Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2025 #6

Behind the Scenes

Recall in your mind a familiar graphic that explains how a bill becomes a law — one little box moves to the next as the bill moves from committee to the floor and to the other chamber — like a child’s boardgame. I’ve always said it’s not what happens in the box that drives the bill, but what happens outside the box.

That couldn’t have been more true this week with the Governor’s Tort Reform bill, SB 68, waiting in the wings as deals were made and votes were counted (for a deep dive explaining Georgia’s Tort Reform, see last week’s Senate Snapshot #5).

Republican Negotiations: In the Senate, we have three Republicans who are trial lawyers and therefore less willing to sign on to the Governor’s Tort Reform legislation (we called these three the Killer Bs, as all three have names that start with “B”). Things heated up so much that the Governor threatened primary challenges against any Republican who opposed or watered down his bill. Without these key Republican votes, pressure and arm twisting spilled over to Democrats.

Democratic Negotiations: A couple of weeks ago Senate Democrats voted to take a caucus position against the Governor’s version of SB 68. Once we did this, the four Democrats who serve on the Senate Rules Committee were passed over and not called on to move on bills. We are halfway through the session, and not a single Democratic bill has been heard in committee. With only seven legislative days left before Crossover Day (the deadline for bills to pass the Senate, get to the House, and potentially become law this year), there’s very little chance of any Democratic bills passing this year.

So what does a Democratic Senator do if we can’t pass bills? Lots of work behind the scenes.

The Democratic Understudy

Members of the Democratic Caucus have been studying the Governor’s Tort Reform bill since it was introduced on January 30th. Our concerns center on business accountability for customer safety, often referred to as “premises liability.”

On Thursday this week, Senate Democrats held a press conference to introduce our counterproposal: SB 223, the “Pro People, Pro Business Act.” While the Governor’s bill shields businesses at the expense of customer safety, SB 223 offers a balanced approach—protecting businesses that proactively do the right thing to protect their customers.

It’s helpful for Democrats to think through our policy approaches even though we know they will not pass, because this helps us prepare for when we become the majority in the future. When this happens we will be able to hit the ground running.

A Spotlight on Caregivers

I had a moment of happiness this week that has lifted my spirits and hope for my country.

Georgia Pathways, Governor Kemps limited Medicaid expansion, requires recipients to work 80 hours per month. Although going to school and doing volunteer work meet the requirements, caretaking at home does not. This seems very wrong to me.

Earlier this session, Governor Kemp announced his intention to include parents taking care of children six and under as official “work”.

But why not include all caregivers, including those caring for sick, disabled, and elderly adults? When I floated the idea to Republicans of a Resolution urging the Governor to do just that, I got the classic runaround—Senate leadership, who didn’t want me to file a Resolution, sent me to the Lt. Governor’s office, who passed me off to the Governor’s office, which then punted me around. I tried following their script but it didn’t work, so I filed the Resolution anyway.

When it came time to get co-sponsors, I looked for Republicans. Time after time, I was told they agreed with my sentiment, but didn’t want to put their name to it. One even called himself a chicken. I told him he had the company of an entire flock. Finally, exasperated, I looked around the chamber and noticed the one and only Republican who had a perfect excuse to sign my Resolution — a child with Down Syndrome (and he happens to be a Governor’s floor leader).

He signed without hesitation and thanked me for the opportunity. Later in the week he confessed to me, “Next time, you probably shouldn’t get a Governor’s floor leader to sign” (he had gotten his wrist slapped). But, he said, we did get some attention. I brought him a bottle of wine the next day. Political walls can break down when we see each others’ common humanity.

Action: Call the Governor’s office at 404-656-1776 and urge him to support SR 201, allowing full-time caregiver’s work to count under the Pathways work requirements.

Bills Waiting in the Wings

With a stall on Democratic bills, our strategy must change. Currently, I am working on bills that have some chance of either being amended onto Republican bills or authored by Republicans and fast tracked through the process. Plus, there’s always next year:

Corn Product Fortification: Folic acid has long been added to wheat products to prevent birth defects like spina bifida, but a constituent pointed out to me that Latino communities—who primarily consume corn-based products—suffer higher rates of neural tube defects. My bill would fortify corn masa with folic acid. Early conversations with several Republican colleagues, including some doctors, have been promising and I spoke with Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, a former Senate colleague, about the bill. I will keep pushing it forward.

AI Image Appropriation: A constituent in technology justice made me aware of a tragic story of a murdered high school student whose name and likeness were later used in an AI chatbot—without the family’s permission. I’m working on a bill to protect kids and adults from this unethical use of AI.

Donna’s Law: Sen. Elena Parent and I have been working together on a bill that would establish a voluntary “no-sell” gun registry for people with mental health challenges that cycle through periods of suicidal ideations. I filed the bill this week.

Showtime Friday!

SB 68 (Tort Reform) finally hit the Senate floor Friday morning, with one Republican amendment focusing on curbing medical malpractice damages. Currently, when calculating damages, jurors only see hospital billing numbers before costs are negotiated down. The Governor wanted jurors to only see the negotiated bills. The amendment allows jurors to see both, and to make their own determination.

In the end, SB 68 passed mostly along party lines, with one defection from both sides.

Rowdy Audiences Move the Needle

This week, members of Congress held town hall meetings to address constituent concerns about the happenings in Washington. Notably, Congressman Rich McCormick faced a very tough crowd in Roswell, where angry voters confronted him over mass firings and DOGE cuts to important programs. Videos of the event have gone viral, proving that when we get loud about things that hurt everyday people, we can make a difference. One constituent who told me about attending the meeting said, “I didn’t know what to expect going in, but I left with a smile on my face.”

This serves as a reminder that these actions work. We did this in 2017 and Republicans stopped having town halls, which meant they were not out there charging up their base. This is exactly how Georgia won two U.S. Senate seats in 2019 & 2020, and the Presidency in 2020. When we show up, they stay home.

Next Scene

Monday is Legislative Day 22. With the bulk of Tort Reform heading to the House I’m honestly not sure what to expect next. Stay tuned and stay active.

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2025 #5

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.

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2025 #4

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.

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2025 #3

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.

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2025 #2

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.

This year I’m left to figure out the budget on my own, since the state budget hearings were cancelled due to weather. Instead of being rescheduled, they were replaced with private meetings.
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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2025 #1

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.
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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2024 #12 — Sine Die!

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.

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2024 #11

The Closing Act

Setting the Scene: Long Days and Lots of Bills

As the curtain opened on legislative days 36, 37 and 38, legislators deliberated bills in Committees until midnight, sending a regular flow of House bills to the Senate floor.

As Senators came to the well to give quick bill summaries, I started documenting all the ways legislators refer to a bill.

Here are the Top Ten:

10) Housekeeping bill
9) Transparency bill
8) Frankenstein/Zombie bill
7) Department bill
6) Lawyer bill
5) Christmas tree bill
4) Governor’s bill
3) Clean-up bill
2) Good bill

And the Number One kind of bill. Ta-da!

1) Simple bill. (Beware the simple bill!)

A Cold-Reading: Agrees and Disagrees

When a bill is amended in the other chamber, it must come back to the original chamber so a motion can be made to agree or disagree to the changes. Printouts of these amended bills are placed on our desks prior to the motion being made, but there is no mandatory waiting period to give us time to read the changes. One day last week, I picked up a printout of an amended bill just before the motion was made, and the pages were still warm from the copier. It was not a simple bill!

Thankfully, that’s why we have a Caucus lawyer who supervises a team of law school externs! I don’t know what we would do without them.

School Vouchers: The most significant motion to agree/disagree we had this week in the Senate was SB233, the school vouchers bill. Governor Kemp has been trying to pass this bill since his first year in office. Until now, Democrats, along with rural Republicans, have been able to stop school voucher bills from passing. But this year, with significant pressure from the far-right and primary elections imminent, the Senate agreed with the House and the bill is ready for the Governor’s signature. If taxpayers paid enough taxes to support both public and private schools, vouchers would be okay, but that is not the case.

Cue the Bad Bills

Immigration:

In the wake of UGA student Laken Riley’s death by an undocumented immigrant, Republicans pushed bad immigration bills fraught with unintended consequences. Sanctuary cities have been illegal in Georgia since 2009, but HB 301 allows anyone, even those living outside the local area, to sue local governments they suspect to be loose with immigration reporting laws, which could ultimately result in a loss of federal or state funds, or removal of local elected officials. This has the potential to tie local jurisdictions up in endless unnecessary litigation.

HB 1105 requires law enforcement officers to arrest and detain anyone involved in criminal activity and suspected of being an undocumented immigrant. They must then work with ICE to confirm their immigration status and generate regular reports. This puts additional administrative burdens on local law enforcement and could result in racial profiling.

Tax Cut:

HB 1015 accelerates a state income tax reduction, a top Republican priority, down to 5.39% from 6% where it had been since the 1930s. Democrats oppose these cuts because our state government is already severely underfunded. Year after year during budget hearings, state department heads report severe staff turnover — some as high as 40% — and difficulties hiring new staff. So many important priorities, like our University System and our public health system, are underfunded.

Tort Reform:

Limiting consumer access to the courts is one of Governor Kemp’s top priorities. HB 1114 allows the State Insurance Commission to collect a variety of data from insurance companies to analyze how tort liability affects insurance rates. While the bill may seem harmless, it sets the stage for changes in the law that could disadvantage consumers. Democrats united to vote against it and at least two Republican lawyers abstained from voting. The bill only got 28 yes votes, just one short of passing. This is yet another example of how shrinking Republican margins help stop bad bills. The Senate Pro-Tem moved for reconsideration, so this bill may come up again next week.

A Medicaid Expansion Minidrama

Senator Davis Lucas from Macon, who has served in the legislature since 1974, became the lead actor in orchestrating a compromise between Democrats pushing for Medicaid Expansion and Republicans wanting to reform Certificate of Need (CON) laws that regulate the healthcare market. Both Medicaid expansion and CON reform play a role in stabilizing our healthcare market and expanding access to healthcare.

All session long, Sen. Lucas worked with senior Senate Republicans on a Medicaid expansion bill. Then he got several Democrats to support CON reform. Then our Caucus Leader got the Lt. Governor to agree to a floor vote for Medicaid expansion.

The drama came to its final and tragic conclusion this week. Sen. Lucas thought he had the votes, including the Committee Chair, to pass his Medicaid expansion bill out of Committee. Once the hearing got underway, it was clear the Governor had gotten to the Chair who kept asking, “Why not allow the Governor’s Pathways program more time to work?” Only a fraction of those eligible for Georgia Pathways have signed up so far, probably due to impractical work requirements. A non-committee Republican Senator was temporarily added to the Committee to bolster votes. Ultimately, the dramatic vote was 7-6, forcing the Chair to tie the votes with a no, for a final vote of 7-7. While extremely disappointing, this was the furthest we’ve ever gotten with Medicaid expansion and proof that Republicans are interested in expanding Medicaid because they know their hospitals need it.

A Plot Twist and a Cliffhanger: SB 198

We learned on Day 37 that SB 198, my bill to create an Innovation Commission for Adults with Developmental Disabilities was hijacked, which means it was completely stripped and replaced by the House Committee with a pharmacy manager bill.

Will this be the end for SB 198? Stay tuned…

Waiting in the Wings: Study Committee Resolutions

My highlight of the week was a hearing in the Senate Higher Education Committee for SR 770, a Study Committee resolution to examine how to best expand higher education opportunities in prisons. I so enjoy mentoring students and it was a real pleasure to give Lillian Hanson, our Intern this session, the chance to take a deep dive into her interest in criminal justice reform, build relationships with partners, write the legislation, organize testimony for the resolution and ultimately present it to the Committee. She did a beautiful job and SR 770 passed unanimously, even gaining the support of the lone Senator (who shall-not-be-named) that always votes no!

Lillian also helped write my other Study Committee resolution, SR 806, “The Impact of Social Media on Children and Platform Protection.” This year, the Lt. Governor passed SB 351 which requires parental permission for kids to create social media accounts. But kids know how to get around parental permissions and age verification. SR 806 will help us find ways to go downstream to keep harmful content and addictive features from being available on social media platforms and keep digital companies accountable for known harms.

A Curtain Call: The Last Two Legislative Days

The Senate Rules Committee will meet Monday morning. They’ll set the calendar for the last two legislative days. I’ll be there to present both of the Study Committee resolutions.

Next week, we may also name the Official State Crustacean (HB 1341) — can you guess what it is?

Sine Die is on Thursday. I’ll be in touch after session to let you know how you can help me with my Primary election. Early voting starts April 29th!

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2024 #10

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around every once in a while, you could miss it.” — Ferris Bueller

Follow the Leader

Medicaid Expansion and Hospital “CON” Reform

Instead of using hospital regulatory reform (Certificate of Need, aka CON) as a bargaining chip for Medicaid Expansion as North Carolina did, Georgia Republicans are following the lead of the Governor by refusing once again to expand Medicaid.

This week, the Senate passed HB 1339, the CON reform bill. Among other things, the Senate version exempts ambulatory surgery centers from CON regulations. These centers don’t have to accept Medicaid patients and cherry pick off the more profitable procedures, leaving local hospitals to fund the non-profitable procedures.

I knew there was some GOP support for Medicaid expansion in the House, but this week I overheard some Republican Senators saying we should have expanded Medicaid before reforming CON. They’re worried about hospitals in their districts. What a missed opportunity to help people and communities across Georgia with the resources needed to support life.

Follow the Votes: Transgender Medical Treatment

This week the Senate Health and Human Services Committee amended HB 1170, a good bill that makes opioid overdose antidotes readily available in public buildings, to include a ban on puberty blockers for transgender kids. Last year, when a slew of bills banning transgender care were introduced in state legislatures across the country, Georgia was one of the only states that kept puberty blockers available. What changed? Powerful Republican leaders are now facing far-right primary opponents and feeling the pressure. Look for SB 1170 to be on the Senate floor soon.

What won’t be on the Senate floor — SR 785, a resolution I filed on behalf of Community Estr(El/la), an immigrant transgender advocacy organization recognizing March 26th as Trans Liberation Day to honor the struggles and achievements of transgender people. Instead of being placed on a unanimous consent calendar for Privileged Resolutions, SR 785 was assigned to the very same Committee that banned puberty blockers. Think it’ll get a hearing? Probably not…

Follow the Middle Course: Suicide and Firearms

Democrats are constantly searching for ways to reduce gun violence that our Republican colleagues will support. This year, Senator Elena Parent and I may have found one in “Donna’s Law,” aka SB 522, a personal liberty bill that allows people with suicidal tendencies to put themselves on the “Do Not Sell” Firearms list to protect themselves from making a hasty, irreversible decision. Suicides, not homicides, account for the majority of gun deaths in Georgia.

It’s rare for a gun safety bill to get a hearing, but the Chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee allowed one for SB 522 this week. A variety of mental health experts and suicide prevention advocates testified in favor of the bill, including Donna’s daughter, Katrina Brees, who surprised us by flying in from Louisiana. Katrina believes that if “Donna’s Law” existed, her mother would still be alive today. We held a press conference later that afternoon. https://youtu.be/Zar0UlYDkNY?si=CVHyhGn6z0Wfjsor

Follow the Money: Data Centers and School Vouchers

Thursday, the Senate passed HB 1192, a bill that suspends a sales tax break for high-tech data centers for two years. Legislators have been scrutinizing the long list of tax incentives used to attract business to Georgia. It makes sense to study the cost benefit of these incentives, but a pause pulls the rug from under businesses that chose to locate here based on the tax incentive and causes uncertainty for projects in the pipeline. Environmental advocates informed us about the huge amount of natural resources data centers use, so I intend to watch the data storage industry for its impact on global warming.

Across the hall, the House passed SB 233, the school voucher bill that allows $6,500 per student to be used for private school or homeschooling, by just one vote. This year, to make it more palatable for Republicans who voted against it last year, House leadership loaded it with incentives like writing teacher pay raises into the school funding formula and allowing students to enroll in public schools outside of their districts. I’m sure primary pressure plays a role in the bill’s passage too. The amended bill will have to pass the Senate before it heads to the Governor’s desk.

Follow the Logic: Higher Ed in Prisons Study Committee

This week, I filed SR 770, a Study Committee Resolution to examine how we can offer higher education in Georgia prisons to reduce recidivism. Intern and constituent Lillian Hanson has been working on this issue all session, making connections with experts and advocates for our office so we can build on them in the years to come. When I asked the Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee to sign the bill, his seatmate signed it too, saying, “It only makes sense!”

I also filed two other common sense bills this week — one that requires regular school building inspections like we do for restaurants, and a bill allowing colleges to opt out of Campus Carry and requiring gun storage and firearm safety training for those that allow guns on campus. While they won’t move this session, filing them now allows me to refile and move them more quickly next session.

Follow My Values

With only five legislative days remaining (expanded to two calendar weeks), now is the time when it’s easy to lose track of values. I campaigned hard on sticking to my values, and I believe they are why I have been re-elected three times.

In May, I am facing a primary election opponent due to my vote on HB30. While this bill was called the antisemitism bill, I think it will do little to reduce hateful acts toward Jewish people. However it will regulate how some of us speak about the Israeli government. America was founded on the courageous acts of standing against powerful government, and we may find ourselves in that position again, depending on the outcome of our 2024 election. My abstention on HB30 was a vote to protect the free speech of every American. While my opponent desires to make this race about war in the Middle East, I intend to stand for the justice and freedom that leads to peace.

Here’s my “inclusiveness” value that I followed: “We extend our world beyond our own family, community, and ethnic group to include a wide range of others — have-nots, minorities, the homeless, people with disabilities, people from other nations and even the earth itself.”

I still carry my “yellow value card” with me to the Capitol. It’s the card I made during the early 2000s when I served in the House and watched Republicans take over the legislature. I’ll keep it close at hand the next couple of weeks and follow it with every vote, even when it means someone might get mad at me.

We Need Your Urgent Follow Up!

SB 198, my bill to create an Innovation Commission for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), hit a major roadblock when the Chair of the House Public Health Committee declined to schedule a hearing for the bill. I spoke with the House Speaker’s office this week to ask for their help, and if you care about this issue, you should too. Call 404.656.5020 or email Jon.Burns@house.ga.gov to let him know that Georgia’s system to support adults with IDD is outdated and broken and that we need the Speaker’s help moving SB 198 forward to fix it.

I’ll be back at work at 9am Monday morning for the 36th legislative day.

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2024 #9

Screeching to a Halt

The State Budget Slows Down the Senate

The Senate Majority Leader set the pace for the week Monday morning when he announced that the House was late in sending the FY25 budget to the Senate. He also said that since the Senate was ahead of the House in passing their bills, the Senate would temporarily pause floor votes on House bills. It was Friday (legislative day 32) before we voted on any bills on the floor of the Senate — quite a change of pace from Crossover Day.

While the slower pace gave us all a chance to breathe, we know it only worsens the inevitable time crunch leading into Sine Die on March 28th.

Democratic-Sponsored Bills Slow on the Uptake

  • Republican Bills Passed by the Senate: 131
  • Democratic Bills Passed by the Senate: 10

The number of Democratic bills Republicans have allowed to pass the Senate is abysmally low. Part of the problem is that the proportion of Democrats on Standing Committees is generally not reflective of our proportion in the Senate body. For example, Democrats make up 41% of the Senate, but only 22% of the Senate Rules Committee. That means we have four positions on this powerful Committee when we should hold seven. Each time Rules Committee members are told they can choose a certain number of bills to move to the Senate floor, Democrats get fewer picks.

Stopping a Bad Bill

This week a few of my Democratic colleagues and I got a rare opportunity to gut a bad portion of a bill in Committee. Several Republicans failed to show up for the meeting, leaving Democrats with the majority vote. HB 589 was a three-part “good government” bill. Two parts were just fine, but the third part got our hackles up. It required the state to purchase web-based software that allows Georgia taxpayers to enter their total tax bill into a program, which then reveals a breakdown of where the money is spent. To our amazement, the bill author brought the owner of the company that makes this software to testify alongside him.

So we quizzed the bill author and his associate on estimated costs — $400,000 for the startup and $100,000 maintenance costs each year — which seemed exorbitant for such a simple program. I moved to remove the “bad” part of the bill by striking the entire section. The amendment passed 4-3, saving taxpayers almost half a million dollars. The Committee Chairman looked surprised — I’m not sure he realized his Republicans were outnumbered!

The Senate Republicans have a Brass Elephant they award daily to the Senator who did the best job representing the GOP. This week, my colleagues told me that if there was a Brass Donkey award, I would have won it!

GOP Blocks Medicaid Expansion, Again

This year, Democrats hoped that Republicans would be willing to consider Medicaid expansion. We hoped we could follow North Carolina’s example, negotiating changes to Georgia’s Certificate of Need process (which regulates hospital expansions) for expanding Medicaid. We now have HB 1339, a well-negotiated set of revisions to our Certificate of Need rules, but Medicaid expansion is off the table. Republicans have only agreed to study it in the interim. As if it needs further study. SMH

Annexations Slow to a Halt

Here’s a bit of local politics. For as long as I’ve known, Doraville has had several “islands” of unincorporated DeKalb county within its city borders. I’m not sure anyone still knows how it got this way, but last spring the city of Doraville asked local legislators to help them clean up some of those lines. I drafted and passed legislation through the Senate to fix this “swiss cheese” map, including a referendum vote in November, allowing the people in those areas to decide if they want to be part of Doraville.

Sadly, these bills face opposition in the House. DeKalb County leaders seem quite antsy about any annexations these days. I hope before the end of the session they can see that this small referendum is the right thing to do.

Election Season Gathers Pace

This week was “Qualifying Week” in Georgia, which is when candidates sign up to run for office. “Qualifying” is really a misnomer because all you have to do is pay some money and sign an affidavit that you live in the correct district and don’t owe money to the state. It’s easier to qualify as a candidate for office than it is to become a voting member of our local Democratic Committee, where they actually check things like your voting record and ensure you haven’t given any money to or endorsed Republican candidates.

This year, I have both Primary (May) and General (November) election opponents. I’m glad I took a break and rested last summer because this year I’ll be working hard on my reelection campaigns!

I am not able to accept donations until after the legislative session is over, but I will gratefully accept your financial support starting on March 29th. In the meantime, watch your email box for an invitation to help out with my campaign, and please sign up.

What’s Next: Help These Bills Get Moving

This week, Representative Scott Hilton agreed to carry SB 198 in the House — the bill to create an Innovation Commission on Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. It’s awaiting a vote in the House Public Health Committee, so please contact Chairwoman Sharon Cooper (Sharon.Cooper@house.ga.gov or 404-656-5069) to ask her to put SB 198 on her Committee agenda.

This Wednesday, March 13th, Georgia’s “Donna’s Law,” aka SB 522, will have a hearing in the Senate Public Safety Committee at 1:00 pm in room 450 in the Capitol. There will also be a press conference that day at 3:00 pm in the Legislative Office Building, room 203. Senator Elena Parent and I co-sponsored SB 522, which allows people with suicidal ideation to voluntarily place themselves on the FBI’s “Do Not Sell” list to protect themselves from making a hasty decision that would end their life. We welcome all advocates to join us to testify in favor of the bill and to stand with us at the press conference.

Don’t forget to vote in the Presidential Primary on March 12th if you haven’t already (myself included). After Sine Die, there are only four weeks before Early Voting starts for the May Primary Election.

Stay tuned until next week, when the pace is sure to speed up!

 

Signing "Qualifying" papers to run for another term in the Senate (on my birthday)!
Signing Qualifying papers to run for another term in the Senate (on my birthday)!

 

Tuesday was DeKalb County Day at the Capitol. It was good to see county staff, the CEO and the Commissioners!
Tuesday was DeKalb County Day at the Capitol. It was good to see county staff, the CEO and the Commissioners!

 

The Senate GOP brass elephant, awarded and passed along to the "best" GOP Senator each day.
The Senate GOP brass elephant, awarded and passed along to the “best” GOP Senator each day.
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