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Limiting Student Scholarship Organizations :: House Bill 68, carried by Sen. Greg Dolezal (R – Cumming), would prohibit organizations that give, or are owned, operated or affiliated with organizations that give accreditation to schools from being able to register as a student scholarship organization. HB 68 passed with a vote of 52 to 0. – HB 68

Conservator Access to Digital Assets :: Sen. Jesse Stone (R – Waynesboro) carried House Bill 70 which would allow a conservator to access the digital assets of a minor on a case by case basis. The bill would also allow a conservator to pay any bond premium from the estate, upon the request of the guardian. HB 70 would also establish how fees would be allocated during the process of the appointment of a conservator and would make other changes to bring state law in line with the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgements Act. HB 70 passed with a vote of 51 to 0. – HB 70

Sale of Alcohol Near Certain Colleges and Retail Package Stores Tasting Events :: House Bill 76, carried by Sen. Bill Cowsert (R – Athens), would create an exemption to the current ban of the sale of distilled spirits within 200 yards and wine and malt beverages within 100 yards of a college campus. This exemption would apply to college campuses if they are owned and operated by a private international college specializing in art and design and located within a historic district. Additionally, HB 76 would permit alcohol tasting events to occur in retail liquor stores with limitations including: 52 tastings per year, one event a day, one and a half ounces per pour and a four hour limit. Stores would be required to notify localities when tasting events occur. HB 76 passed with a vote of 47 to 9. – HB 76

Sales and Use Tax Exemptions for Organ Donation Centers and Shooting or Fitness Memberships :: Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R – Rome) carried House Bill 85 which would provide a sales and use tax exemption for nonprofit organ donation centers and on the membership and initiation fees incurred by joining a shooting or physical fitness club. HB 85 passed with a vote of 47 to 5. – HB 85

Updating Georgia’s Insurance Code :: House Bill 99, carried by Sen. Burt Jones (R – Jackson), would make updates to Georgia’s Insurance Code. Specifically, the bill clarifies definitions related to insurance, removes outdated deadlines and provides provisions for captive insurance companies. HB 99 passed with a vote of 52 to 0. – HB 99

Georgia’s State-wide Business Court :: Sen. Jesse Stone (R – Waynesboro) carried House Bill 239 which would add provisions for Georgia’s state-wide business court including the location of the court, the appointment of the judge, the court’s jurisdiction and the compensation of the judge. HB 239 passed with a vote of 51 to 0. – HB 239

Maintaining Physical Evidence :: House Bill 282, carried by Sen. Renee Unterman (R – Buford), would increase the amount of time required by law enforcement to maintain physical evidence related to a sexual assault case from 10 years after the initial assault of the victim to 30 years from the date of the arrest of the perpetrator. If no arrests are made, physical evidence must be kept for 50 years. HB 282 passed with a vote of 55 to 0. – HB 282

Updates to TAVT :: House Bill 365, carried by Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R – Rome), would make several updates to Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) on vehicles by lowering the TAVT rate from 7 percent to 6.6 percent from July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2023. Additionally, it would make updates to the ‘fair market value’ definition used to determine TAVT for new and used vehicles. This bill also clarifies that TAVT would not be imposed on the transfer of title between legal entities that are owned by the same person. Lastly, this bill eliminates the sales and use tax on rideshare, taxi and limo services and imposes a 50 cents per ‘for-hire ground transportation’ and 25 cents per ‘for-hire shared ride’ excise tax. HB 365 passed with a vote of 42 to 7. – HB 365

Revising Georgia’s Child Support Code :: Sen. Jesse Stone (R – Waynesboro) carried House Bill 381 which would make numerous grammatical and organizational corrections to Georgia’s Code section on child support. HB 381 passed with a vote of 55 to 0. – HB 381

Joint Authorities Providing Certain Information :: Sen. Bill Cowsert (R – Athens) carried House Bill 406 which would require joint authorities, including joint authorities that have revenue sharing agreements with local governments, to provide certain information pertaining to real and personal property, current agreements and contracts, and information related to taxation to the Department of Revenue Commissioner and the State Auditor. HB 406 passed with a vote of 52 to 0. – HB 406

Amending the Shore Protection Act :: House Bill 445, carried by Sen. Ben Watson (R – Savannah), would amend the Shore Protection Act by creating a new definition for “dynamic dune field” and specifying where construction may be permitted on one. The bill would create exemptions for minor construction projects, subject to approval by the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources. HB 445 passed with a vote of 35 to 21. – HB 445

Electric Bicycles :: Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega) carried House Bill 454 which would establish use and safety rules for three different classes of electric assisted bicycles. The classes are determined by the equipment used to provide assistance to the bike rider and the max speed the devices reach. HB 454 passed with a vote of 52 to 1. – HB 454

DNA Collection for Felony Offenders :: House Bill 470, carried by Sen. William Ligon (R – White Oak), would require that DNA samples be taken from individuals currently incarcerated or on probation for a felony charge, including those sentenced as a first offender. HB 470 also clarifies that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation would purge the DNA samples of individuals who had their felony charges dismissed or upon acquittal. HB 470 passed with a vote of 48 to 0. – HB 470

Payments to and Bank Accounts of Deceased People :: Sen. Burt Jones (R – Jackson) carried House Bill 490 which would require an affidavit to be present for a bank to allow families of a dead person with no will and testament to obtain funds of up to $15,000. Additionally, it raises the amount a bank can pay to a family member, from $10,000 to $15,000, if the deceased dies with a check made in their name. HB 490 passed with a vote of 43 to 7. – HB 490

Time Limit to Apply for Execution of a Writ of Possession :: House Bill 492, carried by Sen. Jesse Stone (R – Waynesboro), would require applicants for execution of a writ of possession to apply within 30 days of issuance of the writ. House Bill 492 passed with a vote of 50 to 1. – HB 492

Grounds for Continuance :: House Bill 502, carried by Sen. John F. Kennedy (R – Macon), would update Georgia Code regarding continuance requests. This update would apply to members of the Georgia General Assembly, legislative staff, Legislative Counsel and other state agencies who wish to file for a continuance or stay when they are the lead counsel or part of the counsel in a pending civil or criminal proceeding. The continuance or stay would be applicable seven days prior to session, including special sessions, convening, length of any session, three weeks following Sine Die, during scheduled meetings including national conferences, board meetings and caucus, committee and study committee meetings. HB 502 passed with a vote of 52 to 0. – HB 502

Classifying “Equitable Caregivers” :: House Bill 543, carried by Sen. Randy Robertson (R – Cataula), would allow certain courts to classify an individual as an “equitable caregiver.” HB 543 outlines the qualifications of “equitable caregivers” which would include individuals who have “fully and completely undertaken a permanent, unequivocal, committed responsible parental role in a child’s life.” HB 543 would also provide the proper forms potential “equitable caregivers” would file to the court. HB 543 passed with a vote of 54 to 1. – HB 543

Removing Certain References from Georgia Code :: Sen. Matt Brass (R – Newnan) carried House Bill 553 which would remove references to certain Boards and Councils throughout Georgia Code. HB 553 would also prohibit an employee of an establishment that sells alcohol from soliciting to consume alcohol from the establishment. HB 553 passed with a vote of 49 to 0. – HB 553

Georgia-North Carolina-Tennessee Boundary Line Commission :: Sen. Greg Dolezal (R – Cumming) carried House Resolution 51 which would create the Georgia-North Carolina-Tennessee Boundary Line Commission, responsible for establishing the correct boundary lines between those states. The Commission would be composed of a total of six members appointed by both the Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House and would be required to file a report on its findings by December 2020. HR 51 passed with a vote 47 to 2. – HR 51

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The Senate convened Tuesday through Saturday, November 13-17, 2018, and passed three important pieces of legislation.

House Bill 1EX and 4EX: Hurricane Michael Relief

HB 1EX provides roughtly $270 million in emergency funding for state agencies and local governments in areas most heavily impacted by Hurricane Michael.

Our agriculture and timber industries were hit the hardest by Michael, sustaining roughly $25 billion in losses. HB 4EX creates a tax credit for certain taxpayers in these industries.

Both of these bills passed the Senate unanimously and the Governor signed them within minutes of their passage. Hopefully, this package will help our neighbors in Southwest Georgia get back on their feet.

House Bill 5EX: Delta Tax Break

You likely heard about this bill last year. It caused controversy when Delta decided to revoke special privileges for NRA members attending conferences and, in response, some Georgia legislators attempted to revoke Delta’s incentives. Namely, the jet fuel tax exemption. Governor Deal moved forward with passing the bill by enacting an executive order.

HB 5EX ratifies the executive order. The state’s 4 percent sales tax — used for jet fuel — will remain in place until June 2019 (end of the Fiscal Year). This means that during the next Legislative Session in January 2019 you will likely see a split vote on whether or not this jet fuel exemption will continue into the next few years.

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Tuesday, November 6, 2018 Midterm Election Results

• Senator Valencia Seay – 83{8e32ef847fe057ef3c2ff46c8efb04565076b78771ed71e4fe123676d2bdf3d2} :: 49,169
• Tommy Smith – 17{8e32ef847fe057ef3c2ff46c8efb04565076b78771ed71e4fe123676d2bdf3d2} :: 10,233

I look forward to continuing to serve you.

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What: Senator Valencia Seay’s Birthday Fundraiser
When: July 6, 2018
Time: 6:00-10:00 p.m.
Where: Diamond Hall Event Center, 5495 Old National Highway, #C-9, Atlanta, Georgia 30349

Get the details here – http://seayforsenate.us/event/senator-seays-65th-birthday-fundraiser/

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• July 13th – Ringgold, GA
• Aug 24th – Albany, GA
• Sept 21st – Chamblee, GA
• Oct 26th – Savannah, GA

Members of the committee are Chairman John Albers, Vice Chair Valencia Seay, Kay Kirkpatrick, Fran Millar, Jeff Mullis, Michael ‘Doc’ Rhett, Bruce Thompson, and Ben Watson.

Read the article below from the Atlanta Journal and Constitution written by Arlinda Smith Broady on June 1, 2018.

School safety, complex issue, gets Georgia legislators’ attention

With school shootings in America now so common — many groups’ tallies say about one a week this year — Georgia legislators are taking a serious look at school safety.

The House and Senate have allocated $16 million and convened committees to address the issue. The end goal is to author legislation that gives school systems safety options, said Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell and Rep. Rick Jasperse, R- Jasper. It may include a budget for recurring funding.

School safety advocates are concerned that $16 million for 180 school districts won’t do much.

The legislators say they don’t want a one-size-fits-all approach, and spreading that sum among so many districts illustrates the difficulty of making real impact on such a broad problem. Big differences in plans for spending the money show that school safety has different emphases in different places. And at least one expert says the most effective safety measures don’t involve the cameras or guns that money can buy.

The state’s formula for allocating the money gives each system a base of $25,000 plus additional money based on enrollment figures. The largest district – Gwinnett County – is on track to receive $1,259,411. The smallest — Taliaferro County — will receive $26,099.

Even Gwinnett’s lion’s share of the school safety grant doesn’t amount to much when you parcel it out. With 184,342 students, that gives the district $6.83 per pupil. Conversely, Taliaferro, which has the equivalent of 164 students, according to the state, gets $159.14 per pupil.

Those figures didn’t surprise Steve Flynt, Gwinnett’s associate superintendent in charge of school improvement and operations. With 10 percent of all public school students in Georgia attending Gwinnett County schools, if the funds would have been equally divided, the district should receive $1.6 million.

“I’m sure it was set up to make sure the smaller districts get enough funding so they can actually do something with it,” said Flynt. “We don’t begrudge Taliaferro their share.”

Taliaferro, about 90 miles east of Atlanta and 50 miles west of Augusta, has about 1,600 residents. Most of whom work outside the county. Superintendent Allen Fort said the biggest school threat is the log trucks rumbling down U.S. 278.

“We’re just about 50 yards from the road,” said Fort, referring to the main building in the school complex. “I’m afraid one day one of those trucks will come crashing through the front door.”

With 175 schoolchildren, Fort is not only the superintendent, but the principal of the high school. The high school, middle school and elementary school are in one complex less than a mile from Interstate 20. The closest commercial building is a Dollar General, referred to as “the mall” which is catty-corner from the school.

When he learned the state had allocated over $26,000 for school safety, Fort had several ideas about what he could spend it on that could be classified as security. They are a far cry from the resources devoted to “security” in, for example, Gwinnett.

First on his list is a better camera for the front entrance. Currently, visitors press a button on a wall to the right of the door. School secretary Louise Paschall, who sits about 20 feet from the door, buzzes them in. She said she recognizes most of the parents and others who regularly come to the school, but being the only one monitoring the security cameras all day, she doesn’t have time to do much screening.

“Ms. Paschall is all we have in terms of security,” said Fort. “This wall of windows isn’t much of a deterrent if someone really wants to get in.”

There have been about three bank robberies in town in the past year, said Fort. With the school being so close to the interstate, he worries that someone fleeing from law enforcement may consider the school a great place to hole up.

“We go on lockdown every time,” he said. “But it won’t take much for someone determined to breach our security system to gain access.”

Intruders with guns were not the predominant concern when the building was built in 2002. The safety concern of that day was getting students out in the event of a fire. Just about every classroom has a door to the outside, and those are mostly glass. Even though every door automatically locks when closed, there’s nothing preventing a teacher from propping a door open to get some fresh air.

With more school districts looking at assigning at least one police officer per school, Fort said he’d use the rest of the state funding for one in Taliaferro. Of course, he’d have to supplement that from his school budget.

However, with facilities smaller than some elementary schools in larger districts, he said he’d have to give the officer more duties than security. “I wouldn’t want him to just sit around all day,” said Fort.

With every student eligible because of low family income for free or reduced-price lunches, he can’t see squandering precious resources on an expenditure that isn’t used daily.

“We’d work out some sort of counseling or mentoring program that would go along with security duties,” he said.

Flynt, in Gwinnett, pointed out that safety isn’t just about locks, cameras and people with guns.

“Last year we had a budget of $7.7 million for safety and security,” he said, adding that besides school police officers, the money went toward maintenance, upgrading facilities, counselors and many other expenses. And many items overlap.

In the 2019 budget, Gwinnett will add 10 more school police officers. With a base salary of $58,911 and benefits costing the district $24,565 per officer, the total compensation averages $83,476 per officer. Adding 10 more will cost Gwinnett more than $800,000, but the system also works closely with the county sheriff’s department and police in the local jurisdictions.

“If something happens we may have to work with Homeland Security, GEMA or other similar agencies,” said Flynt. “Communication is important and so is having a plan and practicing that plan.”

He said he welcomes the legislative committee recommendations.

“It can only help in the long run,” he said. “We’re always open to better ways of doing our job.”

But given the increase of school shootings, school safety expert Ken Trump doesn’t believe $16 million is enough.

“Right now there’s enormous pressure on schools and governments to do something — anything,” he said. “The easiest fix is more hardware. So you’ll see a lot of districts buying cameras with no budget for repairing or replacing. Having that security product in place will give a false sense of security.”

Trump, a crisis consultant and president of National School Safety and Security Services, suggests looking for prevention instead of a cure.

“Many security plans lack the people aspect,” he said. “The best security is invisible.”

Making sure all areas of safety and security are addressed is the reason for the safety committees.

The House committee had its first meeting this month in Dawson County. Panel discussions from superintendents and sheriffs culminated with a debate about whether student safety is the primary responsibility of the school system or law enforcement. At the end of the day, Jasperse and many others agreed it’s a joint effort that includes students, parents, businesses and other community stakeholders.

The first meeting of the Senate School Safety Study Committee is set for 9 a. m. June 8 at North Springs High School in Roswell.

Albers said the committee will travel the state and meet with local leaders, school officials, teachers, students, law enforcement and other stakeholders to determine ways each community can keep its schools and children safe. The study committee is responsible for submitting a report of findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, by Dec. 1.

“We’re not going in with any preconceived notions,” said Albers. “We want to hear from the people. We want to see what’s been done in other places and compile best practices.”

Albers said the diversity of the school districts is certainly a consideration.

“There’s no one size fits all,” he said. “We have very unique school systems in size and area – rural, urban and suburban. We have a moral and legal obligation to make sure each one has a plan that works for it.”

“Cookie-cutter standards could do more harm than good,” he said.

Read the original article on ajc.com.

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For Immediate Release – May 2, 2018

Gov. Nathan Deal today held budget signing ceremonies in Atlanta, Acworth, Blue Ridge, Statesboro and Tifton for next year’s $26 billion state budget. HB 684, the FY 2019 budget, continues Deal’s efforts to invest in Georgia’s citizens and its economy through education and transportation initiatives.

“For five years in a row, Georgia has maintained the distinction as the No. 1 state in which to do business in large part due to the multitude of resources available to businesses seeking to relocate or expand operations,” said Deal. “An educated and skilled workforce and a transportation system conducive to free and efficient movement of its people and products remain top priorities for those in our business community.

“To that end, the FY 2019 budget will maintain Georgia’s position as a national leader in conservative fiscal management while further solidifying our commitment to providing all children with greater access to quality education and continuing our efforts to build an infrastructure system that supports our growing population. By fully funding K-12 education and investing heavily in our roads, bridges, transit and ports, we are laying a strong foundation for the short-term and long-term success of our state and local communities. I commend the General Assembly for working with me once again to balance the budget while addressing the issues that matter most to Georgia’s citizens.”

The FY 2019 budget is based on an increase in general fund revenues of 4.1 percent over Amended FY 2018, reflecting Georgia’s strong economic growth and the benefits of state and federal tax reform. The fiscal year begins July 1.

HB 684 includes more than $510 million in new funding for K-12 education, including approximately $115 million for enrollment growth, training and experience, and $167 million to fully fund the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula. This additional $167 million will ensure the state is fully doing its financial part to address the concerns of educators who have cited a lack of funding as a barrier to achieving success in the classroom. Full funding for QBE will provide a stronger foundation for lawmakers and stakeholders to reform this outdated formula to accommodate the needs of today’s students and 21st-century classrooms. The FY 2019 budget further supports current and retired teachers by adding $365 million for the Teachers Retirement System to ensure teachers’ pensions maintain solid financial footing.

The FY 2019 budget also includes an additional $31.6 million in motor fuel funds to maintain and expand Georgia’s highway system. This brings the total annual spending on roads and bridges from $673.8 million in AFY 2011 to $1.8 billion in FY 2019, providing more than $1 billion in additional investment in transportation infrastructure annually as a result of HB 170. The budget also includes $100 million in bonds to repair, replace and renovate Georgia’s bridge network, marking the fourth year in a row of such an investment. In meeting the demands of a 21st-century economy and workforce, and in keeping with the General Assembly’s passage of HB 930, the budget also includes $100 million to support local transit systems statewide. This additional funding will create more cohesive governance and planning for transit systems in the metro Atlanta area, while also providing employers with greater mobility to connect with a growing workforce.

Additional FY 2019 budget highlights include:

• $30.8 million for the QBE Equalization program to assist low-wealth school systems
• $54.3 million for the University System of Georgia for resident instruction
• $26.7 million for growth in the Dual Enrollment program
• $3 million to promote educational opportunities available at the state’s technical colleges
• $21.4 million for behavioral health services recommended by the Commission on Children’s Mental Health
• $38.9 million for child welfare services
• $240.9 million for Medicaid programs
• $11.8 million for community-based Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities services
• $6 million for additional Behavioral Health Crisis Centers
• $6.9 million for crisis services for children under 21 diagnosed as autistic
• $35 million in bond funds for the Savannah Harbor deepening project
• $12.5 million in bonds for improvements to state-owned rail systems

https://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2018-05-02/deal-signs-fy-2019-budget

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• Elections and Registrars Office – 121 South McDonough Street, Jonesboro, GA 30236
• Carl Rhodenizer Recreation Center – 3499 Rex Road, Rex GA 30273
• Virginia Burton Gray Recreation Center – 1475 East Fayetteville Road, Riverdale, GA 30274
• South Clayton Recreation Center – 1837 McDonough Road, Hampton, GA 30228
• Lee Headquarters Library – 865 Battle Creek Road, Jonesboro, GA 30236
• Morrow Municipal Complex – 1500 Morrow Road, Morrow, GA 30260

• Fayette County Public Meeting Room, 140 Stonewall Avenue West, Suite 100, Fayetteville, GA 30214
• Peachtree City Library, 201 Willowbend Road, Peachtree City, GA 30269
• Tyrone Townhall, 881 Senoia Road, Tyrone, GA 30290

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The University of North Georgia Military Scholarships pay for uniforms, tuition, books, fees, room and board. In addition, recipients receive monthly pay and stipends for serving as enlisted members of the Georgia Army National Guard while being full time students at UNG. This scholarship is worth approximately $70,000 over four years.

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The document goes on to say that “the Sons of Confederate Veterans are preserving the history and legacy of the men and women who both lived and died during the Civil War so that future generations can understand the motives that animated the Southern Cause.”

Senator Valencia Seay, representing district 34 that includes Clayton and Fayette Counties, spoke out against this Confederate History Month Proclamation. “As the Georgia State Senator representing portions of both Clayton and Fayette County, I stand with the NAACP and others in opposition to the Fayette County Board of Commissioners proclamation to acknowledging the Confederate Memorial Day,” said Senator Seay.

“I am concerned about the message it sends and about whether such a message could affect business decisions and hamper economic development opportunities in Georgia.

I agree with Governor Nathan Deal within his wisdom changing the name of Confederate Memorial Day to a State Holiday, thus understanding the economic impact to the Great State of Georgia.

The enslavement of a race of people should be remembered, but it should not be celebrated.”

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