Sen. Michael Williams: Updates from the Capitol

Your Georgia Desk

Updates from the Capitol

Bouts of snow flurries and ice came and went this week, but that didn’t stop the Senate from staying on track and completing Legislative Days 16 through 19. We are right on track and moving quickly. This week we passed several important bills that will impact people all over our great state.

College educations are becoming more and more vital as young people enter the work force, but as they become more expensive, young adults are going straight into the workforce and returning to school later in life. This is one reason the Senate came together and unanimously passed SB 18, a bill that will allow the Technical College System of Georgia to accept prior work experience and skills learned through military service for academic credit. The brave men and women who serve and protect our country deserve to be credited for the knowledge and leadership skills they acquired from their service.

In addition to helping those who have already served in the United States Military, we passed SB 58, a bill that will support the dreams of high school students who wish to obtain military training while earning a college degree. SB 58 will allow each member of the General Assembly, along with the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor to designate one high school senior each year who will receive a written letter of recommendation to use for admission to an ROTC program at any institution in the University System of Georgia. This opportunity will provide exceptional students with proven leadership abilities to become involved in a program that will teach them skills they cannot gain from a traditional college program.

Under current state law, probate courts and superior courts split the jurisdiction for game and fish violations. Georgia probate courts currently have jurisdiction of misdemeanor game and fish violations, but with the passage of SB 62, certain limitations will be removed granting probate courts full jurisdiction over these violations.

Friday we passed SB 72, Tanja’s Law, a bill that establishes new crimes and punishments for individuals found guilty of harming a police animal while it is performing its duties. Sen. Jeff Mullis shared the touching story of Tanja, a police dog shot and killed in the line of duty, and the inspiration behind the law, and he urged us all to vote “yes” to protect the police animals who serve our state.

This week we had a television star and voice over actor visit us on the Senate floor. John Ratzenberger, who played Cliff Clavin on Cheers and voiced Hamm in Toy Story, spoke inspiring words about the importance of education in youth. He commended the Senate for our hard work on improving the education system and the policies in place.

It is truly an honor to be a voice for District 27 at the Capitol. We will continue to pick up the pace as move closer to the end of the Legislative Session. I encourage you to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns regarding pending legislation – my door and phone lines are always open!