By: Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry)
This week, our first major deadline of the session was reached and all of the Senate bills and resolutions that can be signed by the governor have been sent to the House for review. We heard 68 pieces of legislation on the floor in four legislative days and passed many important measures. In this column, I’ll highlight a few that are relevant to our district and ones I think everyone should be aware of.
- Senate Bill 83 would expand curriculum provisions to allow high schools to provide elective courses on the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. This gives our schools the option to teach our students valuable and important lessons from the Bible and is something both sides of the aisle believe is good for public schools.
- Senate Bill 157 would establish a deposit placement program that gives local banks the option to secure public funds through the use of third party collateral. This third party would place the deposit into accounts that are fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. This is helpful for local banks as it will allow them to better serve their local municipalities.
- Senate Bill 170 would allow local governments to display the “Honor and Remember” flag in dedication of armed service men and women who died in the line of duty. SB 170 designates acceptable days and locations on which the flag should be displayed. As a district that is home to so many service men and women, I am glad we will have this flag to remind us of the ultimate sacrifice thousands of people have made to allow us to live in the land of the free.
- Senate Bill 2 would enable Georgia’s 41 Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) to provide internet services and broadband to their customers directly or indirectly through a broadband affiliate. Under SB 2, EMCs would be prohibited from cross subsidizing their broadband services with any other services they provide and the Georgia Public Service Commission would handle any disputes between the EMCs and companies they work with to provide broadband services. However, we are still working with our counterparts in the House to ensure this bill balances the needs of providers and consumers. This is the last of the three Senate bills included in the broadband expansion package, bringing rural Georgia one step closer to having fast, reliable internet.
- Two Senate bills that passed this week will have a direct impact on Middle Georgia. Senate Bill 80 would clarify language regarding the issuance and proposals for a new location, ownership, management or operation of the Georgia Music and Georgia Sports halls of fame. The bill also allows the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame to seek state appropriations for its budget and specifies that these state funds issued should be utilized for preservation of artifacts with historical significance. Senate Bill 110 would add new provisions to Georgia Code relating to the State-wide Business Court, which was approved in a constitutional amendment on last November’s ballot. Specifically, SB 110 clarifies that the Court will be based in Macon-Bibb County (though the cases will be tried in the jurisdiction of the parties involved), defines the Court’s jurisdiction, outlines the procedures for hearing a case before the Court and establishes the qualifications and selection process for the judge of the Court. These bills reflect our commitment to non-metro parts of Georgia. Allowing state support of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and having this court housed in Macon, rather than Atlanta, are positive steps in making sure other areas benefit from our state’s economic success.
- Senate Bill 163 would allow students who are home schooled to participate in extracurricular and interscholastic activities in the student’s designated public school system. The bill also outlines eligibility requirements and school systems’ limitations. School choice is important to us, and this bill simply allows those who are already tax payers, but believe in teaching their children from home to enjoy the sports and other activities their tax dollars are benefitting.
- Senate Bill 225 would make several updates to state law regarding foster care. SB 225 makes changes to the definition of “reviewing agency,” requires documentation proving a child was in foster care to be given to those who are aging out of the program and adds a new program for foster care in a “qualified residential treatment program.” This legislation essentially aligns Georgia code with the Federal Family First Prevention Services Act which puts money into pro-active and preventative services to attempt to keep children out of the foster care system. It also changes the funding for group homes by clarifying that future funding will only be available to Qualified Residential Treatment Facilities, which are for children with severe behavioral and developmental challenges.
For the next several weeks, most of the bills we will be hearing will be House bills. There are likely some measures you’ve heard about in the news that will be heard in some of the committees I sit on. I encourage you to reach out if there are bills you feel strongly about passing, or not passing. I do my best to represent you all and your feedback is critical to my work at the Capitol. Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you.
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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Caucus Vice Chairman for the Majority Party. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Houston, Laurens and Pulaski counties. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at larry.walker@senate.ga.gov