GERALD GREENE: Legislature remembers late House Speaker David Ralston

The Georgia General Assembly reconvened for the 10th week of the 2023 legislative session on March 13. On March 14th, the House passed Senate Bill 3, or the “Reducing Barriers to State Employment Act of 2023.” SB 3 would require the Georgia Department of Administrative Services to regularly assess and reduce unnecessary educational, experiential and training requirements for positions within our state agencies and departments.

We also passed a bipartisan Senate measure to improve infant and maternal health outcomes in Georgia. Supported by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Senate Bill 46 would require prenatal syphilis and HIV testing to be administered by health care providers at multiple points throughout a pregnancy. Pregnant mothers can pass syphilis and HIV to their unborn babies, which can cause serious complications for the baby if left untreated. Fortunately, testing for syphilis and HIV early in pregnancy can help identify the infection and allow for early treatment, which could significantly reduce the risk of transmission to the baby and prevent these serious complications

Additionally, the House passed legislation to protect vulnerable senior citizens in Georgia from falling victim to financial exploitation. Senate Bill 84 would require investment advisors or supervisory professionals to notify the Secretary of State’s Office if they suspect that an adult over 65 years old with mental or physical incapacitation, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is being exploited financially.

I also want to share that the House passed bipartisan Senate legislation to ensure that Georgia children can set up lemonade stands in their neighborhoods without a permit. Senate Bill 55, also known as the Lemonade Stand Act, would allow children to sell non-consumable goods, pre-packaged food items and non-alcoholic beverages, such as lemonade, without requiring permits, licenses or incurring taxes as long as the annual revenue is less than $5,000.

My colleagues and I also took time on the House floor to honor our friend and former colleague, the late Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, who passed away unexpectedly last November. On Tuesday, Speaker Ralston’s family joined us on the House floor as we remembered the late speaker on what would have been his 69th birthday.

Before his death, Ralston was the longest-serving active speaker of a state house in the nation. During his tenure, he was a steadfast champion for job creation and economic development, especially for rural communities in Georgia. He also cared deeply about improving the health and well-being of Georgians and led the fight for historic reforms to address mental health care, maternal mortality and adoption reform.

Even though he is no longer with us, Ralston’s legacy will be felt throughout our state for generations to come.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 18, or the Amended Fiscal Year 2023 budget during the week. Set at a revenue estimate of $32.56 billion, this finalized amended budget includes many of the House’s priorities to support economic development projects, public safety initiatives, as well as recruitment and retention efforts for our public work force. HB 18 immediately went into effect upon the governor’s signature and will direct our state spending through June 30.

This week, Gov. Kemp also signed into law two other House bills to support Georgia taxpayers. First, the governor signed House Bill 162 to provide a one-time income tax refund to Georgians who filed returns for both the 2021 and 2022 tax years. The governor also signed House Bill 311 to give local governments an optional temporary tax relief mechanism for local property damaged by a natural disaster, such as a tornado or hurricane.

As we continue to work with the Senate to ensure the final passage of meaningful legislation, I encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns you might have about legislation before we adjourn on March 29. You can call my office at (404) 656-9210 or email me at [email protected].

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

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