State Budget Crisis & Medicaid Expansion, Criminal Justice, Hate Crime Bill

Restricting Employment Limits Economic Prosperity for Everyone – Support SB 288
June 18th at 4pm Georgia’s special committee on access to civil justice will meet and hear SB 288, which will expand Georgia’s expungement law to allow certain misdemeanor convictions to be restricted and sealed four years after the completion of a sentence, as well as allow restriction and sealing of some pardoned felonies.

Tens of thousands of Georgia citizens return to their home communities from prison each year with hopes of being hired and supporting their families.

But far too many are denied work opportunities as a result of their past record. While opportunities to seal records and create a clean slate exist, they are extremely limited. Georgia has one of the most limited record restriction laws in the nation.
Read a more detailed explainer from Georgia Policy and Budget Institute

Contact legislators on the House Special Committee. Committee Contact Info

Hate Crimes House Bill 426 – Support As Approved By the House
Lt. Gov. Duncan has proposed changes to HB 426. These changes are vague and change the intention of the original bill. Please call the following offices and tell them to pass Hate Crimes House Bill 426 without amendments: Lt. Governor 404-656-5030; Sen. Jesse Stone, Chair of Senate Judiciary Committee (404) 463-1314; Sen. Butch Miller, Senate Pro Tem (404) 656-6578 and the Majority Leader Mike Dugan (404) 656-7872.

Continue to Call and Email Regarding Medicaid Expansion
Expanding Medicaid Yields Economic Benefit for State and Helps Accelerate The Economy

C2A: Call or email Call Gov. Kemp and your legislators using this action line 470-570-7925 or email using our form https://p2a.co/cQbnhMw

We are all feeling the economic impact of the pandemic in our communities and in our families. Our state budget is also impacted as revenues continue to fall short to fund needed services and infrastructure. Currently the governor has recommended cutting 11% (previously asked for 14% cuts) that will still have severe consequences for education, public safety, and health and human services. Georgia continued to operate a budget that never recovered after the recession. Instead of recommending these cuts, we are asking the governor and our legislature to expand Medicaid. The economic impact would be long-reaching and positive. For example:

  • For every dollar the state spends on closing the coverage gap, Georgia receives up to $9 in federal funding.
  • Closing the coverage gap could create 56,000 jobs in Georgia each year and boost the state’s economic output by $6.5 billion annually.
  • Closing the coverage gap could create 12,000 jobs and $1.3 billion in new economic activity in Georgia’s rural communities each year.
  • Georgians are already paying federal taxes toward closing our coverage gap, but state leaders have refused billions in federal health care dollars meant to pay for Georgians’ health coverage and stabilize struggling rural hospitals.

For more information on how Medicaid expansion could positively impact our state budget see GPBI’s explainer.

Finally on Medicaid Expansion
All Georgians deserve access to quality healthcare. This access should not depend on your zip code or your county. Eleven rurals hospitals have closed outside the metro Atlanta area for many reasons, but lack of Medicaid expansion has been at the top of the list. Check out our Twitter thread where we hold elected officials accountable for NOT voting to expand Medicaid. If one of these people is your legislator, give them a call and let them know that you expect them to work to expand Medicaid in Georgia. Use this action line 470-570-7925 or email using this form https://p2a.co/cQbnhMw

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