Guest column: Legislative update from Georgia Rep. Bruce Williamson (R-Monroe)

Dear Friends, 
We have just completed day 25 of this Legislative Session! The House has been very busy putting the finishing touches on legislation, voting them out of the House, and sending them to the Senate. 
Not only are we passing significant legislation, but we also have two special study committees working diligently to provide solutions in their respective areas. One committee is the Subcommittee of Rules on Lawsuit Reform, dedicated to addressing legislation that will positively influence Georgia’s legal environment. The other special committee is the Special Committee on Resource Management, tasked with examining and ultimately advising on the establishment of a comprehensive energy policy that will support Georgia’s increasing energy demands for decades to come. I look forward to seeing what these two committees develop.
During this session, House Republicans continue to lead by allowing taxpayers to keep their hard-earned money. Several measures have emerged from my Income Tax Subcommittee of Ways and Means that will provide Georgians with tax cuts, property tax relief, and assistance in recovering from Hurricane Helene. I look forward to the final passage of House Bills 67, 111, 112, 223, 260, and others. These bills will reduce Georgia’s income tax rate from 5.39% to 5.19%, returning $800 million to taxpayers. They will provide qualifying residents with tax refunds ranging from $250 to $500 in 2024. Additionally, they will increase the statewide homestead tax exemption from $2,000 to $5,000. Furthermore, $145 million will be added to the Governor’s Emergency Fund to continue the state’s emergency response efforts related to Hurricane Helene.
I don’t know about you, but this sounds like winning, and we are not hitting the brakes.

The Riley Gaines Act Passes the House!
The Riley Gaines Act, HB 267, passed the House! This act guarantees fairness for girls who have devoted countless hours, days, and years to excelling at their sport by ensuring that they don’t have to compete on the field, court, or in the locker rooms with biological males.
Speaker Burns Applauds Passage of Riley Gaines Act (Click Here)

The House Passes Protections for IVF Treatments!
House Bill 428 codifies the right of individuals to access IVF treatments in Georgia now and in the future. This bill does not change any current practices related to IVF treatments.
Speaker Burns Applauds House Passage of IVF Protections (Click Here)

Here’s a sample of other pieces of legislation that have passed the House this week

Prohibit State Agencies from Purchasing Goods from Certain Foreign Entities (China) House Bill 113: allows the Georgia Technology Authority to establish standards for technology purchased and evaluate security risks associated with buying technology-related goods and services from foreign countries. The legislation also prohibits the purchase of goods and services from countries that are deemed a security risk.
Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act House Bill 307: will provide additional services, resources, support, and strategies for early intervention services provided by local school systems for students at risk of not attaining grade-level reading proficiency and or with characteristics of dyslexia. The goal is to identify these students earlier to help them become proficient readers.
Next Generation 9-1-1 SystemHouse Bill 423 will authorize the Georgia Emergency Communications Authority to implement the Next Generation 9-1-1 system, replacing the antiquated 9-1-1 system that is currently in place. This bill will promote efficiency in emergency response to improve public safety outcomes.
Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act or “SAVE Act”: We all know that the VA system is broken. There is a backlog of 300,000 claims and a 2 1/2-year wait for appeals. Georgia cannot fix a broken federal system. However, we can create a better regulatory environment. House Bill 108 will establish guardrails for private claim consultants and hold bad actors accountable. For example, this bill will prevent private claim consultants from informing veterans that they can guarantee specific outcomes regarding the receipt of benefits when they cannot.
Aviation, Vertiports, and Airtaxies House Bill 156: establishes the use of air taxis in Georgia’s aviation code. It also permits the construction of vertiports, or “lily pads,” to serve as landing locations for these new air taxis. Fly like the Jetsons!
Ethan’s LawHouse Bill 253: will protect children from being sent to reunification camps outside of Georgia during custody proceedings. These camps are intended to pressure children into reuniting with parents who may have previously abused them, pulling them away from their other parent and keeping them from a safe and stable environment.
Ensuring Accountability for Illegal A.I. Activities Act: With the rise of artificial intelligence, traditional crimes have evolved into new forms. Criminals are now taking images of our children from social media and creating obscene photos using AI. House Bill 171 will make it a crime to distribute computer-generated obscene material depicting children. This bill will also safeguard the elderly by increasing penalties for the exploitation of a disabled adult or when AI is used in committing such offenses.
Water Resources for Farm UseHouse Bill 143 enhances the regulations surrounding groundwater use in agriculture by defining explicit requirements for permits and their renewals, and by implementing a system to accurately monitor groundwater consumption in farming practices.

Statement from Attorney General Chris Carr on 504 Lawsuit 

“The constitutionality of 504 was never in question. We are fighting one woke policy added by Biden for virtue signaling. The vast majority of Georgians — Rs and Ds — agree that so-called ‘gender dysphoria’ should not be treated as eligible for federal funds, as if it’s the same as Down syndrome or dyslexia or autism.
The lawsuit being referenced in no way, shape, or form would affect Georgia’s existing 504 disability program. The lawsuit would not end 504 protections for Georgia students
In May 2024, the Biden administration issued a rule attempting to unconstitutionally expand the definition of “disability” under Section 504 to include “gender dysphoria.” Our legal challenge was solely about this rule which, if implemented, would have stripped existing 504 resources away from students who deserve them and need them most.
Thankfully, the case is stayed at this time, and the rule is not currently in effect. We expect the new administration will reverse Biden’s actions that put funding for children at risk in the first place.
Any information to the contrary is false, fraudulent and a deliberate misrepresentation of the central argument of the case, and it’s being spread nationally by partisan, political groups out of California. It’s reprehensible that a political organization would cherry-pick language from the lawsuit and take it out of context to deliberately scare families with children receiving 504 program benefits.”

Additional Highlights 

It was a pleasure to welcome Pastor Derik Lawrence, Josh Ayers, Colt Key, Cole Lawrence, and Cooper Kennedy from Victory Baptist Church. I was also glad to have Chris Vardaman from New Testament Baptist Church join us.

I was happy to have our representatives from the Walton County Conservation District visiting the Capitol this week. From left to right, Cheryl Brady, Dan Bennett, Hattie Huszagh, Rey Martinez, and I are pictured.