Ralston Kills Mental Health Bill Because of Mailers Sent to Some House Districts

Earlier this year Speaker David Ralston held a press conference and introduced a 74 page bill aimed at tackling the mental health crisis plaguing Georgia. Speaker Ralston has only rarely authored legislation, preferring for other members of his caucus carry bills in the number one sponsor slot. But this was apparently an issue that Ralston felt was so important that he broke from his norm and sponsored the bill himself.

At the press conference where he told the media about the measure Ralston said “There is no issue, and I want to be very clear, there is no issue this session more important to me than this issue… I am tired of telling desperate and hurting families that we have no treatment options in Georgia,” 

Things seemed to be going very well for the bill until over the weekend an outside group decided to send mailers to the districts of 16 House members encouraging them to vote for it. On one side of the mailer the House Rep’s photo was featured prominently with a tagline,” Tell Rep so-and-so to stand up for mental health!” The second side featured the photos of Joe Biden, Stacey Abrams, and Kamala Harris with additional wording that read, “Don’t let the radical left lead on this issue Tell Republicans to lead!”

Understandably, Ralston was enraged. “I am livid, Ralston said. “I’ve been around politics for a long time, but this is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen in my career and one of the most deceitful. That mental health legislation will not move at all in the Georgia House of Representatives this year, period.”

Sadly, the impact of this outside group sending out these silly mailers is that thousands of people will suffer. But oh well, that is how things work under the Gold Dome.

Disclaimer: This was a work of satire. If you don’t get the joke, check out Scot’s post from earlier today. Of course David Ralston isn’t going to kill his own bill.