6 issues to watch from Hall County's lawmakers during the 2023 legislative session

Jan. 6—Elected officials from around the state convene for the first time in 2023 for the state's legislative session Monday, Jan. 9, in Atlanta. In Hall County, there are several new faces and districts after maps changed following the 2020 census.

The Times spoke to elected officials who represent Hall County and identified top legislative matters that could dominate the political dialogue during the upcoming session, including abortion, the economy and the state's budget, transportation, education, healthcare and medical marijuana.

Transportation

New Georgia House Rep. Derrick McCollum already knows what one of its top concerns will be going into his first term: road congestion.

The Republican whose district spans South Hall and part of northeast Gwinnett County particularly cites Interstate 985 as needing to be restored as a widening project by the state. But he also points to other state routes, such as Winder Highway/Ga. 53 and Old Winder Highway/Ga. 211, as needing attention.

Roads "are only getting busier and busier," McCollum said.

Rep. Soo Hong, representing northeast Gwinnett and part of Hall, agrees as she, like McCollum, embarks on her first two-year term.

"Transportation is huge, and it's not just about traffic but ... we need to make sure we're looking ahead and we control that," she said.

"There are a lot of projects in the pipeline to be worked on," said state Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, Senate Transportation Committee vice chairman and incoming Senate majority leader.

He especially noted improvements along Ga. 400 in North Georgia.

"Into the future, we've got to widen 400 up into Dawson County," Gooch said. "The growth up there is extremely rapid.

"We know the growth is coming up 400 north and of course (interstates) 85 and 985 (into Hall), but we're trying to stay ahead of the growth curve on 400," Gooch said. "Some would argue we're behind the growth curve, but it just takes so long to build these roads."

This month, the state is expected to release a freight and logistics plan identifying needed projects. As for the Northeast Georgia Inland Port, expected to be operating by early 2025, the truck terminal off Ga. 365 in northeast Hall shouldn't cause any traffic headaches, at least initially, Gooch said.

"If it does, it would take time to get to that level ... and there should be time to make improvements if we need them," he said.

Otherwise, legislators will need to consider the prospect of automakers at some point producing only electric vehicles.

"That immediately starts triggering a lot of questions, like how do we build the infrastructure for the electric grid?" Gooch said. Also, "how do we pay for our roads and bridges? Today, we pay for them through our gas tax. How do we replace that lost motor fuel tax?"

Education

The sole legislative priority for Hall County Schools is to stop the annexation of county property by Gainesville and Buford, with a particular focus on Buford's annexations.

"This year we have asked for one item that, if not addressed, will cripple the Hall County School District in the future — annexation by our (two) municipalities with school districts in Hall county," said Hall County Superintendent Will Schofield.

He laid most of the blame on Buford.

"It is unsustainable to watch a Gwinnett county municipality and school district, Buford, continue to geometrically annex the Hall County School District digest," he said. "Additionally, Hall county has a land use plan that Buford ignores. Since 2006, Buford has increased their Hall County property tax digest valuations from $216 million to over $1.1 billion in 2022. We are seeking local legislation to address this travesty which directly harms the boys and girls of this community."

Jeremy Williams, superintendent for Gainesville City Schools, forwarded the 2023 legislative priorities of the Georgia Education Coalition, of which the school system is a member.

One of those priorities is the "modernization of the QBE formula to recognize the true costs of delivering public education."

On that front, Matt Dubnik, R-Gainesville, House District 29, wants to update the formula used to fund public education in Georgia. Public schools are funded through a 1985 law called The Quality Basic Education Act, or QBE. At its most basic level, schools are funded based on the number of students they enroll.

Dubnik said the formula is outdated and "didn't take into account ... the fact that laptops or iPads or technology in general, what that would look like in every classroom. It didn't take into account the transportation costs that we're seeing today."

The problem is that "QBE overhaul has been tried before, and it hasn't gone anywhere," he said. "I'm not saying start from scratch. ... An overhaul would be a massive undertaking, and I think this is one of those where that's a multi-year endeavor."

That's why he wants to start chipping away at pieces like technology and transportation.

He isn't sure at this stage whether a change to the formula would result in more or less funding for education.

"I think there are certain areas where, yes, funding needs to be increased," he said. "I also think there's other areas that — how many billions of dollars came down from the federal government over the last two years for public education? I mean, how much of that could be put towards other items?"

He said the state senate convened a committee to study the issue and he's still waiting to see the results of that study.

"I do not currently have plans until we elect a new speaker on Monday and I get the chance to sit down with our new appropriations chairman and budget director," he said. "We still don't have committee assignments yet."

Abortion

Rep. Emory Dunahoo, R-Gillsville, said he plans to introduce his "Equal Protection" bill in the upcoming legislative session — a piece of legislation which would aim to outlaw abortion from the moment of conception. Dunahoo stated the bill would in effect institute a total ban on abortion in Georgia — without exceptions for rape or incest. He stated the bill would leave some exceptions on a case-by-case basis for the life of a mother in the event of complications during pregnancy.

"We figure God has control of everything," Dunahoo said. "There are families ready and prepared to adopt children...we throw a small percentage (to) rape and incest — it's evil, and it is something we have to understand. This child had no rights. We're just giving the rights back to the child."

Dunahoo told The Times his proposal would go further than Georgia's "Heartbeat Bill," enacted in July as a ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. That bill was struck down by a Fulton County judge in mid-November, after two components of the law were deemed unconstitutional, as it was signed into law prior to the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in June.

"This bill basically goes back to say that this infant, from conception — conception means life starts — and that (abortion) is illegal," Dunahoo said. "...what we're doing is just saying we want to go back to the state of before Roe v. Wade to where abortion is illegal."

Healthcare

Rep. Lee Hawkins, R-Gainesville, representing House District 27, outlined an ambitious series of healthcare objectives he'd like to achieve this session, such as amending HB 888 and parts of the Surprise Billing and Patient Protection Act, passed in 2021, with the goal of protecting patients from surprise billing and requiring insurance companies to pay more to providers for certain medical expenses.

"Hospitals and providers — physicians, dentists, PTs and (others) — they're having issues getting paid still," Hawkins said. "...(insurers) have to be within reason as far as how they operate, how they pay a provider. We're going to strengthen that up, so we can protect the patient from the bills leftover from what the insurance pays."

Hawkins, a retired dentist, said bringing greater healthcare accessibility to rural areas and the expansion of Medicaid in Georgia also are two fundamental elements in his plan to address disparities that exist in that industry. Medicaid expansion, he said, would ensure part-time workers, students and those who volunteer in their community receive some degree of healthcare coverage.

"What this expansion does is allow childless adults to receive Medicaid as long as they're working part-time, going to school or volunteering for some community service," Hawkins said.

Investment in the workforce within the healthcare industry is also a top priority for Hawkins, who said the House will look to provide greater funding to programs that keep Georgia competitive in that sector.

"We're going to work on that...we'll look at funding for expansion of the teaching of physicians, nurses, dentists," he said. "...we're also expanding our residency programs. That's very important because students tend to stay in the state where they do their residency, so when we have more residency programs, then we're building up our availability of positions and nurses and dentists through those programs."

Hawkins went on to say that for now lawmakers have no intention of legalizing marijuana for medicinal use in Georgia, though he would like to see a wider availability of CBD oil for children with epilepsy, noting that Georgia has already passed legislation which legalized CBD oil with a THC content no higher than 5%. THC is the psychoactive chemical contained in cannabis.

"They have found that CBD with a very small amount of THC has been shown to help stop epileptic seizures in children," Hawkins said. "This has been found to help reduce, and in some patients, actually eliminate (seizures)."

He identified the main problem with the provision of greater access to CBD oils is that federal law doesn't allow for the transportation of products containing THC across state lines, stating the logistics of the issue will have to be addressed and sorted out by legislators in the near future.

"That means we have to produce it here," Hawkins said. "That's been the hang up. How are we going to do this? Who's going to do it? Who's in charge? What companies?"

Taxes

Dunahoo is again proposing significant changes to Georgia's tax structure, calling for a bill he authored called the "Fair Tax," a consumption-based tax that would abolish the state income tax.

"I'll drop the Fair Tax again," Dunahoo said. "...everybody wants to run on doing away with the state income tax, and that's all they talk about when they're running for office. Now, it's to the point where we already have a plan."

While lawmakers have continued to implement a gradual reduction in the state income tax, Dunahoo said his plan would replace the current income tax model with a 6.75% consumption tax on goods and services, eliminating other state taxes and tax exemptions if the bill received enough support to pass.

"With the Fair Tax, what happens is we take away the 6%, which has now dropped down to 5.5% state income tax — we do away with it," Dunahoo said. "We do away with the 4% sales tax...and what you replace it with is a 100% tax that everybody pays...that means you have to do away with all exemptions."

Dunahoo's "Fair Tax" bill would also implement a "prebate" system for taxpayers, he said, reimbursing them for consumption taxes paid on certain goods or services.

"The prebate — basically...the more you spent, the more you built on credit on a card," Dunahoo said, comparing the proposal to "fuel points" built up over time. "That way, if you went in and you built $50 on your card, and then you swiped your card and the tax was $7, and you might take off $7, so you don't have to pay tax that time."

Dunahoo maintained that his "fair tax" proposal would continue to generate adequate revenue to the state.

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Budget and economy

Addressing the state's $6 billion budget surplus, both Hawkins and newly-elected Sen. Shelly Echols, R-Alto, of Senate District 49, advocated for rebates of $1.1 billion to taxpayers — $500 distributed to families of two, $375 for single parents and $250 for single taxpayers — as well as a one-time property tax reduction that would knock $400-$550 off property tax bills for homeowners.

"Some people have seen their property values go (up) 15% in two-three years," Hawkins said. "That's just unacceptable...for retirees, that is a huge factor, so I'm looking at legislation on that."

He also spoke of bringing relief to taxpayers in the form of a plan to boost homestead exemptions for property owners — "thereby decreasing property tax."

"(The Governor's Office) is looking at funding to county municipal authorities...to increase that homestead exemption, thereby decreasing your property tax," Hawkins said. "Gov (Brian) Kemp is looking at a possible refund on your income tax, so that's where he's giving back some income tax money. I'm very interested in that homestead exemption, because that's been very, very painful for our seniors and young folks."

Echols, who expressed a desire to serve as a bridge of communication between local governments in Hall County and Georgia's Senate, agreed that relief for property owners is crucial amid inflation and current economic uncertainty in the U.S.

"That's one thing I'm excited to be able to do," she said. "That way, we don't put the burden on local government, but we do give some taxpayers some relief. The economy is certainly something that's affecting everybody in a negative way right now."

Times reporter Ben Anderson contributed to this article.