With the 12-day sprint to conclude Georgia’s legislative session scheduled to begin this week at the Capitol, it’s a good time to take stock of how much elected officials have accomplished.
And there’s no better place to measure it than you, our readers. the current.
In an informal survey conducted as lawmakers returned to work in Atlanta in early January, we asked them what their priorities should be.
The answer was loud and clear. Improving health care, both in mental health care and rural health care, has been your primary concern. This was followed by higher salaries for teachers and higher standards for employee housing and rental properties.
Below is a summary of how lawmakers have addressed these priorities during the first 28 days of Congress. Once passed by the House and Senate, the bill will now be debated in the other chambers to iron out differences and send the completed bill to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto.
This summary is neither definitive nor complete.
Thursday is theoretically the last chance for a bill to pass at least one chamber of the General Assembly, an in-session ceremony known as “Crossover Day,” but there will be no actual one until this session ends in March. There are no dead bills.
why? Under the General Assembly’s often complex rules and procedures, language contained in bills that fail to pass the House or Senate by the end of Crossover Day could be grafted onto bills that do. In other words, the law can breathe new life.
health care
Whether expanding mental health care across Georgia or expanding health care services in rural areas of the state, there have been advances and setbacks.
Congressman adjusted Rules that allow health care companies to open or expand facilities throughout the state.
countermeasure would allow New acute care facilities opening in rural counties if they provide trauma care or serve as teaching hospitals or trauma centers. New or expanded psychiatric or substance abuse inpatient programs would also be allowed, with the consent of nearby hospitals.
House too Modified Governor Kemp’s proposed 2025 budget, which begins July 1, would allocate $2 million to fund a pilot program testing alternative transportation options for people experiencing mental health crises.
To address the statewide shortage of mental health care professionals, despite the passage of the landmark Mental Health Parity Act of 2022, invoice The House-passed bill would establish a student loan repayment initiative for behavioral health workers.
another house invoice An incentive to expand services would be to expand legal protections for mental health providers.
Still, a bill that would require all certified public school employees to receive annual training on depression and suicide awareness and prevention did not make it out of committee.
And despite early indications that House leaders would seek to expand Medicaid to improve access to health care for the state’s large number of uninsured residents, they are struggling with red tape and committed the same act. created a committee to study the problem.
Currently Georgia Medicaid spending is expected to decrease by $181 million this year. Meanwhile, it would lose hundreds of millions more in matching federal funds.
teacher salary increase
Kemp before Christmas I ordered a $1,000 bonus It is paid to state and university employees and public school teachers. The House approved a plan that includes $315 million in bonus payments.
In his $37.5 billion fiscal year 2025 budget released in January, Kemp proposed a $2,500 raise for teachers starting July 1, which lawmakers are expected to finalize and vote on this month. That would push the average salary for teachers in Georgia to more than $65,000 a year.
governor I want it too State and university employees will receive an overall 4% cost-of-living increase with salaries up to $70,000. The typical state employee earns $50,400.
Budget proposal for Mr. Kemp’s salary increase and other aspects equates to an increase of almost 12% In terms of funding, it was the largest increase for any major state government function other than the state court system.
Housing for employees
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said at last month’s meeting that establishing legislative priorities is one thing, translating them into law is another. “The proof is always in the pudding,” he said.
When it comes to employee housing, this adage is even more true.
“We want people to live in the communities where they work,” Kemp said. said in JanuaryHe emphasized the need to increase housing for the workforce. “It reduces logistics costs. It reduces the need for infrastructure and honestly it improves the quality of life.”
But despite what officials and lawmakers from Savannah to Atlanta are describing as a housing crisis, two efforts aimed at combating rising housing costs and encouraging the construction of more affordable housing are underway. The bill did not even pass a committee hearing during the first 28 days of the session.
Both measures — SB256 and SB257 — Written by Sen. Derek Murrow (D-Savannah).
Standards for rental properties
A bill that would require landlords to ensure rental housing is “fit for human habitation” and cap security deposits at two months’ rent passed unanimously in the House of Representatives last year. But the measure has stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The law also requires landlords to wait three days before receiving an eviction notice after notifying a tenant that they must move out due to late rent payments.
3 days break period, Supporters of the bill sayThat would give landlords a better chance of getting paid without going to court, and avoid records that “stick with tenants for decades and prevent them from renting another home.”
The Tide brings you information and observations from The Current’s staff.
