Top Ten Wins for Kids from the 2019 Legislative Session
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Top Ten Wins for Kids from the 2019 Legislative Session

January 29th, 2020
Voices for Georgia’s Children followed about 250 pieces of child-relevant legislation, as well as an array of federal issues, bills and acts during the 2019 Legislative Session. Millions of dollars in the state budget were allocated to child-relevant issues, including children’s mental health, preparing for the 2020 census, and items to improve child learning outcomes.

Here’s a look at some of the more high-profile child-relevant policies passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Kemp:

1. Getting Ready to Get Counted

The U.S. Constitution requires the entire country to count itself (all residents, not just citizens) in order to assess things like political boundaries, political representation and appropriate funding levels for things like schools, highways, children’s health insurance, government assistance programs and more.  For every person that does not get counted, the state loses more than $2,000 a year in federal funding. That adds up over a 10-year time span.

With Voices advocacy, the Legislature appropriated $1.5 million for a targeting marketing campaign to increase Census participation in hard-to-count areas. Since the 2020 census will be the first to be completed largely online, another $2.6 million in bonds was allocated for public libraries for technology improvements and upgrades.

2. Supporting Success in School

In keeping with the increased awareness by our legislative leaders regarding supports that improve student academic and life success, a number of bills and budget items were passed that improve a child’s learning outcomes.

Dyslexia

SB 48 (Martin-9th) creates a pilot in three local school systems which would begin in the 2020-2021 school year with the ultimate goal (post-pilot) to require all kindergarten students to be screened for dyslexia and a handful of other learning disabilities. The bill also updates teachers’ professional development regarding dyslexia. $200,000 allocated in the FY2020 Budget for the dyslexia pilots.

REACH Scholarship

SB 83 (Mullis-53rd) codifies the Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Scholarship Program and sets its criteria [The underlying and retained bill (SB 83) also requires public schools to offer elective courses in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible to grades 9-12.] Additional $782,000 allocated in the FY2020 Budget to REACH.

3. Improving Pay for Those Serving Georgia’s Children

Teacher retention is a significant issue for Georgia schools. Because of this, raises were appropriated for Certified School Employees ($3000/year) as well as State Workers (2% Merit Increase), many of whom are in child-serving positions that support children and youth across the board.

4. Safeguarding Children

Child safety was of great concern to lawmakers this year. A top priority was preparing the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) for implementation of the new federal Family First Prevention Services Act, which shifts child welfare policy and funding more toward abuse prevention (as opposed to being simply reactive). There were a handful of bills designed to improve the process for determining placement for children who are on the verge of coming into or are in the custody of the state, as well as a bill allowing DFCS to investigate withdrawal from or absence of children from school beyond 45 days (the bill was a response a child murder case uncovered in Effingham County this past December).

Other bills of note:

Child Abuse Registry

HB 478 (Ballinger-23rd) improves the Due Process regarding placement on the list and preventing children under 18 from being put on the registry.

Human Trafficking

HB 281 (Anulewicz-42nd) tightens laws around pimping and pandering.

HB 424 (Silcox-52nd) improves systems to protect and provide victims of trafficking with services.

SB 158 (Strickland-17th) makes it easier to prosecute owners of places where trafficking occurs.

HB 228 (Welch-110th) raises the minimum marriage age to 17 and requires the other party to a marriage with a minor to be no more than 4 years older.

Healthy and reliable housing

HB 346 (Cooper-43rd) protects tenants from retaliation (e.g. eviction, increased rent, etc.) by landlords in response to requesting reasonable improvements for health and safety (the bill also protects landlords from such tenant actions when the tenants intent is vindictive). Remember: asthma, often triggered by housing conditions, is one of the top reasons children miss school.

Student safety, both in terms of student physical health as well as safety protocols and systems

SB 60 (Martin-9th) is modeled on last year’s Concussion Bill. It sets in place education and sports-related protocols when high school students may be at risk for cardiac arrest.

5. Considering Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Early Care

Several pieces of legislation focused on pregnancy, birth outcomes and early child policy, including the highly publicized and controversial anti-abortion bill, HB 481 (Setzler-35th).

HB 345 (Cooper-43rd) prevents the physical restraint of pregnant inmates during labor.

HR 589 (Newton-123rd) creates a House Study Committee on Maternal Mortality.

Budget items: the Legislature appropriated $13,000 for lactation rooms in the General Assembly offices, $700,000 in all to address Maternal Mortality specifically, $500,000 in new monies for Child and Parent Services (childcare subsidies), and more than $2.3 Million for Newborn Screenings for four additional disorders.

6. Improving Access to Healthcare

Healthcare was a big topic at the state house this year.

Expanding Medicaid

SB 106 (Tillery-19th) allows the state to seek waivers to expand Medicaid for childless adults up to 100% of the Federal Poverty Limit and attempt to shore up the private insurance marketplace.

Interstate Compact bills, which make it easier for providers to work across state lines

HB 26 (Belton-112th) for psychologists

HB 39 (Belton-112th for physical therapists

SB 16 (Kirkpatrick-32nd) for doctors and certain other health professionals

Telemedicine bills improve use and outcomes using a telehealth system (SB 115 (Unterman-45th) and SB 118 (Unterman-45th)).

Additionally, there were appropriations for two new Federally Qualified Health Centers (Screven and Chatham counties), 139 new primary care residency slots, 54 new OB/GYN residency slots, and a respectable handful of other residency opportunities in the state.

7. Making Access to Medical Marijuana Easier and Kratom Harder

HB 324 (Gravley-67th) “Georgia’s Hope Act” allows for the legitimate use of medical cannabis for health care, and creates a means for the production, growing, manufacturing, and dispensing of low THC oil to patients on the Low THC Oil Patient Registry via pharmacies in Georgia.

HR 589 (Newton-123rd) makes it illegal to sell Kratom to people under 18. It is currently a misdemeanor.

8. Expanding Mental Health Care Access and Awareness

HB 514 (Tanner-9th) creates the Georgia Mental Health Reform and Innovation Commission, which is tasked with assessing mental and behavioral health systems across the life trajectory.

HR 421 (Dempsey-13th) creates a study committee on Infant and Toddler Social and Emotional Health. The study committee will conduct meetings before next session.

Budget items: The Amended FY 2019 budget added $8.4 Million for Georgia Apex Program to provide mental health counselors in high schools, and the FY 2020 budget added more than $43 Million across line items to support mental health and addiction services for children and adults. 

9. Improving Communications Infrastructure in Rural Georgia

Several bills encouraged the investments by various utilities to build out broadband and cell service throughout the state. Three key bills include:

SB 2 (Gooch-51st) allows an electric membership corporation (EMC) to provide and operate broadband facilities.

SB 17 (Gooch-51st) gives cooperative non-profit corporations the ability to furnish, improve, and expand broadband services.

SB 66 (Gooch-51st), the ‘Streamlining Wireless Facilities and Antennas Act’, streamlines the deployment of small cells in public rights-of-way.

 10. Educating, Convening, Engaging Stakeholders by Voices and GSAN

Voices and GSAN had one of the most productive sessions ever.  In addition to our usual amazing policy, research, coalition, and convening work in the off-season, we took it to a whole new level during the Legislative Session!  Check out all we did:

See more Legislative Resources Here

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