ATLANTA (February 25, 2025) — Yesterday, Senate Bill 145 passed unanimously out of the Senate Committee on Judiciary. Sen. Harold Jones II (D–Augusta), Leader of the Democratic Caucus, co-sponsored the measure with Senators Max Burns (R–Sylvania) and Lee Anderson (R–Grovetown). SB 145 would provide a sixth judge to the superior courts of the Augusta Judicial Circuit.
Continue reading “Minority Leader Harold Jones II and Sen. Max Burns Applaud Unanimous Passage of SB 145 by Senate Committee on Judiciary”Sen. Billy Hickman to Celebrate Georgia Reads Day at State Capitol
ATLANTA (February 24, 2025) — On Tuesday, February 25, at 12:00 p.m., Sen. Billy Hickman (R–Statesboro) will celebrate Georgia Reads Day with the Georgia Council on Literacy. Sen. Hickman will be joined by Georgia Reads Coach Malcolm Mitchell, Rep. Chris Erwin (R–Homer) and leadership from the Georgia Council on Literacy. The 2025 Georgia READBowl champions and the Georgia Reads Community Award winners will be recognized during the event.
Continue reading “Sen. Billy Hickman to Celebrate Georgia Reads Day at State Capitol”Sen. Sally Harrell and Sen. Elena Parent Introduce Legislation to Create Voluntary “No Sell” Firearms List
ATLANTA (February 24, 2025) — Last week, Sen. Sally Harrell (D–Atlanta) and Sen. Elena Parent (D–Atlanta) filed Senate Bill 224, “Donna’s Law,” to allow Georgia citizens at risk for suicidal ideations to place themselves on the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Firearms Checks List to protect themselves.
Continue reading “Sen. Sally Harrell and Sen. Elena Parent Introduce Legislation to Create Voluntary “No Sell” Firearms List”COLUMN: Walker: Week Six Under the Gold Dome
By: Sen. Larry Walker, III (R–Perry)
With Legislative Day 20 behind us, we have officially reached the halfway mark of the 2025 Legislative Session.
One of our biggest legislative priorities this session has been lawsuit reform. Reining in the costly legal environment that burdens small businesses, healthcare providers, and consumers has been long overdue, and I am proud to report that the Senate has taken a significant step forward with the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 68. These commonsense reforms will help stabilize insurance costs, prevent frivolous litigation and ensure that businesses—especially small, family-owned operations—can operate without the constant threat of excessive verdicts. By curbing lawsuit abuse, we protect jobs and keep costs down for Georgia consumers. I look forward to working with our colleagues in the House to send these bills to the Governor’s desk.
This week, we also passed SB 52, the “Timberlands Recovery, Exemption, and Earnings Stability (TREES) Act,” which provides vital tax relief to timberland owners impacted by Hurricane Helene. The storm caused catastrophic damage, destroying an estimated $1.3 billion in standing timber across South Georgia. Many of these landowners depend on their timber harvest for income, and the economic impact has been devastating. This bill, sponsored by Sen. Russ Goodman (R–Cogdell), will help stabilize the market, ease the financial strain on affected families and support the long-term recovery of Georgia’s forestry industry—one of the largest in the nation.
Another key legislative win this week was the passage of SB 89, which expands Georgia’s Child Tax Credit to provide direct financial relief to families with young children. Sponsored by Sen. Brian Strickland (R–McDonough), this bill builds on the recommendations of the Senate Study Committee on Access to Affordable Childcare, which spent months gathering input from working parents, childcare providers, and business leaders. The bill increases the state tax credit for childcare expenses to 40% of the federal level and creates a new tax credit for families with children under seven. Additionally, SB 89 incentivizes businesses to help employees with childcare costs by raising the employer tax credit cap from 50% to 75%. With the rising cost of childcare making it harder for parents—particularly mothers—to remain in the workforce, this legislation will provide real relief for Georgia families and help grow our state’s economy.
In addition to these major policy advancements, I introduced SB 125 to address the arduous process that professional engineers face to obtain certification. SB 125 would decouple the current sequential order of experience and examination requirements, which would allow engineers to acquire their license more quickly. This reform would also help prepare engineers to enter the Georgia workforce and advance in their careers. SB 125 was passed out of the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities, and I look forward to bringing it to the Senate floor in the coming weeks.
On a personal note, I was honored to celebrate Future Farmers of America (FFA) Day on Tuesday. Georgia is home to the third-largest chapter of this excellent organization, whose work is instrumental in directing young people to the forefront of agriculture and preparing them for career success. The future of farming depends on our youth, and with the help of FFA, Georgia agriculture will continue to be our state’s top industry.
As always, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the 20th Senate District. Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions, concerns, or ideas. Your input helps shape the policies that impact our state, and I value your voice in this process.
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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Secretary of the Majority Caucus and Walker: Week Six Under the Gold DomeChairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Treutlen, Pulaski and Wilcox counties, as well as portions of Houston County. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy Applauds Tort Reform Legislation Passing Senate
ATLANTA (February 21, 2025)—Today, the Georgia Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 68, a sweeping reform of the state’s tort laws, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy (R–Macon).
“SB 68 is a major step toward reining in the excessive litigation that is driving up costs for healthcare providers, job creators, and consumers,” said Sen. Kennedy. “Since 2016, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has estimated that litigation costs have risen 7.1% per year—far outpacing inflation. Nuclear verdicts and frivolous lawsuits cost Georgia households an average of $5,035 annually. This broken system cannot continue.”
Sen. Kennedy continued, “The consequences of excessive litigation extend far beyond the courtroom. Because of rising litigation cost, small business owners are forced to lay off employees or shut down as their liability insurance premiums skyrocket. Pregnant women in rural areas must now travel over two hours to see an OB-GYN because local hospitals have been forced to close. When healthcare providers leave the state due to an unpredictable legal climate, entire communities suffer. It’s time to restore fairness and stability to our civil justice system, and today’s passage of SB 68 is a critical step in that direction.”
Sen. Kennedy sponsored and carried SB 68 on behalf of Governor Brian P. Kemp, who made tort reform his top priority for the 2025 Legislative Session in his State of the State address last month.
For more information about the legislation, read it here.
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Sen. John F. Kennedy serves as the President Pro Tempore of the Georgia State Senate. He represents the 18th Senate District, which includes Crawford, Monroe, Peach and Upson counties, as well as portions of Bibb and Houston counties. He may be reached at (404) 656-6578 or by email at John.Kennedy@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.