The 12th week of the session closed out a year very strained, especially given the large number of legislators who are now running for higher office. 

Probably the biggest thing we did was finally fund the public education formula. Created under Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, the Quality Basic Education formula was never fully funded by any Georgia governor (even Barnes).

Fully funding education is something I have been working on for a very long time. Now – for the for the first time ever – we have kept the promise that was made to our schools decades ago. Please keep in mind that over the past decade we have added half a billion dollars every single year to Education. This year we added over $714 million in new monies – 80 cents of every new dollar of expenditures – for a grand total of $12 billion on K-12 education, $10 billion on Universities and Technical Colleges, and $800 million on preschool.

Many major bills passed both chambers this year. One strengthened the inadequate laws against unlawful sex between school employees and minors. Marsy’s Law provides a process for victims to be notified when their attackers get out of jail. The new hands-free cellphone bill also passed both chambers and the governor has said he will sign it.

The Atlanta transit bill also got through, creating a new agency (the ATL) to replace troubled Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and create a mechanism for counties surrounding Atlanta (not Newton) to create new taxes to pay for mass transit.

Two rural broadband bills also passed, allowing cities, counties, and electric membership corporations to get into the internet business and provide grants to make those businesses more feasible.

We also increased the Student Opportunity Scholarship cap to $100 million from $58 million. Probably the biggest, however, created the first ever tax cut on the Georgia income tax, saving Georgians over half a billion dollars in taxes every year. 

Important bills that failed included a new voting machine bill that would create a paper trail for cast ballots, the Hidden Predator Act that was inspired by the Olympic gymnast scandal, another internet bill that encourages more small cell towers, and an immigration bill. 

As chairman of military affairs, I was very gratified that over a dozen military-friendly bills passed both the House and the Senate. The most important of these created a new Georgia Defense Initiative which combines leaders from the House, Senate and the eight different military bases into a unified “voice” to create a One Georgia strategy to protect and defend our military in Georgia. 

I was honored to be just a small part of the ceremony that brought the late Gov. Zell Miller to the capitol one last time. It is fitting that this great Georgian lie in state under the Gold Dome under the Rotunda; his HOPE Scholarship is probably the most significant contribution to the well-being of our state in the past century. The talent and wealth and opportunity this giant brought to Georgia has cemented his legacy for generations to come. 

I certainly need your prayers as I serve the people of Newton and Morgan counties. You may contact me at davebelton112@gmail.com or 706-372-4114.