Every week through the end of the 2022 Georgia legislative session, the Savannah Morning News will highlight a handful of bills or resolutions under consideration by the Georgia General Assembly and explain why these measure are important to Savannahians.
HB 1064: Tax relief for military retirees
One of the priorities listed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in his State of the State address, this bill gives tax relief to Georgia’s military veterans who have served for 20 years or more. The bill is sponsored by the Chatham delegation’s own House Rep. Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah) and by one of his local colleagues, House Rep. Bill Hitchens (R-Rincon).
What it means to you
The legislation exempts up to $17,500 in military retirement income from state income taxes for retired service members under 62 years old. If a military retiree continues to work and earns up to $17,500, they will be eligible for an additional exemption up to $17,500 in state income taxes for a total exemption of $35,000.
How local lawmakers feel about it
Petrea said Georgia’s budget surplus gave the legislature some wiggle room to cut taxes — an estimated annual cost of $55-$58 million — and he’s glad the bill has finally caught steam after working on it for years. And he's not alone, Fellow Chatham Delegation Rep. Bill Hitchens has been trying to do the same, and has signed onto Petrea's bill with a host of other Republicans.
He said it
“I have worked on this measure for the last eight years, so I am honored to carry it for Governor Kemp." - Rep. Petrea
What’s next
The bill has been debated in the House Ways and Means committee and favorably reported. The Rules committee will review it and, if approved, the bill will go to the House floor for debate and a vote.
Credit: Alie Skowronski/Columbus Dispatch
Credit: Alie Skowronski/Columbus Dispatch
SB 3: Raise the dropout age
For the last 12 years, State Sen. Lester Jackson has been trying to raise the high school dropout age from 16 to 17.
What it means to you
The law, as it is currently written, allows students to choose to withdraw from high school at the age of 16, an age Jackson says is too young for such a critical decision. Jackson’s bill raises the age to 17 years old.
How local lawmakers feel about it
Jackson says at 16, there aren’t a lot of options for those who choose not to finish high school. Vocational and trade schools usually don’t start dual enrollment until 11th grade, when a student is 17. Additionally, Georgia won’t give anyone under 18 a driver's license unless they’re enrolled in school.
He said it
“It’s just one year, but that one year allows them to not only take advantage of technical education, take advantage of dual enrollment, but also gives them the chance to get into adulthood. That one year of school gives them the incentive to go ahead and graduate with a high school diploma, but also look at other options in their life, maybe even join the military or go out and become a useful citizen.” - Sen. Jackson
What’s next
The bill failed to get the Senate votes needed to move forward to the Rules committee, but Jackson says they will “continue to study” the idea.
SB 403: Police co-responder program
Another Kemp priority carried by a Chatham delegation member, this bill aims to give police departments across the state the option to include behavioral health professionals, the co-responders from the bill's namesake, in their response to mental health calls.
What it means to you
The bill posits that with the combined expertise of police and behavioral health specialists, the chances for de-escalation are higher, and the chances of arresting a person in a mental health crisis are lower.
This intends to keep those who need mental or behavioral health treatment out of prisons and jails, which helps curb the costs incurred by the county, and frees up officers to focus on violent crime.
How local lawmakers feel about it
Sen. Ben Watson said the bill is based on the model of Savannah police's Crisis Intervention Unit. While adoption of this practice would not be required for every police department in the state, the bill allows local community service boards to set up the framework for the program.
He said it
“The bill empowers the community service boards to provide the infrastructure if the local police department or sheriff's department wants to use them to start that up in their jurisdiction." - Sen. Watson
What’s next
SB 403 has been tabled for now, Watson said, as they shore up a couple of provisions within the bill before bringing it back before the Senate for a vote. He estimates it will be off the table in about two weeks.
Will Peebles is the enterprise reporter for Savannah Morning News. He can be reached at wpeebles@gannett.com and @willpeeblessmn on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Georgia Capitol insider: State legislation to watch includes military retirement tax break
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