GERALD GREENE: Flurry of activities surrounds final days of session

The threat of COVID-19 has reshaped how we conduct our legislative business in many ways, but it has not stopped the House from working to serve Georgians across our state. The House conducted its first official virtual committee hearings while the session was suspended, which allowed us to continue to discuss important issues from earlier in the session. Before we returned this week, additional safety guidelines were put in place, including measures to promote social distancing, at the state Capitol to allow us to meet in-person once again.

One of the most important topics of discussion during the remainder of the session is the Fiscal Year 2021 budget, which begins Wednesday. Our state experienced a drop in tax revenue as a result of COVID-19, which includes a projected loss of more than $1 billion in April and $178 million in May compared to 2019. As a result, the House and Senate Appropriations committees held several virtual hearings ahead of our return to discuss how the additional loss of revenue will impact the FY 2021 budget. This week, the Senate passed its version of the FY 2021 budget, and a conference committee was appointed to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget. (The House passed its version of the budget late Friday night.)

Another priority of the House was to pass hate crimes legislation before the legislative session adjourns “Sine Die.” Georgia is one of four remaining states without a hate crimes law, and during the 2019 legislative session, the House passed House Bill 426, or the “Georgia Hate Crimes Act.” Under the House version of HB 426, which I co-sponsored, anyone convicted of a crime that has been determined to have been committed because of the individual’s belief or perception regarding the race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability or physical disability would be subject to increased penalties for these crimes. The sentencing for a misdemeanor hate crime would range from three to 12 months of jail time and a fine of up to $5,000. For a hate crime that is of a high and aggravated nature, sentencing would require between six and 12 months of jail time, along with a $5,000 fine.

Offenders of a felony hate crime would face a minimum of two years in prison. This week, HB 426 moved a step forward as House members testified to the bill before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it passed out of committee. The final passage came with a vote of 127-38. I joined Gov. Kemp for the signing of the hate crime bill.

We also took time in the House chamber this week to honor the life and memory of the late state Sen. Jack Hill, who served as the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee for a number of years. Sen. Hill was a selfless leader and was loved by many in the legislature. He exemplified his dedication to Georgians by the way he helped shepherd countless state budgets through the legislative process. My colleagues and I will continue to remember him as we work to finalize the FY 2021 budget without our dear colleague for the first time in many years.

During the 10th week of the 2020 legislative session, my colleagues and I also passed the following bills and resolutions in the House chamber:

Senate Bill 176, which would allow retired members of the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia to return to service, but employers would be required to pay the employee and employer contribution rate. Members would continue to receive their retirement benefit as long as they do not exceed 1,040 hours of paid employment during a calendar year, but they would not earn any additional creditable service.

Before we ended the week, we adopted an adjournment resolution, which set our schedule for our final week of the 2020 legislative session. I encourage my constituents to contact me at my Capitol office at (404) 656-5105 or by email at [email protected].

As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative.