The 2019 General Assembly Session convenes on January 14th at 10:00 AM and a new Governor,  Lieutenant Governor, and Secretary of State will be sworn into office that day!  To follow the new Session and prepare for  all the activities there are many events and public discussions that are open to you, and you are invited to participate.  

Calendar for Start of 2019 Session

January 8 at 2:00 PM I will be on Bill Nigut's Political Rewind radio program on Georgia Public Radio 88.5.  Tune in or follow on Facebook Live. 

January 9 at 6:30 to 8:00 PM Public Hearing of DeKalb Delegation at Brookhaven City Hall, 4263 Peachtree Road, Brookhaven.

January 10 at noon, City of Atlanta Delegation meeting with Mayor Bottoms at Atlanta City Hall where she will present the city's 2019 legislative package.

January 13 at 5:30 PM Wild Hog Supper benefiting the Atlanta Food Bank, ticketed event. Georgia Freight Depot. 

January 14 at 10:00 AM Legislature convenes, Speaker elected, and at 2 pm at Georgia Tech, Governor sworn in and gives inaugural address. 

January 14 at 8:00 PM Inauguration Gala, ticketed event.

January 15 at noon, WIN Luncheon for newly elected WIN endorsed women legislators, ticketed event.

January 16 at 9:45 AM Press Conference on Cervical Cancer Awareness hosted by MMO and Rep. Pat Gardner at Capitol.

January 16 at noon, DeKalb Delegation meets and elects officers in the Capitol.

January 16 at 12:30 PM, MMO on a panel for VOICES FOR CHILDREN, legislative preview in Blue Room of Freight Depot.

January 16 at 6:30 pm, MMO and Senator Elena Parent at Glenn Memorial Wednesday Night Supper for legislative preview. 

January 17 at 7:30 PM, MMO appears at LaVista Park Civic Association at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Sheridan. 

How to Follow the Session and Participate

In addition to attending all Sessions and meetings at the Capitol,  and public hearings  and town halls around District 82, you can follow all Sessions of the House live streamed on the General Assembly web site, and the inauguration festivities are also available on-line.  Most House and Senate Committee meetings can also be watched live.  My newsletter goes out periodically and I am active on Facebook and Twitter.  The General Assembly web site, for both House and Senate tracks all legislation introduced and committee and Floor actions. Please join us in person or on-line!  We need your input!

 Questions--How Would You Vote?

1) Only four remaining states, and Georgia is one of the four,  prosecute 17 year olds as adults for all criminal offenses, both misdemeanors and felonies.  Seventeen year olds are minors, and approximately 6,500 were arrested in 2017, and now have a permanent criminal record.  Only about 65 are incarcerated in secure adult jails, including all 13 to 16 year olds who have been convicted of very serious felonies and are tried as adults under the "440 law". 

Should 17 year olds be tried in Juvenile Courts or continue to prosecuted as adults in State and Superior Court? 

What Do You Think? Take survey here. 

2)Electric scooters have become an issue in Atlanta and Decatur. Here is one parked in front of my house!

Should there be more regulation on these scooters and if so what are your suggestions?

Take survey here. 

Holidays are over ...  

Beach

Mountains

Christmas parties

Time to get to work!

Pre-Legislative Sessions

Brookhaven Greenway Groundbreaking

 Governor Deal 

My friend, Governor Nathan Deal, leaves a great legacy with his  commitment to criminal justice reform.

What will the legacy of our new Governor and Lt. Governor be?