Daily report, 2021 March 2

House of Representatives

Daily Report for March 2, 2021

Next on the Floor

Tuesday COMMITTEE
March 2,
2021 DAY REPORT
House Budget & Research Office (404) 656-5050
The House will reconvene for its 26th Legislative Day on Wednesday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m. The Rules Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. 20 bills / resolutions are expected to be debated on the floor.
COMMITTEE DAY
Next on the Floor from the Committee on Rules
The Committee on Rules has fixed the calendar for the 26th Legislative Day, Wednesday, March 3, and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker. The Rules Committee will next meet on Wednesday, March 3,
at 8:30 a.m., to set the Rules Calendar for the 27th Legislative Day.

HB 44

State government; Georgia shall observe daylight savings time year round; provide
Bill Summary: This bill provides that the state, including all political subdivisions, shall observe daylight savings time year-round as the standard time. The new Code section shall become effective only if the United States Congress authorizes states to keep daylight savings time year-round.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Wesley Cantrell (22nd)

Rule Applied:

State Planning & Community Affairs Committee

Action:

Modified-Open 01-28-2021 Do Pass

HB 248

Motor vehicles; local governing body to apply for a permit to operate a traffic enforcement safety device which enforces the speed limit in a school zone by recorded image; authorize
Bill Summary: House Bill 248 revises the law that permits school zone speed enforcement cameras to allow the local governing body of the city or county whose law enforcement agency is authorized to enforce speed limits to apply for camera permits rather than have each school apply.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Alan Powell (32nd)

Rule Applied:

Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee

Action:

Modified-Structured 02-17-2021 Do Pass

HB 302

Revenue and taxation; proceeds of local government regulatory fees be used to pay for regulatory activity; require
Bill Summary: House Bill 302 amends Chapter 13 of Title 48, relating to business and occupation taxes, by requiring that the proceeds from regulatory fees be used to fund such regulatory activity, eliminating regulatory fee calculation methods specific to the construction industry, and removing taxicab and limousine operators, boxing promoters, shooting galleries and firearm ranges, and firearm

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dealers from the list of examples of businesses or practitioners of professions or occupations which may be subject to regulatory fees of local governments. Shooting galleries and firearm ranges and firearm dealers are added to the list of examples of businesses or practitioners of professions or occupations that local governments are not authorized to subject to regulatory fees.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Martin Momtahan (17th) Ways & Means

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 303

Jaida Act; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 303 permits that for each private motor vehicle insurance issued, delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after July 1, 2022, the insurer may offer a reduction in the premium for motor vehicle liability, first-party medical, and collision coverage for each named driver listed on the policy application or otherwise provided in information for each covered motor vehicle. The premium reduction is only applicable for a driver that is an active-duty military service member and whose use of the automobile is considered by the insurer in determining the applicable classification.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Mike Glanton (75th) Insurance

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Open 02-24-2021 Do Pass

HB 322 Juvenile Code; revise definition of sexual exploitation
Bill Summary: House Bill 322 removes references to prostitution from the definition of "sexual exploitation" for Code sections relating to the juvenile code, child abuse reporting requirements, and child abuse records.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Marcus Wiedower (119th) Juvenile Justice

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass

HB 334

Superior courts; clerks; notaries public; provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 334 provides for the creation and allowance of remote online notaries public and remote online notarizations (RON). Electronic seals and digital signatures must be used when performing any electronic in-person notarization or RON. The bill establishes the process to become, and the performance requirements of, a remote online notary public. The maintenance and retention requirements of RON related documentation and digital recordings are provided. The Georgia Superior Courts Clerk's Cooperative Authority shall have the authority to adopt standards for RON.

Notary publics located in the state of Georgia may perform an electronic in-person notarization for an individual in the notary's physical presence. Remote online public notaries physically located in Georgia may perform RON for individuals located within the United States and internationally if certain requirements are met. Notarial acts required for wills, codicils, or testamentary trusts may not be performed by or through RON.

The bill establishes fees that may be charged by a remote online notary public. Upon the termination of a remote online notary public's commission, such notary public must disable certain technologies related to the performance of their duties. Electronic journals, which keep a record of notarial acts, must be created and maintained by remote online notaries public and such journals must be retained for 10 years after the date of the last notarial act. Audiovisual recordings notarial acts must be submitted to secure repositories and maintained for a minimum of 10 years.

The 'Fair Businesses Practice Act' is amended to specifically include that presenting a residential real document for recording, that the presenter knew was created through actions constituting the unauthorized practice of law, is an unfair or deceptive practice.

Clerks of the superior court are specifically relieved of any further duty to examine the circumstances

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of the witnessing of any instrument submitted to them if the apparent signatures of both witness and any required seals are present. Witnessing requirements for real estate documents are further specified.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Joseph Gullett (19th) Judiciary

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 355

Georgia Carbon Sequestration Registry; inclusion of building products in construction; provisions
Bill Summary: HB 355 requires the director of the Georgia Forestry Commission to establish the Sustainable Building Material Technical Advisory Committee. The committee's members consist of the following: one member with expertise in engineering and architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology; one member with expertise related to the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes; one member that is a real estate developer or builder; one member with expertise related to carbon offset protocol development; one member with whole building life cycle assessment expertise; and up to three at-large members. The director of the Georgia Forestry Commission determines the chairperson of the committee. The committee advises the director on interoperability and compatibility of state credits derived from carbon sequestration of building materials with global carbon credit and offset markets as well as on guidelines related to the establishment of a carbon baseline, validation, verification, and co-benefits. The advisory committee shall be abolished no later than one year after the committee's first meeting, but can be reconvened at the discretion of the director.

Developers must register with the Georgia Carbon Sequestration Registry to be eligible to receive credits for the use of carbon-capturing building materials. Participants must provide certified carbon sequestration results to provide a baseline. An approved third-party organization may provide testing of building materials that sequester carbon dioxide. Only projects completed after July 1, 2019, may be considered.

To ensure integrity of the program, the Georgia Forestry Commission must conduct random evaluations of the results provided by participants and report the findings in the biennial report to the governor and General Assembly.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Marcus Wiedower (119th)

Rule Applied:

Natural Resources & Environment Committee

Action:

Modified-Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass

HB 363

Crimes and offenses; protection of elder persons; revise definitions
Bill Summary: House Bill 363 removes various subsections of the Code that escalate punishment for elder crimes due to rule of lenity concerns with existing law, in particular with statutory interpretation in favor of the defendant due to crimes with overlapping elements as codified in the subsections below and in O.C.G.A. 16-5-102.

The bill adds a new definition under O.C.G.A. 16-5-100 for "abuse of access" and also references that definition in the definition of "exploit".

A subsection of O.C.G.A. 16-5-20 is rescinded that escalates the punishment to an aggravated crime when simple assault is committed against an individual who is 65 years of age or older. A subsection of O.C.G.A. 16-5-23 is rescinded that escalates the punishment to an aggravated crime when simple battery is committed by an employee, agent, or volunteer of a licensed long-term care facility, assisted-living community, personal-care home, or those licensed for home health care, or against a person who is admitted to or receiving services from one of the applicable facilities, persons, or entities. A subsection of O.C.G.A. 16-5-23.1 is rescinded that escalates the punishment for when battery is committed by an employee, agent, or volunteer of a licensed long-term care facility, assisted-living community, personal-care home, or those licensed for home health care, or against a person who is admitted to or receiving services from, one of the applicable facilities, persons, or entities. A subsection of O.C.G.A. 16-8-12 is rescinded that escalates the punishment for when theft

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by deception is committed against an individual who is 65 years of age or older and the property is worth more than $500 in value.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. John LaHood (175th) Judiciary Non-Civil

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 02-24-2021 Do Pass

HB 371

Evidence; certain proceedings may be conducted by video conference; provide
Bill Summary: House Bill 371 allows judges to conduct hearings in civil cases via telephone or video conference. This bill does not authorize video conferencing in criminal trials, unless otherwise authorized by statute or by a court rule. The effective date of the bill is July 1, 2021.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Stan Gunter (8th) Judiciary Non-Civil

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 410 Bingo; transfer regulatory authority from Georgia Bureau of Investigation to Secretary of State
Bill Summary: House bill 410 transfers the regulation of bingo to the authority of the Secretary of State from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Eddie Lumsden (12th) Judiciary Non-Civil

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 02-24-2021 Do Pass

HB 435

Local government; exempt certain contracts competitively procured by the state or cooperative purchasing organizations
Bill Summary: House Bill 435 provides an exemption to the "Georgia Local Government Public Works Construction Law" for public works construction contracts that were competitively procured by the state or through a cooperative purchasing organization.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Victor Anderson (10th) Governmental Affairs

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 02-24-2021 Do Pass

HB 470

Property; no plans are required when units are not designated by physical structures; provide
Bill Summary: House Bill 470 exempts condominium units, where the boundaries of the unit are not designated by walls, floors, ceilings, or other physical structures, from the requirement of submitting plans for each individual unit as long as the boundaries of the unit are depicted on a plat of survey. This subsection does not apply to units that are individual homes intended for single-family occupancy. Subcondominiums are also exempted from the requirement of providing a separate plat of survey for each unit.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Dale Washburn (141st) Judiciary

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass

HB 477

Income tax; applications for credit for qualified donations of real property; extend sunset date
Bill Summary: House Bill 477 amends O.C.G.A. 48-7-29.12, relating to the tax credit for the qualified donation of real property, by extending the sunset date from December 31, 2021, to December 31, 2026.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Sam Watson (172nd) Ways & Means

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass

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HB 511

State treasury; establishment or revision of certain Trust Funds; provide
Bill Summary: House Bill 511 dedicates specific fees by general law for 10 years and creates the framework to segregate the collections for each fee dedicated in this manner as a unique trust fund earning interest within the Office of the Treasurer. Effective Fiscal Year 2023, the amount of the annual collections and interest, as reported to and confirmed by the three budget offices, provides the statutory basis for the amount to be appropriated in next budget cycle. The appropriation for each fee is done as a distinct and separate fund source within all appropriations bills for the duration of the dedication.

The dedicated trust funds and the trustees of those funds established in or included in the framework within HB 511 are the: Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund and the Wildlife Endowment Trust Fund, under the purview of the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources; Solid Waste Trust Fund and Hazardous Waste Trust Fund, under the purview of the director of the Environmental Protection Division; State Children's Trust Fund, under the purview of the director of the Division of Family and Children Services; Trauma Care Network Trust Fund, under the purview of the executive director of the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission; Transportation Trust Fund and Georgia Transit Trust Fund, under the purview of the commissioner of the Department of Transportation; Georgia Agricultural Trust Fund, under the purview of the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture; and Fireworks Trust Fund, under the purview of the commissioner of the Department of Revenue.

Finally, the bill establishes a fiscal note analysis process as a requirement for future fee dedication legislation. The analysis, prepared by the Office of Planning and Budget and the State Auditor, accompanies the bill, which must be introduced by the 20th day of a legislative session. Bills that do not pass in the first year of a biennium must be reintroduced with an updated fiscal analysis.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Albert Reeves (34th) Appropriations

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Structured 02-26-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 548

Social services; reasonable access to records concerning reports of child abuse to the Administrative Office of the Courts; provide
Bill Summary: House Bill 548 provides access to records of child abuse reports for the Administrative Office of the Courts for the purpose of providing more information in cases involving children who have been the subject of dependency actions and actions to terminate parental rights. This information will be protected by agreements with the Division of Family and Children Services to provide appropriate confidentiality.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Katie Dempsey (13th) Juvenile Justice

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass

HB 586

Georgia Economic Recovery Act of 2021; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 586, the 'Georgia Economic Recovery Act of 2021', amends O.C.G.A. 48-8-3, relating to exemptions from sales and use taxes, by extending the sunset on the exemption of sales of tangible personal property used for and in the construction of a competitive project of regional significance from June 30, 2021, to June 30, 2023, and providing a state and local sales tax exemption for the sale of tickets, fees, or charges for admission to a fine arts performance or exhibition conducted by a 501(c)(3) organization or a museum of cultural significance, provided that the organization's or museum's primary mission is to advance the arts in Georgia.

The bill also amends O.C.G.A. 48-8-3.2, relating to a sales tax exemption for certain machinery and equipment used in manufacturing, by including manufacturing plants that are motor vehicles. The bill limits the exemption on those vehicles to the maintenance and replacement parts for the equipment used to mix, agitate, and transport freshly mixed concrete in a plastic and unhardened state. Motor fuel used in a motor vehicle that is a manufacturing plant is not exempt from sales and use tax.

HB 586 also amends O.C.G.A. 48-8-3.2, relating to the maximum amount of sales and use tax

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imposed to maintain, repair, or refit a boat, by eliminating the June 30, 2025, sunset date.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Sam Watson (172nd) Ways & Means

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 587 Georgia Economic Renewal Act of 2021; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 587, the 'Georgia Economic Renewal Act of 2021', makes multiple amendments throughout O.C.G.A. 48-7, relating to income tax.

The bill adds a new Code section that establishes an additional tax credit for jobs created by a medical equipment and supplies manufacturer or a pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturer. The credit of $1,250 per job is available for jobs that qualify for the current job tax credit or quality jobs tax credit to the extent that those jobs are engaged in the activity of manufacturing medical equipment or supplies or manufacturing pharmaceuticals or medicine. The credits must be claimed separate from the current job tax credit or quality jobs tax credit. When the credits exceed the taxpayer's income tax liability, the credits may be used to cover the taxpayer's quarterly or monthly employee withholding payments and the credits may be carried forward for up to 10 years. A taxpayer may not claim both the job tax credit for PPE manufacturers and this credit.

The bill also amends O.C.G.A. 48-7-40.15, relating to alternative tax credits for base year port traffic, by allowing the income tax credits earned to be used to offset payroll withholdings taxes.

House Bill 587 also amends O.C.G.A. 48-7-40.25, relating to the income tax credit for business enterprises with existing manufacturing facilities, by establishing specific requirements for highimpact aerospace defense projects. A "high-impact aerospace defense project" must be constructed by a business enterprise that is a prime aerospace defense contractor with greater than 40 percent of its revenues from sales to the United States government in its most recent tax year and must be certified by the commissioner of the Department of Economic Development as materially supportive of the mission of the Georgia Joint Defense Commission and the Governor's Defense Initiative. The bill allows a high-impact aerospace defense project to start claiming manufacturing facility tax credits in the tax year in which the taxpayer achieves 1,000 jobs and a $500 million investment; however, the taxpayer must certify that it will later achieve 1,800 jobs and an $800 million investment. For highimpact aerospace defense projects, the qualifying jobs must be located in Georgia, but are not required to be located at the manufacturing facility. The bill also increases the aggregate cap on credits for any individual project from $50 million to $100 million for high-impact aerospace defense projects and allows high-impact aerospace defense projects to claim either a quality jobs tax credit or mega project tax credit along with existing manufacturing tax credits.

The bill also amends O.C.G.A. 48-7-40.24, relating to conditions for taking the job tax credit, by repealing the 4,500 job cap for the job tax credit.

HB 587 also amends 33-1-25, relating to the 'Georgia Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Act,' by authorizing an additional $100 million to the 2021 allocation of funding to begin August 1, 2021. The bill also increases the application fee from $5,000 to $25,000, establishes an annual maintenance fee of $7,500, and expands the annual reporting requirements for the rural funds to include the fund's total eligible capital investments as a percentage of its total capital investments.

The bill also amends 48-7-40.34, relating to the tax credit for Class III railroads, by extending the sunset date to earn credits from December 30, 2023, to December 30, 2028, as well as extending the deadline to freely assign credits from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2029.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Bruce Williamson (115th) Ways & Means

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

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HB 593

Tax Relief Act of 2021; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 593 amends O.C.G.A. 48-7-27, relating the computation of state taxable net income, by increasing the standard deduction for taxpayers that are single and heads of household from $4,600 to $5,400, taxpayers that are married and filing a joint return from $6,000 to $7,100, and taxpayers that are married and filing individual returns from $3,000 to $3,550, beginning tax year 2022.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Shaw Blackmon (146th) Ways & Means

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass

HR 185 House Rural Development Council; reauthorize
Bill Summary: House Resolution 185 reauthorizes the House Rural Development Council. The council will have 15 members from the House of Representatives, and the speaker of the House will designate two members to serve as co-chairpersons. The council will dissolve on December 31, 2022.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. David Ralston (7th)

Rule Applied:

Economic Development & Tourism Committee

Action:

Structured 02-25-2021 Do Pass

Postponed From the Previous Legislative Day
HB 86 Georgia Lottery Mobile Sports Wagering Integrity Act; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 86 allows the Georgia Lottery Corporation to offer and regulate the lottery game of sports wagering. The bill also establishes the 'Georgia Lottery Mobile Sports Wagering Integrity Act.' The Act allows individuals 21 years of age and older, who are physically present Georgia, to place bets on certain sporting events through an interactive sports wagering platform that is licensed by the Georgia Lottery Corporation to accept sports bets in this state. Bets may be placed on professional sporting events, Olympic sporting events, or any other event authorized by the Georgia Lottery Corporation, but may not include collegiate sporting events, horse racing, or fantasy or simulated contests.
The bill provides the Georgia Lottery Corporation with all powers and duties necessary to regulate and supervise the lottery game of sports betting. Those powers include the authority to issue no fewer than six licenses to qualified applicants. The bill also provides requirements for the application for a license, which includes a non-refundable application fee of $50,000 and an annual licensing fee of $900,000. Certain individuals who are involved in the sports wagering industry and sport team, league, or associations are not eligible to apply for or obtain a license.
The Georgia Lottery Corporation shall establish rules and regulations related to the business requirements of the licensees. Those rules and regulations must include, but are not limited to, designating an amount of a bond in escrow and an amount of cash to be kept on hand to ensure adequate reserves, insurance requirements, controls over internal fiscal affairs, requirements for internal and independent audits of licensees, the financial information to be provided to the Georgia Lottery Corporation, and policies designed to mitigate the risk of cheating and money laundering.
Licensees must utilize geolocation or geofencing technology to ensure that wagering is only available to bettors who are physically in this state and must allow bettors to restrict themselves from placing wagers.
All bettors must register with the licensee remotely prior to placing any bets. The registration process must verify the name, age, and email address of the bettor; verify that the bettor is allowed to bet in this state; and obtain a physical address, date of birth, and a unique username. Bettors are only allowed to register one account with a licensee and may fund the account using an electronic bank transfer of funds, a debit card, or other online payment systems that support money transfers.
The bill provides a list of individuals not allowed to wager on sporting events. The Georgia Lottery Corporation must maintain a confidential registry of all persons and categories of persons who are not
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eligible to place a wager on a sporting event and must provide that list to each licensee.

Licensees are not allowed to offer, accept, or extend credit to a bettor; target minors in advertising or promotions; offer or accept a wager on any event, outcome, or occurrence other than a sporting event; accept a wager from an individual not eligible to wager; or allow a minor to place a wager. Licensees are also not allowed to offer bets on injuries, penalties, or other forms of wagering that are contrary to public policy or unfair to bettors.

A sport's governing body headquartered in the United States may notify the Georgia Lottery Corporation that it desires licensees to use official league data for determining the results of live betting. Sixty days following notification from the Georgia Lottery Corporation, the licensees must utilize the official league data for determining the outcome of bets. If a licensee is able to demonstrate that the sport's governing body will not provide official league data on commercially reasonable terms, then the licensees would not be required to utilize the official league data.

A tax of 20 percent shall be imposed on the adjusted gross income of each licensee. Adjusted gross income is the total of all money paid to the licensee as a bet minus the total amount paid out as winnings. The tax revenue and the revenue generated from application and annual fees shall be deposited into the Lottery for Education Account. The bill also exempts wagers authorized by the Georgia Lottery Corporation from sales and use tax.

Annual reports from each licensee are due to the Georgia Lottery Corporation by January 15 of each year. The annual reports must include the total amount of wagers from the prior year, the adjusted gross income for the prior year, and any additional information required by the Georgia Lottery Corporation.

Authored By: Rep. Ron Stephens (164th)

Rule Applied: Structured

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Committee Actions

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

Education Committee

HB 517

Education; calculation of minimum revenue obligations for scholarships and tuition grants; provide for the inclusion of earned interest
Bill Summary: House Bill 517 amends O.C.G.A. 20-2A-2 relating to student scholarship organizations by clarifying that interest earned on deposits and investments from donations for scholarships or tuition grants will be rolled back into the fund. This Code section is further amended by requiring an audit within 120 days of completing the student scholarship organization's fiscal year to be provided to the Department of Revenue within 60 days of the audit's completion. O.C.G.A. 487-29.16 is amended to increase the tax credit to $2,500 for a single individual or head of household, $5,000 for a married couple filing a joint return, and $25,000 or the amount expended for a business, whichever is less. The cap of $100,000,000 for the aggregate amount of tax credit allowed was extended until 2032, at which time it will revert to $58,000,000.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. John Carson (46th) Education

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 545

Equal Opportunity for Access in Education Act; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 545 creates the 'Equal Opportunity for Access in Education Act,' which allows home school students to participate in extracurricular and interscholastic activities within the student's resident public school system. HB 545 describes the eligibility requirements for participation, notably, students must take a course through the resident school system. Students must register for a course 30 days before the beginning of the semester the activity will take place.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. John Carson (46th) Education

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 589

The Georgia Civics Renewal Act; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 589, known as 'The Georgia Civics Renewal Act', creates the Georgia Commission on Civics Education to promote and enhance civic engagement and public service among the state's citizenry. The commission will consist of 17 members and include members of the legislative branch, judicial branch, executive branch, business community, civics teachers, local government, a representative of the Georgia Center for Civic Engagement and others. This Act will stand repealed on December 31, 2028.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Matthew Gambill (15th) Education

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 606

HOPE scholarships; add Georgia Independent School Association to the list of accrediting agencies
Bill Summary: House Bill 606 amends O.C.G.A. 20-3-519 to include the Georgia Independent School Association in the list of accepted accrediting agencies for the purposes of establishing HOPE eligibility for private high schools.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Randy Nix (69th) Education

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

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Committee Actions

Game, Fish, & Parks Committee
HR 183 Congress; pass Recovering America's Wildlife Act; urge Bill Summary: House Resolution 183 urges Congress to pass the 'Recovering America's Wildlife Act.'

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. David Knight (130th) Game, Fish, & Parks

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

Governmental Affairs Committee

HB 92

Health; transfer of vital records to State Archives; revise provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 92 lowers the amount of time that vital records must be kept by the state registrar before they are transferred to the State Archives.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Matthew Gambill (15th) Governmental Affairs

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

HB 148

Local government; taxpaying business owners to be appointed to development authorities; provide
Bill Summary: House Bill 148 allows business owners to be eligible as members of development authorities as long as their business is located in the county or municipality and they pay taxes there. The governing authority of a county or municipality may appoint no more than one non-resident business owner as a board member. The bill describes the method a governing authority will use to remove and replace a development authority board member, if necessary, and limits board members to serving no more than four consecutive years. The bill renames "directors" of development authorities to "members" or "board members" of development authorities.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Kim Schofield (60th) Governmental Affairs

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 465

Local government; imposing civil penalties upon an alarm systems contractor for a false alarm that occurs through no fault of alarm systems contractor; prohibit
Bill Summary: House Bill 465 prohibits a local government from establishing ordinances requiring alarm system contractors to pay fines or fees as a result of a false alarm that is not attributed to the alarm system contractor's error.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Joseph Gullett (19th) Governmental Affairs

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

HB 579 Public Safety and Judicial Facilities Act; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 579 removes the requirement that public safety and judicial authorities must pass a referendum in order to issue bonds for new projects.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (82nd)

Governmental Affairs

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

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Committee Actions

Health & Human Services Committee

HB 316

Pharmacies; increase pharmacist to pharmacy technician ratio for providing direct supervision at any time
Bill Summary: House Bill 316 increases the pharmacist-to-pharmacy technician ratio from three to four for pharmacists directly supervising technicians. At any time during which the pharmacist directly supervises four technicians, two of these technicians must be certified. At any time during which the pharmacist directly supervises three technicians, one of these technicians must be certified. No certification is required for technicians in pharmacies at any time during which the pharmacist directly supervises one or two technicians.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Ron Stephens (164th) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

HB 346

Jarom's Act; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 346 authorizes emergency medical service providers to administer hydrocortisone sodium intramuscularly for the purpose of providing emergency care to a patient who: has congenital adrenal hyperplasia; is in adrenal crisis; is in possession of hydrocortisone sodium succinate in packaging that clearly states the appropriate dosage and has an unbroken seal.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Dominic LaRiccia (169th) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 377

Georgia Women's Care (Child Care Alternatives, Resources, and Education) Act; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 377 is known as 'Georgia Women's Child Care Alternatives, Resources, and Education (CARE) Act.' This bill requires every woman not released on bond within 72 hours of arrest to submit to pregnancy testing protocols of the facility. Additionally, at the time of sentencing, judges will determine eligibility for pregnant women sentenced to a period of confinement in a penal institution to have their sentence deferred until six weeks after delivery, unless denied by a judge due to imposed safety risks or declined by the pregnant woman.

During the deferred time, the bill requires offenders to maintain perinatal health care, treatment, and assessments, and participate in education and resource programs. If the court finds that the offender is not compliant with perinatal health care requirements, the court may rescind the deferred sentence and order confinement immediately.

Commencing January 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the Department of Public Health will report the following: data collected pursuant to subsection (f) of Code Section 42-1-11.3; and the total number of women who are pregnant, incarcerated, or declined deferred sentencing. This report excludes patient identifying information.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Sharon Cooper (43rd) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 450

Low THC Oil Patient Registry; authorize Department of Public Health to release deidentified data to government entities for research
Bill Summary: House Bill 450 authorizes the Department of Public Health to release de-identified data related to the Low Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Oil Patient Registry to government entities and others for statistical, research, educational, instructional, drug abuse prevention, or grant application purposes after removing all personal identifiers or any other information that could be used to identify prescribers.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Mark Newton (123rd) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

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03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

House of Representatives

Daily Report for March 2, 2021

Committee Actions

HB 567

Newborn Screening and Genetics Advisory Committee; create
Bill Summary: House Bill 567 authorizes the Department of Public Health (DPH) to promulgate rules and regulations creating a newborn screening system for the prevention of serious illness, severe physical or developmental disability, and death caused by inherited metabolic and genetic disorders.

Additionally, this bill establishes the Newborn Screening and Genetics Advisory Committee that consists of no less than 11, nor more than 21 members, appointed by the DPH commissioner. This committee will consider and make recommendations to the commissioner related to the inclusion of screening for any disorder added to the federal recommended uniform screening panel within one year of an addition. As part of such recommendations, the advisory committee will advise the commissioner on the estimated cost to DPH for screening for new disorders.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Sharon Cooper (43rd) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 591

Mental health; marriage and family therapists to perform certain acts which physicians and others are authorized to perform; authorize
Bill Summary: House Bill 591 authorizes licensed marriage and family therapists to admit individuals for involuntary evaluation of mental or substance use disorders.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Don Hogan (179th) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

HR 188

State Workgroup to Increase Chronic Disease Information and Screenings in Communities of Color; creation; support
Bill Summary: House Resolution 188 creates a state workgroup to increase chronic disease information and screenings in communities of color to be overseen by the Office of Rural Health within the Department of Community Health.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Kim Schofield (60th) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

Industry and Labor Committee

HB 532

Labor, Department of; employment security; change certain provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 532 revises language regarding waivers of work-search requirements to reflect that waivers cannot be made if they would conflict with federal law. The definition of "eligibility period" in relation to extended benefits is revised to remove various potential situations and note that the period only consists of the weeks in the benefit year. The bill also creates an exception to the traditional end of benefits by allowing for extended benefits through November 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021. The bill further clarifies language regarding when the "state 'on' indicator" occurs in relation to the 'Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970.'

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. William Werkheiser (157th) Industry and Labor

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

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Daily Report for March 2, 2021

Committee Actions

Insurance Committee
HB 514 Insurance; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; update references Bill Summary: House Bill 514 modernizes references to the 'Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Shelly Hutchinson (107th) Insurance

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

SB 4

Drug Abuse Treatment and Education Programs; patient brokering; prohibit; definitions; exceptions; penalties; provide
Bill Summary: Senate Bill 4 creates several provisions related to the prohibition of patient brokering in the substance use disorder treatment field. This bill prohibits any persons or treatment providers from unlawfully paying, offering, soliciting, or receiving to pay any remuneration, as defined in this bill, for the acceptance or referral of a patient.

Additionally, this bill amends Code Section 33-1-16 by adding that a person commits a fraudulent insurance act if there is intent to defraud by billing for excessive, fraudulent, or high-tech drug testing in the treatment of the elderly, the disabled, or any individual affected by pain or substance use disorder. The commissioner of insurance will have the powers and duties to investigate any suspicion of fraudulent insurance activity.

Authored By: House Committee:

Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (32nd) Insurance

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Intragovernmental Coordination Committee
HB 582 Cherokee County; probate judge; provide nonpartisan elections Bill Summary: House Bill 582 provides that the future elections of the Cherokee County probate judge will be non-partisan.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Mandi Ballinger (23rd) Intragovernmental Coordination

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 601

Crimes and offenses; low THC oil, marijuana, and tetrahydrocannabinols do not include certain federally approved products; provide
Bill Summary: House Bill 601 exempts products that are approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration from definitions in state law, including low THC oil under O.C.G.A. 16-12-190, marijuana under the 'Georgia Controlled Substances Act', and tetrahydrocannabinols under Schedule I controlled substances. The bill also removes epidiolex from Schedule V controlled substances.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Ron Stephens (164th) Judiciary Non-Civil

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for March 2, 2021

Committee Actions

Natural Resources & Environment Committee

HB 647

Solid waste management; post-closure ground-water monitoring at closed coal combustion residual impoundments; provide
Bill Summary: House Bill 647 codifies certain state and federal rules by requiring solid waste handling permittees that manage coal combustion residual (CCR) surface impoundments to conduct post-closure care at the impoundments for a minimum of 50 years following the closure. Post-closure care shall include at least the maintenance of the final cover system, monitoring of ground water, and maintenance of the ground-water monitoring system. The Environmental Protection Division will inspect CCR surface impoundments at least once a year during the closure process and at least once every five years following the closure.

The bill requires that any ground-water monitoring report contain an executive summary written in a manner that can be understood by individuals without technical expertise. The summary shall include a description of the facility and CCR surface impoundment, the ground-water monitoring network, results of the most recent sampling, and status of any corrective action, if applicable.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Vance Smith (133rd) Natural Resources & Environment Committee
Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Retirement Committee
HB 173 Retirement and pensions; eligible large retirement system's assets that may be invested in alternative investments; increase percentage
Bill Summary: House Bill 173 allows eligible large retirement systems to invest up to 10 percent of assets in alternative investments. The bill excludes the Employees' Retirement System (ERS) of Georgia and Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) of Georgia, which can currently invest up to five percent of assets in alternative investments. Also, the bill requires the ex-officio members and the governor's appointee of ERS's Board of Trustee to review and consider any individuals nominated by any organization of state retirees consisting of at least 1,000 employees. This bill is certified by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts as a non-fiscal retirement bill.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Tommy Benton (31st) Retirement

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Small Business Development Committee

HB 611

State government; definition of small business; change
Bill Summary: House Bill 611 divides the state "small business" definition into three tiers. Tier One has 10 or fewer employees or $1 million or less in gross receipts per year. Tier Two has 100 or fewer employees or $10 million or less in gross receipts per year. Tier Three has 300 or fewer employees or less than $30 million or less in gross receipts a year.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Mike Cheokas (138th) Small Business Development

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

Special Committee on Access to Quality Health Care Committee
HB 697 Health care data collection; hospitals maintain certain technology; provisions Bill Summary: House Bill 697, known as the 'Patient Protection Through Health Information Exchange Act,' amends the list of information from health care providers that must be reported
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House of Representatives

Daily Report for March 2, 2021

Committee Actions

annually to the Department of Community Health. A hospital or a hospital's electronic health records vendor must report the current status of implementing or using meaningful electronic health records user standards, interoperability standards, and certified electronic health records technology standards. This reporting requirement does not apply to any hospital with a primary campus in a rural county with a population of 50,000 or less.

Additionally, the bill requires hospitals or each hospital's electronic health records vendor to complete a survey by October 1, 2021 regarding whether the hospital uses or has barriers to using electronic health records, interoperability of health information, and certified health records technology as well as whether the hospital has a timeline for using electronic health records. The Department of Community Health must submit a report to the House and Senate Health and Human Services Committees by July 1, 2022 that includes the results of the survey and recommendations for statewide electronic health records requirements and standards.

This Code section is repealed on July 2, 2022.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Mark Newton (123rd) Special Committee on Access to Quality Health Care

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

State Properties Committee

HB 48

State flag, seal, and other symbols; monument to honor the Original 33; provide
Bill Summary: HB 48 states that a plaque in honor of the Original 33 shall be placed on the capitol grounds of the state capitol building and constructed using private funds. The Capitol Arts Standards Commission shall provide a report on the proposed design and location of the plaque to the chairs of the House Committee on State Properties and Senate State Institutions and Property Committee before December 31, 2021.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Carl Gilliard (162nd) State Properties

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 619

Heritage trust program; sale of Patrick's Fishing Paradise to a private entity; authorize
Bill Summary: HB 619 allows for the removal of a heritage preserve designation from land known as "Patrick's Fishing Paradise" to allow the Department of Natural Resources to convey the property to a private entity. The conveyance is subject to the approval of the General Assembly and the State Properties Commission.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Penny Houston (170th) State Properties

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

HR 204 Judge Willie J. Lovett, Jr. Juvenile Justice Center; City of Savannah; dedicate
Bill Summary: HR 204 dedicates the Department of Juvenile Justice's Savannah Regional Youth Detention Center in Savannah, Georgia as the Judge Willie J. Lovett, Jr. Juvenile Justice Center.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Carl Gilliard (162nd) State Properties

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

Transportation Committee
HR 144 Katie Poff Memorial Interchange; Baldwin County; dedicate Bill Summary: House Resolution 144 is the annual House road dedication bill. Included are the following resolutions:
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Daily Report for March 2, 2021

Committee Actions

HR 144, dedicating the intersection at State Route 49 and Blandy Road in Baldwin County as the Kathryn Poff Memorial Intersection;

HR 22, dedicating the interchange at State Route 81 and State Route 316/US 29 in Barrow County as the Judy Hill Loftin, LPC Memorial Interchange;

HR 32, dedicating the bridge on State Route 515 at Turniptown Creek in Gilmer County as the Cecil Mathews Memorial Bridge;

HR 54, dedicating the portion of State Route 8 from the Gwinnett/Barrow County line to Cedars Road in Gwinnett County as the Jimmy Wilbanks Highway;

HR 145, dedicating the bridge on State Route 22 adjacent to 603 West Montgomery Street in Baldwin County as the Dennette Odum Jackson Memorial Bridge; and

HR 148, dedicating the intersection at US 27 and Commerce Street in Chattooga County as the Probate Judge Jon Payne Memorial Intersection.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Ricky Williams (145th) Transportation

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HR 282 Sydnie Grace Jones Memorial Intersection; dedicate
Bill Summary: House Resolution 282 dedicates the intersection of State Route 515 and State Route 325 in Union County as the Sydnie Grace Jones Memorial Intersection.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Stan Gunter (8th) Transportation

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

Ways & Means Committee

HB 160

Revenue and taxation; water and sewer projects and costs tax (MOST); provide for audits of tax by state auditor under certain conditions
Bill Summary: House Bill 160 amends O.C.G.A. 48-8-200, relating to water and sewer projects and costs tax (MOST), by changing the definition of a municipality to include a municipality that operates a waste-water system that interconnects with the waste-water system of a municipality that has an average waste-water flow that is at least 85 million gallons per day. The bill also allows the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, or the lieutenant governor to order an independent and comprehensive audit of a MOST tax through the state auditor.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. William Boddie (62nd) Ways & Means

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

HB 428

Sales and use tax; change certain definitions
Bill Summary: House Bill 428 amends O.C.G.A. 48-8-3, relating to exemptions from sales and use taxes, by updating the NAICS codes for the sales and use tax exemption for the sale of certain computer equipment when the total qualifying purchases by a high technology company exceed $15 million. The bill also requires high-technology companies that have been issued a sales tax exemption certificate to report annually to the commissioner a list of facilities for which equipment exempted from sales tax is located as well as the amount of taxes exempted during the preceding year.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Chuck Martin (49th) Ways & Means

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for March 2, 2021

Committee Actions

HB 451

Ad valorem tax; property; fair market value applicable to inventor; provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 451 amends O.C.G.A. 48-5-48.1, relating to the tangible personal property inventory exemption, by allowing a taxpayer that claimed the finished goods inventory exemption for the 2020 tax year to have the option for the 2021 tax year to claim the exemption using the fair market value of finished goods as of January 1, 2020 or January 1, 2021.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Eddie Lumsden (12th) Ways & Means

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

HB 469 Income tax; rehabilitation of historic structures; revise tax credits
Bill Summary: House Bill 469 amends O.C.G.A. 48-7-29.8, relating to tax credits for the rehabilitation of historic structures, by extending the sunset to December 31, 2022.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Ron Stephens (164th) Ways & Means

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 498

Ad valorem tax; property; expand an exemption for agricultural equipment and certain farm products
Bill Summary: House Bill 498 amends O.C.G.A. 48-5-41.1, relating to the exemption of qualified farm products and harvested agricultural products from taxation, by adding dairy products and unfertilized eggs of poultry to the list of qualified farm products and by modifying the definition of "family owned farm entity." Family owned farm entity is expanded to allow an entity created by the merger or consolidation of two or more entities that would qualify independently as a family-owned farm entity. The bill requires approval by referendum and includes ballot language for the November 2022 election.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Sam Watson (172nd) Ways & Means

Committee Action:

03-02-2021 Do Pass

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.house.ga.gov and click on Meetings Calendar.

03/03/2021 8:00 AM AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS (House) 03/03/2021 8:30 AM RULES COMMITTEE (House) 03/03/2021 9:00 AM COMMITTEE ON RULES (House) 03/03/2021 9:00 AM Regulated Industries Lottery Oversight Gaming
Subcommittee (House) 03/03/2021 10:00 AM FLOOR SESSION (LD26) (House) 03/03/2021 12:00 PM WAYS AND MEANS (House) 03/03/2021 1:00 PM Public Safety and Homeland Security Subcommittee A
(House) 03/03/2021 1:00 PM HIGHER EDUCATION (House) 03/03/2021 2:00 PM GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS (House) 03/03/2021 3:00 PM INDUSTRY AND LABOR (House) 03/03/2021 3:30 PM PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY (House)

406 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda

341 CAP

VIDEO Agenda

341 CAP

VIDEO Agenda

132 CAP HYBRID VIDEO Agenda

House Chamber VIDEO 341 CAP HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 506 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda

606 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 406 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 506 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 606 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda

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