Daily report, 2024 February 6

DAILY REPORT Tuesday
February 6, 2024

15th Legislative
Day

House Budget & Research Office (404) 656-5050

The House will reconvene for its 16th Legislative Day on Wednesday, February 7 at 10:00 a.m. The Rules Committee will meet at 9:00 a.m. Four bills / resolutions are expected to be debated on the floor. The General Assembly will convene tomorrow for a joint session to hear the State of the
Judiciary at 11 a.m.

Today on the Floor

Conference Committee Reports
SB 63 Bonds and Recognizances; setting of bonds and schedules of bails; provide
Bill Summary: SB 63 prohibits a local jurisdiction from creating a bail schedule, or policy, that mandates releasing a person from jail on unsecured judicial release. It also modifies the definition of "bail" in the code section.

The bill modifies the list of crimes under "bail restricted offenses" to include various crimes, including misdemeanors and second or subsequent violations of certain crimes. No person is eligible to be released on unsecured judicial release if they were charged with a bail-restricted offense. Those individuals are only eligible for release through the use of secured means, professional bondsmen, and approved property. Any person arrested for any offense who has previously been convicted of a felony within the past seven years is not eligible for an unsecured judicial release.

The bill removes the exemption for those who were deported from the country by the federal government, meaning that a judgment can be made by a court on a forfeiture of an appearance bond if the person at issue was deported and could not attend court for that reason. A surety is now released from liability if, prior to a judgment, the person at issue participates in an accountability court or enters into a pretrial release program.

The bill increases the amount that bail recovery agents can charge for continuing legal education programs, the timeline for when sureties are relived from liability due to a failure to timely file a bench warrant and forfeiture of bond, and the amount of remission of a bond to be paid to the surety.

Authored By: Sen. Randy Robertson (29th)

Rule Applied: Modified-Structured

Conference Committee Reports: The House adopted the Conference Committee Report with a vote of 97-69. The Senate has adopted the Conference Committee Report. (Adoption of the conference committee report represents final passage of the bill.)

Motions to Agree
HB 130 Georgia Student Finance Authority; student loan repayment for peace officers; provide
Bill Summary: HB 130 establishes a student loan repayment program for eligible full-time peace officers. The total repayment amount must not exceed $20,000 or the total student debt amount, whichever is less. Payments will be paid in annual installments for a period not exceeding five years.

House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 6, 2024

Today on the Floor

The Georgia Student Finance Authority is authorized to establish rules and regulations to implement the program, and the program is contingent upon appropriation of funds by the General Assembly.

Authored By: Rep. Matthew Gambill (15th)

Rule Applied: Modified-Structured

Motions to Agree: (A motion to agree represents final passage of the bill.)

HB 318

Education; reestablishment of Office of Charter School Compliance under State Charter Schools Commission
Bill Summary: HB 318 amends Chapter 2 of Title 20 to reestablish the Office of Charter School Compliance, create the Office of District Flexibility, and require administrative fees held back by the state or local school system for the administration of charter schools to be used solely for that purpose.

The Office of Charter School Compliance is reestablished under the State Charter Schools Commission and assists with the administration, review of, and creation of new local charter schools. The bill creates the Office of District Flexibility under the Department of Education to help school systems become and remain a charter system.

Up to three percent may be retained by local boards of education from the charter school funding to provide administrative services for the local charter school. The local board of education must spend these funds solely and directly on administrative services performed for the local charter school. Any funds not expended should be remitted to the local charter school each year by June 30th.

The Department of Education may retain up to three percent for the administration of state chartered special schools. Any funds not used by June 30th for the administration of the state chartered special school will be remitted to the school. The State Charter School Commission must follow the same structure relating to retaining and reimbursing state charter schools for the three percent administrative fee collected.

HB 318 amends O.C.G.A. 20-2-262 to revise the eligibility criteria for project-specific capital outlay grants for low-wealth school systems. Under the bill's provisions, the eligibility criteria are that a local school system must be currently, or in the most recent three years, ranked in the bottom 25 percent of school systems in sales revenue per full-time equivalent (FTE) student count and value of property per FTE student count. For local school systems in which the amount of special purpose local option sales tax revenues is ranked in the bottom 25 percent of eligible local school systems receiving such sales tax revenues, that system may submit a request to the Department of Education for consideration. The system must commit five years of such revenues to the project.

Educational facilities must be more than 35 years old to be consolidated. Once a local school system has received a capital outlay grant and its need is met as determined by the department, it is not eligible to receive another grant for a period of 10 years. The State Board of Education establishes rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this bill.

The legislation updates definition of energy cost savings measure to include revenue generating alterations and changes "guaranteed energy saving contract" to "guarantee energy savings performance contract."

Authored By: Rep. Scott Hilton (48th)

Rule Applied: Modified-Structured

Motions to Agree: (A motion to agree represents final passage of the bill.)

Rules Calendar
HB 385 Retirement and pensions; add appropriate references to United States Space Force Bill Summary: HB 385 expands the definition of "uniformed services" under Title 47 to include the U.S. Space Force and Space Force Reserves. It allows members serving in the Space Force or Space
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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 6, 2024

Today on the Floor

Force Reserves to obtain creditable service for any period of time for which their membership in a public retirement system or fund was interrupted. The employee and employer are required to pay their respective contribution for the period of service time. The bill is certified by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts as a fiscal retirement bill. An actuarial investigation determined there is no cost to enact this legislation.

Authored By: House Committee: Floor Vote:

Rep. Brad Thomas (21st) Retirement
Yeas: 160 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Modified-Structured 01-30-2024 Do Pass

HB 456

Local government; increase term for municipal court judges from one year to two years; provisions
Bill Summary: HB 456 increases the term for municipal court judges from one year to two years unless the municipal charter provides for a longer term. If the term is memorialized in a written agreement, the agreement will not include a geographic limitation on the judge's eligibility to serve and will not contain any provision that a judge serve in an at-will capacity.

HB 456 also outlines procedures when a municipality alleges a material breach of the terms/conditions of the judge's appointment, including providing written notice of the breach and providing 30 days for the judge to cure the alleged breach.

Authored By: House Committee: Floor Vote:

Rep. Stan Gunter (8th) Judiciary
Yeas: 161 Nays: 2

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Modified-Structured 01-30-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 876

Banking and finance; update terminology; revise procedures; provisions
Bill Summary: HB 876 provides revisions to and updates terminology in Georgia banking law. It updates the definition of subsidiary to identify that a financial institution is deemed to control a company when it has the power to vote more than 50 percent of any class of the company's voting securities, when it controls the election of a majority of the trustees or directors, or after a departmental hearing determining the financial institution exercises a controlling influence.

HB 876 adds language relevant to departmental approval of transactions and acquisitions so that unless the department has objected to the transaction, the department will forward written confirmation to the Secretary of State that the legal requirements have been satisfied. The bill adds annual registration requirements with the Secretary of State for foreign banks, and includes definitions relevant to merchant acquirer limited purpose banks.

HB 876 repeals language with respect to 'registrants' and 'registration requirements' while maintaining 'licensees' and 'license requirements' in code.

Authored By: House Committee: Floor Vote:

Rep. Bruce Williamson (112th) Banks & Banking
Yeas: 164 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Modified-Structured 01-25-2024 Do Pass

HB 992

Houston Judicial Circuit; provide for fourth judge
Bill Summary: HB 992 increases the number of superior court judges for the Houston Circuit from three to four, with the additional judge being appointed for a term beginning July 1, 2024, and the first election for that judgeship taking place at the 2026 nonpartisan judicial election.

Authored By: House Committee: Floor Vote:

Rep. Shaw Blackmon (146th) Judiciary
Yeas: 161 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Modified-Structured 01-30-2024 Do Pass

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 6, 2024

Next on the Floor

Next on the Floor from the Committee on Rules
The Committee on Rules has fixed the calendar for the 16th Legislative Day, Wednesday, February 7, and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker. The Rules Committee will next meet on Wednesday,
February 7, at 9:00 a.m., to set the Rules Calendar for the 17th Legislative Day.

HB 158 Courts; change name of Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit to DeKalb Judicial Circuit
Bill Summary: HB 158 renames the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit, which is comprised of DeKalb County, to the DeKalb Judicial Circuit, effective January 1, 2025.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Billy Mitchell (88th) Judiciary

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 01-30-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 883 State government; county boards of health to conduct meetings via teleconference; authorize Bill Summary: HB 883 authorizes county boards of health to conduct meetings by teleconference.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Devan Seabaugh (34th) Governmental Affairs

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 01-24-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 915

Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024
Bill Summary: HB 915, the Amended Fiscal Year 2024 budget, is set by a revenue estimate of $37.5 billion. In addition to revenue growth, the governor's revenue estimate for the Amended Fiscal Year 2024 budget includes $2 billion in surplus funds for a total infusion of $5 billion, or an increase of 15.6 percent over the original estimate. The bill and tracking sheet may be found on the House Budget and Research Office website.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Jon Burns (159th) Appropriations

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Open 02-06-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 1035 Pharmacies; board regulates sale and supply of opioid antagonists through vending machines; authorize
Bill Summary: HB 1035 allows for the sale and supply of opioid antagonists in vending machines. Additionally, persons and harm reduction organizations that dispense, supply, and administer opioid antagonists are immune from liability when acting in good faith.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Sharon Cooper (45th) Public Health

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 01-30-2024 Do Pass

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 6, 2024

Committee Actions

Committee Actions
Bills passing committees are reported to the Clerk's Office and are placed on the General Calendar.

Appropriations Committee

HB 915

Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024
Bill Summary: HB 915, the Amended Fiscal Year 2024 budget, is set by a revenue estimate of $37.5 billion. In addition to revenue growth, the governor's revenue estimate for the Amended Fiscal Year 2024 budget includes $2 billion in surplus funds for a total infusion of $5 billion, or an increase of 15.6 percent over the original estimate. The bill and tracking sheet may be found on the House Budget and Research Office website.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Jon Burns (159th) Appropriations

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee
HB 300 Solar Technology Trust Fund; fund within state treasury; establish Bill Summary: HB 300 requires solar power facility agreements to provide procedures for the decommissioning of a solar power facility.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Trey Kelley (16th) Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Intragovernmental Coordination Committee

SB 333

City of Mulberry; incorporate
Bill Summary: SB 333 authorizes a local referendum for the creation of the city of Mulberry. The referendum will be voted on by call of the Gwinnett County election superintendent in a special election on the date of the general primary election in 2024. The call must be made at least 30 days prior to the election date.

The government for the city is composed of a city council consisting of five council members each serving four-year terms. The mayor is appointed from and by the city council. The city council members are elected through a non-partisan municipal general election in odd numbered years held every four years. Council members will not serve more than two consecutive four-year terms.

The city council is authorized to appoint directors of departments and agencies. The charter creates the Municipal Court of the City of Mulberry to be presided over by a chief judge.

Authored By: House Committee:

Sen. Clint Dixon (45th) Intragovernmental Coordination

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass

Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 909

Georgia Bureau of Investigation; restriction and seal of First Offenders Act; provide
Bill Summary: HB 909 automatically restricts and seals the record of an offense by an individual after July 1, 2024 who was sentenced to Title 42, Chapter 8, Article 3 (First Offenders Act). If first offender status is revoked, then a court will unseal the records, and courts, law enforcement agencies, jails, and detention centers may disseminate the records.

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 6, 2024

Committee Actions

Those who were exonerated of guilt and discharged as a first offender prior to July 1, 2024 may petition the court to have the records sealed, and those records will be automatically sealed.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Leesa Hagan (156th) Judiciary Non-Civil

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 1033 Utility Worker Protection Act; enact
Bill Summary: HB 1033 is the 'Utility Worker Protection Act', which adds enhanced penalties for protection of utility workers harmed while acting within the course/scope of their employment or while performing official duties. The bill includes a definition for "utility worker", which includes independent contractors and applies to both private and public entities.

The sentencing enhancement is added to the following crimes: Simple assault, making it a high and aggravated misdemeanor; Aggravated assault, making the term of imprisonment between three and 20 years; Simple battery, making it a high and aggravated misdemeanor; and Aggravated battery, making the term of imprisonment between one and 20 years.

These enhancements apply to all offenses committed on or after July 1, 2024.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Rob Leverett (123rd) Judiciary Non-Civil

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Motor Vehicles Committee
HB 447 Georgia Secure Automated Vehicle Enforcement (SAVE) Act; enact Bill Summary: HB 447 authorizes the use of automated plate recognition systems.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Kenneth Vance (133rd) Motor Vehicles

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 933

Specialty license plates; supporting advocacy and promotion of strict interpretations of the United States Constitution; establish
Bill Summary: HB 933 creates a specialty license plate supporting and raising funds for the Foundation for Moral Law, Inc. A separate license plate is also created to honor Samford University alumni and to raise funds for the Samford University Alumni Association.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Martin Momtahan (17th) Motor Vehicles

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 978

Uniform rules of the road; operators of bicycles to treat stop signs as yield signs; authorize
Bill Summary: HB 978 requires bicyclists to slow down and, if required for safety, stop at intersections or other junctions before proceeding. Bicyclists are required to yield the right-of-way to vehicles that are close enough that could pose a potential danger. If no vehicle is approaching an intersection and the operator of the bicycle sees no immediate hazard, they are not required to stop at the intersection.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Todd Jones (25th) Motor Vehicles

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 6, 2024

Committee Actions

HB 997

Motor vehicles; require disqualification to operate a commercial motor vehicle upon receipt of notification from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of a positive drug test
Bill Summary: HB 997 requires an individual disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle by notice from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to be reinstated only when they have received notification from the FMCSA.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. John Corbett (174th) Motor Vehicles

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass

Public Health Committee
HB 872 Medical professionals; rural assistance; expand service cancelable loan program for health care providers to include dental students
Bill Summary: HB 872 allows for dental students to be eligible for the service cancelable loan program when they agree to practice in rural counties with a population of 50,000 or less.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Lee Hawkins (27th) Public Health

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 1077 Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce; grant program to provide funding to eligible institutions for additional behavioral health workforce training positions; create
Bill Summary: HB 1077 creates a student loan repayment program for behavioral health providers. Eligible providers include but are not limited to licensed psychiatrists, addiction medicine specialists, psychologists, social workers, professional counselors, and marriage/family therapists.
Repayment can be received for up to six years, and annual amounts range from $10,000 to $50,000 depending on the share of Medicaid patients seen. Total repayment may not exceed $220,000. The Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce is also required to sponsor clinical behavioral health training programs at eligible institutions.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Sharon Cooper (45th) Public Health

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass

HB 1083 Community Health, Department of; adult residential mental health services licensing; extend grace periods
Bill Summary: HB 1083 extends deadlines for the implementation of updated adult mental health licensure rules and regulations.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Bruce Williamson (112th) Public Health

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HR 449 Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day; fourth Wednesday in February; designate
Bill Summary: HR 449 recognizes the fourth Wednesday in February as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Sharon Cooper (45th) Public Health

Committee Action:

02-06-2024 Do Pass

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 6, 2024

Committee Meetings

Committee Meeting Schedule
This meeting schedule is up to date at the time of this report, but meeting dates and times are subject to change. To keep up with the latest schedule, please visit www.legis.ga.gov to view all upcoming events.

Wednesday - February 7, 2024 8:00 AM INSURANCE (House)

406 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

8:00 AM Ways and Means Subcommittee on Sales Tax (House)

403 CAP

VIDEO Agenda

8:15 AM Ways and Means Subcommittee on Public Finance and Policy (House)

403 CAP

VIDEO Agenda

9:00 AM RULES (House)

341 CAP

VIDEO Agenda

10:00 AM FLOOR SESSION (LD16) (House)

House Chamber VIDEO

1:00 PM HIGHER EDUCATION (House)

606 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

1:00 PM PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY (House)

506 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

1:00 PM Education Subcommittee on Curriculum (House)

515 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

2:00 PM TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE INNOVATION (House)

406 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

2:00 PM Education Subcommittee on Policy (House)

515 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

3:00 PM SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (House)

403 CAP

VIDEO Agenda

3:00 PM CANCELED-GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS (House)

606 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

3:00 PM Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax Revision (House)

506 CLOB VIDEO

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