By Kirsten J. Barnes
Georgia Sen. Ed Harbison (D-Columbus) of District 15 said that the budget was his constituents' largest victory.
In between fighting against anti-abortion bills, gun bills, and school voucher bills, the local delegation was able to get funds into the budget for several areas that will help his constituents in Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Macon, Marion, Talbot, Taylor, and Schley counties.
These included funds for medical needs, gang prevention, and veterans.
“We managed to put money into the budget for sickle cell anemia,” said Harbison, who has served in the Senate for 30 years. “I was touched by the number of people who are affected by that. One of the things they needed is more hematologists.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, sickle cell disease causes a constant shortage of red blood cells. As sickle-shaped cells travel through the blood vessels, they become hard and clog the blood flow, which causes pain, infection, and stroke.
“A gang taskforce will come into Columbus. Crime is a problem, and we need to address it and not always by putting them in jail and throwing away the key,” said Harbison, adding that Columbus and surrounding communities have been reporting an increase in gang presence. “People are afraid to walk the streets, senior citizens especially, but even our young people.”
Harbison said the government needs to focus on preventing our youth from getting into gangs in the first place, by providing them with other options.
“We need to provide an escape for them by keeping good jobs available and by keeping educational options available and providing them opportunities to make contributions to our cities and our state,” Harbison said.
One of those opportunities is the ability of the U.S. to make automotive chips right here in Georgia.
“It’s a security issue,”’ Harbison said, adding that the U.S. has relied on China for far too long to produce the chips that we need.
Through legislative incentives, he hopes to see manufacturers here in Georgia. “This is an effort to make sure that we come up with something that is homegrown in chip production. We have attracted one company here. The governor may or may not fund it, but we are optimistic,” he said.
Additionally, the General Assembly created a study committee to look at the prison system.
“We will take a look behind the curtain of our prisons. There have been complaints of people using drones to bring cell phones and other contraband into our prisons. We are trying to control the crime in our prisons and ensure the safety of our corrections
officers,” said Harbison, who chairs the State Institutions and Property Committee.
Harbison, the longest-serving member, is the Dean of the Senate and serves as Vice Chair of the Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security Committee, Ex-Officio member of the Regulated Industries and Utilities and Appropriations committees, and member of the Insurance and Labor, Rules, and Reapportionment and Redistricting committees.
“This is the only place where longevity is a good thing because that hopefully translates into more influence and access,” he said.
During the session, Harbison sponsored and co-sponsored more than 100 pieces of legislation and worked to block hundreds of others that he felt were bad for Georgia.
“Even when we lose, we are bloodied, but unbowed,” he said.
SR 37 created the Senate Property Owners’ Association, Homeowners' Association, and Condominium Associations Study Committee to govern and pay for the maintenance and improvement of condominiums and subdivisions' common areas and to provide for the upkeep of the property to protect the value of all the properties in such associations.
SR 203 extends the Senate Safe Firearm Storage Study Committee to determine if changes in state law relating to firearm storage and access to firearms by children are necessary and whether funding for grants or pilot programs promoting safe firearm storage are warranted.
SR 527 created the Senate Study Committee on Veterans’ Mental Health and Housing to regularly evaluate the adequacy of public and private programs and services available in Georgia to provide these vital resources to veterans.
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