In recent weeks General Assembly lawmakers have been hurrying to pass bills through their respective chambers before today’s “Crossover Day” ends tonight. A bill must pass in at least the House or Senate to be considered before the end of the session at the end of March. (But, as has been done in the past, legislation can be resurrected if they are attached to a bill that is “germane.”)
Republican leaders in both chambers they control are particularly keen on passing a bill to ban drop boxes for voters (Georgia didn’t have them until Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger unilaterally ordered them for the 2020 elections).
GOP leaders also want to pass two bills mandating stricter penalties for violent rioters. One would make it a felony to riot and add rioting to the list of offenses where bail must be set by a Superior Court judge. The bill passed the House last week with a 98-to-73 vote (most Democrats opposed it.) The second bill creates a new arson offense for setting a police car ablaze and allows a judge to fine someone up to $100,000 for the damage or send them to prison for a minimum of five years – or both. This one cleared the House with a 100-to-69 vote (with most Democrats again opposed).
In the field of education, a bipartisan vote passed Senate Bill 86 which would increase access for HOPE Scholarship grant funds to eligible students enrolled in Dual Enrollment programs. It would those eligible students participating in the Dual Enrollment program to access HOPE grant funds for certain career, technical, and agricultural educational (CTAE) courses regardless of whether or not a student reached the maximum 30 credit hours required to receive such grants.
Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch also brought to our attention legislation that has received little public attention so far. He says “the most eventful legislative day of the week fell on Thursday, as the Senate debated and passed a total of 15 pieces of legislation with a few bills of note aimed at protecting Georgia’s citizens and communities. Senate Bill 62, sponsored by Sen. Carden Summers (R – Cordele), was brought to the floor for a vote. Intended to enforce certain standards for public camping and sleeping, SB 62 is a product of the Senate Study Committee on Unsheltered Homelessness, chaired by Summers and established pursuant to Senate Resolution 659.
“Specifically, SB 62 would prohibit camping or sleeping in unauthorized areas and thus, establish sanctioned camping areas for the homeless. This measure seeks to combat a rising concern across all counties in our state. It is my hope that with this legislation, we will be able to alleviate this issue and provide the necessary resources to support unsheltered individuals.”
Gooch also praises Sen. Brandon Beach for introducing legislation “to prevent foreigners associated with hostile governments like the Chinese Communist Party, from acquiring agricultural land or any land within a 25- mile radius of any military base, military installation, or military airport.” This will apply to hostile nations like Communist China, Russia, North Korea and others. “It is about time that we started treating our agriculture, the largest industry in this state, as a matter of national security. The food security of Georgians is a matter that must be protected,” Gooch said.
