WEEK 7 | FEB. 28

Week 7 at the Capitol brought a lot of action for legislators alike. Crossover Day approaches next week, and it is critical that important bills move through both the House and the Senate to make an impact on Georgia residents.  During our seventh week of session, we convened for four legislative days, while Tuesday was set aside for a committee workday. While the House did not convene on Tuesday, my colleagues and I were diligently working to move legislation through the committee process. This week, the House voted on several bills and resolutions – the most of any week so far. I would like to highlight a few notable pieces of legislation that passed the House this week as we gear up for Crossover Day next week. Check out the updates below for items of interest for House District 170.  General Updates FY25 Amended Budget The Senate passed a record budget this week for FY25. Key amendments to this budget from the Senate are more disaster relief for areas impacted by storms last year. Additionally, significant funds went toward school safety and each school in Georgia will receive a grant of $70,000 for security upgrades. It still has a few steps before it goes back to the Governor’s office for approval, but it is moving along and will have positive impacts for our district.  Tort Reform Both Senate bills (68 and 69) are in the House for debate on this important issue for Georgians. We will be spending a lot of time to refine these bills and make them beneficial for Georgians all over the state and protect our businesses that support our local communities from frivolous lawsuits.  What is tort reform? It is a set of changes to the civil justice system that limit people’s ability to file lawsuits and the amount of compensation they can receive.  Why does it matter to you? If you are for tort reform, it can help prevent frivolous lawsuits and lower insurance costs. HB 171 We also took an important step to protect Georgia’s children by passing House Bill 171, a measure aimed at addressing the growing concern surrounding computer-generated obscene material involving children. As technology evolves, so do the ways in which individuals may exploit and potentially harm children, with artificial intelligence (AI) playing an increasingly prominent role. HB 171, also known as the Illegal AI Activities Act, would create a new criminal offense for the distribution, solicitation or possession with the intent to distribute obscene computer-generated material that depict a child. This would include any AI-generated images, videos, drawings, sculptures or paintings that are obscene and feature realistic depictions of what appears to be a child. HB 428 With the unanimous passage of House Bill 428, the House took a significant step in supporting Georgians and their growing families. This legislation would codify the right to in vitro fertilization (IVF) in our state’s law, reinforcing our commitment to making Georgia the best place to live, work and raise a family. Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Legislation has gained momentum in a few areas of interest:  HB 172: clarify eligibility for the Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program to include former students and specifies that applicants must have practiced in the required specialty for 10 years or less. The maximum award amount for repayment would be increased from $80,000 to $90,000, to be paid in increments of $30,000 per 12 months of service. HB 424/SB 144: Pesticide “Failure to Warn” Labeling. Protecting the farmers’ ability to continue to use EPA-approved plant protection products.  Natural Resources and Environment Several topics were discussed in the Natural Resources and Environment Committee.  HB 143: Water resources; water-measuring devices for farm use of surface and groundwater. Agriculture has show to have used less water than meters are reading. This bill is to streamline metering and be less restrictive.  Rural Development Rural Communities are the heart of our district! Learn more about these two bills focused to help rural communities thrive.  HB 51: Authorize to finance and perform certain duties in connection with projects relating to natural gas facilities and expand the lines available to help with power needs in rural communities.  HB 262: Grant program for the purpose of acquiring and installing backup generators. This bill supports the need for backup generators at rural hospitals. This was spurred by the impacts of Hurricane Helene this fall.  On Thursday, March 6, my fellow House members and I will convene for Legislative Day 28, also known as Crossover Day. This is the critical deadline for bills and resolutions to pass out of their chamber of origin in order to remain eligible for final passage before the conclusion of the session on Legislative Day 40, or Sine Die. As always, thank you for your support. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or comments during this legislative session. -Jaclyn Ford Check out Constituents at the Capitol below! ⬇️

HD 170 Constituents at the Capitol

Probate Judge Chase Daughtrey and Rachel Daughtrey.   Sharon Harnage/LaNae & Charlotte Shiflett   Baby Commodity Queen Charlotte Shiflett   Georgia Association of Conservation Districts Representatives

Cook County 4-H