This episode is all about what happened under the Gold Dome during the 2021 session of the Georgia General Assembly. You can access a written wrap-up report of the session as well as many other highlights and analyses on the legislative webpage HERE.

Host Craig Harper, PAGE Executive Director, is joined by Legislative Services staff Margaret Ciccarelli, Josh Stephens, and Claire Suggs.

Topics Discussed

• COVID-19 adjustments for the 2021 legislative session
• Gov. Brian Kemp's Teacher Pipeline Bill
• $1,000 educator retention supplement
• $3,000 educator tax credit for qualifying teachers in high needs and rural schools
• TRS return-to-work bill and why it would not take effect until July 2023
• Explanation of two-year process for fiscal impact bills
• Paid parental leave for state employees, including school employees
• Charter school funding and expanded educator eligibility for state health
• Home school students qualification to participate in public schools sports
• Expansion of the special needs voucher
• Fiscal impact of vouchers
• Voucher bills that did not pass: Educational Savings Accounts and expansion of student scholarships
• Partial budget restoration of austerity reductions and fiscal outlook
• Additional federal funding for schools through pandemic spending
• Allocation formulas for federal funding
• Get to know your legislators now for better advocacy later

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