Lawmakers seemed to be working at a quick pace this week following Monday’s Crossover Day. Many bills have already gotten committee approval, and one major bill has received approval from both Chambers and is headed to the governor’s desk for his signature. The bills range from financial support for low-income pregnant women, to reducing barriers for state employment, and funding in the state’s FY24 budget.
House Bill 129 – which supporters say will help reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in Georgia and is backed by Gov. Brian Kemp– breezed through the Senate by a 50-1 vote. Bill sponsor Soo Hong (R-Lawrenceville) says this bill will allow poor pregnant women to seek cash assistance under the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program before a child is born. Kemp and other Republican lawmakers believe this bill allows the state to support women before and after birth. This is one of the first bills to pass both Chambers – following last Monday’s Crossover Day.
According to the sponsor, this legislation would change state regulations to allow women who are already on welfare to be eligible for an increase in benefits if they become pregnant again. Sen. Colton Moore (R-Trenton) tried to amend the bill to freeze benefits if a woman becomes pregnant again, but the amendment failed by a 50-2 vote.
Thursday, the House Government Affairs committee gave a do-pass recommendation to Senate Bill 3 by Sen. John Albers (R-Rowell).
According to Albers, this legislation would reduce barriers to state employment and ensure “we aren’t including unnecessary requirements in job descriptions.”
“This state has been investing more and more in the technical colleges and on-the-job training,” said Albers. “We want to make sure we aren’t losing the best and brightest in this state by placing too many requirements or barriers.”
The same House Government Affairs committee gave approval to SB 136 by Sen. Mike Dugan (R-Carrollton) which would allow a city or county to waive development impact fees for workforce housing projects without backfilling the funds. The legislation also defined ‘workforce housing’ for the first time as housing in a range of 60 to 120 percent of the median income for an area.
The House Appropriations committee gave approval to its version of the FY24 budget which includes the $2,000 pay raise for Pre-K and K-12 teachers, other certified staff and state employees as proposed by Gov. Kemp. The budget proposal also includes funding for:
● $4.7 million for the cost of breakfast and lunch for students on reduced pay
● $711,000 for construction industry certification
● $1 million for a construction-ready pre-apprenticeship program
● $119,600 to purchase equipment for construction industry certification programs in bonds
● $264,316 to purchase agricultural education equipment in bonds
● $208,000 to incentivize the purchase of alternative fuel buses in bonds
