Committee Reports
Senate Health and Human Services Committee
Chairman Ben Watson (R-Savannah) and the Health and Human Services Committee took up one proposal, SB 116, authored by Senator Randy Robertson (R-Cataula). The legislation seeks to enact in Chapter 5 of Title 49 the “Maternity Supportive Housing Act.” The legislation would allow nonprofits to own and operate housing for women who are ages 18 and older and who need a place to live while pregnant and for up to 18 months after the child is born; pregnant women can bring their existing children to these homes. These facilities would be different than homes provided to younger girls (typically those in foster care who become pregnant). Senator Robertson noted that it was to exclude government interference; there is a need for these homes as waiting lists exist. Senator Robertson reminded the Committee as a former law enforcement officer he knew well the pipeline to prison and this would perhaps help alleviate some of this
Committee Reports
House Appropriations Human Resources Subcommittee
Chairman Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) and her Human Resources Subcommittee spent a part of President’s Day hearing more specifics regarding the FY 2022 Budget needs, particularly around the areas of the Departments of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Human Resources (including Division of Family and Children’s Services), Veterans Services, Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities and Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. The full tracking document for HB 81, the proposed spending plan for FY 2022, is here.
The Subcommittee heard presentations from the Departments and agencies, but the real discussions were the testimonies provided by the public. A few highlights of the agencies presentations included:
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Committee Reports
House Education Committee
The House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Matt Dubnik (R-Gainesville), met this morning to consider two bills and hear a presentation from State School Superintendent Richard Woods.
HB 32, authored by Representative Dave Belton (R-Buckhead), amends O.C.G.A. 20-2-251 to require the State Board of Education to create a teacher recruitment and retention program by providing a refundable tax credit of $3,000 per qualifying teacher per year, for up to five school years. The department must pick no more than 100 schools from the list of qualifying schools to become a part of the program. The Office of Student Achievement is required to create program objectives and annually measure and evaluate the program. The program is limited to 1,000 teachers statewide. No new applications to the program can be accepted after December 31, 2031. Representative Belton presented the bill to the committee and fielded questions.