Newsroom
In Atlanta, William Ligon will be
an advocate for the conservative
principles of limited government,
lower taxes, free enterprise,
individual liberties, and
family values.
an advocate for the conservative
principles of limited government,
lower taxes, free enterprise,
individual liberties, and
family values.
(ATLANTA - February 15, 2019) As our fifth week under the Gold Dome comes to a close, I am proud to say that the Senate is hard at work improving the lives of Georgians. Our first few pieces of legislation have passed unanimously through our chamber, and Governor Brian P. Kemp signed our first successful bill, Senate Bill 25, into law on Friday. I am enthusiastic about the bipartisan support that legislation has received so far and I look forward to seeing what meaningful laws we will enact over the next 24 legislative days.
Legislative Action in the Senate - Week 5
When the General Assembly is not in session, I practice law back at home. My first bill this session was requested by some of the superior court judges with whom I work. They have experienced issues with the state's electronic filing mandate firsthand. I am happy to announce that this bill, Senate Bill 38, passed with unanimous, bipartisan support this week. SB 38 would revise court filing procedures and eliminate unnecessary fees. By removing fees for electronic filing for the Attorney General, district attorneys and public defenders, state funding will remain in these offices rather than going back to the state as fees. Overall, SB 38 eliminated unnecessary filing fees and eliminates circular filing policies. Next, it will travel to the House of Representatives for consideration before hopefully landing on the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.
The second of piece of legislation I sponsored passed through the Senate this week as well. Senate Bill 52 provides the annual update to the Official Code of Georgia. This bill corrects clerical errors found throughout the Code during the preceding year and reauthorizes the publication of the Code as the official Code of Georgia.
Outside of our legislative duties, the Senate often invites visitors to the Capitol to be honored for their work in making Georgia the best that it can be. This week, I welcomed the Mortgage Bankers Association of Georgia (MBAG) to commend them for their advocacy of sound business practices in the Georgia mortgage community. Not only does the MBAG do incredible work regarding Georgia-specific mortgage education, but it also created the MBAG Foundation which carries out charitable work across the state. The MBAG truly sets the standard for excellence and professionalism and represents what a positive impact community-focused industry organizations can make.
This week, one of the biggest pieces of legislation in years was introduced. Senate Bill 106, or the “Patients First Act,” would allow the Governor to ask the federal government for two Medicaid waivers: 1332 and 1115. These waivers are not synonymous with Medicaid expansion, rather they essentially allow our state to choose how we would best benefit from changes and funding within the Medicaid system. It’s a fiscally sound way to not build on a broken system, but to create a better foundation that puts the patient’s needs first.
Next week, I will host a press conference on a book called Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence by Alex Berenson. It details the danger marijuana poses to our youth, as well as the danger of legalizing the drug for statewide use - whether it’s medical or recreational. I am a strong advocate for keeping this drug off our streets and out of the hands of growing kids and will oppose legislation that would endanger Georgians further.
I have other bills in the works, such as increasing the penalty for terroristic threats directed at schools and reducing coal ash disposal, among others. I will be sure to update you as legislation progresses. As always, it is an honor to represent District 3. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions, comments or concerns.
Enjoyed visiting with our Camden County DECA students under the Gold Dome.