Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2024 #5

Using a Megaphone

Being political means taking a risk and using your voice to communicate a shared vision based on values. For me, using the Senate to amplify my voice has been a journey of growth!

New Video Launch: I’ll be honest, I’d much rather write a newsletter than record a video. But young people take in their content through “reels” and it’s important to reach this audience. So I have challenged myself to “step out of my comfort zone” to create regular video content. This week we launched “What’s It To You?” a video series aimed at teaching young people why state government matters.

So much goes into making just one video — finding the right setting, lighting, wardrobe, makeup, script writing, filming and editing. Two of my neighbors, Mria Dangerfield and Stephanie Bogle have been instrumental in helping me. Our first video did well on Instagram and generated some interesting comments – people are hungry to tell politicians what they think!

If you haven’t already, please follow me on Instagram (@sallyharrellga) and share my videos and encourage others to do the same!

Voicing Objections to Last Minute Voting Machine Changes

Banning Barcodes, SB 189: This week, the debate about ballot barcodes came full circle. In 2019, when we debated the new voting machine bill, I introduced an amendment in committee to eliminate the barcode, arguing the public can’t read barcodes to verify their vote is correctly recorded. When the Republicans all voted down my amendment, I warned them this would come back to bite them.

I was more than happy to remind them of that when I delivered the Minority Report against SB 189 this week. The time to eliminate barcodes was then. I agree with our Secretary of State that there is no time to make this change with a presidential election around the corner.

Calling the Question: When debate on SB 189 began after lunch, the Republicans weren’t in their seats, so one of my Democratic colleagues moved to “call the question,” which brought the bill to an immediate vote. But obviously a group text went out, because Republicans streamed into the chamber like ants while the Lt. Governor stalled. Republicans passed the bill with 29 votes – the bare minimum needed to pass a bill.

Narrowing the Vote Gap

This year I’ve noticed Republicans frequently having only the minimum 29 votes to pass their bills. While Democrats aren’t yet the majority, we’ve narrowed the gap significantly. Republicans have to be careful to stay close to their seats because they don’t have votes to spare. This is progress! Your work is making a difference.

A Visit from a Republican Chairman Speaks Volumes

It’s not often that a member of the majority party visits with the Democratic Caucus. This week a Republican Chairman, knowing he needs our votes, came to tell us about a Constitutional Amendment Resolution he’s sponsoring. Constitutional amendments require a 2/3rd vote for passage. This gives us leverage for negotiations for things that we want.

The Disabilities Community Gets Loud Again

Wednesday began with a press conference for the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities Advocacy Day. Our message was “Getting the Job Done.”

Later, I used my voice in the Senate well to encourage my colleagues to keep an eye out for our disability advocates. When I was called out to the rope line myself, an advocate saw me and said, “We don’t need to talk to you. You’re driving the train!”

Senate Democrats Sound Off on Gun Holiday and Anti-Union Bills

Tax Holiday for Guns: Our floor debates have been stronger and more substantive this year, thanks to the quality speeches of Senate Democrats. This week, we debated SB 344, a 5-day tax holiday for gun sales. One Democratic Senator argued that more Georgians would benefit from a tax holiday on diapers and formula, menstrual products, and school supplies like we used to have in Georgia. Once again, the voices of women legislators colored the debate on the Senate floor!

The Governor’s Anti-Union Bill: On Thursday, we had an hours-long debate on SB 362, Governor Kemp’s bill to prohibit companies that take state incentives from voluntarily recognizing new labor unions. Democrats argued that this bill preempts the National Labor Relations Act that protects labor and business’ rights to choose one of two options to recognize unions — a voluntary recognition process or a secret ballot process — and will ultimately waste taxpayer dollars in court challenges.

Several Democrats shared their personal positive experiences with unions and how they were responsible for good wages, benefits, and employee protections. Overall, unions are becoming more popular. A 2023 Gallup poll found that 67% of Americans approve of labor unions. Younger people are recognizing the importance of unions. My oldest child lost a job for trying to start a union and my younger child participated in a picket line for professors at his university the same day we debated SB 362.

Calling Out Government Overreach

The Marxist & Lesbian American Library Association: In the Government Oversight Committee, we heard testimony on SB 390, a bill that would prohibit local libraries from purchasing materials from the American Library Association (ALA) and no longer require library directors be ALA accredited. The ALA recently became a lightning rod for the right because they don’t approve of its director.

SB 390 came from the author’s experience in his community with a librarian who applied for an ALA grant that included a request for LGBTQ books. When the Senator spoke with the librarian and expressed his concern about the material, she was evidently unapologetic.

I told the bill author about my own personal experience finding “advanced” books in the young adult section of our library before I thought my kids were ready. But all I needed was a helpful resource like the website “Common Sense Media” that rates books, websites and games, to help parents understand what is age-appropriate. The solution to this problem could be as simple as putting up posters directing parents to this helpful resource instead of trying to institute a statewide overreaction to what should be a local and parental decision.

How to Make Your Voices Heard

Lately, it feels like the avenues for making your voice heard at the Capitol are getting more difficult. Email is largely ineffective, Republican bills are pushed through fast, and committee chairs aren’t allowing many hearings.

But we cannot be deterred. The best way to “Be Loud” these days is to show up to the rope lines and call out legislators to discuss an issue you’re passionate about. Grab a buddy and make a day of it.

You can also join one of the many Lobby Days held by advocacy organizations. They start in the morning, train you on the issue and how to speak to legislators. Find an organization that fits with your area of interest and register for their event.

There are lots of upcoming Lobby Days this month:

  • Georgia Reproductive Justice Advocacy Day by SisterSong, Planned Parenthood SE, and others. Thursday, February 15th. Register here.
  • Georgia ERA Day, by the ERA Coalition. Wednesday, February 21, Register here.
  • Moms Demand Action for Gunsense Advocacy Day, February 21, Register here.
  • Medicaid Coverage Expansion Day, Cover Georgia, Monday, February 26, Register here.

If you have ideas about how to use your voice to influence what happens at the Gold Dome, please “reply” to this Snapshot email and share! I’m always looking for ways voters and advocates can influence the process!

Finally, tune in to Georgia Public Broadcasting to see me on “Lawmakers” this Monday night, Feb. 12th, at 7pm.

IDD Press conference
Sen. Sally Harrell’s press conference in partnership with Georgia Council on Disabilities. “Getting the Job Done.” Pass Senate Bill 198 Creating an IDD Innovation Commission, Eliminate the Waiting List, & Pay Caregivers Market Rates.
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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2024 #4

The Georgia Senate Goes to the Salon

A Bad Hair Day

A touch of humor erupted this week on the Senate floor Monday morning that lightened my load.

Cosmetology Licensing: Last summer a Senate Study Committee conducted a critical review of all Georgia’s licensing laws. Out of that work came SB 354, which proposes to eliminate licensing requirements for the folks that wash, dry, & style hair, and those who apply makeup. The Senate Democratic women tried hard to explain to our male colleagues why some licensing requirements are still necessary for safety reasons.

Our Group Chat was rather colorful:

“You can rip out whole sections of people’s hair with hair extension glue!”

“The men are trying to ruin our hair!”

“This is why we need more women in office!”

After plenty of hair jokes, the bill passed, 38 to 15.

A Hair Bill Left Undone: SB 82, called the “Crown Act,” is a bill that protects Black Georgians who wear natural hairstyles from discrimination. Senate Republicans refuse to move it forward.

Moving Bills Are a Thing of Beauty

Just when things seem impossibly stuck, circumstances change and doors fly open.

Georgians with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Innovation Commission: Last year, I couldn’t get SB 198, my Disabilities Commission bill, to move at all. This week the bill passed unanimously through the Senate Health & Human Services Committee.

We were told we had the votes to pass the bill out of Committee, but we lined up a handful of advocates anyway who shared compelling stories. The Commission is modeled after the late Speaker David Ralston’s successful Behavioral Health Innovation Commission, whose recommendations resulted in meaningful mental health reform. Next week, I’ll push the bill through the Senate Rules Committee to move SB 198 to the Senate floor.

Children & Play: This week, Republican Chairman Clint Dixon, who leads the Senate Education and Youth Committee, became the second signer on SB 432, a bill I authored that requires recess every day for elementary and middle school students, ensuring kids get adequate break time even on days when they have a structured PE class.

When I glanced down at the bill and saw my signature next to Sen. Dixon’s signature I did a double take. Sen. Dixon and I have radically different politics, yet we are both able to see that children need unstructured free-time during the school day. I felt an ounce of hope for the future of our country.

The next step is to get SB 432 on the agenda for a vote in the Education Committee (nice to have the Chairman’s support).

Advocates Make Cut and Dry Pleas for Healthcare

At the Ropes: While the Senate was busy debating sports betting, I spent time at the “ropes” talking with constituents who want us to fix healthcare. The “ropes” are located just outside the chamber doors where the Senate operates the “page” program. As we are able, we leave the chamber to have conversations with constituents “across the rope-line.”

Among these constituents were St. Pius Catholic School students who made impressive arguments for closing the gaps in healthcare. I also met Brookhaven constituent Toi Irvin and her son Evan, who were advocating with the American Heart Association. Evan, who is Evander Holyfield’s son, collapsed at school due to a rare and deadly undiagnosed heart condition, so his mom was telling their story and advocating for better preparedness and training.

Senator Warnock: Senator Warnock visited the Senate Democratic Caucus this week, emphasizing to us the importance of continuing our fight for Medicaid expansion. In the chamber, he reminded the full Senate that he helped secure $1.2 billion in federal funding incentives for Georgia’s Medicaid expansion. Some Democratic U.S. Senators did not want to reward Georgia with higher incentives since they built their own Medicaid programs on less lucrative federal contributions. Those incentives have not yet swayed Governor Kemp.

Speaking of Healthcare… Thursday night, at a dinner sponsored by the Georgia State University Health Policy Center, I sat next to the House Health Committee Chairman. When he said he needed to call an Uber to get to his condo, I offered to drive him since it was on my way home. As I drove, I made sure to mention my disabilities bill, since it might end up in his Committee. This is how you make friends and get things done at the Capitol!

Higher Ed Funding Needs a Makeover

Tuesday, I spoke at a United Campus Workers press conference about the need to fully fund higher education back to the levels it was funded in 2000. Currently, higher ed funding is 31.5% less than it was  — making college less attainable for too many Georgia students.

I also had very positive meetings throughout the week with key Republican leaders regarding needs-based scholarships that we’ve decided to name “Good Faith Grants.” We know that Governor Kemp’s Georgia Match program will identify kids who have proven themselves capable of going to college, but fall through the cracks because they just can’t afford it.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

Thursday looked to be a short day with just three bills on the floor. But it turned out to be a very long day in the Chamber with no lunch! We had vigorous debates on sports betting (SB 386), the Gwinnett county City of Mulberry (SB 33), and the final Conference Committee Report on “The Big Bad Bail Bill” (SB 63).

I find it sad we spend so much time on sports betting when we have so many pressing needs. In the past, sports betting was introduced with an accompanying voter referendum, but now Republicans have decided it doesn’t need a referendum. I voted no on the bill.

What’s Up Next Week? It was nice to have a lighter week, but it probably won’t last. Monday we are not in session due to the funeral of Rep. Richard Smith, Chairman of House Rules, who died suddenly last week from a short illness.

What’s on the horizon? Governor Kemp’s SB 362 will make it hard for labor unions to come to Georgia, SB 438 will once again address transgender kids and sports, as well as bathrooms and other facilities, and SB 390, which removes American Library Certification and funding from public libraries statewide will be heard in one of my Committees. Evidently Senate Republicans think the leader of the ALA is a Marxist, so libraries are evil.

So much for light reading. I’ll let you know the next plot twist.

 

Page Program
It was a pleasure to host Princeton University student Tendekai Mawokomatanda as a Senate page! After paging, Tendekai stayed around to shadow me the rest of the day, going to Committee meetings, etc.

Page Program: If you know someone who would like to serve as a page (ages 12 – 18), please let my administrative assistant, Kathlene Dorking, know at 404-463-2260 or kathlene.dorking@senate.ga.gov.

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2024 #3

Politics Under the Gold Dome are Heating Up

Republicans and Medicaid Expansion – Is There a Spark of Interest?

There’s been some talk recently about a handful of Republicans in the Georgia House who’ve voiced support for expanding Medicaid. And indeed, the Speaker of the House, Jon Burns, actually brought up the subject in his speech at “Eggs & Issues.” But he only referenced the need to collect data.

If the Speaker needs data, we have plenty of it!

Still recovering from COVID Monday morning, I joined my Senate Democratic colleagues via Zoom for a presentation by the non-profit “Georgians for a Healthy Future” on prospects for expanding Medicaid in Georgia. North Carolina passed Medicaid expansion last year, partly by compromising on Certificate of Need policies, a system dating back to the 1970s that regulates supply and demand in healthcare. There has been much debate recently in Georgia about our Certificate of Need (CON) policies. Surprisingly, we were told Monday morning that Medicaid expansion does more to protect rural hospitals than CON regulations, where the data is mixed.

So if there’s room for compromise, we need to start looking at what kind of Medicaid model could pass in Georgia. The Governor’s “Pathways to Coverage” program, which is a small Medicaid expansion, has only enrolled a tiny fraction of Georgia’s low-income uninsured (2,350 out of 434,000). Because this small program does not draw down Federal dollars at the rate of full Medicaid expansion, Pathways costs Georgia, per person, five times what full Medicaid expansion would cost.

“The best plan is the plan that can get passed by this legislature,” said Laura Colbert, Executive Director of Georgians for a Healthy Future. She then went on to present the Arkansas private option model, where Medicaid premiums are used to pay for private market plans. There are some advantages to this plan in Georgia, the main one being that it gets around Georgia’s abysmally low Medicaid reimbursement rates, which could improve access to care.

While I think there is hope on the horizon for Medicaid expansion in Georgia, I don’t think we’ll get it this year, because, “it’s an election year.”

The Senate Gives Our Election System Third Degree Burns 

I hear a lot of talk in the hallways about it being an election year. What this means in our Republican controlled legislature is that bills coming to the floor serve as a prelude to the battles that will be fought in Republican primaries. And sadly, these primaries have moved from battles of the far-right, to battles of bizarre conspiracy. By the end of the week, we saw this in full force in the bills that came to the floor.

Using their majority vote, Republicans appointed an election denier to the State Elections Board (SR 443), voted to remove the Secretary of State from the State Election Board (SB 358) and voted to ban ranked choice voting statewide, at all levels of government, except for overseas voting (SB 355).

Republicans also voted to create a special investigations committee to investigate Fani Willis (SR 465), which stated that verifying the truths of allegations about her romantic relationship with the special district attorney will “cast doubt as to the validity of the charges her office has brought in regard to the 2020 Presidential election.” But the low point came when our Lt. Governor prematurely cut off debate, silencing Democrats who had speeches planned. Debate is an essential part of any deliberative body, which is critical to a democracy.

Gun Safety, Mental Health & Reproductive Freedom – Putting Out Fires

On a more positive note, civic engagement is really up at the Capitol! I had the pleasure of attending three press conferences this week. The first was on Reproductive Freedom, where I explained to the press how the abortion ban law is impacting Georgia’s ability to train new ob-gyns. Because doctors-in-training can’t practice life saving procedures that involve abortion, I explained how when doctors choose not to train here due to our laws, they don’t end up practicing here either. Access to ob-gyns across the state will worsen. This caught the attention of WABE, where my explanation was aired. It’s a bit of an out-of-body feeling when I’m driving along the road listening to the news, and I hear my own voice. It’s like, “Oh, yeah, she has a point!”

I also joined a very well attended press conference on Mental Health, as well as one on Gun Safety organized by Georgia Majority for Gun Safety. The ability of these groups to organize citizens, unite voices and create a narrative in the press is impressive!

A Very Difficult Vote: HB 30

The week I faced the most difficult vote of all of my time in the legislature. HB 30 is the bill that attaches the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) examples of antisemitism to Georgia’s discrimination and hate crime laws.

On the surface, it seems like it should be a simple vote. I stand against antisemitism, so I should vote yes. Yet it was not simple.

The war in Gaza brought out additional voices from people I represent. They told me that codifying the IHRA examples makes them feel fearful about speaking out against the war. Some of them have family and friends in Gaza and the level of death and destruction they have experienced is unimaginable.

On the other hand, antisemitic threats have increased and my Jewish constituents want more protection. Many of them also have family in Israel and are feeling grief and pain at losses incurred in the October 7th attack.

Inclusivity is one of my core values, and I have a responsibility to listen. This pushed me to carefully study the IHRA examples myself and I found some of the examples troubling, particularly the one about critiquing the behavior of the Israeli government. So I consulted an attorney, and was told that using the IHRA examples to determine intent depends on prosecutors and law enforcement acting in reasonable ways. This gave me pause, because in this day and age we don’t always get reasonableness where we should.

Codifying specific examples of hate into Georgia law has not been done before and I’m uncertain how it will play out. I don’t know if HB 30 will help or if it will cause further harm. It brings up questions of whether other groups should also codify examples, which groups those might be, or whether or not examples should even be codified. There are those that want to outlaw criticism and protest of our own government. Does this law provide a blueprint for them?

So with HB 30, I found myself in a situation with more questions than answers, and whether I voted up or down, I knew I would be hurting people I care about and want to protect. Abstaining was the only way I could recognize all the voices of my diverse district.

I remain committed to standing against damaging and hateful behavior. And I will always look deeply to find the voices of vulnerable people.

 

Melina Baetti Vezirian
I had the pleasure of standing next to Melina Baetti Vezirian at the Moms Demand Action press conference Friday. We will keep fighting for gun safety laws until innocent Georgians are safe

HB30 https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63524

IHRA https://holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definition-antisemitism

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2024 #2

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2024 #1

Not for the Faint of Heart

High Alert

Security was on the minds of those who entered the Georgia Capitol Monday morning for the 2024 legislative session. Greeted at the door by a State Trooper, Sen. Josh McLaurin and I were asked to walk through the metal detectors, despite flashing our “Senator” badges which would normally get us waved through. I wondered how this new protocol would be received, since I have long suspected some legislators bypass the “no guns in the Capitol” rule. But alas, this new Trooper had misunderstood his instructions — no metal detectors for the electeds.

Mid-week, Capitol Security briefed us on what to do in case of a bomb threat. We’ve been briefed about shootings before, but never bombs.

Several Senators made speeches during our opening session to acknowledge that things have gone too far. I felt a glimmer of hope that we might turn down the divisiveness — at least for the sake of our own safety. I am making my own efforts to approach my colleagues, even those with whom I disagree strongly, in a way that honors our common humanness.

The legislature is one the few places where people of different views come together to debate what divides us. It is up to us to set the example of how to do that with civility.

Armed with Love and Support

Thanks to everyone who gave so generously to my re-election campaign.  Each and every donation uplifted my spirits, giving me the courage to face these uncertain times with confidence and hope. If you didn’t get a chance to make a donation, you can do so after the session is over. The end of session, Sine Die, is scheduled for March 28th.

A Glimpse of the Battles Ahead

The first week of session is full of collegiality and anticipation. The President pro tempore of the Senate, who happens to be named John F. Kennedy (he’s a Republican) invited us to lunch at the Capital City Club, where he treated us to an elegant lunch as well as stories from former President pro-tems.

Eggs & Issues: Mid-week I got up super early and headed down to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Eggs and Issues Breakfast, held for the first time at the Mercedes Benz Stadium. 2,600 attendees sat around tables that literally filled the field. Next year I need to remember to wear flat shoes. Heals and artificial turf don’t go well together.

This event is particularly exciting because it gives the first sneak peak at the priorities of the Governor, the Lt. Governor and the Speaker of the House. Sometimes if you read between the lines, you can pick up on what tensions might arise during session, and who might run for what political office.

State of the State: On Thursday Senate members formally processed to the House Chamber to hear the Governor’s State of the State address. I found it to be a mixed bag. On the one hand, it was full of government bashing, anti-union rhetoric and support for for-profit schools and healthcare. But on the other hand, I heard him commit to pay raises for state employees, teachers and retirees, and historic levels of funding for mental health and caretakers.

Immediately following the Governor’s State of the State speech he released his proposed budget, which I am just beginning to study. Next week will focus exclusively on budget hearings, when Commissioners and Department heads make their pitches to the Appropriations Committees prior to the legislature taking up the budget.

A Word about the Surplus: I don’t really like this word because it makes it sound like we collected more money than we need. Nothing could be further from the truth. Since Georgia is required to have a balanced budget each year, the Governor is tasked with estimating how much revenue will come in. Governor Kemp has been lowballing the revenue estimate which means when the revenue comes in higher, he calls that a surplus.

Fighting Fires Already

The second year of a two-year session gets right to business. Bills that didn’t pass last year stay alive and can be acted on this year, but if they don’t pass this year they die.

Two bills found their way to the Senate floor this week.

Gwinnett County Cityhood: On Wednesday, the Gwinnett delegation was handed a bill creating the City of Mulberry. On Friday, the bill came to the floor for a vote, but with the signature of only one Republican Senator. The Gwinnett delegation, which has a Democratic majority, had been bypassed. Following a quick study of the rules, we appealed to the Secretary of the Senate, who agreed that the bill had been improperly moved out of Committee. By Friday, the Republican Senator who signed the bill was appointed Chair of the Committee by the Lt. Governor. Something doesn’t smell quite right.

Sports Betting: The other bill that came to the Senate floor this week was Sports Betting. Talk about priorities! In all fairness, the author of the bill said he brought it forward quickly so that we could get it over with. It didn’t work — we didn’t take a vote this week.

Re-Charging in the District

Spending time in the district helps recharge my batteries. On Thursday, I attended Brookhaven’s historic swearing-in ceremony of its first Asian American mayor, John Park, and its first Latino Councilmember, Michael Diaz, creating the most diverse city council in North DeKalb. This was the result of a deliberate effort by the city and specifically Councilman John Funny, who worked to engage more citizens of color in city government.

Friday night, I attended Temple Emanuel’s Georgia Legislature and Judiciary Welcome Shabbat and then the Georgia Legislative Update breakfast at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody on Saturday morning. The spiritual nurturing was much appreciated!

Meet the Team

I couldn’t do what I do without a strong team beside me. This year we have some new team members who will help me serve you.

  • Amy Swygert, who has been with me since I began in the Senate in 2019, is back again. I’ve changed her title once again to “Chief of Staff” since we’ve staffed up since the pandemic! Amy helps keep track of my legislative agenda, works with legislative counsel to research and draft legislation, manages my communications, and more.
  • I was thrilled to hire Gwinnett county resident Kathlene Dorking this fall as my new administrative assistant. Kathlene also works for Senator Sheik Rahman. Kathlene will be helping with constituent services, scheduling, and keeping up with phone calls and emails.
  • Lillian Hanson, a public policy major at Georgia Tech from my district (the younger sister of one of my former Girl Scouts), will be working with us as a part-time intern. Lillian’s interested in criminal justice reform and I have a growing interest in providing better access to educational opportunities for incarcerated people, so she will be tracking relevant legislation and helping me build out a network of experts and advocates in that arena.

If you would like to follow along with “Budget Week” next week, you can tune in to all the budget hearings via the state’s livestream. It’s a great way to learn about how our state government works and all the challenges our state leaders face.

 

Security Notice
Lobbyists can no longer store their bags under tables in the hallways of the Capitol due to security concerns. This is a challenge for them! Several lobbyists asked me this week if they could stash their bags in my office
Eggs and Issues event
Business leaders and elected officials filled the field of the Mercedes Benz Stadium for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Eggs & Issues Breakfast to hear 2024 Opening Remarks from the Governor, the Lt. Governor and the Speaker of the House.
Staff photo
Sen. Sheikh Rahman and I welcome Gwinnett resident Kathlene Dorking as our new administrative assistant! Give her a big welcome at 404-463-2260 or email her at Kathlene.dorking@senate.ga.gov
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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2024

Bomb Threat at the State Capitol

Yesterday six State Capitol buildings, including Georgia, received bomb threats. Although building searches determined the email messages were hoaxes, the threat is real.

Since Christmas, several of my colleagues in the Senate have been “swatted,” which means someone called the police reporting a horrible crime, giving an elected official’s home address. Police in swat gear then show up ready to take action. One of my colleagues who has a young child was swatted — her family had to exit their home with their hands up.

2024 is going to be a hellacious year for politics and Georgia will be in the center of it. I am ready to serve, but I need your help.

A few days after Christmas, federal district court Judge Jones ruled that the Republican redistricting maps drawn during the November special legislative session meet the demands of his order. These maps target several Democratic leaders and change the borders of many Democratic districts. Not only do I need YOUR help, but several of my colleagues need MY help.

Now is the time to stand up and take charge!

The 2024 Georgia General Assembly begins Monday, January 8th, and I cannot accept contributions while in session, so please consider making a re-election donation to my campaign NOW. By the time session ends in early April, we will be just weeks away from the primary elections.

Thank you for all your support through the years. I am strong, committed, and ready to act to protect our schools, your reproductive freedom, your voting rights and your safety. We are all in this together!

Sally at the Capitol

Donate before Jan 8 at: https://actblue.com/donate/sd40

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2023, Special Session #3

The Close of Special Session & What’s Around the Corner

Maps Update

The train rolled into the station with no time to spare as maps were signed by the Governor last Friday — the deadline set by federal Judge Steve Jones. Republicans say their new maps meet the court order because they create the required number of Black districts while protecting their incumbents. But if it was that simple, the order wouldn’t be 516 pages long.

The next stop is Judge Jones’s courtroom for a December 20th hearing. I’m quite certain that during the special session the judge has been paying attention to presentations made in House & Senate Redistricting Committees, floor debates argued by your elected officials, and your comments in the public portal. Even though the battle is now in the courts, every voice matters!

The judge needs to make a determination very quickly as to whether the maps meet the order. If he rules they do not, he will appoint a special master to redraw them. There are several “suggested” maps circulating, created by plaintiffs and the Democrats in the legislature, from which the special master can draw ideas. Time is of the essence because the Secretary of State’s office needs time to prepare for elections, and candidates qualify for their races the second week of March. The train of democracy rolls on!

A Very Special Resolution

Tuesday I had the opportunity to present a very special Privileged Resolution to the Lubin family of Dunwoody. Their 20-year old daughter Rose was murdered in Israel on November 6th while on duty guarding a gate to the Old City of Jerusalem. About a dozen members of the Lubin family were present for the ceremony. It’s clear Rose was a very passionate, empathic and brave young woman, and I was touched to be able to do something to honor her short life. You can watch the video here.

A Baby in the House (again)

Monday I attended a lunch seminar on the issue of maternal mortality. While there, I sat next to a new House member, and learned that she was bringing her 4-month old baby with her to the special session. It warmed my heart to see her doing that, just as I had done 24 years ago following the birth of my first child. The exchange caught the attention of an AJC reporter, who wrote this very nice story.

Getting Ready for 2024

Someone once told me that in an ideal world everyone should take a sabbatical once every seven years. It’s been seven years since I got back into politics, and I’ll admit, it’s been tougher than I expected. Since this year was not an election year, I took full advantage to nurture my mind, body and spirit.

For my mind, I attended several conferences, including the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators and the Georgia Legislative Leadership Institute at UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

For my body, Jay and I went rock climbing in the Colorado Rockies and the Black Hills of South Dakota. (This took quite a bit of prior conditioning and practice at our local climbing gym.)

For my spirit, I visited family in my hometown of Indianapolis and got to attend church services with my mother in the church where I grew up. And I’ve also been nurtured by so many of you at various backyard gatherings throughout the district.

The Dakota Sioux have a tradition of calling their spirits back inside their bodies after a period of play. I love the image of spirits coming out to play! As I prepare for the upcoming session, I find that I am reenergized, not just from the rest I’ve gotten, but from my personal growth.

While out west this summer, I climbed taller climbs than I have ever climbed — in fact, I climbed over 100 feet — right to the end of our 60-meter rope! And believe it or not, I am afraid of heights.

During the course of the last seven years of politics, I have found myself outside my comfort zone. Climbing has taught me that by practicing in my “risk zone” I can transform fear into comfort. As my body learns that the person holding my rope will catch me if I fall, my zone of comfort enlarges.

The same is true in politics. This growth will be with me next session, as I work within an increasingly polarized system. I will look for those moments of commonality — those cracks in the polarization — to find power in the crevices.

Elections follow very quickly after the session is over, and I must be ready. Thank you to everyone who has made a recurring donation — you help keep the campaign lights on to cover ongoing expenses. If you would like to support my 2024 campaign, please do it now. (Actblue) I cannot accept contributions after session begins on January 8th. I would very much like to keep on climbing, continuing the work that I have begun.

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2023 in Pictures

Here’s me near the top of my 110 foot climb. That’s the equivalent of a twelve story building!

 

This route is called the Trail of Teeth — lots of crystals sticking out of the rock to use as footholds on the way up!

 

I was climbing on rocks that formed from volcanic magma 1.7 billion years ago! Deep in the earth the magma cooled slowly, allowing large crystals to form.

 

Embedded in this rock I discovered black tourmaline, which is supposed to fend off negativity. I’ll be taking some with me to the Capitol next session!

 

Took some time to look at this big carving. Climbed routes on the backside later that day

 

Standing outside the State Capitol of Indiana while attending conferences. Indianapolis is where I grew up.

 

In Athens, Georgia, where I attended the Legislative Leadership Institute.

 

I got to attend church with my mom in Indianapolis at the church where I grew up.

 

I attended lots of backyard gatherings across the district this summer.

 

Sally’s Speech opposing the new Senate Map

 

Privileged Resolution for Rose Lubin

 

Another Baby in the House

https://www.ajc.com/politics/opinion-progress-at-the-state-house-one-baby-at-a-time/FF5SPCYFFZC2DDJLENXY7WV4OY/

The Original Baby in the House, January 2000

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2023, Special Session #2

Redistricting Redux 2023: Week One

The halls of the Georgia Capitol may be decked with boughs of holly, but the atmosphere of the Special Redistricting Session has not been merry.

TL;DR A federal judge ruled in late October that Georgia’s 2021 maps violate the 1965 Voting Rights Act by diluting Black voters (see last week’s Snapshot for background details). Now the legislature has until December 8th to fix the problem.

Once the maps are signed into law, federal judge Steve Jones will decide if his Order has been met. Should he rule that any of the new maps violate his Order, a “special master” will redraw the maps outside of the legislative process. Time is of the essence because candidates qualify to run in the 2024 elections this coming March.

In the meantime, Republicans took their case to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. A decision by the Appeals Court probably won’t occur until after the 2024 elections.

Putting Up a Fight

Democrats do not have the votes to stop these maps, so clearly our battleground is in the courts. But what we say and do legislatively is a matter of public record that the court can  consider in their findings. For this reason, both the Senate & House Democrats have filed bills with their own maps and members of your Senate Democratic Caucus wrote speeches at lightning speed and delivered them on the Senate floor Friday afternoon.  Watch the video of my speech by clicking the link at the bottom of this email.

 

An Accelerated Timeline

Senate & House Rules have been temporarily changed to shorten the amount of time needed to pass bills. And since Republican maps were not released until this week, hearings are being held with little or no notice. At this point, I predict that the U.S. House map will be on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday for its first vote, and the State House & Senate maps must both pass the other chamber. The last step to becoming law is the Governor’s signature.

Here’s What You Can Do

Go to the public portal to record your comments! (see link here) Take a moment to read other people’s comments and get a feel for what people across Georgia are saying, then post your own thoughts. Make it as personal as you can. Here’s some suggested language to use as a starting point.

“I’m a resident of DeKalb/Gwinnett County. I am extremely concerned about the severe disruption that the state legislative maps proposed by both the House and Senate Republicans will cause in my county [and my district if you live in a district that’s been disrupted by the GOP map]. DeKalb/Gwinnett County was NOT identified as an area of concern by Judge Jones. These are unnecessary changes that do not benefit Black voters, and do a grave disservice to DeKalb/Gwinnett County voters.”

“I am in favor of the Democratic maps proposed by the Senate and House Democrats because they more directly address the Voting Rights Act violations identified by the court, benefit more Black voters in Georgia, and minimize disruption to voters like me who live outside of the areas the courts identified.”

Map Details

U.S. House Map: The 2021 map reduced Democratic Congressional districts by one, despite significant growth in Black population. The new proposed map holds Democratic seats to 5, creating a majority-Black district on the west side of Atlanta in Fulton, Cobb, Douglas and Fayette counties. Charles Bullock, a highly respected UGA political science professor said Georgia legislators appear to be going “down the Alabama path.”

State Senate Map: Republican leadership protected all their own incumbents by adding Black voters to two majority-white Democratic districts to make them majority-Black. But just to create confusion, they strategically switched around district numbers. Black districts were sliced and diced and given new numbers, and thus called new Black districts (when they really weren’t), and majority-white districts were given numbers that used to be majority-Black districts and visa versa. Confused? So was I. For various reasons, I think it is very possible the Senate maps will be redrawn by a court appointed special master.

State House Map: Of all three maps, the State House map appears to mostly comply with the court order. However, House Republicans took advantage of opening the maps and targeted several highly talented Democrats by drawing them into districts with each other. This includes Reps. Sam Park and Greg Kennard of Gwinnett county, Reps. Saira Draper and Becky Evans of DeKalb county and Reps. Teri Anulewicz and Doug Stoner of Cobb county.

Other Happenings

New Staff: With only one thing on the agenda, you would think time would move slowly, but nothing is ever slow at the Georgia Capitol. I’ve been meeting with various Caucus Executive Committees to plan for the upcoming session and I also began training a new administrative assistant this week! Last month I said goodbye to Keridan Ogletree, who has been with me for five years, and this week I welcomed Peachtree Corners resident Kathlene Dorking. I look forward to introducing her further in the coming weeks.

Privileged Resolutions: During Special Sessions, the legislature cannot bring up any bills that are outside the agenda set by the Governor. However, Privileged Resolutions, used for honoring or offering condolences, can be considered.

Sadly, Republicans are using Privileged Resolutions to push controversial votes that they can use against Democrats in the 2024 elections. The Resolutions seem harmless on the surface, but embedded in them are typically a few sentences of controversial language that make me grimace. These non-binding resolutions were tricky votes for me this week, but I tried my best to stick to my values. If you have questions, please let me know.

That’s a lot to happen in three days! I’m sure next week will be just as busy.

Action Needed! To continue receiving your Snapshot in your in-box, please make sure you are reading it with images turned on. If you don’t see the photos in my posts, then Substack doesn’t know you are reading it, and they might drop you from my list!

Sally’s speech about the senate map:

 

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2023, Special Session #1

Redistricting Redux 2023

Traveling Theater: Next week legislators from all over Georgia will pack their bags and head to Atlanta for a Special Session of the Georgia General Assembly. It won’t last long, as there is a hard-stop curtain call of December 8th, the deadline set by a Federal District Court to produce new State House, State Senate and Congressional maps that don’t dilute Black voters.

The Backdrop: It should have been done right the first time, but the Republican controlled legislature thought that despite Georgia’s 13 percent growth in minority populations, they could get away with maintaining, and even growing, their current advantages. That’s called gerrymandering, and even though partisan gerrymandering is legal, racial gerrymandering is not.

The backdrop is a series of court cases starting with the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, when the U.S. Supreme Court ended the federal voting oversight of southern states, making 2021 the first year Georgia did not have to submit redistricting maps for federal pre-clearance. This led to this year’s June ruling in Allen v. Milligan when Alabama was told by the U.S. Supreme Court to redraw their maps because they had “packed”  Black voters into the same districts, while “cracking” smaller Black communities into white districts, resulting in fewer Black districts than population numbers support. Alabama squawked and clinched their fists at the court, but the Supreme Court stood firm, and now Georgia is in a similar place with a U.S. District Court. How much Georgia will push the limits is still to be seen. At the writing of this email, maps have still not been released.

The Plot Thickens: The players in this saga aren’t just Alabama and Georgia — the action could impact the balance of power in Congress, with similar court challenges in Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.

The Director’s Chair: In late October, 2023, United States District Court Judge Steve Jones issued a 516-page Order stating that Georgia’s 2021 maps  violate Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, directing the legislature to produce new maps that “unpack” and “uncrack” Black communities, increasing voices for Black voters through one additional Congressional district, five additional State House Districts, and two additional State Senate districts with Black majorities. The Order is very specific about which districts violate the Voting Rights Act, in addition to where and how the new districts are to be drawn. Expect Congressional and State House districts to change in the north Atlanta suburbs, State Senate districts to change in the south of Atlanta suburbs, and some changes to the State House map in the Macon area. Of course, once you open maps, anything can happen.

The Final Season: I will keep you posted as the week progresses, but understand that the maps produced next week might not be the final episode. Although Georgia decided not to “stay” the Federal Court decision, Republicans still plan to take the case to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. It’s actually possible that we could run on redrawn maps in 2024, reverting back to the original maps for 2026, should the appeal be successful. Nothing like a good cliff-hanger!

Action Needed! To continue receiving your Snapshot in your in-box, please make sure you are reading it with images turned on. If you don’t see the photo below of me standing with several of my colleagues at a fundraiser, then Substack doesn’t know you are reading it, and they might drop you from my list!

Senate Dems Fundraiser

Thanks to Former State Senator Jen Jordan for hosting a Senate Democratic Fundraiser at her lovely Summerville Firm, LLC, to help raise funds to cover legal costs for the upcoming Special Session. Familiar faces include Congresswomen Nikema Williams and Lucy McBath, State Senators Elena Parent and myself, and Leader Gloria Butler. Can anyone guess who the big guy is in the middle?

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Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2023 #12

Action item: Call (404-656-1776) or write Governor Kemp to let him know we need a technical college next to the Doraville MARTA station in North Dekalb. I have once again secured $4 million in the Senate budget to purchase the land for an expansion of Georgia Piedmont Technical College, but the Governor has the power to line-item veto budget items for 40 days following the legislative session. Your voice matters!

Uncharted Territory

Whenever I see my friend Rep. Doug Stoner in the hallways of the Capitol, I flash him a little sneer and say, “It’s your fault.” Doug knows he talked me into running for the State Senate — telling me that in comparison to the House, the Senate is more collegial and bi-partisan. While I believe that describes the Georgia Senate’s terrain-of-the-past, my time in the Senate has been a bit more difficult to navigate. And this year, the GOP leadership steered things even more off-course.

Throwing Out the Rule Book

Parliamentary Procedure: Similar to how a captain listens to his crew to promote cooperation, parliamentary procedure (aka “Robert’s Rules of Order,” or in the case of legislative bodies, “Mason’s Manual”) allows for decision making that reflects the majority, while still allowing space for the voice of the minority. The official Senate Rules are based on this model, and quite frankly in today’s partisan environment, following these Rules is what keeps us from clobbering each other! So it worries that this year, the Rules were not taken seriously.

Germaneness: For example, Senate Rule 7-1.2 on “Germaneness” clearly states that you can’t attach an amendment to a bill of a different subject matter. Senators can challenge an amendment on the grounds of germaneness, and the Rules state that the President must rule on whether the amendment is germane or not. 

HB 374 was originally a bill outlining a new procedure for municipalities de-annexing land. By Sine Die, it was amended to include the language from SB 145, a bill preempting cities from banning gas leaf blowers. When Democrats challenged the leaf blower amendment on the grounds of germaneness, Lt. Governor Jones dispensed with the usual formalities and refused to make the call. Instead, he simply said every Senator is free to vote however they wish. His aloofness seemed Trumpesque.

A Trail of Crumbs Leading to Nowhere

No Supermajority: Though the GOP has the majority in the Georgia legislature, there are times when they need the help of Democrats. One example is with constitutional amendments, which require a 2/3rd vote (⅔ requires 37 votes, and there are only 33 Senate Republicans). This allows Democrats an opportunity to ask for something in return for their support. But this session I noticed that the offers made by the GOP leadership were things Democrats didn’t even want, and when we did ask for what we wanted, we didn’t get it.

Sports Betting Deals: For example, the Lt. Governor didn’t have the votes from his own caucus to pass sports betting, which he very much wanted. Early in the session many Democrats did support it. However, as the transgender treatment ban (SB 140) began moving through the process, the Democratic Caucus warned the Lt. Governor that we would withhold our votes for sports betting if he allowed SB 140 to come to the floor for a vote. The Lt. Governor told us he would not make deals with SB 140.

The Republican agenda of sports betting and bills targeting trans teenagers are not kitchen table issues. Georgians would be much better off with a Democratic agenda that focuses on policies that actually help Georgians, such as quality public education, healthcare for all, and sustainable energy policies.

Voting My Values Keeps Me on Solid Ground

Speaking of sports betting, my “no” vote each time it came up turned out to be my most valuable asset this session. At my core, I believe taxes should fund basic government services rather than revenue produced by harmful industries such as gambling.

Those “no” votes protected me from Republican pressure tactics to change my vote. I’ve always voted my values and so far they’ve never steered me in the wrong direction.

A Surprise Detour: Scripted Debate

This year, the floor debate that followed the budget presentation turned into a surprise performance focused on a controversial measure to cut $66 million from the University System of Georgia’s (USG) budget. 

University Funding: Since I serve on the Senate Higher Ed Committee, I have learned the ins-and-outs of university funding. So it surprised me when my colleagues who don’t have this background began asking very detailed questions.

But soon after another Senator told me, “This “debate” is scripted,” and showed me a long document with copies of handwritten questions for Senators to ask the Appropriations Chair. Each question was designed to drive home the point that schools were actually flush with money. The questions also obfuscated the real purpose of the cuts — to punish Wellstar Health Systems while they negotiated taking over Augusta University’s hospitals. Wellstar opposed the Lt. Governor’s bill to eliminate hospital regulations in rural Georgia, a measure that stood to benefit the Lt. Governor’s family. Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Chair told the AJC, “The House does not play politics with the budget.”

I sometimes see scripted debate in committee hearings, but I have never seen it used to such an extent on the floor. Despite the scripted show, a $66 million cut is a significant blow to our university system. State higher education funding remains well under what it was 15 years ago. Many Georgia colleges and universities have had declining enrollment in recent years, and since the state higher ed funding formula is based on credit hours taught, lower enrollment also means less tuition AND less state funding. This is not good for Georgia.

Last Minute Law Writing Takes Us in the Wrong Direction

Around 10 pm, another surprise arrived on our desks. It was HB 196, a bill that combined a medical cannabis bill and a hemp bill into one. The House had completely rewritten the medical cannabis portion from a bill the Senate passed just days before. We were given only minutes to read the new 54-page bill before it was called up for a vote.  

Medical Cannabis: This session, lawmakers have been working to fix the state’s deeply flawed process for issuing production and distribution licenses for medical cannabis products. The Georgia Medical Cannabis Commission, originally established for this purpose, has been slow and unwilling to be transparent, causing many to question its decision-making. It’s now facing litigation from a number of producers who applied for licenses. The Senate’s bill would make the Cannabis Commission subject to open records. The new House bill abolished the Commission and gave all of the licensing responsibility to the state Agricultural Commissioner, handing him both enormous power and pressure. 

The Republicans waged a lengthy debate amongst themselves over this last minute re-write, with many objecting to such drastic changes that were never vetted through the Senate Committee process. It was interesting to watch our colleagues across the aisle object to those same tactics. Ultimately the Senate disagreed with the House version and time ran out for any further action.

Bipartisan Collaborative Policy-Making Gets Lost in the Shuffle

Study Committees: By Sine Die, the Senate approves a list of Senate Study Committees that work over the interim to dive more deeply into complex issues. During the past few years, I have been very successful in using Study Committees to negotiate bi-partisan solutions such as lowering the cost of higher education, and improving services for those living with disabilities. Normally, the Lt. Governor chooses at least a dozen Study Committees for the final list, but this year we were stunned to see only about half that number on the final list. 

Particularly disappointing was the omission of a Study Committee on ambulance response times, as well as gun safety. The new Lt. Governor does not seem to see the value in bringing together legislators, citizens, and subject matter experts in developing quality legislation and policy to benefit Georgia citizens.

On the Horizon

We’re now halfway through a two-year term, so all bills that didn’t pass this year remain alive for next year. This gives us a clear roadmap for the work ahead.

Bills that Passed This Year:

  • Prosecutorial oversight bill (SB 92), 
  • The transgender treatment ban bill (SB 140)
  • Ban on private elections funding (SB 222) 

Bills that didn’t make the Sine Die deadline, but remain alive for next year:

  • Private school vouchers (SB 233)
  • Sports Betting (several)
  • Cash bail expansion (SB 63)
  • Tenant protections bill (HB 404) 
  • Anti-Semitism bill (HB 144)
  • Mental health bill (HB 520)
  • The Car Booting Ban (SB 247)  

Thank You for the Privilege to Serve

I’m looking forward to catching up on some quality sleep after working very long days. I also look forward to improving my diet. Toward the end of the session, I could stretch one boxed lunch into three meals — ½ sandwich for lunch, ½ sandwich for dinner, and a cookie for breakfast, saving the potato chips for my kids.

I know it’s hard to believe, but I love this work and am always grateful for the privilege to serve my district and the state of Georgia. 

Stay Tuned:

Rep. Karen Lupton and I will host a Town hall Meeting in Brookhaven within the next couple of weeks. Please look for an announcement of the date in your in-box!

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