Legislative Update - 2/19/19
Today will mark the 17th day of our forty legislative days for the 2019 session. Over the past two weeks, your legislature has been hard at work as we've passed our first bills through the House, and we continue to move several bills through our committees.
Below I have included a recap of the last couple of weeks in the legislature along with other updates from the Capitol and here in the district.
Below I have included a recap of the last couple of weeks in the legislature along with other updates from the Capitol and here in the district.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
I am proud to have co-sponsored Margie's Law (HB 62), a life-saving bill which will improve preventative care practices by providing a better detection process for breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue. The House passed this measure 166-1.
I am proud to have co-sponsored Margie's Law (HB 62), a life-saving bill which will improve preventative care practices by providing a better detection process for breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue. The House passed this measure 166-1.
We also voted to pass HB 30, known as Georgia’s “Little” or Fiscal Year 2019 Supplemental Budget. Although we have already discussed our state’s budget in the last update, the bill made news for including $1 million, which will be matched by federal funds, to explore, analyze and recommend Medicaid waiver options. Additionally, by cutting spending in appropriations subcommittee hearings, the House was able to include an additional $10 million in the budget for emergency disaster relief to aid our farmers in southwest Georgia who were devastated by Hurricane Michael last October.
We unanimously passed House Bill 23 to help expand internet access in rural Georgia, agreeing that Broadband is essential to almost every factor of economic development. This legislation is a great step in the right direction to help spur economic development in rural Georgia. We also passed HB 184 to provide a pathway for deployment of small cell and 5G technology in public rights-of-way in Georgia. This bill is the product of months of work by the House to create a bill to support the growing consumer-driven demand for high-speed wireless access, while also preserving the ability of our local governments to protect historic districts and community aesthetics.
The House also passed HB 63 to allow health care providers to request exceptions to step therapy protocols to provide proper medication to patients when it is medically necessary. Currently, insurance companies in Georgia often use step therapy, which is a process that may require a patient to try and fail one or more medications preferred by his or her insurer before receiving coverage for the medication that his or her doctor originally prescribed. This patient-centered legislation will help those who are suffering from serious illnesses by expediting the prescription process and increasing access to critical treatment.
Finally, the first bill that Gov. Kemp signed and one we passed last week, SB 25, protects the safety of our students by requiring cars to stop for stopped school buses on the opposite side of a divided highway, unless the highway is separated by a grass median or physical barrier. This bill passed by the General Assembly and signed by the governor is the first of much common-sense legislation to come.
I'm excited to continue working on several pieces of legislation that I've authored and co-sponsored, and in our next legislative update, I look forward to sharing updates on these items.
We unanimously passed House Bill 23 to help expand internet access in rural Georgia, agreeing that Broadband is essential to almost every factor of economic development. This legislation is a great step in the right direction to help spur economic development in rural Georgia. We also passed HB 184 to provide a pathway for deployment of small cell and 5G technology in public rights-of-way in Georgia. This bill is the product of months of work by the House to create a bill to support the growing consumer-driven demand for high-speed wireless access, while also preserving the ability of our local governments to protect historic districts and community aesthetics.
The House also passed HB 63 to allow health care providers to request exceptions to step therapy protocols to provide proper medication to patients when it is medically necessary. Currently, insurance companies in Georgia often use step therapy, which is a process that may require a patient to try and fail one or more medications preferred by his or her insurer before receiving coverage for the medication that his or her doctor originally prescribed. This patient-centered legislation will help those who are suffering from serious illnesses by expediting the prescription process and increasing access to critical treatment.
Finally, the first bill that Gov. Kemp signed and one we passed last week, SB 25, protects the safety of our students by requiring cars to stop for stopped school buses on the opposite side of a divided highway, unless the highway is separated by a grass median or physical barrier. This bill passed by the General Assembly and signed by the governor is the first of much common-sense legislation to come.
I'm excited to continue working on several pieces of legislation that I've authored and co-sponsored, and in our next legislative update, I look forward to sharing updates on these items.
CAPITOL VISITORS & EVENTS IN DISTRICT
I have enjoyed welcoming many constituents to the Capitol. In the past two weeks, we've had several groups from the University of Georgia, including Hairy Dawg and President Jere Morehead. I also enjoyed speaking to middle and high school students from Clarke and Oconee counties - including students in 4-H, the Great Promise Partnership, FCCLA and others. I look forward to welcoming you to your Capitol and hope you will visit. Please let me know in advance so we can make sure the visit is a special one.
Back in the district, I enjoyed attending and supporting Extra Special People's wonderful Big Hearts program. Additionally, I joined the Jackson and Clarke County Republican parties for their mass precinct meetings. And I was honored to present former Athens-Clarke Co. Mayor Nancy Denson a resolution at a surprise retirement event thanking her for her many years of service to our community.
I have enjoyed welcoming many constituents to the Capitol. In the past two weeks, we've had several groups from the University of Georgia, including Hairy Dawg and President Jere Morehead. I also enjoyed speaking to middle and high school students from Clarke and Oconee counties - including students in 4-H, the Great Promise Partnership, FCCLA and others. I look forward to welcoming you to your Capitol and hope you will visit. Please let me know in advance so we can make sure the visit is a special one.
Back in the district, I enjoyed attending and supporting Extra Special People's wonderful Big Hearts program. Additionally, I joined the Jackson and Clarke County Republican parties for their mass precinct meetings. And I was honored to present former Athens-Clarke Co. Mayor Nancy Denson a resolution at a surprise retirement event thanking her for her many years of service to our community.
PAGING PROGRAM
I enjoyed having Caroline, my first page of the 2019 Session, with me last week as she assisted on the House Floor and learned more about our Capitol and the legislative process! If you have a child aged 12-18 who is interested in the Page Program, please visit the link below to learn more and apply.
http://www.house.ga.gov/en-US/HousePageProgram.aspx
I enjoyed having Caroline, my first page of the 2019 Session, with me last week as she assisted on the House Floor and learned more about our Capitol and the legislative process! If you have a child aged 12-18 who is interested in the Page Program, please visit the link below to learn more and apply.
http://www.house.ga.gov/en-US/HousePageProgram.aspx
