Mirroring SB 66, this is the compromise Small Cell (5G) legislation.  By way of background, over the past two years, ACCG has opposed legislation which would have greatly preempted local government of the public's rights of way for the placement of small cell (5G) poles, antennas and equipment.  At the urging of the General Assembly, ACCG, GMA, Verizon and AT&T negotiated this reasonable compromise over the 2018 interim that has incorporated many safeguards which ACCG had called for in previous legislation.  

Key points of this ACCG compromise include: incentives for collocation in order to limit new poles; protections for historic districts and residential areas; the requirement that telcoms share build-out plans prior to deploying new facilities; a safe-harbor in case the current FCC order preempting state and local regulation of 5G deployment is overturned; the prohibition of speculative permit requests by third parties; and safeguards for local aesthetic and decorative pole conditions, among many others.  For a summary of the bill's key provisions, please click here. 

For a detailed, section-by-section summary of the bill, please click here.  

This legislation establishes regulations for electric assisted bicycle, "e-bikes" and defines three classes of e-bikes. E-bikes would follow the same rules of the road as human powered bikes and local governments would have the authority to allow or restrict the use of e-bikes on bicycle paths or shared paths where bicycles are permitted.

For more details, click here for an info sheet prepared by People for Bikes who are in support of the bill.    

*Language from this bill is was included in HB 454 that passed during the 2019 Session.

HB 242 establishes board certification of massage therapy educational programs, within and outside the state, which meet the standards for training and curriculum set by the rules of the Georgia Board of Massage Therapy. The bill allows the board to request on-site inspections of massage therapy businesses and requires these businesses to continuously maintain liability insurance coverage for bodily injuries and property damages. Further, massage therapy businesses must comply with appropriate advertising. The bill increases fines for non-compliance and unlawful acts.  A provision was added that allows local governments to run criminal background checks on owners and employees.  The massage therapists themselves will undergo a criminal background check through the secretary of state.

This bill significantly reduces the amount of franchise and other fees that cities may charge for telephone/fiber/video wires running through their jurisdictions.  Ironically, the same limits do not apply to the State Department of Transportation’s rights of way, creating yet another state/local double standard in the administration of fees.  

This legislation alters the process by which Georgia’s Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) determine the fees charged to communications service providers which place telecommunications equipment on EMC utility poles.  The fee/rate will be determined by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) after the PSC considers what is just, reasonable, nondiscriminatory and commercially reasonable.  The PSC will promulgate, by January 1, 2021, the rules explaining how the above factors will be determined.  Current PSC charges will remain in effect until the date of their natural or lawful determination.           

This bill would expand the definition of "dealers" who are required to collect sales taxes to include "marketplace facilitators", such as online platforms that allow vendors to sell goods or services through those platforms. Annual sales via such a platform of $100,000 or more into Georgia would require the facilitator to collect and remit all state and local sales taxes on all such sales. Franchising operations that have at least $500 million in annual Georgia sales (such as large hotel chains) can decide to have their franchisees collect sales taxes rather than having the franchisor be considered a marketplace facilitator.

Among many revisions to Georgia’s election law, this bill authorizes to register to vote at polling places during advance voting or on election day; requires the state to provide adequate funding for regular updates to voting equipment; adds a week to advance voting, statewide; prohibits any law which changes the duties of any elected office between the date of an election and the official taking office; and establishes the Georgia Voting Rights Commission.  The Commission will advise the state on Reapportionment; suggest improvements on voting systems; examine means to increase voter turnout; provide guidance to local elections superintendents; and advise the state on other elections enhancements, among other duties.