The 2019-2020 legislative session

Being a lawmaker today demands thoughtful, pragmatic leadership that Georgians need and deserve in these unprecedented, unpredictable times.

I have served as your Democratic Representative during the 2019 – 2020 session. I am always mindful that this is a Republic and that people of this State are the true power”.  All elected officials serve at the pleasure of the people.

During the 2019-2020 session, my first priority was to serve you. Below are the many issues I worked on to address district needs:

1. Providing transparent decision making that actively engages the people of the district     with a weekly newsletter, regular social media updates. Consider volunteering on the volunteer page.
2. Ensuring good stewardship is exercised with the $28 billion collected in taxes.
3. I pushed back on the 2020 budget when it was clear that proposed cuts were not in the best interests of taxpayers, and advocating for funds to be added to the budget and go towards the critically important COVID-19 pandemic.
4. Voted to giving teachers a $3,000 annual pay increase.
5. Worked towards updating an outdated, 1987, QBE (Quality Basic Education) formula to better fund all Georgia schools)
6. Encouraged the school board to have mandatory Pre-K. If a child is not reading and writing by third grade, the school-to-prison pipeline could become their reality.
7. Fought to protect the Dual-enrollment program
8. Visited all 18 schools in the District to get a firsthand look at programs and practices.
9. Continued the fight to expand Medicare. In an op-ed that I Wrote for the Gwinnett Daily Post, April 18, 2019 issue, I explained why we must improve access and affordability of healthcare.
10. Stood for the rights of women to make their own medical decisions on all matters involving their bodies and health issues.
11. In the fight to reduce maternal mortality rates, I’m alarmed that black women are three times more likely to die giving birth. This racial disparity is unacceptable. EVERY life is precious, and every newborn child needs a healthy mother.
12. Voted to stop “Surprise Medical Billing”.
13. Worked with the Department of Corrections and Department of Community Services to ensure that ex-felons are informed of their restored right to vote after they have fulfilled their obligation to the State.
14. Introduced legislation to make Election Day a holiday to ensure voting easier and more accessible.
15. Introduced legislation to give non-custodial fathers or mothers a $3,000 tax break.
16. Introduced legislation to legalize small amounts of marijuana and expunging the criminal records of those affected by these outdated laws.
17. Worked with Secretary of State to update the “My Voter Page” to include county election information.

Stood with the residents of Ozora Road to push back on rezoning to stop the proposed Waste Transfer Station in their neighborhood