This was return to work week at the Gold Dome. Members of the Georgia House of Representatives returned to the State Capitol following the major winter storm that impacted much of our state, but especially South Georgia. This is the week we traditionally hear the State of the Judiciary from the Chief of the Georgia Supreme Court.

Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs addressed a joint session of the House and Senate in the House Chamber on Tuesday. He stressed the rise in public confidence in state courts, noting that more than half of Americans now give positive ratings to their state judicial systems. This statistic is encouraging as more than 95% of all court cases nationwide are handled in state courts. He also highlighted that Georgia courts are proactively examining the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on our legal system and have formed a committee to assess their findings and discover what challenges or opportunities could come from the use of AI in the judicial system.

The Judicial Council’s Standing Committee on Court Reporting Matters has met with stakeholders to discuss this ongoing issue. This year, he noted that the Judicial Council is prepared to submit a balanced proposal that would allow trial judges the option to have some court proceedings be recorded by a digital system, thus reducing the amount of time spent retrieving necessary records. When court proceedings are prolonged, victims are often subject to delays in receiving justice, and this proposal would help victims obtain closure in a timely manner. Next, he outlined the issue of legal deserts and the harm they pose to citizens in our state. Currently, there are seven rural counties in Georgia that do not possess a single licensed attorney, affecting justice for Georgians experiencing pressing legal issues such as divorce, eviction, or adoption. In response, Chief Justice Boggs created the Supreme Court Study Committee on Legal Regulatory Reform, which will explore ways to help civil legal services for rural or low-income Georgians.

Chief Justice Boggs went on to emphasize the positive work being done to improve outcomes for veterans in our state’s criminal justice system, highlighting the work of Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court programs, which have worked tirelessly to decrease recidivism rates for incarcerated veterans through a program designed to address post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and other mental health issues. He emphasized that Georgia’s courts remain stronger than ever, despite facing challenges to their mission.

The chief justice also reported that in recent years, attacks and threats targeting Georgia’s courts, including those aimed at judges, have been on the rise. He highlighted a statistic from the United States Marshals Service, which revealed that threats against federal judges have nearly tripled over the past decade. In response to this escalating trend, Chief Justice Boggs proposed a series of upgrades to physical security measures, to not only effectively manage but also prevent these incidents. Lastly, the chief justice restated his appreciation for the legislature’s cooperation and support in enhancing the protection of Georgia’s judicial system, particularly by improving judicial compensation.

In addition to hearing the State of the Judiciary this week, the speed of our legislative work certainly picked up as the House Appropriations Subcommittees continued meeting this week to review the sections of the Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2025 budget. Each subcommittee carefully reviewed and examined their specific section of Governor Kemp’s budget proposals, eventually passing sections of the budgets from their respective subcommittees. Each budget section will then be presented to the full House Appropriations Committee, where members will collaborate to form one unified budget before the budget bill moves on to the House Rules Committee for further consideration and scheduling of a full vote on the House floor.

In addition, several full House committees have started meeting to discuss various bills assigned to them based on policy area. Once a bill passes out of its respective committee, it moves to the Rules Committee before being added to the House calendar for a vote by the whole House. After passing the House, the bill follows a similar process in the Senate, where it may be amended. If there are changes or differences between the House and Senate versions, a conference committee is appointed to resolve them, and the final version then returns to each chamber for a final vote. If approved, it is sent to Gov. Kemp for either his signature or veto. This is the process we follow for all legislation, including the AFY 2025 and FY 2026 budgets.

Early in the week, we began with a moment of reflection and remembrance, honoring the millions of innocent lives lost during the Holocaust. Through House Resolution 50, which designates January 27, 2025, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the House reaffirmed our commitment that such atrocities are always remembered and never forgotten. Monday also marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz- Birkenau, which served as a reminder of the resilience of humanity. We must never forget.

Also, this week, we and our colleagues gathered in the House Chamber for a special event for the unveiling of former Dean of the House Calvin Smyre’s official portrait at the Georgia State Capitol, celebrating his remarkable 48-year career in the Georgia House of Representatives. Smyre was the longest-serving member in the state’s history. The ceremony was attended by former Georgia governors, lieutenant governors, a United States congressman, friends, family and colleagues—many of whom spoke of Smyre’s contributions to Georgia’s political landscape. Smyre’s legacy will now be immortalized at the State Capitol for future generations to admire.

We also took time to celebrate Lunar New Year at the Capitol, a significant Asian cultural holiday. Lunar New Year marks the start of a new year based on the lunar calendar. The celebration, which included a lion dance, was organized by the Georgia Asian American Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. During the celebration, several House Resolutions were presented to members of the community to honor and recognize their accomplishments. Among those recognized was the first Indian female Olympian to win gold in track and field in 1954. The Chinese-American Business Association of Atlanta was also celebrated on their 32nd anniversary of serving the Atlanta area.

This week we were able to hear from folks all across the state about their concerns for mental health. We set aside the day known as Mental Health Day and were able to hear and discuss specific issues of importance to them. It is always good to share time with those who come to advocate and this week we welcomed Joy Dickerson and were able to meet with her. Many thanks to her for coming and bringing her thoughts and concerns, Thank you Joy.

Many of us were also on hand as Governor Kemp shared his ideas on Tort Reform. This is a very important issue to all Georgians. It affects all of us. On hand to support the Governor was Tommie Patel and his son Suggar. Our standing as the “Number One State to do Business” may be at stake if we do not address this issue. We will share more information about Tort reform in the coming weeks.

Finally, to end our week, we stood for a moment of silence to remember the victims of the tragic mid-air collision that took place at Reagan Washington National Airport, and, among the victims were two individuals with ties to Georgia. Sam Lilley, the first officer aboard Flight 5342, was a graduate of Richmond Hill High School in Bryan County and Georgia Southern University. Ryan O’Hara, a 2014 graduate of Parkview High School in Lilburn, was serving as a Blackhawk helicopter Crew Chief. The House mourns this profound loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of the victims and their families.

We returned to the State Capitol on Monday, February 3rd for our fourth week of session. We and our colleagues will continue to consider legislation that best serves Georgians, and we will be sure to update you about our legislative work. As we continue through the session, we hope that you will reach out with your questions or concerns regarding legislation and the issues that are important to you and your family. You are welcome to schedule a phone call or plan a visit to the State Capitol to discuss matters that are important to you and our community. Your legislators can be reached as follows: Rep. Chas Cannon: office is 501-C Coverdell Legislative Office or by email at chas.cannon@house.ga.gov or by phone at: (404) 656-0177. Rep. Darlene Taylor may be reached at her office in the Capital Building 245-B or via email at darlene.taylor@house.ga.gov or by phone at (404) 463-2246.

We recognize the honor you have given us and, we thank you for allowing us to serve as your state representatives.