The 2019 Legislative Session has Begun

On Monday, the 2019 Legislative Session began with the swearing in of Governor Brian Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, lawmakers, and other state elected officials. There are a lot of new faces at the Capitol, and a seemingly palpable recognition that there has been a shift in political power. Though the Senate and the House are still overwhelmingly led by Republicans, the Democrats gained thirteen seats in the last election, and now have a significant majority in the Fulton County delegation. Typically, lawmakers are more willing to pass the new Governor’s agenda in his first legislative session, in order to establish a mutually beneficial relationship that allows both branches to more easily create and enforce the laws they want. At this point, we are unsure of what will happen with criminal justice reform in the next forty legislative days, but we are expecting a longer than usual session because of the semi-late start, the upcoming MLK holiday, and the impending Super Bowl that will be held in Atlanta at the beginning of February.

While Governor Kemp repeatedly said he supported the reforms passed by his predecessor, Governor Nathan Deal, he has yet to adopt any of the specific reforms recommended by Deal’s Council on Criminal Justice Reform in his policy agenda. The Council made clear in its final report that there is still work to be done, and asked lawmakers in 2019 (and beyond) to consider finding ways to assess and collect fines and fees in a way that ensures that vulnerable communities are not disproportionately impacted, improving access and quality of mental health treatment so that people who need help are not put in jail, and changing the use of harsh and ineffective mandatory minimum prison sentences. The only criminal justice issues that Kemp has committed to so far has been to aggressively prosecute gang activity, immigration violations, and sex trafficking. None of these policies would improve public safety nor spend taxpayer dollars wisely. For example, Kemp has said he wants to see the creation of a gang database, in order to track and monitor everyone believed to be involved in gang activity. The research makes clear, however, that these databases do not keep people safe; instead, they unfairly target racial minorities and waste of resources that could more appropriately be spent on improving public schools, expanding affordable housing, and increasing the opportunities for economic mobility.

SCHR is ready to respond to any legislation introduced this session that would result in policies that advance racial injustice, criminalize poverty, endorse the death penalty, or weaken the state’s public defender system. Despite the concern with Kemp’s criminal justice priorities, SCHR is working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to create the mental health study committee recommended by the Council on Criminal Justice Reform. We also are working with Republicans and Democrats to pass legislation to improve jail and prison conditions for women, address the inhumane use of solitary confinement, and tackle sentencing disparities.

Community engagement during this session will be critical to the success of reforms that will improve the lives of Georgians impacted by the criminal legal system. To that end, there will be several advocacy opportunities for people interested in criminal justice reform during the 2019 session. The Justice Reform Partnership, the SCHR-led coalition of nearly eighty organizations committed to criminal justice reform, will host eight advocacy days at the Capitol this session. These days, titled Talk Justice Tuesdays, will be held every Tuesday beginning on January 22nd through March 19th, which will include the annual Justice Day at the Capitol on February 26th. Each Tuesday, JRP organizations will focus on an aspect of the system and engage interested individuals by offering information and opportunities to advocate for specific policy reforms. Topics for Talk Justice Tuesdays include expungement, conditions for incarcerated women, the impact on children and families, and access to housing. Additional information about Talk Justice Tuesdays and Justice Day at the Capitol can be found at www.JusticeDay365.com.