Work continues under the Gold Dome as this Report goes live on Tuesday evening, with legislators in the House and Senate jockeying to get their bills and resolutions across the hall before the gavel falls on Crossover Day 2022. The chambers were active throughout the day — in what may be a new record, the House took up 18 measures before breaking for lunch. The Senate, on the other hand, only got to 11 propositions before getting snackish. We have the floor action so far in this Report, but follow us on Twitter until the bitter end with #GoldDomeReport.

In this Report:

• Floor Action

• Committee Reports

• New Legislation

• What’s Next

Floor Action

On Friday, the House of Representatives considered the following measures after the Report had been published:

• HB 839 - Mableton, City of; incorporate - PASSED (134-2)

• HB 1453 - Crimes and offenses; access to medical cannabis; revise provisions -

• HB 1193 - Funeral directors and embalmers; reinstatement of lapsed license under certain conditions; provide - PASSED (150-0)

• HB 1234 - Juvenile proceedings; right to an attorney for any child receiving extended care services from Department of Family and Children Services; provide - PASSED (151-0)

• HB 1331 - State Employment Service and the Employment Security Administration Fund; change certain provisions - PASSED (91-59)

• HB 1384 - Buildings and housing; amend Georgia state minimum standard codes to authorize certain uses of ungraded lumber; require - PASSED (149-2)

• HB 304 - Revenue and taxation; medical equipment and supplies manufacturers and pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturers; provide tax credit - PASSED (150-0)

• HB 1358 - Chairman John Meadows Act; enact - PASSED (94-57)

The House of Representatives took up the following measures as of our deadline on Tuesday:

• HB 202 - Georgia Driver's Education Commission; violation of traffic laws or ordinance under Joshua's Law; increase additional penalty - PASSED (139-27)

• HB 203 - Special license plates; Tybee Island Historical Society; establish - PASSED (170-0)

• HB 733 - Insurance; guaranteed asset protection waiver; revise definition - PASSED (166-0)

• HB 824 - Georgia Legislative Retirement System; retirement allowance; increase - PASSED (151-17)

• HB 918 - Georgia Rare Disease Advisory Council; provide establishment - PASSED (168-1)

• HB 923 - Local government; development authorities; cap the per diem allowance available to directors - PASSED (172-0)

• HB 997 - Ad valorem tax; timber equipment and timber products held by timber producers; provide exemption - PASSED (171-0)

• HB 1041 - Income tax; tax credits for contributions to rural hospital organizations; increase aggregate limit - PASSED (164-1)

• HB 1053 - Income tax; certain expenditures made by postproduction companies; extend tax credit - PASSED (140-25)

• HB 1180 - State government; regional commissions; appointment of nonpublic members; revise provisions - PASSED (172-0)

• HB 1291 - Sales and use tax; exemption for sale or lease of computer equipment of high-technology companies; revise spending threshold and extend sunset date - PASSED (150-17)

• HB 1297 - Insurance; discount for property owners who build a new property that better resists tornado and catastrophic windstorm events; provide - PASSED (174-0)

• HB 1330 - Georgia Music and Theatre Jobs Recovery Act; enact - PASSED (146-26)

• HB 1390 - Labor and industrial relations; right of action against a county or city employer for retaliation; provide - PASSED (172-0)

• HB 1404 - Community Health, Department of; submit waiver request to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to authorize private institutions for mental disease to qualify for Medicaid reimbursement - PASSED (167-5)

• HB 1421 - Conservation and natural resources; Hazardous Waste Trust Fund; dedicate the proceeds of certain hazardous waste fees - PASSED (165-0)

• HB 1425 - Medical cannabis; Governor to issue initial Class 1 and Class 2 production licenses for a limited time period; authorize - PASSED (169-5)

• HB 1435 - Education; needs based financial aid program; include eligibility for students with a financial aid gap - PASSED (171-3)

• HB 1443 - Mobile food service establishments; operate in county of origin or other counties without an additional permit; provide - PASSED (171-0)

• HB 1461 - Local government; annexation of territory; revise provisions relating to dispute resolution - PASSED (172-0)

• HB 1478 - Motor vehicles and traffic; electronic submission of certificates of title to Department of Revenue by motor vehicle dealers; provide - PASSED (165-2)

• HB 1479 - State Board of Registration for Foresters; independent state agency; provisions - PASSED (174-0)

• HB 1481 - Motor vehicles; standards for issuance of dealer license plates; provide - PASSED (165-0)

• HB 1483 - Professions and businesses; licensure by endorsement in social work; provide - PASSED (173-0)

• HB 1484 - Social services; three-year pilot program to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of PANDAS and PANS under Medicaid; provide - PASSED (172-0)

• HB 1496 - Animals; sheriff impounding livestock running at large to donate livestock to an animal rescue organization or private individual; authorize - PASSED (174-0)

• HB 1522 - Commerce and trade; certain additional information to be provided to beauty pageant contestants before accepting a fee; require - PASSED (166-8)

• HB 1528 - Commerce and trade; illegal for certain persons to purchase or attempt to purchase, possess, obtain, or sell used, detached catalytic converters; provide - PASSED (134-37)

• HR 593 - Perry, Mr. Dennis Arnold; compensate - PASSED (157-6)

• HR 626 - Robinson, Kerry; compensate - PASSED (157-6)

• HR 686 - Ad valorem tax; rate reduction for sale or harvest of timber; provide - CA - PASSED (166-0)

• HR 732 - Local government; date temporary loans are payable from end of calendar year to fiscal year; change - CA - PASSED (165-3)

• HR 820 - James J. Boss Memorial Roundabout; Barrow County; dedicate - PASSED (173-0)

• HR 822 - Georgia's opposition to shark fin trade; state - PASSED (171-0)

• HR 842 - General Assembly; establish standard salary for Senators and Representatives equal to 60 percent of median household income - CA - PASSED (136-33)

The Senate took up the following measures as of our deadline on Tuesday:

• SR 131 - General Assembly; law for pari-mutuel betting on horse racing; provide - CA - FAILED (33-20), RECONSIDERED

• SR 463 - Joint Study Committee on the Electrification of Transportation; create - PASSED (53-0)

• SR 596 - Isaiah "Coach" Berry Memorial Intersection; Barrow County; dedicate - PASSED (51-0)

• SB 76 - Emergency Communications Authority; Next Generation 911 systems and services; provide - PASSED (48-0)

• SB 96 - Notaries Public; identification of persons for whom notaries perform notarial acts shall be evidenced; valid Veterans Health Identification Card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; provide - PASSED (51-0)

• SB 167 - Retirement; semiannual postretirement benefit adjustments for all beneficiaries of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia; provide - PASSED (46-3)

• SB 212 - "Harry Geisinger Rural Georgia Jobs and Growth Act"; enact - TABLED

• SB 267 - Teachers Retirement System of Georgia; retired member who elected an optional retirement allowance; eligible to change any of such named beneficiaries; provide - PASSED (40-9)

• SB 353 - Drivers' License; judicial discretion in suspension of a driver's license upon failure to appear for certain traffic violations; provide - PASSED (50-0)

• SB 470 - Mortgage Lenders and Brokers; different categories of felony convictions for purposes of investigations of mortgage loan originator applicants; provide - PASSED (47-1)

• SB 474 - Property Tax Exemptions; state-wide exemption; ad valorem taxes for aircraft used for the aerial application of fertilizers or other agricultural products; provide - PASSED (51-2)

• SB 487 - Insurance; diagnostic breast examinations shall not be treated less favorably than screening mammography for breast cancer with respect to cost-sharing requirements; provide - PASSED (52-1)

• SB 516 - Solid Waste Management; Environmental Protection Division to contract with the Department of Revenue to collect certain fees; require - PASSED (50-0)

• SB 553 - Watercraft; any person 15 years of age or older to operate a Class 1, Class 2, or Class 3 vessel; authorize - PASSED (50-2)

• SB 556 - Drivers' Licenses; issuance of a driver's license to current and retired peace officers at no charge; provide - PASSED (51-0)

• SB 558 - Department of Transportation; meetings for the election of board members; amend notice provisions - PASSED (53-0)

• 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 - PASSED (49-0)

• SB 566 - Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act; a medical or traumatic condition includes a mental health condition or substance use disorder; emergency medical services include post-stabilization services; clarify - PASSED (53-0)

• SB 573 - Hospitals and Health Care Facilities;hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to utilize surgical smoke evacuation systems during surgical procedures to protect patients and health care workers from the hazards of surgical smoke; require - PASSED (51-0)

• SB 581 - Property Boundary Lines; plane coordinates for defining and stating geographic position within this state as the Georgia State Plane Coordinate System; designate - PASSED (50-1)

• SB 601 - 'Georgia Educational Freedom Act'; enact - FAILED (20-29)

• SB 605 - Employment Security; certain nonprofit organizations have the option of making installment payments to finance unemployment benefits paid to its employees for certain time periods during the COVID-19 public health emergency; provide - PASSED (52-0)

• SB 609 - Medical Cannabis; the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission is subject to state procurement laws; provide - PASSED (52-0)

• 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 - TABLED

Committee Reports

Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee

Late Monday afternoon, Chairman Larry Walker called the Committee to order to discuss two measures by his House counterpart, Chairman Robert Dickey (R-Musella).

• HB 1303 amends Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 to transition an agricultural pilot program to a permanent educational program. Representative Dickey mentioned that the pilot had tremendous success and is working to tackle food deserts while educating children on STEM and agriculture. Representative Dickey noted that one change provided in the substitute changes a shall to a may in line 29.

  Senator Kim Jackson (D-Stone Mountain) asked about the change made on line 29 regarding employing an agricultural education teacher. She further asked how many teachers Georgia had to properly teach students on agricultural education. Representative Dickey noted that many of the teachers were in upper levels and often take a period during the day to go to elementary school. Senator Tyler Harper chimed in and noted that many of the schools were churning out agriculture curricula to their educational schools. He added that he was not concerned about meeting this requirement.

  Senator Lee Anderson (R-Grovetown) was curious what the youngest grade would be to start this curriculum. Representative Dickey mentioned this was for K-5 in elementary schools and that the schools would be the ultimate decider. Joel Mackey from the Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association noted that many of the teachers were in middle and high schools as Representative Dickey earlier mentioned. Mr. Mackey added that certified elementary school teachers would only need nine additional hours of certification for agricultural certification.

  A DO PASS motion was made, and the bill passed unanimously and is headed to Senate Rules. It will be carried by Senator Max Burns (R-Sylvania).

• HB 1150, also known as the "Freedom to Farm Act", amends Code Section 41-1-7 of the OCGA. The measure attempts to change Georgia's nuisance laws specific to farms. It removes the definitions of agricultural area, changed condition, and urban sprawl.

  Senator Kim Jackson asked a hypothetical about a farm that already exists, and a new neighbor moves in. They cannot file a suit against the current farmer. The second hypothetical was if she was not a farmer, and in year one, there is no issue with the neighboring farm, but in year two, it became a nuisance. Would the pre-dating neighbor be able to sue? Representative Dickey was unsure and felt that what would be happening the first year or different the second. Senator Jackson mentioned she had chickens and that the first year and second year are different, which does accumulate. Senator Jacksons is concerned about this. Chairman Walker directed these questions to Legislative Counsel.

  Senator Sheikh Rahman (D-Lawrenceville) asked if an example could be given for a small family farm which this bill would help. Representative Dickey mentioned this happens through intimidation tactics and has a friend in his district going through this.

  Senator Freddie Powell Sims (D-Albany) asked how many nuisance lawsuits have happened in the state and referenced her experience that complaints come from family farmers and non-farmers. Representative Dickey felt that this is an ongoing issue that people do not discuss it.

  Senator Russ Goodman (R-Cogdell) asked if the intention of this bill was to invest in the stability of farms so we can keep up with the food requirements of the world. Representative Dickey noted that yes, it was.

  Senator Max Burns noted that the current law had not been changed regarding the one year more and appreciated the carve-out for CAFOs and followed up about the definition of improper. Representative Dickey felt that the local laws and rules and regulations would have the proper definitions and felt that locals would know better.

  Senator Carden Summers (R-Cordele) wanted to ensure that farmers would be getting more protection. Representative Dickey firmly answered that this was not giving more protection but providing clarity.

  Senator Bo Hatchett (R-Cornelia) wanted clarification on how the laws were to protect farmers from neighborhoods from coming in that had been there for a year. He noted that the definition is being removed and is concerned over the changed condition language that has been misinterpreted in other states. He further noted that the farmer must be operating lawfully. All points made, Representative Dickey agreed.

  Senator Kim Jackson noted that the author had frequently been mentioning that farmers are being brought into court and asked if this would help because it does not prohibit a frivolous lawsuit in her reading. Representative Dickey noted that it was explicit but felt this would be a great deterrent. Senator Jackson noted that traditionally the time clock had been tied to the nuisance occurring, not when the activity began. The Senator wondered if the author was amenable to the change. Representative Dickey expressed concern that it would continue too long, which had been a problem in the past.

  Senator Tyler Harper (R-Ocilla) provided history on previous legislation and amendments which passed the Senate.

  Chairman Walker noted this was a hearing only on the measure, and no committee action was taken. The next meeting public testimony will be allowed.

House Ways and Means Committee

Chairman Shaw Blackmon (R-Bonaire) called the full Ways and Means Committee to order on Monday afternoon.

• HB 1187, authored by Representative Noel Williams (R-Cordele), amends Code Section 48-8-3 of the OCGA to extend the sunset on high tech data centers to 2033. The measure received a DO PASS recommendation.

• HB 1278, authored by Representative Patty James Bentley (D-Butler), amends Code Section 48-8-3 of the OCGA. This would provide a sales tax exemption for museums and would sunset in August of 2025. This measure is specifically tailor to museums for civil rights renovations or expansions.

  Bryan Hudson, who represents the National Center for Human and Civil Rights, fielded a few questions regarding retail space. The measure received a DO PASS recommendation.

New Legislation

The following legislation of interest has been introduced in the House:

 The following legislation of interest has been introduced in the Senate:

What’s Next

The General Assembly will reconvene for Legislative Day 29 on Wednesday, March 16.