February 2, 2024 Legislative Update:
One of the purposes and functions of the Cherokee County Republican Coalition (CCRC) is to promote responsible policy and legislation and to educate the voters of Cherokee County on policy and legislative matters. To that end, we are excited to begin our legislative update series to help be your source of what’s happening at the State Capitol. Speaker Jon Burns (R-District 159) gaveled the House of Representatives in on January 8th, for the opening day of the 2024 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly.
A few weeks in, and already lawmakers have brought forth legislation, attended Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the State Address on January 11th and lawmakers, in support of Israel, passed a bill that would define antisemitism in state law. HB 30, sponsored by Rep. John Carson (R- District 46) was signed by Gov. Kemp on Wednesday, January 31st. The bill aligns the definition of antisemitism with the definition adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Additionally, this past Friday the Senate passed SB 358, sponsored by Sen. Max Burns (R- District 23) a bill to remove the Secretary of State from the State Election Board and give the State Election Board power to investigate the Secretary of State, the bill now heads to the house; and SR 465, sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal (R- District 27) establishing a special committee to investigate Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, citing accusations of an improper relationship with a special attorney she hired and misuse of public money.
Key Legislation to Track:
Tax Reform
Sponsor: Rep. Jordan Ridley
About: Cherokee County; homestead exemption; provide full value exemption for senior and disabled residents
Status: Introduced; House Second Readers
*Article featured in the Cherokee Tribune and Ledger News, click HERE to read.
Sponsor: Rep. Lauren Daniel
About: Income tax; increase amount of dependent exemption
Status: Introduced; House Ways & Means Committee on 2/1/2024
Sponsor: Rep. Lauren McDonald
About: Income tax; reduce rate of tax
Status: Introduced; House Ways & Means Committee on 2/1/2024
Sponsor: Rep. Matt Reeves
About: Revenue and taxation; statewide homestead exemption from certain ad valorem taxes; increase
Status: Introduced; House Ways & Means Committee on 2/1/2024
Election Integrity
Sponsor: Sen. Randy Robertson
About: A bill to prohibit ranked-choice voting
Status: Crossed Over; House Second Readers
Sponsor: Rep. John LaHood
About: Secretary of State; establish and maintain a state-wide system for the posting of scanned paper ballots; require
Status: Introduced; House Governmental Affairs Committee on 1/31/2024
Sponsor: Rep. John LaHood
About: Elections; prohibit bar codes, QR codes, and other machine codes on ballots printed by electronic ballot markers
Status: Introduced; House Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Elections 1/30/2024
Sponsor: Rep. John LaHood
About: Elections; ballots used in optical scan voting systems shall use paper with a visible watermark security feature; provide
Status: In Committee
Sponsor: Rep. John LaHood
About: Elections; number of contests subject to risk-limiting audits; expand
Status: Introduced; House Governmental Affairs Committee on 1/31/2024
Education
Sponsor: Sen. Greg Dolezal
About: A bill to create a $6,000 school voucher program
Status: Crossed Over in 2023
Misc.
Sponsor: Rep. Charlice Byrd
About: Willis, Fani T.; district attorney for Atlanta Judicial Circuit; impeachment charges; vote
Status: Introduced; House Second Readers
Sponsor: Rep. Mark Newton
About: Firearm Safe Handling and Secure Storage Tax Credit Act; enact
Status: Introduced; House Second Readers
Sponsor: Rep. Steven Sainz
About: Protecting Religious Assembly in States of Emergency (PRAISE) Act
Status: Introduced; House Public Safety & Homeland Security on 1/31/2024
Sponsor: Rep. Bill Cowsert
About: State Government; regulation and taxation of sports betting in this state; authorize and provide
Status: Senate Tabled 1/12/2024
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