On Tuesday, March 15th, the General Assembly met for the 28th legislative day, also known as “Crossover Day.” This is the final day for bills to pass out of the chamber in which they were introduced, or they are generally considered dead for the session. Below are some of the bills MAC’s Public Policy team has worked on or tracked this session and their status as of Crossover Day.
On Tuesday, March 15th, the General Assembly met for the 28th legislative day, also known as “Crossover Day.” This is the final day for bills to pass out of the chamber in which they were introduced, or they are generally considered dead for the session.
Below are some of the bills MAC’s Public Policy team has worked on or tracked this session and their status as of Crossover Day.
BUSINESS CLIMATE
SB 142/SR 135 (Sen. Jeff Mullis) – if approved by voter referendum, this constitutional amendment and accompanying enabling legislation would legalize online mobile sports betting with revenue being directed to HOPE and needs-based aid. CROSSED OVER
SB 319 (Sen. Jason Anavitarte) – allows a lawful weapons carrier to carry a firearm without applying for a weapons carry license. Private property owners or persons in legal control of private property would maintain their right to exclude or eject a person in possession of a weapon. CROSSED OVER
SB 331 (Sen. John Albers) – prevents local governments from interfering with employee scheduling and regulating employee output. CROSSED OVER
SB 332 (Sen. John Albers) – provides tools to crack down on organized retail crime and protects consumers who have unknowingly purchased stolen or counterfeit products from an online marketplace. CROSSED OVER
SB 346 (Sen. Jeff Mullis) – prohibits companies owned or operated by the Chinese government from bidding on or submitting proposals for state contracts. CROSSED OVER
SB 359 (Sen. John Albers) – addresses several public safety concerns including gangs, repeat offenders, and possession of weapons by convicted felons. CROSSED OVER
SB 364 (Sen. Blake Tillery) – provides for class action lawsuits and damages against certain persons for violating provisions relating to telephone solicitations. CROSSED OVER
SB 393 (Sen. Greg Dolezal) – prevents social media companies from deplatforming accounts and allows for a private right of action against social media companies. CROSSED OVER
SB 394 (Sen. Greg Dolezal) – creates new restrictions on the collection and use of Georgia residents’ personal information. DID NOT CROSS
SB 398 (Sen. Ben Watson) – permits direct sales of vehicles by automobile manufacturers. DID NOT CROSS
SB 435 (Sen. Marty Harbin) – requires that student participation on a sports team be decided by the biological gender listed on a child’s birth certificate in public schools, and private schools when competing against public schools. CROSSED OVER
SB 597 (Sen. Bruce Thompson) – creates a certification process for minority-owned and women-owned businesses seeking a state contract or subcontract. DID NOT CROSS
HB 276 (Rep. Philip Singleton) – prevents transgender girls from playing on an all-girls team in public high schools, and private high schools competing against public high schools, as well as college sports. DID NOT CROSS
HB 372 (Rep. Rick Jasperse) – prevents transgender girls from playing on an all-girls team in public high schools and creates a panel of physicians to examine the genetic makeup of transgender girls who petition for the right to participate in sports. DID NOT CROSS
HB 389 (Rep. Todd Jones) – establishes new criteria for determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor. CROSSED OVER
HB 401 (Rep. Ginny Ehrhart) – makes it a felony for doctors to administer treatment or a medical procedure to a minor undergoing gender transition. DID NOT CROSS
HB 910 (Rep. David Ralston) – amends the FY 2022 budget to provide for $1.6 billion in state income tax refunds to taxpayers. CROSSED OVER
HB 911 (Rep. David Ralston) – includes $500,000 in the FY 2023 budget for public safety costs associated with hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. CROSSED OVER
HB 923 (Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver) – caps the per diem allowance for development authority directors. CROSSED OVER
HB 961 (Rep. Chuck Efstration) – authorizes apportionment of damages in single-defendant lawsuits and provides for evidence of fault of non-parties. CROSSED OVER
HB 1152 (Rep. Meisha Mainor) – requires merchants to accept cash payments for purchases. DID NOT CROSS
HB 1176 (Rep. Clay Pirkle) – requires certain manufacturers to make information and tools available to consumers to repair their machinery and electronics. DID NOT CROSS
HB 1358 (Rep. Mandi Ballinger) – allows a lawful weapons carrier to carry a firearm without applying for a weapons carry license. Private property owners or persons in legal control of private property would maintain their right to exclude or eject a person in possession of a weapon. CROSSED OVER
HB 1389 (Rep. Teri Anulewicz) – creates a private right of action for workplace harassment, including sexual harassment, and related retaliation. DID NOT CROSS
HB 1467 (Rep. Steven Sainz) – creates a certification process for minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and rural businesses seeking state contracts or subcontracts; permits the Department of Administrative Services to conduct a statewide disparity study. DID NOT CROSS
BUCKHEAD CITY/PUBLIC SAFETY
SB 257 (Sen. Tonya Anderson) – clarifies the record restriction provisions in Georgia’s Second Chances law. CROSSED OVER
SB 324 (Sen. Brandon Beach) – creates the City of Buckhead City. DID NOT CROSS
SB 361 (Sen. Larry Walker) –creates a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for certain contributions made by individual taxpayers or corporations to local law enforcement foundations. CROSSED OVER
SB 403 (Sen. Ben Watson) – creates a statewide framework for co-responders to accompany law enforcement officers for mental health calls for service. CROSSED OVER
SB 408 (Sen. Bruce Thompson) – waives the driver’s license reinstatement fee for suspensions due to failure to appear for non-moving traffic violations. DID NOT CROSS
SB 441 (Sen. Bo Hatchett) – streamlines the submission and sharing of criminal records in Georgia. CROSSED OVER
SB 497 (Sen. Jeff Mullis) – addresses the collection of hotel/motel fees in the event the community of Buckhead is de-annexed from Atlanta. DID NOT CROSS
SB 520 (Sen. Jeff Mullis) – addresses the education of public school students in the event the community of Buckhead is de-annexed from Atlanta. DID NOT CROSS
SB 521 (Sen. Jeff Mullis) – provides for the transfer of services and public property in the event the community of Buckhead is de-annexed from Atlanta. DID NOT CROSS
SB 617 (Sen. Jeff Mullis) – addresses the education of public school students in the event the community of Buckhead is de-annexed from Atlanta. DID NOT CROSS
SB 618 (Sen. Jeff Mullis) – creates the City of Buckhead City. DID NOT CROSS
HB 854 (Rep. Todd Jones) – creates the City of Buckhead City. DID NOT CROSS
HB 1013 (Rep. David Ralston) – overhauls Georgia's mental health system to improve access to mental health services and increase funding for mental health and substance abuse services. CROSSED OVER
HB 1134 (Rep. Chuck Efstration) – grants the Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute gang-related crimes. CROSSED OVER
EDUCATION & WORKFORCE
SB 226 (Sen. Jason Anavitarte) – requires local boards of education to adopt a complaint resolution process for parents or permanent guardians alleging that harmful materials have been provided or are currently available to minors or students. CROSSED OVER
SB 231 (Sen. Jason Anavitarte) – creates a pilot program to allow certain adults to enroll in charter schools that provide instruction only for individuals between ages 21 and 35 residing in this state who have not attained a high school diploma. CROSSED OVER
SB 353 (Sen. Bruce Thompson) – permits the reinstatement of a suspended driver’s license and waiver of the license restoration fee when an individual fails to appear in court for a uniform traffic citation. CROSSED OVER
SB 375 (Sen. Jeff Mullis) – requires state agencies and certain local government entities to take measures to prevent the use of curricula or training programs which act upon, promote, or encourage divisive concepts. DID NOT CROSS
SB 377 (Sen. Bo Hatchett) – requires state agencies and local school systems to take measures to prevent the use of curricula or training programs which act upon, promote, or encourage divisive concepts. CROSSED OVER
SB 379 (Sen. Brian Strickland) – provides for the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to establish a program to promote the creation and expansion of registered apprenticeship programs. CROSSED OVER
SB 480 (Sen. Jason Anavitarte) – provides for a statement of rights of parents of children who are or may be eligible for special education. DID NOT CROSS
SB 613 (Sen. Carden Summers) – restricts any discussion within classrooms relating to sexual orientation or gender identity in private and non-public schools. DID NOT CROSS
HB 330 (Rep. Bill Werkheiser) – provides for the waiver of driver’s license reinstatement and restoration fees for certain persons. DID NOT CROSS
HB 888 (Rep. Brad Thomas) – prohibits state agencies and other personnel from compelling any individual to promote concepts in violation of certain federal and state anti-discrimination laws. DID NOT CROSS
HB 910 (Rep. David Ralston) – amends the FY 2022 budget to include $5,000 pay raises for university and state agency employees, a $2,000 bonus for teachers, and restores $383 million to the state’s K-12 funding formula. CROSSED OVER
HB 911 (Rep. David Ralston) – sets the FY 2023 budget to include a $2,000 pay raise for teachers, and eliminates special institutional fees for University System of Georgia schools. CROSSED OVER
HB 1043 (Rep. Rick Jasperse) – creates the Georgia Endowment for Teaching Professionals to foster a public-private partnership for support of postsecondary teaching professionals in high-demand courses, subjects, and disciplines. CROSSED OVER
HB 1084 (Rep. Will Wade) – prevents the use of and reliance upon curricula or training programs which act upon, promote, or encourage divisive concepts. CROSSED OVER
HB 1217 (Rep. Chris Erwin) – provides for the inclusion of methods for the promotion of safe and appropriate uses of technology and responsible digital citizenship in the comprehensive character education program. CROSSED OVER
HB 1435 (Rep. Chuck Martin) – establishes needs-based aid eligibility for students with a financial gap. CROSSED OVER
HB 1530 (Rep. Yasmin Neal) – establishes a small business incubator program within the Technical College System to help students establish businesses and provide seed funding using Georgia Lottery proceeds. DID NOT CROSS
HR 581 (Rep. Yasmin Neal) – allows for a constitutional amendment referendum to expand the use of Georgia Lottery funds in the implementation of HB 1530, the small business incubator program. DID NOT CROSS
NATURAL RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABILITY
SB 516 (Sen. Randy Robertson) – dedicates 10 percent of the Solid Waste Trust Fund to create grants for the recycling of scrap tires. CROSSED OVER
HB 893 (Rep. Randy Nix) – extends the sunset on hazardous waste management fees to 2027. CROSSED OVER
HB 911 (Speaker David Ralston) – sets the FY 2023 budget to include funding for the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. CROSSED OVER
HR 579 (Rep. Don Parsons) – creates the Georgia Commission on Sustainability and Economic Opportunity. DID NOT CROSS
TAX
SB 361 (Sen. Larry Walker) – creates a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for certain contributions made by individual taxpayers or corporations to local law enforcement foundations. CROSSED OVER
HB 304 (Rep. Lauren McDonald) – suspends the collection of the state motor fuel excise tax until June 1, 2022. CROSSED OVER
HB 594 (Rep. Kasey Carpenter) – creates a new tax on the transactions of digital goods and services. DID NOT CROSS
HB 1034 (Rep. Marcus Wiedower) – extends the sales tax exemption on tickets for major nonrecurring sporting events to 2031 and includes the FIFA World Cup as a major sporting event. CROSSED OVER
HB 1053 (Rep. Ron Stephens) – extends the Georgia entertainment post-production tax credit program to 2028. CROSSED OVER
HB 1058 (Rep. Bruce Williamson) – allows a group of affiliated corporations to elect to file consolidated corporate income tax returns. Currently, affiliated corporations may file post-apportionment nexus consolidated returns only upon approval from the Georgia Department of Revenue. CROSSED OVER
HB 1187 (Rep. Noel Williams) – extends the sales tax exemption for high-tech computer equipment for data centers to 2033. CROSSED OVER
HB 1223 (Rep. Chuck Martin) – extends the sales tax exemption for high-tech computer equipment by six months. CROSSED OVER
HB 1291 (Rep. Vance Smith) – modernizes the sales tax exemption for high-tech computer equipment hardware. CROSSED OVER
HB 1302 (Rep. Josh Bonner) – provides a one-time $1.6 billion tax credit to individual taxpayers. CROSSED OVER
HB 1330 (Rep. Calvin Smyre) – lowers the tax credit spending threshold for productions of musical and theatrical performances. CROSSED OVER
HB 1437 (Rep. Shaw Blackmon) – lowers the state’s income tax rate of 5.75% to 5.25% for individuals and increases the standard deduction for single filers from $2,700 to $12,000, and for married couples filing jointly from $7,400 to $24,000. CROSSED OVER
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
SB 421 (Sen. Chuck Hufstetler) – changes the way public utilities can finance capital costs through the rate base. DID NOT CROSS
SB 492 (Sen. Jeff Mullis) – allows for the retail resale of electricity for the charging of electric vehicles and creates a framework to encourage private investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. DID NOT CROSS
SB 535 (Sen. Carden Summers) – criminalizes homelessness and caps spending of state funds on homeless shelter construction. DID NOT CROSS
SR 463 (Sen. Steve Gooch) – creates the Joint Study Committee on the Electrification of Transportation. CROSSED OVER
HB 1009 (Rep. Todd Jones) – would allow automated devices to deliver packages to homes in Georgia. CROSSED OVER
HB 1133 (Rep. Mike Cheokas) – allows for the retail resale of electricity for the charging of electric vehicles and creates a framework to encourage private investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. DID NOT CROSS
HB 1322 (Rep. Alan Powell) – allows for the retail resale of electricity for the charging of electric vehicles and creates a framework to encourage private investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. DID NOT CROSS
