News From Under the Dome: Yeomans recognized by the House as Georgia’s Tree Farmer of the Year

My colleagues and I returned to the Georgia State Capitol on Monday, February 10th to kick off the fifth week of the 2025 legislative session. Last week, we passed several bills on the House Floor for the first time this year, making progress on a range of priorities. While this week was certainly our busiest yet, we recognize that the pace will only continue to speed up as we move closer to Crossover Day. With Crossover Day, Legislative Day 28, quickly approaching, it’s a critical time for bills and resolutions to clear their respective chambers and progress through the legislative process.

The House unanimously passed House Bill 61 that would update current law to allow for separate license plates for ambulances and hearses. Currently, both vehicles share the same license plate reading “Hearse/Ambulance,” a carryover from the time when hearses were also used to transport patients to hospitals. As ambulances and hearses now serve separate and distinct purposes, this legislation would clarify their respective roles.

We took an important step in enhancing the safety of our state’s judges and their families-a priority recently highlighted by Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs during his annual State of the Judiciary Address-by unanimously passing House Bill 199. The protection of our justices, judges, and their spouses is crucial as they play an essential role in upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice in our state. HB 199 would require all state and local government entities to remove or redact any publicly available content that specifically identifies an individual as a judge, justice, or judicial spouse. This legislation is especially important as we have seen an alarming rise in swatting incidents aimed at elected officials and judges.

On Wednesday, we continued the work initiated by the late State Representative and former House Rules Chairman, Richard H. Smith, through the passage of House Bill 216, the Richard H. Smith Georgia CHIPS Advancement in Research and Economic Development Act, which would continue his vision of making Georgia a key player in the semiconductor industry. HB 216 would create a fund to provide grant and loan programs that support workforce education and training for careers in semiconductors, microelectronics, and certain laboratories. The goal of this legislation is to build strong partnerships through education and workforce development, enabling Georgia’s residents to pursue high-demand careers in the semiconductor industry, cultivating a skilled, homegrown workforce, reducing reliance on overseas production, and strengthening Georgia’s position as a leader in innovation and economic growth.

Keeping on the theme of promoting workforce development through education, House Bill 81 also received passage in the House this week. Developed by the Council of State Governments, the Department of Defense, and the National School Psychologists Association, HB 81 would create the Interstate Compact for School Psychologists, which would establish a pathway for school psychologists to obtain equivalent licenses in member states to improve the availability of school psychological services to the public. Additionally, HB 81 also seeks to facilitate the relocation of military members and their spouses who are licensed to provide school psychological services, as we know those individuals and their families are often relocated to different states. School psychologists play a crucial role in supporting students’ mental health, addressing behavioral concerns and providing academic interventions, all of which are essential for a student’s success. By reducing these licensure barriers, HB 81 would ensure that only qualified professionals are authorized to provide essential services to Georgia’s children, addressing the critical shortage of qualified school psychologists and improving the quality of care and support for students.

Advancing our promise to families of fallen Georgia educators, the House unanimously passed House Bill 105, which would increase the indemnification, or financial compensation, in the event of the death of state public school personnel. Consistent with one of Governor Kemp’s priorities, HB 105 would raise the financial compensation for teachers from $75,000 to $150,000, bringing the indemnification in line with public safety officers killed in the line of duty. While we know that no amount of money could ever bring a loved one back, by increasing the indemnification funds, immediate family members would be guaranteed better financial security following such a devastating loss.

Below are a few other House bills and resolutions during the fifth week of session:

· House Bill 15, which would revise Georgia’s banking law by modifying filing requirements to require counties of residence instead of addresses for incorporators, directors, and subscribers of financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, and would alter credit union subscriber requirements by establishing procedures for applying for a certificate of incorporation.

· House Bill 36, which would revise Georgia guardianship law by adding physician assistants, nurses, therapists, and counselors to the types of approved professionals authorized to participate in appointments of guardians or conservators, as well as those who evaluate the state of a ward or proposed ward.

· House Bill 55, which would increase the number of superior court judges in the Alapaha Judicial Circuit from two to three.

In addition to passing legislation last week, we also had the privilege of honoring several outstanding groups whose dedication and hard work continue to leave a lasting impact on our great state.

On Monday, we paid tribute the members of the Georgia Electric Membership Cooperatives with an Invitation Resolution on the House Floor. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastation, these dedicated individuals worked tirelessly to restore power to hard-hit communities, showcasing both their steadfast commitment to their neighbors and the resilience of our state.

On Tuesday, we celebrated Georgia’s rich agricultural history by recognizing our tree farmers – not only for their vital contributions to our state’s agriculture industry but also for their essential role in clearing storm debris and aiding in recovery efforts. Additionally, we commended the Georgia Farm Bureau, led by former State Representative Tom McCall, for its steadfast advocacy and support of our state’s largest industry- agriculture.

The Georgia House of Representatives will reconvene at the State Capitol on Tuesday, February 18th, after the observance of Presidents’ Day. As the legislative session progresses, I encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns regarding the work being done at the State Capitol.

It was my honor to welcome Russ Yeomans of Swainsboro to be recognized by the House as Georgia’s Tree Farmer of the Year. The Yeomans family has a longtime history of land stewardship. We also continue to bring attention to the devasting impacts of Hurricane Helene to the state’s forestry community