The end is near! And like holiday decorations in your local big box store, it seems like the end of the legislative session comes earlier each year. Thursday marked Legislative Day 38 under the Gold Dome, but it had some of the feels of Crossover Day and Sine Die. Multiple Rules Committee meetings and calendars, legislators running through the halls, and lots of lobbyists looking very pensive. But if you haven’t had enough yet, know there are two more legislative days of this fun — and you can always follow along with the #GoldDomeReport.

In this Report:

• Floor Notes

• New Legislation

• What’s Next

Floor Notes

The House took up the following measures on Legislative Day 38:

• SB 26 - State Government; meetings and public hearings of development authorities and community improvement districts to be held by teleconference; permit (Substitute)(GovAff-25th) Dolezal-27th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 155-1.

• SB 45 - Education; care of students being treated for epilepsy or a seizure disorder; provide (Substitute)(Ed-13th) Anavitarte-31st. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 167-0.

• SB 60 - Secondary Metals Recyclers; it shall be illegal for certain persons to purchase, possess, obtain, or sell or attempt to purchase, possess, obtain, or sell; provide (Substitute)(JudyNC-26th) Hatchett-50th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 162-4.

• SB 65 - Commissioner of Insurance; general provisions; establishing an advisory committee; provisions; authorize (Substitute)(Ins-12th) Watson-1st. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 136-33.

• SB 66 - Superior Courts; Atlantic Judicial Circuit; additional judge; provide (Substitute)(Judy-157th) Hickman-4th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 163-0.

• SB 73 - Telephone Services; class action suits and for damages against certain persons for violating provisions relating to telephone solicitations; provide (RULES Substitute)(EU&T-18th) Tillery-19th. The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 162-7.

• SB 74 - Commerce and Trade, Courts, and Torts; the disclosure of the nature and practices of businesses that provide legal services; require (Substitute)(Judy-176th) Tillery-19th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 158-5.

• SB 86 - Education; eligible students participating in the Dual Enrollment program to access HOPE career grant funds for certain CTAE courses; allow (Substitute)(HEd-179th) Brass-28th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 167-0.

• SB 91 - Workers' Compensation; the time period for the dissolution of the Subsequent Injury Trust Fund; extend (Substitute)(I&L-120th) Dixon-45th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 164-1.

• SB 95 - Solid Waste Trust Fund; specify the manner in which funds appropriated shall be used (Substitute)(NR&E-166th) Robertson-29th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 164-1.

• SB 106 - "Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Act"; enact (Substitute)(PH-45th) Walker III-20th, The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 168-1.

• SB 129 - Primaries and Elections; time off for employees to advance vote; provide (Substitute)(GAff-123rd) Williams-25th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 161-9.

• SB 158 - Property Insurance; insurance premium discount or rate reduction for property owners; tornado, hurricane, or other catastrophic windstorm events; provide (RULES Substitute)(Ins-15th) Robertson-29th. The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 166-0.

• SB 164 - Nurses; licensure of advanced practice registered nurses; provide (Substitute)(Hth-127th) Hufstetler-52nd. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 166-0.

• SB 197 - "Health Care Practitioners Truth and Transparency Act"; enact (Substitute)(Hth-127th) Hufstetler-52nd. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 166-0.

• SB 199 - State's Employee Benefit Plan Council; council to establish health savings accounts; require (RULES Substitute)(Hth-49th) Dolezal-27th. The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 164-1.

• SB 204 - Education Accountability; recognition of certain accrediting agencies as evaluators of the quality of education offered in public schools in this state; provide (Substitute)(Ed-36th) Dolezal-27th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 161-10.

• SB 215 - Public Records; personal information of public employees; protect from public disclosure (Substitute)(GAff-120th) Brass-28th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 166-0.

• SB 220 - 'Georgia Farmland Conservation Act'; historic preservation (Substitute)(W&M-145th) Goodman-8th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 165-0.

• SR 214 - Joint Study Committee on Local Option Sales Tax and Service Delivery Strategy; create (RULES Substitute)(GAff-104th) Ginn-47th. The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 170-0.

The House was considering the following measure at our deadline:

• SB 233 - 'The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act'; establishment of promise scholarship accounts (Substitute)(Ed-25th) Dolezal-27th

The Senate took up the following measures on Legislative Day 38:

• HB 19 - General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024 (Substitute)(APPROP-19th) Burns-159th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 51-1.

• HB 76 - Professions and businesses; education, experience, and training requirements for licensure in marriage and family therapy; revise provisions (Substitute)(C&F-28th) Powell- 33rd. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 48-1.

• HB 87 - Nontraditional Special Schools Act; enact (Substitute)(ED&Y-50th) Erwin-32nd. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 53-0.

• HB 189 - Highways, bridges, and ferries; allowable variance for weight limitations upon a vehicle or load; provide for (Substitute)(TRANS-8th) Meeks-178th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 44-5.

• HB 243 - Coweta Judicial Circuit; superior court; provide eighth judge (Substitute)(JUDY-28th) Smith-70th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 50-0.

The Senate had the following measures left on the table at our deadline:

• HB 80 - Uniform Unsworn Declarations Act; enact  (Substitute) (JUDY-18th) Leverett-123rd

• HB 126 - Appeal and error; judgments deemed directly appealable; change a provision Substitute) (JUDY-17th) Smith-18th

• HB 128 - Revenue and taxation; representation of minority business enterprises, women and veteran owned businesses in procurement of state contracts; provide  (ED&T-3rd) Hong-103rd

• HB 175 - Motor vehicles; federal regulations regarding safe operation of commercial motor vehicle and carriers; update reference date (Substitute) (PUB SAF-9th) Daniel-117th

• HB 309 - Health; financial stability requirements for applicants and licensees of personal care homes and assisted living communities; revise provisions (H&HS-32nd) Cooper-45th

• HB 327 - Crimes and offenses; incest; include step-grandparent and step-grandchild relationship (JUDY-54th) Cameron-1st

• HB 353 - Georgia Lottery for Education Act; administrative procedures regarding coin operated amusement machines shall be subject to Chapter 13 of Title 50; provide (Substitute) (ED&T-45th) Powell-33rd

• HB 383 - Safer Hospitals Act; enact (H&HS-1st) Reeves-99th

• HB 437 - Georgia State Indemnification Commission; abolish and authorize commissioner of administrative services to assume duties; provisions (SLGO(G)-56th) Hitchens-161st

• HB 475 - Code Revision Commission; revise, modernize and correct errors in omissions (JUDY-18th) Smith-18th

• HB 480 - Workers' compensation; benefits; change certain provisions (I&L-20th) Franklin-160th

• HB 529 - Insurance; minimum amounts of uninsured and underinsured coverage to be maintained by transportation network and taxi service companies; provide (TRANS-20th) Williams-148th

• HB 572 - Elections; rename Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission as the State Ethics Commission (ETHICS-25th) Reeves-99th

New Legislation

The following legislation of interest has been introduced. Since the General Assembly is beyond Crossover Day, new legislation requiring action in both chambers is not eligible to achieve final passage by both chambers during this legislative session, but it will be available for consideration during the 2024 Legislative Session.

What’s Next

The General Assembly is in adjournment on Friday and will reconvene for Legislative Day 39 on Monday, March 27. 

The House is expected to consider the following measures on Legislative Day 39:

• SB 62 - Counties and Municipal Corporations; certain local ordinances or policies relating to public camping or sleeping; prohibit (Substitute)(Ed-29th) Dolezal-27th

• SB 109 - Department of Community Health; include continuous glucose monitors as a pharmacy benefit for Medicaid recipients; require (Substitute)(PH-23rd) Echols-49th

• SB 133 - Juvenile Code; a uniform process to assume custody of children as a result of disposition orders; create (RULES Substitute)(JuvJ-123rd) Strickland-17th

• SB 146 - Georgia Public Service Commission; regulation and taxation of the provision of certain electricity used as a motor fuel in electric vehicles; provide (RULES Substitute)(T&II-11th) Gooch-51st

• SB 159 - Correctional Institutions of States and Counties; wireless communications and stand-alone electronic devices behind guard lines; prohibit (Substitute)(PS&HS-180th) Robertson-29th

• SB 168 - Hospitals and Nursing Homes; chiropractic practice to have a lien on a cause of action accruing to an injured person; allow (Judy-123rd) Williams-25th

• SB 216 - Children and Youth Services; respite care for foster parents for longer periods of time pursuant to circumstances; authorize (JuvJ-23rd) Brass-28th

• SB 222 - Primaries and Elections; all costs and expenses relating to election administration are paid for with lawfully appropriate public funds; provide (Substitute)(GAff-120th) Burns-23rd

• SB 233 - 'The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act'; establishment of promise scholarship accounts (Substitute)(Ret-46th) Dolezal-27th

The Senate had not yet set its calendar for Legislative Day 39 at our deadline.