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Wins, losses and culture wars in the
General Assembly
Continued from page 5
Betsy Holland
(D-Buckhead)
Win: Bills that increased educational
opportunities, including HB 218, which
will extend the time students can utilize
the HOPE Scholarship to 10 years after
graduation and with active military ser
vice not counting. Also covered requir
ing recess in elementary school; more
resources for students with dyslexia;
and raises for teachers.
Loss: The failure of the hate crimes
bill and Medicaid expansion, and pas
sage of Confederate monuments protec
tion bill and the abortion bill.
The mood in the General Assem
bly: “While many good pieces of legis
lation involved bipartisan efforts, there
were many ‘culture war’ bills that divid
ed the chamber. During the last month
of session, we walked past protesters al
most every day.” She has hope of work
ing with other newly elected Democrats
next time.
Sen. Sally Harrell
(D-Dunwoody)
Win: Defeat of the school voucher
bill that would have allowed the state
to pay for private school tuition. “That
surprised me,” she said. “I was surprised
how many Republicans [opposed] the
bill and stood in solid support of pub
lic schools. This was definitely a bipar
tisan win.”
Loss: Failure to pass Medicaid ex
pansion. The legislature did pass a bill
giving Gov. Brian Kemp the authority
to study options on Medicaid waivers,
which Harrell said is not enough.
The mood in the General Assembly:
At the beginning of the session, Harrell
said she saw many Republicans want
ing to work with Democrats because of
the number of seats Democrats flipped.
But when Gov. Kemp settled into office
and the “heartbeat bill” to essentially
ban abortion was introduced, the mood
shifted significantly to a much more
conservative tone, she said. “The right
wing of the Republican Party knows if
they can get a bill to the floor, the mod
erates have to vote for it.”
Rep. Scott Holcomb
(D-Brookhaven)
Win: Holcomb’s bill requiring police
to keep rape kits and evidence gathered
from sexual assaults for up to 50 years
passed unanimously in the House and
Senate. Before, evidence only had to be
preserved for 10 years.
Loss: Holcomb introduced several
bills to address elections and voting, in
cluding bills to allow for hand marked
paper ballots, same-day voter registra
tion and the creation of an independent
redistricting commission. None of the
bills got hearings.
The mood in the General Assembly:
The most controversial bill, the “heart
beat bill” that bans abortion, was a curi
ous bill to introduce because Republican
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