Legislative Day 15 | 2026 Legislative Session | 02/09/2026

Good morning. Good morning.

How's the senator from the twelve doing? Look. Alright. The time for convening has arrived. The senate will come to order.

At this time, we'll ask all unauthorized personnel to exit the chamber. Recognize the senator from six to give us a read on the journal from the weekend.

Mister president. I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I know you enjoyed the Super Bowl. Good defense. Good defense and special teams.

They win Super Bowls. Mister president, we got a great group of pages here today. We got Carter Acree from Locust Grove, Bryce Blake from Atlanta, Corbin Califf from Valdosta, Julius Canada from Aragon, Aubrey Clifton from Statesboro, Imogene Deloach from Valdosta, Drew Farmer from Fayetteville, Amelia Jaroltowsky from Decatur, Sloan Hagler from Atlanta, Jeremiah Joyner from Vidalia. In fact, Jeremiah is with our senator from the nineteenth, Christian Philip from Atlanta, Sawyer Grace Strickland from Milledgeville. Y'all give these pages a big round of applause.

We appreciate you you being here and serving our great state and our great senate. Mister president, I spent all weekend reading the journal. I found it to be correct, so I moved we dispense with the reading of the journal.

Alright, senator. Thank you for that, and thank you for all the good looking pages that we have back there. Appreciate each and every one of you being here today. Is there objection to dispensing on the reading of the journal? Chair here is none.

The reading of the journal is dispensed with. Is there objection to confirmation of the journal? Chair is none, and the journal is confirmed. All senators have bills and resolutions introduced. Please bring them to secretary's desk at this time.

First reading references the senate bills and resolutions.

Senate bill four seventy by senators Albers of the fifty sixth and others. A bill to be entitled and act to amend article two of chapter 11 of title 16 of the official code of Georgia annotated relating to a Judiciary. Senate bill four seventy one by senators Dolezal of the twenty seventh and others. A bill to be entitled and act to amend an act providing the no local board of education Education and youth. Senate bill four seventy two by senators Hickman of the fourth and others.

A bill to be entitled in

act to amend chapter two of title

20 of the Education and youth.

Youth. Senate bill four seventy three by senators Robertson of the twenty ninth and others. A bill to be entitled in act to amend title 40 of the official code of Georgia annotated. Go

to safety.

Senate bill four seventy four by senators Robertson of the twenty ninth and others. A bill to be entitled in act to amend article two of chapter seven title. Senate bill four seventy five by senators Kim of the thirty eighth and others. A bill to be entitled in act to amend code section 20 dash two dash petition u. Senate bill four seventy six by senators Tillery of the nineteenth and others, a bill to be entitled in act to amend title 33 and title 48 of the official code of Georgia annotated.

Finance. Senate bill four seventy seven by senators Tillery of the nineteenth and others, a bill to be entitled in act to amend chapter seven of title 48 of the official code of Georgia, annotated, related to the imposition, rate, computation, exemption. Finance. Senate bill four seventy eight by senators Washington the eleventh and others. A bill to be entitled to an act to amend chapter

six resources.

Senate seven fifteen by senators echo of the forty ninth and others, a resolution commending the Georgia FFA Association at recognizing culture. Mister president, that completes the order.

First reading references of house bills and resolutions.

House bill six twenty nine by representative Hawkins of the twenty seventh and others.

Education to you.

House bill eight seventy seven by representatives Jackson the sixty eighth and others.

State of local government.

House bill nine thirty six

by representatives Canada of the one one seventy second, a bill to be entitled in act to authorize

State and local government.

House bill nine thirty seven by representative Ford of the one seventieth and others, a bill to be entitled in State and

local government.

House bill nine thirty eight by representatives Ford of the one seventieth and others.

State and local government. House bill nine thirty nine

by representative Ford of the one seventieth and others. Ability State

and local government.

House bill nine forty by representative Ford of the one seventieth and others. Ability to be entitled to an act to amend

State and local government.

House bill nine forty one

by representative Ford of the one seventieth and others. Ability to be entitled nine forty five by representatives Williamson of the one hundred twelfth and others, a bill to be entitled in act king. House bill nine fifty two by representatives Franklin of the one sixtieth and others, a bill to be entitled in

local government. House bill nine fifty three by representatives Franklin of the one sixtieth and others, a bill to be entitled in local government.

House bill nine

fifty three by representatives Franklin of the one sixtieth and others. A bill to be

entitled government.

House bill nine eighty by representatives Bonner of the seventy third and others. A bill to be entitled to an act to amend chapter 12. Economic development. House bill nine eighty two by representative Campbell, the one hundred thirty fifth, and others.

State and local government.

House bill ten twenty six by representative Sharper of the one seventy seven.

Local government.

House bill ten thirty seven by representative Cummings of

the thirty fifth local government.

House bill, what, ten fifty seven by representative State and local government. House bill, what, ten fifty seven by representative

State and local government.

House bill, ten seventy four by representative Rees of the ninety ninth and others.

State and local government.

House bill ten ninety three by representative's Birgit of

the 100 government.

Mister president, that completes the order.

Secretary Reed reports of standing committees.

Mister president, the senate committee on rules has had under consideration the following legislation as instructed me to report the same back to the senate with the following recommendation. Pursuant to senate rule two dash 1.1 b, the committee on rules has referred the following legislation from the general's calendar. Senate bill three ninety five to the committee on rules respectfully submitted. Senator Brass of the 6th District Chairman. Mister president, that completes your order.

Secretary rebuilds resolutions for the second time.

Senate bill one sixty six by senator Merritt of the 9th and others. Counties ordinances for governing and policing in unincorporated areas of counties. Revised provisions. Senate bill three zero one by senator Williams of the 25th and others. State flag, seal, and other symbols, protection of government statuses, monuments, plaques, banners, and other commemorative symbols.

Revised provisions. Senate bill three ninety eight by senator Hatchett the fiftieth and others. Wiretapping, eavesdropping, surveillance, and related offenses, criminal offenses of virtual peeping established. Senate bill four zero five by senator Sessler of the thirty seventh and others. Magistrate court.

The maximum amount of civil claims that can be tried in magistrate court increase. Senate bill four zero nine by senator Walker the third of the twentieth and others. Insurers use of aerial or satellite images act and act. Senate bill four forty four by senator Kirkpatrick of the thirty second and others. Private review agents, certain decisions with regard to the provision of insurance coverage for health care services shall not be based solely on artificial intelligence systems.

Provide. Mister president, that completes the order.

Before we go to the morning roll call, there's a senator here who's got a very special day today. It's the senator for the ninth birthday. Happy birthday, senator. How are you doing? It's good good to have you here on your special day, senator.

It is now time for the morning roll call. Are there any motions to excuse? Recognize senator from the thirty first.

Mister president, ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the twentieth for business outside the capitol.

That objection, senator from the twentieth is excused. Recognize senator from the thirty third.

Thank you, mister president. Good morning, y'all. I ask unanimous consent to excuse the senators from the fifth and seventh for business outside the capitol.

Without objection, senators from the fifth and the seventh are excused. Recognize senate from forty second.

Quorum, mister president, ask unanimous consent to excuse senator from the fiftieth for business outside the chamber.

That objection, senator from the fiftieth is excused. Recognize the senator from the twenty second.

One, mister president, ask unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the forty fourth for business inside the capital.

That objection's senate from the forty fourth is excused. Any other motions to excuse? Oh, I'm sorry. The majority leader.

Sorry, mister president. I ask unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the 56 for business outside the cup.

That objection, senator. 56 is excused. Any other motions? Secretary will unlock unlock the unlock the machine, call call the roll call, signify your presence by voting the a switch. Secretary?

It is now time for our morning devotion. I would ask that all senators state their seats and cease all conversation. I would ask that the doorkeeper secure the chamber at this time. I now recognize a senator from the first to lead us in our pledge and introduce us to our pastor of the day. Senator?

Thank you, mister president. This is the pledge to The US flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And now the Georgia flag. I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag and the principles for which it stands.

Wisdom, justice, moderation, courage. Thank you, mister president. It's my honor here to introduce, pastor Brian Cooper. Pastor Brian has lived in the state of Georgia most of his life and trusted Christ at the age of 13. Next year will mark thirty years of serving in ministry.

He's been the pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Richmond Hill since January 2016. He's met his wife, Asia. Asia, would you mind standing up? Give a welcome here. Thank you very much.

Being being married to this man for twenty seven years, they met in, attending Crown College in Powell, Tennessee, and they have four beautiful children. If you wouldn't mind standing in the in the gallery there, Julia is married to Samuel and have their first granddaughter, Millie June. Preston's married Lily last March, and Peyton married his high school sweetheart, Sarah. And their youngest son, Justin, is not here. He's currently serving the United States Air Force.

Thank you for being here. The Coopers love serving the lord together and spending time with friends and family and also watching the Georgia Bulldogs. Thank you very much.

Thank you, senator Watson. I appreciate it. Thank you, mister president, for the opportunity. I'm glad to be able to be here, and I'm thankful that my family can be here. I was here a couple of years ago, and, my wife came along.

And, it's always good when she comes along. She helps keep me in line. And, but I'm glad that my children can be here today. My greatest joy outside of Jesus is my family, and I thank the Lord for them. I think what you all do in this room has a great impact on families.

I spoke a couple of years ago in this room on the subject of beginning with God because it all ends with God. Today I want to look in the book of Psalms where the bible gives us this passage in chapter 14 or Psalm 14. The bible says the fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt. They have done abominable works.

There is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. The Bible says in verse number two of this passage that the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men at the conclusion of the verse to see if there were any that seek God. I have been pastoring the church that my dad pastored for thirty four years. I have been pastoring it for the last ten years.

And there have been many times throughout the last ten years that I have said to myself, how many times has my dad looked over heaven and seen what I am doing or what we're doing and I wonder if he's proud. I wonder if he recognizes. I wonder if he's able to see people ask me, do you think they can see what's going on? The bible tells us, we're compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. Let us lay aside the sin that does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

And I'm sure there are many in this room that have loved ones who have gone on before them and they said to themselves, I wonder if they look over heaven what they see. May I encourage you with this thought this morning, there is one that looks over heaven. His name is God. The bible says he looked down from heaven. And my question to us this morning is when God looks down, what does he see?

When the Lord looks into this room, when the Lord looks at the direction of our state, the leadership, the agendas that are being promoted. When God looks down, is he pleased? It's easy to look at that corporately and say it's important, it's vital. But that begins with us understanding as an individual we have a responsibility to please God first. In all things the bible says he might have the preeminence.

Whenever you begin to put pen to paper, whenever you begin to stand and address the issues that are put forth in this room, may you know this truth that God is looking down. The bible teaches us that every man will give an account of himself. Every person in this room will stand before God with the opportunity that they've been given and you have to answer to one. It's not the preacher. It is God.

He's looking down today. And every thought, every action, every deed, every word, every step in our life, we ought to consider God is watching. The bible tells us this, that the eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good. God sees it all. I had an older pastor explained to me that verse one time.

He said, you know when God looks at your life, we we view our life by moments. But when God looks at our life, he sees it as a picture that is painted on a canvas complete. He sees it the beginning from the end. He sees all the details. And today he is watching.

He's watching what we do in this room. May God help us to do our best for his glory. The greatest thing in my life that I can tell you about me is that I as a 13 year old boy I understood that God loved me. There's no perfect people in this room. God loves imperfect people and he sent a perfect son to die on a cross that we might be redeemed.

Jesus said to those that were confused about where he was going, he said, I am the way the truth and the life. No man cometh under the father but by me. You must know Jesus as your savior. I understood as a 13 year old boy that if I died without Jesus Christ, I had to be separated from him for all eternity. But Jesus made a way.

He made a way on a cross when he died and shed his blood for your sin and for my sin. And that my friend demands that we consider him. God looked down from heaven. And my question to you this morning is as he looks, what does he see in this place? I pray I pray that each one of us understand the responsibility we have before God.

As I close in prayer this morning, I want to say to each of you, our church prays for you. We are grateful for the leadership in our state. We are grateful for each of your services. Your willingness to be a public servant is an example and we're thankful for that. I appreciate your willingness to help our state be what it should be.

Thank you for the opportunity to be here. Let's pray together, may we? Our father I do thank you today for your love, for your grace and for your mercy. I thank you for giving us another day of life. I thank you for blessing us beyond what we deserve.

Lord, you are good. So what I pray today as we bow our heads, I ask for wisdom. I pray that you'd grant every individual in this room the strength and the courage and the wisdom to do what is right. May we understand Lord that you are looking down from heaven and we have a responsibility to be pleasing to you. May we allow the word of God to guide the principles of our life.

May the steps of every person be ordered by the Lord in this place. May you protect. May you grant wisdom, strength, and lord we say to each public servant this morning, thank you for your willingness to serve. We thank you for our state. Bless it.

Grant us prosperity and strength. May we be an example to all those around us, and we will give you the glory for it because, God, you alone are worthy. We ask this in Jesus precious name. Amen.

We have a very special guest here today. We have doctor of the day, but the doctor of today is, has a unique tie to this body right here. So, I'll let the senator from the nineteenth, who's introducing her today, explain that to everyone. So senator?

Thank you, mister president. As you know, we have a doctor of the day every legislative session day here, and today, we have one back from my district. I've met her once. The, doctor of the day is doctor Ashley Nicole Tillery. She's here today.

She's an OB GYN, delivering her group, delivers around a thousand babies down in Vidalia, Georgia each year. She has clinics in Vidalia and in Hazelhurst. She studied at NIH, studied at the Medical College of Georgia, was in the partnership at the University of Georgia where she met the love of her life. Thank you. Thank you.

And made her best decision ever at that point in time. But let me tell you about the other things she does too. She's on the library board back in our Combe County because she understands that literacy matters. She takes care of our boys all day, every day, John and William, 20 old and four years old. She takes care of Jeremiah, who's sitting there in the back while that allows me to be up here.

And she's more than just a physician. She's someone who cares about our community, and she's a absolute love of my life. So baby, thank you for being our doctor of the day. Alright.

Alright. Thank you. Thank you guys so much for having me today. I just wanna tell all of you thank you. I know that coming to do this job, you take a lot of time away from your own families, your communities, and your careers as well.

So I certainly to the capitol to do for all Georgians, and because of the work you do, the future of medicine in the state of Georgia is incredibly bright. So thank you guys so much.

We have some very special guests here today, and, glad we're able to recognize these fine ladies here behind us. Secretary, read the caption, please.

Senator Resolution six forty eight by senators Anderson of the forty third and others. A resolution recognizing and commending the Junior League movement on the occasion of its one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary and honoring its enduring legacy of developing women leaders and strengthening communities through volunteer service, civic engagement, and advocacy, and for other purposes. Whereas for a hundred and twenty five years, the Junior League movement has advanced women's leadership for a meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and leadership development. And whereas, the Association of Junior Leagues International supports a global network of nearly 300 local leads across multiple countries, mobilizing more than 112,000 women committed to strengthening communities through service and leadership. Now therefore be it resolved by the senate that the members of this body recognize and commend the Junior League Movement on its one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary and extend its appreciation to Junior League movements, past and present, for their enduring contributions to leadership development and community improvement.

Mister president, that completes the

order. Is there objection to the adoption of the resolution? Chair here is none. The resolution is adopted. I'd like to recognize the senator from the 43rd to speak to the resolution and introduce our special guest.

Senator.

Thank you, mister president. Good morning, colleagues. Today is a beautiful day to celebrate with Georgia SPAC, which is a form of junior leagues, throughout Georgia. We are commemorating a hundred and twenty five years of junior league impact. As a member of junior league decab, sustainer status, I made it.

If you know, you know. It has been a journey, an adventurous journey, and a lifetime of memories, friendships, and community impact. Junior League is about women leading change. And today, we celebrate from leagues represented across the state. We have Albany, Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Cobb Cobb County, Columbus, DeKalb County, Douglas County, Golden Isles, Hall County, Macon, Perry, Gwinnett County, and Savannah.

Joining me on the platform are members of SPAC and our fearless leader, chairwoman, miss Heather Gaylord, who is a fellow Hornet and an alum of the Alabama State University. In her work in junior league, she has served in many capacities, especially Junior League of DeKalb, membership committee, public policy chair, AGLI, and she has taken on the helm to lead SPAC. Please welcome Heather to the stage.

Good morning, everyone, and thank you to the members of the house for this recognition. My name is Heather M Gaylord, and I am a sustaining member of DeKalb County's Junior League. I am also the acting chair and chair elect for the Junior League of Georgia SPAC, which is the State Public Affairs Committee. This is our state capital day, and this is one of the ways that we engage with our leagues from across the state of Georgia to the legislative process and introduce them to public service. We are commemorating one hundred and twenty five years of the Junior League, and we thank the Junior League for the legacy of advocacy, civic engagement, and everything else that they represent today.

We are guided, Junior League of Georgia SPAC, by our four pillars, which are aid and protection of women and children, health care, education, and equity. So on behalf of Georgia SPAC, we thank senator Tanya Anderson for your leadership. We thank you for our recognition and for everything you've done for this organization. Thank you.

I I must add, we have, Tijuana Williams, Shanika Johnson, and Karen Hicks. Alright.

Are there any unanimous consents? Does any center which rise on point of personal privilege? You have before you a consent calendar or privilege resolutions. Is any senator wish to remove a resolution from the consent calendar? Is there objection to the adoption of the resolution on the consent calendar?

Chair here is done. And the resolution on the consent calendar is adopted. Are there any motions with to withdraw or commit? Alright. Head down to the rules calendar.

Secretary, read the caption. Senate bill one forty seven.

Senate bill one forty six by Williams of the twenty fifth and others. A bill to be entitled and act to amend titles 31, 36, and 44 of the official code of Georgia annotated relate to health, local government, and property respectively so as to provide regulations and protections of cemeteries and burial grounds, to provide procedures concerning the issuance of permits for the discernment and re reenrollment of human remains to provide definitions, to provide statutory construction, to confirm cross references, to provide for related matters through bill conflicting laws, and for other purposes. The committees of the senate on regulated industries and utilities recommends that this do pass by substitute by senator Cousert of the 46 and chairman. Mister president, the Senate Committee on regulated industries and utilities offers the following substitute to senate bill one forty six, a bill to be entitled in act to amend titles 31, 36, and 44 of the official code of Georgia annotated relating to health, local government, and property respectively so as to provide regulations and protections of cemeteries and burial grounds to revise procedures concerning the issuance of permits for the disinterment and reinterment of human remains, to provide procedures concerning the issuance of permits for the disturbance of abandoned cemeteries, to provide civil remedies for failures to obtain such permits, to provide for the insurance of permits for permits for the establishment of family burial plots, to provide minimum requirements of family burial plots and for other purposes.

Mister president, that completes the order.

Reagan has sent from the twenty fifth to speak to the measure.

Thank you, mister president. Ladies and gentlemen, come before you with, senate bill one forty six. This bill codifies what cemeteries are and how they're to be treated, defines what abandoned cemeteries are, and it also prevents disturbance of cemeteries. And, this is something that, would also define what an abandoned cemetery is. But it sets out something that's uniform throughout the state for rural counties where people are trying to set up a cemetery on their property.

They cannot sell these spaces. This would be for a family only. If it was, cemetery spaces for sale, then they would register under the secretary of state's office through securities division to form a perpetual care cemetery. I ask for your favorable consideration, and I'll be glad to take any questions if there is any, mister president.

You do have one question, senator. We're breaking down a senator from the 37th.

Yes, sir. This is Jim and Yield.

I do.

I I appreciate your short presentation. I was, which one to ask just kind of in plain language. If you're if if if a church is running a small cemetery, what thing what provisions this bill change the status quo of our law today? That that that was my only question.

I'm having trouble hearing you. I'm sorry. But I think you're referring to a church cemetery. This would not affect a church cemetery unless it became abandoned.

Okay.

And then they would give definition of an abandoned cemetery and how it is treated and how it is classified.

But this in no way changes the the the rights, responsibilities, duties, legal status of church cemeteries in any way. Correct?

Right. Thanks, sir. Uh-huh. Thank you. I ask for your favorable consideration.

Thank you, and I yield well.

Senator has yielded. Does any other senator wish to speak for against the measure? Chair hears none. Is there objections to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none.

The previous question is ordered. Questions on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is adopted. Is there objection to the main question being ordered?

Chair here's none. Main question is ordered. Questions on the passes of the bill by substitute. All those in favor, vote yay. All opposed, nay.

Secretary, unlock the machine. On the passage of the bill, the ASR 46 and ASR zero, this bill haven't received the rest of the constitution majority is therefore passed by a substitute. Moving on, senate bill one fifty. Secretary, read the caption.

Senate bill one fifty, by senator Hickman of the fourth and others. A bill to be entitled in

act to amend article seven of chapter three

of title 47 of the OCGA relating to retirement allowances, disability benefits, and spouse's benefits. So as you extend the program to permit public school systems to employ certain beneficiaries of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia as classroom teachers in a full time capacity to 06/30/2034 to reduce the number of years worked by a beneficiary to twenty five before being eligible to be hired under this code section to provide for a late manage to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. The senate committee on retirement recommends that this bill do pass by substitute by senator Williams of the twenty fifth chairman. Mister presen?

Bring it out sooner from the fourth.

The senate committee on retirement offers the following substitute to senate bill one fifty, a bill to be entitled in act to amend article seven of chapter three of title 47 of the official code of Georgia annotated relating to retirement allowances, disability benefits, and spouse's benefits so as to extend the program to permit public school systems to employ certain beneficiaries of the teachers retirement system of Georgia as class of teachers at a full time capacity, 06/30/2034 and for other purposes. A fiscal note has been attached.

Senator Hick.

Thank you, mister president. I'm here today to present senate bill one fifty and its return to work bill for, for teachers. This bill passed our senate education committee a 100%. Why is this bill important? If we don't have fully prepared certified educators in classroom, our students will not succeed.

I wanna read two quotes that have really become profound to me about education and teaching.

Hold on one second, senator. Hold on. Could everybody could we have everybody's attention while the senators present the bill in the well, please? Yeah. Everybody's attention.

The quotes are Georgia cannot deliver on its commitment to students without a strong teacher workforce. The next one is very profound. Educators are the only workforce whose performance determines the quality and size of future workforces. I'm sure that every senator has received a phone call or a text from a retired teacher or soon to be retired teacher concerning this bill. This bill is a this bill we currently have a bill that expires, house bill three eight five to expire June '26.

We worked very diligently hard with the, doctor Jody Barra with Professional Standards Commission and, the t TRF's executive director, retired Buster Evans, and now Jason Branch on this bill. You listened and we reacted. The senate identified literacy or early literacy as a real problem in Georgia when we shared with you the percentage of students in third and fifth grade in your senate district that were not reading on grade level. We heard you. Y'all reacted, and we've got numerous bills addressing that.

Per per, doctor Jody Jody Barra, executive director of Professional Standards Commission, number of classrooms in Georgia that do not have a fully prepared certified educator in the classroom. And let me read them all to you. In December '23, there were over 6,000 vacancies in Georgia. In December 24, 5,300 vacancies in Georgia. In December 25, 5,358 vacancies.

And, yes, one of our senators in our education committee said asked me a question. Could we tell him what district that related to or what school district? And, yes, we can. The professional standards are working on those numbers for me. So you can tell we've got a real tragedy in Georgia for not having not having fully certified teachers in classroom.

Let me give you a personal example that I can I can share with you? Evans County, which is one of my counties in my district, class in elementary school per doctor Brad Anderson on 09/01/2025, there were six classes in k through k through five without a fully prepared certified educator in the classroom. Kindergarten had one class. First grade had one class. Second grade had one class.

Third grade had two classes. And fifth grade had one class. The tragedy that's a tragedy itself because the high the the highest degree person in that classroom was a high had a high school diploma according to doctor Anderson. As of 01/26/2026, still at Claxton Elementary School in Claxton, Georgia, there were three vacancies out of those six that had not been filled. Now, Sanford, let me ask you this.

How would you like your child or grandchild to be in one of those classrooms that does not have a fully prepared certified teacher? Do you think your child or grandchild when they move to the next grade level is gonna be fully prepared for that? No. They're not. That's the purpose of this bill.

We've got to address that problem. And I tell you in just a second, this bill got a sunset in it, and we're working very close with the college and universities in Georgia to make sure that they're going they are teaching on the science of reading, and they're teaching our students how to be teachers that teach our students. Let me tell you the key provisions of this bill. TRS, teacher retirement system in Georgia, tells me now that the average person retires in the school system at 25 years. Now that doesn't mean that they get full retirement.

They do not, as some of our centers have asked me. They really don't get full retirement till thirty years, but because of wanting to get out, maybe maybe raising children or something like that. Who knows? But the average retirement now is people is at twenty five years. So this this bill, a teacher can return to work after teaching twenty five years and retiring.

But now there's a one year waiting period. They have to stay out of it stay out of school for one year. However, they can come back and do that 49% that all of us are aware of. Okay? So they will receive their retirement and receive the salary for teaching the classroom.

Let me let me stop there and read you something I forgot. But so this this letter this email came from a miss Robin Thompson, and I don't know where she lives. But she said, I'm writing to stress my concern, my express my strong support to Georgia senate bill one fifty. As a veteran educator, I see firsthand the severe teacher shortage facing Georgia With more than 5,000 teaching vacancies statewide, districts are struggling to staff classrooms. In my own county, schools have been forced to hire teachers from other countries to fill the gap.

While we value all educators, this has created challenges for students due to language barriers and differences in instructional experience, especially at the elementary level. So this bill only applies to the public school system and applies to k through 12. Let me tell you the courses that that these teachers can come back and teach, which is very important. ELA, English language arts, science, social studies, special education, and math. And now we've added career technical agriculture education, CTAE, which the senator from the eighth has asked us several questions about and very exciting because his wife is head of that in their school system.

Hey, senator. Hold on one second. Ladies and gentlemen in the chamber, we're gonna have to bring it down a notch. We can't hear. If you gotta have conversation, go to the any room.

If you're a senator so we need to pay it to get get the attention to the senator in the well, please.

But in order to come back, if they're taking attention English language arts or an academic content, they've gotta have a current, dyslexia, or reading endorsement, or they can demonstrate specific training and skills in the science reading, but and approved by the Professional Standards Commission. Many of y'all y'all have asked me what's the cost of this. These teachers are replacing teachers that are no longer there, so there's no cost to the TRS system. We had actual study done. There's no cost to the to the system.

We also know that if this bill works the way that we want it to work and these colleges and universities are doing what they need to do, we've got a sunset in this bill of 06/30/2034. And hopefully, by that time, we would've we would've made a tremendous dent on these on having teachers in classroom. So by that time, we should have solved the teacher teacher shortage problem. So, senators, I would really I think our students our students across rural Georgia would really appreciate you voting for this bill. And, mister president, at that point point in time, I'll take any questions.

You do have a few questions, senator. Reganize the senator from the thirty third for a question. No question. Reganize the senator from the twenty sixth for a question.

Oh, that was bad.

You you don't have to tell

me? No.

Thank you, mister president. Gentleman here.

Yes, sir. I do.

Are you telling me that if the school system has a vacancy for a particular teacher, that they can't get a retired teacher to go in who's certified to teach that class. I thought it has something to do with TR and say they don't have to excuse them. They had to pay money into the retirement system for, but they pay them. Are you telling me they can't do that now?

What I'm telling you, Sundre, is that that teacher can come back, but that teacher comes back in the 49% and can so they teach less than half time and as opposed to this bill allows them to come back full time.

So you're saying they can't come in

and be hired as full time? Sir.

Are you saying that they cannot

be hired as full time teachers after they retired by in the system?

No, sir. Under the current law, they cannot be hired as a full time teacher. They've gotta be hired at 49%. And that that's what the importance of this bill is. And, again, people, this this bill has a sunset provision that if we get it all worked out and y'all support this bill, the the college and universities are working very hard.

If you recall, the council literacy and and health bill five thirty eight brought back the science of reading into the classroom. And consequently, we're working very close with the college and university to get to make it more attractive. And you'll see several more bills in the next few days addressing teacher shortage in Georgia.

You have a question from senator from 19th. He wants to speak at the well. Senator from the twenty first. Senator from the twenty first. Is this our new senator that's absent right now, senator?

Oh, he's gone. Yeah. I hope his I hope his town end here today. Mister president, I'm gonna yield a well. Alright.

Sounds good. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Center from thirty ninth, what point center from the thirty ninth, for what purpose do you rise? This is the point in time to do it.

You wanna recognize your friends?

Yes. I thank you, mister president. This is completely unrelated to s b one fifty, but I just wanted to acknowledge a couple of people in the gallery from Jack and Jill of America who were here. And that is an organization, a mother's organization, particularly for black children, that was started in 1938. I am a member of the organization myself, the only active Jack and Jill mom in the entire general assembly.

And we've got lots of young young people here who are learning what it means to have their government work, including my page, Bryce Blake. Thank you.

Everybody with Jack and Jill, stand up, be recognized, give yourself a round of applause. So So very nice to have all those wonderful, wonderfully young people and their mentors, and thank you, senator, for recognizing them. So recognize the senator from 19. Speak to the bill. Next.

We'll get you we'll get you in a second. We'll get you in a second.

Thank you, mister president. Members of senate. Senate bill one fifty, let's talk about it for a second. It allows someone to retire after twenty five years of service, and they can come back and work full time. That means if you started working at 22, you're gonna be able to retire at 47, draw your retirement at whatever the early number that would be, and then still come back and work full time.

I am focused with you on trying to alleviate the issue we have with not having teachers in the classroom. I purport to you, though, I don't know that this helps if it doesn't instead cause a an issue where we actually lead people to retire earlier. And if they do, we need to be able to address this in the future. So I just wanna put a flag on this point. I'm I'm willing to walk with you today and and try this point, but I also wanna say that if we come back in two years, three years, four years, and we realize that folks are retiring at 25 and creating and making that situation worse, we we need to be willing to readdress that then.

The other point I wanna bring up is this. We have several buckets of retirees. Teachers fall into TRS. Employees fall into ERS. TRS requires a 3% raise on retirement every single year.

ERS does not. So when we take and allow another benefit that that is for one program, TRS, while it may be good natured and it may be good in the end, I wanna show you and remind you that we're further causing the wedge and divide to develop between our employees who fall into the bucket of ERS who are not guaranteed that 3% every year on retirement. Well, I'm willing to go with this with you today, and I trust that the senator from the fourth, and I know he's done a really good job on this this work. If I'm not here in a few years and you are, I hope we will revisit this and make sure it's having the intended consequence and not further, causing the divide not only between teachers in the classroom, but also between our two systems. Thank you, mister president.

I'll yield for questions or yield the well.

You do have one question, senator. Right now, senator from 36.

Thank you, mister president. Does this senator yield? Yes, ma'am. Isn't it true you you mentioned the employee retirement system? We're getting a little feedback on the mic, but you you mentioned as isn't it true the employ the, retirement system for the non teaching Right.

State employees. And the fact that it was the act of the legislature and the in in removing the 3% cost of living from a long established practice for those employees. Isn't that true?

It yeah. I don't know. I don't think it was legislation that did that, senator. It is legislation that created a 3% raise for TRS, though. And if it was legislation that removed it, it also would have been legislative that created it.

Well, but would you agree if he further you have further questions that it was it was the the result, of decisions made, in the, in, the wake of the the great recession that state employ retirees do have not gotten a cost of living a 3% cost of living in seventeen years. You would agree with that. Is that right?

That that's not fact. Well, they have received a cost of living increase, but you are correct.

Percent cost of living was what I said.

You are correct that they've not received the cost of living increase that is received in the TRS program, which is why we may even actually be saying the same thing here. We're that divide becomes worse when we continue to pivot to one group over the other of state employees.

Thank you for the flags you've raised. It's it's true. I believe that we passed this unanimously in our committee. Isn't that right?

I'm not on that committee, but you may have had.

Thank you for, yielding.

You do have one more question. Senator, recognize the senator from the twenty seventh.

Thank you, mister president. Chairman, do you yield?

Yes, sir.

Can you walk me through as you understand the bill? Essentially, are we creating an incentive unintentionally here to to allow people to retire at '25 year '25, come back at year '27, essentially double dip in the system?

Well, the so we may. And that's what I'm highlighting for our colleagues is that I realize we have a situation with shortages in the classroom. So I'm willing to support this and move forward, but I want someone to put a flag in it, put a pin in it so that we evaluate it in two years, three years, whatever the time frame needs to be. Because if we've not closed that gap, if we've actually unintentionally made that gap worse, we need to realize what code section we changed when we did that.

Do you further yield?

Yes, sir.

Would it in your opinion, would it be a good idea for our friend, the bill sponsor, to perhaps, when this goes to the house, to put some reporting language in here, that reports back to the future chairman of the House Education Committee so we can keep an eye on that?

If if that's needed, I'd clearly, every senator here in this body can bring an amendment too. But, again, I wanna highlight that for our colleagues that we don't wanna make

this worse.

And we also don't wanna

make the divide between our ERS system and our TRS system. More, the chasm's there enough that we need to make it deeper.

You do have one more question, senator. Recognize the senator from '46.

Thank you, mister president. Senator Yield?

Yes, sir.

In your role as appropriations chairman, have you given any thought to what impact this might have on the actuarial soundness of the teacher retirement system? If new teachers begin retiring earlier and drawing their retirement, is that something we've accounted for, or is that a potential hole we're about to blow in their retirement system?

Well, the there's actually if you look on the back, there's an auditor certification that this does not affect the TRS system as it's drafted right now. My point to you would be, let's watch that because we also were told that one tax credit we passed several years ago would cost the state 37,000,000, and it's now costing over 700,000,000. That's the data center tax credit. So while we have this data that we're working with the best information we have today, for those of you in this room who plan to be here longer, we need to flag this and watch it for the future just to make sure we're having the intended result.

Thank you, mister chairman.

Mister president, thank you for all the questions. I'll yield as

well. Senator's

yielded.

Does any other senator wish to speak for or against the measure? Senator from the fourth, would you like to close or you wave? Come on.

Thank y'all. Thank y'all for the questions all on on the bill. One thing that, came up about the, the cost and all, every on finance committee, every every bill that we have has a fiscal note, and all we have to go by is what that fiscal note says. And we received a fiscal note on this bill, senate bill one fifty, and the fiscal note said there was no cost zero cost to the TRS system. Now we can't we can't say ten years from now what it cost it, but but the people that we rely on for fiscal notes said there's no cost to the TRS system on this.

Also, think about this too. If you're in the military or and I think some of y'all may may have had, there's different levels of retirement than that. So just don't hold it against people just because they're retiring at 25. They're already the average average retirement age of a person in Georgia teaching is for twenty five years. Thank you.

Please vote yes on this bill. Vote for our students so we'll have qualified teachers in the classroom teaching our students how to read and how to do math and how to understand social studies and how to understand the civics system of the world. Thank you. I yield the world.

Alright. Senator has yielded. Does any other senator we speak for against the measure? Hold on, senator. I'm a I'm a get to you.

I promise you. Senator, from the forty first, do you have something on on this topic?

Unanimous consent. Ask for unanimous consent to excuse the senator from the twenty second.

Okay. Without objection, senator from twenty second is excused. Chair hears none. Is there objection to the previous question being ordered? Chair hears none.

Previous question question is ordered. Questions on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none. The committee substitute is adopted.

Is there objection to agreeing to the report of committee which is favorable to the passes of the bill? The chair hears none. The board of committee has agreed to. Is there objections of the main question being ordered? Chair hears none.

The main question is ordered. Questions on the passes of the bill by substitute. All those in favor, vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, unlock the machine.

On the past of the bill, the a's are 48, the nays are one. This bill haven't received the requisite constitutional majority is therefore passed by substitute. I'm going out of order a little bit, but that's what you do for your hometown folks here. So, behind me, I have, Jackson. Which today here at the capital, we have Jackson Butts County Day.

And, I've got the leader well. To to, commissioner Russ Crumley, our mayor, Carlos Duffy, and then the commissioner, Joe Brown, and, and Brad Brad, Johnson here is our county manager. And, and, and I just wanna tell you oh, chief too. I'm sorry, chief. So I'm sorry.

In fact, our mayor here, Carlos, right here, when we were growing up, his nickname was Scoot. So I had to say, well, I can't call you Scoot anymore. I gotta call you the I gotta call you Carlos here. So but, at any rate, this we got great leadership, at the local level at Jackson and Buds County there, and they work very well together. Very proud to be there.

About I'm a sixth generation Buds County. And and I will just shit tell you this, these guys right here, because of their, how how much they've worked together in the very near future, Buds County is going to be the first and only county that has zero homestead exemption taxes on property. Zero on property. I don't know I don't know where y'all from, but where I'm from, everybody's jumping up and down about that. So, but, so I wanna thank them for their leadership.

Let's give them a big round of applause here. Now recognize senators from seventeenth. For what purpose do you rise?

Mister president, I rise today point of order, mister president. I rise today to recognize the great city of McDonough upon our first annual McDonough Day at the Georgia State Capitol. And we are delighted to have them here in the Georgia State Senate. Let's give them a big hand. The city of Mc thank you.

The city at McDonough was founded in 1823 and named for naval officer Commodore Thomas McDonough. Since its incorporation, the City Of McDonough has embodied the principles of local self governance, civic engagement, and responsible stewardship, reflecting the determination and vision of the citizens. And the success of the City Of McDonough is due in large measure to the dedicated service of its mayor, city council, past and present, city staff, volunteers, business leaders, and engaged residents who have worked collectively to advance the city's growth and prosperity. And we have them with us today. If you would raise your hand and standing with me is the senator from the 42nd and the senator from the tenth.

And we have with us the mayor. Mayor Vonna, please raise your hand. Council members, Bluc, Bert, Thomas, Peyton, and Reeds. Would you all raise your hand so they can see the wonderful city of McDonough, Georgia? Thank you, mister president.

Thank you, senator. And, good to see the leadership of McDonough here. Y'all are my neighbors down in Middle Georgia and, glad to have the new mayor and the city council members here as well. So, great to have you, and, look forward to working with you guys all. Alright?

Thank you, senator. And this brings me to my second point, always be here for the points of personal privilege. Alright. Here we go. Secretary, read the caption.

Senate bill four eleven by senator Steele of the 48th and others. A bill to be entitled an act to amend article, to amend title 43 of the official code of Georgia annotated relating to professions and businesses who has to provide for dry needling to be performed by certain licensed individuals, to provide for definitions, to restrict certain representations and advertisements related to the performance of dry needling, to provide education and training requirements, for occupational therapists to perform dry needling, to provide for disciplinary action, to provide for training requirements for acupuncturists, to provide for related matters, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes. Mister president, a senate committee on health and human services offers the following substitute to senate bill four eleven. A bill to be entitled, an act to amend title 43 of the official code of Georgia annotated relating to professions and businesses to to provide for drive needling to be performed by certain licensed professionals, to provide for definitions, to restrict certain representations, advertisements related to the performance of dried needling, and for other purposes. Mister president, I can place the order.

Alright. Let's, miss doorkeeper, secure the secure the chamber right now, except for people going out for a second because it's getting a little loud in here. And we just have one more bill to go, and and then we'll be done. But we do need to give the senators their due attention when they're in the well. So I recognize the senator from the 48th to speak to the measure.

Thank you, mister president. This will likely not be the most controversial bill that we discuss this legislative session, but it is critically important to a small group of practitioners in the health care field, specifically the differences between dried needling and acupuncture. Recently, the senator from the thirteenth asked if this was a sticky bill. And I would say, that in some respects, it certainly is. Or as the senator from the twenty ninth said, is this the same as when I was stabbed by an ice pick?

And I would say, no. This is not quite the same as being stabbed by an ice pick. Although depending on whether or not, the current missus Robertson did that or not is up for debate. But this bill brings PTs and OTs on the same page in the act of dry needling. It clarifies language on the difference between dry needling practice and acupuncture in traditional Chinese medicine.

It allows, if you'll look at the, the green document, the substitute, lines 38 through 40, discusses private cause of action. That was put in there with the input of some friends that wanna make sure that we had clarifying language there. And I believe that this, after many, many months of compromised language and all these different groups and, being given the final approval by the George Medical Association, ensures that our physicians, our physical therapists, our occupational therapists, and our acupuncturists are all on the same page and understand who does what by how much training and what they have to do. And with that, I'm happy to answer any questions.

You do have a couple questions, senator. Reganize the senator from the 41st.

Thank you, mister president. Senator, do you yield?

Absolutely.

I

think I heard this correctly, but I just wanna make sure. Last year, there were a lot of people who came and really rallied against this bill, were very concerned, particularly people who practice from Chinese or, Eastern medicines. And so is it true that all of that has been resolved and I am not going to have a whole bunch of angry little, young folks coming to my office complaining about this? Is that not true?

That is absolutely true, senator. And furthermore, they were, integral in the drafting of this legislation.

Thank you so much.

Bring it on to the senator from the fourteenth.

Thank you, mister president. Senator Yield. Absolutely. Senator, isn't it true that you've worked hard on the definition of dry needling to make sure that you exclude senator questions of bill sponsors in the well? Because I don't wanna get a permit.

I believe, senator, that if your, concern is whether or not the majority of practitioners of acupuncture and dry kneeling live in the 48 Senate District, you would be correct. I don't know how many live in the 14th, but they certainly many of them reside in the 48th.

Always answering the question that matters, not necessarily one that was asked.

Thank you,

senator. You have no more quest questions, senator.

Thank you, mister president. I yield the wall.

Does any other senator we speak for against the measure? Question is on the adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objections to the adoption of the committee substitute? Hearing none, the committee substitute is adopted. Is there objection to agreeing to the report of committee which is favorable to the passes of the bill?

Chair hears none. The report of committee is agreed to. Is there objection to the main question being ordered? Chair hears none. The main question is ordered.

Question is on the passes of the bill by substitute. All those in favor vote, yay. All opposed, nay. Secretary, I unlock the machine. On the pass of the bill, the a's are 49, the nays are two.

This bill have received records to constitution. Majority is therefore passed by substitute. Recognize the senate from the 46.

Thank you, mister president. I move the senate agree to the house substitute to s b one seventy as amended by amendment one.

Secretary, read the caption.

Senate bill one seventy by senators Jackson of the forty first and others. A bill to be entitled in act to amend chapter 12 of title 50 of the official code of Georgia annotated, relating to commissions and other agencies to us to create the Georgia Interagency Council for the Homeless, to provide for the purpose, membership, and duties of such council, to provide for reporting of activities, to provide for compensation, to provide for legislative findings, and for other purposes. The house offers the following substitute to SB one seventy. A bill to be entitled enact to amend chapter two of title 31 of the official code of Georgia annotated relating to the Department of Community Health so as to provide for a grant program for the purpose of providing funding to certain rural hospitals for acquiring or installing backup generators to ensure continuity of operation during a state of emergency, provide that the department shall consult with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency and establish link grant criteria to provide for the department to establish grant amounts, to provide for definition, to provide for late matters, to provide for an effective date, to repeal conflicting laws, and for other purposes.

Mister president?

Keep reading.

Mister president, Kautzer of the forty sixth and others offers the following amendment. Amend the substitute SB one seventy by inserting after funding on line 23 of the following, including but not limited to federal funding. By replacing lines 29 through 31 with the following, and the director of agency management and homeland security shall only provide funding to those affected rural hospitals that do not have a backup generator as of the effective date of this act and have not received any federal assistance for the purpose of acquiring or installing a backup generator. The department shall

k. And senator Kauser of the forty six offers one a.

Mister president, senator Kauser of the forty six offers one a offers the following amendment. Amend the amendment to the substitute s b one seventy by inserting after line eight the following, by replacing Anne on line 15 with the following, a nonprofit or not for profit. Mister president, that could please the order.

Reaganized senator from the 46 speak to the measure.

Thank you, mister president, ladies and gentlemen of the senate. Those watching at home, this is kind of a peek behind the curtains of what happens a lot of times on sine die in here. If you look in your notebook, you'll see our original senate bill one seventy dealt with, homeless people and how to administer grants and, have a count emergency council for the homeless. It was a, bipartisan measure sponsored by the senator from the forty first and then also cosponsored by the senator from the twenty ninth and the thirteenth and then finally the thirty ninth. So you had two republicans, two democrats that were trying to create a council to help homelessness in the state.

Well, that got hijacked a little bit on day 40 and by the time it came back to us from the house, it had nothing to do with homelessness. And it's now a bill to establish a grant for rural hospitals to have backup generators if they need them. And that's kinda how things fly around here. They call it making the sausage there at the end. If you're not watching closely, things that have no, semblance of the original bill end up being before us for discussion.

This was never vetted in committee, in the senate, and as far as I know, not in the house and definitely not in the appropriation process. But it's still a good idea, and it is still a good bipartisan idea we had in the first week. The senator from the 41st moved to agree with this house substitute because it's a good program. A lot of questions had been raised that we didn't really get to flush out, before we had to vote that day, and it did not pass. It came very close.

It had been raised in our caucus that there really were no hospitals that needed a backup generator. And we also forgot to mention the federal plan and the big beautiful bill, that created a a fund for rural health that we applied for grants from that and were awarded them. The rural health transformation program, this is the request for proposals that's hundreds of pages thick. And our department of community health then submitted a 64 page grant application specifically for rural health, and we call our program the great program, Georgia's rural enhancement and transformation of health act. And lo and behold, we were awarded over $200,000,000 per year for the next five years to direct towards rural health.

What my motion to agree as amended with the house bill just takes this into account. Still applies only to rural hospitals, which is a counties of 50,000 or less. Hospitals of less than a 100 beds, so these are not large hospitals. And I simply put in there that this would be grant would be only awarded if federal funds had not been applied for and received for the same purpose. Let's use the federal money from the big beautiful bill to pay for these generators as needed.

And it also limits it to only people that need generators as of the time this bill is signed. So this isn't a brand new generator bill for every hospital in rural Georgia. It's the ones that need one that don't get funded through the federal government. And then if it's coming around now, amendment one a, it was brought up to me earlier this morning. This is intended for non profits or not for profit hospitals.

Those that are doing good for society. Not that are in the business of making money. And that's all amendment one a does is specify that the only appropriate applicants for this grant would be hospitals that are either non profit or not for profit. And so I would ask for everybody in this body to now join together for this good cause and and our bipartisan spirit. And I tip my hat to the senator from the forty fifth both forty first, both for her original bill on homelessness and her attempt to bring this off the table.

And let's try to move rural health forward in the transformation under the structure that we have. Mister president, with that, I'll yield the will, but I'm happy to yield for any questions if there are any.

You you do have one question, senator. Recognize the senator from the fifty fifth.

Will the distinguished gentleman yield?

Be glad to yield to you, senator.

Yes. On amendment one, it says with respect to a hospital have not received any federal assistance. Did you mean to have it that they have not received the federal assistance or they have not applied for that federal assistance?

I just meant that they had not received it. We don't wanna double dip, so to speak. And it goes on to say federal assistance for the purpose of acquiring or installing a backup generator. So if they've already received it, then let's don't issue a state grant for it as well.

And and it with gentleman further you I'll be glad to. Is it not true that I am so proud of this body addressing at least trying to address homelessness as we have to drive past people under bridges every single day even to come to this, illustrious, magnificent building?

That is true, and I I do hope that our body will will address that through some other legislation this year that's more germane to the subject matter. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Breaking out the

senator from the forty first.

Thank you, mister president. Senator, do you yield?

Happy to yield to you, senator.

Isn't it true that I have great gratitude to you for picking up this bill to make sure that rural hospitals can get the things they need?

Yes. And, it's a two way street there, senator. I have much respect and gratitude for your efforts in this, and, I tip my hat. I should have asked you to co sign this amendment because you got the ball rolling and I wouldn't have been smart enough to bring this up without your, initiative, your push along the way. Thank you.

You have no further questions, senator.

Thank you. I yield the will.

Does any other senator wish to speak for or against measure? The question is on the adoption of amendment one a and one. We're gonna take up amendment one a first, off authored by the senator from the the first year. Is there objection amendment one a? Out objection, amendment one a is adopted.

Now the question is on amendment one, which is the underlying amendment, and we're gonna put that one on the board for to be voted on. So, on amendment one, all those in favor of amendment one will vote yay. All opposed, nay. Secretariat, unlock the machine. On the motion to agree as amended, the ayes are 50, the nays are zero, and this is passed.

Recognize, good doctor from the coast. Senator from the first.

Thank you, mister president. Pursuant to senate rule seven dash one dash one zero b. I give notice that on the next legislative day, I intend to move that the senate consider house action on house bill 54.

Senator has moved to give notice. Secretary, read the caption.

House bill 54 by representative Clark of the one hundredth. A bill to be entitled in the act to amend title sixteen thirty one and forty three of the official code of Georgia annotated relating to crimes and offenses, health and professions, and businesses respectively, so as to provide advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistance to order home health care services to patients of licensed home health agencies to provide for definitions to provide for the approval of continuing education regarding death certificates for certain physician assistance by the Georgia Composite Medical Board and for certain advanced practice registered nurses by the Georgia Board of Nursing to provide for related matters to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes. Mister president, that completes the order.

Thank you for the notice, senator. Breaking out senator from the thirty first, a majority leader.

Mister president, move the senate stand adjourn until 10AM on Tuesday, February 10.

Senator has moved. Secretary, read the announcements.

The rules committee will meet upon adjournment in Room 450 Of The Capital. The public safety committee has been canceled. The health and human services committee at 1PM will meet in Room 450 Of The Capital. The appropriations committee on agriculture and natural resources subcommittee will meet at 2PM in Room 307 of the CLOB. The finance committee will meet in Mezzanine 1 at 3PM.

The state and local government operations committee will meet in Mezzanine 1 at 4PM. The judiciary subcommittee will meet at 4PM in Room 450 Of The Capitol. Mister president, I can place the order.

Any other announcements? Alright. Hearing none, the majority leader has moved that we stand adjourn until 10AM, Tuesday morning, February tenth. All those in favor of the motion, signify by saying aye. Aye.

All those opposed, no. No. The ayes clearly have it. Y'all have a good day.