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President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy Celebrates Signing of Legislation to Support Georgia Military Families

ATLANTA (April 25, 2024) — This week, Governor Brian P. Kemp signed into law House Bill 880, legislation that significantly enhances opportunities for military spouses joining Georgia’s workforce. Authored by Rep. Bethany Ballard (R–Warner Robins), HB 880 marks a monumental step towards easing the transition for military families assigned to one of Georgia’s premier military installations.

Sen. John F. Kennedy (R–Macon) proudly supported HB 880, emphasizing its critical role in empowering military spouses to utilize existing occupational licenses from other states when seeking employment in Georgia. This legislation aims to address the many employment challenges faced by military families when they receive orders to relocate to Georgia. By cutting red tape, the previsions inside of HB 880 will ensure a smooth transition for military spouses to enter Georgia’s workforce.

“Georgia’s military spouses make tremendous sacrifices for our nation, and it’s imperative that we support them in every way possible,” Sen. Kennedy remarked. “HB 880 not only accelerates their integration into the workforce, but also underscores our commitment to their professional and financial stability.”

“In collaboration with the leadership of Robins Air Force Base, the Georgia Chamber, and the United States Department of Defense, HB 880 was crafted to prioritize the needs of military families,” said Sen. Kennedy. “It’s important to highlight the pivotal role and impact military installations have on many communities around our state. I witnessed this firsthand by working alongside base leadership at Houston County’s own Robins Air Force Base.”

“I want to offer my most sincere praise and gratitude to Rep. Bethany Ballard for her tireless support of this legislation.  From the beginning Rep. Ballard, Chairman Larry Walker (R–Perry) and I worked together to craft a streamlined process that will impact roughly 70,000 active-duty personnel and approximately 24,965 active-duty spouses currently on assignment at any of Georgia’s 10 military installations.”

“It is my hope that HB 880 will minimize burdensome delays for military spouses entering the workforce, thereby strengthening our military communities and honoring the sacrifices made by our service members and their families. I applaud Gov. Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly for their support of this much needed legislation,” concluded Sen. Kennedy.

You can find more information about HB 880 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 Upson, Monroe, Peach, Crawford, as well as portions of Bibb and Houston County. He may be reached at 404.656.6578 or by email at john.kennedy@senate.ga.gov.

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Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes Celebrates Signage of First Bill Into Law

ATLANTA (Apr. 24, 2024) — This week, Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes (D–Lawrenceville), Georgia’s youngest female state Senator, celebrated a legislative landmark following the signage of her first bill, SB 144.

Sen. Islam Parkes celebrated her first signed piece of legislation saying, “I am honored that this is my first measure to be signed into law. My experience on the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military and Homeland Security helped me shape this legislation, which will reduce administrative burdens, save taxpayer dollars and protect commissioned officers. I look forward to continuing my work for the 7th District by championing future legislation to serve Georgians across our state.”

The bill removes the requirement for the state’s adjutant general to include a roster of all commissioned officers in the organized militia in an annual report to the Governor. Additionally, it eliminates the mandate to index, print, bind and distribute laws and regulations of the militia to all militia forces. This is the first bill to pass through both legislative chambers and gain a signature from Gov. Brian P. Kemp under Sen. Islam Parkes’ leadership.

For more information about SB 144, click here.

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Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes represents the 7th Senate District, which includes a portion of Gwinnett County. She may be reached by phone at 404.463.5263 or by email at NabilahIslamParkes@senate.ga.gov.

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Sen. Brian Strickland Commends Long-term Solution to Address Train Stoppage in McDonough and Locust Grove

ATLANTA (April 10, 2024) — Sen. Brian Strickland (R–McDonough) issued a statement today commending the collaborative effort between the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and Norfolk Southern Corporation to address train stoppages in McDonough and Locust Grove, Henry County.

“I commend GDOT and Norfolk Southern for hearing the concerns our community raised about trains blocking intersections in McDonough and Locust Grove over the past couple of years,” said Sen. Strickland. “Last year, we joined with Norfolk Southern and announced a temporary fix where longer trains were relocated to another track. However, this new siding will create a long-term solution by allowing space for trains to pace while traffic flows through Henry County.”

GDOT recently announced a partnership with Norfolk Southern Corporation to fund freight rail improvements in Henry County. Norfolk Southern received an $8.4 million grant for their McDonough passing track improvement project, as part of the newly created Georgia Freight Rail Program. The project, estimated to cost $21 million in total, aims to more than double the current rail length on Norfolk Southern’s Atlanta South District passing track, connecting Macon and Atlanta in Henry County.

This initiative is a crucial step towards enhancing the efficiency of the freight rail corridor, connecting the Georgia Port Authority Garden City Terminal and the metro Atlanta area. By expanding the rail length, the project is expected to reduce road crossings blocked by trains, contributing to improved traffic flow and safety in the region.

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Sen. Brian Strickland serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary. He represents the 17th Senate District which includes all of Morgan and portions of Henry, Newton and Walton County. Sen. Strickland may be reached by phone at 404.463.6598 or by email at brian.strickland@senate.ga.gov.

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Sen. John Albers Applauds Senate’s Passage of HB 808

ATLANTA (Mar. 27, 2024) — On Tuesday, Mar. 26th, House Bill 808 garnered unanimous approval from members of the Georgia Senate. Carried in the Senate by Sen. John Albers (R–Roswell), the bill aims to alleviate tax burdens on small businesses in Georgia. Specifically, it seeks to reduce taxes on tangible personal property, items that have traditionally been subjected to annual taxation, posing financial strains on businesses across the state.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the Georgia economy,” said Sen. Albers. “I was so proud to work with NFIB and Rep. Cheokas to pass House Bill 808. This legislation lowers the tax burden, allowing our businesses to grow and thrive.”

Rep. Mike Cheokas (R–Americus), the bill’s sponsor, said, “This is a great day for business in Georgia. I want to thank Shaw Blackmon, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, for his continued support and guidance in getting this measure passed in the Georgia House of Representatives. I am equally grateful to the hard work of Sen. John Albers for navigating H.B. 808 through the Senate. This was a team effort. I hope this will be the first step in reducing the burden of high taxes and prohibitive regulations that adversely affect businesses in Georgia.”

The timing of the legislation is noteworthy, coinciding with record levels of inflation and government expenditure. Sen. Albers underscored the bill’s relevance in addressing the escalating costs associated with business ownership and operation, attributing these challenges to federal fiscal policies.

NFIB State Director Hunter Loggins released the following statement yesterday on HB 808.

“House Bill 808 raises the threshold for paying this onerous tax,” Loggins said. “Small businesses already pay sale taxes on equipment, desks, and other property. The tangible personal property tax means they’re paying taxes on the same items year after year. Raising the threshold for paying this tax would ease the financial pressure on employers struggling with inflation that continues to drive up the cost of owning and operating a small business.

With the bill awaiting Governor Brian P. Kemp’s signature, its journey is far from over. Given its implications for the State’s Constitution, the measure will undergo scrutiny from Georgia citizens in November, as it necessitates a constitutional amendment for enactment.

You can find more information on HB 808 here.

Quotes sourced from the National Federation of Independent Businesses.

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Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. He represents the 56th Senate District which includes portions of Cherokee, Cobb and North Fulton counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at john.albers@senate.ga.gov

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Sen. Jason Anavitarte Celebrates Final Passage of Legislation to Ban Foreign Ownership of Georgia Agricultural Land

ATLANTA (Mar. 26, 2024) – Legislation aimed at safeguarding Georgia’s agricultural interests, food supply and national security has been forwarded to Governor Brian P. Kemp for signage into law. Sponsored by Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas), Senate Bill 420 aims to prohibit perilous foreign adversaries from owning agricultural land or land within a 10-mile radius of a military base, installation, or airport in Georgia.

Senator Anavitarte, reflecting on the passage of this pivotal legislation, stated, “the Chinese government essentially validated our longstanding suspicions of their willingness to undermine our national security, as evidenced by their deployment of spy balloons over military installations just last year. I take great pride in authoring this legislation, and I am confident that it will shield all Georgians while prioritizing homeland security.”

SB 420, was crafted in response to a 2021 Department of Agriculture report revealing that China possessed 384,000 acres of American agricultural land, marking a 30% surge from 2019 to 2020. An illustrative instance of China’s strategic land acquisition emerged in 2022 when Fufeng Group, a Chinese entity linked to the Chinese Communist Party, sought to purchase land near Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. Apart from jeopardizing economic stability and overall security at both state and national levels, foreign dominion over such assets imperils the nation’s food supply and the livelihoods of Georgia farmers.

SB 420 complies with federal fair housing regulations by exempting primary residences from its purview and stipulates timeframes for covered nonresident aliens to divest agricultural properties they presently own or may acquire in the future through debt settlement or inheritance.

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Sen. Jason Anavitarte serves as Chair of the Senate Majority Caucus. He represents Senate District 31 which includes Paulding and Polk Counties. He can be reached at 404.656.9221 or at Jason.anavitarte@senate.ga.gov.