During my short time in office, I have made a commitment to focus on sponsoring meaningful legislation for the betterment of Georgia and her citizens. I strive to serve our community as a leader who focuses on solutions to key challenges.  In the Senate, I have championed a number of positive reform efforts in areas including healthcare, infrastructure, economic development, tax reduction, and education. Fueled by passion for responsible government, I constantly work to challenge the status quo and I will continue to do so in an effective and responsible manner, yielding positive results for our district.  

Sponsored Legislation

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Senate Bill 74:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 31 of the O.C.G.A., relating to health, so as to eliminate certificate of need requirements for all health care facilities except certain long-term care facilities and services; to amend Code Section 50-18-70 of the O.C.G.A., relating to legislative intent and definitions relative to open records laws, so as to revise definitions; to amend Code Section 48-7-29.20 of the O.C.G.A., relating to tax credits for contributions to rural hospital organizations, so as to revise provisions relating to the rural hospital tax credit program; to amend other provisions in various titles of the O.C.G.A., for purposes of conformity; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 162:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to local government, so as to provide for disaster mitigation improvements and broadband services infrastructure in projects of downtown development authorities and development authorities; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 167:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 15-11-211 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to relative search by DFCS, so as to provide that a foster placement for a child adjudicated as a dependent child may be deemed as the child’s fictive kin in determining such child’s permanency plan; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 177:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the General Assembly generally, so as to provide the requirements for consideration of local legislation revising existing districts or creating new districts by the General Assembly; to provide for preparation or review of local districting plans by the staff of the Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office; to provide for requirements and procedures; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 247:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to authorize the Magistrate Court of Troup County to charge a technology fee for each conviction of a traffic or ordinance violation; to specify the uses to which said technology fee may be put; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 263:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to authorize the Probate Court of Troup County to charge a technology fee; to specify the uses to which said technology fee may be put; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 335:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 12, Chapter 11 of Title 15, and Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the O.C.G.A., relating to general provisions regarding parks, historic areas, memorials, and recreation, Juvenile Code, and programs and protection for children and youth, respectively, so as to strengthen laws and supports for foster children and foster families; to authorize the Department of Human Services to partner with child-placing agencies to assist with casework services; to provide varying levels of training required for experienced foster parents or respite caregivers; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 401:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 27 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to nursing home administrators, so as to revise the composition of the State Board of Nursing Home Administrators; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
 

Senate Bill 439:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Juvenile Code, so as to provide for enhanced notice to and improved participation of foster, preadoptive, and relative caregivers in certain hearings; to provide for the court’s consideration of issues relevant to a child’s placement, care, well-being, and permanency raised by such persons; to require certain findings be made by the court; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
 

Senate Bill 481:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes and offenses, so as to provide that low THC oil, marijuana, and tetrahydrocannabinols do not include certain federally approved products; to remove epidiolex as a Schedule V controlled substance; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
 

Senate Bill 483:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to provide for certain Medicaid reimbursement for patients treated pursuant to a behavioral rehabilitation joint venture; to provide that proceeds from the rural tax credit program received by a behavioral rehabilitation joint venture is not counted against a hospital’s cap; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
 

Senate Bill 496:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public utilities and public transportation, so as to prohibit governmental entities from adopting any policy that prohibits the connection or reconnection of any utility service based upon the type or source of energy or fuel; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
 

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Senate Bill 153:

Relating to hearing aid dealers and dispensers, so as to exempt certain activities of hearing aid dealers, hearing aid dispensers, and others related to the manufacture and sale of certain nonprescription hearing aids from the applicability of said chapter; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 286:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act creating the State Court of Troup County (formerly the Civil and Criminal Court of Troup County), approved March 6, 1962 (Ga. L. 1962, p. 3020), as amended, so as to authorize the court to charge and collect a technology fee for certain filings; to specify the uses to which said technology fees may be put; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 363:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, so as to provide for the time for opening and closing of the polls; to provide for the tabulation of advance voting ballots in the same manner as absentee votes under certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 404:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 5 of Article 3 of Chapter 5 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public water systems, so as to prohibit county, municipal, and other public water systems from charging or assessing a separate fee for standby water service for fire sprinkler system connections; to provide for a purpose; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 428:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to property, so as to allow for vehicle immobilization devices or boots to be applied to trespassing vehicles on certain property; to provide for definitions; to provide for rules and standards of operation; to provide for booting fees; to provide for notice and sign requirements; to require registration with the Secretary of State for the lawful immobilization and booting of trespassing vehicles; to provide for registration fees; to provide for the issuance of vehicle immobilization registrations and renewal registrations; to provide for preemption of local regulation; to provide for criminal and administrative penalties; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 429:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 50-5-69 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to purchases without competitive bidding, central bid registry, procurement cards, rules and regulations, applicability to emergency purchases, and Purchasing Advisory Council, so as to provide that the Department of Family and Children Services may contract for the purchase of or purchase services for children or families to whom it is providing child welfare services without competitive bidding; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 430:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 15, Chapter 2 of Title 21, and Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to courts, primaries and elections generally, and ad valorem taxation of property, respectively, so as to modify the compensation of various local government officials; to provide a salary increase for various local government officials; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 459:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 6 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state health planning and development, so as to convert a destination cancer hospital to a hospital facility for certificate of need requirements upon certain conditions; to revise a definition; to provide for payments to go the Indigent Care Trust Fund; to repeal certain destination cancer hospital provisions relating to certificate of need; to provide for funds from the Indigent Care Trust Fund to be used for the rural stabilization program; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 469:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 60 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions applicable to counties and municipal corporations, so as to provide that no county or municipality shall adopt or enforce any regulation or ordinance relating to or regulating building design elements as applied to one- or two-family dwellings; to define certain terms; to provide exceptions, to amend Code Section 36-66-3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions relative to zoning procedures, so as to redefine the term “zoning”; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Senate Bill 491:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to provide for certain definitions relative to state health planning and development; to provide for exemptions; to permit payment of funds into the Indigent Care Trust Fund to support certain rural hospitals; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bills carried by Senator Brass through the Senate

House Bill 65:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 31-2A-18 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the establishment of the Low THC Oil Patient Registry, definitions, purpose, registration cards, quarterly reports, and waiver forms, so as to change provisions relating to conditions and eligibility; to provide a definition; to remove certain reporting requirements; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 139:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 14 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education accountability assessment programs, so as to provide transparency of financial information of local school systems and schools to the greatest extent practicable; to provide for legislative intent; to provide for accessibility to certain financial data of a local board of education; to provide for school level budget and expenditure data; to require local school systems and schools to provide certain information on their websites; to provide for certain data and reports; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 183:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 8 of Title 50 of the O.C.G.A., relating to the Department of Community Affairs, so as to recreate the Georgia Geospatial Advisory Council under the Department of Community Affairs; to provide for definitions; to provide that all documents and data of the current Georgia Geospatial Advisory Council that is under the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources shall be transferred to the new council; to provide for appointment of members to the council, selection of a chairperson, and payment of certain expenses; to provide for availability of reports generated by the council; to provide for promulgation of certain rules and regulations; to provide for an effective date; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 374:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to ad valorem taxation of property, so as to allow for electronic filing of returns in certain cases; to provide for certain changes in proceedings before the county board of equalization; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 489:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to local government, so as to provide that the Georgia Procurement Registry shall be used in addition to the official legal organ and other media outlets for advertisement of certain bid opportunities for goods and services and public works construction contracts by a county, municipal corporation, or local board of education; to provide that advertisement via the Georgia Procurement Registry shall be at no cost to local government entities; to require advertisement of certain bid opportunities by local government entities via the Georgia Procurement Registry; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 665:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 7 of Title 52 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to abandoned vessels, so as to revise notice requirements regarding abandoned vessels; to eliminate duplication of notices to the Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; to provide that such notice shall only be made to the Department of Natural Resources; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 763:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Subpart 2 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to compulsory attendance for students in elementary and secondary education, so as to expand the student attendance protocol committees to school climate; to provide for recommendations; to provide for periodic review of recommendations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 784:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 40-2-86 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to special license plates promoting and supporting certain beneficial projects, causes, agencies, funds, or nonprofit corporations, so as to establish a specialty license plate to promote the conservation and enhancement of waterfowl populations and their habitats; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to provide for compliance with constitutional requirements; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 853:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the short title and purpose of the “Quality Basic Education Act,” so as to provide that children placed in psychiatric residential treatment facilities pursuant to a physician’s order may not be charged tuition; to provide for eligibility for enrollment; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 871:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 8 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to sales and use taxes, so as to create an exemption from state sales and use tax for 50 percent of the sales price of manufactured homes to be converted into real property in this state; to require proof of a qualifying purchase; to provide for recapture for unproven exemptions; to provide for applicability; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

House Bill 888:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to tax exemptions from property tax, so as to change certain reporting requirements; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.