Week 11 Highlights:
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On Tuesday, my colleagues and I returned to the Capitol to kick off the 11th week of our legislative session.
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We passed several bills that came to us from the Senate, and gave final passage to other pieces of legislation that are now on their way to Governor Kemp.
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Several important bills we took up had to do with protecting our kids and setting them up for success.
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I’m pleased to report that my bill protecting access to IVF treatment is heading to Governor Kemp’s desk for his signature!
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One of the bills we passed was Senate Bill 123, which addresses chronic absenteeism in public schools.
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We also passed Senate Bill 85, legislation that is aimed at helping current and former foster children pursue higher education. The bill establishes the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship Act, which would cover tuition, room, board, meals, and textbooks for eligible students.
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My colleagues and I also gave final passage to Senate Bill 79, the Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act.
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Another bill, Senate Bill 42, addresses inconsistencies in sentencing for crimes involving the exploitation of minors.
Go here to learn more about all the votes we took this week!
Digging Deeper
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Let’s talk a little more about Senate Bill 79, which builds on the foundation of legislation we passed in 2024 called Austin’s Law.
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Austin’s Law is in memory of Austin Walters, a fentanyl overdose victim.
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The bill is part of a broader initiative to combat fentanyl-related deaths in Georgia and address opioid abuse.
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The bill strengthens penalties for trafficking fentanyl by removing it from the current statutes that govern opiates and creating a separate schedule of offenses specifically for fentanyl.
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Under the new schedule, people found with at least four grams of fentanyl would face mandatory minimum sentences, starting at 8 years and a $75,000 fine.
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When it comes to chronic absenteeism in public schools, SB 123 defines it as students who miss 10 percent or more of the school year.
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The bill also tries to address this problem by introducing targeting intervention strategies to boost student attendance.
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Fact: last year, 22.6 percent of Georgia’s public-school children were chronically absent.
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It’s important to note that this bill doesn’t expel or penalize students solely for absenteeism. The goal is to support families and kids and give them the tools they need to increase attendance.
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School attendance is important for learning, and this legislation is a step in the right direction enhancing engagement and improving student outcomes.
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The bills we sent to Governor Kemp include:
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HB 340, which instructs public schools to implement policies that ban the use of personal electronic devices during the school day.
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HB 111, which proposes the individual income tax rate from 5.39% to 5.19%.
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HB 112, which provides one-time income tax refund to taxpayers who filed returns in 2023 and 2024.
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