By: Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry)
As the legislative session continues on, our work in the state Capitol has reached a steady pace and our time has been split between Appropriations meetings, to discuss the Amended Fiscal Year 2021 (AFY21 budget), and standing committee meetings to review legislation. Almost a full month into the session, our priorities have not changed, and I remain committed to advocating for Senate District 20 and fighting for our conservative values. The current circumstances we are in are challenging, but I assure you that I am working hard to make sure your concerns are addressed and that state government is responsive to you, the taxpayer.
At the start of the week, the Senate received its first calendar of bills to take up for consideration; a short list of bills and resolutions tackling a range of issues on both the state and local level. One bill on that list may seem reminiscent of last year, Senate Bill 6 or the “Tax Credit Return on Investment Act of 2021.” Almost identical to legislation from the previous session, SB 6 would permit the chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee to request up to five economic analyses, each, pertaining to any of our state’s tax breaks, credits or incentives. These are to be procured through the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, although can be independently contracted, and are intended to audit areas such as revenue, expenditures or economic activity. Tax breaks, in their entirety, are intended to stimulate our economy and businesses by providing added revenue. However as we have seen over the years, their fiscal impact is not equal. SB 6 seeks to continue strengthening our economy by ensuring the fiscal legislation we put out is producing its intended consequences and having a positive return.
As part of committee meetings, the Senate Appropriations Committee met as a full group on Thursday to pass House Bill 80, the AFY21 budget. Encompassing over $26 billion dollars in expenditures, the House Bill and Senate substitute are a reflection of countless hours of analysis and planning by General Assembly offices, state agency staff and of course input from Georgia citizens. With the AFY21 budget now waiting to be taken up on the Senate Floor, I will detail more specifics once passed. However, our priorities continue to be on public health and education, adding millions to the Department of Public Health to assist personnel with their COVID-19 response efforts. Additionally, I am happy to announce that the Georgia Agriculture Exposition Authority will receive added funds to help offset the impact of lost revenue due to COVID-19. I would like to thank Governor Kemp for his strong support and Senate Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery (R – Vidalia) for his tireless efforts on behalf of the Senate. They both have been generous with their time, giving me an opportunity to fully explain the needs of our district, and have responded by prioritizing these needs in the supplemental budget. I commend my friend, Chairman Tillery, for his knowledge and expertise on the complexities of the budget and appreciate his wise leadership.
With the current climate, the Senate has also been working to introduce legislation that addresses concerns generated from the November election, namely related to election irregularities and the potential for fraud. To combat that, I introduced my own piece of legislation – Senate Bill 67.
This bill would require electors submitting an absentee ballot request form, regardless of whether it is online or mailed in, to include their date of birth and either their driver’s license number or personal identification card number. While this is already required for online requests, codifying it to encompass all applications allows officials to validate the identity of every elector, adding an extra security measure without making the process burdensome. The goal is not to make it harder to vote, but rather to ensure only legal votes are counted, thus restoring trust into the system. SB 67 joins a number of other bills with similar intentions:
- Senate Bill 62 would make a variety of revisions to the absentee ballot collection process to help mitigate fraud, including holographic security for paper ballots (similar to that used for checks and currency), requiring the name of the precinct, maintaining a chain of custody and establishing guidelines for when there’s a need to duplicate ballots.
- Senate Bill 89 would create the position of a chief elections assistance officer to supervise the handling of elections, analyze county practices and determine if certain areas are “low performing.”
- Senate Bill 69 would require individuals applying or re-applying for a driver’s license to affirm their desire to register to vote
- Senate Bill 70 would address the possibility of individuals coming to Georgia to solely vote in a U.S. run-off.
I anticipate these bills to be just the beginning, as we continue to address voting processes, oversight, transparency and security. Open and honest elections are a foundation of our democracy, and it is my goal to ensure fairness and instill public confidence in the system. Next week, the Senate is expected to return for further legislative days and to vote on the AFY21 budget. As the session goes on and committees meet more often, please reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. My office is always open to serve the people of District 20.
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Sen. Larry Walker serves as the Majority Caucus Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. 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.