Fulton County because I- I'm upholding the law of the state of Georgia. And when the m- Madam DA from Fulton County resigns or goes off somewhere else, we want competent district attorney who will have the audacity to stand up even to the President of the United States and not have somebody who is not paid or compensated well if it matters that democracy is protected. [4:18:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15500s) And right now, we are again dealing with something as basic as the foundations of democracy, because if you cannot get justice in our courts, which right now the Supreme Court has only 39% approval rating because it's so partisan, and now you're trying to bring that whole thing into the DA's office, into the judiciary system, and I think it's appalling that we would go to this length. [4:18:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15533s) Because even right now, 61 years after Bloody Sunday, this very month, here we are dealing with this whole notion of who can represent whom. If I wanna pay my DA more money, that should be my prerogative. It should be no business of somebody in North Georgia, South Georgia, or no Georgia. Shelby versus Holder took away the [4:19:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15564s) Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, something that started 61 years ago when I didn't have the right to be in here. I wanna remind you of that. [4:19:36](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15576s) And right now, there's a case called Coleias, Louisiana Coleias, threatening Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. [4:19:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15587s) And this body can do whatever it wants to do, it has, whether it's germane or not, but I want to stand and say it's wrong. Partisan gerrymandering is wrong. It's destroying this country. When you can draw my predecessor, the woman that was leading the Democratic Party, my predecessor was drawn out of her district, and I, and I'm campaigning in her area and not realizing that's part of why she can't come back And I think it's wrong when we started attacking each others in the way that we have been doing. [4:20:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15628s) It's wrong for Georgia to lead midterm redistricting as it did in 2024, before Texas did, before the Texas legislators left Texas to avoid unfair and partisan gerrymandering. And that's what we're doing here. We are cutting the legs off of democracy chip by chip. And I, and I want you to examine in your heart whether this whole path that we're going down [4:21:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15666s) is something that we really want to put above our country. Do we have loyalty to our country or more loyalty to a party? Do we have more loyalty to a country or more loyalty even to an individual? [4:21:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15687s) So seldom does it really matter, but I believe it does matter because it needs to be called out as just wrong. It's wrong when I can go to a part of this country, this, this, this state and worry about whether or not I'm gonna get justice. I have to say that because some of our jails are filled with people who simply didn't have the finances to, to get justice, and that's just wrong. And we need DAs that are not there to make a name off the backs of poor people, the least and the lost and the left out, to do what's right. [4:22:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15730s) So why do I stand up here today? I stand up here today simply to say that when you are unwilling to do an amendment, and I didn't even draft that amendment, I asked for some help to draft it, the amendment that just would take off the cap. Because if, if, if, if our county commissioners, if our local elected officials pay a DA too much money, then I believe the electorate, I trust the people. This is the people's house, and I think that's what we forget. [4:22:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15761s) We forget that this is the people's house. These are the people that we represent out here, and if they see that DAs are being paid too much, I think they can raise that issue, and I don't think that's the case here. So I think the real issue is we don't have the audacity, the intestinal fortitude to have more than millionaires and retired people in this legislature, in this Senate. Very few people can leave a law practice or a business for months and come back and see it. [4:23:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15798s) And that's why some of us can enjoy what we're doing here because we don't have the audacity to pass a bill, to pass legislation to even make 50% of what the governor makes, 25% of what the governor makes, $20,000, because it really doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter. We can't have people, everyday citizens that can come into this legislature because we've forgotten that this is the people house. [4:23:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15836s) We've forgotten that we can buy elections. Citizens is United is wrong for that reason, because we can now buy elections, and we can be worried about whether someone with money is gonna primary you because you didn't vote on one thing, and that's what's wrong with this. We're going down that slippery slope, chipping away at democracy. [4:24:26](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15866s) Now you're gonna tell me I can't pay my DA. [4:24:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15872s) Not everybody has the audacity to go up against a sitting president, but someone did, and they're paying dearly. The first thing I voted on was dealing with that very issue, and that's this issue still in this legislation. It doesn't say it, but the handwriting is all over it. And I would st- I would simply say that I stand here because [4:25:05](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15905s) when someone can say, and I said it last about a week or so ago, but when a sitting president can say that the governor of Georgia should be put in jail, [4:25:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15919s) if you disagree with the man who recorded that thing that said, "Give me 11,780 votes," you disagree with the secretary of state. But to say that because he did that, he should be put in jail. The Black woman that was counting, Ms. Ruby, that was counting those votes, to say she should be put in jail. I stand because if they can be put in jail, they will put me up under the jail, and that's why I'm standing here, because we need people of integrity, and we need to pay them what they deserve, not the pennies that we come down here and sacrifice. [4:26:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15960s) And I wanna say thank you for your service, but at the same time, op- as James Brown said, "Open up the door, I'll get it myself." Let's open up the door to democracy to everybody, not just a few. Not just a few, and that's what we're becoming. [4:26:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=15979s) Thank you for this time. But I say this because I do care about this country. I do care about Georgia. I do care that we would have the audacity to tell local elected officials what they can't do, and that's what this bill does. You slip out, you, you say, "Okay, if you stay in that position, you can get, do whatever the, the local government wants, but once you leave, the next person, we won't pay them." So that's why I stand. [4:26:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16013s) And I wanna say this because when Section 2 is attacked, this whole notion of what happened 61 years ago when John Lewis got his head blooded, that's Dred Scott versus... We are in dangerous steps where the, now you got the executive, you got the executive, you got the legislative, and now the judiciary, you're trying to sew it all up where people are under pressure to do what one or two people want done, and that's why I stand here. [4:27:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16053s) I stand here because [4:27:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16057s) when we redraw the lines here in Georgia [4:27:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16068s) so that one faction has an unfair advantage over the other, that is not one nation indivisible. We are dividing rather than having a United States of America. I thank you for listening. I don't have an amendment. [4:28:12](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16092s) I will do an amendment if I have the time that says take off the cap. [4:28:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16099s) Senator from the 19th, I respect you very greatly, and author of this bill, I respect even more. But I would simply say that limiting what local elected officials can do is just wrong. Thank you very much. I yield the will. [4:28:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16119s) Senator is yielded. [4:28:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16123s) Senator from the 50th, would you like to close? You stirred it up in here, Senator. I don't know if we're talking about a pay raise bill or if we're talking about something else. [4:28:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16138s) Mr. President, I'm kind of in the same situation you are. I did not expect this fight. Uh, didn't think this was gonna be as partisan as it turned out to be. I'm just gonna make a couple points. The governor's salary was brought up. The number of people you represent was brought up. We're about to pay district attorneys more than the governor. [4:29:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16161s) Second, it was brought up about people sitting in our jails. I have a letter from the Georgia Public Defender's Office in support of this. [4:29:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16171s) Third, well, this is a metro county. How could you possibly pay district attorneys this in the metro county? This is 88% of the Northern District, which is a federal circuit in metro Atlanta. 88% of the judge's salary for a federal court in metro Atlanta, and they can get up to 10% more. So they're gonna be making more than the governor. They're gonna be making more than a federal judge in metro Atlanta. [4:30:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16206s) I, I, I respect the political nature of, of these debates to some degree. I respect that you've g- got to... I, I know you're getting calls from your district attorneys. Let me just say this. Call them back and ask them, "Hey, before you retire, are you gonna opt into this system?" I guarantee you every single one of them will, because it's fair. With that, Mr. President, I yield the will. [4:30:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16239s) All right. So now it's time. The question is on amendment number one offered by senator from the 50th. Is there objection to amendment number one? Without objection, amendment number one is adopted. Question is on the adoption of the committee substitute as amended. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute as amended? Hearing none, committee substitute as amended is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the order of the unique committee which is favorable to the passage of the bill? [4:31:14](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16274s) Chair hears none. Order 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 by substitute. All those in favor of the bill vote yay. Opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine. [4:31:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16294s) Senator from the 8th, what purpose do you rise? [4:31:36](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16296s) Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. President. [4:31:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16298s) State your inquiry. [4:31:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16299s) Mr. President, is it not true that Clinch County was mentioned quite a few times during that debate? [4:31:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16305s) I believe Clinch County was mentioned more times than I've ever heard it mentioned before in this body. [4:31:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16310s) Is it, is it not true, Mr. President, that down in the flatwoods of Georgia, the scales of justice are just as equal in, in, in Clinch County as they are in any county in Georgia, Mr. President? [4:32:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16320s) Clinch County is a wonderful, wonderful place, Senator, with wonderful people in it, too. [4:32:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16351s) On the passage of the bill, the yeas are 32, the nays are 19. This bill having received requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed by substitute. [4:32:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16368s) Secretary read House Bill 1024. House Bill 1024 by Representative Hong of the 103rd and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 44-13-100 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to exemptions for purposes of bankruptcy and in- interstate insolvent estates so as to revise the exemption for a debtor's aggregate interest in real property or personal property that the debtor or a dependent of the debtor uses as a residence in a cooperative that owns property that the debtor or a dependent of the debtor uses as a residence or in a burial plot to provide for such exemption for the primary residence of spouses to provide for related matters to repeal conflicting laws for other purposes. [4:33:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16407s) Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Banking and Financial Institutions recommend that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Summers, Chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order. [4:33:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16422s) Senator from the 26th, f- for what purpose do you rise? Pardon the inquiry. State your inquiry. Is it true after passing 1020 that I would ask on the next legislative day that, uh, it- 1020 be reconsidered and, and giving it a favorable regard? [4:34:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16453s) Thank you for serving notice, Senator. [4:34:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16464s) And then the appropriate time to, for it to be reconsidered would be on day 37. [4:34:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16473s) Yes, sir, I know. That's a good looking jacket you got on too there, Senator. [4:34:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16487s) Recognize senator from the 16th. [4:35:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16504s) Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, HB 1024, this bill increases the homestead exemption in a bankruptcy case. Bankruptcy law is governed by federal law, but some states, including Georgia, have exemptions governed by state law. Exemptions are amounts of assets that you keep after filing bankruptcy in Georgia. The current homestead exemption is 21,500 for an individual, 43,000 for a joint homestead. Our bankruptcy homestead exemption is one of the lowest in the nation. [4:35:36](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16536s) This bill will increase the bankruptcy homestead exemption f- to 50,000 for an individual, 100,000 for a joint homestead. This hasn't been changed in 11 years, therefore it is needed so that we don't forget the updates or the exemptions over the decades for us. This will also, in starting in July of 2020-- '31, there will be an inflationary index. Also, just as an example of around us, Florida is unlimited, Iowa's unlimited, Kansas is unlimited, and Texas unlimited, and we are in the bottom half of the last twelve of, uh, of the states as far as the amount. [4:36:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16573s) And I believe this is a good bill in increasing those limits. [4:36:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16582s) No questions. 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. Previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the board of committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Board of committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. All those in favor of the bill vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine. [4:37:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16670s) On the passage of the bill, the yeas are 51, the nays are zero. This bill, having received requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed. [4:38:05](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16685s) Secretary read House Bill 979. [4:38:12](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16692s) House Bill 979 by Representative Bonner of the 73rd and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 50-2-27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the retrocession of jurisdiction over lands owned by the United States so as to provide for procedures for the retrocession of jurisdiction in certain circumstances, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security recommends that this bill do pass by substitute. Respectfully submitted, Senator Payne, Chairman. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security offers the following substitute to House Bill 979, a bill to be entitled an act to amend Code Section 50-2-27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the retrocession of jurisdiction over lands owned by the United States, so as to provide for procedures for the retrocession of jurisdiction in certain circumstances, to provide for applicability, to provide for related matters to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. [4:39:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16741s) Mr. President, Senator Payne of the 54th District and- offers the following amendment. Amendment one, amend the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security substitute to House Bill 979 by replacing lines forty-four and forty-five with the following: The parties, the duties authorized in such reciprocal agreement shall be limited to when alleged acts have been committed by persons under seventeen years of age upon United States military installation subject to concurrent jurisdiction. Mr. President, that completes the order. [4:39:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16773s) Recognize senator from the 54th. [4:39:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16786s) Thank you, Mr. President. My friends, uh, HB 979, it request, is requested legislation from the Pentagon's Office of Military Community and Family Policy. This bill provides a framework for our federal military installations to cede jurisdiction to state in case, to the state in cases that involve juveniles. Federal courts have no juvenile code, so that's why this bill is necessary. Serious juvenile misconduct on military bases and installations s- are subject to exclusive federal jurisdiction, can only be adjudicated in a federal court system, which is de- designed for adults. [4:40:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16821s) States' juvenile courts can a- adjudicate juvenile cour- courses, uh, cases when concurrent jurisdiction is established between the state and federal authorities, allowing for more appropriate sentencing and case management outcomes for these un, for those under 17 years of age. Utilizing only a memorandum of understanding for the federal, for the referral of cases in areas of exclusive federal jurisdiction, particularly when there is not concurrent jurisdiction, does not create enforceable law, nor is there a legal system for transferring jurisdiction through such means. [4:40:57](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16857s) HB 979 solves these concerns by providing statutory authori- authorization for the state to accept federal relinquishment of juvenile c- offenses. The broader mission to support children and youth and families remains high priority for the department. Clarifying that Georgia authorities may assert jurisdiction over juveniles on military installations in areas exclusive to federal jurisdiction, en- enables the state law authorities to enforce laws on ba- on a base with respect to civilian family members with validity. [4:41:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16891s) This legislation is not a mandate. It is simply creates a framework for s- State of Georgia to accept these cases if desired, desired. HB 979 will help provide a consistent and appropriate le- legal system t- for our military families and youth throughout our state. These juvenile offenders are just kids, and they should be treated as such, and that's what this bill simply makes that happen. There's also amendment that I brought forward in this bill because the, the leg- language of the original bill that's came over from the House at the, um, line 45 says, "This code section shall be applicable only to persons under 18 years of age." Well, I'm sure that was written by a federal official, and I understand that in Georgia, those under 17 are juveniles, not those under 18. [4:42:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16942s) So that's all the amendment does is clarify that, that, that this only applies to those under the age of 17, which would be applicable to juvenile courts. Mr. President, if there are no questions, I will yield the will. You do have a couple questions, Senator. Recognize senator from the 29th. Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, yield? I certainly do for my friend from Columbus. Senator, is it not true you have experience in the juvenile justice system? Yes, sir. And- 30 years. And during that time, did you, uh, did you have to go to court with juvenile offenders? [4:42:56](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=16976s) I had to go to j- juvenile court several times a week. Um, did you ever have to go to court for a, with a juvenile defendant who was a military dependent? Not where I live. We don't have really military bases up in northwest Georgia, so that, but I'm sure it's very prevalent in, in where you live around Fort Benning, Georgia. I'm, I'm just curious, Senator, um, is my understanding of the bill that if a juvenile on, and we'll say Fort Benning, if they commit an act on Fort Benning as a juvenile, that the framework you're trying to build would r- allow for that individual to be, that case to be adjudicated in the juvenile court there in Muscogee County? [4:43:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17022s) Yes, sir. That's what this bill does. And if that were to be the case and the parent were to be deployed with family, would that have an impact on that case? It would have impact on the case as far as, um, probably the residence of, where the court may place them until they've got an a- appropriate adult to keep them, but it would not as far as their, their court case. If they were, if they were, if the parent was deployed, they would still get their day in court in juvenile court. [4:44:15](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17055s) And if they had already been sentenced to probation or parole, is it not true that there would be an opportunity for that probation or parole to be transferred to another jurisdiction that coincided with where the parent's new deployment would be? Yes. Thank you, Mr. Senator. Uh, thank you, Senator. No other questions. Recognize the senator from the 15th. [4:44:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17079s) Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, yield? I am honored, Dean, that you would ask me a question. Yes, sir. Thank you very much for bringing this bill. Uh, isn't it true that this bill, uh, fosters good relationship between the military and the civilian sector and at the same time have a, a consideration of children who may infract against the law on military posts and not be caught up in a federal system? Absolutely. This, this bill would, it's alr- there's already a, uh, those bridges already exist a- as where you live and, and the military establishments around these areas. [4:45:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17113s) Those relationships are already in existence. This really isn't gonna create those relationship, but this just codifies it into law that those relationships are permissive and acceptable. Thank you for bringing the bill. Thank you. Thank you. [4:45:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17132s) You have no further questions, Senator? Thank you, Mr. President. I ask for your favorable consideration and for the amendment. Thank you, Mr. President. [4:45:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17141s) We have a, a late arriving amendment. Secretary, read the caption. Senator Tillery of the 19th and others offers the following amendment. Amendment two, amend House Bill 979 by striking lines 46 through 47 and replacing with the following. Section two, Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to state government is amended by adding a new code section to read as follows: 50-18-79, If any claim of an unlawful employment practice made against the General Assembly, the House of Representatives, the Senate, or any member, office, or employee thereof, including but not limited to, a claim of sexual harassment, discriminatory harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, is resolved in whole or in part by a settlement agreement, a memorandum of agreement or understanding, or other similar document, however denominated, such agreement shall be subject to public disclosure with the claimant's identity redacted. [4:46:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17188s) For purposes of this sub- subsection exclusively, the General Assembly shall be an agency. This subsection shall be applied retroactively, except as provided for in subsection A of this code section. Nothing in this code section shall be construed or applied as to subject the General Assembly to the provisions of code sections 50-18-70 through 50-18-78 or Chapter 14 of this title. Section three, this act shall become effective upon its approval by the governor or upon its becoming law without such approval. Section four, all laws and parts of law in conflict with this act are repealed. [4:47:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17221s) Mr. President, that completes Suiter. [4:47:08](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17228s) Would you like to speak to your amendment, Senator? Recognizing the senator from the 19th. [4:47:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17240s) Thank you, Mr. President. Amendment number two simply adds what I guess has been termed in our, our room the Epstein amendment to, uh, Senate Bill 979. Simply says that if the General Assembly's entered into any type of settlement to hide sexual harassment, sexual abuse by members of the General Assembly, that it should be open to subject re- uh, to, it should be subject to open records, uh, the same way that the amendment we passed by senator from the 29th passed this chamber unanimously earlier this session. Happy to take any questions or yield the floor. [4:47:52](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17272s) No questions. Still got questions, Senator. Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? [4:48:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17284s) All right. Question is on amendment number one, authored by the senator from the 54th. Is there objection to amendment number one? Without objection, amendment number one is added. Question is on amendment number two, authored by the gentleman from the 19th. Is there objection to amendment number two? Hearing none, amendment number two is added. Question is, is on the adoption of the committee substitute as amended. [4:48:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17315s) 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 voting committee which is favorable to the passage of the bill? Chair hears none. The floor of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. Question is on the passage of the bill by substitute. All those in favor of the bill will vote yay. Opposed, nay. Secretary, enlighten the machine. [4:50:08](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17408s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 50 and the nays are one. This bill, having received requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed by substitute. [4:50:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17423s) Secretary, read House Bill 1164. [4:50:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17430s) House Bill 1164 by Representatives Wade of the 9th 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 require the State Board of Education to appoint an audit committee, to provide for minimum responsibilities of such committee, to amend Chapter 6 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to the Department of Audits and Accounts so as to revise provisions for financial audits of local school systems by and on behalf of the Department of Audits and Accounts, to provide for such audits of state charter schools, to require the Department of Audits and Accounts to develop and implement a program of progressive monitoring, supports, and interventions to local school systems and state charter schools, to provide for investigations of local school systems and state charter schools by the state auditor, to provide for an effective date, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. [4:51:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17473s) Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate 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. [4:51:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17485s) Recognizing the senator from the 52nd. Rome, Georgia's finest. [4:51:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17504s) Oh, it's- It's not you, sir. [4:51:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17508s) It's, I'm asking, it's for the senator from the 4th. I had a Alzheimer's moment up here. I was just looking forward for the senator from the 52nd so much. [4:52:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17526s) Thank you, Mr. President. It has been a long session. Um, House Bill 1164, this provides additional financial oversight to local school systems. Now let me tell you about this bill. House Bill 1164 strengthens financial oversight, transparency, and accountability for local school systems and state charter schools by enhancing audit requirements, creating a fiscal monitoring framework, and increasing state-level review of, of financial risk in public education. [4:52:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17559s) The objectives of this bill is to improve fiscal transparency in K through 12 education. [4:52:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17566s) To prevent financial mismanagement and deficits as we know happened in a particular school system in Georgia that's made all kind of news, strengthen audit and monitoring systems, provide early inter- intervention, provide for financially distressed school systems, and protect classroom funding through stronger financial responsibility. In this bill, the, it requires the State Board of Education to establish a formal audit committee, and that audit committee must meet at least six times a year, charged with reviewing fiscal conditions of local school systems and charter systems. [4:53:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17603s) This adds a permanent structured oversight mechanism focused specifically, specifically on education financing. Each local school system and state charter school must complete an annual audit, annual financial audit, submit the audit readiness certification by December 31st. This is highlighting the next few items extremely important. They must also certify, and that's signed by the superintendent of the school system, the chief financial officer, and the chairman of local board, they must certify on an annual basis that all state health plan benefits payments are made. [4:54:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17642s) And we all know what happened, because we heard about this particular school system that missed 14 payments, state health benefit plan. They must certify that all payments have been made timely to Teachers Retirement System. They must certify that Public School Employees Retirement System payments have been made. They must certify the Department of Labor obligations have been paid. Failure to complete, failure to comply results in a high-risk designation. Now, let's talk about Department of Audits would designate school systems as with a moderate risk if they had one to two years of irregularities. [4:54:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17681s) If they have three plus years of irregularities, which is very serious, they will be designated as high risk, and they are required to have a mandatory audit done by the State Department of Audits. [4:54:55](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17695s) State Department of Audits can authorize outside accounting firms to do audits, but, but if the, the school system has been designated as a high risk, they have to be done by the s- by the State Department of Audits. [4:55:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17709s) If financial obligation irregularities or budget def- deficits are found, school systems must submit a response within 60 days. A corrective action plan must be board approved within 120 days, and monthly expenditure reports must be reviewed and acknowledged by board members while under risk designation. As I stated earlier, stated earlier, there are basically three, four levels of risk. Uh, there's tier one is financially sound, tier two is fiscal watch, tier three is fiscal distress, and tier four is critical fiscal m- emergency. [4:55:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17749s) The expanded audit and, and investigative authority. The bill says that it, it expands audit requirements of state charter schools, authorized investigations into management or misconduct, misconduct, requires audits in accordance with government auditing standards, allows the state auditor to prioritize audit based on, based on fiscal risk and readiness. As I stated earlier, the, the state auditor has a tremendous responsibility in this bill, which has not been there in the past. State auditor has discretionary authority to hire public account CPA firms, as I stated, but all audits must comply with the Georgia Department of Audits. [4:56:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17788s) There also is increased transparency. It must be, must require a public notice of financial con- financial conditions for any school system that are a high-risk systems. It requires posting audit budgets, financial ir- irregularities online. It expands Office of Student Achievement reporting on financial performance and efficiency. State board may amend or terminate flexibility contracts if a system is high risk. Charter systems must maintain fiscal stability and corrective plans. [4:57:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17821s) And a superintendent, if he's in a, is hired at this point in time, all his contract is limited to 12 months. Let's, let me tell you about the positive impacts. Positive impact of this, it protects our taxpayer funds. Ensures, it ensures responsible use of your tax dollars and my tax dollars, prevents long-term school system insolvency, prevents budget deficits, strengthens early detection of financial mismanagement. [4:57:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17854s) Probably most of all, improves confidence in the education funding oversight, protects classroom funding and teacher resources. This bill becomes effective July 1, 2026. Mr. President, this is a great bill that will protect our schools and protect our students and protect our teachers and will further enhance the use of our taxpayer dollars. I urge everyone to vote green on this bill. Mr. President, I yield the will. Thank you. [4:58:05](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17885s) Thank you, Senator. [4:58:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=17889s) Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Chair hears none. Is there object- objection for 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 pass of the bill? Chair hears none. The report of the committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered. The question is on the passage of the bill. All those in favor will vote yay. Opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine. [5:00:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18017s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 49 and the nays are two. This bill, having received a requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed. [5:00:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18029s) Secretary Reid, House Bill 1096. [5:00:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18035s) House Bill 1096 by Representative Taylor of the 173rd and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to general provisions relative to the Department of Public Health so as to provide that if certain employees of a county board of health become employees of such department, such employees will retain accrued sick, annual, and sick leave to authorize rules and regulations to provide for related matters to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Health and Human Services recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Watson of the First District, Chairman. [5:01:05](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18065s) Mr. President, that completes the order. [5:01:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18069s) Now I'm ready for the senator from the 52nd. [5:01:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18081s) Thank you, Mr. President. This is a simple cleanup bill for the Department of Public Health where they've had some, uh, county employees they're gonna reassign as state employees, and if they do, they keep their seniority, they keep their retirement, they keep their accrued leave, but they don't get a payout of the accrued leave. No double bonus on that. That's the bill. If there's no questions, I'll yield the well, and if there are questions, I'll yield the well. [5:01:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18111s) Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Chair hears none. Is there objections to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. The pre- previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the reporter committee, which is favorable to the passage of the bill? 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 passage of the bill. All those in favor vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine. [5:03:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18214s) On the passage of the bill, the yays are 50 and the nays are zero. This bill, having received a requisite constitutional majority, is therefore passed. Senator from the 31st, for what purpose do you rise? Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the, for the, from the 29th for business inside the Capitol. Objection. Senator is excused. Secretary Reid, House, oh, HR1416, please. House Resolution 1416 by Representative Dickey of the 134th and others. [5:04:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18247s) A resolution creating the Joint Study Committee on Generational Sustainability of Family Farms and for other purposes. Mr. President, the Committee of the Senate on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs recommends that this bill do pass. Respectfully submitted, Senator Goodman, Chairman. Mr. President, that completes the order. Recognize the senator from the 8th. [5:04:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18269s) Thank you, Mr. President. This is, uh, House Bill 1416, the same as Senate Resolution 800 that we passed out of here creating the, uh, uh, study committee, the joint House and Senate study committee, uh, for the sustainability of Georgia family farms. Uh, I got something I wanna get off my chest real quick as well, because I came home, ever, uh, every Friday I come home and open up my mailbox and there's about three, there's about three mailers in the, in, in the mailbox from a guy that's running for governor. [5:05:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18300s) And I reckon he's got more money than Augustus Caesar, I guess, because, I mean, my mailbox is overflowing with mailers. And I come home and there's all these things out there that says, oh, you know, uh, talking about politicians, part of a cabal, on the take, that we hold study committee, we, we, we have study committees and, uh, hold hearings and nothing ever happens. And this man is gonna be all about action. We've had study committees. I was on the Forestry Innovation Study Committee. That, that helped us figure out that we need to put money in the Georgia Tech program. [5:05:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18335s) I've been on study committees that we made changes to CUVA with, uh, the senator from the 4th. Just today we, we passed a bill, uh, on cell phones that came from a study committee. And so I'm not just standing up here for me, but I'm standing up here for all of y'all as well, the hardworking men and women of this General Assembly, that we go, we, we leave our homes three months out of the year and we come up here and we represent our communities. During the time that I've been up here this year, my son's been star student. [5:06:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18367s) I missed two banquets with that. My mother-in-law's had knee surgery. My father-in-law that I farm with has had his lymph nodes taken out, and they've been there at the farm keeping things going so I could be up here and represent my people. And I reject the notion that I keep seeing out there, not only talking about, uh, how I feel it is a reflection on myself, but a character of every member of the General Assembly. So yes, we hold study committee meetings, and yes, we hold hearings. But you wanna know why I ran for the legislature? People had, uh, tried to get me to run for the legislature and I never would because I don't have that innate sense of self-confidence like some people do. [5:06:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18403s) But it was a trip to Washington, DC when they were renegotiating USMCA, and I was asked in there, they said, uh, "Mr. Goodman, are you more concerned about trade with Mexico, or are you concerned about trade with Florida and North Carolina?" And I was taken aback because this person was representing my family in trade negotiations on behalf of this government. And that is what compelled me to run, so, because I knew that if this person would ask a question like that, that farmers needed a greater voice. And that's why I ran. [5:07:15](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18435s) And so I hope that the people of Georgia can see through some of this mess, because it infuriates me because I see how every one of y'all sacrifice so much to be here and represent your communities. Th- things are tough on the farm, and I know sometimes in here we can get political about it, but the truth of the matter is things have been tough on the farm for a long time. [5:07:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18463s) Georgia farmers experienced about 800 million in profit loss in 2025. Farm production cost has exceeded farm revenue 11 of the past 14 years. That is under Republican and Democratic administrations. Tractor prices have increased 21%. I grew up in the 1980s. I remember when my dad lost a farm to foreclosure. From 1980 to 1990, one-third of the family farms in this country were foreclosed on. So yes, we're having a study committee. [5:08:15](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18495s) You wanna know why? Because some of the best ideas that we have ever passed in this chamber has come from the everyday Georgians that we represent. But I can tell you, [5:08:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18508s) the notion that we're all up here and we're part of a cabal, I'm about to leave here and go home in two weeks and try to pick a blueberry crop and hope I can make enough to pay the production loan to AgSouth. I am not a career politician and all this kind of malarkey that you see out there. And so this narrative that's out there with this fellow that seems like he's got more money than, I guess he's got more money than Moses. I don't know. I will say this, though, he is helping the timber industry with the amount of paper that he's been buying putting these mailers out. [5:09:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18543s) But I ask you, and I wanna say this, too, in closing, this body in both parties, both metro and rural areas, have always been great about trying to support agriculture. You really have. Why is that? Because we have one common goal. We all like to eat. Isn't that right, senator from the 14th? And so with that, Mr. President, I better get out of the well. [5:09:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18570s) Oh, no, no. You keep talking. You keep talking. [5:09:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18572s) Well- [5:09:33](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18573s) I like what I hear. [5:09:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18574s) I'm gonna tell you, Mr. President, it does make, it, it does upset me when I, when I get home and I see this stuff in my mailbox because I know how everybody in here sacrifices. We come up here three months out of the year but we know when we're back home in the district it's a full-time job. And don't get me wrong, it is one of the greatest honors of my life to do this job. Every day that I walk in the Capitol, I wait for somebody to come grab me by the arm and say, "Sir, there's been some mistake. You don't belong here," 'cause I'm just an old farm boy from South Georgia. It truly is an honor, but it is a sacrifice for all of us. [5:10:11](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18611s) And when to go home and see this stuff, it's not fair to any of y'all. It's not fair to the people across the hall because I know the people in this room. We have profound differences about some things. We have profound disagreements sometimes about things. But I also know that, you know, I respect that you come from a different viewpoint. You have different life experiences, and that is part of the great mosaic that makes the fabric of the state of Georgia and this country, and I respect that. [5:10:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18641s) But I also know that by and large, the majority of the people that I serve with are men and women of integrity who truly wanna make their mark in their communities and, and represent their folks back home. So I'm gonna hush with that, Mr. President. But, uh, if y'all will support this bill, and I hope coming out of this study committee that we're going to find some real solutions. There's only so much we can do on the federal level. There's so much that is outside the control of the American farmer. Um, but I know that we've got to do the work to find out. [5:11:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18676s) You know, Mr. President, it wasn't just too long ago that we passed a law that passed out unanimously in this chamber with Austin's Law. That came from a constituent. Uh, the senator, the senator from the 16th had a bill in committee not too long ago that came from another, uh, constituent. And I'll go ahead and say I broke down and started crying in the committee because it reminded me so much of what happened with my son. But the work we do up here, it does matter. And one of the reasons that the, you know, with these study committees is it puts us in front of our constituents because we are here three months out of the year. [5:11:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18710s) And when it- we are off, we do have to do the work that it takes to find the solutions that we can do. That's what a study committee is, right? [5:12:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18721s) I'm proud to serve with y'all. God bless you. And to the people watching, don't believe any of that mess you're seeing in your mailbox. Mr. President, I yield the well. [5:12:19](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18739s) All right, Senator. Senator is passionate about agriculture business. I love it. Any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? [5:12:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18754s) Chair hears none. Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none. Previous question is ordered. Is there objection to agreeing to the report of the committee, which is favorable to the adoption of the resolution? 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. Question is on the adoption of the resolution. All those in favor of the resolution will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine. [5:13:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18810s) On the adoption resolution, [5:14:02](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18842s) the yeas are 52, the nays are zero. This resolution received the requisite constitutional majority is therefore adopted. [5:14:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18857s) Senator from the 41st. We, we're doing some special actions too real quick, guys, girls. [5:14:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18864s) Mr. President, I move that the Senate agree to the House substitute to SB 350. [5:14:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18871s) Secretary, read the caption. [5:14:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18875s) Yeah, Mr. Byers. [5:14:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18877s) Senate Bill 350 by Senator Jackson of the 41st and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend an act providing for the compensation of certain county officers and officials of DeKalb County, approved March 31st, 1976, as amended so as to revise the compensation of certain judges, judicial officers, and county officers to make informing changes related to court names changed by general law, to provide for related matters, to provide for effective dates, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mr. President, the House offers the following substitute to Senate Bill 350. A bill to be entitled an act to amend an act providing for compensation of certain county officers and officials of DeKalb County, approved March 31st, 1976, as amended so as to make revise the compensation of certain judges, judicial officers, and county officers to make informing changes related to court names changed by general law, to provide for related matters, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. [5:15:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18924s) Mr. President, that completes the order. [5:15:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18928s) Recognize the senator from the 41st. [5:15:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18945s) Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I rise to ask that, uh, you all just, uh, bear with me for a moment here. This is a local bill. It was on our local consent calendar. However, due to a drafting error on this side, um, it had to go to the House, and all special actions have to be presented like this. You can't put them back on the local calendar. So that's how we find ourselves in this posture is because I need just an outright agree. Uh, just for the underlying bill, what it does is it changes the circuit from Stone Mountain Circuit to DeKalb Circuit. [5:16:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=18976s) And then, as you will recall from our earlier conversations today, we passed the bill together in this body that set pay for superior court judges, and that, that bill actually derailed the train that DeKalb County has as it relates to compensation. And so this bill allows us to set our salaries once more again for all of our elected officials. I'll, I'll stand for questions. [5:16:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19000s) You do have one question, Senator. Recognize the senator from the 19th. [5:16:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19005s) Thank you, uh, Mr. President. Senator, do you yield? [5:16:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19007s) I'm happy to yield to the Appropriations Chair. [5:16:50](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19010s) Senator, I point you to line 30, the district attorney pay. Is that not literally in direct contradiction to the general bill we just passed 20 minutes ago? [5:17:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19023s) Well, we passed this bill several, several weeks ago out of this body, this bill, uh, so we could not have projected and imagined the mind of what would come today, uh, ahead of time. So this, what this does, again, it just resets our... This is a longstanding tradition in DeKalb County. We're not doing anything behind the door, something we haven't always done. Our DA has always been at 100%- [5:17:28](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19048s) So you- [5:17:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19049s) ... or has been at 100% for quite some time. So if it contradicts your current bill, that's not on purpose. [5:17:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19055s) That's on purpose. [5:17:35](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19055s) We introduced this a long time ago. [5:17:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19057s) Will the senator further yield? [5:17:38](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19058s) I'm happy to yield. [5:17:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19060s) So this was a piece of local legislation originally, right? [5:17:43](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19063s) That's right. It's, it's a local bill. [5:17:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19064s) So in the discussions that we had with the Supreme Court when we were drafting the Superior Courts bill, they told us that local legislation would be subservient to general legislation, but the issue had never been tried. Do you have an opinion on if we pass this bill as you've got it right here on Special Action Senate Bill 350, would that take precedent for the DA pay for DeKalb County over the bill that this body just passed, uh, again, it might've been more than 20 minutes ago now? [5:18:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19097s) Well, Senator, I appreciate your question. I'm, I'm not a lawyer. I certainly can speak like one sometimes, but I'm not a lawyer, so I don't wanna speak to that issue. What I can say is that because of the opt-in provision in your bill, or actually it was the senator from the 50th's bill, because of the opt-in or the opt-out provision, it is our understanding that our DA will opt out because she's at 100%, and so we will not be, uh, we will not be derailed by this general bill. However, when we elect a new DA many, many years from now, hopefully, um, then I suspect that this body will have to come back and make some adjustments. [5:18:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19133s) But for the time being, we are in a, a good posture to move forward. [5:18:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19138s) Will the senator yield for, I guess, uh, I, I wanna understand how that would put us in the position to move forward if your district attorney's bill, the, the pay for your district attorney would now supersede the bill we just passed setting district attorney pay differently. [5:19:15](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19155s) To be clear, we are not giving our district attorney a raise. This is reestablishing because the pre- last year's bill made essentially all trains that were tied to superior court judges, it froze them So we are in a posture of having to recreate our train once more. Our state court judges are receiving a pay that is well-earned and absolutely necessary, but we're not actually giving our DA a raise. So it's not in contradictory. She will stay where she is. [5:19:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19185s) Um, and again, until there is a new election for a new DA, that's when I, I will probably be coming back to this body should, should I still be here to need some adjustments to our local bill. But, but this is actually quite fine as it is. [5:20:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19200s) Can, can I ask you one more time? I, I don't understand how this wouldn't give your district attorney a raise in contradiction to what we just passed. If the, if it's 100% of the superior court judge, and we were to raise the superior court judge's pay last year, you're saying your district attorney was already making 100% of the superior court judge's pay last year? [5:20:21](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19221s) That's correct. [5:20:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19222s) So the pay for your district attorney is what? [5:20:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19227s) I actually don't know offhand, because she has a local supplement, right? But we are n- our DA is compensated appropriately for the caseload that she has. I will say, on behalf of the entire Senate delegation from DeKalb County, that we are proud to be able to compensate our DA fairly and adequately. This bill fundamentally is actually not about the DA. It's about reestablishing our train and also making sure that our state court judges are adequately compensated. So that's what this bill does. Uh, we are not trying to derail or undermine anything as it relates to DA pay. [5:21:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19261s) With that, I'll yield the floor. [5:21:06](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19266s) Does any of the senators yield? Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? [5:21:14](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19274s) All right, so, [5:21:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19282s) so it is a motion on SB350, and the motion is the senator moved to agree to the House substitute on SB350. Senator from the 19th, for what purpose do you rise? [5:21:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19297s) Senator, this is a withdrawal motion. If we could try to slow it down next time. [5:21:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19301s) Can we get a second? It's up to you. [5:22:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19329s) We're really, we're really kind of down to an up or down vote here. [5:22:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19338s) So the mo- the motion that was made, that the Senate agree to the House substitute on SB350. Senator's spoken to it. Senator from the 42nd, for what purpose do you rise? [5:22:32](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19352s) Mr. President, I move the Senate agree to the House substitute to Senate Bill 350 as amended by amendment one. [5:22:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19365s) Secretary, re- read the amendment. [5:22:49](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19369s) Mr. President, Senator Strickland of the 42nd and others offers the following amendment to Senate Bill 350, amendment one, by striking line 30. Mr. President, that completes the order. [5:23:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19387s) So, Senator from the 42nd, do you, would you like to speak to your amendment? [5:23:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19400s) Thank you, Mr. President. So the issue we have is we create some inconsistency here with the local legislation versus a bill that passed earlier. So what the amendment would do is to strike line 30 to remove that percentage completely, and then we can let the underlying bill, if it passes, that'll now govern the salary of the district attorney for the Stone Mountain Circuit. Happy to take any questions. [5:23:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19425s) Recognize senator from the 14th. [5:23:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19426s) Thank you, Mr. President. Does the senator yield? [5:23:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19428s) Yes. [5:23:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19428s) So by striking line 30, I see the lines 29 and 31 will remain in text. So is the intent of the author of the amendment to go from one chief executive officer to three sheriff immediately with no intervening number? Is that the intent? [5:24:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19440s) No, the intent is to try to make sure we don't create contradicting legislation with the local act versus the bill we just passed. So all that we're trying to do is, is pause and take this out so we don't create inconsistency, but also make sure we don't kill the underlying bill to make sure that DeKalb delegation can still set their salaries as they want, and this is a way to hopefully put a pause on that one part based on the inconsistency we may be creating. [5:24:24](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19464s) Senator, further yield? [5:24:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19465s) Yes. [5:24:25](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19465s) Uh, Senator, is it not true that the bill that we passed earlier today will still have to go to the House for consideration? So would it not be the most prudent course of conduct and most in line with all of the discussions that have been happening around DeKalb County to go ahead and pass this bill and let the House decide later in time how they would like to handle the issue? Wouldn't that be the most prudent course, Senator? [5:24:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19486s) No, I think the most prudent course, what I was trying to advocate for, was holding on this bill completely right now. That way we can see what goes on with the other bill and make sure we pass something that's consistent. Um, that was what I think is the most prudent thing. But if we can't do that, I think we have to pass the amendment. [5:25:00](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19500s) Thank you, Senator. [5:25:03](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19503s) Recognize senator from the 41st. [5:25:08](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19508s) Mr. President, I would like to withdraw, ask that this bill be tabled. [5:25:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19516s) She can withdraw her motion to agree and she will ask the appropriate committee. [5:25:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19520s) So probably need to start with your motion to agree first. Withdraw it. [5:25:34](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19534s) Mr. Mr. President. [5:25:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19537s) Right. [5:25:37](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19537s) I will withdraw my motion to agree to the House substitute. [5:25:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19542s) She's not- [5:25:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19542s) And I'm asking for unanimous consent to withdraw. [5:25:46](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19546s) Thank you, Senator. [5:25:47](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19547s) I think you need to ask for a withdrawal as well, because he's technically in order. [5:25:51](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19551s) Senator from the 42nd. [5:25:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19553s) I'll withdraw. I move that I, I'll actually withdraw the motion that I made to agree to the House substitute as amended by Amendment 1. [5:26:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19561s) Is there objection? Hearing none. [5:26:05](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19565s) Pre- Mr. President, I move that we table SB 350. [5:26:11](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19571s) Is there objection? [5:26:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19573s) No, no. [5:26:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19573s) Uh- [5:26:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19573s) She needs to withdraw. [5:26:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19573s) Already did. She already did. [5:26:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19578s) But you don't table it. It's in special action. [5:26:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19580s) Yeah, [5:26:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19583s) I know. [5:26:26](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19586s) What was that amendment? [5:26:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19587s) 350. [5:26:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19587s) What was that amendment? [5:26:29](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19589s) It's like 40 amendments from now. [5:26:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19591s) Yeah, yeah. So all these people on 350. [5:26:36](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19596s) She withdraw- she's withdrawn her motion to table 350. [5:26:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19600s) Okay. [5:26:41](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19601s) She withdraw, withdrawn her motion. So we're done. [5:26:45](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19605s) I think so. Let me go make sure that she understood. [5:26:48](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19608s) All right, what's the next, what's the next special order? [5:27:09](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19629s) Just check and see if she knew. [5:27:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19630s) She's good. [5:27:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19630s) She's good? [5:27:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19630s) Yeah. [5:27:10](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19630s) You ready to start the session first? [5:27:18](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19638s) You good? [5:27:22](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19642s) You good now? [5:27:23](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19643s) She's gonna withdraw her motion. That way we just get a new [5:27:26](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19646s) Recognize [5:27:30](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19650s) senator from the 41st. [5:27:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19651s) Thank you, Mr. President. I withdraw my motion to table and just ask that we leave it in its, uh, posture of availability for special action. [5:27:39](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19659s) Okay. Thank you, Senator. [5:27:42](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19662s) Are we done? [5:27:54](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19674s) Tell you what, you get a bunch of lawyers involved, they'd mess up a one-car funeral procession. [5:28:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19684s) Recognize the senator from the 1st. [5:28:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19687s) Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Senate agree to the House substitute to SB 427. [5:28:14](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19694s) Secretary, read the caption. [5:28:16](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19696s) Senate Bill 427 by represented by Senators Watson of the 1st and others, a bill to be entitled in act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to medical practice relative to physicians so as to provide for limited provisional licenses and a pathway to licensure for certain internationally trained physicians, to provide for definitions, to provide for qualifications and conditions, to provide for penalties, license sanctions, and enforcement, to provide for one or more medical directors, to provide for annual reports, to provide for rules, regulations, and procedures, to provide for conditional automatic repeal, to provide for related matters, to provide for a contingent effective date, to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. [5:28:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19733s) Mr. President. [5:28:53](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19733s) Mr. President, the House offers the following substitute to Sen- Senate Bill 427, a bill to be entitled in act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to medical practice relative to physicians so as to provide for limited provisional licenses and a pathway to licensure for certainly internationally trained physicians, to provide for definitions, to provide for qualifications and conditions, to provide for penalties, license sanctions, and enforcement, to provide for war- one or more medical directors, to provide for annual reports, to provide for rules, regulations, and procedures, to provide for a conditional automatic repeal, to provide for related matters, to provide for a contingent effective date, to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. [5:29:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19767s) Mr. President, I complete the order. [5:29:31](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19771s) Recognize senator from the 1st. [5:29:40](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19780s) Thank you, Mr. President. This may be the simplest thing we do all day. So if you go to the original bill on line 107427, uh, it, it reads, "Shall be fined not more than 500 for each," and it goes blank. And then they picked that up in the House and it, so we just, uh, added the word offense in the House. So it shall be fined not more than 500 for each offense. Both lines 107, we just left off the word offense. They put it in in the House, and that is the only difference in this internationally trained physician, um, legislation that passed both, uh, houses, uh, overwhelmingly. [5:30:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19817s) I'll be happy to answer any questions, but I think that's pretty straightforward. [5:30:20](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19820s) Yeah, no questions, Senator. Zzzoo. [5:30:27](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19827s) Anybody like to speak for or against it? Hearing none. The senator has moved that the Senate agree to the House substitute on SB 427. Is there objection? [5:30:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19844s) All those in favor will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, enlighten the machine. [5:31:54](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19914s) On the motion to agree, the yays are 46 and nays are four, and this motion has prevailed. [5:32:04](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19924s) Recognize the majority leader for a motion. [5:32:07](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19927s) Mr. President, I move the Senate stand adjourned pursuant to HR 998 till 10:00 AM, March 25th. [5:32:13](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19933s) Majority leader has moved. Secretary, read the announcements. [5:32:17](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19937s) The Rules Committee will meet upon in German in Room 450 of the Capitol. The Public Safety Committee will meet at 3:30 PM in Room 450 of the Capitol. The Health and Human Services Committee will meet at 4:30 PM in Room 450 of the Capitol. The Finance Committee will meet at 5:30 PM in Room Mezzanine 1. The Judiciary Committee will meet at 6:30 PM in Room 307 of the CLOB. Mr. President, that completes the order. [5:32:44](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19964s) All right. Any other announcements? No other announcements. All right, the majority leader has moved that the Senate stand adjourned until 10:00 AM, Wednesday morning, March 25th. All those in favor signify by saying aye. [5:32:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19978s) Aye. [5:32:58](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19978s) All those opposed, no. [5:33:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19981s) No. [5:33:01](https://vimeo.com/1175570412#t=19981s) Ayes clearly have it. Y'all have a good evening.