Rep. Ron Stephens

Guest columnist

The governor will spend the next few weeks examining each House and Senate bill that received final passage this session and ultimately decide which bills to sign into law or veto. However, any legislation that is not signed or vetoed within this 40-day period will automatically become law. As a wrap-up of some of the other last-minute legislation that passed, here are some of the more important bills that are now on the Governor’s desk.

I would like to remind you about Georgia’s one-time Property Tax Relief Grant program, which is funded through House Bill 18, the Amended Fiscal Year 2023 (AFY 2023) budget. This program will provide eligible Georgia homeowners with an opportunity to receive an $18,000 exemption for their assessed home value on their 2023 property tax bill. This session, we dedicated $950 million in surplus funding in the AFY 2023 budget to establish this new program, and the governor signed the amended budget into law a few weeks ago. Following the preparation of property tax bills, local tax officials will notify the Department of Revenue (DOR) of the total anticipated revenue of all applicable millage rates that were applied to qualified homesteads. Local tax officials will then apply for this money with the DOR, and tax credits will be issued to the local taxing authorities accordingly. It is important to note that this exemption will only apply to properties claimed as a homestead by taxpayers filed prior to the April 1 deadline, and the credit cannot exceed liability once all applicable homestead exemptions and millage rollbacks have been applied.

The General Assembly gave final passage to House Bill 129, legislation which seeks to improve the maternal health of extremely low-income pregnant women through an existing financial assistance program. HB 129 would expand the eligibility criteria for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits to pregnant women. Through the Georgia Department of Human Services, this federal program provides monthly cash assistance to extremely low-income families with the goal of moving these families toward economic freedom and self-sufficiency. In Georgia, the average TANF household includes three individuals, such as a mom and two children, but pregnant women are not currently eligible for this vital program. I am grateful the House led the way toward expanding this program and alleviating some of the financial burden for these expectant mothers so that they can focus on their prenatal health.

We gave final passage to legislation that seek to help Georgians earn their college degrees by improving our financial aid programs. House Bill 249 would expand eligibility for the College Completion Grant program, which currently only assists students who have completed 80 percent of their credit requirements for their college program. HB 249 would now extend eligibility to students who have completed at least 70 percent of a four-year program or 45 percent of a twoyear program, allowing more students to receive assistance if they have a gap in their financial aid. The maximum award amount per eligible student would also increase to $3,500, with no single payment exceeding $2,500. HB 249 would also provide free tuition to U.S. veterans who enroll in specified commercial motor vehicle training programs before July 2025.

To help struggling high school students, the House unanimously agreed to House Bill 87, or the “Completion Special Schools Act,” which gave final passage to this innovative measure. HB 87 would create additional educational pathways for at-risk students to earn their high school diplomas. Specifically, this bill would authorize the State Board of Education to adopt policies to allow for the establishment, funding, and operation of “completion special schools.” These alternative schools would allow students who are behind on high school credits, at-risk of dropping out or have already dropped out to enroll in these non-traditional schools to earn their diplomas with greater flexibility through online instruction or night classes. Students who are 18 years old could also self-enroll in courses at these schools until they are 22 years old.

As I continue to develop my own legislative proposals for the session next January, I will also spend the rest of this year meeting with my House colleagues periodically to study different issues that are important to our district and our state. As such, your feedback and suggestions will play a crucial part in developing a legislative agenda that will meet you and your family’s needs. I encourage you to please let me know of issues that are important to you in Bryan County and Chatham County. I am in office 226 of the State Capitol. My office phone number is 404) 656-5115 and my email is ron.stephens@house.ga.gov. I look forward to the next session and to serving all of you.