Memorial Day Wrap-Up
BILL SIGNING TO EXPAND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETERANS - APRIL 25TH
GOVERNOR KEMP'S BUDGET VETOES AND "DISREGARDS"
The normal conclusion of any General Assembly Session occurs at the end of 40 days following Sine Die when the Governor's time to veto any bill ends. The most important bill passed each year is the state budget, this year HB 19. Within hours of signing HB 19, the Governor revealed 15 pages of vetoes and "disregards" to specific line items that came as a surprise to the House and Senate Republican leaders who had stood by him at the earlier happy bill signing event. Many of the vetoes or "disregards" eliminated needed funds for mental health services that we had worked hard to include in the budget.
The Governor's actions included "disregards" of $1 million for the MATCH Committee; approximately $20 million of added crisis beds for psychiatric crisis facilities in Augusta, Fulton County, and Columbus; salary increases for daily service providers; and many more very painful cuts. The Governor's office has not yet answered legislators' questions as to what the "disregards" mean. The Atlanta Journal Constitution and other news outlets are presently examining the Governor's budget actions. Please read the very comprehensive and excellent article by James Salzer published on May 14th.
These budget cuts, in my view, derail Georgia's forward movement on mental health reform, and I and many others are scrambling to regroup and figure out how to make the money reappear for needed services.
POLL ABOUT ATLANTA POLICE TRAINING SITE CONTROVERSY
Many of you have asked me about the city of Atlanta plan for an police training facility in southwest DeKalb County. Some refer to this place as "Cop City," and I understand why the issues of police training and the chosen site are controversial. I have visited the state’s training facility in Forsyth which is used by all law enforcement agencies, including Atlanta at times, and have had conversations in the past about DeKalb County’s police training facilities. All police officers must have required training by state law and must be specifically certified. The city of Atlanta combines its police and firefighter training, which does increase its needs.
On May 22nd, the Office of the Mayor Andre Dickens arranged for all members of the Atlanta legislative delegation to tour the site of the proposed police training center. See the proposed facility website at https://www.atltrainingcenter.com/.
I felt it was very important on behalf of my constituents to go on this tour. A dozen of us attended and rode around the site in UTV's after an initial site overview with the Atlanta Chief of Police Darin Schierbaum.
Below are photos and a site plan from the proposed police training facility tour.
SUMMER PLANS
My summer plans include a path forward for HB 520 and continuation of my work with the Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission. There are many other balls in the air about possible assignments from leadership, as well as my own projects of interest. I will update you on my continuing work. Please feel free any time to suggest to me what you would like me to be working on this summer!
MMO ON GPB POLITICAL REWIND IN MAY
May 15th: Kemp makes budget cuts; Walker under scrutiny; Trump dominates CNN town hall.
Mary Margaret Oliver, State Representative
Leo Smith, President, Engaged Futures
Patricia Murphy, political reporter and columnist, AJC
Rahul Bali, politics reporter, WABE
Listen to the full recording here.
I am honored that Bill Nigut and GPB Political Rewind focused on my career and achievements during a segment of the program.
May 13th: Mike Pence to rally for Kemp; Reflecting on career of Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver
Jim Galloway – Former columnist, AJC
Mary Margaret Oliver – State Representative
Listen to the full recording here.
GEORGIA'S 988 CRISIS HOTLINE IN JEOPARDY DUE TO GOVERNOR'S BUDGET CUTS
Georgia's 988 mental health hotline has become a model for other states, and was recognized at a federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration regional roll-out on May 19th. As panelists discussed the future of the hotline, it became clear that the Governor's budget cuts of 2.2 million for the 988 implementation will impact expansion of 988. From the AJC: "What is clear is that the work and focus to improve our mental health services across Georgia have been derailed,” said Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, a Democrat in the state Legislature." Read Katherine Landergan's AJC article about the 988 rollout here.
APRIL 20TH TOWN HALL HIGHLIGHTS
Our Town Hall was a success! Thank you, First Baptist Church in Decatur, for your hospitality. Thanks as well to the 100+ people who came in person or zoomed with us. Good discussion! Our legislative panel included myself, Senator Elena Parent, Representative Omari Crawford, and Representative Becky Evans - great colleagues! Watch the video of the Town Hall here.
Read the Decaturish article on our Town Hall here.
LEMONADE BILL SIGNED INTO LAW
Senator Elena Parent and I joined Governor Kemp and the Genauer family - Rami, Rebekah, Temima and Jack - for the Lemonade Bill signing on May 3rd! Rami and Rebekah learned how to remove unnecessary government regulation by passing legislation - good work! Read more about the Lemonade Bill here.
OUT AND ABOUT
I was invited on May 18th to the North Buckhead Kiwanis Club to speak about the 2023 Session. Good questions about gerrymandering, partisanship, and Atlanta development. Thank you for inviting me, as well as for putting my favorite children's book, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, in the Garden Hills Elementary School library!
On May 2nd, Hank Klibanoff, songwriter and my COS Caroline Herring, Rose Scott and WABE hosted a live recording at First Baptist Church in Decatur of the Buried Truths podcast on the murder of James Brazier in terrible Terrell County in 1958. Thank you Emory and WABE for these award-winning podcasts.
Listen to Season Four of Buried Truths here.
James and Hattie Bell Brazier. Two of their daughters attended and spoke at the Buried Truths live recording at First Baptist Church on May 2nd. A riveting event.
On April 28th, I celebrated the groundbreaking for the BreakThru House expansion in South DeKalb - serving women and their children for 50 years for recovery of substance abuse! Thank you for inviting me!
Learn more about BreakThru House here.
I attended the Emory Board of Visitors lunch and heard an update from President Fenves!
I enjoyed my meeting with Kim Jones, Executive Director of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Georgia. Kim is a leader for mental health reform.
After the 2023 Session ended, I went to my favorite beach, Tybee Island. I love Georgia beaches!
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 30 – Stacey Abrams Carter Center book event! Buy your ticket here.
June 7 – MARTOC Study Committee
June 24 – Carter Center program on Georgia mental health reform
QUICK LINKS FOR YOU
You can search for and track bills, watch the House (or Senate) in Session, watch committee hearings, monitor legislation by committee, and find contact information —- all on the revamped General Assembly website. Here are quick links:
- General Assembly website: https://www.legis.ga.gov/
- House Session meetings and many committee hearings are available to watch online: https://www.legis.ga.gov/house
- Archived videos of meetings and hearings: https://www.legis.ga.gov/house/media-services
Make your views known and tell me what issues interest you the most.
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