'Lawmakers' Day 17: Senate hears Sanctuary City law, House covers public school workers who die on job

On Thursday at the Capitol, a celebration of new citizens and a debate on immigration policy.

Recently sworn in, citizens were honored today for the contributions immigrants and refugees make in Georgia. The new citizens met with lawmakers to discuss policies that impact their communities.

On the topic of immigration, senators debated Senate Bill 21, sometimes referred to as the Sanctuary City Law.

The bill would allow the state to penalize local authorities who do not follow state and federal immigration laws.

Counties who don't send an immigration detainer notice to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when they have an undocumented immigrant in their possession would waive sovereign and governmental immunities.

“In our state, we have seen a politicization of the law, and it has become popular at times to take positions to say that while this may be the law, I'm not going to enforce it,” Sen. Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) said. “This bill doesn't seek to try to put anybody, any local official or local government in jail because they're not following Georgia law. It says instead that we're going to create, if necessary, a financial incentive for you to obey Georgia immigration law as a local government or a local government official.

“And the way we intend to enforce that is by if our citizens are harmed because you did not, as a local government or a local government official, abide by Georgia's immigration law. Well, that citizen has a right to seek redress from you.”

Democrats say the bill puts an unnecessary burden on local officials, particularly teachers.

“This bill creates a new way to go after our teachers, our school districts, our public servants, all under the false pretense of enforcing laws that are already on the books,” Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes (D-Duluth) said. “There is no sanctuary city in Georgia. Not a single one. But SB 21 pretends that there is a problem where not exists, and in doing so, it puts teachers and local officials in an impossible position.

“What do you exactly expect teachers to do underneath this bill? Do you want them to interrogate their students about their immigration status? Do you ask a 7-year-old where they were born? To profile kids based on their last name or the language they speak at home?

“Because that's what this bill opens the door to. It forces educators to choose between following federal law, which protects all students right to an education and risking a lawsuit from an anti-immigrant extremist who would rather drag a teacher to court than see a child succeed.”

Despite the Democrats' objections, the bill was passed 33 to 18.

In the House, members debated a bill that would affect adults under conservatorship or legal guardianship.

House Bill 36 expands a list of professionals that can conduct an evaluation to help determine if someone needs a guardianship to include nurse practitioners, physicians, physician assistants, and marriage and family therapists.

“The question is why are we expanding this list?” Rep. Rob Leverett (R-Elberton) said. “Well, because the reason, very shortly, is because the professionals currently authorized by statute to perform that evaluation are not doing it. They're reluctant to do it. And I'm not trying to blame or censure them at all for that. I don't question the reasons, and I can think of a number of perfectly valid reasons why one of those professions might not be able to provide that evaluation.

“But the fact is they're not doing it, and as a result, the cases are being delayed and sometimes stalled.

“I hope all of you have a power of attorney and advance directive. I hope everyone that you care about has an advance directive and power of attorney. But if you don't or they don't and they become unable to make decisions for themselves, this is your only option is a conservatorship or a guardianship.”

The bill received some pushback.

“But we cannot go for speed when we are talking about freedom,” Rep. Stacey Evans (D-Atlanta) said. “We cannot shirk on qualifications when we are talking about freedom.”

The bill passed 99 to 70, in a mostly party line vote.

Representatives also passed HB 105, which would increase the payout for spouses and children of certain public-school employees who lose their life at work from $75,000 to $150,000.

“If you've got public school teachers in your district, I think this would be very important for you to hear," Rep. Will Wade (R-Dawsonville) said. “We are recommending that we increase. Back in 2017, this body increased the "back the blue" for when a service member, public officer is killed in the line of duty from $100,000 to $250,000: a death benefit. Our public school safety officers deserved it then and our teachers deserve it now, and this remedies that disparity in the law.”

The bill passed easily, but not without some criticism.

“This is a simple, yet profoundly important piece of legislation, one that acknowledges the immense value of teachers and the sacrifices that we make every day,” Rep. Bryce Berry (D-Atlanta) said. “But while I appreciate this bill, I would be remiss if I would ignore the glaring omission within these two pages. The silence is deafening. And so, I must ask why.

“Why must the identification award for teachers be increased in the first place? What has changed in the past year that has finally forced us to acknowledge that teachers are on the front lines? The answer is tragic but clear. The leading cause of death for teachers on the job is gun violence.”

Also today, representatives wore purple capes and glasses in support of lupus patients and caregivers, and Gullah Geechee Heritage Day brought food and a cultural celebration to the Capitol.

GPB's Lawmakers returns for Day 18 on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. Watch the previous week of Lawmakers here.