Feb. 23, 2024 – Issue 06

Long floor calendars and days full of committee meetings that run into the early evening can only mean that time is running out for bills to cross over from one chamber to the other in their current forms. Indeed, Crossover Day is only three legislative days away and hundreds of bills are still in play as week seven comes to a close.

Appropriations

While the Senate did agree to many of the changes the House made to the Governor’s Amended Fiscal Year 20024 budget, the body passed its version on Thurs., Feb. 22. The $37.5 billion spending bill now moves to a conference committee for differences to be worked out by the House and Senate. Appropriators continue to work on the FY 2025 budget as well.

To review the changes to the Amended FY 2024 Budget as it goes through the legislative process, click here for the Amended FY 2024 House Track Sheet (HB 915).

Certificate of Need (CON)

HB 1339 by Rules Chairman Butch Parrish

Long awaited by many in the Capitol, CON reform legislation was introduced on Feb. 20 and received its first hearing in the House Health Committee this week.

One of the most notable sections of the bill creates the “Comprehensive Health Coverage Commission,” which would advise the Governor, legislature, and the Department of Community Health (DCH) on issues related to access and quality of healthcare for Georgia's low-income and uninsured populations. DCH is the state agency that administers Georgia’s Medicaid program. The commission would be appointed by July 1, 2024, and must file its first findings by December of this year.

Other provisions of the bill include:

• Eliminates capital and equipment expenditure thresholds.
• DCH shall update the state health plan at least every five years.
• Streamline the certificate of need application process
• Increases the length of time that a closed facility can be purchased and reopened as a micro-hospital from 12 months to 24 months.
• Expand the CON exemption to allow existing hospitals to increase bed capacity by greater than ten beds or 20% every three years if the facility has maintained at least a 60% occupancy rate for the previous 12 months.
• Revises the existing CON exemptions for single-specialty and joint venture ASCs to remove the capital expenditure cap.
• Expands the CON exemption to allow healthcare facilities in urban counties to relocate within five miles of the existing facility.
• Creates four new CON exemptions: OBGYN services, acute care facilities in rural settings (provided meeting certain metrics), and behavioral health/psychiatric services.
• Increases the cap for the Rural Hospital Tax Credit from $75 million to $100 million and extends the sunset of the program to 2029.
  
  

Tax Credit Legislation

As reported previously, three measures were introduced the week of Feb. 5, and since then have all received hearings and favorable committee votes. All three measures are now eligible for selection by the Rules Committee to receive a vote on the House floor on or before Crossover Day.

• HB 1180 by Creative Arts and Entertainment Committee Chairman Kasey Carpenter
  This legislation makes changes to the current film tax credit law by increasing the minimum spend requirement for production along with other new requirements to obtain the tax credit.
• HB 1181 by Higher Education Chairman Chuck Martin
  This bill would reduce the carryforward period for dozens of tax credits and places a sunset on several of the tax credits by December 31, 2029.
• HB 1192 by Retirement Chairman John Carson
  The bill makes changes to Georgia’s data center tax exemptions currently in law.
  
  

Tort Reform Legislation

SB 426 by Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery
This legislation would reduce the use of “direct action” against insurers in commercial trucking lawsuits. It limits parameters as to when it is appropriate to directly name an insurer in a trucking lawsuit. It passed the Senate on Tuesday, February 13 and moves to the House for consideration.

HB 1114 by one of Governor Kemp’s Floor Leaders, Rep. Will Wade
This bill passed the House this week and would require the State Insurance Commissioner to request data from insurers to make findings on the impact of tort lawsuits and the assessment of tort related risks.

HB 1371 by Rep. James Burchette
The legislation seeks to clarify the liability of property owners regarding third-party criminal activity.

Additional Legislation of Interest

HB 1358 by Rep. Victor Anderson
This legislation would abolish the Atlanta-Region Transit Link "ATL" Authority and Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and transfer all the agency assets to the State Road and Tollway Authority.

SB 472 by Sen. John Albers
Amends the "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act" that passed during the 2023 legislative session and was supported under the Cobb Chamber’s legislative priorities. This is cleanup legislation needed after its first year of implementation and maintains the Cobb Chamber’s approval. It is eligible for consideration by the Senate Rules committee.

Chamber Members Under the Gold Dome

On Tues., Feb. 20, Gas South President and CEO Kevin Greiner, District 2 Board Member and Cobb EMC Board Chairman Rudy Underwood joined Sen. Clint Dixion and the Gas South legislative team at the Capitol to testify in favor of SB 422. At a second Regulated Industries meeting on Thurs., Feb. 22, SB 422, the committee chairman introduced a substitute that modifies the percent limitations an EMC may make and maintain its gas affiliate by increasing the percentage from 15% to 25% as well as adding disclosure criteria to the members of an EMC. The bill passed out of committee is now eligible for consideration by the Senate Rules Committee.

Next Week at the Capitol

Mon., Feb. 26 – Legislative Day 26
Tues., Feb. 27 – Legislative Day 27
Wed., Feb. 28 – Committee Workday
Thurs., Feb. 29 – Crossover Day - Legislative Day 28
Fri., March 1 – Recess Day

Election FYIs

Polls are open for three weeks of in-person early voting leading up to the presidential primary, which will be held on March 12. Voters can check their registration status and view sample ballots through the state’s My Voter Page at mvp.sos.ga.gov.

Qualifying for the 2024 federal and state elections opens in one week - Mon., March 4 – 8 for the 2024 primary and general election cycle.

If you have any questions about the Cobb Chamber Government Affairs Committee, the Cobb Chamber legislative priorities or legislative advocacy in general, please reach out to Amanda Seals, Executive Vice President of Advocacy and Government Relations.