This Week in the Senate: Final Week of the 2020 Legislative Session

This Week in the Senate | June 22 – 26, 2020: Sine Die  

On Friday, June 26, the Senate adjourned what will likely go down in history as the longest legislative session on record. While the session included a nearly three-month hiatus due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the General Assembly continued to be efficient and passed a number of important bills and resolutions. Our priorities over the last two weeks of the session, however, were focused squarely on two high-profile pieces of legislation: House Bill 793 and House Bill 426.

Over the last two weeks, the budget for the 2021 fiscal year (FY21) represented the top priority, as passing a balanced budget is a requirement of the General Assembly under the Georgia Constitution. Back in March, the House passed their version of the FY20 budget and sent it over to the Senate for consideration. However, just a few days later, the General Assembly entered into a pause in the session as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Due to the enhanced safety protocols required of our businesses, sales tax revenue dropped considerably and the income tax filing deadline was pushed back to July 15. These and other factors contributed to a much lower revenue estimate than what was originally projected, meaning that the Senate essentially had to re-write the budget from scratch. The final version that the Senate passed (and the House agreed to) last week does include some significant cuts, albeit not quite as painful as we originally feared. This budget contains no furlough days for state employees, adds $15 million to the rural hospital stabilization fund, and includes funds for extended post-partum care for new mothers. Even in some of the areas where more drastic reductions in state funds were necessary, we were able to backfill those programs through federal funds made available through the CARES Act and through reallocating resources from the state’s “Rainy Day” reserve fund. While not the budget we were originally hoping to pass, this budget is a fiscally responsible package that will see Georgia through the current crisis without sacrificing Georgia’s most necessary programs and services.

Last Friday was also a historic day as lawmakers gathered to watch Gov. Brian Kemp sign House Bill 426 – Georgia’s new hate crimes statute – into law. This bill was a collaborative, bipartisan effort that has been years in the making. After recent events that have led to a national outcry over enhancing penalties for those who commit hate crimes, the General Assembly acted expeditiously to pass a bill that provided protections for victims who were selected for actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability or physical disability. I was proud to support this measure and recognize that our state still has a long way to go towards ensuring fair and equal justice for everyone under the law. However, this bill represents an important step forward and I am proud of my colleagues in the Senate and the House for working together to craft a strong piece of legislation that protects victims of hate crimes and provides stricter penalties for those who commit them.

It is hard to believe that it is already almost July and the 2021 legislative session is only six short months away. In the lead up to next year, your lawmakers will continue to study
some of the most pressing issues facing Georgians and study possible remedies we can introduce as legislation. Due to the unusual session we just completed, many legislative priorities never quite made it to the finish line and will likely be reintroduced next year as well. If there is any issue of particular concern to you, please do not hesitate to reach out
to my office. Even though the session is completed, I am still your state senator and am
here to serve you.

~Senator Brian Strickland

District 17, Georgia Senate

MONDAY, JUNE 22

Increasing Death Benefits Payable Under the Georgia Firefighters’ Pension Fund
Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry) carried House Bill 195, which would increase the amount of death benefits payable to beneficiaries under the Georgia Firefighters’ Pension Fund to $10,000. HB 195 passed with a vote of 48 to 0.  – HB 195

The “Georgia Broadband Opportunity Act”
House Bill 244, carried by Sen. John F. Kennedy (R – Macon), would require Electric Membership Corporations to comply with rates, fees, terms, conditions and specifications for pole attachment requirements by communications service providers. Additionally, this legislation would provide for Public Service Commission oversight. HB244 passed with a vote of 31 to 22.  – HB 244

The “Robert Argo Disaster Volunteer Relief Act”
Sen. Bill Cowsert (R – Athens) carried House Bill 487, which would expand the state’s Disaster Volunteer Relief Act to include any state employee who is a certified disaster service volunteer of the Civil Air Patrol, under certain conditions. HB 487 passed with a vote of 51 to 0.  – HB 487

Updating Distribution Priorities for Certain Fees
House Bill 576, carried by Sen. Burt Jones (R – Jackson), would make changes to how partial payments of fines, bond forfeitures, surcharges and other fees are distributed and received by a superior court. HB 576 passed with a vote of 53 to 0.  – HB 576

Amending TAVT Local Distribution Percentages
Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R – Rome) carried House Bill 779, which would revise the amount of distribution percentages for title ad valorem tax proceeds collected in incorporated areas of a county. These percentages would differ depending on if the municipality does or does not have an independent school district. HB 779 passed with
a vote of 50 to 0.  – HB 779

The “Surprise Billing Transparency Act”
House Bill 789, carried by Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R – Rome), would require insurance companies to publicly display health benefit plan surprise bill ratings for in-network hospitals. The bill would also allow the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance to establish regulations on these surprise bill rating requirements. HB 789 passed with a vote of 49 to 1.  – HB 789

Allowing Additional Prescription Drugs During Emergencies
Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R – Marietta) carried House Bill 791, which would require insurance companies to cover prescription drugs for their subscribers during times of a declared emergency or areas under a hurricane warning. House Bill 791 passed with a vote of 48 to 0.  – HB 791

Removing License Restrictions For Certain Offenses
House Bill 799, carried by Sen. John Albers (R – Roswell), would remove current prohibitions on a person’s ability to obtain a temporary driving permit or have their license reinstated after being convicted for a driving under the influence offense. HB 799 passed with a vote of 44 to 3.  – HB 799

Updating Georgia’s Hemp Farming Laws
Sen. Tyler Harper (R – Ocilla) carried House Bill 847, which would make alterations to Georgia’s licensing procedures for hemp farming and expand the eligibility requirements for universities participating in research related to the industry. HB 847 passed by a vote of 34 to 13.  – HB 847

Providing Additional Options for the Disposal of Surplus Property
House Bill 848, carried by Sen. Tyler Harper (R – Ocilla), would provide the Department of Administrative Services with further options concerning the disposal of surplus property. HB 848 passed by a vote of 44 to 3.  –HB 848

Updating Code on Wills and Trusts
Sen. Jesse Stone (R – Waynesboro) carried House Bill 865, which would make various changes across multiple Titles of Georgia Code relating to wills, trusts and estates. HB 865 passed with a vote of 50 to 0.  – HB 865

Staggering the Terms for Georgia’s Seed Development Commission
House Bill 894, carried by Sen. Tyler Harper (R – Ocilla), would stagger the terms for members of Georgia’s Seed Development Commission. HB 894 passed by a vote of 46 to 1. – HB 894

Updating the Statewide Notification System for Timber Harvesting
Sen. Tyler Harper (R – Ocilla) carried House Bill 897, which would require the State Forestry Commission to construct a website that provides a statewide notification system for people or organizations harvesting timber. HB 897 passed by a vote of 48 to 0.  – HB 897

Expanding the Definition of War Veteran
House Bill 907, carried by Sen. William Ligon (R – Brunswick), would expand the eligibility for veterans qualified to reside in the Georgia State War Veterans’ Home to include war veterans who have served during a period starting on January 1, 1947 and ending on June 26, 1950. HB 907 passed with a vote of 48 to 0. – HB 907

Allowing Caregivers To Arrange Babysitting for Foster Children
Sen. Brian Strickland (R – McDonough) carried House Bill 912, which would allow caregivers to arrange for short term babysitting of a child in foster care. HB 912 would also authorize the Department of Human Services to contract with child-placing agencies for certain casework services and to require different levels of training for
foster parents. HB 912 passed with a vote of 49 to 0. – HB 912

Revising Regulations for Pharmacy Benefit Managers
House Bill 946, carried by Sen. Dean Burke (R – Bainbridge), would revise the regulatory framework of pharmacy benefit managers through increased filing and licensing fees, the prohibition of steering, as well as the requirement for certain reporting and national drug acquisition costs. Similarly, HB 946 would provide the Insurance Commission the authority to enforce such regulations. HB 946 passed with a vote of 49 to 0. – HB 946

Allowing Dependents to Claim Indemnification Benefits
Sen. Tyler Harper (R – Ocilla) carried House Bill 1017, which would allow indemnification benefits of a public safety officer who suffers a brain injury in the line of duty to be paid to their legal guardian. It would also allow death benefits of a public safety officer, who dies in the line of duty, to be paid to a dependent child, as long as the child is between 18 and 24 and attends a postsecondary institution. HB 1017 passed with a vote of 50 to 0. – HB 1017

Expanding Membership in the Georgia Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association
House Bill 1050, carried by Sen. Marty Harbin (R – Tyrone), would add health care corporations and health maintenance organizations under the membership terms for the Georgia Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association, while also providing for the terms of coverage and the Association’s duties. HB 1050 passed with a
vote of 48 to 1. – HB 1050

TUESDAY, JUNE 23

The “Georgia Pandemic Business Protection Act”
Sen. John F. Kennedy (R – Macon) carried House Bill 167, which would provide healthcare facilities, providers and workers limited liability immunity for the transmission of, contraction of, or exposure to COVID-19, unless it is due to gross negligence, willful and wanton misconduct, or intentional infliction of harm. HB 167 passed with
a vote of 31 to 19. – HB 167

The “Georgia Peer-to-Peer Car-Sharing Program Act”
House Bill 337, carried by Sen. John Kennedy (R – Macon), would require that peer-to-peer car-sharing programs assume liability over the owner for bodily injury or property damage to a third party during the car-sharing period. HB 337 passed with a vote of 41 to 7. – HB 337

Establishing a Hate Crimes Statute
Sen. Bill Cowsert (R – Athens) carried House Bill 426 which would enact a hate crime penalty statute. Specifically, HB 426 states that if it is determined that, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a victim of a crime was selected because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability or physical disability, the judge will impose a punishment of between 6 and 12 months imprisonment and a fine of no more than $5,000 if the offense was classified as a designated misdemeanor. If the offense was a felony, the sentence ordered will be up to two years imprisonment and a fine of up to $5,000. HB 426 would also establish certain reporting requirements. HB 426 passed with a vote of 47 to 6. – HB 426

Defining How Suspended Licenses May Be Sent
Sen. John Albers (R – Roswell) carried House Bill 463 which would define how a notice of a suspended license can be sent, specify that Georgia enter into commercial license reciprocity agreements with foreign political subdivisions and outline the framework for issuing electronic driver’s licenses. HB 463 passed with a vote of 34 to 15. – HB 463

Amending the Georgia Motor Carrier Act of 2012
House Bill 758, carried by Sen. Randy Robertson (R – Cataula), would amend the Georgia Motor Carrier Act of 2012 by defining a motor carrier improvement and prohibiting the consideration of the deployment or implementation of such when evaluating the employee status of an individual. HB 758 passed with a vote of 34 to 14. – HB 758

Long-term Anchoring Regulations
House Bill 833, carried by Sen. William Ligon (R – Brunswick), would allow the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to create regulations related to long-term anchoring in Georgia’s rivers, and would remove existing portions of current law requiring vessels to maintain certain records on pump-out facilities used to expel sewage. House Bill 833 passed with a vote of 48 to 1. – HB 833

Bias Motivated Intimidation
Sen. Randy Robertson (R – Cataula) carried House Bill 838, which would specify that anyone who maliciously and with intent intimidates, harasses or terrorizes another individual because of their status as a first responder would commit the new crime of bias-motivated intimidation. The bill establishes that anyone found guilty of this offense would be sentenced to imprisonment of one to five years, a fine of up to $5,000 or both. HB 838 passed with a vote of 33 to 20. – HB 838

Allowing For Alcohol Delivery
House Bill 879, carried by Sen. Bill Cowsert (R – Athens), would allow for home delivery of beer and wine from grocery and convenience stores, as well as from alcohol delivery apps. HB 879 passed with a vote of 42 to 9. – HB 879

Reporting Child Abuse
House Bill 993, carried by Sen. Jesse Stone (R – Waynesboro), would require that the state registrar provide certain documents related to child abuse or neglect to the Department of Family and Child Services (DFCS) and instruct DFCS to work with the Department of Public Health to create policies on how to send these records. HB 993 passed
with a vote of 52 to 0. – HB 993

Removing Georgia’s State-wide Business Court From Court of Appeals
Sen. Jesse Stone (R – Waynesboro) carried HB 1003, which would remove the Georgia State-wide Business Court from under the administration of the Court of Appeals. HB 1003 passed with a vote of 48 to 0. – HB 1003

Revising The Definition of Residential Industrialized Building
House Bill 1008, carried by Sen. Lee Anderson (R – Govetown), would revise the definition of ‘residential industrialized building’ to provide that the structure can contain permanent metal chassis. HB 1008 passed with a vote of 45 to 5. – HB 1008

Establishing the Agricultural Commodity Commission for Wine and Grapes
Sen. Lee Anderson (R – Grovetown) carried House Bill 1093 which would establish the Agricultural Commodity Commission for Wine and Grapes. HB 1093 passed by a vote of 47 to 2. – HB 1093

Reducing Salaries for Members of the General Assembly
House Bill 1094, carried by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R – Chickamauga), would reduce the annual salaries for each member of the Georgia General Assembly and the Lieutenant Governor by 11% and 14%, respectively, for the 2020 – 2021 fiscal year. HB 1094 passed with a vote of 43 to 3. – HB 1094

Updating Georgia’s Statewide Strategic Transportation Plan
Sen. Brandon Beach (R – Alpharetta) carried House Bill 1098, which would specify that the Director of Planning should prepare Georgia’s Statewide Strategic Transportation Plan and how the plan should be reported to the Governor. HB 1098 passed with a vote of 51 to 0. – HB 1098

Naming Jack Hill State Park
House Resolution 1300, carried by Sen. Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega), would rename Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park as Jack Hill State Park, in recognition of the late Sen. Jack Hill and grant certain easements in Glynn and Murray Counties. HR 1300 passed with a vote of 52 to 0. – HR 1300

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24

Regulating Trauma Scene Cleanup Services
Sen. Tyler Harper (R – Ocilla) carried House Bill 417, which would define trauma scene as a location soiled or contaminated by biomedical waste or infectious diseases due to a homicide, suicide or decomposation of a body. Additionally, this bill requires practitioners to be registered with the Secretary of the State and to submit a fingerprint-based background check. HB 417 passed with a vote of 43 to 7. – HB 417

Updating List of Dangerous Drugs
House Bill 759, carried by Sen. Dean Burke (R – Bainbridge), would add new substances to the definition of dangerous drug and add Solriamfetol as a Schedule IV substance. HB 759 passed with a vote of 49 to 0. – HB 759

Adding Superior Court Judges
House Bill 786, carried by Sen. Jesse Stone (R – Waynesboro), would increase the number of judges on the Cobb Circuit to 11, Flint Circuit to 4 and Ogeechee Circuit to 4. HB 786 passed with a vote of 46 to 3. – HB 786

Revising Standards for Low Speed Vehicles
Sen. William Ligon (R – Brunswick) carried House Bill 877, which would make changes to how a slow-moving vehicle is defined and allow converted motor vehicles to be issued a tag and title after passing inspection. HB 877 passed with a vote of 49 to 0. – HB 877

Changing PBM Processes
House Bill 918, carried by Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R – Rome), would make several changes to how Pharmacy Benefit Manager Pharmacies are licensed and audited, and would make changes to the Pharmacy Anti-Steeringand Transparency Act. HB 918 passed with a vote of 47 to 3. – HB 918

Creating New Guidelines For State Contracts
Sen. William Ligon (R – Brunswick) carried House Bill 953, which would add a new Code section to provide that certain terms in particular types of state contracts entered into by the Department of Administrative Services become unenforceable. HB 953 passed with a vote of 45 to 1. – HB 953

Gas Pipelines Operator Violations
House Bill 972, carried by Sen. John Albers (R – Roswell), would provide civil penalties when an operator transporting natural gas violates or fails to comply with orders of the Public Service Commission. HB 972 passed with a vote of 45 to 0. – HB 972

Updating Hunting Regulations
Sen. Tyler Harper (R – Ocilla) carried Hosue Bill 998 which would update regulations on hunting under the influence, designate the Shoal Bass as the official state riverine sport fish of Georgia and permit the use of air guns for hunting, under certain circumstances. HB 998 passed with a vote of 37 to 10. – HB 998

Reducing Required Hours For Drug Use Risk Reduction Program
Sen. John Albers (R – Roswell) carried House Bill 1020, which would reduce the required hours for the Intervention Component of DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Program from 20 hours to 16 hours. Additionally, this legislation allows driver charges with a DUI due to marijuana to be eligible for limited driving permits just as drivers charged with DUI due to alcohol. HB 1020 passed with a vote of 47 to 4. – HB 1020

Providing Additional Requirements for Service Contract Renewals
Sen. Ellis Black (R –Valdosta), carried House Bill 1039 which would require additional requirements for parties entering into an automatic service contract renewal for a period of more than 12 months. HB 1039 passed with a vote of 37 to 8. – HB 1039

Lacee’s Law
Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R – Marietta) carried House Bill 1125 which would require the Georgia Department of Public Health to create a list of factors that may lead to higher risk of developing breast cancer. Additionally, the bill would require the State Health Benefit Plan to offer breast cancer screenings to high-risk individuals age 30
and older. HB 1125 passed with a vote of 48 to 0. – HB 1125

Dedicating Roads and Bridges
House Resolution 1163, carried by Sen. Brandon Beach (R – Alpharetta), would dedicate and rename roads, bridges and intersections across Georgia. HR 1163 passed with a vote of 50 to 1. – HR 1163

THURSDAY, JUNE 25

Creation of Educators Appeal Process
House Bill 86, carried by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R – Chickamauga) would create an appeals process for teachers with a summative performance evaluation rating of “unsatisfactory” or “ineffective.”HB 86 passed with a vote of 49 to 0. – HB 86

Creating Benefit Corporations
Sen. Jesse Stone (R – Waynesboro) carried House Bill 230, which would allow a new type of corporation, called a benefit corporation, to be established in Georgia. Benefit corporations would be for-profit companies that take into consideration issues that would improve public welfare. HB 230 passed with a vote of 32 to 19. – HB 230

Expanding State Investments and Environmental Finance Authority Loans
Sen. Jeff Mullis (R – Chickamauga) carried House Bill 901, which would expand the list of investments the state treasurer may invest in to include shares of limited mutual funds. It would also as well as provide the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority with the power to make loans to local governments and non-governmental organizations for projects that protect land and water. HB 901 passed with a vote of 45 to 0. – HB 901

Restructuring the Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority

Sen. Steeve Gooch (R-Dahlondega) carried House Bill 511, which would make a number of changes to how the Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority (ATL) operates. This includes transferring the administration of the ATL to the Georgia Department of Transportation, restructuring the process of the selection of the ATL’s Board of Directors and requiring that all properties that participate in ATL transit services display the ATL logo by 2023. HB 511 passed with a vote of 48 to 1. – HB 511

Allowing Out of State Dentist to Practice

House Bill 521, carried by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R — Marietta), would permit the Georgia Board of Dentistry to provide temporary licenses for out of state dentists to provide care at certain approved charitable dental events. HB 521 passed with  vote of 52 to 0. — HB 521

Requiring Membership to the Georgia Judicial Retirement System for Judges

Sen. Ellis Black (R — Valdosta) carried House Bill 663, which would require judges employed full time to become members of the Georgia Judicial Retirement System. HB 663 passes with a vote of 50 t 0. – HB 663

Funding For Local Charter Schools

Sen. Matt Brass (R — Newnan) carried House Bill 755, which would require each local board of education to provide local charter schools with preliminary allotment sheets for the upcoming fiscal year after the local school system receives its sheet from the Georgia Department of Education. HB 755 passed with a vote of 50 to 0. – HB 755

Utilizing Opinions of Value

Sen. Bill Health (R — Bremen) carried House Bill 780, which would allow the State Properties Commission to take into account opinions of value when determining the valuation of state property, under certain circumstances. HB 780 passed with a vote of 49 to 1. – HB 780

Extending Eligibility Requirements for Veterans’ License

Sen. Ed Harbison (D — Columbus) carried House Bill 819 which would extend the eligibility requirements for veterans’ licenses to individuals who served in the military for an ally of the United Staes during a war or time of conflict. HB 819 passed with a vote of 50 to 0. – HB 819

Annual Internal Revenue Code Conformity and Tax Credits

House Bill 846, carried by Sen. Chuck Hufsteler (R — Rome), is composed of four sections. The first two would provide the annual Internal Revenue Code update, to ensure conformity for all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2019, and require the Department of Revenue to establish a direct pay reporting program for sales and use tax. The second portion of the bill would provide for qualifications for job tax credits for certain personal protective equipment manufacturers, as well as certain job or headquarters tax credit qualifications for 202 and 2021 taxpayers. HB 846 passed with a vote 46 to 3. – HB 846

Requiring State Board of Education to Assess Foster Care Student’s Exposure to Trauma
Sen. Matt Brass (R – Newnan) carried House Bill 855, which would require the State Board of Education to adopt rules and protocols to assess whether exposure to trauma has had an adverse impact on a foster care student’s educational performance, both academically and behaviorally. HB 855 passed with a vote of 49 to 0. – HB 855

Prohibiting the Use of Creosote or Naphthenate Treated Railroad Ties
House Bill 857, carried by Sen. John Wilkinson (R – Toccoa), would prohibit the Director of the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources from issuing permits for railroad ties treated with creosote or naphthenate for purposes of commercial electricity generation. HB 857 passed with a vote of 48 to 0. – HB 857

Amending Special Insurance Fraud Fund Assessments
House Bill 893, carried by Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry), would revise the timeline for when insurance companies must submit their assessments to fund the Special Insurance Fraud Fund. Under the new revisions, assessments are due on September 1 of the year of assessment. HB 893 passed with a vote of 49 to 0. – HB 893

Granting Professional Licenses to Military Spouses
Sen. Bruce Thompson (R – White), carried House Bill 914 which would authorize the issuance of certain professional licenses to military spouses licensed to practice in another state. HB 914 passed with a vote of 42 to 8. – HB 914

Revising the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act
House Bill 1037, carried by Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R – Rome), would revise the definition of “production expenditures” and “qualified production activities,” in addition to amending the process for production companies seeking tax credits. For companies seeking a credit above a certain threshold, they must submit an application and audit through the Department of Revenue, while production companies seeking an additional percentage tax credit must be commercially distributed in multiple markets within five years. HB 1037 passed with a vote of 45to 1. – HB 1037

Regulating Use of Domestic Septage
Sen. Lee Anderson (R – Grovetown) carried House Bill 1057, which would prohibit the distribution of fertilizers or selling of liming materials which contain domestic septage. HB 1057 passed with a vote of 52 to 0. – HB 1057

Revising Certain Insurance Requirements for Condominiums

House Bill 1070, carried by Sen. P.K. Martin (R – Lawrenceville), would require condominium associations and unit owners to share copies of certificates of insurance and adjuster between one another in the case of water damage or water peril claims. HB 1070 passed with a vote of 51 to 0. – HB 1070

Establishing Workplace Requirements for Expressing Breast Milk and Labor Rules
House Bill 1090, carried by Sen. Zahra Karinshak (D – Duluth), would require employers to provide a reasonable break time and location for employees that may need to express breast milk. The bill would also amend the calculation of maximum benefits payable, create a work-sharing program and provide the Insurance Commission with the authority to adopt emergency rules during a declared state-wide emergency. HB 1090 passed with a vote of 45 to 1. – HB 1090

Revising the Homestead Option Sales and Use Tax
Sen. Brian Strickland (R – McDonough) carried House Bill 1102 which would make revisions to the Homestead Option Sales and Use Tax, also known as HOST, by authorizing the replacement of the tax through a county referendum. HB 1102 passed with a vote of 30 to 20. – HB 1102

Establishing New Crimes Related to Abuse
Sen. John Albers (R – Roswell) carried House Bill 911, which would create a new offense of improper sexual contact by a foster parent and establish penalties for violations of this offense. HB 911 passed with a vote of 48 to 0. – HB 911

Specifying Time Period for Motions
Sen. Jesse Stone (R – Waynesboro) carried House Bill 984, which would specify the time period in which a defendant is required to file certain motions and provides that full credit will be given to an individual for each day spent in confinement. HB 984 passed with a vote of 45 to 0. – HB 984

Granting of Easements
House Resolution 1094, carried by Sen. Bill Heath (R – Bremen), would authorize non-exclusive easements to be granted for the construction, installation, operation and maintenance of certain facilities that reside on property owned by the state of Georgia in Barrow, Calhoun, Chatham, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Crisp, Dougherty, Douglas, McIntosh, Muscogee, Paulding, Polk and Richmond Counties. HR 1040 passed with a vote of 29 to 19. – HR 1094

Permitting the Conveyance of State Owned Property
House Resolution 1167, carried by Sen. Bill Heath (R – Bremen), would allow for the conveyance or lease of state-owned property in several counties across Georgia. HR 1167 passed with a vote of 48 to 1. – HR 1167

Recognizing Sen. Steve Henson
Sen. Gloria Butler (D – Stone Mountain) presented Senate Resolution 989, to honor retiring Sen. Steve Henson (D – Stone Mountain). Sen. Henson was first elected to the Georgia Senate in 1990 and was re-elected in 2003. He has served as the Senate Minority Leader since 2011. – SR 989

FRIDAY, JUNE 26

Repealing Certain Payment Requirements to Teachers Retirement System
House Bill 292, carried by Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry), would eliminate certain payments required to be made by the University System of Georgia to the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia. HB 292 passed with a vote of 32 to 19. – HB 292

Updating Office of Legislative Counsel Retirement Options
House Bill 664, carried by Sen. William Ligon (R – Brunswick), would require full-time employees of the Office of Legislative Counsel, who are employed on June 30, 2020 and after, to become enrolled in the Georgia Judicial Retirement System. Current employees will have the option to remain in the Employees Retirement System or to enroll in the Judicial Retirement System. HB 664 passed with a vote of 48 to 0. – HB 664

SPECIAL ORDERS

Senate Agreements
The Senate agreed to the House Substitute as amended on the following:
SB 413 (50-0)

The Senate agreed to the House Amendment to the Senate Substitute on the following:
HB 695 (47-0)

The Senate agreed to the House Substitute on the following:
SB 38 (53-0)
SB 104 (51-0)
SB 123 (39-9)
SB 211 (43-8)
SB 288 (46-0)
SB 295 (51-1)
SB 303 (51-1)
SB 313 (46-1)
SB 321 (46-5)
SB 336 (50-1)
SB 359 (34-16)
SB 367 (45-0)
SB 375 (45-8)
SB 377 (35-15)
SB 391 (52-0)
SB 393 (38-13)
SB 408 (49-1)
SB 410 (36-15)
SB 416 (43-10)
SB 442 (36-14)
SB 445 (46-0)
SB 462 (50-0)
SB 475 (48-0)
SB 482 (45-0)
SR 844 (53-0)

Conference Committee Reports
The Senate agreed to the Conference Committee Report on the following:
HB 793 (40-13) – Senators from the 19th, 30th, 49th
SB 28 (51-0) – Senators from the 12th, 9th

Senate Receded from Amendment
The Senate receded from the Senate Amendment on the following:
HB 914 (41-10)

Senate Disagreement
The Senate disagreed to the House Amendment to the Senate Substitute on the following:
HB 365

The Georgia Senate Has Adjourned
Sine Die

Distributed by the Georgia Senate Press Office on behalf of the Senate President Pro Tempore
Butch Miller.

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