End of Session Recap – 2017
While the 2017 legislative session has adjourned for the year, I remain dedicated to serving your interests. Please know how much of an honor and privilege it is to represent the people of District 29.
Legislature passes balanced budget
I’m pleased to report a win for Georgia’s taxpayers in the passage of a balanced FY2018 state budget. The budget passed on the 37th legislative day, which is believed to be a record for how early it was completed. The FY18 budget includes a pay raise for teachers, school bus drivers and school nurses; merit-based raises for state workers; strong raises for State Troopers and other state law enforcement personnel; and raises for child protective services caseworkers and public health employees.
Cannabis oil program expands to aid more families
On May 9, Governor Nathan Deal signed into law the bill on medical cannabis oil that helps Georgians who are suffering from a number of medical conditions. Senate Bill 16, which received overwhelming bipartisan support, expands the state’s medical cannabis oil program by adding six illnesses to the existing list of qualifying medical conditions.
Eligible individuals, parents of eligible patients or caregivers now can apply for Georgia’s Low THC Oil Registry under the Georgia Department of Public Health after a recommendation from their physicians. I am a strong and proud supporter of this very critical measure that allows even more hurting Georgians to reap the benefits of our state’s popular and successful medical cannabis oil program. I will continue to fight for expansion and growth of this vital program.
Trio of bills will combat opioid epidemic
During this year’s legislative session, multiple bills in the House and Senate were introduced to help fight the opioid epidemic that is devastating lives across Georgia and the entire country. On May 4, Gov. Deal signed three pieces of prescription drug abuse legislation – SB 121, the Jeffrey Dallas Gay, Jr., Act; SB 88, the Narcotic Treatment Programs Enforcement Act; and HB 249, which moves the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program from the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency to the Department of Public Health.
SB 121 allows over-the-counter sales of Naloxone, an opioid overdose-reversing drug which has proved critical in saving lives. Via executive order in December 2016, Gov. Deal began allowing pharmacists to dispense the drug for rescue kits, but the signing of this law will allow the practice to continue long term. The bill is named for the grandson of Dallas Gay, a Gainesville businessman who was instrumental in pushing for the measure. Jeffrey struggled with prescription drug abuse and died of an opioid overdose in 2012.
By voting in favor of this legislation, my hope is that we can begin to turn the tide of the opioid epidemic in our state, saving other Georgia families from the heartbreak of losing loved ones to this problem.
Needed benefits extended to Georgia’s firefighters
Acknowledging that firefighters contract cancer at a higher rate than others in the labor force because of the nature of the work they do, we passed legislation to provide insurance coverage for the 19 types of cancer firefighters most often suffer. House Bill 146 requires that fire departments purchase and maintain sufficient insurance coverage on each firefighter to pay claims for a diagnosis of cancer.
This was a collaborative effort between the House, Senate, Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and Georgia Municipal Association (GMA), and had complete buy-in from Georgia’s firefighters and all entities just referenced. We are fortunate to have such dedicated public servants in our Gainesville and Hall County communities as well as those that serve across the other cities and counties in the state. Making sure our firefighters have the coverage they need was a simple YES vote for me.
An additional judge to serve us
I’m excited to say that we will finally have a fifth superior court judge for the Northeastern Judicial Circuit (serving Hall and Dawson County), which has been needed for many years. This position will alleviate much of the burden of the current judges’ workload, expediting backlogged cases and improving the overall efficiency of the circuit. This development directly impacts all of Gainesville and Hall County in a positive way and will better serve our growing population.
Looking ahead to 2018 – Backing the ‘Fair Tax’
My good friend and fellow Representative from Hall County, Emory Dunahoo, introduced “Fair Tax” legislation that would convert Georgia’s tax code from an income tax to a consumption tax. It was my honor to sign on this bill as a co-sponsor. This would do away with Georgia’s income tax and sales tax and replace it with a consumption tax.
Rep. Dunahoo has crafted the legislation so that the new tax system would reimburse taxes paid on taxable items up to a certain amount and thereby help families near or below poverty level. This makes sure that all Georgians are beneficiaries of this new system. All elected Representatives in Hall County have backed this proposal and we will focus on making sure it passes in 2018.
I pledge to stand firmly with Speaker Ralston and all my fellow Representatives during the 2018 session to move Georgia forward!