The below request for comment was sent to the Georgia Student Finance Commission at 7:13 PM on Dec. 27, 2023. I did not receive a reply.
GSFC
I am in hopes that your office can offer a comment or direction.
By D.A. King
The below request for comment was sent to the Georgia Student Finance Commission at 7:13 PM on Dec. 27, 2023. I did not receive a reply.
GSFC
I am in hopes that your office can offer a comment or direction.
By D.A. King
The below reply and follow up was received from Rep Martin Dec. 5, 2023 at 8:00 AM.
The original request is here.
_
Mr. King,
To my reading and the reading of others with whom I have consulted, SB 379 via definitions, particularly in lines 19 – 33, requires the participant (“Apprentice”) and the employer (“Apprenticeship sponsor”) to be registered in Georgia and with the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship. Further, *a bulletin from the Office of Apprenticeship explains in part, “all individuals who are eligible to work in the U.S. are afforded an opportunity to participate and complete a RAP [registered apprenticeship program].”
Additionally, lines 52 – 55 outline employer application, providing another layer in assuring compliance with all applicable Georgia Law and Federal Law.
In sponsoring the legislation in the House in my role as Higher Education Chair, I relied on Senator Strickland’s statement that SB 379 stacks on underlying Georgia and Federal Law as outlined above.
Best Regards,
Rep. Chuck Martin.
_
*Note: In my own reply to this response I asked Rep Martin for the title and date of the *U.S. DOL bulletin he cited and he was kind enough to send me this bulletin, (which I had already found and read). I am grateful to Rep Martin.
By D.A. King
*Updated with replies: Dec. 6:
Reply from Sen. Strickland is here.
Reply from Rep Martin is here.
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Sent today at 11:11 AM to Senator Brian Strickland. Also sent to Rep Chuck Martin.
By D.A. King
The below reply was received December 4, 2023 at 9:28 AM from Sen. Strickland’s staffer.
The original request is here.
“Good morning,
I hope this email finds you well. On behalf of Senator Strickland, ” “SB 379 established for the first time a registered apprenticeship program in Georgia that allows individuals to connect with small businesses in search of workers today to gain the skill and experience necessary to start a career. The bill requires oversight from the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia and also requires that any individual taking part as an apprentice be registered in Georgia with the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship. Illegal immigration was not specifically addressed in this bill but if any legislator believes that illegal aliens are taking the funds set forth in this program, then I am sure we will see a bill to address this.”
Thank you,
“ | HANNAH HOLCOMB | Legislative Assistant Georgia General assembly |
Georgia State Senate | 18 Capitol Square SW, Suite 324 CLOB | Atlanta, GA 30334
O. 404-656-0508
Email: HANNAH.HOLCOMB@senate.ga. gov
SENATOR KAY KIRKPATRICK, DISTRICT 32
Chairwoman – Children and Family
SENATOR BRIAN STRICKLAND, DISTRICT 17
Chairman – Judiciary
By D.A. King
*Update: Dec. 5, 2023: I received a response in a Twitter message from Garrison Douglas, Gov Kemp’s Press Secretary at 4:58 PM today.
That reply directed me to OCGA 50-36-1, which is a code section I have been working on since it was introduced as part of SB 529, the ‘Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act of 2006.’ I drafted the first update to that law in HB2 (it’s section 3) in 2009. I worked on this law in 2011 when GA passed HB 87, the “Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011.” I can recite much of the details and requirements in that law from memory.
It is worthy of note that around 11:30 AM today, Dec. 5, I received a call that went to my voicemail from a David Dove in Gov Kemp’s office informing me that I could call him back about the request I had sent to their “comms” office.
I called back multiple times but never got an answer or any voice mail despite the phone ringing about twenty times. I then called the main number for Gov. Kemp’s office (404-656-1776) and spoke to a very nice staffer there. She confirmed that David Dove did in fact work there but she had no phone number or email address for him. I asked her to note that I called. It was quite odd.
I was informed later that David Dove is Gov. Kemp’s Executive Counsel.
I will have much more to say about Gov Kemp’s answer to me very soon. It is posted above as a screenshot from Twitter/X.
Audio of David Dove’s voice mail below.
_______________
Original post:
At about 11:45 AM today the below request for a comment and response from Gov. Kemp’s office was emailed to Mr. Andrew Iisenhour, Gov. Kemp’s Communications Director. I also emailed it to Gov. Kemp and received a reply from him that it had been received. I also tweeted / X’ed this post to Mr. Garrison Douglas, Gov. Kemp’s Press Secretary.
_
Mr. Eisenhour,
(apologies)
Mr. Isenhour,
Focused on illegal immigration in Georgia, I am writing a news/opinion column on the results of passage of SB 379 in the 2022 General Assembly. To insure fairness and accuracy I hope to include a comment from Gov. Kemp’s office.
I see the quote in a Nov. 2022 media release from the governor on the legislation and the HDCI program: “During the 2022 legislative session, Governor Kemp and lawmakers partnered to pass SB 379, representing a historic investment in apprenticeships in Georgia through the HDCI Program. The HDCI Program awards up to $50,000 in funding to Georgia businesses to upskill workers through registered apprenticeships and increase skilled talent within Georgia’s high-demand industries.”
I am hoping for a response to the following request:
Please cite any language or reference to any required verification procedure contained in current laws created by SB 379 that serve to exclude illegal alien employees and employers from participating in and benefiting from the HDCI/apprenticeship program as apprentices, apprenticeship sponsors or apprenticeship employers.
* For clarity and put differently, is there a provision in state law created by 2022’s SB 379 that prevents illegal alien employers and employees similar to the subjects of this press release by the U.S. Attorney in Georgia’s Southern District from accessing the tax-payer-funded apprenticeship program on any level?
If yes, please cite and explain any existing provisions.
I am writing for my own blog and will likely submit a version of my finished investigation column to James Magazine Online and/or Breitbart News. My deadline is Tuesday, Dec.5 2023 at 5:00 PM.
Thank you. Please contact me with any questions.
Go Dawgs!
D.A. King
Marietta
404-
By D.A. King
_____
The below is taken from a longer version of a recorded telephone conversation between Sen. Shawn Still and candidate Tori Branum in which Still discourages Branum from continuing her campaign for the Senate seat in District6 20 now held by Sen. Larry Walker. The entire conversation as posted on facebook is transcribed on the bottom of this page.
Transcripts by Rev.com
Shawn Still:
I never heard the 190,000 that live in your district.
Tori:
Right, and they’re gonna know me by the time I get done. They’re gonna know me by the time I get done, and if I lose, that’s fine. Hey, it’s practice. But as an American veteran, I have a right to run for office in my country.
Shawn Still:
Tori, don’t, don’t ever say that to me again. I am too. I’ve served proudly, and you don’t need to throw that in my face.
Tori:
Well, u- you… And you have a right to serve in any capacity that you want, just like I do.
Shawn Still:
And I never s- and I never, ever, ever said that. All I said was, “I think that you have a realistic path in this. Going down a suicide mission, on a kamikaze run, is not one that has a high chance of success, and if you want to be successful, you may want to aim a little lower than where you’re aiming-
Tori:
So what would make me-
Shawn Still:
… because [inaudible 00:00:55].”
Tori:
… as successful? The fact that people write big checks to him?
Shawn Still:
He controls the caucus leadership pack. And if you don’t know what that means, you need to look that up.
Tori:
I do know what it means.
Shawn Still:
Okay.
Tori:
‘Cause I’ve been researching, trying to run for five years, and I’ve, I’ve learned the issue is I… (laughs) And I’m teachable-
Shawn Still:
[inaudible 00:01:19]-
Tori:
… and I research and I learn-
Shawn Still:
… [inaudible 00:01:20].
Tori:
… and I don’t let leadership tell me what to do. I will make decisions, informed decisions; not based on what-
Shawn Still:
Yeah, and u- this is me-
Tori:
… somebody else said.
Shawn Still:
… giving you an informed decision. This is not me telling you what to do.
Tori:
How would Trump back Larry Walker when he wants the swamp cleaned? He’s a pure politician. Nobody’s seen his face since 2015 was the last time he was a co-host. How would Trump back that?
Shawn Still:
‘Cause he only got elected the year before Trump did.
Tori:
Right. Nobody saw him through two elections: through the first Trump, through the Biden. Nobody has seen his face. They just vote because he’s the only one on the ballot.
I may not have 10 million dollars but I got a social media that gets millions and millions of views, and I will use that-
Shawn Still:
I-
Tori:
… to my advantage. And I-… end of transcript.
___
Below is the complete conversation posted on Facebook – which is not the entire phone conversation as recording apparently began after the call to from Sen. Shawn Still.
Tori Branum:
My name is Tori Branum, and I am running for Senate in District 20. It’s the district I know very well. I’ve trained thousands of people to shoot their guns. I’m a eight-year Marine Corps veteran. I’ve been studying policy. I’ve been to the border. You can watch a lot of my videos. I am up on what is going on. And I have integrity, I’m honest, and I’m forthright. And today, after I qualified, I get a message on Facebook from Senator Shawn Still telling me to call him, and he was basically telling me that I don’t have enough money to run, I need to aim lower, they’re gonna eat me alive, I’ll never be able to run for politics again. I’m gonna let you hear what he had to tell me. Um, it’s very insulting. Um, and if you wanna donate to my campaign, it’s toriforgeorgia on Venmo, or you can mail me a check. Message me, I’ll give you my address.
Shawn Still:
Let me start with you.
Tori Branum:
Well, I know that my people write checks, but I know the people in the district. I, I know them in all counties, Dodge, Treutlan, Dooly. I’ve trained and been out in the community with all of them. I’m not just sitting, you know, just sit in one place and expect people to guess my name. Like, I have a huge social media, that’s a platform. That’s a new platform and people need to get on board with it. If I can reach millions-
Shawn Still:
It, it’s a platform and-
Tori Branum:
… and millions of people, I have millions and millions of views on my TikTok. I can reach-
Shawn Still:
The only ones that matter are the 190,000 that live in your district.
Tori Branum:
Right, and they’re gonna know me by the time I get done. They’re gonna know me by the time I get done. And if I lose, that’s fine. Hey, it’s practice, but as an American veteran I have a right to run for office in my country.
Shawn Still:
Tori, don’t, don’t ever say that to me again. I am too. I served proudly and you don’t need to throw that in my face.
Tori Branum:
Well, you, and you have a right to serve in any capacity that you want, just like I do.
Shawn Still:
And I never, and I never ever, ever said that. All I said was, I think that you have a realistic path and this going down a suicide mission on a kamikaze run is not one that has a high chance of success. And if you want to be successful you may want to aim a little lower than where you’re aiming.
Tori Branum:
So what would help me as successful? The fact that people write big checks to him?
Shawn Still:
It, he controls the caucus leadership pack. And if you don’t know what that means, you need to look that up.
Tori Branum:
I do know what it means.
Shawn Still:
Okay.
Tori Branum:
I’ve been researching, trying to run for five years and I’ve, I’ve learned the issues. I (laughs), and I’m teachable-
Shawn Still:
And recently you’re from, did you tell me you were from Fayette County?
Tori Branum:
… and I research and I learn and I don’t let leadership tell me what to do. I will make decisions, informed decisions not based-
Shawn Still:
And how about I-
Tori Branum:
On what somebody else tells me.
Shawn Still:
This is me giving you an informed decision. This is not me telling you what to do.
Tori Branum:
How did Trump back Larry Walker when he wants the swamp cleaned? He’s a career politician. Nobody’s seen his face since 2015 was the last time he was opposed. How would Trump back that?
Shawn Still:
‘Cause he only got elected the year before Trump did.
Tori Branum:
Right, and nobody saw him through two elections, through the first Trump, through the Biden. Nobody has seen his face, they just vote because he’s the only one on the ballot. I may not have $10 million dollars, but I got a social media that gets millions and millions of views and I will use that to my advantage. And I will raise the money because let’s see, that’s 100,000 if everybody donates me a dollar. If everybody donates 10, that’s a million. So I can do this grassroots. If not, that’s fine. I’ll go away. I’m not a uh, I mean I won’t go away forever. But I’m, I’m not a sore loser either.
Shawn Still:
Well, I, I just, I think that-
Tori Branum:
Well I mean if he can beat me and all that then what’s the, what’s the use, I mean what’s the, I mean I’m, I mean if he can beat me, then he can beat me fairly and not because I’m gonna be scared of him and back out because people are gonna crucify me. I, I just got my first speeding ticket. Like, I don’t have a criminal record, there’s nothing they’re gonna drag me down and beat me with. And I have a huge female backing, so-
Shawn Still:
You know, I don’t know your district. I, I, but I know that we are in the caucus.
Tori Branum:
I know it very well. And it’s six, six of the counties I worked very closely with all the people teaching shooting lessons. I know all the people, and they know me quite well.
Shawn Still:
Well I, I wish you the best.
Tori Branum:
It’s not just Houston count. I know Juliette, I know Treutlen, I know Dodge, I know Lawrence, I live in Lawrence. I know the people.
Shawn Still:
Well look, I, Tori, all I’m trying to say is that I think you have a future in politics. I don’t think running against one of the top Republicans in the State Senate is, is advisable, but if you want to do it, by all means, you’re right. It’s your right to do it. But when May comes along and we know the outcome of that race, and if it does not go the way that you want it to go, you need to step back and remember this conversation.
Tori Branum:
What’s that gonna do? I’ll still move forward with my life. It might not be, it might not, it won’t be in that position if I lose, but I mean, life goes on.
Shawn Still:
It does, it does.
Tori Branum:
So-
Shawn Still:
I’m trying to spare you that.
Tori Branum:
Well what was the, if he’s gonna beat me that bad, then what does it matter if I step down or not? Who’s gonna beat me is gonna beat me. Why does it matter if I get out of the race? He’s gonna, if he’s gonna beat me then he’s gonna beat me. I mean-
Shawn Still:
Yeah. You’re completely missing the point.
Tori Branum:
So you’re telling me when Georgia goes to play a football game against a team that nobody’s heard of, that everybody’s like well let’s not show up because well, they’re gonna beat them anyway? I mean, that’s not, I’m very intelligent and that is why I am not running for a, I want to learn and I’m teachable and I’m smart and I know the issues and so-
Shawn Still:
Maybe you’d be listening to me if you were. But I wish you all the best. Um, I will be working solidly with Larry, and I will be helping him in every way that I can because that’s what caucus members have to do.
Tori Branum:
Okay. Thank you.
Shawn Still:
I just want to give you that respect from a call.
Tori Branum:
Thank you.
Shawn Still:
Good luck. Goodbye.
Contact info for the Georgia delegation in Washington DC here. Just click on their name.
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