Clear the winners in this budget are the taxpayers of georgia.

This budget returns money to them.

It promotes public safety.

And the 50 sheriffs you saw join us on the steps just last week in the creation of this first in 60 years state mental health hospital and it supports the governor's original recommendations to fully fund many of his priorities.

The amended budget that ends on June 30 is now on its way to the governor for his signature.

Good evening and welcome to lawmakers.

I'm donna lowery in Atlanta.

It's day 24 of the legislative session on the show today.

Georgia continues to lead in the fight against human trafficking.. We'll learn more about legislation tonight, including putting the death penalty on the table.

Later we'll talk education and a bill to improve the writing skills of second and third graders.

Another would require public schools to display the bill of rights.

Before we get to all of that, capitol correspondent sarah calls reports on what happened today under the gold dome.

Hi donna.

It was a big day of debates today at the capitol on everything from income tax to immigration detention.

The house took up a bill that accelerates the already planned income tax cut.

House bill 1001 would drop the flat income tax rate to 4.9%.

It's currently at 5.19%.

This is a continuation of governor kemp's priority and promise to continue to reduce taxes that this house has supported and put forth several sessions in which we have continued to lower it.. This bill simply lowers the income tax rate in georgia to 4.99% from 5.19% three years earlier than original the original bill called for back in 2019.

Advocates for the bill say it's putting more money in taxpayers' pockets, but opponents say the cut could impact some services.

This money goes to things like our roads and our schools and our hospitals and our airports.

Y'all want people to be happy with putting $5 in their pocket while they get thousands of dollars taking out of another pocket because now they have to spend money fixing up their cars that are getting banged up from potholes.

Now they have to travel further for health care.

Now their utility rates are going up and so much more.

Democrats also said that the reduction benefits the wealthy more than the average georgian.

Is it not true that this piece of legislation would cost $778 million per year, approximately 73% or about $568 million out of $700 million going to georgians who are in the top 20% with respect to income.

This does not penalize georgians.

This treats this as a proportional tax.

If you pay a half $1 million in taxes, then you're going to receive a larger dollar amount because you're already contributing more into the state's coffers again it's proportional.

I'm not going to argue that my dad was a math teacher.

The math is the math ultimately hb 1001 passed mostly along party lines, 106 to 66.

After a lunch break, the house agreed to the conference committee version of the mid year budget, The biggest change, Governor Kemp added $1.4 billion to the revenue estimate to make way for new projects.

The budget keeps both income and property tax rebates Between the two relief initiatives.

This body is returning $2 billion back to the citizens of our state and includes money for the construction of a new mental health hospital for georgia prisoners.

This hospital will address delays for state psychiatric hospital services, delays that are playing out in our jails across the state.

People in jail with serious mental illness should not need to wait months or longer to start receiving the care they need.

Another winner, the dreams need based scholarship for public georgia colleges, budget passed 169 to two and was sent to the senate.

The house also gave approval to a bill to establish a homelessness prevention program and continue grant programs started under covid to help people stay in their homes.

The senate took up sb 433.

This bill creates a special license plate that would alert authorities to automobiles whose driver or passenger has autism.

It also provides special training to help law enforcement learn about the unique communication challenges that could arise with individuals with autism during a traffic stop.

It passed unanimously.

S 116 was a bit more problematic in securing unity.

This bill will require dna samples to be taken from anyone charged with a misdemeanor or felony while being held in a detention center after receiving an ice detainer notice.

If ice doesn't pick up the individual within the required 48 hours, , state law enforcement would take their dna before they are released.

This bill serves as a safeguard, ensuring a sample is obtained, even if cooperation between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement changes in the future.

It guarantees that we maintain accurate identification records for individuals who have come into contact with our criminal justice system.

Beyond immigration enforcement, this measure supports broader public safety goals.

A dna profile in the state database can help solve unsolved crimes, identify perpetrators in future cases, or provide closure to our victims.

Democrats objected saying the bill violates the lawful status of immigrants.

The author who I respect as a person made a misstatement from the well when he said that this is about illegal immigrants or illegal immigration, that those folks may be included, but that doesn't mean that this bill only applies to people who are here unlawfully.

This bill says if you are in ice detention whatsoever, then you are subject to this dna swab and an invasion of your constitutional rights and privacy.

Democrats offered an amendment to change the language from charged to convicted in order for a swab to be taken.

But that was defeated.

The bill passed 33 to 20 along party lines.

The senate also took up the mid year budget.

Many of the senate recommendations in their version of the budget made it into the final bill, but ultimately the bill was a compromise as it usually is.

We recognize the proposals of the governor related to dreams and we were able to fully fund the dreams act at 325 million.

We were able to meet the house on many of their priorities.

We're able to fund homelessness at 45 million and then put 5 million additional dollars over at veterans.

We were able to put over $80 million into filling what is a perceived hole at the department of human services related to out of home care.

Hb 973 was passed 49 to zero and was immediately sent to the governor.

Tomorrow we can expect discussion in the senate on the data center controversy.

That's my capital report donna thanks sarah.

Georgia is a national leader in anti human trafficking legislation, having passed major legislation to battle the problem which occurs all over the state.

Our guests are republican representative david clark of beauford.

He is vice chair of defense and veterans affairs.

He's also on education and health.

Also here is representative johnny chastain of blue ridge.. His committees include banks and banking, rural development, and small business development.

Thank you so much for coming on the this the show.

You're welcome.

Glad to be here.

As we get started, I want to show some statistics on human trafficking.

The average age sadly of victims is 12 to 14-years-old.

More than 91% of the children identified as victims of quote domestic minor sex trafficking were officially enrolled in school while the abuse was occurring.

In 2024, the national human trafficking hotline received 876 distinct reports, tips and calls regarding potential trafficking in georgia.

And since the hotline began, they've had more than 3,600 confirmed cases of human trafficking that they've been identified in the state.

So you want to put the death penalty on the table for anybody involved with human trafficking who's convicted right yes, I do donna talk about that.

Did where did that idea come from?

So I mean, a few things.

I mean one the fbi has said that georgia is one of the top, if not the number 1 state that leads sex trafficking.

And then also what you talked about, the average age is 12 to 14-years-old girl being sex trafficked.

And then also a crazy number.

7,200 men purchase sex every month from miners right here in georgia.

And I have a little girl who's 7-years-old and just thinking, if that was my little girl, what would I do?

And I mean, I think it's the most heinous crime ever, you know, because sex trafficking, taking a human, it's slavery, and you're also putting them through just this unbelievable trauma.

And forcing them into sex trafficking.

And the fact that they were still in school during this, it's just, it's hard to imagine.

So we'll talk a little bit more about your bill in a moment.

I want to get to you, representative chastain.

While representative clark wants the death penalty, you want to expand the judicial system s reach when it comes to human trafficking.

Talk about that yes and thank you for letting us be here tonight and all the folks that have been working on human trafficking before me, from the first lady down has done so much work on this on this subject with human trafficking, but I was able to share a little bit this summer with my sheriff dan kirby.

We attended a gbi meeting this summer and learned from two of the special agents there in charge about a little bit about pimping.

And if you read the code section, the georgia code on pimping, it was really troubling when you read the definition of what that really means.

And I learned through talking with these two special agents in charge that pimping is a misdemeanor in georgia for the first offense.. And we started talking about that and some of the cases they actually had now that they were involved with would have been misdemeanors if they were charged with pimping.

But in further investigation, a lot of the folks that they are actually casing had previous convictions of sex trafficking and human trafficking.

So hb 1075 closes a loophole for our law enforcement, for gbi folks that if they charge someone with pimping that has a prior conviction, already been down that road and back, they have a prior conviction of human trafficking or sex trafficking, then that would be a felony on the first offense.

So the first time may have been a misdemeanor, but you're saying the second time would be much harsher yes or or are we talking the first time also under your bill.

This bill will make a first offense a felony if they have a prior conviction of human trafficking.

So it changes the law a little bit.

That's the loophole because the folks that are convicted of human trafficking have been sent off in their back and basically calling their a pimp because they know it's a misdemeanor.

So that's loophole this this bill will change that to a felony if they've already been previously.

So let's talk about your bill.

What exactly would it do?

Would it involve the people who are already in jail or in prison would be those who have been caught in sex trafficking that the option on the table with the jury could be the death penalty.

And I believe you know, the question I get asked as well, the supreme court weighed in saying know, the punishment needs to equal the crime right but I mean, I say it is death to the soul.

When you go look at what's going on with these victims, you know, it's 75% of these minors are contemplating suicide after being sex drafted and then 57 percentage attempt suicide at least once.

And I believe also if you put the death penalty know there and the jury can, you know, charge them with the death penalty.

I believe also even if you don't even give the death penalty, its leverage to the prosecutors, because a lot of times this is organized crime, very high levels.

And so you can do the leverage that they cooperate and expose others who are part of that organized crime.

And so I mean, I believe if you want to bring the hammer down, you see what epstein files and all that, I mean, it's loud.

Everyone's talking about it.

What they hate it so much.

Look at what's going on in georgia.

We can tackle it right here.

And me being elected, you know, I have a voice and to move legislation like this.

So I'm very passionate about it.

Georgia is still really high when it comes to the executions for the death penalty, but we haven't seen the same amount of people who are actually, where the juries are actually giving out the death penalty.. Does that concern you?

It does.

And again, it's up to them to decide with the jury.

But I think the biggest is also is the leverage.

We need more leverage.

And when they see the death penalty as an option, you use that leverage for them to cooperate and then you start naming others who are part of it yeah I would think you agreed with this bill too.

100% with what we've seen already in georgia, I think it's a great bill and it'll do what the bill is supposed to do yes and probably vice versa on his bill too yes definitely yeah I think there would be a lot of support on both ends on all of this.

Representative clark, so we'll keep up with those bills, but we also want to talk about another bill, hb 12 26, justification for use of force in defense of self or others.

What's that bill all about yeah so it strengthens the standard ground law, but what it does is we see these, you can call rogue activist prosecutors who sometimes just want to bring charges on somebody.

And what it does is it allows that person getting charged to do to have a real pretrial immunity hearing before it goes to like a grand jury.

Because once you go through a grand jury and go through that whole trial, people are losing who are found innocent, losing their homes, their jobs everything so what it does is it allows them to say hey I want a pre trial immunity hearing to go before a judge, and the judge asks the prosecutor hey you know, it looks at the evidence and the evidence is there, then go to a grand jury.

And if the evidence is not there, the judge can weigh and say no this is total self defense.

It's black and white.

And so that person not having to go through just because some rogue prosecutor just wants to go bring the hammer down on somebody.

So it just puts the burden back on the government where it should be all along okay we'll keep up with that bill I want to talk about, you have a fire safety bill, 1080 hb 1080.

What's that?

Hb 1086 passed through the house last week without a without a no vote.

So it was a unanimous vote on the bill.

We had a retired battalion chief of 30 years in florida that retired in my community in blue ridge.

His name is lee hollins.

And lee brought this bill to me back in the fall and it's a fire safety bill.

It's a fairly simple bill, but it will save lives for firefighters in georgia.

It requires if you own a commercial buildings built out of what we call the light gauge trusses or light gauge steel.

And we know in a fire that those trusses will fail quicker than a regular solid trust.

They're great trusses.

They're engineered, they're structurally sound, but under fire, those trusses will fail and fall in either in the roof or the floor quicker than a normal trust.

So this bill basically just passed in florida a while back, it just has you would place an eight inch maltese cross emblem somewhere where the fire marshal designates probably by the electric box or maybe by the by the front lock box that would let a fireman know if that building is on fire, that building is constructed out of these ladder gauge trusses and to be aware because it could fall in on them quicker than a normal building wow you would think that that's one of those bills that we would have known about.

I mean, the fact that these trusses exist like that way yes yes, hb 1086 okay we'll keep up with that.

I had 1080 because the six looked like a zero the way I wrote it.

I do want to get to something else with you.

You you have a bill that you introduced to rename sawney.

I guess it's sawney mountain.

Say mountain yeah to trump mountain.

Talk about that.

I did.

I dropped it.

So my wife, there was an all women's town hall in forsythe.

She went to it and a bunch of other ladies and it was one of the most watched town halls where he gave women voices to be heard, to hear the issues also he put susie wells first ever chief of staff in the white house, you know, so lifting women up and had a huge impact on my wife and a bunch of other women.

And so I thought, you know, to honor, you know what he has done to lift women up.

And my wife had a blast there and it was right next to sonny mountain.

And so to name it after President Trump and as a green brain combat vet, what he's done on national security and foreign policy is unbelievable how he's leading on the world stage.

And so it would, you know, recognize all that he's done.

I didn't know whether he had a particular connection to the mountain, but your wife's event was a thing for you.

How's it doing?

How's that feel doing?

I dropped it.

You know, we still have plenty of time to go in session, but then also I have a lot of other bills that I'm very passionate about.

You guys both have good bills, so thank you so much for coming on.

I really appreciate that well coming up a pilot program to strengthen the writing skills of grade kids in the second grade and third grade and a bill to put the bill of rights in front and center in schools.

Two members of the georgia house join us to talk about education legislation when lawmakers returns.

Georgia Farm Bureau, a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving georgia agriculture.

Farm bureau advocates for all georgia farmers at the state capitol during the session and year round.

Georgia Farm Bureau, the voice of georgia farmers, explore the stories that move you.

Welcome to the incredible world of gpv passport From inspiring science to endearing dramas.

Passport is your access to an incredible catalog of pbs programming and new titles are being added all the time.

Take a look at what's new.

What is it you want?

Would you indulge me?

Quite something, isn't it, sister scandalous, isn't it?

Have I got a story for you I want to know so much more.

You are really good at this.

I'm just getting started.

We can't wait to see where gpb passport takes you.. Your support as a monthly sustainer connects you to the high quality news, information and entertainment that you've come to rely on from pbs.

And for gpb, your sustaining support is the most reliable source of funding for the programs and essential services that you rely on right here at home.

Make an impact with your sustaining gift today and start streaming.

Visit gpb.org and click passport now and thanks.

It's not a mountain thing or a coastal thing.

It's a georgia people places and stories.

Morning edition on georgia public broadcast that keeps georgians everywhere dialed into home.

Tune into gpb.

It's a georgia thing Welcome back to lawmakers.

I'm donna lowery.

As always, legislators introduce lots of legislation to improve education in georgia.

We're going to talk about a couple of those bills and on a different topic, one that focuses on domestic violence.

Joining us is democratic representative deborah bazemore of south fulton.

She's in her ninth year in the house.

Her committees her tenth year.

Her committees include small business and governmental affairs, and with us is democratic representative mary ann santos of mcdonough.

She's finishing her first term and her committees include code revision and judiciary juvenile and she is the first hispanic person to run for office in Henry county.

Thank you both for being here.

I know it's been a long day and we really had to hope that you guys were going to make it because those hearings went late.

So let's get through this.

I represent a bazemore,, you have a bill well let's talk about another bill of yours because we talked about human trafficking in the previous segment and you have a human trafficking bill too.

I do.

And I know you've worked with first margin you guys even did a public service announcement together definitely so yes, I had suggested to her at a meeting and took the mayor of Atlanta there with me so that because he runs the airport and so I suggested that we have something because you can hear overhead if you see something, say something.

But most people are trying to get to the gate and then when they come back, they're trying to get to the baggage claim and so they're not really listening.

So we needed to grab their attention.

And so yes, we had the first person on it was andre dickens,, the mayor of Atlanta, and then the first lady and her husband, the governor, then myself, and then it was tyler perry.

So people would stop when they saw and they heard and so they would do something and report.

That was exciting.

You also have a hotel bill, so talk about that briefly.

So this bill is hb 490.

And what this bill does, it's going to be called georgia human trafficking prevention training act.

And it came about because I had the first lady down in my district.

I had she was there and the da was there, the sheriff was there, the two mayors were there, everybody and some of my legislative friends, they came.

And so what I found with the discussion we were having is that some people knew that the hotels were turning a blind eye to human trafficking.

They knew what was going on in their hotel but did nothing.

And so we needed to do something and we needed to make them accountable so they will have to take a training within the 60 days of their employment before 60 days is up.

And this goes from the owner all the way down to the cleaning staff.

And so if they knew or should have known once they take the training and they did not do anything, there's a fine associated with it.

$500 the first time, 1,000 the second time, and then 2000 the third time okay we'll keep up with that bill since we're on this topic that these are hard topics to talk about.

I know you have a domestic violence bill and that you have a personal story about it.

So tell us about that briefly yes so hb 13 12, the desi safety act, it's going to mirror federal legislation and restrict firearm access temporarily after due process.

And so this is aimed at ensuring that protective orders actually protect people and our general public.

And I know you've talked openly about facing domestic violence, so this is personal for you absolutely okay well let's get into something that will help children.

You have a bill, hb 200 to establish a three year pilot immersive writing program in elementary schools.

Tell us about it.

I'm so excited about this bill.

So last year it passed out of the house, went to the senate, passed out of committee, and then went on the floor of the senate, but it did not get voted on.

But we are back at it and it looks really good.

And the bill actually is going to allow any of the children from the second to the fifth grade participate in this program where they decide what the subject matter is that they want to write about.

And this is pen to paper, not computers, not anything assisting.

So that's going to help them with literacy.

And that's what we're talking about this year literacy and so once they do write their own book based on what they're interested in, the book will get written, it will get illustrated and then it will get published and it will the one that I already know about because my granddaughter illustrated one is a different kind of hero that is on amazon right now.

And the other part of this, we're creating entrepreneurs because that author of that bill gets every dime when somebody purchases that bill off of amazon and they'll never forget the experience and the parents will love it and the grandparents will want it and everything.

And let's talk about your education bill.

You want the bill of rights in all schools.

Tell us why yes it promotes civic literacy and respect for our constitution, and I believe it's the foundation of our American values.

It won't cost anything.

The bill specifically says that it can be printed, it can be donated.

So the purpose is really to engage our students and prepare them for the future, ensuring that they are aware of their rights and when they get older, they become law abiding citizens that can understand the constitution.

A lot of us didn't see that until maybe high school and that kind of thing.

And you're saying even in the grade schools, even in middle schools yes this will be elementary and secondary schools.

And I think that even children need to know because I remember posters when I was in second grade.

One was reach for the moon.

Even if you don't land, you'll land among the stars.

And I still remember.

And I think it's important for kids to know this belongs to you.

You are American, these are your values, and you can exercise them yeah okay.

You bill, you're feeling really good about it this year.

You got it so far last year.

So it was recommitted to education over in the senate and I introduced it again or I presented it again yesterday and every single person on that committee was pleased.

They were excited when I explained how it works and that my granddaughter was part of it and I left them a book so that they could see the final product and they were really interested in it.. So I'm assuming that this will be on the floor of the senate soon and voted on and then we'll it'll be a bill yeah that's great.

How's your bill doing?

My bill is doing okay.

I'm excited.

I think that from what I've seen, members are excited about new bills and certainly open to having conversations and I'm grateful for that.

I'm going to get back to another topic because you have a bill, hb 131, I wanted to get into the survivor protection act.

And this gets back to domestic violence too, doesn't it?

So little.

This particular bill protects against sexual offenses.

So a survivor cannot be awarded attorney fees if their abuser has a conviction in the criminal court.

And this will protect the survivor, ensuring that they have access to justice and that they are not left with the price tag of their abuser okay how's that one doing?

So that is doing as well.

I've had several conversations with members on the committees and I've explained it and I hope that everyone can understand that survivors need our support.

At the end of the day, we're supposed to protect the people that are vulnerable yeah I just want to ask you quickly, this is your first term.

How's it been?

It's two week.

My first term is great.

I have had a great help from everyone and I'm just grateful well now that you've been on lawmakers, you know, that's another thing you can check off for that.

Anything else you have going on.

So a couple of other bills that have not seen a lot of day yet, but I am excited about it.

I think this is a good session for us.

And then of course we all go into running for our seat again.

That's it.

So that'll be something new for you too right yes yes after you leave, all offices are out yes well, thank you both for coming and good luck on your legislation.

Appreciate it.

Thank you well that does it for lawmakers tonight.

We'll be back tomorrow and our show will include my extended interview with secretary of state brad raffensberger about several issues including election bills and his office's investigation into an alleged ponzi scheme.

Have a good evening Wars