On May 6th, Kaitlyn Kern of Dunwoody, a student at Peachtree Charter Middle School was honored by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust at the Georgia Capitol for her story, “Little Did I Know”. Kaitlyn was recognized during The 2016 Days of Remembrance, a ceremony memorializing the memory of the…
Wendi and I wish a Happy Mothers Day to all District 79 moms. We are pleased to celebrate all mothers from all walks of life. Reposted from “The Time Warp Wife” blog. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you To those who…
HR-4 (2015- 2016 session) was previously introduced as HR-486 (2013-2014 session), is a constitutional amendment that would essentially repeal a ban on any establishment of additional independent school districts. This ban was put in place by a constitutional amendment enacted in 1945. Currently Georgia has 180 public school systems, 159…
Tom’s vote: YES HB 192 focuses on stopping the use of government issued Purchase Cards, or “P-Cards”, for personal uses. Although this bill is a statewide bill, it was actions by DeKalb County employees and elected officials that drove it. In recent years DeKalb County has witnessed many elected officials…
Note: Governor Deal vetoed this legislation on May 3, 2016. Tom’s position: NO HB 859 allows a Georgia firearms license holder to keep their weapon on their person while in or on any building or real property owned by or leased to any technical school, vocational school, college, university, or…
Tom’s vote: NO HB 757, also known as RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act, is described in a summary as a comprehensive measure that strikes a balance between protecting the religious liberties of clergy, churches, and faith-based organizations (FBOs), while welcoming all to Georgia without fear of discrimination. This legislation incorporates…
Tom’s vote: YES The Pursuing Justice for Rape Victims Act was introduced in response to the discovery of a huge backlog of untested rape kits in hospitals, clinics, and law enforcement agencies throughout the state. According to an AJC investigation, Grady Memorial Hospital alone had more than 1,400 untested rape…
Tom’s vote: YES HB 801 seeks to reward Georgia college students for taking academically rigorous STEM classes that ultimately lead to employment in a high-demand STEM field. It directs the Board of Regents to identify bachelor level STEM courses to receive extra weight (0.5 added to a B, C, or…
Tom’s vote: YES Entitled the Honorable Jimmy Carter Cancer Treatment Access Act, this bill provides that no health plan issued in Georgia that directly or indirectly covers treatment for stage four advanced, metastatic cancer will deny coverage for a FDA-approved prescription drug because a patient does not have a previous…
Tom’s vote: YES HB 862 allows an eligible disabled veteran to qualify for the homestead exemption by meeting either, rather than both, of the standards required by law. Currently, these are: the permanent loss of one or both feet, hands, or sight in one or both eyes; or honorably discharged…