Rep. Mike Cameron previews Georgia legislation ahead of Monday

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — As state legislatures return to session this week, Georgia lawmakers are anticipating a reduced tax rate.

Governor Brian Kemp recently proposed a tax reduction for the state.

The state budget along with matters of criminal budget will be prime topics in Georgia sessions.

Representative Mike Cameron claims this will be one of the main topics of interest in legislation as lawmakers return this week.

Rep. Mike Cameron previews GA politics ahead of return to session. Image provided by Mike Cameron House Representative website.

“We’re trying to get more money back to the people and not keep it or spend it like legislators tend to do,” House Representative (R) District 1 Mike Cameron said.

The new income tax reduction was said to bring an impact of close to a billion dollars.

“Two years ago we passed a tax bill that was going to gradually bring the income tax rate down in Georgia to eventually 4.99%. With the amount of surplus we have in Georgia, he wanted to accelerate it. It was going to be 5.49% but it’s going to be 5.39% now. So we’ll have to ratify that. And that doesn’t sound like a lot of money, but that’s about a billion dollars,” Cameron said.

Along with the state’s budget and tax rates, the representative said drugs are a key concern in this year’s legislation.

Fentanyl has been the cause of many deaths in Georgia.

“This is not a republican problem, it’s not a democrat problem, this is a human problem. And we’ve got to solve it,” Cameron said.

A new bill proposed by the representative is said to toughen the penalty of fentanyl perpetrators.

“If you distribute fentanyl and someone dies, then it’s going to toughen the penalty. It’s going to be like murder. And I’m going to have a fentanyl bill which will require medical providers in emergency rooms, if they think someone has overdosed, to test for fentanyl,” Cameron said.

Drugs infused with marijuana like CBD and THC are also topics of interest for the state.

“The things that are sold in convenience stores in Georgia, we’re finding that the THC levels in a lot of those products like Rice Krispie Treats and some of those things are not 3%, they may be 50%. So it’s a lot higher level THC which is dangerous,” Cameron explained.

With these substances in mind, the representative also discussed the state mental health systems in accordance with criminal justice.

“Our jails in North Georgia have become mental health facilities because we don’t have places. So, our jailers and deputies are having to become mental health professionals. And it’s taxing on them as well as on the patients. And we’ve got people in jail who really need to be in a mental facility, but there’s nowhere to take them,” Cameron said.

Many topics will be on the minds of lawmakers as Georgia legislation resumes this week.