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 TilleryBlake4908

This week, just after the stroke of midnight on April 5th, the Georgia General Assembly ended its 2022 Legislative Session. Here are some highlights of several of the items you’ve asked about that have made their way through to final passage.

 

What Passed:

 

  • HB 911 - FY 2023 General Budget. Includes $2,000 raise for teachers to complete the Governor’s promise of $5,000 raise in his first term. Also includes over $180 million in increased spending on mental health services.
  • HB 1302 - Georgia taxpayers will receive $250 per individual and $500 per couple tax rebate if they filed taxes in the past 2 years.
  • HB 1437 - Income Tax Cut. Georgia’s top-end tax rate will reduce to 4.99% over the next 8 years so long as revenue estimate is 3% higher than the previous year. The current Georgia income tax top bracket rate is 5.75%.
  • HB 1150 - Freedom to Farm. This was the number one priority of Georgia Farm Bureau. After years of debate, a compromise version passed both houses of the legislature.
  • SB 319 - Constitutional Carry Act. This bill received final passage and the Governor will sign it into law next week.
  • HB 304 - Suspension of the Georgia Gas Tax. Gas Tax is suspended until May 31st.
  • SB 377- Prohibition on teaching of Divisive Concepts in classrooms. This bill prohibits teaching concepts that shame, scapegoat, or stereotype children in Georgia schools because of their race, origin, or ancestors.
  • SB 345 - Ban on Vaccine Passports
  • SB 514 - Unmask Students Act. Allows parents choose if student should wear masks in school
  • SB 379 - Expands apprenticeship opportunities and gives tax credit to businesses to hire and train apprentices.
  • SB 338 - Fighting Maternal Mortality. Georgia ranks 49th in maternal mortality. This bill aims to combat this by expanding post-partum coverage for pregnant mothers.
  • SB 441- Gives the GBI original jurisdiction to investigate election fraud and election crimes.
  • HB 1- FORUM Act- prohibits universities from limiting speech and ideas to certain areas of campus.
  • HB 1013 - Mental Health Parity Act. This bill received a lot of feedback.  While many were concerned with the original bill passed out of the House, everyone realized Georgia’s mental health issues must be addressed. The difference existed on how to address them. After feedback from all sides and substantial edits in the Senate, the bill received almost universal praise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Didn’t Pass:

 

 

 

  • SB 89 - This bill made more changes to Georgia’s election law on top of those changes made by SB 202. I supported the bill but it did not pass
  • HB 1425 - Medical Marijuana. A bill to revamp the Medical Cannabis Commission was tabled in the Senate by 1 vote.
  • SB 364 - My bill to end telemarketing.  This bill was fought by segments of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and failed to get a vote on the House floor after passing the Senate and House Committee unanimously.
  • All Gambling bills failed to make it through both chambers.

 

 

 

 

 


This is just a summary of some of the bills that I’ve heard from you about this year. There was action on over 90 unique bills on Days 39 and 40 alone, so clearly this is not an exhaustive list by any means.

Thank you, as always, for the honor you give me by allowing me to represent our home in Atlanta. For now, I’ll be back at my law office in Vidalia working most days and of course keeping a close eye on our state revenues and budget. We also have various study committees and working groups on 100’s of topics from QBE to our nursing shortage to Georgia’s “GNETS” program that must be addressed in the off -session. If you have constituent matters or have a question about any other bill not mentioned here, don’t hesitate to call.

Sen. Blake Tillery serves as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He represents the 19th Senate District, which includes Appling, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, and Wheeler counties and a portion of Liberty and Tattnall counties. The 19th District is expected to add Bacon and parts of Coffee County in 2023. He can be reached by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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