Last week the Legislative Session came to order for Legislative Day 14-16. Senate and House made amendments and passed along the budget to the Governor for approval. Lawmakers have adjourned until February 16. The current approved legislative schedule is listed below.

Tuesday, February 9th, the Georgia State Senate passed the Amended Fiscal Year 2021 Georgia state budget. The vote was 52-0. This funded state government through June 30th. Then, the budget bill headed back to the Georgia House.

On Thursday, February 12, the House took action on the FY 2021 Amended budget HB 80. It adopted an amendment and then sent the final product to the Governor for his review.

There were a handful of new bill emerging in the Legislature throughout last week, many of which are listed below. For a full list of the bills we are tracking and their current status, download our legislative update. Also, look your state legislators up by address or use your current location below.

Representative Philip Singleton (R-Sharpsburg), amends Title 20 to prohibit schools from allowing a person whose gender is male from participating in an athletic program or activity that is designated for females. Several members of the public spoke in opposition to the legislation, including Georgia Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Chairman Wade noted that he wanted to work on the bill before its advances. The Subcommittee took no action on the bill.

Rep. Trey Kelley (R-Cedartown), extends the COVID-19 business liability protections that were passed in June until July 14, 2022. Though Democrats pushed against the legislation, the measure passed the House with a vote of 99-68. The legislation now moves to the Senate.

Representative Rick Williams (R-Milledgeville), seeks to amend O.C.G.A. § 31-1-24 to prohibit health care providers from discriminating against a potential organ transplant recipient due solely to the recipient's physical or mental disability. The Committee gave this legislation a DO PASS recommendation, moving it to the House Rules Committee.

Representative Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta), seeks to amend O.C.G.A. § 49-4-159.1 to direct the Department of Community Health to submit a state plan amendment to implement express lane enrollment in Medicaid. The legislation received a DO PASS recommendation, moving now to House Rules Committee.

Representative Houston Gaines (R-Athens), seeks to amend O.C.G.A. § 45-20-17 to provide for paid parental leave for state employees including any full-time employee of the executive, legislative, and judicial branch or local board of election. The legislation received a DO PASS recommendation, moving now to the House Rules Committee.

Representative Dave Belton (R-Buckhead), amends O.C.G.A. 20-2-251 to require the State Board of Education to create a teacher recruitment and retention program by providing a refundable tax credit of $3,000 per qualifying teacher per year, for up to five school years. The committee recommended the bill DO PASS.

SB 88 Senator Russ Goodman (R-Homerville), is Governor Kemp's teacher pipeline legislative package. The bill provides for a number of initiatives to recruit, retain, and mentor teachers. The Committee recommended the bill DO PASS and be sent to the Rules Committee.

"Efforts to provide broadband in unserved areas of Georgia took another leap forward when Governor Brian Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan and Speaker David Ralston made a joint announcement at the State Capitol today. Governor Kemp announced that Central Georgia EMC (Jackson, GA) and Southern Rivers Energy (Barnesville, GA) will form a new partnership with Conexon to provide high-speed internet to 80,000 homes and businesses in 18 Middle Georgia counties."

The MHTTC Network is hosting an 8-part training series from February 2021-May 2021

The series will be using the National School Mental Health Curriculum: Guidance and Best Practices for States, Districts, and Schools. The Curriculum was developed by the MHTTC Network in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH). It is intended to help states, districts and schools advance comprehensive school mental health and engage in a planning process for implementation.

This past Friday, the AFSP Georgia Chapter hosted the 2021 Georgia State Capitol Day event! If you were unable to join but are interested in learning more email AFSP Georgia Field Ambassador Lydia Russo. As part of the 2021 Georgia State Capitol Day event, AFSP is asking Field Advocates and supporters to collectively and virtually raise your voices this year. Please email your legislators to urge their support for mental health parity, crisis systems and 988 implementation, and tele-health access, including access to mental health services in public schools. Take action here. 

2021 Virtual Housing Day at the Capitol

Each year, Georgia ACT hosts an annual advocacy day at the Georgia Capitol where housing advocates from across the state convene to share legislative priorities, sharpen advocacy skills and meet with state legislators to advance affordable housing policy.

Mental Health America of Georgia hosted a series of virtual town halls to inform and advocate for Georgia’s communities impacted by mental health conditions. The town halls offered information and recommendations on the political determinants of Mental Health and Wellness. Each town hall topic discussed the intersection of mental health in the community and policy recommendations to improve mental health outcomes in specific population groups. Please review our past town halls to become more informed of the impacts in our communities.

For free and confidential emotional support or resource information as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, call or text 866-399-8938.