House floor session, June 18, 2026 (legislative day 2)

Transcript

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1. 0:32:23

   Good morning. All members, all members, if you'll please come to the floor. All members.

2. 0:32:41

   What's your J stand for?

3. 0:32:42

   J. James.

4. 0:33:01

   All members, all members, please come to the floor. Because the hour of convening having arrived, all members will please come take their seats. Mr. Clerk. Mr. Clerk, will you ring the bell?

5. 0:34:45

   As we begin our business for today, you may see a couple of new faces here.

6. 0:34:56

   So all members, including these three, if you'll come take your seat, I'll introduce you to Representative Mason. Saw her yesterday. There she is. She's in House District 94.

7. 0:35:20

   She is a, she is official. Glad to have you a member of our family. And s- let's see. Is she here?

8. 0:35:35

   I was messing with her. Y'all know the next one. We're glad to have her back. Sheila Nelson from House District 130.

9. 0:35:52

   For those of you who may not have served with Representative Nelson, you'll like her. She's a good person, and you'll enjoy getting to know her, so we're glad to have you back. I hope you missed us. She didn't say yes, so maybe she didn't miss us. I'm not sure. And Representative Alvin Payton from House District 177 down in Valdosta. Uh, Representative Payton.

10. 0:36:23

    Good to have you, sir. I like that smile.

11. 0:36:32

    Three new members. We're, we're looking forward to working with you to do the people's work. Thank y'all for being here. Okay, we're gonna have the morning roll call, so we wanna give them a chance to weigh in here so they can get on the payroll. Um, all members present will please vote green to signify their presence in the chamber, and Mr. Clerk will unlock the machines.

12. 0:37:11

    Have all members voted?

13. 0:37:22

    All members voted.

14. 0:37:34

    All members, I think most everyone I see sitting at a desk, have voted. Okay. If so, Mr. Clerk will lock the machines. Doorkeepers, if you'll please close the doors and keep them closed. As is our custom here in the House, we will begin our day with scripture reading and prayer by our chaplain, after which we will pledge allegiance to the flag of our country.

15. 0:38:05

    Our chaplain this morning will be introduced by the lady from the h- 141st House District over in Columbus in Muscogee County, a leader in this house, Representative Ca- Carolyn Hugley. Representative Hugley, if you will come introduce our chaplain.

16. 0:38:27

    Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, I have the distinct honor and privilege of introducing our chaplain today. But before we introduce him, I have a couple of special guests that are with him also this morning. I want you all to meet Elijah Crawford and his dad, Mr. Crawford. Would you all make them welcome in our House?

17. 0:38:56

    Our pastor of the day is a servant leader, a pastor, a teacher, a community advocate, and a man of unwavering faith, Reverend Corey Neal. He was born in Columbus, Georgia, and raised in Pemberton, New Jersey. His foundation was built on faith, family, and service. And after returning to Columbus, he followed the example of his beloved grandfather, the late Reverend E.L.

18. 0:39:26

    Sullivan, whose ministry inspired his own calling to preach and serve God's people. A lifelong learner, Reverend Neal earned a Bachelor of, of Arts in Communication from Columbus State University, a master's degree in Human Resource Management from Troy State University, and a master's degree in Organization and Management from Capella University. His educational achievements are matched only by his commitment to spiritual growth and community impact.

19. 0:40:01

    Today, Reverend Neal serves as senior pastor of the Greater Peace Baptist Church and president of the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, and he's a board member and HR director-- well, he is a, a board member, um, of the General... I'm sorry. He's a board member and HR director for the National Baptist Convention USA. And beyond the pulpit, he has dedicated himself to strengthening the community through leadership, mentorship, and service, including his work with the One Hundred Black Men of America and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated and numerous civic initiatives throughout Columbus.

20. 0:40:49

    His outstanding servant leadership has been recognized throughout our city, but above all, Reverend Neal is a devoted husband to his beautiful wife, Victoria, and a proud father to Megan, and he is a humble child of God whose life reflects faith and action. So please join me in warmly welcoming Reverend Corey Neal.

21. 0:41:21

    Thank you, sir.

22. 0:41:21

    Troy made it all the way, didn't he?

23. 0:41:27

    I'm proud of him.

24. 0:41:27

    For this is the day the Lord has made, and we shall yet rejoice and be glad in it. Certainly, good morning to each and every one of you, to this great speaker, Speaker Burns, to Mayor Pr- uh, Speaker Pro Tem Jones, to Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, and to Minority Leader Representative Carolyn Hugley, members of this House, constitutional officers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, what a joy it is to be with you here today, and we do yet serve an awesome God.

25. 0:41:59

    Amen.

26. 0:41:59

    Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to share this brief devotional and my thoughts with the chamber this morning. Representative Hugley, thank you for the recommendation. There's a scripture that arrested my attention in Matthew chapter number seven, around verse twenty-four, and it says, "Therefore everyone who hears the words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the wind blew and beat against the house.

27. 0:42:29

    Yet it, it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them to practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the wind blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash." My brothers and my sisters of the chamber, it's there that Jesus concludes one of the most well-known of his teachings with a simple yet profound parable. He says that there's a wise man who built his house upon the rock and a foolish man who built his house upon the sand.

28. 0:43:06

    As the rains came down, the storms rose, and the winds blew against both houses. One stood firm while the other fell because its foundation was not secure. It's a great reminder to us this morning that we have to build on the right foundation. It's a great reminder to us that the foundation is not our titles, it's not our money, it's not our 401, but the right foundation is Jesus Christ himself. And Jesus teaches us what we build in life is important, but what we build upon is even more important.

29. 0:43:36

    As we reflect on this passage, simple three thoughts came to my mind. The first one, if we were going to put a title to this particular devotion, it would simply be build on the right foundation. Build on the right foundation. The first thing that jumped off the pages to me in this quick parable is the right, number one, the right foundation. Every lasting life begins with the right foundation. In this parable, Jesus is not merely talking about construction, he's speaking about discipleship. This rock is not merely about, uh, construction, but he's talking about the rock.

30. 0:44:09

    It's not our talent, it's not our title, it's not our accomplishments, but the rock is Christ himself and obedience to his Word. Before anyone can build a meaningful life, lead effectively, or even serve faithfully, they must first be grounded in something greater than themselves. Prayer, faith, humility, integrity, and dependence upon God because we understand that God is yet the center of our life. The same is true for leadership and service, character, integrity, wisdom, humility are foundational qualities.

31. 0:44:41

    They may not always be visible, but they support every decision and every responsibility entrusted to us. Let me say it like this, chamber, what is beneath us is often more important than what is above us. A life built on Christ can withstand challenges and storms because its strength is not from human ability, but it's from divine stability. Let me give you this particular spiritual truth for this particular point. What is anchored in Christ can stand against anything that comes against it.

32. 0:45:12

    Not only do we see the right foundation, but we see the right focus. When you look at it, the wise builder understood a spiritual reality that storms are inevitable. Storms will come. Jesus never promised a storm-free life. He promised a firm foundation that you'll be able to stand through the storm. And there's someone yet here in the chamber that can testify to the fact it was not your title, it was not your money, it was not where you came from that helped you make it through the last storm, but it was Jesus Christ himself that allowed you to make it through the storm that you just came out of.

33. 0:45:45

    We can also testify to the fact that either we're in a storm, or we're coming out of a storm, or we're heading in a storm. But the key is to have the right foundation. And the builder's focus was not about convenience, it was about preparation. He looked beyond the sunshine and anticipated that the rain one day will come. Likewise, spiritual maturity develops when we focus not merely on the present, but we focus on what the future may hold. We don't focus on what's comfortable, but also focus on eternal purpose.

34. 0:46:17

    Faithfulness in our prayer, commitment to God's Word, dependence on the Holy Spirit may seem ordinary in calm seasons, but they become invaluable when adversity hits our lives. The wise builder teaches us to invest in our relationship with God as well as to be prepared for when the storms come, and not just build in the storm, but build in preparation for when the storm arrives. In every area of life, there's t- temptation to focus on what's immediate rather than what is can be enduring.

35. 0:46:51

    Yet lasting impact is achieved when we focus on more than what we're doing now, but extends beyond today's concerns and considers tomorrow's needs. Here's your spiritual truth nugget that I want you to take with you for this particular point. Those who stay focused on God in seasons of peace will find strength from God in seasons of pressure. Not only do we see the right foundation, the right focus, but thirdly in this quick devotion, we see the right future. It says, "Yet it did not fall." The house did not fall because it had a foundation on the rock.

36. 0:47:24

    The house stood because it was built with endurance in mind. Jesus teaches us that true success is not measured by how quickly something is built, but how faithfully it remains standing. A life rooted in Christ leaves a legacy that extends beyond the present moment. Our faith, our service, our character, our witness becomes gift to those who come after us. And when we build on the rock, we are not merely securing our future, but we're helping strengthen the future of others.

37. 0:47:56

    Each generation has the opportunity to leave something of value for those who follow. The choices we make today shape our opportunities and stability and strengthen the future generations that will inherit what we laid forth. The ultimate goal is not simply achievement, but faithfulness. Long after our titles fade, long after our accomplishments are forgotten, what was built upon the rock of Jesus Christ will yet endure forever. Here's your truth as we begin to get ready to take our seat.

38. 0:48:26

    What is built on Christ today can continue to bless others long after we are gone. The ultimate goal is not simply achievement, but again, it's faithfulness. My closing thought, chamber, simply is this: the wise builder teaches us three enduring truths. Build upon the right foundation, Jesus Christ. Maintain the right focus faithfully through every season. And invest in the right future, a legacy that honors God and blesses generations to come.

39. 0:48:57

    For when storms come, it is not the beauty of the house that matters most, it is the strength of the rock beneath it. And there is no rock like Jesus the Christ. Jesus remind us through this simple parable that storms will come to every life, every community, and every institution. The question is not whether challenges will arise. The question is whether the foundation is strong enough to withstand them when they come. May we all be committed to building on the right foundation, maintaining the right focus, and investing in the right future.

40. 0:49:32

    Storms may come, challenges may rise, seasons may change, but a life anchored in Christ has a foundation that will never fail. As I take my seat, I'm reminded of a story. A man once complained that an oak tree took too long to grow. An old farmer reminded him and looked in his eyes and said, "That's why it's still standing." The farmer explained that the roots, strong roots take time to develop, but those roots allow the tree to withstand the storm.

41. 0:50:03

    Wood could not be uprooted because it took a while to grow. Things don't happen overnight, but the good news is that when we continue to grow in our faith in Jesus Christ and continue to rely on the rock, it may not happen overnight, but if we stay on the rock, Jesus Christ, simply we'll be able to stand when the storm comes. Matthew seven teaches us that in below the surface determines what remains standing above the surface. What stands the longest is usually what is rooted the deepest. And as again I take my seat, Matthew's parable ultimately points us beyond construction Beyond foundations to the one who is the true foundation.

42. 0:50:42

    Throughout Scripture, God is described as the rock, steady, unchanging, dependable, and Jesus is the rock which wise builders build their life. My prayer today is that we seek, uh, to build strong families, strong communities, and a strong state, that we never forget one foundation that remains through every generation, and that is Jesus the Christ. When the wind blows and the storms come, the rock still stands, and because the rock still stands, there is hope for each and every one of us.

43. 0:51:14

    My prayer is that you'll continue to build on the right foundation, the solid foundation of Jesus the Christ. Let us stand for prayer this morning.

44. 0:51:30

    Petition the Lord with me this morning. Heavenly Father, we thank you for yet another day. You're the creator of all wisdom, the source of all strength. Thank you for the privilege of yet, being yet alive and walking on this earth today. Grant wisdom to those entrusted with leadership. Grant discernment in moments of discussion and clarity in the times of uncertainty. Strengthen every elected official, every staff member, every public servant represented here today, that they carry their responsibilities in humility and a sincere commitment to stand on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.

45. 0:52:02

    As your word reminds us, the wise builder build upon the rock, establish every effort undertaken, God, because we understand that what lies beneath is what gives us the strength to make it through the storm. Continue to bless, continue to lead, continue to bless our great state. When challenges arise and difficult choices have to be made, provide wisdom to go in the right direction, patience to listen, and wisdom to seek solutions that benefit future generations. Simply, God, our prayer, our petition is, be a blessing upon our great state.

46. 0:52:34

    Bless its cities, bless its communities, bless its rural, rural areas, its schools, and its universities, its businesses, and its workforce. God, simply our prayer today is continue to give us your grace and your mercy. Lead us according to your will, your way, and your word. God, we're trusting, we're leaning, and depending on you. We're standing strong on the solid rock. When storms may come, we shall be able to stand because we know where we're standing on the solid rock. God, have your way. God, if you decide not to bless us in the manner that we've asked, do something even greater, something even better, something we cannot even think or imagine.

47. 0:53:10

    And when it's all said and done, when you bring us through, when the mountains are moved, when the healing is done, when the wisdom is given, and the peace beyond our own understanding is provided, we'll give you all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise. In your Son, Jesus' name, the solid rock we pray, and all of God's children agreed simply by saying amen. Amen. Let us do our pledge today. 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.

48. 0:53:48

    Again, Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity, sir.

49. 0:53:50

    Thank you.

50. 0:53:50

    And let us stand on God.

51. 0:53:52

    Thank you. Thank you. We're gonna take a photo now. Doorkeepers, you may unlock the doors. Members, you may, uh, join Brother Neal in the ante room and, and our guest for, uh, a photo. And thank you for those words of wisdom and encouragement. It's something we'll all remember. Thank you very much for being with us. We're gonna get this young man right here to say, uh-

52. 0:54:16

    Okay.

53. 0:54:17

    We'll, uh, take a picture for him. Not yet.

54. 0:54:20

    Not yet?

55. 0:54:21

    Not yet. Not yet. Seriously.

56. 0:54:28

    Now, Teddy.

57. 0:54:35

    Ten seconds. Thank you. Now come on. No, no flash, Teddy.

58. 0:55:55

    Yes, sir. Members, we do have a doctor of the day downstairs. We needed more than you, Dr. Newton. We had to have some backup on that. So we thank, uh, Representative Tangie Herring for inviting our doctor of the day, and our doctor of the day is Dr. Keisha Callins, and she's downstairs. We appreciate her service in being here for us.

59. 0:56:34

    Chairman Hilton, the Chair of the Committee on Information and Audit is recognized. Chairman Hilton.

60. 0:56:41

    Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's good to be back. Your Committee on Information and Audits has read the journal of the previous legislative day and we have found it to be correct.

61. 0:56:48

    We appreciate your diligence and dedication to that journal. Chairman Hilton, the Chair of the Committee on Information and Audits reports that the, that the journal of the previous legislative day has been read and found to be correct. Is there objection to dispense with the reading of the journal?

62. 0:57:07

    Rep. Park.

63. 0:57:10

    Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.

64. 0:57:12

    State your inquiry, sir.

65. 0:57:13

    Would it, would the, uh, Chairman of Information and Audits be so kind as to clarify whether or not the governor's vetoes and the budget disregards from the 26th session is in the journal for legislative day one?

66. 0:57:27

    Don't believe those are.

67. 0:57:30

    Repeat that, Representative Park.

68. 0:57:32

    Would the Chairman of Information and Audits be so kind as to clarify whether or not the governor's vetoes and budget disregards from the 26th legislative session are in the, are, are in the journal that was read and approved?

69. 0:57:45

    Yes, they are.

70. 0:57:47

    Thank you so much.

71. 0:57:48

    There's the answer. He's, he's a very diligent reader

72. 0:57:55

    among other things.

73. 0:57:58

    Question's answered. Thank you for that inquiry. Hearing no other objections to the reading of the journal, the reading of the journal is dispensed with. Is there any objection to the confirmation of the journal? Hearing none, the journal is confirmed. Mr. Clerk, will you read the resolution establishing the order of business for the day?

74. 0:58:20

    Representative Efstration of the 104th moves the following be established as the order of business during the first part of the period of unanimous consents, introduction of bills and resolutions, first reading and reference of House bills and resolutions, second reading of bills and resolutions, reports of standing committees, morning orders.

75. 0:58:40

    Is there any objection to adopting of the resolution establishing the order of business for the day? Hearing none, the resolution's adopted.

76. 1:03:10

    First reading of bills and resolutions. Mr. Clerk will read.

77. 1:03:15

    House Bill 68 EX by Representative Hagan of the 156th, a bill be entitled an act to provide a homestead exemption from City of Lyons ad valorem taxes.

78. 1:03:24

    Intergovernmental coordination.

79. 1:03:25

    House Bill 69 EX by Representative Hilton of the 48th and Efstration of the 104th, a bill be entitled an act to provide a homestead exemption from Gwinnett County ad valorem taxes.

80. 1:03:32

    Intergovernmental coordination.

81. 1:03:32

    House Bill 70 EX by Representative Hagan of the 156th, a bill be entitled an act to provide a homestead exemption from Toombs County ad valorem taxes.

82. 1:03:35

    Intergovernmental coordination.

83. 1:03:37

    House Bill 71

84. 1:03:49

    EX by Representative Meeks of the 178th, a bill be entitled an act to provide a homestead exemption from City of Blackshear ad valorem taxes.

85. 1:03:57

    Intergovernmental coordination.

86. 1:03:58

    House Bill 72 EX by Representative Meeks of the 178th, a bill be entitled an act to provide a homestead exemption from City of Patterson ad valorem taxes.

87. 1:04:07

    Intergovernmental coordination.

88. 1:04:08

    House Bill 73 EX by Representative Hatchett of the 155th, a bill be entitled an act to provide a homestead exemption from City of East Dublin ad valorem taxes.

89. 1:04:22

    Intergovernmental coordination.

90. 1:04:24

    House Bill 74 EX by Representative Hatchett of the 155th, a bill be entitled an act to provide homestead exemption from City of Dexter ad valorem taxes.

91. 1:04:36

    Intergovernmental coordination.

92. 1:04:37

    House Resolution 11 EX by Representative Sanchez of the 42nd, McQueen of the 61st, Evans of the 57th, Huguley of the 141st, Frye of the 122nd, and others, a resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution.

93. 1:04:54

    Reapportionment and redistricting.

94. 1:04:56

    House Resolution 12 EX by Representative Huguley of the 141st, Parks of the 107th, Miller of the 62nd, Draper of the 90th, Cannon of the 58th, and others, a resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution.

95. 1:05:10

    Reapportionment and redistricting.

96. 1:05:13

    House Resolution 13 EX by Representative Huguley of the 141st, Parks of the 107th, Miller of the 62nd, Draper of the 90th, Cannon of the 58th, and others, a resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution.

97. 1:05:26

    Reapportionment and redistricting.

98. 1:05:28

    House Resolution 14 EX by Representative Huguley of the 141st, Parks of the 107th, Miller of the 62nd, Draper of the 90th, Cannon of the 58th, and others, a resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution.

99. 1:05:42

    Reapportionment and redistricting.

100. 1:05:45

     That completes first readers.

101. 1:06:01

     Second reading of bills and resolutions. Mr. Clerk will read.

102. 1:06:05

     House Bill 1 EX by Representative Hatchett of the 155th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Du- Dublin ad valorem taxes. House Bill 2 EX by Representative Cheokas of the 151st and Stinson of the 150th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Sumter County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 3 EX by Representative Hatchett of the 155th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Wrens ad valorem taxes. House Bill 4 EX by Representative Hatchett of the 155th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Dudley ad valorem taxes. House Bill 5 EX by Representative Hatchett of the 155th, a bill to provide homestead exemption from City of Cadwell ad valorem taxes.

103. 1:06:38

     House Bill EX- 6 EX by Representative Irwin of the 32nd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Toccoa ad valorem taxes. House Bill 7 EX by Representative Hatchett of the 155th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Laurens County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 7-- 8 EX by Representative Cameron of the 1st and Tarver of the 2nd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Walker County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 9 EX by Representative Leffert of the 123rd and Powell of the 33rd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Madison County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 10 EX by Representative Yearta of the 152nd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Worth County ad valorem taxes.

104. 1:07:15

     House Bill 11 EX by Representative Townsend of the 179th, DeLoach of the 167th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Glenn County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 12 EX by Representative Townsend of the 179th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Brunswick ad valorem taxes. House Bill 13 EX by Representative Campbell of the 171st, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Mitchell County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 14 EX by Representative Chastain of the 7th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Fannin County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 15 EX by Representative Chastain of the 7th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of McCaysville ad valorem taxes.

105. 1:07:48

     House Bill 16 EX by Rep- Ch-Chastain of the 7th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Blue Ridge ad valorem taxes. House Bill 17 EX by Representative Wade of the 9th and Hawkins of the 27th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Lumpkin County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 18 EX by Representative Fleming of the 114th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Morgan County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 19 EX by Representative Lumsden of the 12th, Dempsey of the 13th, and Barton of the 5th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Floyd County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 20 EX by Representative Fleming of the 114th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Madison ad valorem taxes.

106. 1:08:25

     House Bill 21 EX by Representative Chastain of the 7th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Gilmer County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 22 EX by Representative Green of the 154th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Jackson ad valorem taxes. House Bill 23 EX by Representative Green of the 154th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Arlington ad valorem taxes. House Bill 24 EX by Representative Powell of the 33rd, a bill to provide homestead exemption from Franklin County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 25 EX by Representative Irwin of the 32nd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Stephens County ad valorem taxes.

107. 1:08:59

     House Bill 26 EX by Representative Williams of the 148th and Hagan of the 156th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Ben Hill County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 27 EX by Representative LaHood of the 175th, Corbett of the 174th, Burchett of the 176th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Lowndes County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 28EX by Representative Williams of the 148th and Hagan of the 156th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Fitzgerald ad valorem taxes. House Bill 29EX by Representative Greene of the 154th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Calhoun County ad valorem taxes.

108. 1:09:31

     House Bill 30EX by Representative Greene of the 154th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Early County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 31EX by Representative Greene of the 154th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Damascus ad valorem taxes. House Bill 32EX by Representative Greene of the 154th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Baker County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 33EX by Representative Ridley of the 22nd, Byrd of the 20th, Thomas of the 21st, Carson of the 46th, Parsons of the 44th, and others, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Cherokee County ad valorem taxes.

109. 1:10:02

     House Bill 34EX by Representative Cheokas of the 151st, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Plains ad valorem taxes. House Bill 35EX by Representative Cheokas of the 151st, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Webster County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 36EX by Representative Horner of the 3rd and Tarver of the 2nd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Catoosa County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 37EX by Representative Hitchens of the 161st, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Effingham County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 38EX by Representative Greene of the 154th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Arlington ad valorem taxes.

110. 1:10:38

     House Bill 39 by Representative Horner of the 3rd and Tarver of the 2nd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Ringgold ad valorem taxes. House Bill 40EX by Representative Horner of the 3rd and Tarver of the 2nd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Fort Oglethorpe ad valorem taxes. House Bill 41EX by Representative Greene of the 154th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Seminole County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 42EX by Representative Greene of the 154th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Edison ad valorem taxes. House Bill 43EX by Representative Greene of the 154th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Blakely ad valorem taxes.

111. 1:11:12

     House Bill 44EX by Representative Smith of the 138th and Rice of the 139th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Harris County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 45EX by Representative Gambill of the 15th and Scoggins of the 14th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Emerson ad valorem taxes. House Bill 46EX by Representative Gambill of the 15th and Scoggins of the 14th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Cartersville ad valorem taxes. House Bill 47EX by Representative Gambill of the 15th and Scoggins of the 14th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from city of... from Bartow County ad valorem taxes.

112. 1:11:46

     House Bill 48EX by Representative Scoggins of the 14th and Gambill of the 15th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Uhaly ad valorem taxes. House Bill 49EX by Representative Scoggins of the 14th and Gambill of the 15th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Adairsville ad valorem taxes. House Bill 50EX by Representative Scoggins of the 14th and Gambill of the 15th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of White ad valorem taxes. House Bill 51EX by Representative Smith of the 138th, Huddleston of the 72nd, Buckner of the 137th, and Jenkins of the 136th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Troup County ad valorem taxes.

113. 1:12:18

     House Bill 52EX by Representative Williams of, of the 112th, Martinez of the 111th, Fleming of the 114th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Walnut Grove ad valorem taxes. House Bill 53EX by Representative Williams of the 112th, Martinez of the 111th, Fleming of the 114th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Monroe ad valorem taxes. House Bill 54EX by Representative Meeks of the 178th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Bacon County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 55EX by Representative LaHood of the 175th, Corbett of the 174th, Burchett of the 176th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Valdosta ad valorem taxes.

114. 1:12:54

     House Bill 56EX by Representative Fleming of the 114th and Martinez of the 111th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Social Circle ad valorem taxes. House Bill 57EX by Representative Meeks of the 178th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Pierce County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 58EX by Representative Martinez of the 111th, Williams of the 112th, Fleming of the 114th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Loganville ad valorem taxes. House Bill 59EX by Representative Williams of the 112th, Martinez of the 111th, Fleming of the 114th, a bill to provide exemption, homestead exemption from Walton County ad valorem taxes.

115. 1:13:26

     House Bill 60EX by Representative Hagan of the 156th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Montgomery County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 61EX by Representative Mathis of the 133rd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Twiggs County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 62EX by Representative Mathis of the 133rd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Cochran ad valorem taxes. House Bill 63EX by Representative Mathis of the 133rd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Dodge County ad valorem taxes. House Bill 64EX by Representative Mathis of the 133rd, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from Bleckley County ad valorem taxes.

116. 1:14:01

     House Bill 65EX by Representative Wade of the 9th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Dahlonega ad valorem taxes. House Bill 66EX by Representative Scoggins of the 14th and Gambill of the 15th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Kingston ad valorem taxes. House Bill 67EX by Representative Lumsden of the 12th, Dempsey of the 13th, Barton of the 5th, a bill to provide a homestead exemption from City of Rome ad valorem taxes. House Resolution 3EX by Representative Gambill of the 15th, Seabaugh of the 34th, Wade of the 9th, Blackmon of the 146th, Williamson of the 112th, a resolution ratifying Governor Brian P.

117. 1:14:34

     Kemp's executive order suspending the collection of motor fuel and diesel fuel taxes. Through second readers.

118. 1:15:47

     Reports of standing committees. Mr. Clerk will read.

119. 1:15:51

     Representative Shaw Blackmon of the 146th District, Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means submitted the following report. Mr. Speaker, Committee on Ways and Means has had under its consideration the following resolution of the House and has instructed me to report same back to the House with the following recommendation. House Resolution 3EX do pass. Respectfully submitted, Representative Shaw Blackmon of the 146th District, Chairman. That completes the reading of the reports of standing committees.

120. 1:16:24

     Thank you, Mr. Clerk.

121. 1:16:30

     Okay, we're moving on to morning orders.

122. 1:16:37

     For what purpose does Representative Evans rise?

123. 1:16:42

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to make a motion to override the governor's veto on House Bill 1192, a bill that passed this House unanimously that would require state and federal funds given to the Department of Human Services and Community Health for specific purposes to be kept separate and used for those purposes and require cost saving reviews. This bill was sponsored by many, including the majority leader and the chairman of appropriations, and I move that.

124. 1:17:18

     I need a second. Anyone can do it.

125. 1:17:44

     We're pulling the bill up now, so we're... Give us just a minute.

126. 1:26:39

     House will come back to order.

127. 1:26:46

     Come on rec- House will come back to order.

128. 1:26:55

     I'm gonna recognize Representative Evans again. We've had some discussions, and I believe we have a plan to move forward. Representative Evans is recognized.

129. 1:27:02

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Appreciate the conferral on the rostrum and, um, appreciate the suggestion to defer this, have this motion deferred until Monday when the sponsor of 1192 will be here to talk further about the bill. Um, making that, uh... Being agreeable to that suggestion, uh, in good faith that we will be taking up that motion on Monday with the purpose of having the sponsor here and not for any other illicit purposes.

130. 1:27:33

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

131. 1:27:35

     You have to tell me, you have to tell me what those other purposes are 'cause I'm not sure what they are. But yes, I thank the lady. I appreciate the lady's willingness to work together. Um- Representative Taylor is the sponsor of the bill, and so we would like to have her here to answer any, answer any questions that, um, may arise as we discuss the merits of the motion. Do I hear any objection deferring 11, discussion on 1192 until Monday?

132. 1:28:06

     So ruled. Thank you all.

133. 1:28:11

     We'll move on to morning orders. We have, um, a couple of morning orders. We'll recognize Representative Berry for our first morning order.

134. 1:28:28

     Representative Berry, if you would hold up just a minute. Uh, just so you know where you are, we'll recognize Representative Glaize, Representative Mathiak, and Representative Townsend that will follow Representative Berry. Gentleman's recognized.

135. 1:28:51

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

136. 1:28:52

     And friends.

137. 1:28:54

     My friends.

138. 1:28:57

     Gentleman's recognized now. Thank-

139. 1:29:00

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I first began my activism journey at just 13 years old after a tragic event shook my hometown, one of the elders who took me under her wing shared a lesson that has stayed with me ever since. She said, "Today's win does not secure tomorrow's victory." At 13, I thought she was talking about elections or campaigns, but as I've grown, I've come to understand that she was talking about freedom itself. 'Cause justice is not a destination we arrive at, it is a journey we recommit ourselves to every single day. Democracy is not self-executing, progress is not permanent, and every generation must decide whether it will merely inherit the work or of those who came before it, or whether it be worthy of the sacrifices they made.

140. 1:29:41

     Every sunrise presents us with the same question: Will we keep marching? I had the opportunity to see that lesson realized yesterday before we even convened. But let us not confuse a delay with deliverance. Let us not mistake a pause for permanent progress. We are not confused into believing that we have already won liberation. The foot soldiers of the movement could have stopped marching once they made it across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. They could have declared victory simply because they survived the billy clubs and the tear gas. But they understood that surviving the bridge was never the mission.

141. 1:30:14

     The mission was Montgomery. The mission was freedom. The mission was to create a law of the land, and so they kept marching. And today we are joined by a group of who understands that truth better than most. They don't just talk about voting rights and building political power for Black Americans while legislatures are in session, they live the mission every day in our communities, on the streets, and our college campuses. It is my distinct honor and privilege to recognize Mr. Cliff Albright, Ms. Latosha Brown-

142. 1:30:46

     Whoo

143. 1:30:46

     ... and the entire Black Voters Matter Fund team.

144. 1:30:51

     Whoo.

145. 1:30:51

     Ms. Brittany Burns, the Metro Atlanta Regional Organizing Manager.

146. 1:30:58

     Dr. Melanie Calhoun. I see her up there, Reverend Dr. Melanie Calhoun. Founded in 2016, Black Voters Matter was created to strengthen Black voting power by building the capacity of grassroots organizations and centering the communities, voices of the communities most directly impacted by public policy. They don't just go to the hood, they go to the holler, too, investing in both rural and urban Black communities that are too often overlooked. Black Voters Matter first gained national recognition in 2017 when they helped play a pivotal role in Alabama's historic US Senate election.

147. 1:31:29

     They later played a pivotal role in 2020 election cycle-

148. 1:31:35

     Call Joe on to help

149. 1:31:35

     ... including in Georgia's historic US Senate runoff elections. Since then, Cliff and his team have traveled a- across more than 20 states in the Blackest bus in America, exposing voter suppression, energizing voters, and partnering with more than 600 grassroots organizations working to strengthen democracy from the ground up. From attacks on the Voting Rights Act and continued efforts to undermine access to the ballot, Cliff has remained one of the, our nation's leading voices for voting rights, bringing that message from local communities to national media outlets and institutions.

150. 1:32:07

     Before leading this movement, he worked in international development with organizations like the World Bank and the US Agency for International Development, and he has taught African American studies at the university level. Their work gives them a front row seat to the barriers that prevent Black Americans from participating fully in our democracy. And every time they identify a barrier, they organize to remove it. They are about action, and they are about results. It's not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. The sustained, and the sustaining and strengthening of Black political power is an issue of our democracy itself.

151. 1:32:38

     So today, we wanna thank you, to celebrate you, and to recognize you. Every day we confront forces that seek to move our state backward, but every day you bring to Georgia an even greater force, the greatest force of democracy, the people. Thank you, Black Voters Matter. Thank you, Cliff. Thank you, Rev- I see your wife up there as well. If you all could stand for to be recognized by our House.

152. 1:33:01

     Thank you for what you do for Black Georgians every single day. Please join us in the anting room for a picture after this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We yield the will.

153. 1:33:17

     Gentleman's yielded the will. Representative Glaize, Representative Mathiak, Representative Townsend, Representative Carter, you're on deck.

154. 1:33:25

     No, this is Girl State. Girl State. Come on.

155. 1:33:30

     Georgia Tech.

156. 1:33:32

     It's not a bad thing, either.

157. 1:33:33

     Give these fine members your attention, please.

158. 1:33:36

     Today we rise because in our midst are young high school students who attended the 50th year of Girl State. Girl State is a national program that is an auxiliary of the American Legion, and it gives practical application and instruction in fundamental p- uh, principles and procedures about city, county, and state government. And so today, we have two students who attended last week at Valdosta State, Sloan Hudgens and Lily Roberts, who are constituents of Representative Mathiak and Representative Townsend.

159. 1:34:19

     And standing with me is Representative Scott, who spoke to them last year, and, uh, I had the pleasure of speaking to them this year, and they wanted to come and to show their care about what we do here. They will be upcoming, uh, freshmen at Georgia Tech. And so young ladies, let's give them applause and tell them thank you for what you're going to do, and we appreciate all you are.

160. 1:34:46

     Thank you.

161. 1:34:47

     Blue jackets, good job.

162. 1:34:48

     Thank you.

163. 1:34:49

     Representative.

164. 1:34:50

     Yes.

165. 1:34:50

     Fayette in the house.

166. 1:34:52

     Thank you, Lady Yearta-Dewell. Representative Doreen Carter, recognized for a morning order.

167. 1:35:05

     Oh, okay. Well, I'll take all of them.

168. 1:35:06

     Yeah, you'll take all of them.

169. 1:35:10

     Good morning. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, colleagues. Freedom is both a gift and a responsibility. Mr. Speaker, members of the, of this body, I rise this morning on the eve of Juneteenth, not to celebrate, that's for tomorrow. This morning, I rise to remember. As we gather on the eve of Juneteenth, I find myself reflecting not only on our nation's history, but on Georgia's history. Juneteenth commemorates the day when the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas learned they were free.

170. 1:35:48

     More than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued, 161 years ago on that night, June 18th, 1865. And I'm sure I can talk louder than you are. More than 250,000 Black men, women, and children went to sleep still in chains. Not because freedom hadn't come, it had, two and a half years before, but the people with power over them made a choice, a deliberate choice, to say nothing, withhold the news, to keep human beings in bondage long after the law declared them free.

171. 1:36:32

     Freedom existed, but silence kept it from reaching the people it belonged to. Juneteenth reminds us, freedom delayed is still freedom denied.

172. 1:36:43

     That's right.

173. 1:36:44

     Here in Georgia, the legacy of slavery, rec- reconstruction, the civil rights movement, and the fight for voting rights is woven into the fabric, fabric of who we are.

174. 1:36:54

     Yes.

175. 1:36:55

     This is the state of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., of Congressman John Lewis-

176. 1:37:01

     Yes

177. 1:37:01

     ... of Hosea Williams-

178. 1:37:03

     Yeah

179. 1:37:03

     ... Joseph Lowery, C.T. Vivian, and my c- constituent was upstairs, Mr. John Moore of the Urban League.

180. 1:37:12

     Yeah.

181. 1:37:13

     And of countless unsung Georgians who organized, marched, voted, and sacrificed, who helped shape this nation's ongoing justice, ongoing pursuit of justice. This is a state where Stacey Abrams and an army of organizers registered hundreds of thousands of voters and proved that w- that the, proved to the world that Black political power is real and it works.

182. 1:37:39

     Yeah.

183. 1:37:39

     Georgia has done it before. Georgia can do it again. As a daughter of Georgia and a member of this house, I never take it lightly the opportunity to serve in a place where laws are made. As a, i- I am mindful that many came before us who were denied not only the right to vote, but even the right to be heard. Their sacrifice, sacrifices made it possible for me and so many others to stand in this chamber.

184. 1:38:10

     Mr. Speaker, I submit to this body that silence is still a weapon. When we make it harder to register, we are silent. When we close polling places in communities that look like mine, we are silent. When we draw lines designed to dilute Black political power, we are silent. And when our own people stay home on election day, we ha- we hand them, uh, that weapon to those who have always used it against us. The ancestors did not need inspiration.

185. 1:38:44

     They needed someone to tell them the truth. So here's the truth. Our voters are the most powerful, non-violent tools we can possess. And there are forces in this country, in this state, working every single day to make sure we do not use them. The response to that is don't despair. The response is organization. The response is showing up. Register. Talk to your neighbor. Show up.

186. 1:39:12

     Lady, you need to, lady, lady, you need to wrap up.

187. 1:39:14

     I was. And tomorrow, Juneteenth, we celebrate freedom. I yield the floor.

188. 1:39:24

     Thank you, Representative.

189. 1:39:56

     Sir.

190. 1:40:02

     Mr. Clerk will read the caption to a group of privileged resolutions. Mr. Clerk. Honoring the life and memory of Raleigh James Rucker Jr. Honoring the life and memory of Elliot Earl Brack. Commending the Self-Enhancement Inc Bigger Than Basketball Camp in Atlanta, Georgia, and commending the City of Duluth upon the occasion of its 100th ann- uh, 150th anniversary. And for other purposes, that completes the reading the privileged resolutions.

191. 1:40:36

     Is there any objection to adopting the privileged resolutions? Hearing none, the resolutions are adopted. We, uh, we have some afternoon orders in the morning, but we're gonna move on with them.

192. 1:40:49

     As agreed, we have, um, 10 minutes allot- allocated to both teams each. So we'll, um, we'll begin with Chair Lady Dempsey and then Chairman Petrie.

193. 1:41:08

     Chair Lady Dempsey's recognized for up to 10 minutes or share that with Chairman Petrie.

194. 1:41:17

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I wanna start off first thing by thanking all who made great efforts to negotiate and set in place our schedule for this special session. I know that there's great understanding that many of us not only need but want to be in other places rather than here. Well, I wanna particularly also recognize that tomorrow is Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates both the promise of freedom and the long journey toward making that promise a reality.

195. 1:41:49

     Juneteenth marks June 19th, 1865, as the day the Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that enslaved people were free more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It is a day that reminds all of us that freedom is not merely declared. It must also be secured, protected, and ultimately realized.

196. 1:42:21

     As a Republican, I feel it is especially fitting to reflect on the life and important legacy of President Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president. The Republican Party was founded on the principle of abolition of slavery in the United States of America. President Lincoln led our nation through its greatest crisis, preserved the Union, and advanced the cause of human liberty. At a time when our country was deeply divided, he stood firmly on the principle that all people are created equal and entitled to the blessings of liberty.

197. 1:42:58

     As a Republican, President Lincoln believed that our nation could not remain true to its founding principles while tolerating human bondage. His leadership, along with Republicans in Congress, brought about the end of slavery and set our nation on a course toward a more perfect union. Juneteenth is therefore not only a celebration of freedom for those who were emancipated, it is also a celebration of the enduring American belief that liberty belongs to each and every person.

198. 1:43:33

     The story of Juneteenth reminds us that progress is often hard-won. It reminds us that laws matter, leadership matters, and moral courage matters. It reminds us that the work of expanding opportunity and protecting individual liberty is never truly finished. As we honor this day, and we also approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of our great nation, we should also remember the countless American heroes whose sacrifices have helped move our nation closer to the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence and protected by our Constitution.

199. 1:44:11

     Let us all celebrate Juneteenth as Americans united in appreciation of freedom. Let us all honor our first Republican, President Lincoln, and all those who worked to secure that liberty for each and every person. And let us recommit ourselves to the timeless principles that have guided our nation from its founding, freedom, equality under the law, individual liberty, and the belief that every person is endowed by our creator with inalienable rights.

200. 1:44:42

     May we all, as members of this most special House and as leaders in our individual communities, may we always cherish these blessings and defend them and pass them on to future generations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and may God continue to bless the United States of America and our great state of Georgia. I yield the well.

201. 1:45:11

     Lady's yielded the well.

202. 1:45:15

     Chairman Petrie.

203. 1:45:21

     Gonna mention some things about a little celebration going on. Gentleman's recognized.

204. 1:45:28

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Um, my colleagues, I rise today to, uh, at a very appropriate time as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of this greatest nation. I think it's very important that we recognize a few things, and I'm gonna try to come up here every day we're in session, and I'm gonna begin speaking to some of the great Georgians that helped us free ourselves from Great Britain. But I wanna begin by talking about the role of the South in the Revolution, and I hope that y'all know this, but if you don't, every Georgian should know this, all of our children should know this, and that is that the Revolution was won in the South.

205. 1:46:12

     It was won in the South, in particular in South Carolina. More battles were fought in South Carolina than any state in the Union, over 200, right at 200 battles in South Carolina. And if you know the history, uh, the war was at a stalemate in the North. Washington had suffered defeat after defeat, and the British had what they called a new plan called the Southern strategy. The Southern strategy was to come South and to win the war from the South and to roll back up North with all of these Loyalists they thought would be found in the South.

206. 1:46:54

     Moreover, they wanted to make sure that if they lost the northern colonies, they retained the southern colonies because we had most of the natural resources. Well, as we all know, that failed, and it failed because of so many men. And many of you live in counties like Elbert and Clarke and Dooly and Twiggs. General John Twiggs, Speaker, who was from Burke County, Georgia.

207. 1:47:26

     These great men were heroes of the Revolution from Georgia, and others in South Carolina, like the Swamp Fro- the Swamp Fox, Francis Marion, who my fourth great-grandfather fought under, freed this country, uh, defeated the British, pushed Cornwallis N- North. Cornwallis pushed back through North Carolina into a little seaside village called Yorktown, a fishing village, and there he surrendered to Washington.

208. 1:47:57

     How about that? So the Swouth, uh, the South had a huge impact on the Revolution. South Carolina, by the way, has just done a new tag that says, "The war was won," the r- where, "The revolution was won," is now on their tags in South Carolina. So my friends, I wanted to recognize that. I'm gonna come back on other days in the short session and talk about specific men that we all should know about who were heroes of the Revolution in Georgia. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

209. 1:48:24

     Thank you. You come from a place that has a little bit of history in itself. I know you're a student of history down in Savannah. Um.

210. 1:48:39

     We'll move on to another 10-minute segment of our afternoon orders. Representative Stacey Evans, Representative Barnes, Representative McQueen, Representative Moore, and Represent- Representative Holley would be the sequence there. Uh, the lady is recognized.

211. 1:48:58

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good almost afternoon, colleagues. I wanted to rise just for a moment to talk about separation of powers, and I think on Monday we're gonna get a chance to show how the separation of powers works, because we don't just have to take what the governor will sign. We have veto override power. And as far as I can tell, this body has not recognized that power or utilized that power since 2008. Um, and I think that we need to remember that our voters send us here to work and to lead, not to simply follow.

212. 1:49:31

     And we have constitutional power of veto override that says if we are to do it, we may only do it at the next session after the vetoes. That's why those veto statements are in our journal that we all saw today, and that is why if we are to exercise this power, we must exercise it during this session. I'm looking forward to considering a veto override of House Bill 1192, uh, which is meant to make sure that money that we appropriate and that the federal government sends for certain human services stay there.

213. 1:50:06

     And I think that's what the majority leader and the chairman of appropriations and Representative Taylor, Chairman Taylor, had in mind when they introduced that bill, and I look forward to that. There are a lot of other vetoed, bills that were vetoed that deserve our override consideration, and I look forward to us doing that as well. I, as well as line-item vetoes of the budget. We saw $100 million that we had appropriated for retirees cut, and I think we need to consider overriding that, among many other things. 4 million for solvency of rural hospitals, 2.7 million for vision and auditory screening equipment in schools, a, um, a 1.5 million for foster care reunification, and on and on and on.

214. 1:50:47

     And perhaps not for this session, but for another legislative session, we need to talk about this process of veto disre- I mean, uh, budget disregards. That is a blatant attempt to get around our, uh, veto override power, and we should not stand for it, and we need to make sure that we m- take the appropriate steps as legislators to ensure that the governor does not get a workaround to our appropriation power. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield the will.

215. 1:51:18

     The lady's yielded the will. Representative, Representative Barnes. There she is. I didn't see you, Representative Barnes.

216. 1:51:26

     I'm short.

217. 1:51:26

     Good morning.

218. 1:51:27

     Good morning. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, colleagues. I rise today to speak to you about a Black woman from Houston, Texas, with a voice as strong as the rolling thunder and the will and decency to back it up. I rise today to talk about a woman who forced America to live up to its promise. I rise today to speak to you all about Barbara Jordan.

219. 1:51:59

     Yeah.

220. 1:51:59

     In 1974, the Watergate impeachment hearings, Congresswoman Jordan stated, "My faith in the Constitution is whole. It is complete" It is total. And I am not gonna sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution. But Barbara Jordan knew that the Constitution hadn't always included people who looked like her, who looked like me.

221. 1:52:35

     She understood that the democracy without the right to vote is no democracy at all. That is why her greatest, most enduring legacy belongs to the history of voting rights. In 1975, the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 was up for extension. While many were content to simply renew this law, Barbara Jordan refused to sit by as an idle spectator. She looked across the American Southwest and saw many citizens being locked out of the ballot box, not just by the color of their skin, but by the languages that they spoke.

222. 1:53:16

     She single-handedly championed a massive expansion of that act, and because of Barbara Jordan, the Vote- Voting Right Act was expanded to protect language minorities, ensuring that Hispanic, Asian, and Native American citizens finally received bilingual ballots. She took a law designed to fix the American South and expanded it to protect the entire nation. Barbara Jordan taught us that democracy is not a monument to be admired.

223. 1:53:48

     It is a constant, urgent workspace. Today, as we continue to debate accessibility, security, and fairness at the ballot box, her legacy c- challenges us. She reminds us that the right to vote must never be taken for granted, and it must never be diminished. Let us honor her by continuing her work, not as idle spectators, but as active participants in making our union truly perfect. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield the will.

224. 1:54:22

     Representative McQueen.

225. 1:54:27

     Good morning. Lady's recognized.

226. 1:54:30

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Speaker, and colleagues.

227. 1:54:33

     Hello.

228. 1:54:34

     I would like to share with everyone a warning, one written by a sitting justice of the Supreme Court who watched her colleagues dismantle 60 years of protection in a single afternoon. She asks us first to consider the story of a hypothetical single county congressional district shaped like a near perfect circle and is 90% Black that is nestled in a hypothetical state which is 90% white and shaped, for the most part, like a rectangle. Our justice, uh, goes on to explain that the state is subject to a redistricting scheme and has, quote, "A long history of virulent racial discrimination and its many effects, including in residential segregation, and voting throughout the state is racially polarized.

229. 1:55:13

     Black residents vote heavily for Democratic candidates. White residents vote heavily for Republicans. The circle district thus enables the state's Black community to elect a representative of its choice whom no neighboring community would put in office. But that arrangement changed when the state legislature decides to eliminate the circle district by cracking it into pieces and allocating one to each, one each to six new, still solidly white districts. The state's Black voters are now widely dispersed and, unlike the state's white voters, lack any ability to elect a representative of their choice.

230. 1:55:44

     Election after election, Black citizens' votes are, by every practical measure, wasted," end quote. For two generations, the law was simple. If a map dilutes the voting power of Black or Latino or Asian American citizens, if it shrinks their voth- voice in their own government, that map can be challenged, and it can sh- and it can be struck down. It didn't matter whether the mapmaker said a prayer for fairness while they drew the lines. It mattered whether the lines, in effect, silenced people. That is gone now.

231. 1:56:14

     The Court has decided that proving a map's effect is no longer enough. Voters must now prove what was in a legislator's heart, intent, not impact. And as the dissent makes plain, that is not a higher bar. It is no bar at all. It, quote, "Renders Section 2 all but a dead letter," end quote. Think about what that actually means out here in the real world, away from the gold dome. It means a state can draw a map that splits a community in three pieces, that buries Black voters under white majorities in district after district that hasn't elected a person of color to Congress in living memory, and as long as the state whispers the word politics instead of the word race, the courts must look away.

232. 1:56:58

     Politics becomes the magic word. Say it, and discrimination becomes invisible. Say it, and 60 years of struggle becomes a technicality. That is not a neutral rule. It is a permission slip. It tells every map drawer in every state house in this country, "Cheat carefully. Cheat quietly. Cheat with a straight face, and the Constitution will not stop you because we have made sure no one can prove what is in your head." There is no honor in that kind of victory.

233. 1:57:29

     There is no constitutional principle in rigging the rules of representation and then hiding behind procedure when you're called on it. People did not march, were not beaten, did not die, my father did not sit at those counters in Woolworth's so that future generations could be locked out of their own government through a loophole cleverly disguised as restraint. So let the record show some of us are still counting. We are counting the districts that vanish. We are counting the voices that get carved up and divided until they cannot be heard. And we will not let this body forget that there were always two ways to win an election, by earning the votes of the people or by deciding in advance which people get to vote for you.

234. 1:58:05

     One of those is democracy. The other is cheating wearing democracy's clothes. I yield the will.

235. 1:58:17

     Members, uh, remember the decorum in this house, and that, um, doesn't allow outbursts. We are always glad to hear from members, but not in a support mood. Representative Moore,

236. 1:58:30

     you have j- a very, you have less than a minute.

237. 1:58:35

     I think I can get that done without saying anything to you, Mr. Speaker, thank you. Um, today, uh, we have spent another $65,000, uh, of the G- Georgia taxpayers' dollars, with a daily ticker of now $130,000. This means we could have paid for th- for free school lunches for our children across Georgia or towards Georgia Dream down payment assistance. A budget of $65,000 comfortably covers maximum down payments and closing cost grants for qualifying first-time buyers.

238. 1:59:10

     Again, shame on us for being fiscally irresponsible.

239. 1:59:14

     Whoo.

240. 1:59:15

     I yield the balance.

241. 1:59:15

     The lady's yielded the well. We have a couple more folks, but we're out of time on afternoon orders. We'll move on to announcements, I believe.

242. 1:59:28

     Leader Efstration, then Chairman Parish. Leader Efstration.

243. 1:59:34

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There will be a committee ...

244. 1:59:39

     Thank you, Speaker. There will be a committee chairman's lunch upon adjournment, Room 403.

245. 1:59:49

     Chairman Parish, recognized for an announcement.

246. 1:59:54

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd ask that the members of the Rules Committee, we will have a Rules Committee meeting Saturday morning at 8:30 in Room 403 here in the Capitol. Saturday morning, 8:30, 403, Capitol. Thank you.

247. 2:00:11

     New Rules Committee, Room 403.

248. 2:00:17

     I see we had a lot of birthdays we caught up on yesterday. We don't have any birthdays since yesterday, unless any of our new members we didn't have down has had a birthday. I've got 'em. I've got their birthdays. Oh, we got their birthdays, so they don't have one, so we don't. So that completes our work for the day. Uh, I'm gonna recognize the majority leader for a motion.

249. 2:00:44

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move that this house stand adjourned until Saturday, June 20th, 2026 at 9:00 AM.

250. 2:00:56

     On the motion of the majority, this house stands adjourned until 9:00 AM, Saturday, June the 20th, 2026. All those in favor will say, "Aye." Aye. Okay. All those opposed will say, "No."

251. 2:01:13

     No. It's a little bit closer this time, but the ayes have it. This house will stand adjourned until Saturday morning. Thank you.

252. 2:02:05

     Bye.