Town Hall Today, March 1, with Senator Parent and Rep Oliver -
Please Register
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HB 531 Suppresses Every Form of Voting in Georgia - The House Votes Monday, March 1
Thank you to those who have been writing and calling the Special Committee on Election Integrity members to stop HB 531. I regret to inform you this bill passed out of committee late Friday, and that the House is moving forward with this Voter Suppression Bill today for a vote on the House floor. This bill guts early vote and Sunday voting; disenfranchises election day voting; restricts vote by mail; defunds elections and burdens taxpayers; and is rushed, sloppy legislation. You can watch the floor debate today on line here. As my good friend and hairdresser Jon commented, it is a sad state of affairs when one party creates laws to restrict access to voting. I will be voting no, along with my Democratic Party colleagues. Read the excellent ACLU analysis of HB 531, which we just received tonight, and Ga. House panel passes bill to allow Sunday voting, limit drop boxes.
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Expansion of Concealed Carry Reciprocity and Gun Powers During Emergency
On Thursday, February 25, I spoke in the well to a bill for my first time, in opposition to HB 218, an expansion of Concealed Carry Reciprocity (CCR) and limitations on judicial measures regarding gun powers during an state of emergency. I was a little nervous, but proud to stand against a bill that increases easy access to guns Thank you to Everytown for Gun Safety for helping me with research. I found it ironic that the day before, my majority party colleagues were all about how much they loved law enforcement and how important public safety is, during discussion of HB 286., which restricts the ability of local government to reduce funding for police. Yet when I asked a colleague if he had talked with his police chief about CCR, a police chief I knew to be opposed, my colleague replied, well, sometimes I disagree with him, and I like to be able to carry across state lines without worrying if I have a permit. So convenience of the gun owners over protecting law enforcement officers. You can read my speech here.
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HB 60 - School Voucher Bill
I also regret to inform you that HB 60, a school voucher bill that allows public tax dollars to go to private schools, passed out of the Education Committee. It was a close vote, 12 - 10, not on partisan lines, and you can read more : Georgia House panel narrowly approves school voucher bill.
Given the $383 million in budget cuts to K-12 education this fiscal year, on top of decades of austerity cuts totaling $10.3 billion since 2003, Georgia's public schools cannot afford to lose any more funding.
I'm concerned that HB60 punishes public schools by taking hundreds of millions of dollars of state money away from those public schools that have not completely restarted in-person instruction (due to COVID-19) only to send the funds to private schools that also may not have completely restarted in-person instruction.
Moreover, HB60 prevents taxpayers from discovering which private schools receive my tax dollars. I am already disappointed by the lack of transparency and effectiveness the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts found in voucher programs like HB60.
You can watch the committee hearing here, with the bill sponsor and testimony from many advocates, for and against.
If you want to try to help stop the bill from moving forward, contact the members of the Rules Committee.
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Some Good News on Vaccine Front - Educators and Staff are now eligible!
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Proud to stand with Representative Calvin Smyre, Dean of the House, who has served for 40 years, after a press conference of the Legislative Black Caucus, honoring of the one year anniversary of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. I am lucky that my office is in the suite with Representative Smyre. and I get to pick his brain in the off hours. And thanks to my colleague El Mahdi Holly for taking the photo.
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This past week I gathered with caucus members of the 4th Congressional District to re-elect Robert L Brown to the State Transportation Board for a five year term. Read more here.
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There is always more to write, but not enough time and mental energy at the end of the day! I hope you will register and join for the Town Hall TODAY, March 1, at 5:30pm with Senator Parent and Oliver. Register by clicking on "Register" in the graphic above.
Stay healthy and safe, and please let me know if I can be of service to you. It is my honor and privilege to be our state representative.
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Representative Becky Evans
Georgia's 83rd House District, DeKalb County
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