As the Senate concludes week seven of the 2023 Legislative Session, my colleagues and I continue to work at a rapid pace to ensure legislation is properly vetted in the committee process and sufficiently debated on the Senate floor before a final vote. With only one full week of legislative days remaining until we arrive at Crossover Day, the deadline is quickly approaching to have legislation passed through committees in order to be considered for assignment onto the Rules calendar for Legislative Day 28. This week, the Senate took up a number of significant measures to continue to better the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians. I am pleased to provide you with updates on a few bills of note.

We reached a substantial milestone this week with the passage of House Bill 18, the Amended FY 2023 Budget. Every year, the Georgia General Assembly is tasked with the constitutional obligation to pass a balanced budget. While this budget only accounts for the funds that will be allocated for the remainder of the fiscal year, HB 18 still remains a significant priority as we must ensure all taxpayer dollars are being put to good use. Specifically, the amended budget adds $2 billion in revenue in state general funds, $1 billion in homeowner tax relief grants, $1 billion in property tax rebates, funding to end the practice of hoteling for foster kids and most importantly, increases to get money back into the hands of taxpayers. Upon its passage in the Senate, HB 18 will travel back to the House for consideration of the Senate’s revisions to the bill. I intend to provide you with updates as the amended budget inches closer towards the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.

This week, I had the opportunity to bring Senate Bill 170, the “Students and Teachers SPEAK Act,” before the Senate Committee on Education and Youth for consideration. As I outlined last week, this legislation is a product of concerns brought to my attention by my constituents in Senate District 56. SB 170 aims to allow both teachers and students to serve as ex officio advisors to the State Board of Education. Simultaneously, SB 170 seeks to encourage local school boards to invite student representatives to serve as advisors to the boards. SB 170 was favorably reported out of the committee and now awaits selection on to the Senate Rules calendar for final consideration on the Senate floor. I am hopeful that this legislation will soon be brought to the floor to increases its chances of being signed into law.

Also this week, Senate Bill 217 was brought before the Senate Committee on Public Safety for consideration. SB 217, known as the “Eliminating Ghost Plates Act,” and legislation I am proud to author with the help of my Senate Aide, Sean Cunningham. Each year, it is imperative that we immerse our hardworking and dedicated aides in the legislative process by allowing them to study an area that they are particularly passionate about, SB 217 is a product of Sean’s diligent efforts. Specifically, this legislation seeks to address the ongoing concern regarding the use of “false or ghost plates” which prevents law enforcement from perusing proper investigation of the motor vehicle. The obstruction of a license plate has proven to significantly inhibit the ability of law enforcement officials to monitor traffic violations, auto theft, and even far more serious crimes in which automobiles are involved in gang related activity. Ultimately, the goal of this legislation is to crack down on increased crime in Georgia and continue to protect drivers on the roadways. I am pleased to report SB 217 was favorably reported out of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. I am eager to provide you with additional updates as this bill progresses through the legislative process.

Next week, the Senate will convene for an additional full week of legislative days. Legislative Day 28, Crossover Day will fall on the following Monday, March 6. We have a full week of committee meetings and floor sessions ahead of us. I look forward to continuing to work alongside my fellow Senators as we quickly approach the home stretch to Sine Die. As always, if I can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to reach out. It is an honor to serve you here in Atlanta.

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Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. He represents the 56^th Senate District which includes portions of Cherokee, Cobb and North Fulton counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at [email protected]

We have officially reached the halfway point of the 2023 Legislative Session as Thursday marked Legislative Day 20 under the Gold Dome. The Senate has been hard at work continuing to pass important and needed legislation to better the lives of all Georgians as a total of 17 bills are now on their way to the House for consideration. I am pleased to bring you a number of updates on legislation that I am sponsoring.

Crime continues to invade our state, threatening the lives of all Georgians on a daily basis. It is estimated that somewhere between 70 to 90% of all violent crimes within our state is committed by a criminal gangs. More often than not, these repeat and violent offenders will target Georgia’s most vulnerable victims and even Georgia’s children. There is no instance in which Gov. Kemp, First Lady Kemp, or the Georgia General Assembly for that matter will tolerate any form of violence within our state. Drastic steps must be taken to tackle this ongoing concern and Senate Bill 11 serves as a mechanism to do just that. SB 11, also known as the “Georgia Fights Terrorism Act,” would authorize the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to work both independently or concurrently with other law enforcement agencies on cases involving the identification, investigation, arrest, and prosecution of an individual or groups of individuals for violation of laws concerning domestic, cyber, biological, chemical, and nuclear terrorism.

On that same note, Senate Bill 12, known as the “Protecting Victims and Dismantling Georgia Street Gangs Act,” would revise the punishment for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon or first offender probationer when the predicate felony was a forcible felony or a felony involving domestic violence. Specifically, SB 12 would revise the punishment for the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon or a domestic violent felon by increasing the sentence from one to 10 years to five to 10 years. SB 12 also establishes a legislative declaration on gangs in Georgia to identify this problem and allow both criminal and civil action to take place in order to crack down on gangs.  Every year we have sadly seen a huge increase in gang activity in Georgia, therefore this is much needed real criminal justice reform. These bills will prioritize the victims and public safety officials over the criminals and I am pleased to see both measures pass in the Senate with bipartisan support.

In addition, the Senate took up legislation to address growing concerns with the Communist Chinese Government through Senate Bill 93. Sponsored by my colleague and Senate Majority Caucus Chair Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R – Dallas), SB 93 seeks to combat this ongoing standoff with China as it relates to the use of certain social media platforms like TikTok. SB 93 would ban the use of social media platforms monitored by foreign adversaries on state issued devices. Numerous cyber security and national intelligence officials have identified TikTok as a significant espionage threat. State officials would be doing the citizens of Georgia a great disservice by utilizing the platform on their state issued phones. The potential threat should outweigh any viral sensation. This common sense bill would ensure our state’s technological infrastructure is safe and secure.  This legislation passed with bipartisan support.

I am also pleased to report that Senate Bill 149, known as the “Georgia Door-To-Door Sales Act,” was favorably reported out of the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities on Thursday. This legislation ensures that consumers are protected from unfair business practices, especially in the place they should feel the most secure, in their homes. As I have previously mentioned, SB 149 is designed to implement comment sense protections against deceptive or misleading business dealing from door-to-door sales. SB 149 now awaits assignment from the Senate Rules Committee. I look forward to bringing this legislation to the Senate floor for a final vote.

Also this week, I introduced Senate Bill 170, known as the “Students and Teachers SPEAK Act.” This legislation is a product of a growing concern that was brought to my attention by a student in Senate District 56. SB 170 would allow for both teachers and students to serve as ex officio advisors to the State Board of Education. Concurrently, SB 170 seeks to encourage local school boards to invite student representatives to serve as advisors to the boards. Students and teachers should have ample opportunities to be a voice at the table when it comes to discusses that will directly impact them, hence the “speak” portion of this legislation. While we are immensely appreciative and thankful for the dedicated leaders who represent Georgia’s local school boards, having firsthand accounts of ways in which Georgia schools and be improved could prove to be extremely useful. As I have often mentioned, education serves as the backbone of Georgia’s future and its continued success. Therefore, we must do all that is necessary to continue to uphold that reputation. SB 170 has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Education and Youth. I look forward to working alongside Chairman Dixon and all stakeholders to perfect this legislation and bring it across the finish line before March 29^th.

Next week, the Senate will convene Tuesday through Thursday for legislative days 21 through 23. I anticipate House Bill 18, the Amended 2023 Fiscal Year Budget will make its way to the Senate Appropriations Committee for final consideration before it awaits selection from the Senate Rules Committee. I look forward to continuing to provide you with updates as we progress. As always, do not hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any questions or concerns about legislation. I am here to serve you.

Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. He represents the 56^th Senate District which includes portions of Cherokee, Cobb and North Fulton counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at [email protected]

This week, Sen. John Albers (R – Roswell) introduced Senate Bill 149, also known as the “Georgia Door-To-Door Sales Act.”

“As Georgia continues to lead the nation in business, we must ensure that consumers are protected from unfair business practices, especially in the place they should feel the most secure – in their own homes,” said Sen. Albers. “The Georgia Door-to-Door Sales Act is designed to implement common sense protections to prevent Georgia’s families from deceptive or misleading business dealings from door-to-door sales. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the General Assembly and stakeholders in the business community to advance this measure to ensure greater consumer protection.”

SB 149 was introduced on Thursday and will be assigned to committee on Monday, February 12^th. You can read the full text of SB 149 here: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/64232.

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Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. He represents the 56^th Senate District which includes portions of Cherokee, Cobb and North Fulton counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at [email protected]

Things have really begun to ramp up under the Gold Dome as we close out week five of the 2023 Legislative Session. A number of bills were passed out of the Senate and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees met to closely analyze each section of House Bill 18, the Amended FY 2023 Budget.

On Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety met to hold an in-depth discussion of House Bill 18. This year, I have the immense pleasure of chairing such an important subcommittee. The committee heard from a number of government and state officials including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Department of Public Safety, Juvenile Justice, and Corrections, and more, as each outlined the progress that has been made thus far throughout the 2023 fiscal year in addition to outlining any recommended proposals to help tie up loose ends for the remainder of the fiscal year. As a longtime first responder and strong advocate for public safety, I take these hearings very seriously as it is imperative that every taxpayer dollar is being spent adequately and effectively. Each Appropriations Subcommittee will only meet once to evaluate the budget with a fine-tooth comb, meaning it is our responsibility as legislators to ensure we continue to provide the highest level of support to Georgia’s law enforcement agencies and public safety officers. I am pleased with the work this subcommittee was able to accomplish and I look forward to providing you with additional updates as House Bill 18 progresses through the Senate.

In addition, I am pleased to report Senate Bill 3, also known as the “Reducing Barriers to State Employment Act of 2023,” passed in the Senate this week. SB 3, a bill I had the pleasure of sponsoring, would require the Department of Administrative Services to frequently assess a number of education requirements necessary for various jobs associated with certain entities. Georgia remains the number one state in the nation in which to do business. However, we would not have been able to uphold this standard for nine consecutive years if it weren’t for the hardworking men and women of Georgia’s workforce. This legislation aims to provide additional support for individuals seeking employment in the workforce because every Georgian should have the ability earn a living to support themselves, their children, and their families. I am pleased to see this legislation pass with bipartisan support. SB 3 now makes its way to the House. I look forward to proving you with updates as it inches closer to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.

Also on Tuesday, the Senate welcomed a number of law enforcement officials and fire fighters to the Senate chamber. I had the pleasure of sponsoring Senate Resolution 92, which recognized February 7, 2023, as “Firefighter Recognition Day” at the State Capitol. As I have mentioned to you before, the men and women of Georgia’s law enforcement agencies put their lives on the line every day to protect Georgia families. As a fourth-generation fire fighter myself, I understand more than most the sacrifice it takes to serve the community. Therefore, it was an honor of mine to introduce these distinguished individuals into the Senate chamber.

Next week, the Senate will convene Monday through Thursday for legislative days 17 through 20. We are rapidly approaching the halfway point of the 2023 Legislative Session. Crossover Day is just around the corner. I look forward to continuing to provide you with updates as we progress. As always, do not hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any questions or concerns about legislation. I am here to serve you.

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Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. He represents the 56^th Senate District which includes portions of Cherokee, Cobb and North Fulton counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at [email protected]

The 2023 Legislative Session is moving swiftly as we work on important bills to ensure Georgia remains the #1 place to live, work, play and raise a family. I was honored to pass the first bill of the Senate for the second year in a row…

As the fourth week of the 2023 session winds down to a close, the Senate has a number of accomplishments we can build upon to continue a productive session. Not only did committees get down to work and begin the process of assessing assigned pieces of legislation, we also passed our first measure on the Senate floor.  

Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Public Safety held its first committee meeting of the session. As Chairman, we wasted no time getting right to work and quickly passed Senate Bill 11, known as the “Georgia Fights Terrorism Act.” Over the last few years, the jobs of our public safety officers has grown increasingly more difficult and complex and the issues we ask them to take on have an increased potential to turn violent. Over the past few weeks alone, we have witnessed riots in Atlanta which, unfortunately critically injured member of our public safety community. Please join me in praying for his speedy recovery.  SB 11 is not a response to this specific incident. Rather, it is a reaction to the growing threat posed to our law enforcement community by those who wish to use the veil of peaceful assembly to commit heinous acts of violence and destruction. SB 11 would allow the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to wither work independently of in coordination with other law enforcement agencies to aggressively investigate and arrest those involved in domestic, nuclear, chemical, biological, or cyber terrorism. I am proud to say that SB 11 was the first bill for the Senate in 2023 and successfully passed the Senate body and will now head to the House for consideration.

The House also had a busy week, passing House Bill 18, otherwise known as the Amended Budget for the 2023 Fiscal Year (AFY23), out of the House Appropriations Committee. This budget total about $36 billion and, specifically, includes several of Gov. Brian Kemp’s budgetary priorities. Notably, it includes $1 billion to reimburse Georgia’s property owners for property taxes, as well as $28 million for school safety improvements. Gov. Kemp has demonstrated a track record of considerate, conservative fiscal leadership when it comes to budgeting, and the AFY23 budget appears no different. Now that the HB has cleared its first hurdle in the House, it will now be sent to the full House for consideration. Once it revives passage from the House, it will be assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee, and its affiliated subcommittees, to further analyze the intricacies of the budget.

As further evidence of Georgia’s continued economic growth, last week Gov. Kemp’s office announced that SK Battery would open an IT center in Roswell, creating around 200 jobs. This $18 million investment will have a lasting impact on our region and further solidify Georgia as not only the best state in which to do business, but also furthering our reputation as the premiere destination for high-tech corporations. I look forward to continuing to work with Gov. Kemp’s office and other stakeholders in order to bring additional economic development opportunities to District 56.

This week, we also welcomed former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler to the Senate Chamber. Sen. Loeffler has continuously served the people of Georgia before, during, and after her service as a U.S. Senator. I am proud of all she has accomplished in such a relatively short political career and look forward to continuing to support her and her endeavors to promote conservative values across Georgia.

Next week, we expect discussions around the budget to increase as HB 18 makes its way through the final stages in the House. As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, I look forward to examining in detail any budgetary items specifically related to these subject areas. If you have any questions about any legislation under consideration to this point, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

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Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. He represents the 56^th Senate District which includes portions of Cherokee, Cobb and North Fulton counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at [email protected]

Yesterday, Senate Bill 11, sponsored by Sen. John Albers (R – Roswell), passed with bipartisan support in the Senate Chamber. SB 11 is the first piece of legislation to pass out of the Senate in the 2023 Legislative Session. Also known as the “Georgia Fights Terrorism Act,” SB 11 would provide independent and concurrent jurisdiction to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) for crimes related to terrorism.

“Georgia has some of the strongest terrorism laws in the nation,” said Sen. Albers. “The safety and security of our citizens is of the utmost importance and with this legislation, we are able to continue to protect the well-being of all Georgians in the face of terrorism. The Senate body stands behind Georgia’s law enforcement agencies and the GBI and I am pleased to see this legislation make it across the finish line with bipartisan support.”

SB 11 passed through the Senate Committee on Public Safety by substitute the committee by substitute on January 26, 2023. SB 11 was then heard on the Senate Floor on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 and passed by substitute with a vote of 49 to 3. SB 11 is now headed to the House where it will undergo a similar process.

Follow this link to read the full text of the bill. 

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Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. He represents the 56^th Senate District which includes portions of Cherokee, Cobb and North Fulton counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at [email protected]