GA Legislative Watch | April 2, 2022

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GA Legislative Watch

By Rebecca Wallace • April 2, 2022
Smart Brevity™ count: 3.5 mins…881 words

This meeting is (almost) adjourned. Legislative Day 40 or “Sine Die,” the final day of the 2022 Legislative Session, is on Monday.

By the numbers: Each chamber has passed roughly 950 bills and nearly 600 have been sent to the governor.

1 Big Thing: Major Turnover Under the Gold Dome

Nearly 25% of the legislature will not be returning. Several of the most influential and tenured legislators are not seeking re-election for various reasons, leaving the question – what will leadership look like next year?

The powerful Senate Rules Chairman, Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) and House Appropriations Chairman, Rep. Terry England (R-Auburn) are giving up their coveted seats. Other influential leaders not seeking re-election include:

• Sen. Butch Miller (R-Gainesville), President Pro-Tempore (running for Lt. Gov.)
• Sen. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah), Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman (running for Labor Commissioner)
• Rep. Micah Gravley (R-Douglasville), Majority Caucus Vice Chairman

2. Notable Bills’ Status

The Mental Health Parity Act, HB 1013 is headed to the governor’s desk. The House unanimously passed a bill that:

• softened the requirement for health insurers to treat behavioral health benefits the same as physical care; and
• lessened the changes to Georgia’s involuntary commitment criteria.
• What they’re saying: “Above all, it is a moral document. HB 1013 is a bipartisan commitment to the people of Georgia, that we recognize care for mental health and substance use disorder is as essential as treatment of medical and surgical care.” – Sen. Michelle Au (D-Johns Creek)

The Constitutional Carry Act of 2021, or the permit-less carry law, passed.

Food truck operators need only one health permit even if they serve in multiple counties thanks to the Senate unanimously passing HB 1443.

The elections bill HB 1464 shrunk from 39 to 2 pages in the Senate Ethics Committee, removing almost all of the controversial language. It’s headed to the Senate for a vote and then back to the House to approve the Senate substitute.

Sports betting is still in the game with SR 135 and SB 142  passing out of committee.

The Senate stripped limits from the income tax bill, HB 1437,  that would have capped how much the state spends on its popular film tax credit and make the credits less lucrative.

• According to the AJC, the limits had been added by the Senate Finance Committee earlier this week, but were removed before it was approved by Rules.
• Industry execs say the limits would crush the film industry in Georgia.

Dueling bills on medical cannabis. The rub: immediately issue licenses, or start over from scratch.

• HB 1425 was sent to conference committee.
• It’s been seven years since a bill passed to allow Georgians to consume marijuana, but not buy it.

Vax required? Sponsored by Senate Rules Chairman Mullis, SB 345would ban any state or local agency, government or school from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations except for healthcare providers.

• The House amended it on a party-line vote to exempt government agencies if the state loses its legal challenge of President Biden’s requirement of federal contractors.

The electric vehicle industry has a study committee with the adoption of SR 463.

3. Big Political News

Trump’s visit: Was it a rally, or a fading bromance between the former president and gubernatorial candidate David Perdue? Even Trump called Perdue a “long shot” just days before his visit, and hasn’t managed to sway any of his preferred candidates — Walker, Jones, or Hice — to endorse Perdue.

Go Deeper.

The ads are coming. Through the final stretch of the November election:

• Senate Majority PAC has reserved more than $24.4 million worth of airtime to help U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock.
• House Majority PAC has reserved upwards of $86 million in airtime, one of the likely beneficiaries being U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop.

The State of Georgia has fined Blue Cross Blue Shield, also known as Anthem, $5 million.

• It is the largest fine ever levied by the Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner.
• It addresses the company’s habit of listing in-network doctors that are not in-network, leaving patients to pay, or the care provider not getting paid.

Is Georgia becoming an EV haven? With Aspen Aerogels coming to Bulloch County to build a $325 million facility, the state might be one step closer.

• The manufacturer produces special materials that will contain potentially disastrous fires in electric vehicles.
• The 500,000-square-foot plant is scheduled to open next year and will employ about 250 people.

4. What’s Next

Setting state coffers. The Georgia House appointed a conference committee to work through HB 911, the state’s $30 billion FY 2023 budget. House and Senate negotiators must resolve their differences and come up with a final version of the spending plan.

• The proposals include the $1 billion cut to state income taxes for individuals, delivering on a campaign promise by Kemp.
• They also include the first appropriation from the newly established Transportation Trust Fund and the Transit Trust Fund (passed last year) with dedicated maintenance and construction of roads, as well as a 10% maximum carve out for transit: $151 million to the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL), GRTA, and SRTA.

We’ll do a Gold Dome recap for the last issue of GA Legislative Watch next week. After that, look out for the ORS Quarterly, another publication of Friendly Amendment, coming out next month. Thank you!