The Georgia legislature wrapped up the 2017 legislative session in the wee hours of Friday morning leaving the dust to settle on the nearly 400 votes cast. Where does that leave State Representative Micah Gravley, who represents Paulding and Douglas County, with regard to voting measures?
At a 88.5% passage rate, Gravley was near the center of the list of those voting NO, often voting independently on legislation that came to the House floor. Gravley voted NO 44 of 391 times over the last three months. A total of 431 votes were cast, though 40 were for attendance.
A few of the measures Gravley, who was elected in 2012, voted in favor of:
- House Bill 452 which was amended in the Senate during the final hours of the session. The bill allows for persons to be arrested and charged with domestic terrorism, though the language angered First Amendment activists who say the bill could target protesters – peaceful and otherwise – and the federal government already had such laws in place.
- House Bill 37 that suspends any funding from private universities in Georgia if they allow sanctuary safe havens for illegal immigrants on campus
- House Bill 199 which grants tax credits to persons/companies that invest in the entertainment industry
- House Bill 264 which doubles the state bond amount for the Georgia World Congress Center from $200 million to $400 million
- Senate Bill 70 which extends the Hospital Bed Tax for an additional 3 years
- House Bill 280 – the campus carry legislation to allow lawful Weapons Carry Permit holders over the age of 21 to carry a concealed firearm on public university campuses
Gravley voted against:
- House Bill 202 which increases the salary of the Governor to $175,000 annually
- House Bill 275 which criminalizes wake surfing in some instances
- House Bill 208 which increases hunting and fishing licensing fees
- House Bill 125 which gives a tax credit to anyone who has their yacht repaired in Georgia if the repairs are over $500,000
- Senate Bill 183 that allows state dollars to back bonds issued to private developers of the State Road and Tollway Authority
- Senate Bill 41 which requires persons supplying durable medical equipment to obtain an additional license
- House Bill 118 which would regulate and tax online fantasy game contests
- Senate Bill 201 which dictates that business owners must allow employees to use paid leave time to care for family members, despite company policy, if the employer already provides sick leave
- House Bill 419 to change restrictions on fireworks, amending code section from the original passage
- House Bill 142 which would have assessed late fees on businesses that do not provide employees with necessary tax paperwork in a timely manner [bill stalled in Senate]
- House Bill 225 which adds a sales tax to rideshare purchases like Uber and Lyft as well as any other transaction which originates online — food delivery, Air B&B, etc.
- House Bill 458 which would allow school zones to operate unmanned speed detection devices that take photos of cars and license plates
- House Bill 59 which offers a tax credit for persons who rehabilitate old structures
- Senate Bill 141 which adjusts regulations on when carnival operators are required to obtain permits for rides
- Senate Bill 152 which limits the number of semesters a student can be assigned to an alternative school (maximum 2 semesters)
- House Bill 360 known as the “Friends with Benefits Bill,” which allows patients diagnosed with venereal diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea to obtain an extra antibiotic prescription for their sexual partner or partners
- Senate Bill 152 which limits the number of semesters a student can be assigned to an alternative school (maximum 2 semesters)
Gravley sponsored the highly publicized firefighter insurance coverage bill.
Micah Gravley is Vice Chair of the Code Revision Committee and also serves on the Appropriations, Economic Development & Tourism, Judiciary non-civil, Juvenile Justice, and Public Safety & Homeland Security committees. He reported $12,882.79 cash on hand in his campaign bank account. He is up for re-election in 2018.
