Newsbreak

by Sen. Blake Tillery

Five weeks into the Legislative Session, the Senate remains hard at work. Here’s a quick update on the week’s activities:

Senate members met in their respective Appropriations Subcommittees to discuss the House’s budgetary recommendations. From here, will continue fine-tuning the budget to ensure that taxpayer money is spent wisely and efficiently.

Two bills I sponsored have now passed the Senate and are moving to the House for consideration:

SB 21 ensures local government officials can be held accountable if they violate Georgia’s ban on sanctuary city policies. This will keep our communities safe and enforce immigration laws at the state level.

SB 39 prevents taxpayer dollars from funding gender-affirming procedures through the state health benefit plan and prohibits state-associated healthcare facilities from offering such services. Our tax dollars should not be used to push radical policies.

Another bill I authored, Senate Bill 91, passed out of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. It deals directly with price games between independent pharmacists and pharmacy benefit managers and will stabilize prescription prices. I hope to present it soon on the Senate floor.

This week, the Senate recognized the Georgia Young Farmer Teacher Program, celebrating young farmers. Agriculture is always changing, and we need more young people to get involved to help our largest industry grow and develop.

I was also honored to have several important people visit the Capitol this week. We welcomed Vidalia High School, Wayne County Youth Leadership, and my favorite constituent—my wife!

I encourage students to apply for the Senate Page Program. Spots are filling up quickly, so if you know a student who may be interested, they can apply on the Senate website here.

As always, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the 19th Senate District. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or ideas.

Details: Written by Kathy Hilt; Category: Newsbreak; Published: 17 February 2025; Hits: 232

Pam 3

A trashing of the daily local gathering place for seniors has the director wondering who and why someone would do such a thing.

Pam Fountain, Director of the Action Pact Senior Center in Vidalia said Vidalia Police Officers contacted her at her home around 11:00 Saturday night and said she was needed at the center and that the agency’s vehicles parked at the center had been broken into. When she arrived, she found that the offices of the Senior Center had been vandalized and ransacked with files and other items strewn about the room. Fountain also noted that Congressman Rick Allen’s Office in the same building was open along with the Seniors Internet room but as for her office and agency, it didn’t appear that anything of value was missing.

“I don’t know why anyone would do this,” Fountain said, “but it’s a shame people have to take things to this level. Not only does this affect our staff, but our community’s citizens.”

The Senior Center is in the Vidalia Community Center and will remain open to the clients it serves as the clean-up begins, but certain services will be limited for a few days including home delivery of meals to the elderly and the agency won't be able to serve those age 65-plus with Low Income Heating Energy Assistance.

The Vidalia Police Department is investigating.

Details: Written by Kathy Hilt; Category: Newsbreak; Published: 17 February 2025; Hits: 823

by Rep. Leesa Hagan

Last week, my colleagues and I returned to the Georgia State Capitol for the fifth week of the 2025 legislative session. The House has been hard at work, tackling issues that matter and advancing important bills through the legislative process. With Crossover Day quickly approaching on March 6, the pace is only getting faster. Crossover Day, or Legislative Day 28, is the deadline for bills to clear their respective chambers and continue moving forward.

Advancing Legislation for Georgia

One of the key pieces of legislation we passed this week was House Bill 61, which builds on House Bill 804 from last session. HB 61 would require separate license plates for ambulances and hearses, clarifying their distinct purposes. Right now, both vehicles share the same plate reading “Hearse/Ambulance,” a holdover from the days when hearses were also used to transport patients. With this update, ambulances and hearses would have their own plates. The bill passed unanimously and now heads to the Senate.

Another important bill, House Bill 199, enhances the safety of our state’s judges and their families. This bill was a priority in Chief Justice Michael Boggs’ recent State of the Judiciary Address. HB 199 would require all state and local government entities to remove or redact publicly available information that identifies someone as a judge or their spouse. The bill is a response to the alarming rise in swatting incidents targeting judges and elected officials. By ensuring that personal information is protected, we can help keep our judges from being threatened and make sure our judicial system is not compromised.

Strengthening Georgia’s Workforce

On Wednesday, we honored the late State Representative Richard Smith by passing House Bill 216, the Richard H. Smith Georgia CHIPS Advancement in Research and Economic Development Act. This bill would continue his vision of making Georgia a key player in the semiconductor industry. HB 216 creates a fund to support workforce education and training programs in semiconductors, microelectronics, and related fields. With this investment, we can build a skilled workforce, reduce reliance on foreign production, and strengthen Georgia’s position in innovation and economic growth. Many of us are concerned about our dependence on foreign adversaries, and producing our own microchips here in Georgia will help alleviate that. The bill received overwhelming support and now moves to the Senate.

Keeping with the theme of workforce development, we also passed House Bill 81. This bill creates the Interstate Compact for School Psychologists, making it easier for licensed school psychologists to work without burdensome hurdles. Shortages of school psychologists have left many students without the support they need. By easing licensure barriers, HB 81 ensures Georgia students have access to quality psychological services, no matter where they live. This bill also helps military families by allowing licensed school psychologists to relocate with fewer restrictions.

Reducing regulatory burdens for Georgians just makes good sense.

The Legislative Process in Action

Each bill we pass goes through a thorough process before it can become law. First, a bill is introduced and assigned to a committee. The committee discusses the bill, makes changes if needed, and votes on whether it should move forward. If the bill passes out of committee, it goes to the full House for debate and a vote. If approved by the House, the bill follows a similar process in the Senate. If both chambers approved the final version, it heads to the governor’s desk.

As we approach Crossover Day, bills that haven’t cleared their chamber yet must move quickly. If they don’t pass by March 6, they can’t continue this session unless attached to another bill.

Visitors to the Capitol

Last week’s visitors to the Gold Dome included:

Mallorie Corley and members of the Toombs County High School FCCLA group.
Becky Gay, Director of the Fitzgerald Ben Hill Communities in Schools program.
Leadership of Altamaha EMC and Canoochee EMC.
Kasey and Beau Jackson. Kasey is the Director of the Toombs County Young Farmers.
Wheeler County Clerk of Courts Carol Bragg visited for Constitutional Officers Association of Georgia Day at the Capitol.
Vidalia High School’s FBLA, HOSA, FCCLA, TSA, and SkillsUSA groups and their leaders including Shellie Cleghorn and Gray Meredith.

Looking Ahead

The Georgia House will reconvene on Tuesday, February 18. With the Rules Committee meeting more frequently, we’ll see even more bills come up for votes on the House Floor.

As we continue through this legislative session, I encourage you to stay informed and engaged. You can track the status of bills on the official Georgia General Assembly website and our House social media pages. For information on how you can track bills and watch committee meetings, visit my Constituent Services page at LeesaHagan.com.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out. I’d love to hear from you! You can best reach me during session via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative for Georgia’s 156th House district – the best in the state!

Details: Written by Kathy Hilt; Category: Newsbreak; Published: 17 February 2025; Hits: 293

BPC Young Writers

On Friday, January 31, 2025, six high school students won scholarships to Brewton-Parker College during the 2025 Young Writers Conference. During this conference, students from several school systems around the state participated in immersive writing workshops led by current BPC professors who were selected for their expertise and passion for helping young writers grow. Participants attended workshops on various topics, from “Building Your Path as a Writer” to “Devotional Poetry.”

Following these workshops, students applied their newly acquired skills to a personal creative writing piece to compete for the Outstanding Achievement Award in their workshop. The professors then evaluated these submissions to select the award recipients.

The following students received the Outstanding Achievement Award for their workshops and a $500 scholarship to attend BPC:

1. Laila Sloggy (Parkview High School) - "Building Your Path as a Writer: From Aspiration to Craft"

2. Luke O’Barr (Screven Christian Academy) - “Crafting Dialog for Fiction Writing”

3. Ben Farmer (Screven Christian Academy) - “Imitation and Inspiration in Creative Writing”

4. Jakob Tarpley (Wheeler County High School) - “Crafting a Better Character: Archetypes and Authenticity”

5. Mia Blackmon (South Effingham High School) - “The Scene: Developing Plot and Character through the Dramatic Encounter”

6. Layla Smith (Metter High School) - “Devotional Poetry”

Additionally, one student was selected from this list to receive the Highest Honors Award for the overall best submission, receiving an additional $500 scholarship and honorary publication in this year’s edition of Oracle, BPC’s undergraduate journal. This year’s Highest Honors Award was presented to Laila Sloggy from Parkview High School (Lilburn, GA).

“I was very impressed with the conference and the students from around the state who chose to participate,” stated Dr. Beverly Faircloth, Division Chair of Education, Behavioral Sciences, and Humanities. “The high school students benefited from the opportunity to interact with our students and professors. It was obvious that they love writing, and I am proud that we could play a part in helping them hone their craft. I am looking forward to future conferences.”

In addition to the writing workshops, students and chaperones enjoyed a campus tour and complimentary lunch with the student ambassadors from Admissions. Afterwards, they attended a Q&A Writers panel featuring current BPC students and alumni, including Willie Ford, a former Young Writers Conference scholarship recipient. During this panel, attendees actively engaged with the panelists, asking in-depth questions regarding their experiences and inspirations in writing. The event concluded with an awards ceremony led by Dr. Justin E. Russell, BPC Provost, who presented the recipients with their awards.

After the event, Dr. Russell reflected, "Words are seeds of transformation, and through this conference, Brewton-Parker College is cultivating the next generation of writers who will illuminate truth, inspire hope, and expand our collective understanding. I'm thankful to the volunteers and participants for helping reignite this event."

The Department of Humanities and Brewton-Parker Admissions are already planning the next Young Writers Conference, tentatively scheduled for spring 2026. Brewton-Parker College remains dedicated to fostering young talent and looks forward to welcoming the next generation of writers to future conferences.