UNDER THE GOLD DOME

WEEK 6

PASSING THE HALFWAY MARK

The Georgia House of Representatives began the sixth week of the 2025 legislative session on Tuesday, February 18^th after Presidents’ Day on Monday. By the end of the week, we reached Legislative Day 21, meaning that we are now more than halfway through the session. This week, my colleagues and I convened for four legislative days, passing a total of 25 bills as we continue to advance legislation to the Senate in preparation for Crossover Day on Thursday, March 6^th. Legislative Day 28, or Crossover Day, serves as a crucial milestone in the session as it is the final opportunity for bills and resolutions to pass out of their respective chambers and remain eligible to become law. 

NOTABLE BILLS OF THE WEEK

The House unanimously passed legislation this week to strengthen Georgia’s First Offender Act and ensure that individuals who make a single, isolated mistake are given a chance to move forward without that mistake continuing to affect their lives. Originally enacted in the 1960s, the First Offender Act was established to offer a second chance to those who commit non-violent offenses, with the goal of helping individuals rebuild their lives without being hindered by a permanent criminal record. House Bill 162 would require that, starting July 1, 2025, any individual sentenced under the First Offender Act would automatically have their records sealed and restricted. Once an individual is cleared of guilt and discharged as a first offender, their records would be sealed within 60 days. Anyone cleared of guilt and discharged as a first offender prior to July 1, 2025, would be allowed to petition the court to have all records sealed and made unavailable to the public within 90 days of filing the petition. If an individual’s First Offender status is revoked, their records would be unsealed, and authorities, such as law enforcement and detention centers, would have the authority to release those records. HB 162 marks a necessary step in providing hope to those who may be affected, highlighting the need for second chances in certain instances.  

House Bill 148 also received unanimous passage this week to update the certification process for public accountants in Georgia. Currently, in order to obtain licensure to be a certified public accountant (CPA) in Georgia, individuals are required to complete five years of education, along with one year of experience, in addition to passing the required certification exams. HB 148 would update these requirements by reducing the education requirement to a four-year college degree with a concentration in accounting, along with two years of relevant work experience. Alternatively, individuals could still obtain licensure by completing a master’s degree with a concentration in accounting or taxation and one year of experience. HB 148 would also update existing mobility practice privileges to allow accounting firms to perform certain work without the need to maintain an office in Georgia. This change would modernize the CPA licensure process and enhance flexibility for accounting professionals and firms, which would contribute to the expansion of Georgia’s workforce and provide more opportunities for qualified individuals to serve as CPAs. 

EDUCATION UPDATE

We also focused on further solidifying Georgia’s position as a leader in workforce readiness with the passage of House Bill 192, the Top State for Talent Act. HB 192 would build on the successes of numerous workforce development initiatives, such as Georgia’s High Demand Career List, compiled by the State Workforce Development Board, the Georgia MATCH Program and legislation passed last year that strengthens articulation agreements. HB 192 would repurpose a grant program to help schools adjust their career, technical and agricultural education programs to match the High Demand Career List, which would create a more unified and streamlined approach to workforce development. Cultivating workforce readiness is necessary for ensuring that Georgia’s labor force meets the evolving needs of its competitive economy. As such, HB 192 would also establish a system where the High Demand Career List would directly inform the Georgia Department of Education’s development of career education courses for students in grades six through 12. Additionally, the bill would require the creation of a report on articulation agreements to eliminate redundancy, which would ensure students do not repeat coursework for skills they have already mastered. The Top State for Talent Act would strengthen Georgia’s position as a national leader in workforce development, driving growth and prosperity for Georgia’s economy by creating a clear pipeline of skilled talent that is prepared to meet the demands of the future workforce. 

SPONSORED LEGISLATION

I am proud to be sponsoring the following legislation. My colleagues and I are working tirelessly on other bills that will support our communities and will make Georgia a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

HOUSE BILL 81 -- PASSED OUT OF HOUSE This bill will allow Georgia to enter into the Interstate Compact for School Psychologists. This will cut red tape for school psychologists who move here from other member states. School psychologists are an integral part of our schools, and my hope is that this will help our schools hire more of them to support our students. I will now work with the Senate to shepherd this bill through the process in that chamber.

HOUSE BILL 107 -- PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE This bill will require our licensing boards to provide military spouses with a digital verifiable license which will make it easier for them to prove they have a valid occupational license when they move from state to state. I'm working with the Secretary of State's office on this issue before this bill goes into Rules.

HOUSE BILL 174 -- PASSED OUT OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE This bill was brought to me as a unanimous resolution by the Centerville City Council as a piece of local legislation. It will authorize the Municipal Court of Centerville to charge a technology fee.

HOUSE BILL 307 -- PASSED OUT SUBCOMMITTEE This bill will strengthen SB 48 and HB 538, dyslexia and literacy legislation from previous sessions, and ban curriculum that does not align with the Science of Reading. This will be heard in full Education Committee this week.

HOUSE BILL 361 This bill will exempt all retirement benefits of our retired veterans from state income tax. This bill was signed by almost all the House members from our military communities, and is a bipartisan bill. It has been assigned to the Ways & Means Committee.

HOUSE BILL 372 This bill will allow retired teachers who have certificates in certain high needs areas to return to the classroom. It has been assigned to the Retirement Committee.

HOUSE BILL 487 This bill will mandate that computer science be a high school graduation requirement beginning in 2031.It has been assigned to the Education Committee.

You can click the button below to follow all the legislation as each bill makes its way through the House and Senate.

LINKS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

The Georgia House of Representatives will reconvene at the State Capitol on Monday, February 24. With Rules Committee meetings picking up as well, we will continue to see more bills come up for votes on the House Floor.

If your child would like to be a House Page, please click the link below to contact my office. The Page program is open to children ages 12 through 18, and it is a very worthwhile and educational experience. Paging does not count toward school absences, and your child will be counted as "present" at school.

As the legislative session progresses, I encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns regarding the work being done at the State Capitol. Your input is always valued, so please feel free to schedule a call or visit to discuss the issues that matter most to you and your family.