>>> I COULD NOT BE WHERE I AM TODAY IF IT'S NOT FOR DR.áKING, JOSE WILLIAMS, ANDY YOUNG, OR JOE LOWERY.

I MEAN, TO ME I'M THAT TURTLE ON THE FENCE POST.

YOU NEVER SEE A TURTLE ON THE FENCE POST.

YOU KNOW HE OR SHE DIDN'T GET THERE BY THEMSELVES.

SOMEBODY PUT THEM THERE.

THAT'S MY WHOLE CAREER.

>> THE DEAN OF THE GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, KALVIN SMILY REPRESENTS ON HIS CAREER A HALF CENTURY SERVING UNDER THE GOLD DOME.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO LAWMAKERS ON THIS DAY 4 OF THE GEORGIA LEGISLATION SESSION.

THERE IS MUCH MORE OF MY INTERVIEW WITH DEAN LOWERY COMING UP.

FIRST UNDER DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP AND REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP.

HE'S NOSTALGIC AND A BIT EMOTION A.

JOINING US IN STUDIO TALKING ABOUT BILLS PROVIDING CPR AND AAD TRAINING TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, STOPPING TELEMARKETERS AND HONORING GEORGIA'S HBCUs.

FIRST BRENDA WATERS WITH THE DAY'S NEWS.

BRENDA.

>> DONNA, A BUSY DAY FOR LAWMAKERS AND A FEW TEARS SHED IN BETWEEN.

IT WAS DOWN TO BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE.

SIX SENATE BILLS PASSED, ONE OF THEM A HEALTH CARE SERVICES BILL WHICH SIMPLIFIES PLIER AUTHORIZATIONS FOR PATIENTS TAKING MEDICATION FOR CHRONIC CONDITIONS.

>> WHAT CAN TYPICALLY HAPPEN IF YOU NEED A SPECIAL MEDICATION FOR YOUR CONDITION, CHRONIC CONDITION, THE DOCTOR AND THE PATIENT HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER ON THAT.

SENATE BILL 341 MAINTAINS IF YOU GO THROUGH PRIOR AUTHORIZATION ONCE IN A YEAR, THAT'S GOOD FOR 12 MONTHS OR THE END OF YOUR CONTRACT WITH YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT EVERY THREE MONTHS.

IT'S A SMALL BUT EFFECTIVE STEP.

>> THE MEASURE PASSED 161-0.

>>> ANOTHER BILL THAT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, SB 358, A BENEFICIAL BILL FOR MEMBERS OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES WHO WOULD LIKE TO BECOME LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

>> WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS SOMETHING WE DO FOR POLICE CHIEFS, WARDENS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL IS ALLOW VETERANS TRANSITION TO BECOMING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PAYING THE EXPENSES TO DO THAT.

THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT 10 TO 15 PEOPLE A YEAR AND COST $3600.

>> RIGHT AFTER REPRESENTATIVE BELLTON PRESENTED THE BILL, HE BID FAREWELL POETICALLY.

>> I PUT OUT MY TREMBLING HAND AND TOUCH THE FACE OF GOD.

>> REPRESENTATIVE DUANE HILL IS ALSO NOT SEEKING REELECTION.

>> THE DAY IS LONG.

MY TIME IS SHORT.

I BID YOU ALL FAREWELL.

AND, MR.áSPEAKER, I YIELD THE WELL.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> IN OTHER NEWS, GOVERNOR KEMP SIGNED HOUSE BILL 1302.

WHAT THAT BOILS DOWN TO IS A TAX REFUND OF 250 TO $500 DEPENDING ON FILING STATUS.

>> I JUST WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR THIS GREAT RELIEF WE'RE FIXING TO GIVE HARD WORKING GEORGIANS RETURNING A BILLION DOLLARS OF THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY QUITE HONESTLY WE DIDN'T NEED THIS YEAR.

>> AND FOR THE SECOND TIME, THE MENTAL HEALTH PARITY ACT 1013 WAS HEARD IN THE SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SUBCOMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH.

THAT WAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

PUBLIC COMMENT WAS GIVEN BY THOSE IN FAVOR OF AND THOSE AGAINST THE BILL.

>> CHILDREN IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE LEGISLATION AT HAND.

WE HAVE SUBMITTED A LETTER WITH MEMBERS' REFERENCE TO EACH MUCH YOU FROM CHILDREN'S VOICES, GEORGIA'S CHILDREN, AND THIS LETTER OUTLINES THE WAY WE SEE THIS BILL AND HOW IT POSITIVELY IMPACTS CHILDREN.

>> AS AN ANESTHESIOLOGIST, I HAVE BEEN A PATIENT ADVOCATE IN THREE DIFFERENT GEORGIA STATE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS.

THIS BILL CANNOT IN ANY WAY ENSURE NOR PROTECT PATIENT MEDICAL SERVICE AUTONOMY AND PATIENT CHOICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY.

WHEN THERE IS NO HIPAA ENFORCEMENT, THERE IS LESS PATIENT INVOLVEMENT.

>> NOW, FOLLOWING THE HEARING SPEAKER RASON ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE OF THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE BILL.

IT INCLUDES EMERY, THE GEORGIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND ALSO AT&T.

>>> AND ONE MORE THING.

IT IS LUPUS ADVOCACY DAY AT THE CAPITAL.

MANY OF THE LAWMAKERS DONNED PURPLE CAPES SIGNIFYING PURPLE LUPUS SUPERHEROES.

DONNA, THAT'S MY CAPITAL REPORT.

BACK TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, BRENDA.

NOW TO MY INTERVIEW WITH DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE KALVIN SMILY OF COLUMBUS.

HE'S THE LONGEST SERVING MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER.

JOE BIDEN APPOINTED HIM AMBASSADOR TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST OF 47 YEARS.

WE TALKED ABOUT A VARIETY OF THINGS.

HIS ELECTION AS YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE HOUSE WHEN HE WAS ELECTED IN 1974.

>> COMING IN RIGHT AFTER THE WATERGATE ERA, AND NOT WANTING TO GO INTO POLITICS, BUT I HAD A CALL A LOT, LEADERS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW.

I FOUND THE BEST, BRIGHTEST YOUNG PEOPLE I COULD, ABOUT 20 TO 25 OF US AND I WANTED TO MEET WITH THE LEADERS OF TODAY WHO ARE ALREADY IN LEADERSHIP POSITION.

WE WERE GOING TO BE LEADERS OF TOMORROW.

I MET WHAT A LOT OF ELDERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

ONE DAY WE WERE AT ONE OF THE LAWYER'S OFFICE MEN TORING US.

HE SAID ONE OF Y'ALL OUGHT TO RUN FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN 1974, THERE'S GOING TO BE AN OPEN SEAT BECAUSE OF REAPPORTIONENT.

EVERYBODY SAID KALVIN OUGHT TO RUN.

HE STARTED THE ORGANIZATION TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICES.

WE'RE NOT ABOUT POLITICS, WE'RE ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE AND HELPING THE COMMUNITY.

WE LEFT IT ALONE.

THEN MY MENTOR THE VICE MAYOR OF COLUMBUS, AND A PERSON WHO I ADMIRED IMMENSELY, CALLED ME TO HIS HOUSE AND SAID THAT THEY TELL ME THE POLITICS CAME UP AND HE SAID, YOU OUGHT TO RUN FOR OFFICE.

SAID, YOU STARTED THE COMMUNITY SERVICE, YOU STARTED THIS PUBLIC SERVICE, WORKING IN COMMUNITY.

HE SAID, WHAT DO YOU THINK POLITICS IS?

THAT'S PUBLIC SERVICE.

I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND THUS MY CANDIDACY WAS BORN.

THERE WERE SIX PEOPLE IN OUR RACE, WE WON WITH 50%.

>> YOU WERE ONE OF THOSE THAT SAID ALL ALONG, I'M GOING TO RUN FOR OFFICE ONE DAY AND YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOU STILL BE HERE IN 2022.

>> I THOUGHT ABOUT IT ONE TIME.

I MET JOSE WILLIAMS, NOTED CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER, IN 1968.

AND I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT IT IT.

THAT TIME I WAS INVOLVED IN THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION AT DALLAS STATE UNIVERSITY.

A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE THOMAS DEUTSCH, I WAS PART OF HIS CAMPAIGN.

BUT NEVER HAD THE IDEA I WOULD RUN FOR OFFICE ONE DAY.

AT THAT TIME, JOSE WILLIAMS SAID, YOU GET INTERESTED IN POLITICS, MAKE SURE YOU GET INSIDE THE BALL GAME SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT THE PLAYERS AND MANAGERS ARE DOING.

SO THAT WAS A GOOD LESSON FROM THE LATE JOSE WILLIAMS.

>> GREAT MENTORS YOU HAD.

YOU TALKED ABOUT COMING IN BECAUSE OF REDISTRICTING.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH IT AGAIN.

YOU'VE GONE THROUGH QUITE A FEW OF THESE.

>> FIVE TIMES.

>> TELL US ABOUT COMING IN THAT WAY AND CAN YOU COMPARE IT TO WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH NOW?

>> I CAN TELL YOU THERE WAS A SUIT FILED IN MY CASE.

I WON AND THERE WAS A SUIT FILED SAYING THAT I DID NOT MEET THE RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE WHERE I WAS LIVING WAS IN THE DISTRICT AND I WAS TOLD I WAS IN THE DISTRICT.

THEN WHEN THE FINAL LINES WERE DRAWN I WAS OUT OF THE DISTRICT.

SO I MOVED INTO THE DISTRICT.

AND I CONTEND THAT THE DISTRICT HAD NOT BEEN CREATED FOR A YEAR.

SO I HAD EVERY RIGHT TO MOVE IN THERE.

AND THAT CAME UP IN THE CAMPAIGN AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE GEORGIA SUPREME COURT.

AND THE SUPREME COURT, BECAUSE I HAD BEEN SEATED, ISSUED IT AS A MOOT QUESTION BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY BEEN SWORN IN.

SO I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THEá-- HOW BRASH AND HOW BRUISING REAPPORTIONMENTS WERE UNTIL AFTER THE FACT.

THEN I LEARNED WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT BECAUSE WHEN I CAME IN UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF REAPPORTIONMENT, OF COURSE, I QUICKLY LEARNED HOW IT TRANSPIRED AND HAPPENED BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS.

SO I KNEW THEN THAT REAPPORTIONMENT HENCEFORTH WOULD BE A BRUISING AND DIFFICULT PROCESS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AND A LOT ABOUT POLITICS.

SO YOU JUST HAVE TO GO WITH THE FLOW AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO OVER THE YEARS.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT RELATIONSHIP.

WHEN YOU TALK TO ANYBODY ABOUT YOU, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU'RE SO GOOD WITH RELATIONSHIPS.

AND THAT'S ONE REASON YOU'RE SO SUCCESSFUL DOWN HERE AT THE CAPITAL.

>> TOLERANCE, TOLERANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS.

TO ME THAT'S BEEN ONE OF MY HALLMARKS.

I'M ALWAYS TOLERANT OF HOW OTHER PEOPLE THINK AND BE OPEN TO OTHER IDEAS AND TO OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS.

AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THAT SPONGE.

I ALWAYS TRY TO SOAK UP AS MUCH AS I CAN TO GET PEOPLEá-- SO THAT THE MORE INFORMATION IS KNOWLEDGE, AND THE MORE YOU LET COME TO YOU, THE MORE YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE ALWAYS BEENá-- I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THAT PERSON TO BE OPEN.

AND A LOT OF THE YOUNG LEGISLATORS, THEY COME TO ME ALL THE TIME FOR ADVICE AND CONSULTATION.

AND MY CAREER HAS BEEN THAT WAY FROM DAY ONE.

I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT TOLERANCE WOULD BE A PART OF MY M.O., AND I'VE TRIED TO DO THAT MY ENTIRE 48-YEAR CAREER.

>> YOU CAME IN IT UNDER A DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP, RIGHT?

WE'RE NOW UNDER REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP.

IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT ANY DIFFERENCES, ANY COMPARISONS?

>> I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, THERE'S DIFFERENCE IN GOVERNANCE AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN OPPOSITION.

AND WHEN YOU ARE IN POWER, YOU CAN CHART YOUR COURSE.

YOU CAN DECIDE WHICH DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GO IN.

WHEN YOU'RE IN OPPOSITION, YOU HAVE TO BE MORE STRATEGIC.

YOU HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC IN HOW YOU WANT TO ANSWER THE VARIOUS ISSUES.

SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOVERNANCE AND THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN BEING IN OPPOSITION.

WITH THAT IN MIND, I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TOá-- I'M A COALITION TYPE PERSON.

WHETHER YOU'RE IN CHARGE OR FOR COALITIONS INTERNALLY, WHEN YOU'RE IN OPPOSITION YOU HAVE TO HAVE COALITIONS, YOU HAVE TO CROSS THE PARTY LINES.

AND THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN GET ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MINORITY IS TO BE A COALITION BUILDER BECAUSE, AFTER ALL, YOU DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS.

CONSTITUTION NOR STATUTORILY TO GET YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO GO.

AND THE NAME OF THE GAME UP HERE IS WHO GETS WHAT, WHEN, WHERE AND HOW.

WITH THAT IN MIND, I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO BE A RESULT PERSON.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ALLOW PRINCIPLE OVER POLITICS.

AND TO ME THAT FORMULA HAS BEEN VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL TO ME AND PEOPLE KNOW ME KNOW THAT I LOVE POLITICS, BUT I'M PRINCIPLED AT THE SAME TIME.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I TRY MY BEST TO CONTINUE TO BUILD COALITIONS AND I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A GREAT CAREER IN POLITICS, THE KEYWORD IS RELATIONSHIPS.

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER.

>> SOME OF THE YOUNG LAWMAKERS WHO COME IN, THEY ALWAYS SAY THAT THEY LOVE THAT YOU'LL PULL THEM ASIDE AND YOU'LL SAY, HEY, THIS IS THE WAY IT'S DONE.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU, THAT MENTORSHIP PART OF IT.

>> KEY, IT'S KEY TO ME.

THAT'S ALL I'VE EVER KNOWN HERE.

AND THE LONGER I STAY, THE BIGGER THE SPONGE.

THE LONGER I STAYED, THE MORE PEOPLE HAVE COME TO ME.

AND NOW IT'S JUST UNIVERSAL.

BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, I GET IT ALMOST DAILY.

I WANT THEM TO REMEMBER ON YESTERDAY, GIVE A LITTLE ADVICE.

THEY KIND OF RECOGNIZED THAT THEY HAD GONE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

SO, YOU KNOW, I TRY TO DO IN A FASHIONED WAY THAT IT'S WELCOMED.

I DON'T USE THAT HARD APPROACH.

I TRY TO BEá-- WITH MY ADVICE, I TRY TO GIVE A LITTLEá-- BE AMICABLE AT THE SAME TIME.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I LOVE TO DO.

I MEAN, I'VE BEENá-- YOU READ BEFORE I'Má-- IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION.

I BELIEVE IN NEGOTIATING THINGS OUT AND BEING NEGOTIABLE.

I'VE HAD SOME SUCCESS IN THAT IN MY CAREER.

>> DO YOU WORRY THAT WE'RE LOSING TOO MUCH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE HERE?

>> WHEN I CAME IN THERE WERE 66 NEW LEGISLATORS IN MY CLASS IN 1975, 66 LEGISLATORS.

THAT'S ONE-THIRD OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

I'M THE ONLY ONE LEFT OUT OF 66 PEOPLE.

I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF MIND BOGGLING.

YOU HAVE TO PINCH YOURSELF FROM TIME TO TIME TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

BUT IN DOING THAT, THEN YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE ROLE YOU PLAY.

I'VE GONE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY TO THE MINORITY.

THERE ARE A FEW OF US IN THE HOUSE THAT HAVE SERVED IN THE MAJORITY, AND NOW IN THE MINORITY.

AND SO INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE HAS A WAY OF GETTING THINGS DONE BECAUSE IT MOVES THE BALL WHEN PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES AND THE POLITICAL NUANCES, AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST KICKING THE CAN.

YOU CAN KICK THE CAN EVERY DAY.

BUT THE KEY IS CAN YOU SELL THE CAN?

>> WE HAVE A VIDEO I WANT TO SHOW YOU.

I'M GOING TO SHOW IT TO YOU AND THEN HAVE YOU REACT TO IT.

>> KALVIN SMYLIE IS NOT JUST GEORGIA BUT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.

A MASTER AT THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.

HE'S A STATESMAN, HE TRULY IS.

YOU KNOW, HEá-- PEOPLE WILL NEVER KNOW THE TIMES THAT HE AND I INTERACT ON ISSUES BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT WE HAVE.

AND HE HAS BEEN A ROCK FOR ME TO KIND OF LEAN ON.

AND HE HAS SUCH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW.

WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT TERM LIMITS, WHO COULD WANT A SYSTEM THAT WOULD DENY YOU A KALVIN SMIREY?

NOT ME.

I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY FOR HIM.

AND I OFTEN TELL HIM.

I SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A SPEAKER HERE THAT SERVEDá-- YOU SERVED WITH LONGER THAN ME, BUT THERE'S NOT BEEN A SPEAKER HERE THAT'S LOVED YOU AS MUCH OR RELIED ON YOU AS MUCH AS I HAVE.

>> WOW.

I'VE HAD A LONG CAREER, AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF FRIENDSHIPS ALONG THE WAY.

BUT I'VE BEEN TRULY, TRULY BLESSED.

AND DAVID RALSTON HAS BEEN A TRUE FRIEND TO ME.

POLITICS ASIDE, HE'S ENTRUSTED MEá-- HE'S TRUSTED ME IN MANY, MANY ARENAS AS IT RELATES TO THE POLITICAL PROCESS.

AND A LOT OF GOOD WE'VE DONE TOGETHER.

I CAN'T TELL YOU THE TIMES WE SPENT TOGETHER ON TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION FUNDING AND TRANSIT.

IT REMINDED ME OF MY TIMES WITH TOM MURPHY, CONGRESS ON MARTA OR GEORGIA DOME.

THOSE WERE SOME MAJOR HEAVY LIFT ITEMS.

THAT RIGHT THERE IS TRULY HEARTFELT, AND I'M DEEPLY, DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF OUR FRIENDSHIP, AND OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP ALTHOUGH WE'RE FROM DIFFERENT PARTIES.

GROWING UP, YOU PASS HANDS VERY SLOWLY.

COMING DOWN, YOU PASS THEM FAST.

SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SAME HANDS THAT I SAW GOING UP THAT I SEE COMING DOWN.

>> ARE YOU GOING TO MISS IT?

>> OH, GOD.

I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO GET THROUGH MY FAREWELL SPEECH.

AND I'M DEEPLY HONORED.

WE DON'T DO FAREWELL SPEECHES ON SINE DIE.

WE'LL MAKE TIME.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT SO MUCH MORE WE COULDN'T GET INTO THE SHOW.

HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LONG-TIME SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE TOM MURPHY.

BECOMING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FLOOR LEADER UNDER GOVERNOR JOE FRANK HARRIS.

HOW IN THE EARLY DAYS HE AND PRESIDENTIAL KABD DATA JIMMY CARTER FORGED A FRIENDSHIP.

IT WOULD LEAD TO HIS RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH THE YEARS WITH EVERY PRESIDENT, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.

WE'LL HAVE MORE OF DEAN SMIREY'S INTERVIEW IN AN UPCOMING LAWMAKER SHOW.

>>> COMING UP, WE'LL TALK ABOUT A BILL THAT CHANGES THE WAY DAMAGES ARE APPORTIONED OR DIVIDED IN MULTIá-- LAWSUITS AND MORE.

YOU'RE WATCHING GPB LAWMAKERS.

>>> CIGNA'S MISSION IS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND PEACE OF MIND OF THOSE WE SERVE.

MORE AT CIGNA.COM TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR EMPLOYEES WELL-BEING.

>> GEORGIA LAWMAKERS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY GEORGIA FARM BUREAU.

THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE IN OUR STATE, AG IS GEORGIA'S NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY.

FOOD AND FIBER PRODUCTION REPRESENTS OVER 74 BILLION IN OUTPUT OF GEORGIA STRONG ECONOMY.

THE GEORGIA FARM BUREAU LEGISLATIVE TEAM WORKS TO REPRESENT PRODUCERS ACROSS GEORGIA AT THE STATE CAPITAL, DURING THE SESSION AND YEAR ROUND.

GEORGIA FARM BUREAU, THE VOICE OF GEORGIA FARMERS.

>> GEORGIA HUMANITIES CONNECTING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS GEORGIA, TO ENCOURAGE CONVERSATION, EDUCATION AND UNDERSTANDING.

FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.GEORGIAHUMANITIES.ORG.

>>> WELCOME BACK TO LAWMAKERS.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SEVERAL BILLS WITH OUR GUEST REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE CHUCK F. STRAYTION AND SONIA HALPERIN.

WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU.

CHAIRMAN, YOU HAD HB 961 IS THE APPORTIONMENT BILL.

IT'S KIND OF CONFUSING.

I REALLY HAD TO BRING IT DOWN TO LAYMEN'S TERMS.

TELL US WHAT IT MEANS.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

SOMETIMES LEGAL BILLS CAN BE DRY.

GEORGIA THE NUMBER ONE STATE FOR BUSINESS, IT IS IMPORTANT WE ADDRESS LIABILITY CONCERNS BUSINESSES MIGHT HAVE.

A RECENT OPINION FROM THE GEORGIA SUPREME COURT RULED THAT IF ONLY ONE DEFENDANT IS SUED, BUT MAYBE WHERE MULTIPLE PARTIES ARE INVOLVED, THAT ONE DEFENDANT SHOULDERS 100% OF THE COSTS AT THE END OF THE CASE.

AND SO HOUSE BILL 961 ADDRESSES THAT.

IT'S A TOP PRIORITY OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ACROSS THE STATE OF GO.

AND IT'S A COMPROMISE BILL WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING PARTIES TOGETHER TO REALLY ADDRESS THIS CRITICAL NEED TO ENSURE THAT GEORGIA REMAINS THE NUMBER ONE STATE FOR BUSINESS.

>> SO IF ONE PERSON TAKES ALL THE BLAME, SOá-- >> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> HOW DID PEOPLE REACT TO THAT WHEN IT WENT THROUGH COMMITTEE AND EVERYTHING?

>> IT WAS A SHOCK.

HARD TO BELIEVE A COMPANY IS ONLY 5% RESPONSIBLE AND HAS TO PAY 100% OF THE COST IS HARD TO CARRY.

IT'S RECOGNIZED LIABILITY REFORM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

GOOD FOR BUSINESSES, INSURANCE COMPANIES AND ALL GEORGIANS TO ENSURE THAT COSTS STAY REASONABLE.

>> CROSSED OVER, SO WE'LL SEE WHERE IT GOES FROM THERE.

SENATOR HALPERN, YOU'LL SEE THAT BILL.

YOU WANT PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR FIRST AID, FOR CPR, ALL OF THAT, FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

AND I HEARD YOU TALK IN COMMITTEE ABOUT WHY YOU WANT THAT.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT?

>> SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AREN'T NECESSARILY INVOLVED ANY MORE IN ORGANIZATIONS WHERE THEY WOULD NECESSARILY LEARN BASIC LIFESAVING SKILLS AND BASIC FIRST AID.

AND SOá-- AND AT THE SAME TIME AS A STATE, WE ALSO KNOW THAT EVEN PRE-COVID, THAT WE STARTED TO HAVE A SHORTAGE OF EMTs AND PARAMEDICS.

AND SO THERE IS NOT EVER GOING TO BE A TIME WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO DO BASIC FIRST AID WHO KNOW HOW TO DO CPR.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SITUATIONS COME UP UNPLANNED.

YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND TO HAVE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE IN 9th OR 10th GRADE BE ABLE TO START TO LEARN HOW TO DO THAT, IT'S A VALUE FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.

>> IT WAS UNANIMOUS PASSED OUTá-- >> IT DID, YEAH.

>> NOW WE SEE SO MANY A.E.D.s ANYWHERE T. WOULD TRAIN THEM ON A.E.D.s.

>> HERE'S THE INTERESTING THING.

OUR LAW ALREADY HAD CPR AND AUTOMATIC "D"á-- DEFIBRILLATION TECHNIQUES.

30 OTHER STATES REQUIRE THAT.

WE'RE ALREADY THERE.

I'M TRYING TO ADD THE BASIC FIRST AID TRAINING.

CHOKING, BLEEDING, HOW DO YOU REACT IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

>> I'M A GIRL SCOUT.

WE DON'T HAVE MANY ANY MORE.

>> RIGHT.

>> YOU HAVE A BILL THAT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, A PARENT DETERMINED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOMICIDE OF HIS OR HER CHILD SHALL HAVE NO RIGHT OF RECOVERY AGAINST THE VALUE OF THE CHILD'S LIFE.

IT'S A LOT, BUT IT'S SHOCKING THAT THAT'S NOT ALREADY INTO LAW.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WHERE THIS COMES FROM.

>> YEAH.

SO THE LAW RIGHT NOW HAS A LITTLE BIT OF GAP AND THERE IS AMBIGUITY.

IT SAYS THE PARENT HAS THE RIGHT TO RECOVER FOR THE LOSS OF THE CHILD.

IN ANOTHER PART OF THE CODE IT SAYS IF YOU ARE FOUND TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOMICIDE OF ANOTHER, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ANY BENEFITS FROM YOUR KILLING, RIGHT.

ANYBODY WHO KILLS CANNOT BENEFIT FROM THEIR KILLING.

BUT THE LAW IS SILENT ON WHAT HAPPENS IF THE PARENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT HOMICIDE.

AND SO THIS BILL BASICALLY CLOSES THE LOOP ON THAT, AND IT MAKES IT CLEAR WHAT I THINK IS ALREADY THE LEGAL INTENT, THAT NOBODY REGARDLESS OF WHOM, SHOULD BE ABLE TO BENEFIT IF THEY INTENTIONALLY KILL ANOTHER.

SO THIS CLOSES THAT LOOP.

AND ULTIMATELY WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES IT VERY CLEAR FOR JUDGES WHETHER THEY'RE PROBATE JUDGES OR SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES, THAT THE DECISION IS PARENTS DON'T GET TO BENEFIT.

THEY CAN'T CALL FOR THE ASSETS OF THAT CHILD IF THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DEATH.

>> SUCH A GOOD BILL.

IT CAME INTO YOUR COMMITTEE.

>> IT DID.

>> CHAIRMAN'S COMMITTEE, PASSED OUT OF THERE AS WELL.

>> WE GET TO HEAR HALPERIN'S BILL, THE FIRST DAY AFTER CROSS-OVER DAY.

IT WAS QUICK.

TERRIFIC LEGISLATION, PASSED OUT OF THE HOUSE JUDICIARY UNANIMOUSLY.

WE WERE EXCITED TO HEAR IT.

>> SO, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT SB 364 WITH YOU.

IT IS A BILL IN THE HOUSE JUDICIARY.

TELEMARKETERS.

WHAT DOES THE BILL DO?

>> WE ALL GET THEY'D CALLS ASKING TO EXTEND WARRANTIES, WE WANT TO SELL OUR HOMES, ALL THESE KINDS OF REQUESTS.

SENATOR TILLERY HAS BROUGHT A BILL TO ADDRESS THAT T. WOULD CREATE A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE BUSINESSES ARE ALLOWING THESE NUMBERSá-- PEOPLE'S NUMBERS ON THE DO NOT CALL LIST IN PARTICULAR, AND NOT ADDRESSING THAT FACT.

THE FACT THAT TELEMARKETERS MAY BE GETTING THESE CALLS SENT OUT OR NUMBERS ARE SOMETIMES BY FRAUDSTERS USED TO SEND THESE OUT TO TRY TO TRICK GEORGIANS.

WE HAVE LEGISLATION WE'RE CONSIDERING IN THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS TELEMARKETERS, ADDRESS CONTINUED CALLS WHEN YOU'RE ON THE DO NOT CALL LIST.

I EXPECT THAT LESS ASIAN IS GOING TO PASS THIS WEEK.

>> I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE INTERESTED IN THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

>>> BEFORE WE FORGET, BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF TIME, THERE WAS A CEREMONY LAST WEEK TO HONOR GEORGIA'S HBCUs.

TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.

>> SO, THIS WAS MY SECOND ANNUAL HBCU HERITAGE DAY CELEBRATION DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

AND REALLY, WE HONORED OUR HBCUs.

GEORGIA ACTUALLY HAS TEN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

WE ARE THE STATE WITH THE THIRD MOST NUMBER.

I THINK THERE'S 101 TOTAL IN THE COUNTRY.

AND OUR HBCUs GRADUATE SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST MINDS WHO GO ON TO BE LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, LEADERS IN BUSINESS, LEADERS IN POLITICS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM.

AND ALSO OUR HBCUs DON'T JUST TEACH OUR STUDENTS, BUT THEY REALLY CREATE A HUGE ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE STATE, LIKE $1.3áBILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT.

AND SO THEY'RE WORTHY OF CELEBRATION, AND SO I WAS GLAD TO INVITE THE PRESIDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO THE CAPITAL AND REALLY CELEBRATE THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND BE ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM AFTERWARD IN A MODERATED PANEL THAT WE DID.

>> YOU HAD A RESOLUTION ABOUT IT.

>> YES, I DID.

MARCH 16th WAS NAMED AS HBCU HERITAGE DAY.

>> I WALKED IN AFTERWARDS AND I SAW SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE INTERACTING WITH THE LAWMAKERS.

SO THAT WAS REALLY GREAT.

ONE LAST THING I WANT TO GET TO YOU WITH YOU, CHAIR MINISTRATION, YOU ALSO SERVE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE CODE REVISION COMMISSION, WHICH IS A LOT.

YOU JUST APPROVED THAT THE GEORGIA CODE ANNOTATIONS ARE TO BE PROVIDED FOR THE PUBLIC.

SO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED.

>> THE LAW SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE TO REVIEW.

IF YOU WANT KNOW WHAT THE LAW IS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND IT ONLINE FOR FREE.

THERE WAS ACTUALLY U.S. SUPREME COURT CASE WHERE GEORGIA WAS A PARTY ASKING WHETHER OUR ANNOTATIONS, PART OF OUR LAW, ARE SUBJECT TO PUBLIC ACCESS.

AND AS A RESULT OF THE WORK OF THE CODE REVISION COMMISSION, THEY ARE AS OF THIS WEEK.

SO THEY ARE ONLINE.

ANY GEORGIAN CAN REVIEW THE ENTIRE CODE INCLUDING THE ANNOTATIONS NOW.

VERY PROUD OF THAT.

>> DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE LAW LIBRARY AND LOOK AT THOSE BIG BOOKS.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR COMING ON THE SHOW.

AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING LAWMAKERS.

LOOK FOR LAWMAKERS, THE CAPITAL REPORT ON FRIDAY AT THE END OF THE PBS NEWS HOUR AND TOMORROW NIGHT AT 7:00, TUNE IN FOR THE POLITICAL REWIND HOSTED BY BILL NIGUT.

SEE YOU FOR LEGISLATIVE DAY 35.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.A