Gold Dome Report 2017

Not only have we begun a new year, but we have also begun a brand new legislative session. I can’t believe how quickly the last year has flown by. As the old saying goes… time flies when you love what you do! I am truly blessed to do exactly what I love and feel is part of my life purpose; serving the people of my community, home and state.
Monday, January 9th, officially kicked off the start to the 2017 legislative session. While some dread the hectic schedule, long days and brain drain meetings, I really enjoy what session brings. When I think of a new session, I think of new beginnings, new hope and new opportunity to bring faith back to the people where government is concerned. See, every session is completely different. Every session is an opportunity for me to do what’s right by our great state, by the people, all the while, helping us move forward. Speaking of forward movement, I am working on a number of bills this year that I truly believe will help our district and beloved Georgia. Full updates on what I am working on are listed below!

Medical Cannabis
This session I will be continue to be heavily involved on a couple of Medical Cannabis initiatives. Based off of conversations and witnessing the positive effects of this natural medicinal alternative, I very much believe in the expansion of cannabis for usage of treating certain illnesses. Studies have shown that medical cannabis is helpful with those suffering from seizures, Parkinson’s, cancer and many other illnesses.  With prescription drug overdoses multiplying by the year, I sincerely feel that this is a safe and effective alternative to traditional pain medications.  
The second measure will be a Medical Marijuana ballot initiative, where voters will ultimately have the last say in what happens where this measure is concerned. While I personally believe in expansion, the final decision should be left up to YOU. Again, this initiative will not be for recreational use, but medical purposes only. I am proud to stand with my friend and mentor Rep. Allen Peake who has been a true leader on this issue and I am proud to stand with Georgia Families. I encourage to visit the Georgia Hope FaceBook page where they have a number of videos and great resources available for your review. 

Upskirting
I have signed on to co-sponsor a bill to make “upskirting” illegal. Upskirting is when someone places a video recording device on their shoes and actually “looks up” someone’s skirt. As ridiculous as it sounds, "upskirting" is actually a huge problem. Unfortunately, a recent court declared that “privacy laws” did not extend to “upskirting.” Clearly, we need to address this loophole in Georgia’s privacy law making it illegal to film under anyone’s clothing, where there is an expectation of privacy.

Firefighter Cancer Protection
Last year I worked very hard to pass House Bill 216, which would create protection for firefighters diagnosed with cancer. After passing the Senate and House with an overwhelming majority, the measure was ultimately vetoed. However, I will continue to work closely with leadership to come up with a viable solution in protection of our fire fighters. If a fire fighter gets diagnosed with cancer as a result of his or her service, helping with out of control medical costs is the right thing to do. God,

Guns & Gravley
I'll give you a hint... I am in favor of God and I'm in favor of Guns. In addition to my work on sponsor focused legislation, I will continue to fight tirelessly to preserve our God given Constitutional rights such as freedom of religion and our 2nd amendment right to keep and bear arms. Last year, I wrote indepth op-eds discussing Religious Freedom and 2nd amendment rights. My views have not changed and I will continue to actively participate in religious freedom discussions, as well as, pro 2nd amendment rights legislation. If you missed my op-eds, you can find them on my website, micahgravley.com 

Budget Hearings
This past week is known as "budget week," in which I actively took part, listening to budget proposals and updates from the state's regulatory agencies. The passage of a balanced budget is the only law we are constitutionally required to pass during any given session. I will be able to update you with relevant budget news as we move further into the legislative session. Not even the budget is set in stone until it receives the final signature of Governor Deal. As always, I will work with the Appropriations Committee to ensure that our region of the state receives state funding for pending and future project investments. 
In closing, I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve you in this capacity. I love working to make our district and state the best it can be. I promise that I will continue to do so. However, I can only properly represent you if I hear from you! Please contact me anytime you have questions or concerns regarding legislative issues. Your insight, guidance and input give me the tools I need to represent YOU. I will continue to send updates bi-weekly through session and if you would like to keep up with me daily, please check out my Facebook page! Thanks again for your continued support and I hope you will make a trip to the Capitol and pay me a visit.