Week Seven Under the Gold Dome
Week seven under the Gold Dome has concluded, and we’re swiftly approaching an important milestone known as “Crossover Day” on February 29. This marks the deadline for all bills to pass through their originating chamber, commonly referred to as the house of origin. It’s been a busy week in Atlanta, and the days only grow longer as we work to better the lives of Georgians across the state.
Our advocacy for Georgians has yielded significant accomplishments, including property tax relief, tort reform, reduction of regulatory burdens, enhancements in public safety, and much more. Here’s a brief summary for some of the matters that passed in the Senate this week: SB 449 – A bill that aims at exempting certain military medical personnel from examination requirements, eliminates unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles and bolsters Georgia’s reputation as the premier state for business.
SB 376 – A bill that would clarify requirements of parents, DFCS and court in order to improve timely permanent placement of a child removed from their home.
HB 915 – This bill would amend the Fiscal Year 2024 budget starting July 1,
2023, and ending June 30, 2024.
SB 427 – This bill addresses an aspect of tort reform by providing for disclosure requirements for advertisements for legal services and for drugs.
This is just a sample of the legislation that was passed out of the Senate this week. In addition to my time in the chamber, I spent a lot of this week working on the FY 2024 Amended Budget, which adjusts the current fiscal year’s budget to address changes statewide and previous unanticipated needs. The FY 2024 Amended Budget will now move to a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the Senate and House versions of the budget.
Finally, my colleagues and I were delighted to be present on Wednesday for the swearing-in of Georgia’s newest Republican senator, Tim Bearden (R– Carrollton). Sen. Bearden joins us at an important time for our state, and I look forward to serving alongside him throughout the remainder of our legislative session.
As always, thank you for the honor of serving you in the Senate. If you have any questions about these or other pending matters, please do not hesitate to contact my office in Atlanta via 404-656-0089.
Sen. Blake Tillery serves as Chairman for the Senate Committee on Appropriations. He represents the 19th Senate District, which includes Appling, Bacon, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Telfair, Toombs, Wayne, and Wheeler counties and a portion of Coffee County. He can be reached by email at blake. tillery@senate.ga.gov.
By Sen. Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia)
