DAILY REPORT Tuesday March 22, 2022 House Budget & Research Office (404) 656-5050 33rd Legislative Day The House will reconvene for its 34th Legislative Day on Wednesday, March 23 at 10:00 a.m. The Rules Committee will meet at 9:00 a.m. No bills / resolutions are expected to be debated on the floor. Today on the Floor Rules Calendar SB 211 Probate Court of Crisp County; office of judge; future elections; provide Bill Summary: Senate Bill 211 provides that future elections for the office of the probate court judge of Crisp County shall be non-partisan elections. Authored By: House Committee: Floor Vote: Sen. Carden Summers (13th) Intragovernmental Coordination Yeas: 101 Nays: 63 Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments: Modified-Structured 02-07-2022 Do Pass SB 331 "Protecting Georgia Businesses and Workers Act"; enact Bill Summary: Senate Bill 331 prohibits local jurisdictions from enforcing any rule or ordinance that regulates the hours, or scheduling, that a private employer is required to provide to employees or that regulates employee output during work hours. Authored By: House Committee: Floor Vote: Sen. John Albers (56th) Industry and Labor Yeas: 99 Nays: 67 Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments: Modified-Structured 03-02-2022 Do Pass SB 340 Hospital Authorities and Designated Teaching Hospitals; definitions; revise Bill Summary: Senate Bill 340 updates provisions related to medical education accreditation by replacing the "American Medical Association" with "Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education" as the accrediting body and removes the 50-resident program requirement. Authored By: House Committee: Floor Vote: Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (32nd) Health & Human Services Yeas: 161 Nays: 0 Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments: Modified-Structured 03-14-2022 Do Pass SB 346 Department of Administrative Services; companies owned or operated by China to bid on or submit a proposal for a state contract; prohibit Bill Summary: Senate Bill 346 requires a company that submits a bid or a contract proposal to certify that the company is not a Chinese government-affiliated entity or owned or operated by the government of China. A company's false certification will result in civil liability, termination of contract, and ineligibility for future contracts. Authored By: Sen. Jeff Mullis (53rd) Rule Applied: Modified-Structured House Committee: Governmental Affairs Committee Action: 03-02-2022 Do Pass by Committee Substitute Floor Vote: Yeas: 119 Nays: 45 Amendments: House of Representatives Daily Report for March 22, 2022 Committee Actions Committee Actions Bills passing committees are reported to the Clerk's Office and are placed on the General Calendar. Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee SB 529 Cable and Video Services; definition of video service relative to the "Consumer Choice for Television Act"; change Bill Summary: Senate Bill 529 clarifies the definitions of cable and video services related to franchise fees. Cable and video services shall not include video programming accessed via a service that enables users to access content offered over the internet, including streaming content. Video service shall not include any video programming provided by a direct broadcast satellite service provider. Authored By: House Committee: Sen. Steve Gooch (51st) Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass by Committee Substitute Health & Human Services Committee SB 338 Medicaid; postpartum coverage under Medicaid from six months to one year following birth; increase Bill Summary: Senate Bill 338 extends the period of postpartum Medicaid coverage from six months to one year after delivery. Authored By: House Committee: Sen. Dean Burke (11th) Health & Human Services Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass SB 342 Insurance; annual reporting regarding mental health parity in healthcare plans; provide Bill Summary: Senate Bill 342 requires that insurers provide reports on their mental health parity compliance status. The insurance commissioner is required to release a public summary report, and insurers that fail to submit a sufficient and timely report may face a $2,000 to $5,000 penalty. Authored By: House Committee: Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (32nd) Health & Human Services Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass SB 345 State Government; state and local governments from mandating vaccine passports; prohibit Bill Summary: Senate Bill 345 prohibits state and local governments from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of providing services, accessing a facility, issuing licenses or permits, performing duties, and other matters. SB 496 Authored By: House Committee: Sen. Jeff Mullis (53rd) Health & Human Services Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass Death Investigations; medical examiner's inquiry when a pregnant female dies and an inquest; require Bill Summary: Senate Bill 496 requires a medical examiner's inquiry in cases where a woman dies within 365 days of being pregnant. This requirement is waived in cases when such woman dies from the result of a motor vehicle accident or when the cause of death is known. Coroners or medical examiners notified of such death are required to order an inquiry through a regional perinatal center. Authored By: House Committee: Sen. Dean Burke (11th) Health & Human Services Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass House of Representatives Daily Report for March 22, 2022 Committee Actions Human Relations & Aging Committee SB 610 Department of Community Health; conduct a comprehensive review of provider reimbursement rates for home and community based services covered by the waiver programs; require Bill Summary: Senate Bill 610 requires the Department of Community Health to conduct a comprehensive review every four years of provider reimbursement rates for home and communitybased waiver services and programs and propose rate models, policy changes, and fiscal projections. Authored By: House Committee: Sen. Sally Harrell (40th) Human Relations & Aging Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass by Committee Substitute Judiciary Non-Civil Committee SB 461 Bails, Bonds; human trafficking as a bailable offense; add the offense Bill Summary: Senate Bill 461 adds human trafficking-related crimes in O.C.G.A. 16-5-46 to the list of crimes that are not eligible for an unsecured judicial release. Authored By: House Committee: Sen. Clint Dixon (45th) Judiciary Non-Civil Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass SB 565 Sentence and Punishment; any time after conviction; defendant convicted of an offense and sentenced as a direct result of being a victim of trafficking for labor or sexual servitude may petition the sentencing court to grant the relief of vacatur; provide Bill Summary: Senate Bill 565 allows for a victim of human trafficking to vacate his or her sentence through a petition. This bill changes the timeframe of the existing procedure and allows for the petition to be filed at any time following a conviction of a misdemeanor or felony. Further, reimbursement of any fines and fees previously paid by the victim to the court that is vacating the sentence shall be paid to the victim from the Georgia Crime Victims Emergency Fund, which then creates a debt owed to the state that the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Board shall seek reimbursement for from the applicable entities. The bill also allows for remote testimony of the petitioner and expert witnesses. Authored By: House Committee: Sen. Brian Strickland (17th) Judiciary Non-Civil Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass by Committee Substitute Retirement Committee SB 84 Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund; certain communications officers shall be eligible for membership in such fund; provide Bill Summary: Senate Bill 84 allows certain communications officers who are certified or maintain compliance with Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council's rules and regulations to become members of the Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund. The bill also directs .75 percent of 9-1-1 charges remitted to the Department of Revenue to be sent to the fund. This bill is certified by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts as a fiscal retirement bill. The actuarial investigation determines there is no cost to this legislation, as the increased revenues to the fund cover the cost of expanding membership. Authored By: House Committee: Sen. John Albers (56th) Retirement Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass House of Representatives Daily Report for March 22, 2022 Committee Actions SB 281 Sheriffs' Retirement Fund of Georgia; increase in dues; provide Bill Summary: SB 281 changes several provisions to the Sheriffs' Retirement System of Georgia. The bill increases the amount of dues paid by active members from $45 per month to $65 per month, raises the cost to purchase monthly creditable service from $37.50 per month to $65 per month, and increases the death benefit paid to survivors from $15,000 to $35,000. The bill also increases revenue to the fund through an increase in the fee for civil filings from $1 for each proceeding to $5 for each proceeding. A new source of revenue is added to the fund of $2 from each fee collected before adjudication of guilt for purposes of pretrial diversion of any criminal or quasi-criminal case for violation of state statutes, county ordinances, or municipal ordinances. This bill is certified by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts as a fiscal retirement bill. The actuarial investigation determines the cost of this legislation is $195,752 to be paid through a portion of fines and bond forfeitures. Authored By: House Committee: Sen. Randy Robertson (29th) Retirement Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass Small Business Development Committee SB 581 Property Boundary Lines; plane coordinates for defining and stating geographic position within this state as the Georgia State Plane Coordinate System; designate Bill Summary: Senate Bill 581 designates the Georgia State Plane Coordinate System as the system for defining and stating geographic positions for property surveying within the state. Continued use of legal descriptions under the old system remain valid in the new system designation. Authored By: House Committee: Sen. Larry Walker III (20th) Small Business Development Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass Special Rules Committee HB 1035 Holidays and observances; designate March 10 of each year as Harriet Tubman Day Bill Summary: House Bill 1035 designates March 10th of each year as Harriet Tubman Day. Authored By: House Committee: Rep. Jasmine Clark (108th) Special Rules Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass HR 625 State of Georgia; establish Georgia Gullah Geechee Heritage Society; encourage Bill Summary: House Resolution 625 encourages the State of Georgia to establish a Georgia Gullah Geechee Heritage Society. The resolution recognizes the tradition of the Gullah Geechee culture such as the history, music, dance, and other art forms. Authored By: House Committee: Rep. Carl Gilliard (162nd) Special Rules Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass HR 667 House Study Committee on a State Digitization Act; create Bill Summary: House Resolution 667 creates the House Study Committee on a State Digitization Act. The study committee shall be composed of five members of the House, appointed by the speaker of the House. If the committee adopts any findings or recommendations, the chairperson shall file a report of any suggestions for proposed legislation before the date of abolishment. The committee is abolished on December 1, 2022. Authored By: Rep. Mesha Mainor (56th) House Committee: Special Rules Committee Action: 03-22-2022 Do Pass House of Representatives Daily Report for March 22, 2022 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.house.ga.gov and click on Meetings Calendar. Wednesday - March 23, 2022 8:00 AM INSURANCE COMMITTEE 8:00 AM AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS COMMITTEE 8:00 AM BANKS & BANKING COMMITTEE 9:00 AM RULES COMMITTEE 10:00 AM FLOOR SESSION (LD 34) 1:00 PM HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE 1:00 PM EDUCATION COMMITTEE 1:00 PM STATE PROPERTIES COMMITTEE 1:30 PM Ways & Means Tax Revision Subcommittee 1:30 PM JUDICIARY COMMITTEE 2:00 PM GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE 3:00 PM JUDICIARY NON-CIVIL COMMITTEE 3:00 PM INDUSTRY AND LABOR COMMITTEE 606 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 406 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 506 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 341 CAP VIDEO Agenda House Chamber VIDEO 606 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 341 CAP HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 506 CLOB VIDEO Agenda 403 CAP HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 132 CAP HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 406 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 132 CAP HYBRID VIDEO Agenda 506 CLOB HYBRID VIDEO Agenda