Sine Die is on the Horizon
Legislative Update
March 26, 2023
I can’t believe this is the last week of the 2023 Session. Roll up your sleeves, and fasten your seatbelt. There is going to be a lot happening over the next few days, and I look forward to giving you a full debrief after we’re on the other side.
I’ll host a virtual legislative debrief on Thursday, March 30 with Representative Betsy Holland. Sign up here. I will also be holding a series of in-person legislative debriefs around District 90 beginning in mid-April. Please look out for more information on that, coming soon.
Last Monday, I appeared on Lawmakers to address an issue I’ve been leading the charge against– Republican takeovers of our local boards of elections. As I said in a previous edition of the Draper Paper (scroll down to “Causing me Heartburn: Election Board Takeovers at the Local Level”), I think it’s one of the most important issues this session because it has the potential to impact our elections in 2024 and beyond– and of course, who wins elections directly impacts the decision of every policy in Georgia. It’s an issue that’s off the radar of most people, and is happening around the state quietly. I’m doing my best to keep this issue front and center, and I won’t be letting up any time soon.
Rep. Saira Draper goes on Lawmakers to discuss a disturbing trend in the General Assembly regarding County Boards of Elections
I’ll keep this newsletter short because I’m neck deep preparing for the possibility that many bad bills will be hitting the floor this week. Some of the bills I’m concerned about are:
SB 222 - This election bill will prohibit our underfunded election offices from receiving out of state funding. I will be delivering the Democratic Caucus’s Minority Report on this bill when it hits the House Floor, likely Monday.
SB 233 - This bill will create a voucher families can use to pay for private school tuition or qualified education expenses with funds from the state government. The problem is it will siphon money from our public school systems in the process, especially from schools serving majority Black students and those serving a majority of families living in poverty. Check out this helpful analysis by the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute.
We discussed this bill at length on Thursday, 3/23. Republicans are divided on this bill and they did not have enough votes to call the question at the end of the debate. I expect the bill to come up again this week, and I expect republicans are working hard to ensure they have the votes to get this bill passed. Governor Kemp recently came out in support of the bill, which will make it harder for Republicans to say no.
SB 132 - This bill prohibits nonresident aliens, especially from China, from acquiring certain property in Georgia. I have concerns about the legality of this bill as well as the discriminatory impact it will have on people of asian descent.
SB 62 – This is a local preemption bill that prohibits public camping or sleeping, and will impact our homeless community most detrimentally.
We will also be passing the final version of the 2024 budget next week. The big surprise for me will be if we see a bill on sports betting. This issue, which had lots of traction at the beginning of the session, seemed to stall out after it didn’t pass a chamber by Crossover Day. However, we are hearing rumors it may have regained new life.
HD90 Constituents in the House
It’s always great fun to see District 90 residents in the people’s house. Recently, our Chaplain of the Day and our Doctor of the Day were both District 90 constituents. I loved seeing Dr. Cathy Bonk of Atlanta Gynecology and Obstetrics, and Rev. Timothy McDonald, III of First Iconium Baptist Church in East Atlanta. Thanks for inspiring us!
Questions? Concerns? Need Help?
There are several ways you can share your concerns, request assistance, or let me know about activities in our neighborhoods.
The best way to get in touch is through the contact us form on my website. But, you can also reach me by calling the office (404-656-0265), sending an email to saira.draper@house.ga.gov, or visiting the Capitol. My office is 604-D in the Coverdell Legislative Office Building across the street from the south side of the Capitol.
For more frequent updates, please follow me on social media (links at bottom).
HD90 Spotlight
Our people make our community great. And I want to spread the good news.
If you know a person, business, or organization in HD90 that is doing amazing things, please let me know. We'll feature them in a future installment of the Draper Paper.
