ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The deadline is approaching for Georgia legislators to transform their proposals into official statutes.
On Friday, known as Sine Die—the final day of the legislative session in Georgia—lawmakers usually engage in extensive debates until the early hours of the morning. However, Wednesday night also forced many legislators to remain at the state Capitol long after midnight, during which several highly controversial bills advanced through the process.
Religious freedom bill
The Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, known as RFRA, has been a key objective for Republican legislators for almost ten years now. This legislation aims to grant greater legal safeguards to individuals practicing their religious convictions. Critics argue that it could serve as a pretext for discriminatory actions.
In 2016, the legislature successfully enacted a version of RFRA, but Governor Nathan Deal subsequently vetoed it due to worries about potential discrimination, particularly against the LGBTQ community. However, on Wednesday evening, lawmakers introduced a new iteration of Georgia’s RFRA. Senate Bill 36 It received its last vote in the House and will now move to Governor Brian Kemp’s desk to be enacted as law.
I have consistently stated that I will endorse and approve a version of RFRA that aligns with the wording and safeguards established under federal law starting from 1993," Kemp wrote in an online statement. "I remain steadfast in my dedication to this pledge and to the strong convictions of Georgian people of faith. Additionally, I wish to reassure individuals who hold different opinions that Georgia continues to be a hospitable environment for living, working, and raising a family.
Since the Clinton era, the federal government has maintained a religious freedom statute that elaborates on the protections stated in the First Amendment. However, this federal legislation features an addition safeguarding civil rights, preventing it from being invoked for discriminatory purposes. In contrast, although certain Democratic legislators attempted to incorporate such a provision, Georgia’s version of this law lacks any clause ensuring civil rights protection.
"Frankly, I'm at a loss for words," stated State Representative Ruwa Romman (D-Duluth).
Romman, one of the few Muslim legislators in the assembly, encouraged her fellow members on Wednesday evening to incorporate a non-discrimination provision into the bill. Several Democratic representatives stated they might back the proposal if such a clause were included.
We were told that this bill isn’t discriminatory," stated Romman. "So, if it doesn’t discriminate, then why did the amendment aimed at prohibiting discrimination get turned down?
The enactment of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) represented a significant and hard-fought victory for Republican lawmakers, who emphasized that the statute does not shield individuals who break the law.
According to this legislation, if a law or governmental measure substantially infringes upon an individual's religious practices, the government has to demonstrate a compelling reason and execute it through the most minimally constraining method available. This sets a rigorous standard, which is appropriate considering the core liberties involved," stated State Representative Will Wade (R-Dawsonville). "This ensures that a small business proprietor will not have to contravene their profound beliefs unless absolutely essential for public well-being. Additionally, it implies that a zoning regulation can't unjustifiably halt a place of worship's community service initiatives without robust justification.
DEI Ban
The phrase "zombie bill" denotes a proposed law that has been stripped down or substantially modified instead of the intended measures, which usually bear minimal resemblance to the initial purpose of the bill.
That occurred — to an extreme extent — with House Bill 127 Originally intended to modify legislation so that public school educators could accumulate additional paid leave annually, the bill ended up being significantly altered. Instead, it adopted verbatim the content of a previously rejected proposal, Senate Bill 120, which aims to halt state financial support for any public schools or colleges implementing DEI initiatives.
If bills aren't approved by either the House or Senate at least midway through the legislative term, they usually fail to pass unless they're attached to another bill that does manage to clear the hurdle.
The DEI prohibition received intense backlash from Democratic senators in the Senate. Critics argued that this was essentially an act of censorship and claimed that the ambiguous wording in the legislation hindered freedom of expression and independent thinking.
It would be against the law to share information regarding what transpired with African Americans," stated State Senator Derek Mallow (D-Savannah). "Legislation would prohibit discussions about history, acknowledging the harsh realities faced by individuals who might differ from those present here.
Republicans backing the measure argue that DEI initiatives tend to foster greater divisiveness and may affect both recruitment strategies and educational content according to one’s complexion.
"Education in Georgia must now tackle an idea that might have been well-meaning but is essentially discriminatory," stated State Senator Max Burns (R-Sylvania).
Democratic lawmakers leave the voting session.
In an unusual move, all House Democrats rose from their seats and walked out of the chamber during a contentious vote on Senate Bill 185 .
This legislation would prohibit state funds from covering gender-affirming care for inmates in Georgia correctional institutions. Republican supporters struggled to cite specific instances, while Democrats argued that this was an attempt to intimidate the transgender population and fabricate issues that do not actually exist.
People brought us here to accomplish significant tasks," stated Democratic Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley as she stood on the Capitol steps alongside the full House Democratic caucus. "The constituents who elected us did not send us here to intimidate others, isolate individuals, or practice discrimination; our purpose is different from that.
The Republican Party did not welcome the move positively. State Senator Randy Robertson (R-Cataula), who sponsored SB 185, stated that the Democrats' behavior equated to abandoning their constituents.
"Any elected representative who skips a vote, regardless of whether they agree with it or not, is essentially neglecting the duties entrusted to them by the citizens and voters who sent them here to represent their interests," stated Robertson.
The legislation still passed through the House with a vote of 100-2, greatly disappointing LGBTQ supporters.
They're addressing issues that aren't real while neglecting those that truly matter," stated Cindy Battles, policy director at The People’s Agenda, regarding Republicans supporting SB 185. "In Georgia, folks want to manage daily expenses like food and rent, as well as access reliable transport and more essential needs. However, this assembly keeps concentrating on non-existent concerns and marginalizing LGBTQ+ individuals, specifically transgender persons and youth.