Week Two: Budget
Scrutiny Begins January 21, 2018
The second week in the
General Assembly started off with another snow storm in Atlanta, and I am
certainly not used to this kind of weather. But just as snow and ice
began melting in Atlanta, we also saw the first signs of a legislative thaw in
the General Assembly on Legislative Day 5.
By a vote of 40-13, the
State Senate approved House Bill 159, the adoption bill. The passage of
this bill was necessary to break the logjam of legislation pending in both
chambers. We have been in a bit of a holding pattern in the House on moving
Senate priorities as a strategy to get the Senate to move on the adoption bill
from last legislative session. Also, this week we began the state budget
process, which is one of the most important responsibilities we have during the
entire legislative session.
Senate Approves Adoption
Bill
HB 159, the comprehensive
changes to Georgia’s adoption code by Rep. Bert Reeves (R-Marietta), was
presented on the Senate floor this week by Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen.
Jesse Stone (R-Waynesboro). The legislation passed by a vote of 40 to 13
after lengthy presentations by members of both the majority and minority
parties. Although the legislation was clean of language relating to
religious freedom, as demanded by the Governor and House, the Senate’s version
included several differences from the House version, particularly the inclusion
of HB 359, the private guardianship initiative that allows a parent to give
temporary custodial powers to individuals other than a child’s
grandparents. HB 359 was previously passed in 2017 and vetoed by Governor
Deal as he had concerns pertaining to the provisions that could limit DFCS’s
authority. The legislation included these revisions under the
adoptions laws:
Recognizes that Superior
courts have exclusive jurisdiction over adoptions. Addresses instances where a
military parent is involved by making clarifications on where venue is
appropriate. Recognizes foreign adoptions and allows a judge to set the
birthdate of such a child. Addresses relative adoptions by removing the 10-year
age differential. Continues to only allow reimbursement of living expenses for
a birth mother in agency adoptions. Permits a birth mother to waive the 10-day
rescission period but only where the mother is 21 years old, waits 72 hours,
and is independently advised by counsel. Allows Court discretion to not bar a
father’s legitimation petition in an adoption where a birth mother testifies
that the father provided no support. Codifies 14 factors that a
court must consider in adoptions to determine the best interest of the child. Includes
updated forms.
The legislation also
addresses, as mentioned above, the power of attorney provisions of HB
359. The power of attorney provision permits an individual to make
decisions on a child’s healthcare and school enrollment. In the case of
an individual who is to be on military deployment, it permits an additional
thirty days for such power of attorney. There are criminal background
checks required, and notice of a power of attorney is to be sent to the
non-custodial parent. The power of attorney cannot subvert a DFCS
investigation, and it further cannot limit the powers of the Division of Family
and Children’s Services an apparent nod to Governor Deal’s veto statement
concerns. Fourteen states have passed similar laws including Maine,
Arkansas, and Florida. He also noted that the religious freedom issue,
which arose in last year’s Judiciary Committee substitute offered by Sen.
William Ligon (R-Brunswick), would be addressed in a separate piece of
legislation.
FY 2019 Budget
On January 11, 2018,
Governor Deal released his Budget priorities for the coming fiscal year
starting July 1, 2018. The $26 billion dollar (in State funds) budget is
based on a 3.7 percent fund growth over FY 2018. Georgia’s rainy day fund
is now at $2.3 billion. Many of his priorities for this coming fiscal
year are centered on economic development, transportation, education,
behavioral health and criminal justice reform. In part, his priorities
include funding increases for the Regional Economic Business Assistance (REBA)
program and OneGeorgia initiatives in the amount of $49.4 million ($3.5 million
is included for payments to OneGeorgia Authority (in the Department of
Community Affairs budget) as an increase in funds for economic development
projects and an allocation of more than $1.9 billion to maintain and improve
Georgia’s transportation infrastructure. The budget includes funding for
226 new scholars in the REACH Georgia Scholarship program for a total of $1.8
million and an additional $60 million for higher education. He also
prioritized funding Georgia’s Teacher’s Retirement System with $361.7 million
to keep it sound. Within the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental
Disabilities, he has included $15 million for added waiver services and for
supportive housing; it also includes $22.9 million for addressing the Children’s
Mental Health services. Below is a snapshot of several departments; it is
not a review of the entire budget. Through criminal justice reforms, he
added more funds to create more accountability courts a total of $5 million.
The estimated net taxes
for FY 2019 are projected to be slightly more than $23 billion. There are
additional interest fees and sales which are roughly $574.2 million (including
transportation fees). Other departments' interest, sales and fees (which
will include such things as interest on motor fuel deposits, super speeder
fines, hospital provider payments, indigent defense fees, etc.) are more than
$1.09 billion. Georgia also receives Tobacco Settlement Funds and
Interest of more than $150 million and $1.2 billion from lottery
proceeds. Thus, total receipts are more than $26 billion. Governor
Deal has continued to work on his policy areas:
Educated Georgia - $13.9
billion (in 2018, it was $13.39 billion)
Healthy Georgia - $5.6
billion (in 2018, it was $5.28 billion)
Safe Georgia - $2.07
billion (in 2018, it was $2.05 billion)
Responsible and
Efficient Georgia - $861.5 million (in 2018, it was $844.6 million)
Growing Georgia - $312.6
million (in 2018, it was $301.6 million)
Mobile Georgia - $1.91
billion (in 2018, it was $1.90 billion)
Debt Management - $1.24
billion (in 2018, it was $1.21 billion)
Looking at percentages
by policy area, educated Georgia is the area taking 53.7 percent while healthy
Georgia” takes 21.7 percent.
Looking at surplus
dollars left in FY 2017 (total was more than $197 million), the following had
these amounts:
Behavioral Health and
Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD): $6.29 million
Community Health (DCH):
$106.49 million
Corrections (DOC): $1.7
million
Education (DOE): $2.9
million
Human Services (DHS):
$2.8 million
Juvenile Justice (DJJ):
$669,983
Public Health (DPH):
$2.004 million
Regents (BOR): $2.67
million
Student Finance: $48.7
million
New House Legislation
The following
legislation was read and referred to committee in the House today:
HB 653 This bill,
authored by Rep. Jason Spencer (R-Woodbine), amends Title 49 to allow
professional licensing boards under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State
and the Georgia Composite Medical Board the discretion to suspend or not
suspend an individual’s license upon notice of nonpayment or default on a
federal educational loan or service conditional scholarship. Current law
requires these boards to suspend an individual’s license under such
circumstances. Current law does not allow any discretion and removes the
ability of one to work to pay back their obligations. The current policy
is counter-productive. The bill was referred to the Regulated Industries
Committee.
HB 675 This bill,
authored by Rep. Clay Cox (R-Lilburn), amends Title 48 to provide employers an
income tax credit for up to three years for each Medicaid-eligible employee who
participates in an employer-sponsored health benefit plan. Employers may claim
a tax credit of $5,000 for the first year and $2,500 for each of the second and
third years for each such employee who participates in the employer benefit
plan. The legislation is drafted to sunset on December 31, 2028. The bill was
referred to the Ways & Means Committee.
HB 678 This bill,
authored by Rep. Richard Smith (R-Columbus), amends Title 33 to provide for
certain consumer protections regarding health insurance. Specifically, the
legislation requires that providers inform patients, prior to provision of
non-emergency services, the health care plans with which the provider has a
participation agreement and the hospitals with which the provider is
affiliated. It also requires a provider to disclose estimated costs of care
when the provider determines that it does not have a participation agreement
with a patient’s health care plan and make other disclosures related to other
providers who may provide services to the patient. The bill requires hospitals
to publish standard charges and post and provide certain disclosures about
providers, participating health care plans, and costs to patients. Insurers are also required to proactively make certain disclosures
enrollees. The bill was referred to the Insurance Committee.
HB 680 This bill,
authored by Rep. Scot Turner (R-Holly Springs), amends Title 21 to provide that
direct recording electronic voting systems not be used in elections in Georgia
after January 1, 2019. The legislation requires that the State transition to a
voting system that uses durable paper ballots and amends code sections that
refer to or relate to use of electronic voting systems. The bill was referred
to the Governmental Affairs Committee.
Sponsored and
Co-Sponsored Pro-Military Legislation by Rep. Spencer
HR 888 This
resolution, authored by Rep. Jason Spencer (R-Woodbine), creates a Joint Study
Committee on Converting Closed Hospitals to Veterans Homes. The bill was
referred to the Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee.
HB 676: This bill
would allow a court in Georgia to delay any proceedings on active duty military
personnel if they got behind on paying their mortgages. The courts would
be able to stay any actions on default or other related matters until the
service member finishes their military obligation. The bill would suspend
any foreclosure proceedings against the active duty member during the stay so
their families could stay in their homes while serving their country.
HB 677: Allows for
a homestead property tax exemption for active duty military during their time
of service. This exemption is not in lieu of any other homestead
exemption. This policy will allow members of the military property tax relief while serving on duty in the military.
The House will be back
in session on Monday, January 22, and we have another busy week ahead of us as
the pace of the session continues to pick up. As we move forward, I encourage
you to visit me at my capitol office, or call me if you have any questions or
concerns regarding the state budget bills, the legislative process or any other
measures being considered under the Gold Dome. As your representative at the
Georgia State Capitol, I want to know what issues are most important to you,
your family and our neighbors, and I welcome any opportunity hear feedback from
my constituents. My capitol office is located at the Coverdell Legislative
Office Building (CLOB) 501 Suite D, 18 Capitol Square NW, Atlanta, GA
30334. My office phone number is 404-656-0177, and my email address is
Jason.spencer@house.ga.gov. Please reach out to me any time. Thank
you for allowing me to serve as your representative. Your Public
Servant, Rep. Jason Spencer
GA State Representative
Jason Spencer 28 Yachtsmen Court Woodbine Georgia 31569 United States
Source: Email from Jason
Spencer
Comments
The “Adoption Bill” is a
“one size fits all” government solution to assume even more Court control over
child adoption.
The $23 billion budget
parcels out increases in spending for our “Nanny-State”.
The pandering to the
military Bill allows veterans to delay forclosure.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA
Tea Party Leader
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