On Thursday, March 7, the Georgia General Assembly met for the 28th legislative day, also known as “Crossover Day.” This is the final day for bills to pass out of the chamber in which they were introduced. Bills that fail to pass are generally considered dead for the remainder of this session, but may be reconsidered next year.
On Thursday, March 7, the Georgia General Assembly met for the 28th legislative day, also known as “Crossover Day.” This is the final day for bills to pass out of the chamber in which they were introduced. Bills that fail to pass are generally considered dead for the remainder of this session, but may be reconsidered next year.
Below are the bills on which MAC’s Public Policy team worked on or tracked this session and their status as of Crossover Day:
BUSINESS CLIMATE
SB 45/SR 84 (Sen. Brandon Beach) – if approved by voters, this constitutional amendment and enabling legislation would allow for pari-mutuel betting on horse racing. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
SB 77 (Sen. Jeff Mullis) – provides protections for government statues, monuments, plaques, banners, and other commemorative symbols. PASSED SENATE
SB 106 (Sen. Blake TIllery) – known as the Patients First Act, this bill 1) would allow the state to submit a waiver request to expand Medicaid coverage to those earning up to 100% of the federal poverty level and 2) allow the state to pursue innovation waivers to develop innovative and targeted strategies to address specific problems. PASSED SENATE
SB 110 (Sen. Jesse Stone)/HB 239 (Rep. Chuck Efstration) – creates business courts with statewide jurisdiction with judges to be appointed by the Governor. PASSED SENATE/PASSED HOUSE
SB 221 (Sen. Marty Harbin) – adopts the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
SR 61 (Sen. Butch Miller)/HR 54 (Speaker David Ralston) – commends the Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee for bringing Super Bowl LIII. PASSED SENATE/PASSED HOUSE
SR 184 (Sen. Brandon Beach) – if approved by voters, this constitutional amendment would authorize a limited number of licensed destination resort facilities casino resorts within the state. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
SR 224 (Sen. Butch Miller)/HR 391 (House Speaker David Ralston) – commends Arthur Blank for bringing Atlanta United to Atlanta and commends the team for winning the MLS Cup. PASSED SENATE/PASSED HOUSE
HB 74 (Rep. Scot Turner) – allows rideshare drivers to carry a weapon while driving for rideshare company. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
HB 132 (Rep. Bruce Williamson) – allows film and post-production tax credits to be transferred and applied against income tax withholding. PASSED HOUSE
HB 182 (Rep. Brett Harrell) – lowers the threshold for the collection of online sales tax. PASSED HOUSE
HB 198 (Rep. Matt Hatchett) – updates the certificate of need requirements for healthcare facilities. FAILED HOUSE
HB 276 (Rep. Brett Harrell) – requires a business or organization that contracts with third parties to sell goods and services, often referred to as a marketplace facilitator, to collect sales and use tax resulting from retail purchases made on its platform. PASSED HOUSE
HB 428 (Rep. Bill Werkheiser) – levies a tax on digital downloads like e-books, music, video games and software, removes franchise fees and imposes a communications services tax on satellite tv service. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
HB 538 (Rep. Todd Jones) – removes judicial doctrine known as “chevron deference” in tax related matters under the jurisdiction of the Georgia Tax Tribunal. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
HR 164 (Rep. Jay Powell) – if approved by voters, this constitutional amendment would dedicate revenue to the fund for which it is intended. PASSED HOUSE
HR 327 (Rep. Ron Stephens) – if approved by voters, this constitutional amendment would allow for casino gambling in the state and dedicate revenue to educational programs. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
HR 378 (Rep. Ron Stephens) – if approved by voters, this constitutional amendment would create the Georgia Gaming Commission. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
HR 380 (Rep. Craig Gordon) – if approved by voters, this constitutional amendment would legalize sports betting. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
EDUCATED WORKFORCE
SB 15 (Sen. John Albers) – requires all public and private schools to conduct threat assessments every four years. PASSED SENATE
SB 108 (Sen. P.K. Martin) – puts computer science classes in every middle and high school by 2030. PASSED SENATE
SB 181/HB 123 (Sen. Burt Jones/Rep. Bill Werkheiser) – transfers the Workforce Development Board and the accompanying federal funds from the Technical College System of Georgia to the Dept. of Labor. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
HB 126 (Rep. Randy Nix) – codifies the GeorgiaBest program and an employability skills training curriculum. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
HB 218 (Rep. Rick Williams) – extends HOPE Scholarship eligibility from seven to ten years. PASSED HOUSE
TRANSPORTATION and INFRASTRUCTURE
SB 2 (Sen. Steve Gooch) – allows EMCs to get into the broadband business while balancing against cross-subsidies and protecting pole attachments for existing broadband providers. PASSED SENATE
SB 66 (Sen. Steve Gooch)/ HB 184 (Rep. Brett Harrell) – streamlines the deployment of small cell and 5G technology in public rights of way. PASSED SENATE/PASSED HOUSE
SB 131 (Sen. Burt Jones) – transfers control of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to a new state authority if the City of Atlanta and General Assembly do not agree on a joint oversight plan by July 1, 2020. PASSED SENATE
SR 19 (Sen. Brandon Beach)/ HR 37 (Rep. Kevin Tanner) – creates the Georgia Commission on Freight and Logistics. PASSED SENATE/PASSED HOUSE
HB 244 (Rep. Ron Stephens) – establishes competitive rates for attaching equipment to utility poles for cable providers. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
HB 447 (Rep. Dominic LaRiccia) – exempts jet fuel from the state sales tax for 20 years and levies an excise tax on jet fuel to be used for rural airports. PASSED HOUSE
HB 511 (Rep. Kevin Tanner) – Reorganizes several state transportation agencies including SRTA, abolishes GRTA, creates a statewide transit planning framework, subjects rideshare trips to sales tax. PASSED HOUSE
NATURAL RESOURCES
HB 31 (Speaker David Ralston) – appropriates funds for the state for the Fiscal Year 2020 budget currently includes $100,000 for the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. PASSED HOUSE
HB 49 (Rep. Marc Morris) – authorizes interbasin water transfers for the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. STALLED IN COMMITTEE
