2019/03/29 Report (61)
Use the drop down to the left to select the next 25 bills to display.

Date of Last Recorded Action: 3/29/2024

HB 0031 SupportState Fiscal Year 2020 Budget David Ralston
5/10/2019 Effective Date Appropriations Appropriations -
2019/01/25 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report
Debra Nesbit
House Bill 31, the Fiscal Year 2020 budget, is set by a revenue estimate of $27.5 billion, an increase of $1 billion or 3.95% over the FY 2019 original budget. All education agencies receive 55% of available funds, followed by 22% budgeted for health and human services agencies, 8% for public safety activities and the remaining 15% for economic development and general government agencies.  Please click here for an overview of the 2020 Budget.
HB 0033 NeutralWeapons Permit - Renewal Extension for Active Military Eddie Lumsden
7/1/2019 Effective Date Public Safety and Homeland Security Veterans, Military and Homeland Security -
2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/29 Report Todd Edwards
This legislation enables active duty military service members to have an extension on renewing their weapons carry license.  If said license expires while the service member is on active duty outside the state, the individual has within six months of their return to renew it, via the presentation of their official military orders, without being required to obtain a new license.     
HB 0075 SupportClarify Law on Passing a Stopped School Bus Bill Hitchens
1/30/2019 House Second Readers Public Safety and Homeland Security --
2019/01/31 Report 2019/03/29 Report Debra Nesbit Public Safety and Courts Roads
Traffic Enforcement
This legislation clarifies when it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus on a divided highway.  This clarification is part of ACCG's 2019 Policy Agenda.  The language of this bill is the same as SB 25.
HB 0085 SupportOrgan Procurement Organizations Sales Tax Exemption Penny Houston
4/2/2019 House Disagreed Senate Amend or Sub Ways and Means Finance -
2019/01/31 Report 2019/02/15 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/29 Report Larry Ramsey
Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local
This bill would grant a sales tax exemption to nonprofit organ procurement organizations, similar to the existing to the sales tax exemption for blood banks. The text of this bill was added to SB 104.
HB 0182 SupportSales Tax on Out of State Vendors Brett Harrell
4/28/2019 Effective Date Ways and Means Finance -
2019/02/08 Report 2019/02/15 Report 2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report
2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/29 Report Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local
Under present law, out-of-state vendors that sell $250,000 or more of goods (or 200 or more transactions) into Georgia must either collect all sales taxes or send the purchaser and the Department of Revenue (DOR) annual notice of those purchases. This bill would lower that threshold to $100,000 or more and would eliminate the notice option, with the result that all such vendors will be required and remit to DOR all sales taxes.
HB 0201 SupportRules and Regulations for Live-Aboard Vessels Don Hogan
1/1/2020 Effective Date Natural Resources and Environment Natural Resources and the Environment -
2019/02/15 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report
Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment
This legislation authorizes the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to create rules and regulations to addresses live-aboard vessels including where they can be anchored and how sewage material can be disposed within estuarine areas of the state. 
HB 0213 NeutralGeorgia Hemp Farming Act John Corbett
5/10/2019 Effective Date Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Agriculture and Consumer Affairs -
2019/02/15 Report 2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report
Agriculture Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment
This legislation allows for the farming of industrial hemp. The bill authorizes the Georgia Department of Agriculture to issue hemp growers licenses and hemp processors permits as well as requires the Department to create a plan to regulate hemp production. Colleges and universities within the University System of Georgia would be allowed to conduct research on the cultivation and uses of hemp. 

Hemp growers and producers would have to get a criminal background check conducted by local law enforcement. In addition, they would be required to give the GBI, Dept of Agriculture and state and local law enforcement access to where hemp is being processed, handled, cultivated or harvested to conduct inspections.   

This legislation is in response to a 2018 House Study Committee on Industrial Hemp Production. The study committee meeting details and the final committee report can be found here.
HB 0220 SupportReauthorize Hazardous and Solid Waste Trust Funds Terry Rogers
6/30/2019 Effective Date Natural Resources and Environment Finance -
2019/02/15 Report 2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/29 Report
Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment Solid Waste
This legislation renews the fees that make up the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund (HWTF) and the Solid Waste Trust Fund (SWTF) for three years, from July 1, 2019 to July 1, 2022. 

Effective from July 1, 2020, until June 30, 2022, the  75¢ per ton of solid waste disposal fee would be reduced to 51¢ per ton. Effective from July 1, 2020, until June 30, 2022, the $1 fee imposed upon the retail sale of all new replacement tires would be reduced to 38¢ per tire sold. In effect, the fees are reduced by the percentages that were not appropriated for their intended purposes in the last completed fiscal year, 2018.

The HWTF and SWTF support efforts including clean-up of abandoned contaminated sites, leaking landfills, scrap tires and illegal dumps; in addition, funds go towards waste reduction and recycling programs. 

ACCG supports the reauthorization of both trust funds but is advocating for the successful passage of HR 164, a constitutional amendment that authorizes the Georgia General Assembly to establish, by statute, true and dedicated trust funds.
HB 0224 SupportTax Credits for Job Creation in Rural Counties Hugh Williamson
6/1/2019 Effective Date Ways and Means Finance -
2019/03/29 Report Kathleen Bowen
This legislation would allow certain rural and economically distressed counties to utilize the investment tax credit against payroll withholding. In addition, for certain rural and economically distressed counties, the number of jobs necessary to qualify for the quality jobs tax credit is lowered - creation of 10 new jobs in Tier 1 counties, creation of 25 new jobs in Tier 2 counties and at least 50 jobs created for all other counties.

This legislation defines "rural county" as a county that has a population of less than 50,000 with 10 percent or more of such population living in poverty based upon the most recent, reliable and applicable data published by the US Bureau of Census.  For a list of county tier rankings see here.
HB 0242 NeutralFramework for the Regulation of Massage Therapy Lee Hawkins
5/6/2019 Effective Date Regulated Industries Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2019/02/15 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report
Debra Nesbit Health and Human Services

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.

HB 0264 OpposeEMSC Transparency Bill William Werkheiser
6/25/2020 House - House Conference Committee Appointed #2 116th, 157th, 16th Health and Human Services Ethics -
2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report
Debra Nesbit EMS/Ambulance Health and Human Services Public Safety and Courts
This legislation sets forth requirements for lobbying disclosures when promoting or opposing any matter before one or more local coordinating entities.  The bill also requires that all meetings be conducted in accordance with the open meetings statute and requires that each member of the local coordinating entity to comply with conflict of interest policies.  The legislation also prohibits any employee, operator, contractor, or owner of an ambulance provider currently providing service for a territorial zone or of an ambulance provider that has submitted a proposal for a new ambulance service in such territorial zone from serving on any committee, subcommittee, or ad hoc committee that is involved in the seletion of ambulance provider for the zone or from voting on any proposals from ambulance providers for new service within the zone.  The bill also sets forth procedures for appealing decisions and provides the final decision under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act. Finally the legislation requires the Department of Public Health to make recommendations to each local coordinating entity on benchmarks for accountability standards for each territorial zone.  On and after October 1, 2020 each ambulance provider shall submit quarterly reports outlining the number of 911 calls received; the number of 911 call answered; the response times; and a copy of quarterly reports submitted to the local entity.
HB 0276 SupportSales Tax - Marketplace Facilitators Brett Harrell
4/1/2020 Effective Date Ways and Means Finance -
2019/02/15 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report
2020/01/17 Report 2020/01/31 Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local

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.

 

HB 0288 NeutralSuperior Court Filing Fees Alan Powell
1/1/2020 Effective Date Judiciary Judiciary -
2019/02/15 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/29 Report Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance
This bill would eliminate the current per-page fees for filing deeds and other documents with the Superior Court Clerk and instead impose a flat $25 fee per document. It also increases the per-page plat filing fee from $7.50 to $10. The bill would also change the alternative Superior Court Clerk filing fees in counties with unincorporated populations of 350,000 or more.
HB 0315 NeutralLocal Bids - Consultants Who Help Draft Must Disclose any Conflict of Interest Mark Newton
7/1/2019 Effective Date Governmental Affairs Government Oversight -
2019/02/15 Report 2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/15 Report
2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report General County Government Procurement Todd Edwards
This legislation requires consultants who help draft local governments' bid, proposal, procurement or purchasing specifications to disclose and detail whether they or their family have any possible conflicts of interest or financial interest with a firm who may respond to the bid/proposal.  There are exceptions for confidential economic development activities and economic development authorities, and while attorneys must disclose the existence of a conflict, they do not have to provide details.          
HB 0321 SupportExtension of the Hospital Provider Fee for Medicaid Financing Program and Transparency Requirements for Hospitals Jodi Lott
4/25/2019 Effective Date Appropriations Finance -
2019/03/29 Report Debra Nesbit Health and Human Services Hospital Authority
 This legislation extends the sunset provision for the hospital provider fee known as the "Medicaid Financing Program" as state match in pulling down edicaid dollars until June 30, 2025.  The bill also provides for reporting of donations to rural hospitals whereby donors receive a tax credit.
HB 0322 SupportGeorgia Procurement Registry - Revisions to Local Government Mandate Tom McCall
4/28/2019 Effective Date Governmental Affairs State and Local Governmental Operations -
2019/02/15 Report 2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report
General County Government Procurement Todd Edwards

Following up on last session's HB 489, this bill makes changes to local requirements on posting bids and proposals on the Georgia Procurement Registry (GPR).  Under current law, if a local government extends a bid or proposal for goods or services valued at over $10,000, they must also advertise them on the GPR.  This bill increases that monetary threshold to only goods or services valued at over $100,000.  In return, however, locals must advertise the bid/proposal on the GPR for the same period of time “as set by ordinance or practice” of the local government.       

HB 0342 SupportStatewide Regulations for Booting Vehicles Matt Dollar
1/13/2020 Senate Recommitted Motor Vehicles Public Safety -
2019/03/29 Report Kathleen Bowen
This legislation includes similar language from HB 469 as it defines and sets statewide standards for vehicle immobilization devices and services - commonly known as "booting". This bill states that booting would be prohibited in a jurisdiction unless the local government passes an ordinance allowing booting. 
HB 0344 NeutralAd Valorem Tax Exemption - Habitat for Humanity Matthew Gambill
5/2/2019 Effective Date Ways and Means Finance -
2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report
Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local
This bill would exempt from property tax properties held by a 501(c)(3) corporation for building/repairing single-family homes that are then financed by that corporation to individuals via no-interest loans. In the event any property is not ultimately financed in that manner, all back taxes will be due. This bill is tailored specifically for Habitat for Humanity. It is subject to referendum approval in November 2020.
HB 0345 NeutralProhibition of Shackling Female Inmates in Labor or Postpartum Sharon Cooper
10/1/2019 Effective Date Health and Human Services Health and Human Services -
2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/29 Report Debra Nesbit Public Safety and Courts
This legislation prohibits the shackling of female inmates who are in labor, or in the immediate postpartum period unless they are a threat to themselves or others.  If the inmate is a threat to themselves or others they can only be handcuffed at the wrist in the front of their body, not behind the back.
HB 0352 NeutralSales Tax Exemption - Projects of Regional Significance Albert Reeves
7/1/2019 Effective Date Ways and Means Finance -
2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/29 Report Econ. Dev. & Transportation
Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance
This bill would extend through 2024 the existing sales tax exemption for projects of regional significance.
HB 0365 NegotiatingTaxation of Ride-Sharing Shaw Blackmon
6/26/2020 Senate - Senate Disagreed House Amend or Sub Ways and Means Finance -
2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/22 Report
2019/03/29 Report Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance
This bill originally addressed several changes to the title ad valorem tax (TAVT), including the TAVT rate and valuation of used cars sold by dealers. The Senate version of this bill completely replaced the above topic, and instead would exempt ride-shares (Uber, Lyft, etc.) from sales taxes and instead impose a 50-cent per ride fee on such rides.
HB 0379 SupportSpecial Purpose Local Option Sales Tax - Revise Reporting Requirement Beth Moore
5/7/2019 Effective Date Ways and Means Government Oversight -
2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/29 Report Larry Ramsey
Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local
Under current law, local governments receiving SPLOST funds must publish each year by December 31st a report on SPLOST collections/expenditures. This bill would allow that annual report to be published no later than six months following the end of the local government's fiscal year.
HB 0382 SupportGA Outdoor Stewardship Act - Clean Up Bill Jon Burns
7/1/2019 Effective Date Natural Resources and Environment Natural Resources and the Environment -
2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/29 Report
Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment
This legislation is a clean-up bill to last year's Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act (HB 332). Language is included that expands the definition of who is eligible to receive grant and loan funds from the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund to now include "constituted recreation authorities". Local governments were already included as an eligible recipient. 
HB 0454 SupportRules of the Road for Electric Assisted Bicycles (E-Bikes) Kevin Tanner
7/1/2019 Effective Date Transportation Public Safety -
2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/29 Report Econ. Dev. & Transportation Kathleen Bowen Transportation
This legislation started out as providing the legal framework for e-scooters to operate in Georgia. The as passed version just includes language from HB 215, which 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.
HB 0458 NeutralProhibition of Class B Fire Fighting Foam Joseph Gullett
7/1/2019 Effective Date Natural Resources and Environment Natural Resources and the Environment -
2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report Debra Nesbit Fire Services
Public Safety and Courts
HB 458 prohibits the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Class B firefighting foam during training, unless it is used at a training facility capable of preventing the release of the foam into the environment. The bill does not restrict the use of foam containing PFAS for fire-fighting operations. 
Green background on status indicates a bill has been acted on the last recorded legislative day.








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