ATLANTA – State Representative Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) today announced that Governor Nathan Deal recently signed several key pieces of legislation she sponsored during the 2018 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly, including House Bills 740, 831, 906, 920 and Senate Bill 427.
“I’m thrilled to announce that Gov. Deal has signed many critical bills into law that will greatly benefit our state’s citizens, especially Georgia’s children and adults with disabilities,” said Rep. Dempsey. “Several of the bills I sponsored this session will help to support Georgia’s families and safeguard our state’s most vulnerable population – our children. Also, I was extremely proud to continue my work in expanding employment options for Georgians with disabilities. I’d like to thank my colleagues in the General Assembly and Gov. Deal for their tremendous support of these measures, and I’m confident that these bills will have positive impacts on our state for generations to come.”
HB 906, authored by Rep. Dempsey, will prohibit current and former foster parents’ personal information from being disclosed to the public. Additionally, HB 906 includes HB 972, authored by Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs), which will authorize the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) to provide extended care youth services for individuals between the ages of 18 and 21. Furthermore, HB 906 includes HB 927, authored by Rep. Chad Nimmer (R-Blackshear), which will require DFCS to provide a caregiver with relevant information upon the placement of a child.
HB 920, authored by Rep. Dempsey, will expand the Department of Human Services’ use of its records regarding adopted children, their biological parents and adoptive parents when such child dies, suffers a near fatality or is an alleged victim of child abuse.
HB 740, authored by Rep. Randy Nix (R-LaGrange) and signed by Rep. Dempsey, will prohibit schools from expelling or suspending students in public preschool through third grade for five or more days per school year without first providing the student with a multi-tiered system of supports, such as Response to Intervention, a preexisting program that identifies and addresses students’ academic and behavioral needs to help them succeed in the classroom.
HB 831, authored by Rep. Terry Rogers (R-Clarkesville) and signed by Rep. Dempsey, will establish the Employment First Georgia Council to advise the governor, the Georgia General Assembly and state agencies on how best to adopt and integrate policies that recognize that competitive integrated employment is the first and preferred option of all state funded services for working-age individuals with disabilities. Competitive integrated employment is work in a setting in which individuals with and without disabilities interact in all aspects of the job function and are compensated equally for the same or similar work. HB 831 was a product of the House Study Committee on Postsecondary Education and Employment Options for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, which Rep. Dempsey chaired in 2015.
SB 427, authored by State Senator John Kennedy (R-Macon) and sponsored by Rep. Dempsey in the House, will update Georgia’s child support laws to mirror federal regulatory changes that went into effect on Jan. 20, 2017.
*Editor’s note: A photo of Gov. Deal, Rep. Dempsey and others during a bill signing ceremony has been attached to this press release for your convenience.
Representative Katie Dempsey represents the citizens of District 13, which includes portions of Floyd County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2006 and currently serves as Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Resources. She also serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Health & Human Services, Higher Education, Rules and Transportation committees. She is also a member of the Medical Cannabis working group.
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