Sen. Ben Watson
Columnist
The 2024 Legislature ended early last Friday morning as we wrapped up the people’s business in the 40-day session. The Senate stayed in session by voting on important legislation to almost midnight on Tuesday (Legislative Day 39), and on Legislative Day 40 (last day of the session), we voted until just after 1 a.m.
The end of session is a grueling pace of hastily-called meetings, conference committees and other items that tend to take time. Saying all that, it has been my great pleasure to serve you in the Senate.
One of the highlights from legislation passed this week include the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year budget, which is set at approximately $36.1 billion.
Of particular local interest is the Tybee Island Beach Re-nourishment. As we know from previous U.S. Army Corps of Engineers studies, 78% of Tybee Island beach erosion is due to dredging of the harbor channel.
The Savannah River is considered a federal waterway. Georgia is in partnership with the federal government and paid about $275 million of the $1 billion for the further deepening of the harbor. Because dredging requires continued maintenance, the federal government contributes to re-nourishing the sand on the beach every five to 15 years. The total cost of the project is $20 million, and the federal portion is 60%, state 20% and Tybee 20%.
We also passed House Bill 663, the No Patient Left Alone Act. H.B. 663 allows for a designated essential caregiver to be present with a patient or resident of a hospital or long-term care facility while they are receiving care. This designated caregiver must adhere to the policies of the hospital or long-term care facility, and their access may be suspended or terminated under outlined circumstances. This was done to provide the patient and family members access to the care the patient is receiving and provide familiar comfort to the patient.
In our continuing effort to support military members and veterans, we easily passed S.B. 449. This legislation requires the Department of Community Health, in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Service, to create a program in which military medical personnel can be certified as nurse aides, paramedics, cardiac technicians, emergency medical technicians, or licensed practical nurses without having to meet certain additional requirements. The term “military medical personnel” is added by the bill and relates to those who have relevant experience within the past 24 months prior to seeking certification or recertification as a medic, medical technician, or corpsman, within the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, or Coast Guard.
These past three months I have worked to keep you updated on legislation affecting our community as we progressed through the session. Over the next months, I will be on the campaign trail and continuing to work on the issues that you believe are important. Thank you for your continued interest in the work of our General Assembly.
As your public servant, feel free to visit me at the Capitol or to reach out to me by phone or email. I am in 325A, Coverdell Legislative Office Building. My office phone number is (404) 656-7880, and my email is ben.watson@senate.ga.gov. I look forward to continuing to serve you.