Rep. Eddie Lumsden Gives Week 5 Update

Rep. Eddie Lumsden has sent out his week 5 update during the 2021 legislative session. This week several bills were voted on, on the House floor. House Bill 112 was voted on to extend the Pandemic Business Safety Act until July 2022. This bill is set to expire in July 2021. The bill is now under review in the Senate. House Bill 153 unanimously passed legislation this week to curb third-party solicitations that cause Georgia’s small businesses and individuals to lose money each year. The Amended Fiscal Year 2021 budget, or House Bill 80, also received final passage this week. The final version of the AFY 2021 budget is based on a revenue estimate of $26.56 billion, which is an increase of $654.3 million, or 2.5 percent, over the original budget. It has been passed onto the Governors desk to be signed into law. You can read Rep. Lumsden full update below.

Monday, February 8 marked the start of the fifth week of the 2021 legislative session. During this busy week, the House Rules Committee began holding regular meetings each day, and as a result, my colleagues and I voted on several bills on the House floor. By the end of the week, we completed legislative day 16 and are moving closer to the halfway point of the 40-day session.

The House voted on House Bill 112 at the beginning of the week. The Georgia COVID-19 Pandemic Business Safety Act was enacted early on in the pandemic to provide certain immunities from liability claims regarding COVID-19 for health care facilities, health care providers, businesses or individuals. The legislature first passed the Georgia COVID-19 Pandemic Business Safety Act, or Senate Bill 359, when we returned to the Capitol last June after the stay-at-home order, not knowing then that the pandemic would continue through 2021. Originally set to expire this July, HB 112 would extend these protections until July 14, 2022, and the bill will now undergo consideration in the Senate.

My colleagues and I unanimously passed legislation this week to curb third-party solicitations that cause Georgia’s small businesses and individuals to lose money each year. House Bill 153 would require any person or entity who mails a solicitation for services related to corporate filings with the Secretary of State to include a disclaimer at the top of the document notating that the document is not a bill or official government document. These unfair and deceptive solicitations are known to look very similar to government documents and have misled businesses into paying more to use a third-party service. However, these filings only cost $50 if a business or individual goes directly through the Secretary of State’s Office, and HB 153 would help the business community, especially our small business owners, save money on their annual filings.

The Amended Fiscal Year 2021 (AFY 2021) budget, or House Bill 80, also received final passage this week. The final version of the supplemental budget includes revisions that were made in the Senate earlier in the week, and on Thursday, we approved HB 80 with a House amendment. The final version of the AFY 2021 budget is based on a revenue estimate of $26.56 billion, which is an increase of $654.3 million, or 2.5 percent, over the original budget. With this increase in new revenue, the General Assembly allocated funds to high priority needs like health and education. This new funding will support the Department of Public Health and boost funding for high-demand public health grants due to COVID-19. HB 80 also reflects the governor’s recommendation to restore 60 percent of funding for K-12 education. Finally, this budget recognizes and utilizes additional federal assistance, which will allow us to give Georgia teachers and other school workers a $1,000 pay raise this year, as well as provide funds to help state agencies, colleges and universities and local school systems as they respond to the pandemic. After passing in the House and Senate, HB 80 was sent to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

Further, Governor Brian Kemp, Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) and other members of House and Senate leadership gathered this week to announce that 57,159 state employees who earn less than $80,000 will receive a one-time bonus of $1,000 during the current fiscal year. Leveraging savings from federal assistance, the AFY 2021 budget includes an additional $59.6 million for these hardworking employees, and the $80,000 cap aligns with the Teacher Salary Schedule’s maximum salary. To address a more than 90 percent turnover rate, correctional officers will also receive this bonus in addition to a 10 percent salary increase that is included in this budget. Since the pandemic began almost a year ago, our state employees have worked tirelessly to continue to provide state services that every Georgian has benefited from this last year, and this bonus is a way to thank them for their dedication to our state.

Additionally, Gov. Kemp, Lt. Gov. Duncan and Speaker Ralston announced the expansion of rural broadband service across 18 counties in Middle Georgia this week through a new Electric Membership Cooperation (EMC) partnership. They reported that Central Georgia EMC (CGEMC) and Southern Rivers Energy (SRE) will join forces with Conexon, a full-service fiber broadband provider, to provide high-speed internet to 80,000 homes and businesses that are EMC members within the next four years, beginning as early as June 2021. With more than $210 million in overall capital investment, CGEMC will invest $135 million, SRE will invest $53 million, and Conexon will contribute $21.5 million. This EMC partnership will design and build 6,890 miles of fiber network to provide broadband coverage, improve electric service and increase reliability through smart grid capabilities. The House has spearheaded initiatives and legislation in recent years to support rural economic development, including broadband expansion. This is a great example of the success of those efforts.

The House also passed the following bills on the House floor this week:

House Bill 67, which would extend the sunset from July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2026 for state agencies and departments to write off small amounts due to the state, as well as non-lapsing revenue collected by the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia;

House Bill 97, which would require that any person appointed as a chief clerk of a probate court, or any clerk designated by a probate judge to exercise such judge’s jurisdiction concerning uncontested matters, to take the oath provided in the bill;
House Bill 105, which would update Georgia’s law to specifically authorize the Department of Defense to provide compensation to Georgia’s guardsmen who are called to active duty without the governor declaring a state of emergency;
House Bill 106, which would add the Georgia State Defense Force to the state’s indemnification fund;
House Bill 129, which would raise the minimum salary to $83,750.51 for sheriffs serving in a county with a population of 39,000 to 49,999;
House Bill 134, which would exclude cybersecurity contracting and planning meetings from the state’s open meeting requirements and exempts any document or plan for cybersecurity devices, programs or systems from public inspection;
House Bill 174, which would update the effective date of the Uniform Carriers Act from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2021, to comply with federal law;
House Bill 205, which would create new regulations for the travel insurance industry, including establishing uniform meanings of key terms and clarifying sales practices and application of Georgia’s unfair trade practice laws;
House Bill 208, which would designate the second Wednesday of February as “National Swearing-in Commitment Day” to celebrate the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, which allows young men and women to experience a sample of military life;
House Bill 246, which would increase the fee for a replacement permit or license from $5 to $10, as well as increase the cost of a limited driving permit from $25 to $32 and the replacement fee for this permit from $5 to $10;

House Bill 265, which would make several annual updates to the state’s Internal Revenue Code, such as an increase in the deductibility of medical expenses, charitable contributions and business meals, as well as clarification of the tax treatment of loan forgiveness from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

After Presidents Day, my colleagues and I will return for another eventful week under the Gold Dome. As bills continue to make their way through the legislative process, please contact me with any questions or concerns you have regarding potential policies that may impact our district. I hope to hear from you this legislative session. You may reach my House office at 404-656-7850, or you can email 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 also passed the following bills on the House floor this week:

House Bill 67, which would extend the sunset from July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2026 for state agencies and departments to write off small amounts due to the state, as well as non-lapsing revenue collected by the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia;

House Bill 97, which would require that any person appointed as a chief clerk of a probate court, or any clerk designated by a probate judge to exercise such judge’s jurisdiction concerning uncontested matters, to take the oath provided in the bill;
House Bill 105, which would update Georgia’s law to specifically authorize the Department of Defense to provide compensation to Georgia’s guardsmen who are called to active duty without the governor declaring a state of emergency;
House Bill 106, which would add the Georgia State Defense Force to the state’s indemnification fund;
House Bill 129, which would raise the minimum salary to $83,750.51 for sheriffs serving in a county with a population of 39,000 to 49,999;
House Bill 134, which would exclude cybersecurity contracting and planning meetings from the state’s open meeting requirements and exempts any document or plan for cybersecurity devices, programs or systems from public inspection;
House Bill 174, which would update the effective date of the Uniform Carriers Act from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2021, to comply with federal law;
House Bill 205, which would create new regulations for the travel insurance industry, including establishing uniform meanings of key terms and clarifying sales practices and application of Georgia’s unfair trade practice laws;
House Bill 208, which would designate the second Wednesday of February as “National Swearing-in Commitment Day” to celebrate the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, which allows young men and women to experience a sample of military life;
House Bill 246, which would increase the fee for a replacement permit or license from $5 to $10, as well as increase the cost of a limited driving permit from $25 to $32 and the replacement fee for this permit from $5 to $10;

House Bill 265, which would make several annual updates to the state’s Internal Revenue Code, such as an increase in the deductibility of medical expenses, charitable contributions and business meals, as well as clarification of the tax treatment of loan forgiveness from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

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

Eddie Lumsden

The House also passed the following bills on the House floor this week:

House Bill 67, which would extend the sunset from July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2026 for state agencies and departments to write off small amounts due to the state, as well as non-lapsing revenue collected by the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia;

House Bill 97, which would require that any person appointed as a chief clerk of a probate court, or any clerk designated by a probate judge to exercise such judge’s jurisdiction concerning uncontested matters, to take the oath provided in the bill;
House Bill 105, which would update Georgia’s law to specifically authorize the Department of Defense to provide compensation to Georgia’s guardsmen who are called to active duty without the governor declaring a state of emergency;
House Bill 106, which would add the Georgia State Defense Force to the state’s indemnification fund;
House Bill 129, which would raise the minimum salary to $83,750.51 for sheriffs serving in a county with a population of 39,000 to 49,999;
House Bill 134, which would exclude cybersecurity contracting and planning meetings from the state’s open meeting requirements and exempts any document or plan for cybersecurity devices, programs or systems from public inspection;
House Bill 174, which would update the effective date of the Uniform Carriers Act from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2021, to comply with federal law;
House Bill 205, which would create new regulations for the travel insurance industry, including establishing uniform meanings of key terms and clarifying sales practices and application of Georgia’s unfair trade practice laws;
House Bill 208, which would designate the second Wednesday of February as “National Swearing-in Commitment Day” to celebrate the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, which allows young men and women to experience a sample of military life;
House Bill 246, which would increase the fee for a replacement permit or license from $5 to $10, as well as increase the cost of a limited driving permit from $25 to $32 and the replacement fee for this permit from $5 to $10;

House Bill 265, which would make several annual updates to the state’s Internal Revenue Code, such as an increase in the deductibility of medical expenses, charitable contributions and business meals, as well as clarification of the tax treatment of loan forgiveness from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

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

Eddie Lumsden

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