Rep Eddie Lumsden give the week eleven updated from Georgias Gold Domed Capitol. In the last full week of the 2021 session Representatives from both the House and Senate voted on several different bills which include educational opportunities, human trafficking victims and economic growth. Houser Bill 187 looks to expand the time limit that Georgia HOPE is able to be used for students with disabilities. Senate Bill 6, or the “Tax Credit Return on Investment Act of 2021,” also received passage in the House this week to examine the state’s tax revenue structure, ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and efficiently, as well as expand tax incentives to restore our economy. This legislation also includes the “Georgia Economic Renewal Act of 2021,” which would establish and change several tax credits to support renewal and recovery efforts for Georgia’s economy, such as creating an additional tax credit for jobs created by a medical equipment and supplies manufacturer or a pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturer. Before this week ended, Senate Bill 195 passed to increase the responsibilities of the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission. In part. SB 195 would allow local jurisdictions to use their zoning powers to allow additional dispensary locations and allow licenses to be issued. You can read the full update below.

 

Legislative Update

Week Eleven

 

On Monday, March 22, 2021, we kicked off the 11^th and last full week of the 2021 legislative session. With only a few days remaining before we reach Legislative Day 40, or “Sine Die,” my colleagues and I spent many hours in the House Chamber this week voting on House and Senate legislation, including several measures that support educational opportunities, human trafficking victims and economic growth.

The House unanimously passed legislation this week to ensure that Georgia students with disabilities do not miss out on HOPE Scholarship opportunities and funding. Senate Bill 187 would allow the Georgia Student Finance Commission to waive certain eligibility requirements for the HOPE Scholarship for students with disabilities. This commission would consider these waivers on a case-by-case basis and only extend the time frame to students with disabilities that are diagnosed by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Currently, Georgia law only allows students with disabilities to use the HOPE Scholarship within a certain window of time that ranges from seven to 10 years, depending on when the student graduated high school. This time frame has created obstacles for some students with disabilities in recent years, including Grace, a University of Georgia student who suffered a significant disability after an accident and was unable to finish school before her HOPE Scholarship eligibility ran out. This legislation would allow more students with disabilities, like Grace, to keep their HOPE scholarship and earn a college degree in a time frame that better suits their needs.

We passed another legislative measure this week to study new educational opportunities for Georgians through alternative charter schools. Senate Bill 153 would direct the Georgia General Assembly to study alternative education models and funding that are focused on dropout prevention, high school credit recovery and other education services of adult and incarcerated students for the next two years. This bill would also require system-collaborative state charter schools to transition to alternative charter schools, which specialize in dropout prevention and high school credit recovery programs, in order for the schools to continue to receive the state charter supplement funding. SB 153 would allow the House and Senate to work with these crucial programs to create a sustainable, expandable model that would ensure that these programs can continue for years to come and provide pathways to academic success for Georgians.

Senate Bill 6, or the “Tax Credit Return on Investment Act of 2021,” also received passage in the House this week to examine our state’s tax revenue structure, ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and efficiently, as well as expand tax incentives to restore our economy. SB 6 would allow the chairs of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee to request up to five economic analyses on existing or proposed tax incentives from the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts to determine the estimated fiscal impact of these incentives. Additionally, this bill would create the “2021 Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians,” and this bipartisan group of state leaders and area experts would conduct a study of the state’s current revenue structure ahead of the 2022 legislative session. This legislation also includes the “Georgia Economic Renewal Act of 2021,” which would establish and change several tax credits to support renewal and recovery efforts for Georgia’s economy, such as creating an additional tax credit for jobs created by a medical equipment and supplies manufacturer or a pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturer. It would also improve a tax credit to incentivize high-impact aerospace defense projects throughout the state and add $100 million in funding for the Georgia Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Act. Further, SB 6 would create a temporary state and local sales tax exemption for admission sales to fine art organizations and museums of cultural significance that advance the arts in Georgia. Since the start of the pandemic, nearly every industry in Georgia has been affected, and in turn, our legislative leaders need to evaluate how this pandemic has affected state revenue, while also promoting job growth and creation. SB 6 would allow our state to begin to address these issues and ensure state revenue streams remain strong and stable for years to come.

The House also gave unanimous passage to Senate Bill 33 to allow victims of human trafficking to seek justice from those who have exploited them. SB 33 would establish a civil cause of action for victims of human trafficking against a perpetrator, such as a person and/or entity that knowingly benefited financially or gained anything of value from exploiting these individuals. This bill would allow victims to sue their perpetrator to recover damages and attorney’s fees within 10 years after the cause of action or within 10 years after the victim reaches the age of 18 if the victim was a minor at the time of the alleged violation. Finally, the bill would allow the attorney general to seek a cause of action against human traffickers on behalf of the state under certain circumstances. This legislation is a continuation of the General Assembly’s efforts to eradicate human trafficking in the state of Georgia, and I am proud that this bill received final passage this week.

Before this week ended, we passed Senate Bill 195 to increase the responsibilities of the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission. This legislation would allow the commission to review new treatment and delivery methods of low THC oil and products that result from medical research. The bill would also require the commission to provide information and documents to the Medical Cannabis Commission Oversight Committee, as well as clarify the duties of that committee. In addition, SB 195 would allow local jurisdictions to use their zoning powers to allow additional dispensary locations and allow licenses to be issued. Under this bill, licensed low THC oil producers could partner with universities and colleges, such as Georgia’s historically black colleges and universities, to engage in joint medical research. Finally, SB 195 would create an exemption for disciplinary actions by a licensing board or civil penalties for those who are transporting low THC oil on behalf of a licensed company. The House has led the way in allowing and establishing a safe way for Georgians to access this alternative medical treatment, and this measure would allow Georgians to continue to benefit from these products.

The House also passed the following legislation this week:

• House Bill 745, which would provide for nonpartisan elections for the Washington County Board of Education;
• House Resolution 406, which would urge the Department of Public Health to authorize its regional health care coalitions to include long-term services and support system providers in their care networks for the Georgia Emergency Operations Plan;
• Senate Bill 9, which would create the Columbia Judicial Circuit, a single-county circuit consisting of Columbia County, through a revision of the existing Augusta Judicial Circuit;
• Senate Bill 28, which would clarify certain portions of Georgia’s juvenile code, such as updating and clarifying the definitions of “sexual exploitation” and “temporary alternatives to foster care,” adding definitions for certain types of child abuse, as well as changing training requirements for juvenile court intake officers and the courts handling of juvenile cases;
• Senate Bill 32, which would provide that records of state and federal public employees that reveal the employee’s personal mobile or wireless telephone number are exempt from public disclosure, and publicly available rosters of licensees and applicants maintained by division directors of professional licensing boards would not include home addresses;
• Senate Bill 47, which would change the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act by revising the prior school year requirements, expanding eligibility for certain students and requiring parent surveys and other review procedures;
• Senate Bill 75, which would add the issuance of a civil or criminal stalking order as a permissible basis for a tenant to terminate a residential lease agreement;
• Senate Bill 80, the “Ensuring Transparency in Prior Authorization Act,” which would apply review and standards for prior authorization requests for health care services and create guidelines for the insurance commissioner’s rulemaking in enforcing standards that apply to entities conducting utilization review;
• Senate Bill 86, which would modify the elements that must be demonstrated by an individual seeking to become an equitable caregiver of a child;
• Senate Bill 114, which would create a further exception to when Georgia licensing boards cannot refuse to grant a license to an applicant who is a nonviolent offender granted parole, but these board could continue to deny offenders who have committed certain felonies and those who are a registered sex offender;

 

• Senate Bill 119, which would create exemptions for when burn permits are required for burning leaf piles, yard debris or hand-piled natural vegetation unless otherwise restricted by a local ordinance;
• Senate Bill 145, which would allow local jurisdictions to enact an ordinance that triggers a special election regarding whether the local jurisdiction should allow for applications for package stores selling distilled spirits, as well as reduce the percentage of registered voters in the county required to sign a petition to trigger this type of special election from 35 percent to 20 percent;
• Senate Bill 159, which would allow and provide guidelines for local boards of education to use small motor vehicles, eight-passenger or less, to transport students;
• Senate Bill 165, which would allow permitted vehicles to display either an amber strobe light or a specified emblem to indicate low-speed in certain instances;

 

• Senate Bill 185, which would establish that all questions of law related to taxation decided by a court or the Georgia Tax Tribunal be made without deference to determinations or interpretations of the Georgia Department of Revenue;
• Senate Bill 193, which would allow county property appraisers to elect whether or not to require decals for inspections on mobile homes;

 

• Senate Bill 202, the “Election Integrity Act of 2021,” which would make changes to areas of election process and administration, such as requiring two mandatory Saturday early voting dates and allowing communities the option of voting on up to two Sundays during early voting; requiring a driver’s license or state ID card number to request and submit an absentee ballot; regulating the use of absentee ballot drop boxes; banning mobile polling locations and private funding for elections; securing precinct areas against non-voting activities; requiring shorter timelines for processing absentee ballots and certifying election results; requiring security paper to allow for authentication of ballots; authorizing the State Election Board to make necessary changes and ensuring legislative review of emergency rules;

 

• Senate Bill 218, which would suspend the compensation of certain public officials when that official is suspended from their respective office due to a felony indictment;
• Senate Bill 234, the “Georgia Uniform Mediation Act,” which would provide uniformity in the state’s laws that govern mediation, as well as its participants and the communications made within the mediation;

 

• Senate Bill 247, which would allow agricultural commodity commissions to hold public hearings with public comments on marketing orders either wholly or partially online, and this bill would establish additional requirements regarding these marketing orders;
• Senate Bill 238, which would clarify which portions of the Georgia code have the effect of law and identify the contents of the state’s code that do not have the effect of law, as well as clarify oversight of the state’s Code Revision Commission;

 

• Senate Resolution 134, which would provide an amendment to the Georgia Constitution to provide that the compensation of certain public officials be suspended if they are suspended from their office due to a felony indictment; this would only become effective upon the public’s approval of a ballot referendum.

When we return next week, we will complete our final two legislative days before we adjourn “Sine Die,” which will mark the end of the 2021 legislative session. These two days will most certainly be some of our longest days on the House floor as we work to pass meaningful legislation before the clock runs out. Your thoughts and questions regarding legislation remain a top priority to me even though this session is coming to an end very soon. You may contact my Capitol office at 404-656-7850, or you may reach me directly at Eddie.Lumsden@house.ga.gov.

As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your state representative for House District 12.

 

Eddie Lumsden

The House unanimously passed legislation this week to ensure that Georgia students with disabilities do not miss out on HOPE Scholarship opportunities and funding. Senate Bill 187 would allow the Georgia Student Finance Commission to waive certain eligibility requirements for the HOPE Scholarship for students with disabilities. This commission would consider these waivers on a case-by-case basis and only extend the time frame to students with disabilities that are diagnosed by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Currently, Georgia law only allows students with disabilities to use the HOPE Scholarship within a certain window of time that ranges from seven to 10 years, depending on when the student graduated high school. This time frame has created obstacles for some students with disabilities in recent years, including Grace, a University of Georgia student who suffered a significant disability after an accident and was unable to finish school before her HOPE Scholarship eligibility ran out. This legislation would allow more students with disabilities, like Grace, to keep their HOPE scholarship and earn a college degree in a time frame that better suits their needs.

We passed another legislative measure this week to study new educational opportunities for Georgians through alternative charter schools. Senate Bill 153 would direct the Georgia General Assembly to study alternative education models and funding that are focused on dropout prevention, high school credit recovery and other education services of adult and incarcerated students for the next two years. This bill would also require system-collaborative state charter schools to transition to alternative charter schools, which specialize in dropout prevention and high school credit recovery programs, in order for the schools to continue to receive the state charter supplement funding. SB 153 would allow the House and Senate to work with these crucial programs to create a sustainable, expandable model that would ensure that these programs can continue for years to come and provide pathways to academic success for Georgians.

Senate Bill 6, or the “Tax Credit Return on Investment Act of 2021,” also received passage in the House this week to examine our state’s tax revenue structure, ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and efficiently, as well as expand tax incentives to restore our economy. SB 6 would allow the chairs of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee to request up to five economic analyses on existing or proposed tax incentives from the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts to determine the estimated fiscal impact of these incentives. Additionally, this bill would create the “2021 Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians,” and this bipartisan group of state leaders and area experts would conduct a study of the state’s current revenue structure ahead of the 2022 legislative session. This legislation also includes the “Georgia Economic Renewal Act of 2021,” which would establish and change several tax credits to support renewal and recovery efforts for Georgia’s economy, such as creating an additional tax credit for jobs created by a medical equipment and supplies manufacturer or a pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturer. It would also improve a tax credit to incentivize high-impact aerospace defense projects throughout the state and add $100 million in funding for the Georgia Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Act. Further, SB 6 would create a temporary state and local sales tax exemption for admission sales to fine art organizations and museums of cultural significance that advance the arts in Georgia. Since the start of the pandemic, nearly every industry in Georgia has been affected, and in turn, our legislative leaders need to evaluate how this pandemic has affected state revenue, while also promoting job growth and creation. SB 6 would allow our state to begin to address these issues and ensure state revenue streams remain strong and stable for years to come.

The House also gave unanimous passage to Senate Bill 33 to allow victims of human trafficking to seek justice from those who have exploited them. SB 33 would establish a civil cause of action for victims of human trafficking against a perpetrator, such as a person and/or entity that knowingly benefited financially or gained anything of value from exploiting these individuals. This bill would allow victims to sue their perpetrator to recover damages and attorney’s fees within 10 years after the cause of action or within 10 years after the victim reaches the age of 18 if the victim was a minor at the time of the alleged violation. Finally, the bill would allow the attorney general to seek a cause of action against human traffickers on behalf of the state under certain circumstances. This legislation is a continuation of the General Assembly’s efforts to eradicate human trafficking in the state of Georgia, and I am proud that this bill received final passage this week.

Before this week ended, we passed Senate Bill 195 to increase the responsibilities of the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission. This legislation would allow the commission to review new treatment and delivery methods of low THC oil and products that result from medical research. The bill would also require the commission to provide information and documents to the Medical Cannabis Commission Oversight Committee, as well as clarify the duties of that committee. In addition, SB 195 would allow local jurisdictions to use their zoning powers to allow additional dispensary locations and allow licenses to be issued. Under this bill, licensed low THC oil producers could partner with universities and colleges, such as Georgia’s historically black colleges and universities, to engage in joint medical research. Finally, SB 195 would create an exemption for disciplinary actions by a licensing board or civil penalties for those who are transporting low THC oil on behalf of a licensed company. The House has led the way in allowing and establishing a safe way for Georgians to access this alternative medical treatment, and this measure would allow Georgians to continue to benefit from these products.

The House also passed the following legislation this week:

• House Bill 745, which would provide for nonpartisan elections for the Washington County Board of Education;
• House Resolution 406, which would urge the Department of Public Health to authorize its regional health care coalitions to include long-term services and support system providers in their care networks for the Georgia Emergency Operations Plan;
• Senate Bill 9, which would create the Columbia Judicial Circuit, a single-county circuit consisting of Columbia County, through a revision of the existing Augusta Judicial Circuit;
• Senate Bill 28, which would clarify certain portions of Georgia’s juvenile code, such as updating and clarifying the definitions of “sexual exploitation” and “temporary alternatives to foster care,” adding definitions for certain types of child abuse, as well as changing training requirements for juvenile court intake officers and the courts handling of juvenile cases;
• Senate Bill 32, which would provide that records of state and federal public employees that reveal the employee’s personal mobile or wireless telephone number are exempt from public disclosure, and publicly available rosters of licensees and applicants maintained by division directors of professional licensing boards would not include home addresses;
• Senate Bill 47, which would change the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act by revising the prior school year requirements, expanding eligibility for certain students and requiring parent surveys and other review procedures;
• Senate Bill 75, which would add the issuance of a civil or criminal stalking order as a permissible basis for a tenant to terminate a residential lease agreement;
• Senate Bill 80, the “Ensuring Transparency in Prior Authorization Act,” which would apply review and standards for prior authorization requests for health care services and create guidelines for the insurance commissioner’s rulemaking in enforcing standards that apply to entities conducting utilization review;
• Senate Bill 86, which would modify the elements that must be demonstrated by an individual seeking to become an equitable caregiver of a child;
• Senate Bill 114, which would create a further exception to when Georgia licensing boards cannot refuse to grant a license to an applicant who is a nonviolent offender granted parole, but these board could continue to deny offenders who have committed certain felonies and those who are a registered sex offender;

 

• Senate Bill 119, which would create exemptions for when burn permits are required for burning leaf piles, yard debris or hand-piled natural vegetation unless otherwise restricted by a local ordinance;
• Senate Bill 145, which would allow local jurisdictions to enact an ordinance that triggers a special election regarding whether the local jurisdiction should allow for applications for package stores selling distilled spirits, as well as reduce the percentage of registered voters in the county required to sign a petition to trigger this type of special election from 35 percent to 20 percent;
• Senate Bill 159, which would allow and provide guidelines for local boards of education to use small motor vehicles, eight-passenger or less, to transport students;
• Senate Bill 165, which would allow permitted vehicles to display either an amber strobe light or a specified emblem to indicate low-speed in certain instances;

 

• Senate Bill 185, which would establish that all questions of law related to taxation decided by a court or the Georgia Tax Tribunal be made without deference to determinations or interpretations of the Georgia Department of Revenue;
• Senate Bill 193, which would allow county property appraisers to elect whether or not to require decals for inspections on mobile homes;

 

• Senate Bill 202, the “Election Integrity Act of 2021,” which would make changes to areas of election process and administration, such as requiring two mandatory Saturday early voting dates and allowing communities the option of voting on up to two Sundays during early voting; requiring a driver’s license or state ID card number to request and submit an absentee ballot; regulating the use of absentee ballot drop boxes; banning mobile polling locations and private funding for elections; securing precinct areas against non-voting activities; requiring shorter timelines for processing absentee ballots and certifying election results; requiring security paper to allow for authentication of ballots; authorizing the State Election Board to make necessary changes and ensuring legislative review of emergency rules;

 

• Senate Bill 218, which would suspend the compensation of certain public officials when that official is suspended from their respective office due to a felony indictment;
• Senate Bill 234, the “Georgia Uniform Mediation Act,” which would provide uniformity in the state’s laws that govern mediation, as well as its participants and the communications made within the mediation;

 

• Senate Bill 247, which would allow agricultural commodity commissions to hold public hearings with public comments on marketing orders either wholly or partially online, and this bill would establish additional requirements regarding these marketing orders;
• Senate Bill 238, which would clarify which portions of the Georgia code have the effect of law and identify the contents of the state’s code that do not have the effect of law, as well as clarify oversight of the state’s Code Revision Commission;

 

• Senate Resolution 134, which would provide an amendment to the Georgia Constitution to provide that the compensation of certain public officials be suspended if they are suspended from their office due to a felony indictment; this would only become effective upon the public’s approval of a ballot referendum.

When we return next week, we will complete our final two legislative days before we adjourn “Sine Die,” which will mark the end of the 2021 legislative session. These two days will most certainly be some of our longest days on the House floor as we work to pass meaningful legislation before the clock runs out. Your thoughts and questions regarding legislation remain a top priority to me even though this session is coming to an end very soon. You may contact my Capitol office at 404-656-7850, or you may reach me directly at Eddie.Lumsden@house.ga.gov.

As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your state representative for House District 12.

 

Eddie Lumsden