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2019 Legislative Session Week Seven

It was another productive week at the Georgia State Capitol. We have completed seven weeks and 25 legislative days, of the 2019 session thus far. This past week the House passed House Bill 31, the Fiscal Year 2020 budget. I have provided a brief summary of the FY 2020 budget for you below.

House Bill 31

House Bill 31, the FY 2020 budget, is set by a revenue estimate of $27.5 billion, which is a 3.95% increase over the FY 2019 current budget.

FY 2020 Budget Highlights:

• Provides $300,000 for the creation of the Blight Removal and Code Enforcement (BRACE) program, which gives grants to communities with a population of 2,500 or less to initiate a free, neighborhood-level cleanup for areas with the most code violations and blight.
• Includes a $2,775 pay raise for certified teachers and certified personnel.
• Upon recommendations of the 2018 House School Security Study Committee, $174,000 has been appropriated to hire two school safety threat assessment trainers to work with local school systems to develop threat assessment plans.
• Includes $78.4 million in the Department of Community Health for Medicaid growth
• Recognizes an increase of $38.6 million in new revenue for transportation, an increase of 7% over the current year budget.
• Includes $2.84 million to establish the initial budget for the ATL authority.

To learn more about House Bill 31 click here.

Stay Up-to-Date:

If you are interested in learning more about all that goes on during the Legislative session then the Georgia House of Representatives website has everything you need to stay up to date and informed. From press releases to live video broadcasts of the House Floor, you can experience your state government in action up close. Click here to learn more.

You can also stay up-to-date by liking the Georgia House Republican Caucus on Facebook and following them on Instagram, @gahouserepublicancaucus. You can also like my Facebook page for updates from me concerning the 2019 Legislative Session. Click here to learn more.

As the 2019 Session continues to move forward, I will uphold my promise to work diligently on your behalf to pass meaningful and helpful legislation. If you find yourself in Atlanta during session, I encourage you to visit me at my Capitol office, and please do not hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions or concerns regarding any current or upcoming legislation. My Capitol office is located at 220 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334, my office phone number is 404-656-5912. I can also be reached via email at andy.welch@house.ga.gov.

As always, thank you for allowing me to be your Representative.

2019 Legislative Session Week Six

It was another great week at the Georgia State Capitol. We have completed Week Six, 21 legislative days, of the 2019 session. This past week the House passed HB 158, HB 59, and HR 37. I am looking forward to seeing all that the House will accomplish in the remaining weeks of Session.

House Bill 158

House Bill 158 passed unanimously and will require that persons who are on either Medicaid or the AIDS Drug Assistance Program formulary for HIV/AIDS medications will be able to stay on their regimen even if their economic status changes. An important component of this bill is the emphasis on single-tablet regimens because all studies show that patients are more likely to remain compliant if one pill is taken each day. Currently, each HIV/AIDS patient, if treated, costs Medicaid $338,000. If left untreated, each patient will cost the system $1.79 million.

To learn more about House Bill 158 click here.

House Bill 59

This bill also passed unanimously and will allow parents or guardians on active military duty to pre-enroll their children into school when official military orders are received that require them to transfer into or within Georgia. The children will be allowed to enroll in the same manner and time as children residing within the school system, in the public school of the attendance zone in which the children will be residing, or in a public school in a school system in which the military base or off-base housing is located.

To learn more about House Bill 59 click here.

House Resolution 37

House Resolution 37 passed with 169 votes yea and 1 vote nay and creates the Georgia Commission on Freight and Logistics. This is for the purpose of studying and determining the best course of action for the future funding and policy development of the freight and logistics industries

To learn more about HR 37 click here.

Stay Up-to-Date:

Once again, if you are interested in learning more about all that goes on during the Legislative session then the Georgia House of Representatives website has everything you need to stay up to date and informed. From press releases to live video broadcasts of the House Floor, you can experience your state government in action up close. Click here to learn more.

You can also stay up-to-date by liking the Georgia House Republican Caucus on Facebook and following them on Instagram, @gahouserepublicancaucus. You can also like my Facebook page for updates from me concerning the 2019 Legislative Session. Click here to learn more.

As the 2019 Session continues to move forward, I will uphold my promise to work diligently on your behalf to pass meaningful and helpful legislation. If you find yourself in Atlanta during session, I encourage you to visit me at my Capitol office, and please do not hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions or concerns regarding any current or upcoming legislation. My Capitol office is located at 220 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334, my office phone number is 404-656-5912. I can also be reached via email at andy.welch@house.ga.gov.

As always, thank you for allowing me to be your Representative.

2019 Legislative Session Week Five

Week 5 of the 2019 came to a close Thursday, February 14th. We have completed 15 days of the 2019 Legislative Session and during week 5 the House passed House Bill 25 and 184, as well as Senate Bill 25. I am looking forward to seeing all that the House will accomplish in the remaining weeks of Session.

House Bill 25

HB 25 passed February 13th, with 173 votes yea and 1 vote nay. This bill builds on federal protections given to active duty service members through the Service Members Relief Act by allowing service members to opt out of certain contracts with TV and internet providers as well as health spas. To qualify, service members must be on active duty or receive orders of deployment to a region where identical services are not offered. The Georgia House Republican Caucus is committed to our men and women in uniform.

To learn more about House Bill 25 click here.

House Bill 184

HB 184 passed February 14th, with 170 votes yea and 1 vote nay. HB 184 is a long-overdue piece of legislation that provides the necessary framework for the deployment of “small cell” technology across our state. Small cells are the latest wireless transmitters that will enable the deployment of the next generation of wireless service – known as 5G – and assist telecommunications companies in boosting their capacity and service reliability. Beyond improving the reliability of our cell phone service, small cell technology will also enable the deployment of new technologies such as autonomous vehicles.

To learn more about House Bill 184 click here.

Senate Bill 25

SB 25 fixes an error in the code pertaining to school bus passing. Unless a driver of a vehicle is driving on a divided highway separated by a grass median, unpaved area, or physical barrier, the driver must stop when a school bus is stopped on the opposite side of the highway. This bill will make roads safer for Georgia children riding the bus to school each day!

To learn more about SB 25 click here.

Stay Up-to-Date:

Once again, if you are interested in learning more about all that goes on during the Legislative session then the Georgia House of Representatives website has everything you need to stay up to date and informed. From press releases to live video broadcasts of the House Floor, you can experience your state government in action up close. Click here to learn more.

You can also stay up-to-date by liking the Georgia House Republican Caucus on Facebook and following them on Instagram, @gahouserepublicancaucus. You can also like my Facebook page for updates from me concerning the 2019 Legislative Session. Click here to learn more.

As the 2019 Session continues to move forward, I will uphold my promise to work diligently on your behalf to pass meaningful and helpful legislation. If you find yourself in Atlanta during session, I encourage you to visit me at my Capitol office, and please do not hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions or concerns regarding any current or upcoming legislation. My Capitol office is located at 220 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334, my office phone number is 404-656-5912. I can also be reached via email at andy.welch@house.ga.gov.

As always, thank you for allowing me to be your Representative.

2019 Legislative Session Week Four

Week 4 of the 2019 Legislative Session began Tuesday, January 5th and came to a close Friday, January 8th. We have completed 11 days of the 2019 Legislative Session and I am excited to be able to update you on what the House has accomplished so far.

Nathan Deal Judicial Center

On Wednesday, the House passed House Resolution 1, which names the new appellate judicial complex the “Nathan Deal Judicial Center.” Given our former Governor’s focus on criminal justice reform, it is only fitting that this new judicial center bears his name. The reforms that were championed by Deal saved Georgia taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in additional prison spending, significantly reduced the minority prison population, and created innovative solutions to treat nonviolent offenders suffering from mental illness as well as substance abuse. The Resolution passed with 159 votes yea and 2 votes nay.

To learn more about House Resolution 1 click here.

2019 Budget Highlights

On Friday the House passed House Bill 30, the supplemental appropriations for the State Fiscal Year July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2019. The House Bill passed with 166 votes yea and 8 votes nay. I have listed for you below some highlights of the amended 2019 budget.

• $10 million for emergency disaster relief assistance to Georgia farmers in counties impacted by Hurricane Michael. This add builds upon the $55 million appropriated to the Georgia Development Authority to assist farmers during the 2018 Special Session.
• $69.4 million to provide school security grants of $30,000 each for 2,314 school facilities including charter schools, college and career academies, GNETS facilities, and the three state schools.
• $8.4 million in additional funding the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to expand the Georgia Apex Program, which provides support counselors in high schools for students suffering from mental health issues.
• $1 million for the Department of Community Health to craft state flexibility options for Georgia’s Medicaid Program under the federal waiver program.

To learn more about House Bill 30 click here.

Stay Up-to-Date:

Once again, if you are interested in learning more about all that goes on during the Legislative session then the Georgia House of Representatives website has everything you need to stay up to date and informed. From press releases to live video broadcasts of the House Floor, you can experience your state government in action up close. Click here to learn more.

You can also stay up-to-date by liking the Georgia House Republican Caucus on Facebook and following them on Instagram, @gahouserepublicancaucus. You can also like my Facebook page for updates from me concerning the 2019 Legislative Session. Click here to learn more.

As the 2019 Session continues to move forward, I will uphold my promise to work diligently on your behalf to pass meaningful and helpful legislation. If you find yourself in Atlanta during session, I encourage you to visit me at my Capitol office, and please do not hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions or concerns regarding any current or upcoming legislation. My Capitol office is located at 220 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334, my office phone number is 404-656-5912. I can also be reached via email at andy.welch@house.ga.gov.

As always, thank you for allowing me to be your Representative.

Pete Person for District 4 Commissioner

Please join me in supporting Pete Peterson for District 4 Commissioner on August 14. You can send your RSVP’s to pbrown@servpro8537.com. Any and all contributions are welcome!

Priorities

As an army veteran, business owner, and loyal resident of Henry County, Pete Peterson offers a lifetime of leadership skills. He and his wife, Anita, have lived in the Stockbridge area for 18 years and are truly dedicated to their community. Peterson’s top priorities as District 4 Commissioner will include:

• Improving Transportation
• Enhancing Infrastructure
• Public Safety/Crime Prevention
• Economic Development
• Attracting Jobs
• Developing Viable Education Programs
• Community Care Initiatives

Current Leadership

Peterson currently serves as a Zoning Advisory Board Member (County At Large) and Board of Elections Nominating Committee Member. He is also the owner and consultant with P&A Training Solutions in McDonough, Georgia, and his company is a proud member of the Henry Chamber.

I encourage you to cast your vote this November. Until then, there are plenty of other ways for you to get involved in Peterson’s campaign. Visit his website to learn more about hosting a house party, becoming a volunteer, or making a donation.

Details About Georgia’s Hands-Free Driving Law

Early Voting & Community Events

Early Voting

Early voting for the May 22 Primary Election runs until May 18. Don’t forget to cast your vote for the best candidate who fights for the development and interests of our state. My friends and colleagues David Knight, Dale Rutledge, and Brian Strickland are campaigning for reelection in the State House, and Rick Jeffares is running for Lieutenant Governor.

You can find your poll location here.

Fish Fry Fundraiser for Rick Jeffares

Please join me on May 8 for a Fish Fry Fundraiser supporting Rick Jeffares for Georgia. The fundraiser will be held at the home of Bill and Martha Jones at 642 Stark Road, Jackson, GA 30233 and will take place from 6-8pm. Any and all contributions are welcome. Specific contributions include $250 per couple, Gold ($1,000), Silver ($500), and Bronze ($250). Please make checks payable to Rick Jeffares for Lieutenant Governor, P.O. Box 767, Jackson, GA 30233. You can RSVP by calling (770) 775-4880 or emailing zach@jpcinsurance.com. I hope to see you there.

Geranium Festival

McDonough’s beloved Geranium Festival will take place next Saturday, May 19! See you on the square for food, local vendors, and more. Learn more here.

2018 Legislative Session Week Twelve

My colleagues and I reconvened last week for “sine die,” our twelfth and final week of the 2018 legislative session. Sine die, a Latin term, translates to “without assigning a day for further meeting.” Because this was our final opportunity to meet, we worked late into the night to ensure the passing of significant legislation. Below are the important bills successfully passed.

Crime Victim Protection

The House unanimously passed these adjoining bipartisan measures towards crime victim protection:

• Senate Bill 127 – This bill will allow victims to be heard by the court if and when they are denied their constitutional rights to participation and information. If the victim makes a written request to the prosecuting attorney to be notified of all proceedings, provides appropriate contact information, and asserts that no notifications have been provided, the victim will have 20 days to file a motion to be heard.
• Senate Resolution 146 – This bill is also known as“Marsy’s Law,” and it will provide crime victims with explicit rights in the Georgia Constitution by placing a constitutional amendment on the November ballot. These rights would include the following:
  • Reasonable, accurate and timely notice of any court proceedings or schedule changes involving the alleged crime
  • Reasonable and timely notice of the arrest, release or escape of the accused
  • The opportunity to be heard in any proceedings involving the release, plea or sentencing of the accused
  • To be informed of his or her rights

Sexual Assault

• Senate Bill 154 – In an effort to justly convict those in a position of authority who are responsible for sexual assault, this bill expands the definition of sexual assault by specifying it in a first and second degree. Definitions and exceptions include:
  • This bill is applicable to employees and agents of any school, community supervision offices, probation offices, law enforcement agencies, hospital, correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities, disability services facilities or child welfare and youth services facilities, as well as psychotherapy counselors and practitioners and employees, agents and volunteers of licensed facilities that provide drug and alcohol treatment, senior living care or hospice services.
  • Sexual assault in the first degree would be considered as sexually explicit conduct with a victim under a person of authority’s care or supervision. The conviction would be a prison sentence of one to 25 years, a fine of a maximum of $100,000, and registry as a sex offender.
  • Sexual assault in the second degree would be considered as sexual contact with a victim under a person of authority’s care or supervision. The conviction would be a prison sentence of one to five years and a fine of a maximum of $25,000; however, registry as a sex offender would not be required unless the offender is convicted of a second or subsequent offense.
  • Exceptions include: If the offender did not have supervisory or disciplinary authority over the victim at the time of the offense, if the victim is younger than 16-years-old, if the victim is between 14 and 16-years-old and the offender is 18-years-old or younger, and if the victim is at least 16-years-old and the offender is younger than 21-years-old.

Criminal Justice

• Senate Bill 407 – As the last criminal justice reform bill to be passed under Governor Nathan Deal’s administration, this bill is quite detailed and thorough. Specificities include:
  • The Bail System: Authorizing courts of inquiry to set bail for city ordinance violations; prohibiting courts from imposing excessive bail; requiring courts to only impose conditions reasonably necessary to ensure court attendance and protect public safety; and requiring courts to consider the accused’s financial resources, earnings and other economic factors when determining bail.
  • Local Ordinance Violations: Allowance of the defendant to satisfy any fines or fees through community service, and courts could waive, modify or convert fines and fees if the court finds that the defendant has a significant financial hardship.
  • Misdemeanors: The Judicial Council of Georgia would develop a uniform misdemeanor citation and complaint form for use by law enforcement officials, and the misdemeanors would be allowed to be prosecuted by accusation, citation or citation and arrest. The list of misdemeanor crimes an officer can arrest by citation, and prior to the offender’s release, would also be expanded. The officer would be required to review the accused’s criminal record and ensure the accused’s fingerprints are obtained.
  • Driver’s Licenses: Accountability court judges would be authorized to order the Department of Driver Services to reinstate or revoke driver’s licenses or limited permits as a reward or sanction for actions in the accountability court, and the court would be permitted to grant petitions for early termination of probation that the state does not oppose within 90 days of receiving the petition.
  • Supervision Fees: Fees collected on pay-only probation would be capped at the rate in the private probation company’s contract, and the court would provide probationers who fail to report a 10-day grace period from the time the officer mails a letter to the probationer, as long as the probationer reports.
  • Firearms: Several provisions regarding firearm theft and those prohibited from possessing a firearm are included in this bill, and the Department of Community Health would be authorized to share information on the prescription drug monitoring program database with federal agents and would allow for disclosure to out-of-state prescription drug monitoring programs operated by governmental entities.
  • Technical College System: Technical College System police officers would be allowed to arrest for offenses committed on or within 500 feet of a Technical College System property.
  • Other: Provisions for courts to implement electronic filing and payment systems and protections for first offenders’ records.

Child Support

• Senate Bill 427 – This bill would enforce our state’s child support laws to mirror the federal regulatory changes that went into effect on Jan. 20, 2017. Requirements include:
  • Courts must consider an obligor’s, or an individual that owes child support, earnings, income, ability to pay child support and the basic needs of the recipients of such support when making a final determination of child support. If a parent fails to produce reliable evidence of their earnings, their income for the current year may be assigned by the court based off the parent’s ability to earn and other economic factors. If the parent is incarcerated, their income may be assigned based off their actual income and assets available, not off their pre-incarceration wages.
  • Courts would be prohibited from treating incarceration as willful or voluntary unemployment or underemployed when setting a child support amount.
  • Creating and administering a designation program to encourage economic development and attract technology-enabled growth, which would promote statewide broadband deployment
  • A child’s enrollment in a public health care program, such as Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids, may satisfy the health care requirement for providing for the child’s health care needs in a child support order; however, such enrollment would not prevent a court from ordering parents to insure their child.

Education

• Senate Bill 401 – In an effort to better prepare our students for their future careers, this bill would require middle school students to receive counseling on career evaluation. All students would be required to develop a graduation plan before the completion of eighth grade. High school students would receive guidance and counseling on their career interests, as well. The Department of Education would then review each school counselor’s role, workload and program service delivery in grades six through twelve, and report research to the State Board of Education and the Georgia General Assembly. This bill seeks to ensure that students are provided with the tools needed to explore their career interests.

Rural Georgia

• House Resolution 1698 – In order to learn how to best spur economic growth in the rural areas of our state, this resolution hopes to explore ways to streamline the use of public rights-of-way while maintaining equitable compensation and local control. In order to establish equability among current and future communications services providers, the RDC will be urged to examine new pole rates, rentals and pole ownership. In order to learn how to properly manage public rights-of-way, the RDC will be urged to solicit input from the Georgia Department of Transportation, local governments, communications services providers and other relevant parties.
• Senate Bill 426 – This bill would attempt to extend broadband services to the rural sections of our state by authorizing electric membership corporations (the EMC) to supply and operate these services in counties with a population of 50,000 or less. These authorizations would only be made if the EMC secures a certificate of authority from the Public Service Commission.

The Fiscal Year 2019 Budget

2018 Legislative Session Week Ten

With only five work days remaining until “Sine Die,” my colleagues and I were extremely busy this week in our respective committees. The following bills were passed during Week Ten:

Health

• Senate Bill 357 – Also known as “The Health Act,” this bill would create the Health Coordination and Innovation Council of the State of Georgia under the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. Made up of 18 members consisting of commissioners, directors, and health care professionals, this council would be responsible for the following:
  • Streamlining and coordinating all components of our state’s health care system
  • Bringing together academic, industry and government experts and leaders to share information, coordinating the major functions of Georgia’s health care system and developing innovative approaches to stabilize costs and improve access to quality health care
  • Serving as a research forum to identify our state’s greatest health issues and promote cooperation between private and public agencies to test new ideas
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of previously enacted and ongoing health programs; determining how to best develop new approaches and promote innovation to improve Georgia’s health care system; and maximizing the effectiveness of existing resources, expertise and improvement opportunities
  • Establishing an advisory board that would provide guidance to the council

• Senate Bill 118 – This bill will take effect on January 1, 2019 if signed into law and it would benefit children with autism in Georgia by establishing the following:
  • Increasing the age of coverage for autism spectrum disorder treatments from six-years-old to 20-years-old
  • Increasing the coverage limit from $30,000 to $35,000 per year
  • Requiring insurers to provide coverage for applied behavior analysis, which is recognized as a necessary medical treatment for autism

Elderly Abuse

• Senate Bill 406 – In an effort to protect our senior citizens, this bill would establish the Georgia Long-term Care Background Check Program, responsible for comprehensive, fingerprint-based criminal background checks on elder care providers, personal care homes, or assisted living facilities. This bill would also create a central caregiver registry where a family member or guarding could access this information. These requirements would take effect on October 1, 2019 for new applicants and January 1, 2021 for existing employees and owners if this bill is signed into law.

Economic Development

• House Resolution 1376 – Hospitals are a major economic factor in our state, and this bill seeks to help rural hospitals flourish by encouraging the House Rural Development Council to request information on the financial conditions (profitability, community benefit, cash revenue and viability projections) of hospitals experiencing a financial crisis.

Education

• Senate Bill 330 – Also referred to as the “Georgia Agricultural Education Act,” this bill would update agricultural education programs in Georgia by establishing the following:
  • Requiring programs to be based on the nationally recognized three-component model of school-based agricultural education (daily classroom and lab instruction; hands-on, experimental learning through a supervised agricultural experience program; and leadership and learning opportunities through participation in agricultural education programs, such the Georgia Future Farmers of America)
  • Authorizing the Department of Education to establish an elementary agricultural education pilot program to determine whether such a program would be appropriate for statewide implementation

Military

• Senate Bill 82 – Applicable for Georgia National Guard reserve members stationed in Georgia or listing Georgia as their home of record, this bill would classify members of the Guard and United States Armed Forces as eligible for HOPE scholarships and grants.
• Senate Bill 395 – In an effort to benefit our state’s military, this bill would create the Georgia Joint Defense Commission, which would be responsible for the following:
  • Advising the governor and the Georgia General Assembly on state and national-level defense and military issues
  • Recommending policies and plans to support the long-term sustainability and development of Georgia’s active and civilian military
  • Developing programs to enhance communities’ relationships with military installations
  • Serving as a task force to prepare for potential base realignment or military installation closures in the state
  • Submitting an annual report to the governor and the Georgia General Assembly on the state of Georgia’s military installations, as well as a tactical plan for navigating a possible base realignment or military installation closure
  • Establishing the Defense Community Economic Development Grant Program to assist military communities with projects, events and activities that promote military installations

Local Alcohol Sales

• Senate Bill 17 – Expected to increase sales by $100 million, this bill would permit the authorization of alcoholic beverage sales beginning at 11am on Sundays.

As we draw nearer to the completion of the 2018 legislative session, I encourage you to visit me at my Capitol office or call or email me if you have any questions or concerns regarding any current or upcoming legislation. My Capitol office is located at 220 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334, my office phone number is 404-656-5912, and I can be reached via email at awelch@smithwelchlaw.com. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative.

2018 Legislative Session Week Nine

The House reconvened for Legislative Day 30 on March 5th, beginning the ninth week of the 2018 legislative session. Since we are now past Crossover Day, much of our legislative work this week was accomplished in committee hearings as my House colleagues and I reviewed Senate bills. We also took up several pieces of legislation on the House floor this week, including one of the most important bills that we will pass all session, the Fiscal Year 2019 state budget.

Fiscal Year 2019 State Budget

• House Bill 684 – The Georgia General Assembly is constitutionally required to pass a balanced budget each year, and the House took a step in fulfilling this constitutional obligation by granting initial passage to House Bill 684, the Fiscal Year 2019 budget. This year’s state budget is $50.85 billion and will guide our state’s spending from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. The FY 2019 budget was determined by a revenue estimate of $26 billion, which is an increase of $1.03 billion (4.1%) over last year’s budget.

The House Appropriations Committee carefully reviewed each portion of the budget and meticulously allocated state dollars towards our state’s needs. Most were specifically aimed at boosting economic development in rural Georgia including:

• Funding for the Department of Agriculture’s Georgia Grown marketing program
• A downtown development attorney to help Georgia’s small towns secure redevelopment grants
• A deputy commissioner of rural Georgia position
• Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovations
• Two rural surgical fellowships at St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital
• A statewide residency recruitment fair for rural medical facilities
• Insurance premium assistance for physicians who practice in underserved counties with one or less physicians
• 10 regional Emergency Medical Services training positions to train EMS personnel in rural Georgia
• Rural Health Systems Innovation Center
• Soft skills training and character education development for rural Georgia’s lowest performing schools
• A mobile audiology clinic to provide audiological care to children in rural Georgia
• Birth-to-five literacy and numeracy in rural Georgia

I am proud that the House has prioritized state dollars to support and revitalize our rural communities, and these allocations for our rural communities will help rural Georgia, as well as our state as a whole, to thrive.

Education

Education funding is always one of the largest budget items in the state budget, and this year is no exception, with 55.9 percent of the entire budget allocated to education. The FY 2019 budget includes:

• $119.5 million for K-12 enrollment growth and training and experience for an additional 6,552 students and 1,869 teachers across the state
• $361.7 million for the Teachers Retirement System to support 117,957 retired and 218,193 active TRS members
• Two Advanced Placement exams, one STEM exam and one non-STEM exam for low-income students, as well as dollars for the new Chief Turnaround Officer program to help Georgia’s schools in most need of assistance
• $1.6 million for a student mental health awareness training program, including response and intervention training for students in preschool through 12th grade
• $111 million for the University System of Georgia enrollment growth and increased square footage
• $5.5 million for the Technical College System of Georgia enrollment growth and increased square footage
• $27.1 million for the Dual Enrollment program
• $2.7 million for 1,177 additional HOPE and Zell Miller private scholarships
• $65.3 million for 27,832 more HOPE and Zell Miller public scholarships
• $8 million for school security grants to improve security in Georgia’s schools (added to the budget in light of one of the deadliest school shootings in recent history)

Health Care

In addition to education funding, health care costs also make up a significant portion of the FY 2019 budget.

• $16.9 million for a 4.3 percent provider rate increase for nursing homes and $962,022 for increased background checks for long-term care facility owners and employees
• Essential autism services, such as funding for a program coordinator position and to develop capacity in the Department of Community Health and the Department of Public Health to provide behavioral health services to autistic children under the age of 21
• $568,057 towards the Marcus Autism Center to cover the cost of treating autistic children with the greatest needs
• $2 million to the Department of Public Health to address why Georgia has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the country
• Critical funding for several mental health programs that will benefit our state’s citizens.
• Child and adolescent crisis services, including four new respite homes
• 13 new Georgia APEX Program grants to expand mental health services to students in 100 more schools
• Telemedicine equipment and services
• High-fidelity wraparound services training that will impact up to 3,000 young Georgians
• Expansion of the Georgia Crisis Access Line’s operating hours
• $2.2 million for Department of Human Services care coordinator positions to improve mental health outcomes for foster care children

The 2019 budget also includes allocations designed to meet the wide-ranging needs of our state, such as funding to clear hurricane debris and remove sunken vessels along the Georgia coastline and dollars to implement several economic development projects across the state. The budget also includes an extra $15.1 million for growth in out-of-home care and $15.2 million in additional funding to increase foster care per diem rates for relative and child placement agency foster care providers. It also provides funding for Georgia’s highly successful accountability courts, as well as for nine additional assistant district attorney positions and nine assistant public defenders to support juvenile courts across the state. Finally, the budget includes appropriations for statewide transportation infrastructure construction, maintenance and improvements.

House Resolution 1162

On Friday, March 9, we unanimously adopted a resolution for the benefit of Georgia’s schools, teachers and students. House Resolution 1162 would establish the House Study Committee on the Establishment of a State Accreditation Process to explore whether a state accreditation process for Georgia’s public schools and school systems should be formed. Currently, there is no state entity that is responsible for accrediting Georgia’s primary and secondary public schools and local school systems, and as a result, most of these schools and school systems seek accreditation through private organizations. The five-member study committee would explore the resources and structure needed for a state accreditation entity, as well as any obstacles that would need to be addressed and how such an entity would interact with existing private accreditation agencies. The study committee would also analyze ways to align accreditation review with charter renewal for charter systems and contract renewal for strategic waivers school systems; examine the possibility of establishing a state process to annually review system charters and contracts; study potential consequences of losing state accreditation; and explore the possibility of establishing a school board review commission. Should the study committee adopt any specific findings or recommendations, including suggestions for proposed legislation, the study committee’s chairperson would file a report by Dec. 1, 2018, the date upon which the study committee would be abolished. This study committee would ultimately help our state determine if a state accreditation process would be beneficial to our education system. I look forward to hearing the committee’s findings next year.

House Bill 159

On Monday, March 5, Governor Nathan Deal signed into law one of the House’s most important bills this session, House Bill 159. This bill will significantly update and modernize Georgia’s adoption laws for the first time in nearly three decades. HB 159 will streamline and expedite all types of adoptions in Georgia. State Representative Bert Reeves (R-Marietta) spent nearly two-and-a-half years refining the bill, which has been a top priority in the House for the past two legislative sessions. It has passed the House unanimously three times. The new adoption laws will increase efficiencies in every aspect of Georgia adoption, and these additions and revisions to our adoption code will bring Georgia up to speed with the rest of the country. Our state’s updated adoption code will benefit every family going through the adoption process and every child in Georgia in need of adoption. This groundbreaking legislation will go into effect on Sept. 1, 2018.

The General Assembly is in the final stretch of the 2018 legislative session. The last day of session (Day 40) is March 29, with only a few weeks left to finish our legislative business. My colleagues in the House, as well as our Senate counterparts, will be hard at work to ensure that we pass meaningful legislation for the people of our great state. Call or email me if you have any questions or concerns regarding any current or upcoming legislation. My Capitol office is located at 220 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334, my office phone number is 404-656-5912, and I can be reached via email at awelch@smithwelchlaw.com. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative.