Senator from the 7th (State Senator) used personal-privilege time in the Senate chamber to criticize the governor’s plan to call a special session focused on tort reform instead of holding lawmakers to address school safety following the Apalachee High School shooting.

“Guns are the leading cause of death for children and teens in this country,” the senator said, adding that families and communities should not be offered “metal detectors and a prayer.” The senator said the governor’s stated priority of tort reform places “profits over people.”

Senator from the 51st (State Senator) responded from the well that he supports the governor’s proposals for income-tax cuts and “common sense lawsuit reform,” arguing those measures will lower costs for Georgians and businesses. He urged bipartisan cooperation and said the governor’s proposed income-tax reduction would return money to residents’ pockets.

The exchange highlighted a broader disagreement on legislative priorities: one group pressing for measures to reduce liability and insurance costs, the other demanding more urgent action on school safety after a shooting at Apalachee High School that, according to remarks in the chamber, “claimed the lives of 2 students, 2 teachers, and injured 9 people.”

Why it matters: Senators framed the same policy choices differently — whether to prioritize tort-reform measures and tax cuts, or to focus the legislature’s attention on preventing school violence. The dispute suggests a contentious session ahead if the governor pursues a special session on tort reform.

Other context from the floor: speakers invoked the need for school-safety reforms and criticized proposals to arm schools, while supporters of tort reform argued runaway verdicts and insurance costs harm everyday Georgians. Budget and committee schedules were also announced later in the session.

The Senate adjourned under a motion to return Jan. 27 at 10 a.m.; no formal roll-call vote on tort reform or school-safety bills was recorded during the session.