Uncategorized – Elect Sally Harrell

Bugs in the System

The germs circulating at the Capitol finally found me. I stayed home sick the early part of the week, but got busy as a bee later in the week keeping my legislative agenda moving.

Bitten by the Trump Bug

I was glad to be cocooned at home Tuesday when the Senate spent more than 90 minutes debating a resolution commending President Donald Trump for his first three months in office. While our POTUS spins a web of chaos, creating a roller-coaster in the market and great uncertainty and fear among Americans, Senate Republicans chose to spend time glorifying him.

Democrats pushed back with amendments calling for the President to protect Social Security and Medicaid and safeguarding veterans from unjust firings. These amendments failed. The resolution put on display a political system that refuses to debug itself.

The Tax Buzz

We spent a lot of time this week on various tax bills — some of which I supported and some I didn’t.

Hurricane Helene Tax Relief (HB 223) — 37% of Georgia’s timberland was damaged or destroyed in Hurricane Helene. HB 223 offers tax relief for the timber industry and other agriculture producers that suffered hurricane damage. This bill passed 50-1. It’s nice to know that unlike Congress, the Georgia Senate can still come together to do important things for farmers and people in need.

Income Tax Reduction (HB 111) — Georgia’s income tax had been set at 6% since the 1930s. But since just before Governor Kemp took office, Republicans have chipped away at it every year. HB 111 drops the rate from 5.39% to 5.19%, with plans to hit 4.99% in two years. Meanwhile, every year, state agency heads report severe understaffing, our courts are chronically backlogged, and we regularly hear from constituents who can’t get basic services. With deep federal cuts on the horizon, Democrats raised concerns that we could soon feel the sting of a state budget crisis.

One-time Tax Credit (HB 112) — While Democrats didn’t support an ongoing tax cut, we joined Republicans to approve this one-time tax credit for all taxpayers that filed returns in 2023 and 2024. HB 112 gives single filers a $250 tax credit, head of households a $350 credit, and a $500 credit for married couples that filed jointly.

Motor Fuel Suspension (HR 42) — I was the fly in the ointment—the lone “no” vote in the Senate — on a resolution ratifying Governor Kemp’s suspension of the motor fuel tax after Hurricane Helene. This tax is a user fee, paid by those who drive on Georgia’s roads through a gas tax, including those who drive through the state, including truckers. When it’s suspended, funding for road projects and repairs dries up, and the general fund picks up the tab—shifting the burden to people who may not even drive, like seniors. When I explained my reasoning to some Republican colleagues, they got it.

A Bee in My Bonnet: Protecting Kids Online

Last week, I shared how two moms asked for help keeping sexually explicit AI content away from kids on chatbot websites. This week, my mission was to amend SB 9—a bill about online harms to children already passed by the Senate—to tackle the issue. But some kinks in the system made it tougher than expected.

First, I lined up a fellow Dem on the House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee, where SB 9 was scheduled to be heard, to carry the amendment. But a last-minute scheduling conflict knocked him out. I asked another Democrat to step in at the last minute, but when the bill came up, it had been gutted and rewritten entirely as an election bill. These kinds of backroom moves take the transparency out of the process and make it impossible for citizens to participate. Even the media didn’t catch what happened and continues to report that the original SB 9 passed.

Still, I wasn’t giving up. The next day, I found out the content of SB 9 had been duplicated in HB 171—a similar bill that protects kids from AI harm. I tracked down the sponsor, pitched the amendment, and he was all in. The bill’s up next Wednesday. I’m grateful for a second shot to make a real difference this year on one of my top priorities.

Other bills I filed this week: A Study Committee Resolution to examine the online harms of social media and AI to children, a bill to prevent AI companies from using people’s identities without permission, a bill to allow county Elections Boards to meet virtually, and another Study Committee Resolution to study the benefits of providing higher education programs in Georgia prisons.

Other Bills to Bee Aware of

IVF (HB 428) — This week, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously passed HB 428 to protect access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Georgia. The bill’s sponsor shared his own infertility journey—and the good news: he and his wife are expecting their first child thanks to IVF. The House already passed the bill unanimously. Here’s hoping the Senate follows with a win for families in Georgia who are trying to conceive.

Religious Freedom Restoration Act (SB 36) — Some good news — the Religious Liberty, aka RFRA, bill that passed the Senate faced a major roadblock in the House Judiciary Committee this week. After a 4-hour hearing, a Republican member who represents a Sandy Springs swing district tried to amend the bill to include civil rights protections against discrimination. After that amendment failed, two Republican Committee members joined with the Democrats to vote against the bill. It failed 7-5, but a motion to reconsider the bill passed before the meeting ended. It will likely come up again in Committee next week.

Bee Aggressive! It’s Time to Take Action on SB 36: Georgia Equality is asking Gwinnett county residents to call or email Rep. Matt Reeves, a key player on the House Judiciary Committee, 770-236-9768, matt.reeves@house.ga.gov) with the following message:

“As a Gwinnett County resident, I support the Non-Discrimination Ordinance that passed last year. Now that RFRA has been exposed as a bill intended to create a license to discriminate, please vote no on SB 36.”

You can also contact Representative Deborah Silcox, 404-657-1803, (deborah.silcox@house.ga.gov) and House Judiciary Chairman Stan Gunter, 404-656-5125, (stan.gunter@house.ga.gov) to thank them for their no votes on SB 36 and encourage them to stand strong against the bill.

What’s Buzzing on the Horizon?

We’ll be back in session Tuesday for Day 35 so the end is in sight. Wednesday, I’ll make a beeline for the Senate Judiciary Committee to make sure my bill amendment on HB 171 passes, and the Senate Agriculture Committee to present my Corn Fortification Bill (SB 278) that fortifies corn products with folic acid to help prevent birth defects. I have an entire team of experts ready to present!

It’s that time when anything can happen, so Bee sure keep your antennae up!

Discussing the problem of excessive and unsubstantiated challenges to individual voter registrations with Senate Ethics Chairman Sam Watson

Interview with Parker Short

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with Dunwoody resident Parker Short. Parker has earned national fame as a political organizer. He graduated from the University of Michigan and is currently completing a Masters degree at Duke University. Parker and I decided to record a short interview (What I’m for and against), for his Instagram account, where he has 55,000 followers!

Part 1

https://youtube.com/shorts/q9RwO-GbyCo

Part 2

https://youtube.com/shorts/JKwfjw0oPXQ

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.

Sally’s Senate Snapshot 2025 #10