Coastal Georgia’s Progress: Wins & Losses in State House Session End
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Georgia lawmakers are set to begin their 12-day final session, during which they will discuss health care, teacher salaries, workforce housing, and standards for rental properties. Measures have been taken to extend mental health care and facilities, increase teacher pay, and improve rental property standards, but housing reforms have not made headway. Readers of The Current highlighted these areas as the lawmakers’ priorities in an informal survey conducted in January.
Georgia’s Legislative Session in Review
This week marks the start of the Georgia legislative session’s final 12-day sprint. It’s an opportunity to evaluate the accomplishments made by our elected representatives. As per an informal survey conducted with The Current readers in early January, the key legislative priorities identified were improving health care, salary raises for teachers, workforce housing, and standards for rental properties.
The survey results were clear, with health care improvements topping the list, followed by teachers’ salary increases, workforce housing, and rental property standards. This article reviews these priority areas based on the measures passed in the legislative session’s initial 28 days.
Health Care Development
Progress was a mixed bag in the area of health care. While there were some advances in mental health and rural health services, there were also setbacks. The House lawmakers modified rules for health care companies to establish or expand facilities across the state. However, despite signs that House leaders would consider expanding Medicaid to improve access for uninsured residents, they instead created a committee to study the matter. Currently, Georgia plans to spend $181 million less on Medicaid this year, resulting in the loss of hundreds of millions in federal funds.
Pay Raises for Teachers
Gov. Kemp announced a $1,000 bonus for state and university employees and public school teachers before Christmas. He also suggested a $2,500 raise for teachers from July 1 in his proposed $37.5 billion FY 2025 budget, which awaits a final vote this month. If passed, the average teacher pay in Georgia would exceed $65,000 annually.
Workforce Housing
Despite the emphasis on workforce housing, legislation to address rising housing costs and promote affordable housing failed to gain traction. Two bills — SB 256 and SB 257— targeting these issues didn’t get a committee hearing.
Standards for Rental Property
A bill requiring landlords to ensure that rental properties are “fit for human habitation” and limiting security deposits to two months’ rent passed the House unanimously last year. However, it’s currently stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill also proposes a three-day grace period before landlords can issue eviction notices for late rental payments, which could improve chances for landlords to receive payment without resorting to court proceedings, and prevent tenants from receiving long-term negative records.
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