Legislative Day 40 might best be described as organized chaos — without the organization. Wednesday under the Gold Dome was a case in point. Legislators and lobbyists scrambled between the chambers trying to get their bills passed, agreed to, or insisted upon — and get other legislation amended, delayed, or killed. If there is an endgame for the 2023 Legislative Session, it’s not readily discernible as this report comes to your inbox. But for the sake of good legislation that remains pending, we sure hope there is one.

Many bills, those controversial and mundane, remain available for consideration as this report is published, and your favorite writers are hunkering down to continue monitoring the amendments, conference committees, and substitutes. One bill that is close to getting done is the $32.4 billion FY24 State Budget, on which conferees agreed earlier on Wednesday. Procedural votes are all that remains to send the spending plan to the Governor’s desk. But the measure taking up the most time is the continuing debate on school vouchers. SB 233 continues to go through revisions and undulations, and it is yet to be seen if it will make it back on the House floor for an up-or-down vote. Rest assured, if it does, your #GoldDomeReport team will be here to cover it.

In this Report:

• Floor Notes

• What’s Next

Floor Notes

The House took up the following measures on Legislative Day 40:

• HR 651 - Georgia Congressional Delegation; assist in finding reasonable solutions to protect North Atlantic right whales and coastal culture and economy; urge (Rules-Knight-134th). The resolution passed by a vote of 168-2.

• SB 63 - Bonds and Recognizances; setting of bonds and schedules of bails; provide (Substitute)(JudyNC-Gaines-120th) Robertson-29th (Rules Committee Substitute LC 44 2395S). The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 95-81.

• SB 272 - Courts; supplement the duties of administrative judges; Criminal Case Data Exchange Board; reestablish (Substitute)(JudyNC-Gunter-8th) Kennedy-18th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 146-21.

The House had the following measures left on its agenda as of our deadline:

• SB 133 - Juvenile Code; a uniform process to assume custody of children as a result of disposition orders; create (Substitute)(JuvJ-Leverett-123rd) Strickland-17th (Rules Committee Substitute LC 49 1461S)

• SB 233 - 'The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act'; establishment of promise scholarship accounts (Substitute)(Ed-Jones-25th) Dolezal-27th (Rules Committee Substitute LC 49 1473S)

The Senate took up the following measures on Legislative Day 40:

• HB 302 - Crimes and offenses; issuance of a temporary or permanent protective order by the court; provide (JudyNC-160th) Watson-1st. The bill passed by a vote of 52-0.

• 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. The bill passed by a vote of 49-1.

• HB 317 - State Employees' Assurance Department; assignment of certain group term life insurance benefits; provisions (Substitute)(Ins-173rd) Williams-25th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 47-1.

• HB 319 - Education; abolish Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation (HEd-49th) Burns-23rd. The bill passed as amended by a vote of 53-0.

• HB 340 - Education; daily duty-free planning periods for teachers in grades six through twelve; provide (Substitute)(Ed-174th) Anavitarte-31st. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 49-1.

• HB 374 - Local government; municipal deannexation; repeal certain provisions (Substitute)(GAff-21st) Still-48th. The committee substitute passed by a vote of 32-20.

• HB 416 - Pharmacies; authorize qualified pharmacy technicians to administer certain vaccines (Hth-53rd) Hatchett-50th. The bill passed by a vote of 49-3.

• HB 453 - Health; ambulance services pay annual license fee; repeal requirement (Substitute)(PHth-48th) Kirkpatrick-32nd. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 41-10.

• HB 514 - Housing Regulation Transparency Act; enact (Substitute)(GAff-144th) Dugan-30th. The committee substitute passed as amended by a vote of 42-12.

The Senate had the following measures left on its agenda as of our deadline:

• SR 85 - Senate Occupational Licensing Study Committee; create (Rules-20th)

• SR 147 - Senate Local Option Sales Tax Study Committee; create (Rules-2nd)

• SR 155 - Senate Truck Driver Shortages Study Committee; create (Rules-31st)

• SR 275 - Senate Study Committee on Expanding Georgia's Workforce; create (Rules-56th)

• SR 279 - Senate Study Committee on Certificate of Need Reform; create (Rules-27th)

• SR 282 - Senate Study Committee on Foster Care and Adoption; create (Rules-32nd)

• SR 371 - Senate Study Committee on Rural Medical Personnel Recruitment; create (Rules-50th)

• HB 31 - Conservation and natural resources; Hazardous Waste Trust Fund; dedicate proceeds of certain hazardous waste fees (W&M-137th) Hufstetler-52nd

• HB 43 - Council on American Indian Concerns; revise membership (SP&CA-98th) Anavitarte-31st

• HB 51 - Education; local boards of education use vehicles other than school buses for transport of students; authorize (Substitute)(Ed-169th) Robertson-29th

• HB 63 - Insurance; insurers providing policies for groups of 20 or more to furnish claims experience at the request of a group policyholder; require (Ins-148th) Walker III-20th

• HB 82 - Income tax; limit eligibility for rural physician tax credit to physicians who qualify on or before December 31, 2023 (Substitute)(W&M-128th) Burns-23rd

• HB 119 - Uniform rules of the road; procedure for passing stationary vehicles; provide (Substitute)(MotV-174th) McLaurin-14th

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

• HB 130 - Georgia Student Finance Authority; student loan repayment for peace officers; provide (Substitute)(HEd-15th) Hatchett-20th

• HB 139 - Criminal procedure; restrictions of disclosure of personal information of nonsworn employees; provisions (JudyNC-118th) Albers-56th

• HB 143 - Community Health, Department of; include continuous glucose monitors as a pharmacy benefit for Medicaid recipients; require (Substitute)(PHth-149th) Echols-49th

• HB 144 - George L. Burgess Act; enact (Substitute)(JJ-115th) Albers-56th

• 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 181 - Controlled Substances; mitragynine and hydroxymitragynine are Schedule I; provide (Substitute)(JudyNC-179th) Albers-56th

• HB 183 - Motor vehicles; temporary license plates and operating permits; revise terminology (MotV-5th) Payne-54th

• HB 219 - Banking and finance; venue for offense of money laundering; provide (Substitute)(JudyNC-48th) Albers-56th

• HB 220 - Property; means of enforcement of condominium and property owners' association instruments, rules, and regulations; provide (Substitute)(Judy-123rd) Strickland-17th

• HB 237 - State government; Southeast Georgia Soap Box Derby as official soap box derby of the State of Georgia; designate (Substitute)(Special Rules-156th) Brass-28th

• HB 244 - Board of Natural Resources; effective date for certain rules and regulations; extend (Substitute)(GF&P-166th) Hodges-3rd

• HB 249 - Education; needs based financial aid program; provide definition (Substitute)(HEd-49th) Burns-23rd

• HB 269 - Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; authorize local workforce development boards to conduct meetings via teleconference (Substitute)(GAff-146th) Walker III-20th

• HB 279 - Insurance; discount for property owners who build a new property that better resists tornado, hurricane, or other catastrophic windstorm events; provide (Ins-15th) Robertson-29th

• HB 290 - Revenue and taxation; county tax commissioner duties; revise provisions (Substitute)(W&M-14th) Hufstetler-52nd

• HB 291 - Guardian and ward; add to the list of providers who are authorized to participate in the processes for appointment of a guardian for an adult (JJ-14th) Watson-11th

• HB 294 - Insurance; administration of certain rehabilitation policies by a ceding insurer placed into liquidation; provisions (Substitute)(Ins-167th) Walker III-20th

• HB 295 - Insurance; consumer protections against surprise billing; revise certain procedures Ins-27th) Hufstetler-52nd

• HB 299 - Georgia Code; add appropriate references to United States Space Force; provisions (D&VA-21st) Kirkpatrick-32nd

• HB 218 - Education; reestablishment of Office of Charter School Compliance under State Charter Schools Commission (Substitute)(Ed-48th) Echols-49th

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

• HB 338 - Student Technology Protection Act; enact (Substitute)(Ed-32nd) Anavitarte-31st

• 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 362 - Insurance; benefit provider to disclose certain payments to a treating healthcare provider; provide (Ins-74th) Merritt-9th

• HB 384 - Insurance; annual notification by insurers to male insureds of coverage for prostate-specific antigen tests; provide (Ins-113th) Merritt-9th

• HB 404 - Safe at Home Act; enact (Judy-4th) Hufstetler-52nd

• HB 406 - Georgia Public Service Commission; regulation of the provision of certain electricity used as a motor fuel in electric vehicles; provide (Substitute)(T&II-11th) Gooch-51st

• HB 444 - Property; revise when an action may operate as a lis pendens (Judy-99th) Strickland-17th.

• HB 454 - Revenue and taxation; Internal Revenue Code and Internal Revenue Code of 1986; revise terms (RULES Substitute)(W&M-146th) Hufstetler-52nd

• HB 470 - Georgia Candor Act; enact (Substitute)(Judy-45th) Watson-1st

• HB 497 - Health; use of certified medication aides in penal institutions; authorize (Substitute)(HR&A-175th) Echols-49th

• HB 498 - Funeral directors and embalmers; reinstatement of lapsed license; change certain provisions (SBD-149th) Williams-25th

• HB 504 - Education; exclude amounts attributable to level 1 freeport exemptions for purposes of calculating local five mill share (Substitute)(Ed-155th) Hufstetler-52nd

• HB 528 - Georgia Online Automatic Renewal Transparency Act; enact (Substitute)(A&CA-120th) Parent-42nd

• HB 530 - Civil practice; protective orders for certain high-ranking officers; provide (Substitute)(Judy-176th) Cowsert-46th

• HB 543 - Courts; six-person jury trials in civil actions; revise an exception (Substitute)(Judy-99th) Cowsert-46th

• HB 607 - Education; revise definition of Zell Miller Scholarship Scholar by changing ACT score requirement for certain students (Substitute)(HEd-169th) Burns-23rd

Legislative Day 39 went well into Monday evening. Several measures were passed in both chambers after our report went to print and many measures were tabled for Legislative Day 40.

The House voted on the following measures after our report deadline on Monday (Legislative Day 39):

• SB 11 - Georgia Fights Terrorism Act"; enact (PS&HS-Lott-131st) Albers-56th. The bill passed by a vote of 165-0.

• SB 13 - Public Sales; tax levies and executions; authorize online (Substitute) (Judy-Smith-18th) Albers-56th (Rules Committee Substitute LC 43 2866S). The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 170-0.

• SB 20 - "Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act"; ensure consumer access to quality healthcare by setting adequacy standards for network plans offered by an insurer (Substitute)(Ins-27th) Kirkpatrick-32nd. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 166-2.

• SB 56 - Ad Valorem Taxation; state revenue commissioner to contract with the board of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia to offer certain county tax commissioners the option to participate in a state administered deferred compensation plan; require (Substitute)(Ret-Scoggins-14th) Hufstetler-52nd (Rules Committee Substitute LC 43 2865S). The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 168-1.

• SB 68 - Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations; offense of dogfighting as racketeering activity; include (JudyNC-Vance-133rd) Williams-25th. The bill passed by a vote of 163-4.

• SB 121 - Counties and Municipal Corporations; local governments from denying the drilling, servicing, or repair of new or existing water wells on single-family residential and farm properties; prohibit (Substitute)(NR&E-Camp-135th) Anderson-24th. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 171-0.

• SB 127 - Excise Tax; procedures for certain local governments to change the designated private sector nonprofit organization; provide (W&M-Stephens-164th) Hickman-4th. The bill passed by a vote of 161-4.

• SB 155 - Dangerous Instrumentalities and Practices; provisions relating to harming a law enforcement animal; revise (Substitute)(PS&HS-144th) Kirkpatrick-32nd. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 168-0.

• SB 160 - Employment Security; provisions (I&L-Cameron-1st) Still-48th. The bill passed by a vote of 97-68.

• SB 195 - "Freedom to Work Act"; enact (RegI-Ballard-147th) Walker III-20th (Rules Committee Substitute LC 46 0655S). The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 169-0.

• SB 217 - "Eliminating Ghost Plates Act"; enact (MotV-Camp-135th) Albers-56th (Rules Committee Substitute LC 39 3965S). The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 110-59.

• 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. The Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 100-69.

• SB 240 - Retirement and Pensions; the minimum and maximum allowable benefit multiplier for current and future retirees; revise (Substitute) (Ret-Carson-46th) Walker III-20th (Rules Committee Substitute LC 43 2861S). The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 165-1.

• SB 246 - Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce; student loan repayment for certain nursing faculty; provide (Substitute)(HEd-Gambill-15th) Hodges-3rd  (Rules Committee Substitute).  The Rules Committee Substitute passed by a vote of 167-3.

• HR 488 - House Rural Development Council; reauthorize (ED&T-Meeks-178th). The resolution passed by a vote of 166-0.

• SR 175 - Joint Study Committee on Dual Enrollment for Highly Skilled Talent at Younger Ages; create (Substitute)(Ed-Townsend-179th) Brass-28th. The resolution passed by a vote of 167-0.

The Senate voted on the following measures after our report deadline on Monday:

• HB 188 - Georgia Dangerous Sexual Predator Prevention Act; enact (Substitute)(JudyNC-180th) Albers-56th. The committee substitute passed by a vote of 52-1.

• HB 230 - Revenue and taxation; qualified consolidated government special purpose local option sales tax; provide (Substitute)(W&M-127th) Burns-23rd. The bill passed by a vote of 43-11.

• HB 437 - Georgia State Indemnification Commission; abolish and authorize commissioner of administrative services to assume duties; provisions (SLGO(G)-56th) Hitchens-161st. The bill passed by a vote of 54-1.

• HB 480 - Workers' compensation; benefits; change certain provisions (I&L-20th) Franklin-160th. The bill passed by a vote of 52-3.

• 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. The bill passed by a vote of 52-2.

What’s Next

The 2023 General Assembly is expected to adjourn Sine Die late in the evening and return for the 2024 Legislative Session on January 8, 2024.