The Senate passed several measures today - one of which will help Georgians with the price of gas at the pumps. HB 304, authored by Representative Jodi Lott (R-Evans), moved through the Senate after a full discussion on oil distribution, including debate on the root cause of the rise in fuel prices. HB 304, which began life as a tax measure addressing medical equipment and supplies and was gutted to permit the suspension of the motor fuel tax, allows for the suspension of the motor fuel tax of $0.29 per gallon through May 31, 2022.

Georgia opossums were also a point of discussion today in the Senate, which led to a few guffaws from Senators. HB 1147, the legislation allowing the hunting and trapping of raccoons and opossums, cleared the Senate after the laughs subsided. Ten more days remain in the 2022 Legislative Session for the General Assembly to take up these types of important measures. Follow along with the #GoldDomeReport.

In this Report:

• Floor Action

• Committee Reports

• New Legislation

• What’s Next

Floor Action

The House did not have a Rules Calendar on Thursday.

The Senate considered the following measures on Thursday:

• SR 544 - World Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce; commend - PASSED (55-0)

• HR 683 - Property; granting of nonexclusive easements; authorize - PASSED (53-0)

• HB 304 - Revenue and taxation; medical equipment and supplies manufacturers and pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturers; provide tax credit -PASSED  (55-0)

• HB 1147 - Game and fish; hunting and trapping of raccoons and opossum year round; authorize - PASSED (44-10)

Committee Reports

Senate Health and Human Services - Mental Health Parity Subcommittee

Chairman Dean Burke (R-Bainbridge) and the Subcommittee looked more closely today at HB 1013, addressing its mental health parity and workforce development provisions. Representative Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur), one of the House co-leads in this effort, presented to the Subcommittee first, talking about the California case which led to the deeper definitions of generally accepted mental health and substance abuse conditions and medical necessity contained in HB 1013. Representative Oliver argued that HB 1013 provides some specificity around these definitions which is better than being vague. She also mentioned that Georgia does not have any data analysis about real work force data that permits policy makers to know whether a licensee continues in practice, in what locations, and whether he or she accepts Medicaid and Medicare patients. Representative Oliver noted that SB 342, the Senate’s version on mental health parity, does not cover the CMOs. She explained that the CMOs, in particular when dealing with the DFCS population, have provided too little care. The Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission has worked for two years to create the detailed definitions in HB 1013. Since the bill’s introduction, she mentioned that there have been a flood of suggestions and she has looked at those, seeking better ideas. 

Dr. Lisa Eichelberger, a former professor at Clayton State University, spoke to the Subcommittee about capturing nursing workforce data which she has promoted to be captured for several years as it has the power to change the future of healthcare workforce planning.  Georgia has more than 218,000 nurses but the state cannot tell where those nurses are working.  Questions on forms for licensure renewal are now optional to be completed around where nurses are working. Dentists and dental hygienists are required to complete that information when they renew their licenses. Senator Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta) inquired about when the BHRIC’s study on workforce issues was done, and Representative Oliver indicated that the work was led by Dr. Gwen Skinner of Devereux. There is no actual capturing of mental health workforce data - except perhaps from psychiatrists. Further, she noted that telemedicine, however, has expanded in its use particularly for helping individuals with mental illness.

Bethany Sherrer, with the Medical Association of Georgia, and Fay Fulton, with the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, spoke in favor of HB 1013.  Ms. Fulton noted that she would like for the loan forgiveness program to be expanded to family medicine physicians as many of them do the bulk of mental health and substance abuse treatment work with patients, collaborating with psychiatrists. Senator Ben Watson also mentioned that geriatric and internal medicine physicians should also be included.

Dr. Terri McFadden, a pediatrician and the chair of the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce, spoke about its work - she stated that it is important for Georgia to “grow its own.”  She indicated using scholarships and GME will help.  She mentioned that 65 of Georgia’s counties do not have pediatricians, and Georgia has a critical workforce shortage. 77 counties have no psychiatrists; and 76 counties have no psychologists. Loan repayments have been a helpful tool but no guarantee that providers will put down long-term roots.

Representative Oliver noted that the legislation is a “balancing act” and its goal has been to eliminate the hassle factors for patients. In particular, the legislation is trying to address prescription drug formularies as there are three agencies now involved and HB 1013 moves it to the Office of Health Strategy and Coordination. She further noted that the inclusion of the MLR provisions will help contain costs. It will help limit fraud. The subcommittee is planning to look more at medical necessity.

Others testified at Thursday’s hearing, including the Executive Director of Georgia First who supported HB 1013.  Rhonda Thomas, the founder of Truth in Education, spoke against the legislation, highlighting in part the involvement of the pharmaceutical industry and the School-Based Health Alliance which are trying to label children through screenings and control their emotions.

Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee

Chairman Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) and the Committee took up the following measures on Thursday:

• HB 437, authored by Representative Henry Howard (D-Augusta), seeks to add at O.C.G.A. 10-1-164.2  so as to provide for assistance to individuals with disabilities at self-service gasoline stations.  The Committee discussed trying to limit this assistance to help those who are truly mobility impaired.  Chairman Ed Harbison (D-Columbus) moved the bill DO PASS; an amendment was offered to limit the assistance to be provided which was adopted.  The legislation received a DO PASS as amended. Senator Tonya Anderson will carry.

• HB 1372, authored by Representative Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain), expands HB 449 which was reviewed last year.  The legislation was worked on off-season, addressing underground construction and creates the Georgia Utility Facility Protection Act in Titles 25 and 46. Senator Lindsey Tippins (R-Marietta) presented the legislation to the Committee and LC 36 5145 received a DO PASS recommendation.

The following bills HB 1481 and HB 1483, HB 972,  HB 1193 and HB 1441 will be on the Committee’s Monday meeting agenda. The Committee will also be meeting next Thursday.

House Judiciary Committee

Chairman Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula) called the House Judiciary Committee to order to discuss several Senate measures.

• SB 395, authored by Senator Bo Hatchett (R-Cornelia), amends Code Section 15-6-2 of the O.C.G.A. to add an additional judgeship to the Mountain Judicial Circuit. Senator Hatchett mentioned that this circuit ranks third in terms of need. He further added that the Governors proposed budgets include funding for this position. No questions or comments were made, and the Committee made a DO PASS recommendation. Representative Stan Gunter (R-Blairsville) will carry the bill in the House.

• SB 543, authored by Senator Sonya Halpern (D-Atlanta), amends Chapter 4 of Title 51. This bill closes the loop between the slayers statute and the right of parents to recover assets after the death of a child. Specifically the measure seeks to prevent parents who kill their children from receiving the deceased assets. Many committee members created hypothetical events to see if the measure would apply. The bill received a DO PASS recommendation and is on to Rules. This measure will be carried by Representative Bonnie Rich (R-Suwanee) in the House.

• SB 519, authored by Senator Lindsey Tippins (R-Marietta), amends Article 3 of Chapter 18 of Title 15 of the O.C.G.A. to create an honorary office of solicitor-general emeritus. Chairman Efstration thanked the Senator for his year of service before asking for a motion. With no comments or questions, the Chairman received a motion for a DO PASS recommendation. SB 519 will be carried by the Representative Stan Gunter.

• SB 493, authored by Senator Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga), amends Part 7 of Article 5 of Chapter 3 of Title 44. The measure is the Senate companion to Representative Gunter’s HB 1088. It allows for non-judicial foreclosure of time-share estates. Representative Gunter will carry the measure in the House.

• SB 332 amends Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the O.C.G.A and is authored by Senator John Albers (R-Roswell). This measure, also known as the “Inform Consumers Act”, seeks to prevent organize retail crime. Senator Albers began his presenation by explaining that people are stealing goods from trains, trucks, and stock locations and reselling it online. The bill would require sellers to provide contact information, tax identification, and location of the business. This would only apply to online businesses which have 200 transactions or have $5,000 in gross revenue in a continuous 12 month period. This measure is similar to one the US House of Representatives recently considered. The committee took no action on the measure.

  The following voiced support for the measure: Carlos Gonzalez, Walgreens; John Watson, Amazon; Stephen Loftin, Georgia Retailers Association; and Kathy Kuzava, Georgia Food Industry Association.

  The following expressed concern: Cervando Espanza, TechNet, and Zachary Lilly, Net Choice.

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 31 on Friday, March 18 at 10AM.

The House has not set a Rules Calendar for Legislative Day 31.

As the Senate believes it has been “marginalized” by the House, no bills will be on the Senate floor on Friday - further, the Senate Rules Committee remarked that it would not place any more House bills on the Senate floor until 17 Senate bills had been placed on the House floor.  The games have commenced.