Labor Day 2025 Updates
CDC SHOOTING
The CDC shooting took place almost three weeks ago. It is hard for me to imagine the fear that CDC employees experienced on August 8th, and particularly hard to to put myself in the place of parents whose children were at the CDC daycare center in the line of fire. There are many ongoing discussions both about how this event might have been prevented and the lack of appropriate response from HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy. Reps. Saira Draper, Omari Crawford, and I will conduct a press conference on Tuesday, September 2nd. The events will begin at 11:00AM with an roundtable discussion in Room 216 of the Georgia State Capitol where we will discuss the issues of gun violence, our legislative proposals, and the CDC shooting and its aftermath. We will then host a press conference at 12:00PM on the South Steps of the Capitol. The press conference is open to the public and all supporters are invited to attend. Please suggest any questions you want us to raise, as we anticipate filming this event for you to review at a later time. There are several specific gun violence proposals that I want to outline that the have previously been introduced and for which the current Republican House leadership will not allow hearings.
I have talked with GBI representatives about their ongoing investigation of the August 8th CDC shooting and am respectful of their decisions not to release all information at this time as they complete their investigation. I've asked specifically what guns the shooter had with him at the CDC, how he “broke into his father’s gun safe," what rapid fire guns might be classified as assault weapons, and a timeline of exactly when Officer Rose arrived, was shot, and the length of time in which the shooter fired his weapons. Did any of the multiple law enforcement officers exchange gunfire? These facts are being investigated, and maybe there will be more information by September 2nd. I want to know more about this horrific event, and I will share what I learn with you as the investigation progresses. My goals are to further gun violence prevention and to strengthen the protection of CDC workers.
PARITY FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
On August 18th, I spoke at the Georgia Mental Health Policy Partnership (GMHPP) Parity Rally led by Kim Jones and NAMI and discussed the enforcement of parity provisions in HB 1013 passed in 2022. Not coincidentally, on Friday, August 15th, the Commissioner of Insurance John King issued a press release in which he outlined sanctions of 20 million dollars on multiple insurance companies for violations of parity laws, which guarantee that mental health services be paid for and covered equally as health services for physical health treatments. There are details of the exact number that insurance companies are sanctioned and the violations relating to the sanctions were not provided. There is much additional work to do to understand his efforts, and we will continue to review Commissioner King's first sanctions and possible benefits impacting patients. Please read Michelle Baruchman and Ariel Hart's excellent August 15th AJC article entitled Insurance commissioner issues $20M in fines over mental health coverage.
I am very pleased that Georgia has now sanctioned insurance companies for violations of mental health parity. We are making progress on the difficult issue of enforcing mental health and patient rights. SB 131 is the most current parity bill in the General Assembly, and we hope to gain further Senate leadership support in the coming months. The next Mental Health Day at the Capitol will take place on February 18, 2026.
NEW POLLING QUESTION
Last month, Lt. Governor and 2026 Republican gubernatorial candidate Burt Jones created a Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax. Other Republican committee members of the special committee are also running for Lt. Governor. This is not a new topic in the Georgia General Assembly. In 2022, the Georgia state income tax was 5.75%. Later this year, it will drop to 5.15%, and it is scheduled to drop further to 4.99% by 2027. Do you agree that Georgia's state income tax should be eliminated?
Read more about the special committee in the August 19th AJC article by David Wickert Senate launches effort to eliminate income tax. Below is a tax rate graphic from the article.
OUT AND ABOUT
I always like to share with you my activities as your Representative for House District 84. Please let me know at mmo@mmolaw.com if you have any suggestions for events that you would like for me to attend in your neighborhood. Thanks!
On August 18th, the GMHPP led a very successful Parity Rally and press conference on the enforcement of HB 1013 parity provisions. Insurance Commissioner King has imposed $20 million of sanctions on multiple insurance companies for parity violations. A good start, more to come.
Thank you Mike St. Louis and Dee Dee Murphy for all your good work for DeKalb Dems—- I appreciate your efforts and was glad to join you on August 17th!
Beautiful foggy sky over the mountains and river on Fightingtown Creek in mid-August!
On August 13th, I enjoyed meeting with State Senator RaShaun Kemp and the Atlanta Temple Social Justice discussion group via zoom. Thanks for inviting me!
Following the August 8th CDC shooting, I gave an interview to the AJC's Patricia Murphy and you may read it HERE. I am angry about unnecessary losses and unnecessary preventable tragedies. I do believe that the tensions surrounding conspiracy theories are dangerous.
August 9th - Thank you Joe Cook of Georgia Rivers for inviting me and other legislator friends to float, canoe, and kayak the Chattahoochee River — beautiful weather and day! Great fun, and grateful for Jimmy Carter’s early advocacy when he was Governor and all the other advocates over five decades to ensure a clean river.
August 5th - National Night Out! Peachcrest Trace neighborhood invited me and many other DeKalb law enforcement, Court personnel, and county leaders to answer questions and discuss any issue they like—- plus hot dogs! Thank you— enjoyed being with you!
July 31st - Loved listening to the high school band HIP playing at Winnona Park Elementary pavilion! Good luck to students in my district as they head back to school!
July 29th - The Emory Law School Barton Center sponsors law students to work in juvenile courts and child advocacy agencies across Georgia every summer. I enjoy hosting an end of summer celebration, meeting the students and their supervisors, and feeling their excitement about their futures. Thank you all for your interest in children!
July 26th - Beautiful Toccoa River afternoon!
July 24th - Please visit the Memorial Drive exhibit at the historic DeKalb County Courthouse on the Square! Photographer Peter Essick has done beautiful work —- thank you. And, tell your Representative to vote for HR 904 to change the name of Memorial Drive to Veterans Memorial Drive to honor all veterans, and not just veterans of the Confederate army.
July 17th - Great lovely evening honoring John Lewis— it is good to have a hero in politics!
July 11th - Beautiful day on the Chattahoochee—- a breeze sitting on cool water very nice for hot summer day.
June 28th - Beautiful week at Chautauqua! Great programs—- Jonathan Eig and Christopher Hayes two of the best—- kayaking and facial also big success!
June 20th - I am so happy about this good news!! Congratulations to all of you who worked tirelessly to protect the Okefenokee Swamp----worth all our efforts! Read about the halting of the mining project HERE.
Happy Juneteenth! I joined volunteers at Decatur Emergency Assistance Ministry to serve lunch and celebrate—- at Holy Trinity lunch is served most days of the week for Decatur’s homeless. Thank you all!
June 18th - Very good day for Decatur and Village at Legacy Park —- we celebrated by a ribbon cutting for 162 new affordable housing units! Good work all!
June 17th - I was honored to join CDC retired and fired workers for their weekly Tuesday protest! I am grateful for all their work over many decades—- we need them!
June 14th - NO KINGS DAY! People having fun and showing up everywhere! It is estimated that No Kings Day was the single largest nationwide protest in American history.
Source: The Guardian
UPCOMING DATES
Wednesday, August 27th– Carter Center event
Tuesday, September 2nd - Capitol press conference on CDC shooting at 12pm
Friday, September 5th - Georgia Recovers Bus Tour stop in Decatur from 6-8pm - National Addiction Recovery Month
Sunday, September 7th - Druid Hills Democrats meet-up 4-6pm with state Democratic Party Chair Charlie Bailey and Public Service Commissioner candidate Peter Hubbard
Tuesday, September 9th - GCSA Legislative Tour at Tapestry Public Charter School
QUICK LINKS FOR YOU
I am on the following legislative committees. You can watch live every time they meet. Click on the links below for livestreams, agendas, archives and more.
Committees:
- Appropriations
- Governmental Affairs
- Judiciary
- Juvenile Justice
- Public Health - Secretary
- Technology and Infrastructure Innovation
Subcommittees:
- Appropriations - Human Resources
- Governmental Affairs - State and Local Government
- Judicial - Leverett (two)
You can search for and track bills, watch the House (or Senate) in Session, watch committee hearings, monitor legislation by committee, and find contact information —- all on the revamped General Assembly website. Here are quick links:
- General Assembly website: https://www.legis.ga.gov/
- House Session meetings and many committee hearings are available to watch online: https://www.legis.ga.gov/house
- Archived videos of meetings and hearings: https://www.legis.ga.gov/house/media-services
Make your views known and tell me what issues interest you the most.
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