March 22, 2024 – Issue 10

For those of us who spend time under the Gold Dome, early mornings and late nights become the norm and significance of the day of the week becomes a blur as the end of session nears. As we looked at the calendar, an epiphany occurred that the world is spinning madly on while we remain in our microcosm under the Gold Dome. Things such as religious holidays and Spring Break for the school systems in Cobb County have snuck up on us! Planning accordingly, we wanted to share the final publication dates of From the Capitol Steps with our dear readers.

Issue 10 – Today, Fri., March 22

Issue 11, part 1 –Thurs., March 28, late afternoon - Sine Die Preview

Social Media Blitz – Thurs., March 28, check out the Cobb Chamber Social Media Channels for a bird’s eye view of the actions going on during the final day of the session.

Issue 11, part 2 – Mon., April 8 – A recap of what passed, what died, and what might be next for our friends in the legislature.

Issue 12 – Final Edition after the Governor’s 40 days to sign or veto legislation expires.

Speaking of the Governor, make sure you sign up for the April Marquee Monday where Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp will join us for the Chairman’s Circle Reception and Marquee Monday lunch event. This will sell out, so don’t delay registering!

Things continue to heat up under the Gold Dome as the days wane and Sine Die looms on the horizon. Only two days remain for the General Assembly to pass the FY 2025 budget, along with any other bills of interest. The House will have a few committee meetings on Mon., March 25 but the Senate is done as their rules require that bills pass out of committee before the chamber convenes for Legislative Day 38, which was yesterday, March 21 at noon.

This year, when the gavels fall on Day 40, all measures die. There are likely to be a few study committees over the interim, but the main focus will be running for the 2025-2026 term as it is an election year under new maps for the 180 House and 56 Senate seats.

Last week, we mentioned that the House sent back to the Senate SB 233, which was loaded up with a variety of education measures but most notably being the creation of the $6,500 Promise Scholarship Account that parents can use to direct funds to defined education purposes for their children in low-performing schools. Proponents of the measure have been working on the versions of the voucher legislation for nine years, and as we reported at the beginning of the session, this is a priority of Governor Kemp as outlined in speeches at Eggs & Issues and his State of the State. The Senate agreed to the House changes, and it now awaits the Governor’s signature.
 

Tax Legislation

The Georgia Senate approved a measure Wednesday to lower the state's income tax to 5.39% from 5.49% with a vote of 40-12. HB 1015 heads to the Governor for final approval.

HB 1019 has been amended in the Senate to grant an even higher state’s homestead exemption. In the House version the exemption would go from $2,000 to $4,000. The Senate amendment raises it to $10,000. The bill is available for the Senate Rules Committee for consideration by the full body in the final two days of the session.

The Senate also passed HB 1023 by a 34-17 vote. The legislation matches the business tax rate to the individual income tax rate. The State estimates the savings for businesses in 2025 to range from $127 million to $175 million. This too awaits action from the Governor.
 

Tort Reform

SB 426 by Sen. Blake Tillary and a priority for Lt. Governor Bert Jones, passed the House this week and moves to the Governor for consideration. Under this “direction action’ measure, a plaintiff can include the motor carrier and the insurance provider in the same lawsuit if a motor carrier involved is "insolvent or bankrupt" or unable to serve the vehicle driver or the motor carrier.

Premise liability legislation is still in play as the Senate worked late into the night Wednesday on HB 1371 by Rep. James Burchett. After much discussion and voting on proposed amendments, the committee ultimately passed the bill with amendments to continue the legislative process. The bill is available in Senate Rules for further consideration.
 

Appropriations

The Senate Appropriations Committee met Thursday morning and passed out its version of the FY 2025 budget. While Senate rules will not bring the bill to the floor for passage until next week, the conference committee members will work over the weekend to reconcile the 27-pages of differences between the budgets developed by the Governor, House and Senate.

Items of interest in the Senate FY 2025 budget include:

• Reduction to the House increase by $600,000 for the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank (GTIB)
• $66 million in the University System of Georgia teaching program to restore formula earnings reduced in FY 2024
• 4% pay raises for most state employees
  • An additional $3,000 one-time increase for state law enforcement and correctional officers.
  • Workers in state agencies with high turnover would receive strategic raises above the 4% salary increases.
  • $2,500 raises for teachers

The fiscal 2025 budget is $1.5 billion lower the fiscal 2024 midyear spending plan lawmakers adopted late last month, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, said before Thursday’s vote, “We think hard times in Georgia may be coming,” he said. “We want to be realistic.”

As a reminder, by law this is the only piece of legislation that the Georgia General Assembly is required to pass, and the FY 2025 budget will take effect July 1.
 

Certificate of Need

Thursday, the House and Senate reached a final compromise to the Certificate of Need (CON) issue that had been studied over the interim, and a policy area of concern for our hospital and healthcare members of the Cobb Chamber.

HB 1339 by House Rules Chairman Butch Parrish remains the vehicle that was sent to the Governor for his final consideration. Some provisions of the compromise include:

• Elimination of CON requirements for capital expenditures by all types of health care facilities, regardless of the amount.
• Revises the existing CON exemptions for single-specialty ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).
• Creates eight new CON exemptions.
• Effective July 1, 2024, requires the Dept. of Community Health (DCH) to review and update the state health plan, which is the basis for CON methodologies and other regulations, every five years.
• Effective upon Governor’s signature or if the bill becomes law without signature, the DCH is directed to review the CON statutory framework and make recommendations to the Georgia General Assembly to streamline the CON statute.
• Strengthens the ability enforcement authority of DCH by increasing fines and the ability to issue monetary penalties for failure to meet the indigent and charity care requirements and to revoke an exemption for failure to meet the other requirements for the exemption.
   

Additional Legislation of Interest

HB 880 by Rep. Bethany Ballard
This legislation allows military spouses to use an existing license in good standing from another state to obtain employment in an expedited manner. Service member is defined as an active or reserve member of the armed forces, including the National Guard. Rep. Ballard agreed to the Senate amendment which provided some clarifying language, and it now heads to the Governor’s Desk for final consideration.

SB 472 by Sen. John Albers
A bill to update current state law, the INFORM Consumers Act, which passed the Georgia General Assembly in 2022. This new senate bill closes a critical loophole, and as done in 2021 and 2022. Passed the House on March 21 167-0 and moves to the Governor’s Desk for final consideration.

SB 366 by Sen. Chuck Hufstetler – "Tax Expenditures Transparency Act of 2024"
Legislation creating the Joint Committee on Taxation and Economic Development and increase the number of economic analyses on tax credits and exemptions the House and Senate can request to six and enables the Department of Audits to share an analysis preliminarily.

SB 421 by Sen. Clint Dixon
Dubbed the “Swatting Bill,” this measure increases penalties for those who make an unlawful request for emergency services assistance to a domicile under false pretenses. Several state lawmakers, including one from the Cobb Legislative Delegation, fell prey to this nationally trending scheme in December 2023. In addition, the legislation was amended to include increased penalties for drive-by shooting. Criminals could face between five and 20 years in prison.
 

Next Week at the Capitol

Mon., March 25 - Committee Work Day
Tues., March 26 – Legislative Day 39
Wed., March 27 – Recess
Thurs., March 28 – SINE DIE!
 

Day 38, Morning and Night

We promise to have better photos for you on Day 40 but one thing is for certain, the Gold Dome is beautiful no matter when you see it, day or night!
 

Secure Your Seat: Legislative Wrap-Up on April 25

Mark your calendars - after the dust settles and our lawmakers have a chance to catch their breath, join us for our annual Legislative Wrap-Up Luncheon where key policymakers will share with us what passed, what stalled, and what might be on tap after the 2024 election cycle. Speakers and program information to come. Only eight seats are left for signature and premier chamber members, so reserve yours today. This event remains a Chairman’s Circle benefit.

For an archive of previous From the Capitol Steps editions covering the 2024 Legislative Session, click here.

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.