'Lawmakers' Day 32: House on foreign influence on elections; remembering Atlanta spa shooting victims

Caption

The Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus held a memorial at the Capitol on Monday, March 16, 2026 to mark the fifth anniversary of the Asian Spa Shootings.

Credit: Screenshot

On Monday, lawmakers remembered a somber anniversary and debated money bills.

In the House, members took up Senate Bill 177, which would require employees of some foreign governments to register with the State Ethics Commission if they are involved in politics and report their political contributions. Affected governments include North Korea, China, Russia and Iran.

"This bill regulates political activity, not business activity, and that distinction is important," Rep. Joseph Gullett (R-Dallas) said. "This bill applies to political activity connected to governments that are designated as foreign adversaries by the United States Secretary of Commerce. If a person or entity is acting on behalf or as an agent of a hostile foreign principal, and engaging in political activity in Georgia, such as lobbying government officials or attempting to influence public policy, they must register with the State Ethics Commission and disclose that relationship."

Some Democrats raised concerns that the bill could have unintended economic consequences.

"When a company's legal team looks at a law like this and sees the mandatory registration, public disclosure requirements, and the risk of major penalties simply for engaging in policy discussions, some of those companies are gonna think twice about relocating to Georgia," Rep. Long Tran (D-Dunwoody) said.

Some also said that foreign governments aren't the biggest threat to politics.

"I'm not against stopping foreign influence, nor am I suggesting that foreign influence in our elections is not an issue," Rep. Gabriel Sanchez (D-Smyrna) said. "It is. But this is not the fundamental issue that Georgians are concerned with right now. Threats towards democracy aren't coming from foreign governments or spies. It's coming from here, inside this nation. They're coming from the Epstein class, the billionaires and their friends, the huge corporations who are rewriting our laws while they buy up all of our housing."

Republicans shot back that the bill promotes transparency and shouldn't be controversial.

"Do you want to know if the Republic of Iran is putting money in your campaign?" Said Majority Whip Rep. James Burchett (R-Waycross). "I know every one of my colleagues do. Maybe my colleagues on the left do not want that. You don't want to where the money's coming from. Or maybe it's worse. Maybe you do know where the money is coming from and you don't want light shed on it. That, I hope, is not the case. I don't believe it is, but it is very hard for me to understand where the arguments are coming from, when the only thing we're doing is requiring anybody that has any financial interest from a foreign adversary to register."

SB 177 passed 98 to 65 along party lines.

Senate Bill 160 would allow some drivers with suspended licenses to get back on the roads.

"This bill today is about behavior change," Rep. Clint Crowe (R-Jackson) said. "Intelligent speed assistance devices are devices that prevent an operator from exceeding a preset speed, creates a pathway for a person with a suspended license due to a reckless stunt driving conviction to apply for a limited driving permit by having an ISA placed on their vehicle."

The bill passed 130 to 26.

The House also unanimously passed a bill to establish a special license plate honoring the Girl Scouts of Georgia.

The Senate took up two resolutions and five House bills. Among them, House Bill 535, which increases the penalties for trafficking fentanyl.

"It makes it very clear if you possess 4 or more grams of fentanyl, you're going to be dealt with severely, two and a half years minimum to 10 years maximum, and the penalties go on up to 35 years depending on the amount of the substance or fentanyl mixed with other substances that you have," Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) said.

Two proposed amendments by Democrats reduced the penalties for having four grams of any drug laced with fentanyl without the intent to distribute and removed the trafficking clause.

"This bill enhances a sentencing scheme for criminalizing simple possession," Sen. Josh McLaurin (D-Sandy Springs) said. "Now you might say 4 grams is a lot though, Senator. ... Four grams is 80% of the mass of a nickel, the coin. A nickel has 5 grams. That is the weight. Imagine a nickel in your hand, but 80% that. That's how much of a drug mixture you have to have to be liable for trafficking under the Georgia code and that's without any intent."

But the bill sponsor offered a third amendment that changed the bill's language to incorporate those recommendations, causing Democrats to withdraw their amendments and help pass the bill unanimously. It also brought a rare response from Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.

"If you'll just listen a little bit and be willing to hear the other side's opinion, whether that other side is in your party or not, it doesn't matter," he said. "But if you'll listen and talk through things, some of these things can get worked out without having to posture so much. So, I do appreciate each one of the senators illustrating that today. Used to be something that was very common around this chamber that's become uncommon, but it is still does happen from time to time."

HB 1000 will provide a one-time tax rebate to state income taxpayers who paid in 2024 and 2025.

"This benefits Georgians by giving back $250 for individual filers, $375 for heads of household and $500 for those married and filing jointly," Sen. Bo Hatchett (R-Cornelia) said. "This is a good tax refund, giving Georgians back their money."

It also passed unanimously.

Monday was also the fifth anniversary of the Atlanta spa shootings. The deadly shooting in March 2021 killed eight people at Atlanta area spas, and six of those killed were Asian women. The Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus had a memorial.

"These were lives that were taken from us too soon," Rep. Michelle Au (D-Johns Creek) said. "Those we lost were people who were deeply loved and needed and whose stories embodied a vibrant picture of the America those of us who grew up in the immigrant community know well."

On Saint Patrick's Day, lawmakers will hold committee meetings only and gavel back in for Legislative Day 33 on Wednesday.

GPB's Lawmakers returns for Day 33 on Wednesday, Mar. 18 at 7 p.m. on GPB TV.