Capitol Chaos: Peak Mayhem Mode

It’s that time — the wild, whiplash-inducing final days of session. Bills are getting gutted, stuffed, and pushed through faster than you can say “committee substitute.” Thank goodness for our hardworking Senate Democratic Caucus staff, including our team of externs, that help us keep track of it all.


Staying Focused in the Frenzy

While everything around us is morphing by the minute, I grounded myself in my legislative agenda. I don’t like it when the legislative process is bypassed, but this year Republicans are only letting a handful of Democratic bills move forward so I’ve concluded that in order to do good, I must play by a different strategy.

Chatbots + Kids = Accountability Now (HB 171): Last week, I worked with the author of HB 171, a bill that criminalizes AI-generated sexualized images of children, to add a key amendment: chatbot websites targeting kids could face criminal penalties for sexually-explicit content. The notoriously tough Senate Judiciary Committee tweaked the base bill (to the author’s dismay), but my amendment survived. The bill passed the Committee. Let’s hope it’s on the Senate floor next week.

Corn + Folic Acid = Health Babies (SB 278): SB 278, my bill to require folic acid in corn masa products to prevent spina bifida, got a rare dedicated hearing in the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee this week. Spina bifida prevention seems like a no-brainer, but we brought in a range of expert witnesses to testify to the costs of spina bifida to patients, their families and the state, the success of food fortification on public health, and the process of how food is fortified. The Ag Chair is very interested in this issue, but cautiously watching for opposition — and potentially for other states to act first.

New Bills: Salvos in the Storm

Amidst the chaos, I filed these bills this week.

Raising the Bar on Voter Challenges (HB 357): It’s time to do away with frivolous voter challenges. My bill requires actual evidence. After bringing the Chair of the DeKalb Election Board to meet with the Senate Ethics Chair to share how much time county elections staff spend on these challenges, the Committee Chair is now a co-sponsor — a huge win! I’m very hopeful he’ll help me push it forward next year.

A Public Health Insurance Option, Georgia-Style (SB 360): If Biden-era enhanced federal Affordable Care Act subsidies expire later this year, insurance costs will skyrocket and over a million Georgians could lose coverage. My bill offers a potential fix: a state-regulated, lower-cost Medicaid public option modeled on Nevada’s successful plan to leverage the state’s purchasing power by requiring insurance companies that bid on the state’s very lucrative Medicaid contracts to offer a public option plan.

Good Faith Grant Study Committee (SR 474): For the last two years, I’ve been working with a small bipartisan group of my colleagues to launch Georgia’s first needs-based college scholarship. We are working diligently to put the funding pieces together. In the meantime, I signed on to a resolution to create a Senate Study Committee — with the Higher Ed Committee Chair’s signature — to keep the momentum going.

Surprise! Bills Popping Up in Committees

The Voting Frankenstein (HB 397): This bill started out in the House as a simple bill about weekend voting in municipal elections and it snowballed into another sweeping elections bill. We heard over the weekend that it contained a provision to limit early voting sites to one per county, but it disappeared before it reached the Senate Ethics Committee. Sadly, bad provisions including limiting absentee ballot drop off on last weekend of early voting, giving more power and independence to the controversial State Elections Board, and nudging Georgia out of the Electronic Registration Information Center (aka ERIC), a data-sharing partnership with other states, despite the Secretary of State’s objections. It passed in a party-line vote and will likely be on the Senate floor next week.

The DEI Disguise (HB 127): SB 120, the ban on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs in schools, didn’t make it to the Senate floor by Crossover Day. But surprise! It’s back, reborn as HB 127, a bill that originally sought to increase teacher sick leave. Republicans passed it out of the Senate Education and Youth Committee this week. Until now, we avoided a Senate floor debate on this issue, but it’s likely to happen next week.

On the Senate Floor: The Good, the Bad, and the Backroom Deals

Distraction-Free Education (HB 340): I went to the well to speak to this bill to limit cell phone use in K–8 classrooms. When my kids were in school, having cell phones was new. My husband and I struggled to limit their use but teachers required the use of apps for homework assignments, making it difficult to enforce rules at home. This bill lets local districts decide how to implement it, which gives parents a way to advocate for policies that work best for their kids.

Surprise Pay Raises (HB 86): What started as a bill to change how some judges are paid turned into a fast-tracked Republican amendment proposing to raise the salaries of the Governor and other statewide officials. The media quickly pointed out that paying our Governor $250,000 (up from $175,000) would tie our Governor’s salary with the NY Governor for the highest Gubernatorial salary in the country. However, I recently looked up how much our Chancellor of the University System of Georgia gets paid — $524,000!

The next day, some Democrats tried to amend another judicial salary bill with a pay raise for legislators, a topic that comes up almost every session. Legislators currently make $22,000 plus a daily per diem while in session. As usual, that amendment failed.

We probably need a Study Committee on the salaries of elected officials.

The Budget Battle (HB 68): We had heard for weeks that there were major points of contention between the House and Senate versions of the FY 2026 budget. Those differences were revealed when the Senate version of the $37.7 billion budget hit the floor this week. The Senate jacked up Georgia’s new school voucher program funding (from $45M to $141M) while slashing direct help for low-income schools ($28 million) that the House added. Senate Republicans also want to tap into Georgia’s massive budget reserves instead of using bonds for construction projects. These differences will be worked out in a Conference Committee next week and the final versions will hit both chambers next week.


The Final Countdown: Take Action!

We’re down to three more crazy legislative days: Monday, Wednesday, and Sine Die Friday. In between? Strategizing, regrouping, and bracing for impact.

Several bad bills passed Committees this week.

Call or email the Speaker Jon Burn’s office and ask him to keep the following bills off the House floor. jon.burns@house.ga.gov, 404-656-5052

Religious Freedom Bill (SB 36): offers a license to discriminate based on religious views.

Anti-Transgender Legislation (SB 30 & 39): One bans treatment for trans youth, another bans coverage on state plans.

Call the Lt. Governor Burt Jone’s Office and ask him to keep the following bills off the Senate floor. https://ltgov.georgia.gov/contact-lt-governor, 404-656-5030

Elections Bill (HB 397): Bans the use of the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) for that helps keep voter registration lists up-to-date, and limits absentee ballot drop-off the weekend prior to Election Day.

Bans Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) programs in schools (HB 127): Bans school clubs & resource centers that offer specialized support for various groups.

Call the Chairman of Senate Appropriations, Chairman Blake Tillery, to ask him to fund direct support for low-income schools rather than school vouchers. https://www.legis.ga.gov/members/senate/4908/contact, 404-656-5038

Stay alert, stay loud, and buckle up for the final lap.

Paws, Policy & Protection Day
This week I took a break from voting to get some dog-time and some sunshine at Paws, Policy & Protection Day, sponsored by Humane World for Animals. It was great to get to know Jerry Hansand of Cumming, Georgia, and his dog, Polka!

Rising Up at the Capitol

Rising Tensions Over Tort Reform

Governor Kemp’s blood pressure must have been rising this week as the heat turned up on SB 68, his signature tort reform bill.

The week kicked off with a bombshell article landing on our desks in the House and Senate chambers, revealing that Florida’s Republican House Speaker had ordered an investigation into a previously hidden state report. The report exposed how insurance companies manipulated their books, crying financial hardship while raking in and hiding massive profits—all to justify tort reform that slashed their litigation costs. Sound familiar? It’s the same playbook insurers are using in Georgia.

That same afternoon, sex trafficking survivors flooded the House Rules Committee, slamming SB 68 for shielding businesses—like hotels—that knowingly allow crimes on their property. The backlash creates an awkward dilemma for the Kemps with First Lady Marty Kemp leading Georgia’s GRACE Commission to fight human trafficking.

The uprising didn’t stop there. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) joined the fight, condemning SB 68’s potential to limit pain and suffering damages by prohibiting attorneys from suggesting awards, leaving juries rudderless in awarding fair compensation. With tensions rising, one question looms large — who really wins if SB 68 passes?

Bills Rising Through the Ranks

Post-Crossover Day, we temporarily have fewer bills on the Senate floor, but more moving through Committees. With a quieter week, I was able to refocus on some of my priorities.

Rising Momentum for People Living with Disabilities

Governor Kemp’s 2025/26 budget proposal drastically cut funding that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Over the last few years, I have worked to quadruple this funding, in addition to raising salaries for caretakers. Last week, I found out that the House only restored a tiny amount of that funding, a major step backward. Refusing to lose ground, I wrote to the Senate Appropriations Chair pushing for the remainder of the funding. Then I hit the floor, rallying support by playing up the traditional Senate vs. House rivalry, encouraging my colleagues to “shame” the House into offering more. It worked! I got 42 signatures — 23 Republicans, 19 Democrats. I could have gotten more, but several legislators were out of the chamber. The letter is now with the Senate Appropriations Chair.

Rising Threats: AI and Child Safety

This week, I met with two concerned moms—one whose 9-year-old son was lured into an on-line chatbot conversation with “Katniss Everdeen,” the main character of the Hunger Games books. The chat eventually turned explicitly sexual. The other mom is an AI expert who explained how these AI Chatbot tools are powered by big players like Google to process the AI on the backend.

I took my constituents to Legislative Counsel to explore adding protections to an AI harms bill the Senate already passed. I’m hopeful that the bill sponsor will work with me on a House substitute. Next week, I’ll file my own bill to ban AI companies from using a person’s likeness without consent, and a Senate Study Committee resolution to examine AI and social media’s impact on kids. The risks are growing—so must our response. Never underestimate the power of moms to protect their kids!

Rising to Attention: My Corn Bill

This week, I was caught off guard—but thrilled—when the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee Chair asked when I wanted to present SB 278, my bill to fortify corn products with folic acid to prevent birth defects, specifically spina bifida. We’ve long fortified wheat, but Latino communities, with corn-based diets, face higher rates of birth defects as a result. This bill will also help mothers who can’t eat wheat due to Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance.

The Chair offered a hearing the next day, but I needed time to finalize changes and gather expert testimony. We look forward to having a full hearing on this bill.

Rising Young Leaders

Mentoring young leaders is one of my favorite parts of this job, and this week, I spent time with two from Dunwoody.

At the Women’s Legislative Caucus Yellow Rose Ceremony, I honored Sarah Menis, founder of Front Porch Food Drive, which has collected over 3,000 pounds of food for families in need by going door to door in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs. At just 18 years old, she was the youngest recipient of the Nikki T. Randal Servant Leader Award. It was such a meaningful moment watching her be honored alongside such accomplished women from around the state.

I also caught up with Parker Short, a rising political force. From founding Dunwoody High’s Young Democrats to interning for Senator Ossoff, leading Georgia Young Dems, and now earning a Master’s in Public Policy at Duke, Parker’s impact keeps growing. Last year, he went viral dancing to Kendrick Lamar at a Kamala Harris rally—this week, he stopped by on spring break to film a two-part video series with me to educate his followers about state government and boost my social media at the same time. Rising leaders like these give me hope for the future. We’ll debut our video on Instagram next week!

Time for You to Rise Up — Take Action!

Across the country, Americans are rising up—packing town halls, organizing protests, and speaking out against the destructive policies of Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Our members of Congress need to feel the pressure from all of us. This week, members of Congress are home for in-district time—make sure they hear your voice. Grab a friend and visit their offices — in person. Or call and share your concerns. Now’s the time.

Sen. Jon Ossoff’s Local Office

271 17th Street NW
Suite 1510, Atlanta, GA 30363
470-786-7800

Sen. Raphael Warnock’s Local Office

201 17th Street NW
Suite 530
Atlanta, GA 30363
770-694-7828

Join the movement: Necessary Trouble and Indivisible are hosting a virtual town hall with Senator Jon Ossoff this Sunday at 4 PM (register here). Next weekend, he’s kicking off his campaign with a “Rally for Our Republic” —sign up and show up!

Next Week Rises

The legislature returns for Day 32 of the legislative session on Tuesday. Governor Kemp has threatened to use his political warchest to primary those who do not support his tort reform efforts, and a special session if it does not pass. Also, budget negotiations have gotten intense between the House and the Senate, so temperatures will for sure be rising throughout the weeks leading up to Sine Die, which is scheduled for April 4th — a very long three weeks away! Stay tuned.

 

Yellow Rose Award
It was my pleasure to award my constituent Sarah Menis the Women’s Legislative Caucus Yellow Rose Servant Leader Award. Sarah was the youngest Yellow Award recipient and she got big applause for her work! Congratulations, Sarah!

What’s It Matter to You?

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/YyOEksRyn5A

 

Opposing Forces

Those of us working at the State Capitol this week felt wedged between a clash of forces.

Inside the Senate chamber, 33 Republicans forced through their Trump-aligned agenda while the 23 members of the Democratic Caucus pulled out every tool we had to fight back.

Outside the chamber, crowds of people poured into the Capitol to protest cruel bills. They stood on the Capitol steps showcasing their hand drawn signs, collectively raising their voices from time to time to let out pent-up emotions. Republicans, on their way to the House and Senate chambers, could not escape these voices as they ascended the stairs alongside the crowd, using a narrow aisle marked off for them by red tape. The message to the Republican legislators who passed by — “We are here, and what you are doing is not okay.”

This week’s trophy, however, goes to the students who showed up, many for the first time, to protest SB 120 — which seeks to end all diversity, equity & inclusion efforts in our educational institutions. High school and college students shared inspiring stories about how these supportive programs have helped them to become their best selves. To find out how their efforts paid off, read on.

Pushing Back Against Bad Bills

Democrats don’t have the votes to stop these bills, but we smartly use parliamentary maneuvers, designed to preserve the voice of the minority, to get our message out.

Minority Reports: Formal Opposition in Action

Official Minority Reports allow us to formally file our opposition to a bill after a committee vote to get dedicated time on the floor to argue our case. When I first joined the Senate, we only filed one or two of these reports a year. This week alone we filed seven! Here are just a few:

Religious Freedom Act (SB 36): Republicans say we need this to protect religious practices. But without comprehensive civil rights protections, this bill invites discrimination against LGBTQ+ and religious minority groups. Meanwhile, Republican leaders block our civil rights bills every year.

Transgender Therapy Ban for Minors (SB 30): This bill strips parents and doctors of their ability to make their own medical decisions.

Criminalization of Librarians (SB 74): This bill criminalizes librarians who allow kids to check out “harmful materials.” But who decides what’s “harmful?” With groups like Moms for Liberty targeting classics like To Kill a Mockingbird, SB 74 bill puts librarians at unfair risk.

Banning Ranked Choice Voting (SB 175): Republicans have spent four years rewriting our election laws to their advantage and it has worked well for them. Why would they want to change that? They don’t, and they want to ban any other options. Alaska implemented ranked choice voting and my colleagues there tell me this system has made elections “nicer” because instead of beating up their opponents, candidates behave better to preserve a second place win.

Fighting Back with Amendments

Whenever possible, we pushed amendments to make bad bills less harmful or advance Democratic priorities. While it’s not often that these amendments actually gain Republican votes and pass, they do use up time and force Republicans to think through the consequences of their bills:

Banning Transgender Care for Inmates (SB 185): Democrats fought to allow inmates already receiving hormone therapy to continue treatment. With four anti-trans Senate bills this session, I took to the well to remind my colleagues that this issue should not be used as a political football because it hurts real people.

Firearms Cause of Action (SB 163): Senator Elena Parent seized the moment to amend this bill that gives standing to firearms carriers to sue state and local governments for infringing on their rights, with her bill requiring gun owners to lock up firearms when kids are present.

Advocacy Works!

These bills now move to the House. Remember those students who shared their stories with legislators in the Committee hearing and at the ropes outside the Senate chamber? SB 120, the DEI ban, was not brought to a vote on the Senate floor, and the win is theirs! But it could resurface before Sine Die, the last day of the session, or even next year. Stay engaged—keep calling, showing up, and making your voices heard.

Pushing Good Bills Forward

It wasn’t all bad — there were lots of bills Democrats and Republicans came together on. I kept tabs of my votes on Crossover Day. Out of the 47 bills that were brought up for votes, I voted “yes” 45 times and “no” 16 (including amendments).

Dignity in Pay Act (SB 55): Championed by our friends at the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, SB 55 ends subminimum wages for workers with disabilities.

Ridge’s Law (SB 259): The result of a heartbreaking story of a family falsely accused of child abuse after seeking medical attention for unexplained injuries on their baby son, Ridge. It took the family a long, costly legal battle and 15 months to regain custody. SB 259 give falsely accused parents better legal recourse in child abuse investigations.

Democratic Wins—Even in Republican Bills

In the current environment, it’s still possible to pass good bills by talking a Republican into carrying it for you:

Behavioral Health Commission Expansion (SB 233): Carried by the Senate Rules Chair, SB 233 adds a subcommittee on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) to the already existing Behavioral Health Health Commission and revises the Commission membership to include experts from the IDD community. I orchestrated this compromise to elevate IDD issues going forward.

Anti-Doxxing Protections (SB 27): Originally a Democratic bill, this bill is now moving under Republican leadership. It enhances penalties for publishing personal contact information on the Internet without permission. Several of my colleagues were doxxed at the beginning of last session.

Outdoor Learning Pilot Program (SB 148): This bill was recommended by a Democratic Study Committee several years ago. It will promote outdoor education and recreation.

Democratic Bills That Moved

After being held hostage by Tort Reform (SB 68), Democratic bills finally started being heard in Committee on February 24, the 22nd legislative day. Eight of these bills passed the Senate on Crossover Day. Here are a few that will move to the House:

Insurance Protection for Active Duty Military (SB 109): This bill prohibits group insurance companies from denying benefits to active service members unless killed while serving. This bill came about when an insurance company denied benefits to the family of an active National Guard member who was killed in a car accident due to a hidden clause in his policy.

Georgia Early Childhood Literacy Act (SB 93): This bill strengthens reading instruction in Georgia by eliminating the 3-cue method that relies on visual memory and guessing to teach reading. The bill required evidence-based methods to be used instead.

Interagency Council for the Homeless (SB 170): Brings state agencies that work with the homeless population to work together to better address homelessness.

Action!! Congress Needs to Hear your Voice Too!

Our U.S. Senators and Representatives are not here to see the crowds at the State Capitol, and they need to hear how upset people are.

The week of March 17 – 21, both the U.S. Senate and House will be on recess and back in their districts. Grab a friend or two and visit their local office. Make sure they know you are watching them and expecting them to lead.

Also, Senator Warnock is having a Virtual Town Hall this Tuesday, March 11 at 6pm. It will stream on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter and BlueSky. Use this form (https://www.warnock.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/) to submit a question, or ask your question on the social media platform during streaming. To my knowledge, no registration is required. Just look for the event on your favored social media platform.

Stay loud. Stay engaged. Change happens when we fight for it.

What’s Next?

The State Senate will turn its attention to the House bills that passed before or on Crossover Day. Democrats will keep pushing for their bills to be heard in Committee so they can pass them next year.

*Oops. Some of you told me last week the phone number for the Lt. Governor’s office was disconnected. That’s because I accidentally switched two numbers. The Lt. Governor makes major decisions about which bills get votes and which don’t, so keep this number handy: 404-656-5030.

We’re Showing Up!

Rally on Crossover Day
This week the Senate & House Democratic Caucuses planned a huge Rally on Crossover Day, just in time for the evening news. Lots of our local people showed up!
Student at the Capitol
Earlier in the week, students showed up to tell their stories about how diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at their schools helped them feel more confident and become their best selves. The anti-DEI bill did not come up for a vote on Crossover Day.

What’s It Matter to You?

This week’s video focuses on high electric bills and the role of the Public Service Commission. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fRYmBlQKFWo

Congestion around the Capitol

In January of 2000, I was serving my first term as a Georgia State Representative. I had also just become a new mother. Prior to the start of session, I received a phone call from Speaker of the House Tom Murphy. “What are you planning to do with that baby during session?” he asked. I took a deep breath and calmly told him I would need to bring my baby with me because he was only a few weeks old — too young for daycare. He told me other legislators had issues with that. I calmly asked him what the issues were. He said, “Well, quite frankly, it’s germs.”

Nasal congestion: The Capitol is a germy place. It seems like everywhere I turned this week, someone had the sniffles. Very few people take COVID tests anymore (though some did and they tested positive). There are almost no masks. I figure at some point it’s going to get me, but I’m grateful it hasn’t yet.

Crossover congestion: The legislative process is congested too, with bills piling up in Committees as legislators push to get their bills to the Senate floor for a vote by the Crossover deadline, which is this Thursday. Crossover Day is the last day for a bill to pass one chamber and still get to the other chamber to possibly become law this year. Committee meetings start at 7am and go late into the evening, superseding any dinner plans and evening events on legislators’ calendars. This week I missed making remarks on behalf of the Georgia-Japan Caucus, which I co-chair, for the birthday celebration of Emperor Naruhito at the residence of our Consulate General of Japan, Mio Maeda.

Democratic Bills Face Gridlock

For 21 days, Republican leadership blocked Democratic bills in an attempt to strong-arm votes for the Governor’s controversial Tort Reform bill, SB 68. Now, with that fight in the rearview, a few Democratic bills began moving through the Committee process this week.

According to The Current, almost a quarter of the votes cast by legislators in a given year are cast on two days — Crossover and Sine Die. This causes Committee logjams prior to these two days.

 

This week, I tried to get “Donna’s Law” heard in Committee — a bill that allows people with mental health challenges to voluntarily sign up for a “do not sell” firearms registry. Despite having gained a good deal of Republican support, I was told that the Committee was “already full.”

Voter Challenges — Nothing to Sneeze At

Legislative terms are two years long, and it often takes an entire year to craft strong policy and have the right conversations to pave the way forward.

Georgia law allows citizens to challenge other citizens’ voter registration. This is designed for situations where the challenger has personal knowledge that leads to the questioning of the validity of someone’s registration. But since 2020, certain national organizations have challenged thousands of registrations by analyzing inaccurate on-line databases. There is no burden of proof for the person filing a challenge. These baseless challenges clog up the works for our election boards.

This week, I brought the DeKalb Elections Board Chair to meet with the Senate Ethics Chairman (who oversees election laws) to discuss a bill I filed last year to raise the burden of proof for voter challenges. In large counties like DeKalb, mass voter challenges bog down elections staff, and slow real administration. Our conversation was encouraging, and I plan to work more on this issue moving forward.

Bumper-to-Bumper Bills

A few bills that hit the Senate floor this week:

The Georgia “DOGE” Bill: (But Not Really) SB 28: While Republicans claim that this is a government efficiency bill, in reality, it creates another level of bureaucracy on already underfunded and understaffed state agencies. It allows Senate leadership to request small business analysis for any legislation, requires economic impact analyses for rules that may cost more than $1 million to implement and forces agencies to review rules every four years, including holding two public hearings. Without more resources, agencies will struggle to meet this demand.

The “Skinny Budget”: (Midyear Amended Budget, $40.5B): Two hurricanes, one tornado, three torrential rain events and a 40-day drought in-between wreaked havoc in South and East Georgia in 2024. The midyear budget includes $700M in relief for the agriculture industry, infrastructure repairs, and direct aid for home repairs. It also boosts funding for our embattled Corrections System, adding a new correction facility, 300 correctional officers, and new training resources.

Tort Reform part 2 (SB 69): Unlike last week’s partisan fight over SB 68, the Senate unanimously passed SB 69, placing guardrails on third-party lawsuit financing to prevent foreign and bad-faith actors from exploiting litigation.

Bills to Watch

Here are a few major bills that have come through Committees this week:

Behavioral Health Commission Renewal (SB 233): With the Governor in no mood to approve any new Commissions, I compromised and pushed for an Intellectual & Developmental Disability sub-committee under the already existing Behavioral Health Commission that’s up for renewal this year. With looming Medicaid cuts, this subcommittee is more critical than ever. This bill is on its way to the House.

Anti-DEI Bill (SB 120): A heartbreaking Higher Education hearing brought students and professors to testify against SB 120, a bill that would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public and post secondary schools. All spoke so eloquently about how DEI programs help boost confidence and their chance of success, while no one spoke in favor of the bill. I had hoped it would stall in Committee, but a vote is now set for 7 AM Monday. A GOP bill will be presented that defines DEI very broadly, and will result in the termination of special “clubs” and even degree majors. Even the Spanish Club could be cut!

Religious Freedom (SB 36): Republicans are again pushing a so-called “religious liberty” bill that could open the door to discrimination. Senate Democrats call it the Hateful Heart Bill. Instead, we’ve introduced a comprehensive civil rights bill to ensure equal treatment for all. With Trump back in office and 2026 statewide elections around the corner, there’s a real chance that SB 36 could pass this year.

Take ACTION!!!

Once bills get passed out of Committee, it’s up to the Rules Committee and the Lt. Governor’s office to decide what comes to the Senate floor for a vote.

We tend to focus on the Committee process to stop bad bills, but through the years the Committee process has become less deliberative. At the same time, the Lt. Governor’s office has become more powerful. Unlike the Speaker of the House, the Lt. Governor is not elected by the Senate body — he is elected by the people of the state. Therefore, it is imperative that voters engage with his office. I don’t think this currently happens much, but you can change that!

There are two ways to contact the Lt. Governor’s office. Either fill out an online form or call 404-656-3050 and leave a message. Select from the list below of good and bad bills that are likely to come up on Crossover Day to personalize your message.

Make some noise!

Bad Bills Coming to the Senate Floor
  • SB 120: Removes DEI programs from post-secondary institutions (see above)
  • SB 36: Religious Freedom that will lead to discrimination (see above)
  • SB 30: Bans the use of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoric youth
  • SB 185: Bans treatment for gender dysphoria for prisoners
  • SB 74: Criminalized librarians for allowing harmful materials to youth (harmful materials not defined)
  • SB 163: Allows citizens to sue local governments that implement gun regulations
  • SB 175: Bans ranked choice voting
  • SB 177: Anti-protest bill
  • SB 244: Award of attorneys fees & litigation costs when a person successfully disqualifies a prosecuting attorney
  • SB 291: America First license plate
Good Bills Coming to the Senate Floor
  • SB 34: Make data centers pay their fair share of utility costs
  • SB 94: Consumer utility counsel to represent all consumers before the Public Service Commission on Georgia Power rate hikes

(on the above two bills, 34 & 94, also contact GOP Senators if you live in a Republican district)

  • SB 89: Child Tax Credit
  • SB 170 (Dem bill): Creates an Inter-agency Council Homelessness to streamline services and interventions.
  • SB 126: Helps high school dropouts earn diplomas
  • SB 119: Helps rural Georgians purchase mobile homes at chapter rates
  • SB 182 (Dem bill): Creates a Georgia Music Office
  • SB 147 (Dem bill): Helps released inmates find work
  • SB 109 (Dem bill): Guarantees active duty service members get life insurance payouts for non-combat related deaths

WABE has a good resource with more details about some of these bills.

Around the Corner

This will be a busy week. The road ahead is still packed, but we’re pushing forward—one fight at a time.

Sailing through a Mirage

You can’t take everything you hear at the Gold Dome at face value. And sometimes you’re really sold a bill of goods. This is the case with tort reform this year.

You might have heard that tort reform will lower your insurance premiums, particularly automobile and homeowners. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, it’s not true. The insurance industry is enjoying record profits while still raising your rates, and Governor Kemp’s tort reform package, as revealed through Senate bills 68 & 69, does nothing to lower those rates. Instead, it’s mainly designed to shield big businesses from liability.

And ironically, it will make Georgians less safe, and less able to have their day in court. What we need is insurance industry reform — perhaps that’s why the insurance industry has spent $10 million lobbying on this issue in Georgia.

A Deep Dive into Tort Reform

What is tort reform? A “tort” is a wrongful act that harms someone, like a car accident or medical malpractice. Victims can seek compensation through civil litigation.

I began seeing the push for tort reform way back when I was serving in the Georgia House (1998 – 2004), when doctors were concerned about the rising cost of liability insurance. Even back then, I was suspicious that insurance companies were raising costs in order to pressure doctors into advocating for “reform” that would in turn raise insurance profits. Soon after I left politics (2005), the legislature passed legislation that capped jury awards. In 2010, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled Georgia’s jury caps were unconstitutional, as they denied a citizen’s right to trial by jury.

Last year Governor Kemp passed legislation to “study” tort reform. But that research—including a Study Committee led by Insurance Commissioner John King—shows rising premiums are driven by extreme weather and rising costs in materials and labor. They forgot to mention record profits.

Kemp’s Proposal:

Governor Kemp’s two Tort Reform bills, SB 68 & 69, were heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, so they could come to the Senate floor soon. Governor Kemp has already threatened a Special Session, designed to interrupt legislators’ summer vacations, if his bills fail to pass during the regular session.

Senate Bill 68 is an omnibus bill — it has several sections, some of which I support, and some of which I don’t. Here’s a run-down:

  • Damages: Restricts discussions of pain and suffering in court, and restricts medical damages to costs actually paid, not billed.
  • Premises Liability: This is the most controversial part of the bill, as it greatly weakens the responsibility of business owners to ensure their property is safe for customers.
  • Procedural Changes: Alters the timeline for voluntary dismissals, allows for delays in court cases, and divides trials into multiple phases.
  • Seat Belts: permits evidence of seat belt use to be presented in trials.

Senate Bill 69 regulates third-party funder of lawsuits, requiring registration with the state, and outlawing referral fees and incentives. There is an exemption for non-profit organizations such as the ACLU.

Navigating the Shoals

The other day one of my Democratic colleagues told me he visited the Lt. Governor to seek support for a bill he’s been working on for several years (the Lt. Governor controls which bills come to the Senate floor for a vote).

Instead of focusing on the content of the bill, the Lt. Governor began pressuring my colleague to support the Governor’s tort reform bills. The command was clear — for his bill to move, my colleague would need to support tort reform. By the end of the week, the Lt. Governor had not accepted any compromises offered by the Democratic Caucus, nor had he allowed any Democratic bills to move forward. At least for right now, tort reform appears to be driving everything under the Gold Dome, and there’s quite a bit of arm twisting going on. A better bill would be easier to sell.

(If you have opinions or insight into the Governor’s tort reforms, please don’t hesitate to let me know by replying to this newsletter.)

Not Anchored in Reality: Federal Budget Chaos

Redirecting federal funds isn’t unusual under a new administration, but the Constitution is clear. The Executive branch cannot make unilateral spending decisions—Congress controls the budget. The Trump/Musk funding freezes and reckless firing of federal workers have real impact here in Georgia. Thousands of Georgians have lost their jobs, important medical research, grants to Georgia farms, business contracts, and hurricane disaster aid to Georgia families are all up in the air. Meanwhile, Trump’s new tariffs are set to drive up prices on everything from cars to clothes to canned goods.

Yet our Republican colleagues are either unaware or unfazed. This week, Senate Democrats raised concerns about MANA Nutrition in South Georgia that contracts with USAID to produce a peanut product to combat global hunger. The Republican Senator representing Fitzgerald, GA where MANA’s peanut fields and manufacturing plant are located, was unaware of the issue. He later defended the illegal 90-day federal spending freeze (the Impoundment Act of 1974 allows only a 45-day pause without congressional approval), sharing a litany of crazy USAID programs that DOGE claims it has under review. A simple Google search debunked most of those claims as distortions or outright lies.

Republicans won’t be able to ignore this chaos much longer. More than one-third of Georgia’s budget comes from federal funding, and looming Medicaid and Medicare cuts threaten healthcare access for thousands of Georgians.

Drifting Off Course: Priorities That Don’t Help Georgians

At the start of the week, the Senate had only voted on three bills; by week’s end, that number had doubled. Instead of tackling economic challenges or healthcare expansion, Republicans focused on politically divisive issues.

1. Attacking Transgender Healthcare Instead of Expanding Access

A third of the Senate’s floor votes so far have targeted transgender care.

This week, Senate Republicans passed SB 39, which cuts off coverage for transgender care under the state health plan, even for adults.

They also pushed SB 30 through the Health and Human Services Committee. It bans puberty blockers and other treatment for transgender youth, criminalizes doctors who provide transgender care for minors, and removes a previous exemption for transgender youth already receiving treatment before Georgia’s hormone treatment ban took effect.

Meanwhile, Georgia remains one of ten states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, leaving thousands without basic healthcare.

2. Making Guns Cheaper Instead of Groceries

Just five months after a deadly school shooting at Apalachee High School, Senate Republicans passed SB 47, extending Georgia’s tax holiday for guns from 5 to 11 days.

School supplies? No tax holiday.

Diapers and feminine hygiene products? No tax breaks.

Guns? Extended tax holiday.

Democrats have proposed tax breaks for diapers and feminine products, but those bills are going nowhere. Guns are the priority now.

3. Punishing Local Leaders — But Not the President

Thursday’s debate on SB 21 focused on punishing local governments for failing to enforce federal immigration laws. Georgia already prohibits sanctuary cities, but this bill adds steeper penalties.

Democrats warned that this would strain local resources, forcing law enforcement to prioritize detaining immigrants over more serious criminal cases due to jail overcrowding. Republicans dismissed these concerns, insisting the bill simply reinforces existing laws.

The irony? While demanding penalties for local officials, they look the other way as Trump’s administration openly violates federal law.

Ready About! Take ACTION on Healthcare & Education

Make a habit of calling your two U.S. Senators and your Congressperson every week. This week, focus on protecting Georgia’s $2.2 billion for K-12 schools and $3.6 billion for higher education. This funding includes funding for Title 1 schools in high poverty areas, special needs education, and student aid like Pell grants.

While you’re at it, mention that you’d like Congress to renew funding for the Affordable Care Act (subsidies are up for renewal this year) and Medicaid.

At the state level, call members of the House Human Resources Subcommittee and ask them to fund 200 additional Now & Comp Waivers (call your own Representative too). These allow adults living with severe intellectual & developmental disabilities to be able to live in their communities.

We’re in stormy times. Take care of yourself and others. Choose something positive to focus on to tamp down feelings of despair. Every act of kindness is an act of resistance.

This week’s 60 second “What’s it Matter to You?” video focuses on the illegal actions of Elon Musk.

Correction on Medicaid ACTION! (Wrong Link Last Week)

Thanks to all of you who pointed out that the link to the Medicaid Waiver Public Comment was wrong in last week’s Snapshot!

Review of the Issue: — the Georgia Pathways program (low income Medicaid) requires 20 hours of work or school to be eligible. In Governor Kemp’s original proposal, he did not allow for any type of caretaking to count as work. Now he’d like to get permission from the Feds to include taking care of children 6 and under as work. But that still leaves out taking care of an elderly parent, a disabled family member, or an older child.

Use this link (https://secure.everyaction.com/ldYGqMj-EUKD2YNZ2EB0JQ2) and follow the instructions provided by Georgians for a Healthy Future to make a public comment. The deadline is February 20th. The more comments the better — these comments really do make a difference!

Temperatures Are Rising at the Georgia Capitol

Lobbyists typically hover near the doors to the Senate in the morning around 10am, when Senators make their way to the chamber for roll call. A typical exchange goes like this:

“Morning, Senator. How’s your session going so far?”

“Pretty good.”

“Everyone’s still getting along?’

“Yep. Things are still good.”

But this week the sweat really started breaking out.

Democrats Turn Up the Heat

The chaos of the second Trump era is unfolding in ways no one predicted. While we knew about Project 2025, Elon Musk’s control over sensitive government systems came out of left field. As state legislators, we must use our megaphones to stop the Trump/Musk agenda from spreading to the state level.

Open Mic: Senators get five minutes each day for a “point of personal privilege.” Senator Josh McLaurin from north Fulton uses his time for “Trump Morning News”—a satirical take on the latest developments in D.C., delivered like a morning podcast. Check out his video, which went viral this week. By midweek, Republicans were feeling a little hot under the collar. One senator rushed to defend Trump, insisting he’s only been in office for a few weeks. Another tried to dodge Trump’s January 6th pardons by deflecting to Joe Biden’s. They were clearly on the defense.

Other Democrats are making their voices heard too. Senator Derek Mallow from Savannah called out how Chinese tariffs are already hurting Georgia businesses, sharing how a wedding dress shop in his district had to cancel customer orders after USPS stopped shipping fabric from China. Senator Nabilah Islam of Gwinnett, the daughter of immigrants, slammed Trump’s unconstitutional attack on birthright citizenship and his plan to seize and redevelop Gaza into a riviera.

Keeping the Abortion Debate on Fire

Team Work: You can see that the Senate Democratic Caucus is really energized this year. That’s in part due to a new Executive Director, a new communications team, and a team of legal externs keeping members informed about all of the bills moving through the Senate. They’re bringing fresh ideas, like “walk and talk” videos where senators break down policy while walking the halls of the Capitol.

Abortion on the Ballot: I filmed my first walk and talk video this week on SR 84, my bill that proposes to enshrine abortion rights in Georgia’s Constitution. One of the most common questions I get is: Why can’t we vote on abortion like other states? The answer: Georgia doesn’t allow direct ballot measures. A constitutional amendment is the only way to let voters decide. For decades, Republicans argued that “the people” should decide this issue—SR 84 gives them that chance.

Minority Leader Harold Jones and I held a press conference to formally announce the resolution, and that night I debated Senator Ed Setzler, author of Georgia’s abortion ban, on GPB’s Lawmakers (see linked video starting at minute 17).

ACTION!: A constitutional amendment requires a ⅔ vote in both chambers—a steep climb. If you want the right to vote on abortion access, make some noise. Call or write your state legislators and demand they support SR 84 — including legislators you know already support it. They need to hear from you too.

Striking While the Iron Is Hot

Transforming the Narrative of Equity in Girls Sports: On Tuesday, I joined fellow female legislators to support SB 41, introduced by Senator Kim Jackson of DeKalb. Republicans claim their SB 1—a bill banning transgender girls from school sports—is about fairness. Jackson countered with a bill that addresses the real inequities in girls’ sports.

If we want to have a real conversation about true “fairness” and “safety” in girls’ sports …. then let’s talk,” said Senator Jackson in her press conference speech, “Let’s talk about how girls’ teams are made to practice late at night or early in the morning when it’s still dark outside. Let’s talk about how girls’ soccer coaches . . .make one-third the pay of the football coaches. Or how some girls’ sports teams are assigned teacher supervisors who have no coaching experience… because the pay inequity is so steep that the qualified coaches won’t take the job.

Later in the week, she held Republicans’ feet to the fire, introducing her bill as an amendment to SB 1, arguing that it would help more girls in Georgia than their transgender ban. Republicans voted it down.

The Resistance Heats Up

Focus on What you CAN Control: I’ve been reminding myself—and others—that we all have a role to play. No one can do it all, but if we focus on what we CAN do, others will step up to fill the gaps. We’re already seeing it—on Thursday, a group of activists showed up at the Capitol to protest the Trump administration.

Heather Cox Richardson, in her daily email Saturday stated, “Maya Miller of the New York Times reported today that the congressional phone system has been jammed with tens of millions of calls from outraged constituents . . . The Senate phone system usually gets about 40 calls a minute; now it is up to 1,600.” That’s an increase of 4000 percent! If you haven’t made phone calls yet, do it this week. Let’s double that number! (Subscribe to Heather Cox Richardson here).

These calls work. I got one call this week from a constituent who asked me why I was being so quiet about what Elon Musk is doing. Recognizing that I serve at the state level rather than federal, she begged me to at least post something on social media. This motivated me to write a video script about the situation for my “What’s It Matter to You?” series. I’m recording that video on Monday.

If you haven’t already, subscribe to my YouTube channel. And share my Senate Snapshot newsletter with others so they can subscribe. I’ll be sure to include weekly actions people can take. This helps me turn up the volume of my megaphone.

Stay loud, stay engaged. The fight isn’t cooling off anytime soon.

Alternate Realities

This week has felt like living in an alternate reality that gets more bizarre everyday.

I found a bit of solace in reading Anne Lamott’s opinion piece titled, “The resistance will not be rushed,” She tells us that it’s okay that our resistance lacks the flash and vigor of 2017’s marches and protests. As we continue to look out upon the miles of harsh desert we see before us, we will begin to see things growing, especially as spring arrives. Every act of kindness, to ourselves and others, is resistance.

There are many good people in this country with a variety of gifts and experiences. Each of us will in time figure out what part we are called to do and when. When we center ourselves and focus on what we can control rather than what we can’t, we will slow the chaos and find our place.

I have been learning “metta” meditation from the Buddhist meditation instructor Sharon Salzberg, author of “Real Happiness.” This practice focuses on developing loving kindness, first for yourself, then for those around you, and ultimately for those you really don’t like very much. This helps me walk into the Senate chamber each day with an open heart. If you’re interested, check out Sharon at https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/

Let’s Get Real: A Deep Dive into Georgia’s Medicaid Expansion

This week, Senate Democrats held a press conference to announce SB 50, The PeachCare Plus Act, that fully expands Medicaid. This year’s bill has four Republican co-sponsors — two more than last year. Last session’s bill had the votes to pass committee, but at the last minute Lt. Governor Burt Jones added temporary members to the committee and killed the bill.

The other day during Governor Kemp’s State of the State address, he left me scratching my head when he announced coverage numbers 30 times higher than what I understood them to be. A member of my staff even texted me saying, “Isn’t he just straight up lying about Medicaid?” So I dug down into details to try to figure it out.

The Background: The 2010 Affordable Care Act was designed to reach universal health coverage by expanding state Medicaid programs up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), combined with subsidized premiums for market-based plans from 138% to 400% of the FPL. Before this, Medicaid only covered pregnant women, mothers of young children, people with disabilities and low income elderly. Most people do not realize that without Medicaid expansion, even the poorest low income men and women without children do not qualify for Medicaid.

The Reality: Georgia was slow to expand Medicaid, and when Governor Kemp did, he only expanded it to 100% of the FPL, and included 20-hour a week work requirements (Pathways to Coverage). Because this was not a full Medicaid expansion, the federal match was 66% rather than 90%, so it is costing the state considerably more per capita. Though the stated goal of work requirements is to create a pathway out of poverty, other states had already clearly demonstrated that this doesn’t work. Expanding to only 100% of the FPL also left a coverage gap for those whose incomes were between Medicaid (100% FPL) and ACA coverage (138% FPL).

The Big Secret: Back in 2021 & 2022, when we were all worried about quarantines and COVID tests, President Biden quietly slipped what are called enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTC) into the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act so that people between 100% and 138% of the FPL could purchase health plans on the ACA marketplace with $0 premiums. In essence, President Biden closed the coverage gap in states that did not fully expand Medicaid.

Governor Kemp then rebranded Biden’s $0 Premiums into “Georgia Access,” launched a new state website to replace the federal HealthCare.gov website, and began claiming these enrollment numbers as his own success. Thus the 3000% increase in enrollment.

Important sidenote: Democrats need to improve our messaging.

What’s to Come: The enhanced Premium Tax Credits are set to expire this year. If they do, hundreds of thousands of Georgians will fall off the insurance rolls, and Georgia will again have a huge gap in coverage. Fortunately, many Republican governors rely heavily on federal ACA subsidies and Medicaid dollars, so I think even Republicans are not going let Congress cut that funding without a fight.

Caretaking is Real Work — Take Action!

To help boost Pathways to Coverage enrollment, Kemp recently submitted an application to the federal government that allows taking care of children 6 and under to qualify as work (caretakers have been completely left out of what counts as “work” under Kemp’s Medicaid Expansion). This is a good step, but that still leaves other caretakers out in the cold. Behind the scenes, I’m pushing to expand the definition of “caregivers” to include those caring for sick, elderly or disabled family members.

You can help too: Officially comment on the federal application for Georgia’s Pathways (Medicaid) renewal. Read these instructions from the non-profit advocacy organization Georgians for a Healthy Future carefully, and submit your comments before the deadline of February 20th.

Real Fear — Take Action to Help Immigrant Communities

One of the highlights this week at the Capitol was city and county governance. I was elected Vice-Chair of my two county delegations, DeKalb and Gwinnett. Also, the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and many city delegations were at the Capitol as part of GMA’s “Cities United Summit.” At a meeting with the city of Brookhaven, I got a firsthand briefing about the ICE raids on Buford Highway.

I know many of you want to help. Right now the best thing you can do is donate to the groups that are organizing help. They don’t quite have things figured out yet, but when they do they will need funds to make it happen. I will keep you posted, and by donating, you will be more likely to hear from these organizations directly.

The Latin America Association: https://thelaa.org/donate/

The Latino Community Fund Georgia: https://lcfgeorgia.org/get-involved/donate/

GALEO: https://galeo.org/support-us/donate/

Budget Realities that Bite

Thank you: Many of you answered last week’s call for action with phone calls and emails asking that the Public Budget Hearings be rescheduled (they were cancelled due to snow and replaced with private meetings). The Senate Democratic Caucus has requested that Agency Heads record their presentations so they can be posted on the Georgia General Assembly website.

My Chief-of-Staff, Amy Swygert, has been tuning in to some of the House Subcommittee hearings to try to glean bits of information that we might otherwise have learned from the cancelled hearings.

Budget Cuts: In one House hearing, she learned that there are forty open Assistant District Attorney positions across Georgia and the ones we have are overwhelmed with unworkable case loads. The most serious crimes like murder and sex crimes get priority for prosecution while other crimes like assault or theft languish in a pile for years. This exact situation affects friends and constituents in my district who were victims of crime, but have yet to see any movement on their cases.

Action: This is just one way that Georgia is failing to deliver basic services to our citizens due to underfunding our government. Do you know of others? Please respond to this email and share your stories. I will use your stories to help fight against budget cuts.

Up Next Week

Tort Reform: At the end of the week, crowds of lobbyists gathered in a packed Capitol Rotunda to hear Governor Kemp unveil the first bills of his Lawsuit Reform package, SB 68 & 69. Will they do anything to reduce insurance rates? Stay tuned.

 

Members of the Senate Democratic Caucus stand with Leader Harold Jones, II, as we announce SB 50, which proposes to fully expand Medicaid.

 

Although the House voted to limit the number of bills each Representative can file, the Office Legislative Counsel has been very busy drafting bills and resolutions!

 

Last year I got out of my comfort zone and started making short videos for Instagram & YouTube. I’m happy to report that this year, I’m cranking out these weekly videos with much more ease. As I’ve always said, when you practice outside your comfort zone enough, what used to be scary can become second nature. Here are the first two videos I have produced for 2025. Thank you goes to my staff, Amy Swygert and Kathlene Dorking for their help with scripts, my neighbor and friend Mria Dangerfield for all her help and advice, and for Senate Press for their new filming studio and production!

https://youtube.com/shorts/csqL4wdg520?si=xgEc1NxDhwEC8wtT

https://youtube.com/shorts/chDTXxkP_HE?si=y9JodrOgoDKj5AOM

Please follow me on Instagram and YouTube. “Like” and share my videos, especially with people who might be new to state level advocacy, and with young people.

A Polar Vortex Shuts Down the Georgia State Capitol

This week at the Capitol, almost nothing happened. Public budget hearings were cancelled due to snow, and rather than being rescheduled they were replaced with private meetings with Republican leadership. In the era of virtual technology, this seems unconscionable. The elimination of state public budget hearings is yet another chunk axed from the heart of our democracy.

For much longer than I can remember, the second week of Georgia’s legislative session has been dedicated solely to the budget, when state agency heads come to the Capitol to present their budget priorities and legislators ask them questions. It’s also where the Governor speaks to his vision for the coming fiscal year, and the State Economist gives his prediction for the economy. It’s all taken very seriously. I learned almost everything I know about the inner workings of state government by listening to these hearings.

During the last several years, I have heard government leaders plead for funding because they don’t have enough staff to do what their agencies were created to do. Sometimes their pleas were so fierce I thought they’d be fired by the Governor the next day.

Since early in his first term, Governor Kemp has systematically dismantled state government through a dual strategy of cutting budgets and drastically underestimating the revenue. Instead of investing in Georgia and its people, the Governor has hoarded billions of dollars into rainy day accounts. He has even regularly cut the gas tax so that the Georgia Department of Transportation gets its funding through the general funds — money intended for schools and healthcare — instead of motor fuel taxes, as our constitution prescribes.

Georgia’s income tax rate had been set at 6% since the 1930s and stayed that way until recently. Governor Kemp has proposed to reduce it again to 5.19 percent for FY 2026. There is no way to implement these cuts without taking it from education and healthcare.

And now these agency heads, who understand the importance of governing, have been silenced — not by a polar vortex but by a political vortex. In the halls of Democracy, silence gives authoritarianism the opportunity to thrive.

Jimmy Carter and the Budget

During Jimmy Carter’s governorship (1971-1975), he completely reformed the structure of Georgia’s government, reducing it from almost 300 agencies, board and commissions to 20 departments, eliminating duplication and streamlining services. His goal was to create a government more responsive to the people.

This basic government structure, as well as the zero-based budgeting process he implemented, still exists today — at least for now. But it’s in jeopardy.

Action Needed

The Appropriations Chairs in both the House & the Senate need to hear from you that the Budget Hearings should be rescheduled instead of cancelled. Legislators are the voice of the people, and they deserve to hear from agency heads before deciding what gets funded and what doesn’t. The legislative branch should not just rubberstamp the Governor’s budget.

House Appropriations Chair
Rep.Matt Hatchett
404-463-2247
matt.hatchett@house.ga.gov

The full House Appropriations Committee (Click here to see if your Representative is a member, and if so, contact them as well).

Senate Appropriations Chair
Sen. Blake Tillery
404-656-5038
blake.tillery@senate.ga.gov

The full Senate Appropriations Committee (Click here to see if your Senator is a member, and if so, contact them as well).

Breaking the Silence

Now is the time to speak out. Last week I asked for your thoughts about the redirection of general funds away from public education through tax credits for private schools. Thank you to all who responded with deeply personal stories about the unacceptable conditions of many of our public schools. These stories strengthen my resolve and arm me with the tools I need to push back on the narratives that misrepresent reality in order to bolster the elite.

I will always speak the truth, so please share this Snapshot with others. Stay involved, and get others involved. Focus on what you can control instead of what you can’t. Pay attention to local government, where you can feel the difference you make. Support your elected officials whose values align with yours. We need each other as we navigate through these scary times.

The Train has Left the Station

Georgia GOP Engines are Stoked

With the inauguration around the corner and all the anxiety of impending unknowns, Georgia’s legislature this week got quietly underway. Well, mostly quietly.

The evening before our first gavel-in, part of me dreaded walking into the Senate chamber, because I knew my Republican colleagues would be stoked. After all, their guy won. I would have been stoked too if my gal had won. Yet my unease was tempered by the fact that there were no changes in our Republican leadership — at least I would walk into familiar territory that I know how to navigate.

The Georgia legislature has a long-standing tradition of featuring a “Peacher of the Day” each morning. For our first day, Lt. Governor Burt Jones introduced us to his hometown Pastor, who tried to set us on the right track by urging us to “wipe the slate clean and start anew.” But just minutes later, the session quickly veered into the same old polarizing politics when Republicans introduced a resolution to continue the investigation of Fulton County Prosecutor Fani Willis. Yes, very familiar territory.

Switching Tracks for the New Session

The Senate Democratic Caucus meets for an hour every morning before our day gets into full gear. This year we have a fresh face leading us: newly elected Minority Leader Harold Jones, II, whose intellect and passion I have long admired.

When I walked into the Caucus meeting room, I was greeted by a brand new conference table that offered a seat to every Senator. We had long outgrown our old conference table, having increased from 17 Senators in 2016 to 23 now. Our new Caucus staff projected our new motto onto the screen above at the head of the table: “”23-Strong.” In our Caucus, everyone counts.

Leader Jones wasted no time in advocating for his members to receive fair Committee Assignments from the Lt. Governor. Last term, I was removed from several Committees, likely because I was too vocal on issues such as voting rights. I have since joked that I am in Committee Jail. Now with the new addition of the Health & Human Services Committee, which has been my top pick for several years, I feel more like I’m in a Committee Halfway House. I will also continue to serve on Higher Education, Government Oversight and State Institutions & Property.

Kemp’s Final Express: Relief, Reform, and a Hard Deadline

Later in the week as the Senators processed to the House Chamber for Governor Kemp’s State of the State address, northwest Georgia’s Senator Colton Moore (R) caused quite a stir when he tried to enter the House Chamber after being barred from entering by Speaker Jon Burns (Sen. Moore had made denigrating comments about David Ralston last year during a House ceremony honoring the late Speaker). It was quite a scene as he was physically detained and arrested. I expect we have not seen the end of this issue, as barring an elected Senator from entering a legislative chamber for a Joint Session because his spoken words were offensive is a serious action. Any of us could be accused of the same.

After the shenanigans, the Governor’s speech went on, highlighting hurricane relief for farmers and timber producers, plus more school safety funds following the tragic school shooting last year at Apalachee High School. There was no mention of gun safety reform that could prevent these tragedies.

Kemp’s big priority is tort reform, aimed at limiting access to Georgia courts in order to protect big business. The Governor made it clear he’s ready to force his legislation through—even if it takes a Special Session to get it done.

I’m waiting to see exactly what the Governor is proposing, but I’m wary of limiting everyday Georgians’ right to a fair day in court to pursue justice when they’re wronged. In the end, it can undermine one of our most critical safeguards: open, accessible courts for all.

All Aboard — Action Needed!

Since passing legislation in 2008, Georgia has given tax credits in exchange for donations to private school tuition scholarships. The total amount of state revenue that can be spent on these credits has almost doubled since 2008, now totaling $120 million.

This week I got more than a dozen identical emails supporting these tax credits and private schools, stating, “I just received approval for my 2025 GOAL Tax Credit, which was prorated to only 53% of the amount I requested due to overwhelming demand, popularity, and success.” This makes is sound like the state is underfunding private schools.

I also got this one thoughtful email from a constituent (paraphrased/shared with permission):

“I have long supported the Goal Scholarship Program. It’s wonderful, but I am becoming more concerned about our public schools. I now think public schools might be able to put the funds to better use than private schools. Based on my son’s experience teaching in both private and public schools, I see his private school has two gyms, a world-class swimming pool, state-of-the-art facilities and is building yet more classrooms. At the public school my son had to beg for supplies and sports teams struggled with equipment and transportation. He became so frustrated with the lack of resources he returned to the private school. I really wish the program could be altered to allow us to also direct funds to public schools. The kids in private schools simply don’t have the needs the public schools do.”

I’m grateful this constituent took the time to share his thoughts with me. Please feel free to reply to this email and tell me what you think. I need to hear from you, as do my colleagues in the Georgia House & Senate. When legislators only hear from one side, it can sometimes seem like everyone is thinking the same way, when actually there are other opinions out there that we need to hear!

My Crew is Back on Board

I’m thankful my team will be returning for the ride this session:

• My Chief of Staff, Amy Swygert, who has been with me since the beginning of my Senate journey, will keep my legislative agenda and communications on track. You can reach Amy at amysenate40@gmail.com

• My Legislative Assistant, Kathlene Dorking, is heading into her second session managing the twists and turns of my schedule and constituent services. Kathlene can be reached at kathlene.dorking@senate.gov.ga or by calling 404-463-2260.

• Jay Harrell is my campaign manager and political advisor whose behind-the-scenes work keeps us on the rails. He can be reached at jay@sallyharrell.org

Off we go for another legislative journey. I hope you’ll come along with us! Feel free to share “Sally’s Senate Snapshot” and encourage others to sign up. One of the best ways to protect democracy is to get involved at the local level.

 

On the first day of session, Judge Trent Brown led the Senators in taking our official oath of office. Many family members attended this festive first day, and my husband Jay was able to join me as I was sworn in for my 4th term in representing Georgia Senate District 40. I was first elected to the Senate in 2018, when I flipped the last remaining district represented by a Republican in DeKalb county.

The Sausage Factory – Sine Die Style

Laws and sausages, you should never watch either one being made.
— Otto von Bismarck

The Republican Sausage Factory Kicks Into Overdrive

Driving to the Capitol this week, I felt like I was headed to a Republican bill-making factory. Fortunately most of the bills were harmless, but occasionally the Senate Democratic Caucus had to put up a good fight to send some rancid bills to the garbage.

On Thursday we blew through the midnight deadline and worked until almost 1 am when the Majority Leader finally moved to adjourn Sine Die. It was a very, very long day.

A Crazy Way to Make Dinner

You THOUGHT you knew how a bill becomes a law? I bet you never learned in school about “Frankenstein” bills (several bills stuffed into one) or “Christmas Tree” bills (parts of bills amended on to another).

We often see these at the end of session, but this year Republicans took bill slicing and dicing to a whole new level. Senators offered amendments left and right from the floor on bills that were already patched together. It was hard keeping up with what we were voting on. Bill numbers and captions stayed the same even when the content changed.

Sausages That Made it Through the Factory

The State Budget: Passing a balanced budget is the only Constitutionally-mandated requirement of the General Assembly. This year, we fulfilled that duty at 10:45pm on the last day of the session when we agreed to the Conference Committee report for HB 916, reconciling the House and Senate versions of the FY 24/25 budget.

The $36.1 billion budget, down slightly from this year’s spending, includes raises for state employees, teachers, university employees, and law enforcement. It also includes measures championed by Democrats including money for childcare, domestic violence and sexual assault response, and school lunches.

My budget success this year includes $79 million for caretaker raises, a direct result of passing my rate study bill (SB 610, 2022). I also obtained $250,000 for Clubhouse Atlanta, a non-profit in Dunwoody that provides space, support and structure for people in recovery or who have chronic mental health challenges.

What’s not in the budget? Money to arm teachers in schools. Credit goes to those of you who sprang into action over the weekend with phone calls and emails after reading a note in the AJC about an increase in school safety funds to cover Lt. Governor Burt Jones’ plan to arm and train teachers. Both the House and Senate Appropriations Chairs confirmed that school safety money was NOT for arming teachers, and the Budget Conference Committee removed the extra money. You were LOUD and you were heard!

Election Frankenbill: Just after midnight on Sine Die, Republicans pushed through a Frankenstein bill that cobbled together several bad election bills. Here’s some of what SB 189 does:

  1. Allows third-party candidates on the statewide ballot if at least 20 other states do the same. This opens the door for independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to challenge President Biden here.
  2. Places additional undue administrative burdens on county elections offices by requiring them to report absentee ballot counts within one hour of polls closing,
  3. Defines “probable cause” for mass voter challenges. Republicans claim this will help clarify these challenges, but Democrats want to do away with them altogether because they perpetuate the myth of widespread voter fraud and overwhelm our local elections staff, and
  4. Eliminates QR codes on election ballots after July 2026. (If only they had listened to me in 2019 when I warned them that voters would be suspicious of codes they can’t read.)

Property Tax Cap: Recognizing that rising property taxes are a pain point for many Georgians, we passed a Constitutional amendment to limit property value assessments to the current rate of inflation. A Constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers, and this one passed easily with bipartisan support. You’ll have a chance to vote on this measure in November.

The Official State Crustacean: When I asked you in my last Snapshot to guess the Official State Crustacean, one of you got it right! The White Shrimp got the honor with the passage of HB 1341.

A Pause to Celebrate Colleagues

The final days of the biennium are often bittersweet, especially when we have to say goodbye to long- time colleagues who won’t be returning to the Gold Dome. We celebrated the retirement of three long-serving trailblazing Senators — Sen. Valencia Seay, Sen. Horencia Tate, and Minority Leader Gloria Butler.

David Cook, our longtime Secretary of the Senate, also announced his retirement. We all count on David and his team to make sure everything in the Senate runs smoothly from orchestrating our floor sessions to taking care of all of our administrative needs. It’s hard to imagine the Senate without his steady hand.

Making My Own Sausage

When my bill for an Innovation Commission for Adults with Developmental Disabilities, SB 198, was hijacked and completely stripped in the House Public Health Committee I hatched a plan to attach the original bill language to the new SB 198 when it came back to the Senate. I enlisted the support of the Lt. Governor’s office and one of my Republican colleagues, I worked with Legislative Counsel to prepare a floor amendment, and I kept a close eye on SB 198 all week.

Late afternoon on Thursday, I was informed by the Lt. Governor’s office that the new language was a priority for House Speaker Burns and our plan was no longer viable. We tried to come up with another plan, but time ran out. With my bill being left on the cutting room floor, the Commissioner of the Dept. of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities has asked me to participate in a workgroup on this issue during the interim.

My Study Committee resolutions to review ways to protect kids from social media and expand higher education in prisons also never made it out of the Senate Rules Committee, but I have received commitments from the Lt. Governor and a couple of Committee Chairs to work on these efforts during the interim through regular Standing Committee meetings.

Sausages Left on the Factory Floor

Thankfully the House declined to take up several culture war bills sent over by Senate Republicans.

More Transgender Discrimination: HB 1104 was originally a great bill to help student athletes with mental health challenges. Then it was stuffed with a ban on transgender students in sports, a ban on transgender students using bathrooms of their gender identity, and another bill to prohibit sex education in schools before sixth grade. Meanwhile HB 1170 was hijacked to ban puberty blockers for transgender kids. The House adjourned Sine Die without passing either.

American Library Association Bill: SB 390 was a bill to cut ties with the American Library Association (ALA) after its President referred to herself as a “Marxist lesbian.” The ALA sets standards and provides training for librarians and provides grant funding for our libraries, so this bill would have been detrimental to our libraries.

Religious Liberty: SB 180 was another failed attempt at instituting “religious liberty” which is typically a thinly veiled license to discriminate against LGBTQ+ and non-Christians.

The Official Bread of Georgia: Cornbread lost its bid to become the Official Bread of Georgia when the Senate declined to take up HB 1048.

What’s Next: Help Me Make More Sausages

As the session comes to a close, it’s now time to gear up my re-election campaign. I’m facing primary and general election opponents, and I need your help. If you appreciate my work and enjoy these Snapshots, I hope you’ll support my campaign by donating, placing a yard sign in your yard, or volunteering your time. Look for another email very soon to find out how you can help.

It’s been an honor and pleasure representing you and I have so much unfinished business I still want to accomplish. I hope you’ll vote in both elections to send me back to the Senate.