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The Gold Dome Download
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
We're officially counting down to Sine Die, or the the last day of legislative session - which is on Wednesday, March 29th. We are eager to see which bills pass both chambers over the coming days. In this edition of the Gold Dome Download, we're focusing on all things elections-- news, legislation, and Mableton's historic vote!
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ELECTIONS LEGISLATION:
SB 222 is among the only pieces of elections-related legislation that advanced past Crossover Day this year. The legislation, sponsored by Senator Max Burns (R-Sylvania), would ban outside funding in Georgia elections. It clarifies the language of the Georgia Election Integrity Act, passed in 2021, which sought to ban all outside influence in boards of elections across our state.
This afternoon, the bill passed a House Committee with an amendment that would alter the structure of the State Election Board. Next, the bill will head to a full vote on the House floor - and then it will need to return to the State Senate for final approval. We'll keep you updated as this bill progresses.
GEORGIA'S NEW REGISTRATION SERVER:
The Secretary of State has updated the technology used to register voters. The new system is commonly referred to as GARVIS -- which stands for Georgia Registered Voter Information System. To learn more about this update, click HERE.
CLEAN VOTER ROLLS:
Some on the Left have recently raised issue with Georgia's practice of cleaning voter rolls. Currently, individuals are permitted to challenge the eligibility of voters based on evidence that they reside in a different state. A number of groups are now pushing for additional restrictions on the process - to make it harder for citizens to challenge and remove fraudulent voters from the rolls. To learn more about their push, click HERE.
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LATEST LEGISLATION
Over the last week, a handful of bills have seen movement in the Georgia General Assembly - but we expect much more action next week, ahead of Sine Die. Here's the latest movement under the Gold Dome:
$1B TAX REBATE (Signed by Governor)
House Bill 162, a bill that delivers a $1B state income tax rebate to Georgia taxpayers, received final passage. It has been signed by the Governor.
PROTECTING CHILDREN (Final Passage)
Senate Bill 140, a bill to ban health care providers from administering hormones or performing surgeries to change the gender of underaged children, received final passage. It now heads to the Governor's desk.
SCHOOL SAFETY (Final Passage)
House Bill 147, a bill to mandate school safety training, received final passage. It now heads to the Governor's desk.
TIKTOK BAN (Final Passage)
Senate Bill 93, a bill to ban TikTok and other foreign-owned technology on state devices, received final passage. It now heads to the Governor's desk.
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REVIVED LEGISLATION
As the old saying goes, it ain't over 'til it's over. Some bills that failed to make it past Crossover Day are now being revived as amendments to other pieces of legislation. Here's what's come back so far:
SPORTS BETTING
Although an earlier attempt to legalize online sports betting failed, the legislation was revived last week as a new amendment to House Bill 237. Read the bill HERE.
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KNOW YOUR STATE SENATE & HOUSE MEMBERS | |
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Senate Majority Leader
Senator Steve Gooch
Majority Leader Steve Gooch represents the 51st Senate District of Georgia which covers Dahlonega. Leader Gooch sits on the following committees: Appropriations, Education and Youth, Finance, Insurance and Labor, Judiciary, Natural Resources and the Environment, Reapportionment and Redistricting, Regulated Industries and Utilities, Rules, Transportation, Veterans, Military and Homeland Security, Assignments, and Administrative Affairs. Two of Leader Gooch's bills have crossed over to the House (SB146 & SB193).
Click HERE to visit the Senate website.
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House Majority Leader
Rep. Chuck Efstration
House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration represents the 104th House District of Georgia, which encompasses Dacula. Leader Efstration sits on the following committees: Code Revision, Ethics, Insurance, Judiciary, Judiciary Non-Civil, Juvenile Justice, Reapportionment and Redistricting, Rules, and Appropriations. Leader Efstration presented 14 resolutions this session, which can be found here.
Click HERE to visit the House website.
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ELECTIONS WATCH
The City of Mableton has its first ever mayoral election TODAY! If you live in this new town in Cobb County, be sure to get out and vote. To learn if you're eligible to vote, find your polling place, and more, visit: www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.
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FOLLOW THE PROCESS
Stay up to date on all things under the Gold Dome including committee hearings, track legislation, and more by visiting, www.legis.ga.gov.
You can also follow @GASenatePress and @GaHouseHub on Twitter to get legislative updates in real time.
Finally, you can search for and contact your state legislators by clicking HERE.
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NYT – Florida Faces Federal Lawsuit Over Signature Rules for New Voters
11 Alive – Athens DA is 'unable and unwilling' to do her job, lawsuit alleges
Washington Examiner- Georgia has all-time high job availability with low unemployment,
Fox Business - The collapse of Britain's National Health Service, the crown jewel of socialized healthcare
CNBC – UBS buys Credit Suisse for $3.2 billion as regulators look to shore up the global banking system
NY Post – Hormone therapy for trans kids supported at ‘highest levels’ of Biden admin: HHS
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GET INVOLVED
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We need your help! — Click the buttons below to find out how you can join the fight for conservative values.
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