Seven weeks have passed here under the Gold Dome and Crossover Day will be this Thursday—only three days away. Crossover Day is the deadline for all bills that originated in the Senate to be passed on to the House of Representatives for consideration, and vice-versa. In preparation for this key point in the legislative session, we passed over 30 bills in the Senate over the past two weeks.

During our sixth week, we passed Senate Bill 48 which provides a comprehensive outline for dyslexia education in Georgia. Dyslexia affects one in five children and current law provides no guidance for how schools can identify the learning challenge and teach dyslexic students. SB 48 would require all kindergartners to be screened for dyslexia and provide dyslexia education training for teachers. I am so proud to have seen this bill pass the chamber with unanimous support as Georgia’s schoolchildren are our most valuable asset.

In continuing with the Senate’s efforts to prioritize our children, last week we passed Senate Bill 15 or the “Keeping Georgia’s Schools Safe Act.” This bill is based off of extensive first-hand research by the Senate Study Committee on School Safety and focuses on streamlining communication between key emergency services, the Department of Education and schools themselves. I commend my colleagues on their hard work on this bill and I am confident that this will continue to ensure our students’ safety in Georgia’s schools. I look forward to the House approving both SB 15 and SB 48 as they are both priorities to ensure our children are not only safe, but have every resource available to succeed.

On Friday of last week, we passed Senate Bill 158. This bill increases the penalties for those found guilty of human trafficking and updates that age at which a victim of sex trafficking is considered a minor. Atlanta is home to one of the world’s largest airports, and with it, one of the world’s largest sex trafficking hubs. SB 158 is one part of a continuing fight to ensure that all Georgians, and all people who travel through our state, are safe. I commend both Sen. Brian Strickland and First Lady Marty Kemp for their leadership in passing this important legislation. In addition to passing SB 158 to protect our children, the Senate also received information on the Georgia Crisis and Access line. This is a service where any of our citizens – including children – can call the hotline to have a confidential conversation with an expert about any crises that maybe occurring in their lives. If you or anyone you know maybe dealing with an issues, please contact 1-800-715-4225. This service is free of charge and is there to help our citizens.

Outside of our legislative duties, the Senate often welcomes distinguished guests to our chamber to be honored. Last week, I sponsored Senate Resolution 132 welcoming the Boy Scouts of America for Scouts BSA Day at the Capitol. It is wonderful to see so many intelligent young men get involved in their communities and work towards self-growth. I also welcomed representatives from Middle Georgia State University to celebrate Aerospace Day at the Capitol. Middle Georgia State University has a wonderful aerospace education program and I am proud to see our universities and students working towards careers in STEM.

With Crossover Day set for this Thursday, the Senate will take up over 30 bills this week. While we have done some good work so far under the Gold Dome, there is still much to do. While this week will be our busiest yet, our office is willing and able to assist with any questions or concerns you may have. Thank you for continuing to trust me to continue representing you at the Capitol, it is always a pleasure to serve the 18th District. If you have any questions about current legislation or the legislative process please contact my office by phone or email.