As those of you who have followed these Updates for years (or even just for weeks) already know, hardly a season goes by when I don’t have some exotic work-related dream that could land a slightly-above-average psych grad student with a solid, irreplicable PhD in about a week and a half. I daresay, the apprehension I have regarding COVID-19 has only made matters worse. Take this week, for instance: Thursday evening, I spent in my usual posture, reading buckets of new bills (see below), trying to decide if the experience was more akin to watching “The Most Confusing Commercial Ever” , trying to read James Joyce’s Ulysses while riding a log flume (or just sitting in a chair), or having to attend law school backwards (not that I ever attended it forwards). I finished up the night with a good dose of laundry-folding as I watched the archived footage of the day’s Senate Appropriations Committee hearing. Shortly thereafter, I crawled in bed, hoping for visions of sugarplums, or at least of the bottom of the laundry basket.

Unfortunately, that was not to be. Instead, I found myself in propelled into a Budget Wonderland, complete with hundreds of eight-foot stacks of cash crammed behind the dais of Capitol Room 341. The room was teeming with all kinds of characters, from celebrities to lawmakers to the cast of Scooby Doo. They were all wearing masks made of $100 bills, with Ben Franklin, ironically, covering everyone’s mouth. Chairing the Committee was none other than Scrooge McDuck, flanked by our real committee chairmen, who were beyond distraught that such a clueless, selfish and unpleasant foul had wrenched control of the state’s budget. And much to everyone’s dismay, Chairman McDuck was having no mercy on Georgia’s agency heads. As each presented their budget, he proceeded to slam the gavel at the most inopportune moments onto a gameshow buzzer, only to startle the Commissioner, Director, or CFO (and the rest of us), causing complete disarray in the presentations.

Following each agency’s presentation, McDuck would demand its leader complete a task in order to receive their (cash) appropriations (loaded into wheelbarrows by a couple of capsule-shaped Minions). At first the tasks were not so bad: “Say ‘please’”; juggle little bags of Georgia Peanuts, or recite the contents of a “walked” Varsity Dog in a British accent. But as my so-called sleep wore on, the challenge of the tasks mounted.

First there were the handstands, then the timesteps, the Limbo, and then, painfully, the arias. Just as I was realizing that I could actually just read the budget online and escape the quacking cacophony of 341, the Chairman demanded everyone in the room push the desks back, grab a partner and jitterbug, declaring that whoever won the dance contest got all of the rest of the cash!

Holy Moly Batman! You should have seen our state leadership (and the odd guests) cut a North Georgia rug! Commissioner Toomey (DPH) and her partner Dr. Anthony Fauci were the best at first, until Director Rawlings (DFCS) swooped in with that chess-player girl from that Netflix series, The Queen’s Gambit. They stole the show until she took one of those little blue pills, causing Director Rawlings to hand her off to the excellent care of Commissioner Fitzgerald (DBHDD). Then Hank Aaron jumped in with Cecily Tyson and they somehow managed to dance around all four corners of the room, wowing lawmakers, superheroes, lobbyists, and mythological creatures alike. In the end, Hank and Cecily won all the cash, only to instruct the minions to deliver it to Georgia’s most vulnerable children and families in the form of love from the state.

I awoke with a start, not quite sure how I ended up more worn out than when I went to bed and also wondering why there was a wheelbarrow in my room.

Anyway, that was my dream. Just thought I’d share.

I’m also sharing a hunk of interesting bills summaries and some REALLY IMPORTANT action alerts below. I won’t even make you do a handstand to read them!

Enjoy.

Polly McKinney
Advocacy Director
Voices for Georgia’s Children
pmckinney@georgiavoices.org

DBHDD = Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

DCS = Department of Community Supervision

DECAL = Department of Early Care and Learning

GDEcD = Department of Economic Development

DHS = Department of Human Services (houses DFCS = Department of Family and Children Services, as well as DCSS = Division of Child Support Services)

DJJ = Department of Juvenile Justice

DOE = Department of Education

DOL = Department of Labor

DOR = Department of Revenue

DPH = Department of Public Health

GBI = Georgia Bureau of Investigation

CJCC = Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (attached to GBI)

CJCJ = Council of Juvenile Court Judges (attached to Juvenile Courts)

GDC = Georgia Department of Corrections

GOSA = Governor’s Office of Student Achievement

GSFC = Georgia Student Finance Commission

GPDC = Georgia Public Defenders Council

PAC = Prosecuting Attorneys Council

TCSG = Technical College System of Georgia

USG = University System of Georgia

HB 12 (Scott-76th) Raises the legal limit of marijuana possession from one ounce to two ounces and reduces the penalty from $1,000 to $300. The bill also eliminates the requirement for obtaining fingerprints and other identifying data on persons arrested or taken into custody for misdemeanor marijuana possession. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 13 (Scott-76th) Changes provisions regarding criminal record restrictions such that criminal history record information for convictions shall be eligible for restriction after a conviction-free period of time following the completion of a sentence, based upon the original offense, to two years if the offense is a misdemeanor or four years if the offense is a felony. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 15 (Scott-76th) Requires training on de-escalation techniques for peace officers, including nonlethal and communication tactics, the use of the lowest level of force first and re-evaluation as threat progresses, mental health and substance abuse awareness, and crisis intervention strategies. STATUS: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee

HB 16 (Scott-76th) Disallows law enforcement agencies from accepting and possessing certain combat equipment from the US Department of Defense, such as controlled firearms, grenades, explosives, controlled vehicles, unmanned aircraft that are armored or weaponized, controlled aircraft that are combat configured, silencers, or long-range acoustic devices. STATUS: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee

HB 21 (Scott-76th) Revises the offense of unlawful conduct during 9-1-1 call to include bias motivations in calling or otherwise contacting 9-1-1. The bill also provides for a cause of action against persons who knowingly causes a peace officer to arrive at a location, owing to false reporting or bias purposes. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 47 (Gilliard-162nd) Creates the Legislative Gang Prevention and Intervention Commission. The commission would submit an annual report recommending a gang prevention plan for strategic, coordinated, and collaborative efforts between educational institutions and community and social services organizations provide informational resources, strategic guidance, research, and best practices to social services and community organizations in the implementation of programs and initiatives designed to prevent and intervene in criminal gang participation by youth. STATUS: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee

HB 69 (Kendrick-93rd) Provides that certain state officers or employees shall be liable when causing the deprivation of certain rights. STATUS: House Judiciary Committee

HB 127 (Williams-145th) Requires wireless service suppliers to make location information of subscribers available to law enforcement agencies upon request. STATUS: House Energy Utilities and Telecommunications Committee

HB 133 (Mainor-56th) Amends the Victims’ Bill of Rights to ensure that a judge conducting a judicial proceeding in which a notification to the victim is required asks the prosecuting attorney at the start of the proceeding whether the victim has been notified of the proceeding. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 145 (Boddie-62nd) Changes the law regarding law enforcement officers’ use of deadly force. Requires that an officer use nondeadly force before resorting to lethal force. Specifies certain instances in which deadly force is allowed (such as to make an arrest, only when all other means of apprehension are unreasonable and other certain circumstances apply). Orders officers to give a clear verbal warning prior to use of deadly force. Prohibits the use of chokeholds by officers. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 168 (Petrea-166th) Declassifies confidential information in inmate Department of Correction files pertaining to sentencing for a serious violent felony or a dangerous sexual offense against a person less than 18 years of age when requested by the district attorney for purposes of responding to proposed actions of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. This bill will be heard in the Reeves Subcommittee this MONDAY

HB 175 (Boddie-62nd) Creates the crime of aggravated strangulation by a peace officer. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 190 (Holcomb-81st) Prevents any private corporation from operating a detention facility. STATUS: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee

HB 232 (Jackson-64th) Repeals the procedure for indictment or special presentment of a peace officer for a crime committed in the performance of his or her duties and the right to testify before a grand jury. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 233 (Beverly-143rd) Prohibits use of no-knock search warrants. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 247 (Carson-46th) Strengthens Georgia’s distracted driving law by enforcing the maximum fine and removing the ability of a person to be found not guilty if proof of purchase of a no-hands cell phone holder is shown. STATUS: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee

HB 272 (Ballinger-23rd) Raises the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include 17-year-olds. STATUS: House Juvenile Justice Committee

HB 274 (Ballinger-23rd) Provides a $6,000 salary supplement for juvenile court judges in counties that also have an accountability court and meet other criteria. STATUS: House Juvenile Justice Committee

HB 288 (Belton-112th) Allows that certain persons (who are not convicted of serious violent felonies or considered repeat offenders) who are sentenced to 21 to 75+ years in prison be eligible for consideration for parole after serving certain lengths of time (based on the length of their sentence). STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. This bill will be heard in the Reeves Subcommittee this MONDAY

HB 300 (Kennard-102nd) Defines “Law enforcement officer” and reduces the criteria for certain misdemeanor and felony criminal record restriction. STATUS: House Hopper

HB 308 (Wilson-80th) Authorizes counties to adopt ordinances governing and punishing the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana in the unincorporated areas of a county. STATUS: House Hopper

HB 313 (Park-101st) Creates a Georgia State Law Enforcement Citizen Review Council within Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Center. STATUS: House Hopper

SB 10 (Jones-10th) Makes various aspects of participating in drag racing or laying drag an offense and lays out fines and other punishments. STATUS: Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 28 (Hatchett-50th) Basically expands the resources available to juvenile courts to respond to the safety needs of children and ensures all reliable information is made available to the court in order to make decisions in a child’s best interests, including requiring an annual minimum 2 hours of training for juvenile court intake officers; to provide for the consideration of evidence, including hearsay evidence, in certain juvenile proceedings; to revising provisions pertaining to the reporting of child abuse. STATUS: Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 42 (Mullis-53rd) Excludes discipline data from any school climate rating. STATUS: Senate Education and Youth Committee.

SB 77 (Jones II-22nd) Increases the amount of marijuana possession considered a misdemeanor from 1 ounce to 2 ounces. Creates a lower-level punishment of a $300 fine for possession of one-half ounce or less. STATUS: Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 78 (Jones II-22nd) Increases the penalties for electronically transmitting or posting nude or sexually explicit photographs or videos for purposes of harassing the depicted person to a web page that is accessible to the general public. STATUS: Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 85 (Albers-56th) Increases penalties for hazing resulting serious physical or mental injury or death and establishes an obligation to render assistance. The bill also requires schools to report hazing incidents. STATUS: Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 92 (Robertson-29th) Prohibits the sale to and by minors of drug products containing dextromethorphan (a substance used to relieve coughing. STATUS: Senate Hopper

SB 101 (Parent-42nd) Allows a person to petition the court for relief regarding their involuntary hospitalization following the hospitalization. STATUS: Senate Hopper

HB 91 (Jackson-64th) Defines “cash assistance” for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), basing it on a standard of need that is equal to 50% of the federal poverty level for the applicable family size and which equates to a maximum monthly amount equal to 75% of such amount for each such family size. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 96 (Clark-108th) States that in all cases in which the custody of any child is at issue between the parents, there shall be a presumption, rebuttable by clear and convincing evidence to the contrary, that a child’s interests are best served by equal or approximately equal parenting time with each parent. Alternative forms of custody may be considered by the judge at either a temporary or permanent hearing in the event that there is a finding that clear and convincing evidence exists that either parent is not fit, willing, or able to participate in such an arrangement. STATUS: House Juvenile Justice Committee

HB 109 (Clark-147th) Extends the statute of limitations to bring a civil suit for recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse and provides for retroactive claims for childhood sexual abuse under certain circumstances. STATUS: House Judiciary Committee. This bill will be heard in the Gunter Subcommittee this MONDAY

HB 114 (Reeves-34th) Changes the adoption tax credit from $2,000.00 to $6,000.00 per qualified foster child per taxable year (commencing with the year in which the adoption becomes final) for five taxable years and $2,000.00 per taxable year thereafter until the child turns 18. STATUS: House Ways and Means Committee

HB 125 (Williams-145th) Directs the GBI to create and maintain a missing persons DNA database so law enforcement officers have the ability to identify or to link unidentified human remains or missing person cases. The bill also requires every law enforcement agency to notify the GBI of any missing person case and requires the GBI director to establish rules and regulations to ask the missing person’s family member(s) to submit personal articles belonging to the missing person or to submit the DNA of one or more family members for use in determining a DNA profile of the missing person. STATUS: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee

HB 126 (Williams-145th) Establishes a timeframe and criteria for collecting DNA specimens for the missing persons DNA database outlined in HB 125. STATUS: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee

HB 131 (Mainor-56th) Clarifies that stalking and aggravated stalking can be committed both directly and indirectly, provides that each violation of stalking and aggravated stalking constitutes a separate offense and shall not merge with any other offense; and requires more detail and oversight of police reporting of incidents of family violence. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 154 (Reeves-34th) Lowers the age at which an individual may petition the court to adopt a child from age 25 to 21 (making it easier for close relatives to adopt children out of foster care). The bill also streamlines procedures to improve efficiency with changes to venue, authorization for virtual appearances in uncontested hearings, clarification of service and notice requirements, and imposition of timelines on court-appointed investigators and increases protections for prospective adoptive parents and biological parents by prohibiting conduct that intentionally misrepresents or exploits parties to an adoption. STATUS: House Juvenile Justice Committee

HB 177 (Bonner-72nd) Creates a civil cause of action to recover damages (and attorney’s fees as a way to help finance the cases) for victims of human trafficking against their traffickers and those who profited from their trafficking. It also gives the Attorney General the ability to pursue a cause of action on behalf of the state. If a victim was trafficked as a minor, that person is permitted 10 years from their 18th birthday to bring a case. STATUS: House Judiciary Committee

HB 178 (Bonner-72nd) Allows victims of human trafficking to petition for name change under seal. STATUS: House Judiciary Committee

HB 192 (Sainz-180th) Changes the name of the of the Sexual Offender Registration Review Board to the Sexual Offender Risk Review Board and revises electronic monitoring conditions. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 194 (Sainz-180th) States that a minimum of a one-year term of probation shall follow imprisonment for persons convicted of a sexual offense; that for certain felonies probation shall be for life; that probation for sexual offenses requires such persons to wear a location tracking device; that a person who is on probation for life can submit a petition to terminate probation after ten years of meeting certain requirements and that the court shall take whatever action is in the best interest of “justice and the welfare of society”. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 200 (Powell-32nd) Requires the issuance of a Class C driver’s license to operators of three-wheeled motor vehicles with seatbelts and a frame to partially or fully enclose the operator and exempts operators of such vehicles from headgear and eye-protective device requirements. STATUS: House Motor Vehicles Committee

HB 202 (Hitchens-161st) Increases the penalty for violation of traffic laws or ordinances under “Joshua’s Law” from 1.5% of the original fine to 5% and removes the sunset provision. STATUS: House Motor Vehicles Committee

HB 216 (Efstration-104th) Equitable Caregiver Act by improving the form so that it reflects the substantive findings and standards and makes the status less permanent by allowing a court to remove custody from the equitable caregiver upon a showing that the predicate harm no longer exists. STATUS: House Juvenile Justice Committee

HB 231 (Gaines-117th) Expands the applicability of protective orders involving victims of stalking by revising the definition of family violence to include certain acts between persons through whom a past or present pregnancy has developed or persons in a past or present dating relationship. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. This bill will be heard in the Reeves Subcommittee this MONDAY

HB 236 (Neal-74th) Provides for 60 days of additional monitoring of the victim (if the victim so chooses) by local law enforcement after the granting of a temporary protective order. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 258 (Sainz-180th) Provides that consent of the victim shall not be a defense to a prosecution for sodomy, aggravated sodomy, child molestation, aggravated child molestation, sexual battery, and aggravated sexual battery when a victim is under the age of 16. STATUS: House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 322 (Wiedower-119th) Revises the definition of “sexual exploitation” within the Juvenile Code to conform with last year’s bill to decriminalize prostitution as it relates to minors. STATUS: House Hopper

HB 323 (Wiedower-119th) Adds the following to the list of forms of parental abandonment of a child, which means DFCS would not make reunification efforts for the parent and child: prenatal abuse (“other than which has been medically prescribed to the birthing parent”) and a history of chronic substance abuse and “reasonable grounds” that the substance abuse will continue. Defines chronic abuse. States that the court should presume that DFCS should not make reunification efforts if the court finds that the parent has committed certain acts, such as abandonment, murder, felony assault, child molestation, and others. STATUS: House Hopper

HB 324 (Wiedower-119th) Allows interested parties (includes physicians, counselors, psychologists, teachers, court appointed special advocates, a child’s attorney, and caregivers, including, but not limited to, relatives of a child and foster parents of a child) to intervene and participate in dependency proceedings under certain circumstances by filing a motion for order to show cause. STATUS: House Hopper

SB 20 (Payne-54th) Adds one current or former foster parent (appointed by the Governor), one former foster child who turned 18 or graduated from high school while still in the Georgia foster care system (appointed by the Lieutenant Governor), and one individual who has served for at least three years as a court appointed special advocate (CASA) (appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives) to the Child Advocate Advisory Committee in the Office of the Child Advocate. STATUS: PASSED SENATE. Awaits committee assignment in the House

SB 33 (Dixon-45th) Provides a cause of action against perpetrators for victims of human trafficking and a cause of action against certain perpetrators of human trafficking by the Attorney General on behalf of the state. STATUS: Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 54 (Harbison-15th) Allows judicial discretion in determining the right of a surviving parent to custody of a child when the surviving parent is criminally charged with the murder or voluntary manslaughter of the other parent. STATUS: Senate Hopper

SB 55 (Butler-55th) Creates the Family Medical Leave Fund program to compensate in part for the wage loss sustained by any individual who is unable to work due to such individual’s own sickness or injury, the sickness or injury of a family member, or the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a new child. STATUS: Senate Insurance and Labor Committee

SB 75 (Jackson-41st) Allows a documented victim of stalking to terminate his or her residential rental or lease agreement for real estate effective 30 days after providing the landlord with a written notice. STATUS: Senate Judiciary Committee

SR 42 (Butler-55th) Constitutional Amendment – authorizes the Family Medical Leave Fund program (SB 55 is the enabling legislation for this CA). STATUS: Senate Insurance and Labor Committee

HB 115 (Wilensky-79th) Prohibits health insurers and insurers of life or long-term care insurance from using information derived from genetic testing for any nontherapeutic purpose in the absence of a diagnosis of a condition related to such information. STATUS: House Insurance Committee

HB 128 (Williams-145th) Prohibits providers from discriminating against potential organ transplant recipients due solely to the physical or mental disability of the potential recipient. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee. This bill will be heard in committee this TUESDAY

HB 163 (Cooper-43rd) Requires the state to request a state plan amendment from the federal government to allow the state to implement Express Lane Eligibility (ELE), which enables Georgia to use data from other federal or state programs (e.g., Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)) to identify and enroll eligible children in Medicaid. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee This bill will be heard in committee this TUESDAY

HB 164 (Douglas-78th) require all health insurers to pass along no less than 80 percent of all prescription drug rebates to enrollees that such insurer receives from third parties with regard to such enrollee’s prescription drugs. STATUS: House Special Committee on Access to the Quality Health Care

HB 209 (McLeod-105th) Expands Medicaid coverage for eligible persons up to 150% FPL and to those eligible to buy coverage on the individual/small group marketplace. Provides subsidies to eligible persons who make 151-500% FPL to obtain coverage through Medicaid or via the individual/small group marketplace. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 212 (Carpenter-4th) Changes law so that when a minor child is a candidate for non-resuscitation, an order not to resuscitate may be issued only with the oral or written consent of the minor’s parent, except in certain circumstances. STATUS: House Judiciary Committee. This bill will be heard in the Scoggins Subcommittee this TUESDAY

HB 213 (Robichaux-48th) Provides full practice authority for advanced practice registered nurses. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 214 (Robichaux-48th) Establishes the Medicaid Buy-In Program, which allows individuals to buy-in to Medicaid coverage. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 215 (Robichaux-48th) Requires the Department of Community Health to take measures to receive federal approval to make telehealth service flexibilities that were granted during the pandemic permanent. Requires DCH to implement a system of certification, recertification, and training of providers via telehealth options in lieu of in-person observation models. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 217 (Robichaux-48th) Requires DCH to provide an annual report on quality measures for each health care plan or program administered by or through the department and make the report publicly available and include, at a minimum, quality measures and payment levels across key medical billing codes for each health care plan or program. The bill also requires that plans include comprehensive dental and vision coverage for adults at no additional premium, and that the reimbursement rates for primary care services provided to recipients of medical assistance shall be equal to the applicable Medicare rates. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 234 (Hawkins-27th) Lays out requirements and allowances for self-funded healthcare plans to opt in to Georgia’s Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act. STATUS: Special Committee on Access to Quality Health Care

HB 239 (Hutchinson-107th) Requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to conduct or coordinate all audits of behavioral health providers. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 268 (Werkheiser-157th) Allows Georgia to enter the interstate compact known as the “Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact”, which creates a process for occupational therapists to work in other states that are also compact members. STATUS: House Regulated Industries Committee

HB 307 (Cooper-43rd) Authorizes health care providers to provide telemedicine services from home and patients to receive telemedicine services from their home, workplace, or school. STATUS: House Hopper

HB 320 (Neal-74th) Requires each health care insurer offering a health benefit plan in this state to also offer a group health benefit plan to the Department of Administrative Services and all local governments for the provision of health care services to inmates and other persons in police custody. STATUS: House Hopper

HB 321 (Neal-74th) Requires each health care insurer offering a health benefit plan in this state to also make available to hospitals for purchase a group health benefit plan for the provision of health care services to all eligible persons requesting such coverage at the hospital. The insured person or policyholder will be the hospital and all premiums for the plan shall would paid by the hospital. STATUS: House Hopper

HR 52 (Dempsey-13th) Creates the Joint Study Committee on Childhood Lead Exposure. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

SB 1 (Burke-11th) Requires entities that receive certain tax credits and that provide self-funded, employer sponsored health insurance plans to submit data to the Georgia All-Payer Claims Database. STATUS: Senate Finance Committee.

SB 4 (Kirkpatrick-32nd) Prohibits patient brokering by drug abuse treatment and education programs and also considers excessive, fraudulent, or high-tech drug testing of certain individuals (the elderly, the disabled, or any individual affected by pain, substance abuse, addiction, or any related disorder, to or by an insurer, broker, or any agent thereof, or directly or indirectly to an insured or uninsured patient) a fraudulent insurance act. STATUS: Recommended Do Pass by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The bill now rests in Senate Rules Committee

SB 5 (Kirkpatrick-32nd) Provides patient protection measures Among other things, the bill authorizes emergency medical technicians (and EMT trainees) and certified cardiac technicians (and CCT trainees) to administer vaccines during public health emergencies under certain conditions. STATUS: Senate Health and Human Services Committee

SB 50 (Rhett-33rd) Creates a premium assistance program for eligible individuals with incomes up to 138% FPL, requiring that the individual pay a “personal responsibility premium” of no more than 5% of their annual income. Creates a “compliance pool” wherein the DCH withholds 0.25% of payments to health plan providers and distributes the pool funds according to plan providers’ success collecting personal responsibility premiums. Requires that DCH develop a pilot model to test medical/health savings accounts. Creates a Legislative Oversight Committee for Health Care Premium Assistance to oversee the program. STATUS: Senate Health and Human Services Committee

SB 80 (Kirkpatrick-32nd) Requires entities conducting prior authorizations to make public (and keep updated) the requirements and restrictions for prior authorizations for healthcare services and to make data regarding prior authorization denials and approvals public. This includes categories for physician specialty, medication or diagnostic procedures, indication offered, reason for denial, whether appealed and outcome of appeal, and length of time between submission and response. The bill also requires that the entity issuing a denial of a prior authorization first contact the physician, and that the physician have an opportunity to discuss medical necessity of the service under review, and that the determination be made within a two-day period (or 24 hours in the case of urgent services). States that such entities cannot require a prior authorization for emergency services and outlines requirements to cover these services. The physician making the determination must be currently licensed and of the same specialty that the service would require, and not have any financial interest in the outcome of the appeal. STATUS: Senate Insurance and Labor Committee

SB 82 (Harrell-40th) Creates a Medicaid public option program (“PeachCare Public Option Program”) to provide premium-based healthcare coverage to individuals not eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, or the PeachCare for Kids Program. STATUS: Senate Appropriations Committee

SB 91 (James-35th) Requires local boards of education to provide feminine hygiene products to students at no charge to the students. STATUS: Senate Hopper

HB 11 (Scott-76th) Limits the number of patients that may be assigned to a registered professional nurse in specified situations in hospitals and states, though nothing shall preclude a hospital from assigning fewer patients to a registered professional nurse than the established limits (i.e., a limit of 1 patient in an operating room; 2 patients in critical care units and postanasthesia care; 1-3 in emergency department, pending circumstances; etc.) The bill also requires the adoption of written policies and procedures for the training and orientation of nursing staff by hospitals and imposes a penalty for not complying with the above. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 11 (Scott-76th) Limits the number of patients that may be assigned to a registered professional nurse in specified situations in hospitals and states, though nothing shall preclude a hospital from assigning fewer patients to a registered professional nurse than the established limits (i.e., a limit of 1 patient in an operating room; 2 patients in critical care units and postanasthesia care; 1-3 in emergency department, pending circumstances; etc.) The bill also requires the adoption of written policies and procedures for the training and orientation of nursing staff by hospitals and imposes a penalty for not complying with the above. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 49 (Hutchinson-107th) Requires that insurer treatment of claims concerning mental and substance use disorders are treated in parity with other health insurance claims. STATUS: House Insurance Committee

HB 9 (Scott-76th) Requires the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and others, to develop guidelines for the use of telehealth services in public schools to provide mental health and behavioral health services to students at school or during any school related function. The bill also defines the term “telehealth”. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 34 (Belton-112th) Allows Georgia to enter into the “Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact”, which would allow qualified audiologists and speech-language pathologists to practice across state lines with other compact members. STATUS: House Regulated Industries Committee

HB 54 (Bazemore-63rd) Provides for instruction on the best practices for and risks associated with the use of tampons in sex education and AIDS prevention instruction. The bill also encourages physicians and nurses providing a tampon for use by any female patient under his or her care to recite and provide certain written information regarding the best practices for and risks associated with the use of tampons. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 57 (Scott-76th)  Requires the Georgia Department of Public Health and penal institutions to provide (free of charge) access to, breast pumps such that lactating women can express breast milk postpartum. Requires that women who are incarcerated receive prenatal and postpartum medical care. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 72 (Hugley-136th) Allows the state to request from the federal government permission to extend Pregnant Woman’s Medicaid from six months postpartum to twelve months postpartum. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 73 (Hugley-136th) Limits the total cost-sharing amount that an insured (public or private) person is required to pay for covered prescription insulin to $50.00 per 30-day supply of insulin, regardless of the amount or type of insulin needed to fill the covered person’s prescription. STATUS: House Insurance Committee

eligible local board of education employees for qualifying life events after six continuous months of employment with the employing entity. The maximum amount of paid parental leave during any rolling 365-day period is 120 hours, regardless of the number of qualifying life events that occur within such period. Such leave may be used as needed. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee. This bill will be heard in committee this TUESDAY

HB 170 (Park-101st) Establishes a graduated tax credit based on taxpayer income for qualified child and dependent care expenses. STATUS: House Ways and Means Committee

HB 257 (Setzler-35th) Allows registration of maternity supportive housing residences to provide housing for six pregnant women aged 18 years or older and their children (per residence) at any one time during the woman’s pregnancy and up to 18 months after childbirth. No services other than housing shall be provided. No county, municipality, or consolidated government shall, by rule or ordinance, constrain the establishment or operation of maternity supportive housing residences or place occupancy requirements on such residences that would not apply to a single family living in the residence. STATUS: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 1 (Bonner-72nd) Forming Open and Robust University Minds (FORUM) Act – Prevents the creation of “free speech zones” at public institutions of higher education. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 4 (Scott-76th) Prohibits a local school system from leasing or selling a public school to a private entity unless the public school has been in existence for at least 15 years. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 7 (Scott-76th) Provides for in-state tuition at units of the University System of Georgia and branches of the Technical College System of Georgia for youth who are from foster care or homeless situations and excludes foster care assistance from consideration as income for purposes of calculating financial aid. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 23 (Oliver-82nd) Allows affected local schools systems to participate in the annexation dispute resolution process. STATUS: House Governmental Affairs Committee. This bill will be heard in Committee this MONDAY

HB 26 (Kendrick-93rd) Revises an income tax credit to include historically Black colleges and universities in the list of qualified businesses in which an investment is eligible for a credit of 35 percent of the amount invested against the tax imposed. STATUS: House Ways and Means Committee

HB 27 (Kendrick-93rd) Revises an income tax credit so that only investments in historically Black colleges and universities are eligible for the credit, which is 35 percent of the amount invested against the tax imposed. STATUS: House Ways and Means Committee

HB 32 (Belton)-112th Establishes a teacher recruitment and retention program for a refundable income tax credit for teachers who agree to teach in certain rural schools or certain low-performing schools. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 60 (Cantrell-22nd) Creates a voucher program for public school students to attend private schools. Eligible students wouldzsss be those whose local public schools did not offer face-to-face instruction in the prior school year, live in low-income households, have been adopted from foster care, have been bullied, or have certain special education needs. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 66 (Oliver-82nd) Allows local school systems to become parties to bond validation hearings. STATUS: House Governmental Affairs Committee. This bill will be heard in Committee this MONDAY

HB 67 (Martin-49th) Extends from June 30, 2021 to July 1, 2026 automatic repeals of certain provisions regarding nonlapsing revenue of institutions in the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia. STATUS: Recommended Do Pass by the House Higher Education Committee. The bill now rests in House Rules Committee

HB 71 (McLeod-105th) Creates a pilot program to implement the funding recommendations of the 2015 Education Reform Commission and to mandate pre-kindergarten and kindergarten for all children prior to entering first grade and to include pre-kindergarten programs in the student based allocation of state funds. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 87 (Evans-57th) Makes students at the Technical College System of Georgia who are taking remedial and developmental courses for a degree eligible to receive HOPE grants. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 88 (Evans-57th) Requires HOPE grants to equal the student’s undergraduate tuition amount for the current academic standard year. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 89 (Evans-57th) Allows students who do not qualify as freshmen but who meet other certain grade point average criteria to be eligible for the Zell Miller Scholarship. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 100 (Gilliard-162nd) Creates a tax exemption on motor fuel and compressed natural gas for public mass transit vehicles owned by public transportation systems, certain vehicles owned by public campus transportation systems, and school buses operated by public school systems. STATUS: House Ways and Means Committee

HB 118 (Burnough-77th) Changes the name of the QBE sparsity grant to “FAIR Georgia Grant”. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 120 (Carpenter-4th) Allows students who are considered DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) to qualify for in-state tuition for the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 152 (Wiedower-119th) Adjusts criteria for oversight of private postsecondary educational institutions. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 155 (Thomas-39th) Raises the age of mandatory education for children from 16 to 17. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 195 (Clark-108th) Requires the public education course of study in sex education and HIV/AIDS prevention instruction is medically accurate. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 198 (Singleton-71st) Provides that deductions previously taken by a taxpayer for contributions to the Georgia Higher Education Savings Plan shall not be recaptured if a withdrawal from the savings trust account is made by an account owner in connection with the beneficiary successfully enlisting for active duty in any branch of the armed forces. STATUS: House Ways and Means Committee

HB 201 (Evans-57th) Creates a certification program for whole child model schools. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 256 (Burnough-77th) Establishes the HOPE tuition-free grant for students enrolled in a program of study leading to a certificate or diploma in a field designated by the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to be in high demand in Georgia. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 259 (Burnough-77th) Creates a need-based component of the HOPE scholarship and grant such that a HOPE “need recipient” could receive up to the amount of the cost of tuition at the public or private institution.. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 262 (Kennard-102nd) Requires mandatory pre-kindergarten and kindergarten for all children prior to entering into first grade and lowers the age of compulsory school attendance from six years old to four years old. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 276 (Singleton-71st) Makes it unlawful for public or private schools whose students compete against a public school to operate athletic programs that permit a person whose gender is male to participate in an athletic program that is designated for females. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 283 (Wilkerson-38th) Removes the SAT and ACT score requirements for “Zell Miller Scholarship Scholar” for students who graduate from eligible high schools. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 287 (Rich-97th) Requires information about tobacco and vapor products to be included in the course on alcohol and drugs required each year for all students in grades kindergarten through 12. STATUS: House Education Committee

HB 291 (Dempsey-13th) Expands the definition of “approved school” regarding tuition equalization grants at private colleges and universities. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 319 (Martin-49th) Forbids high schools which receive QBE funding from participating in or sponsoring interscholastic sports events conducted by any athletic association that prohibits student athletes from participation in a sport at a school to which he or she transferred under certain conditions. STATUS: House Hopper

SB 3 (Jackson-2nd) Raises the age of mandatory education from 16 to 17. STATUS: Senate Education and Youth Committee

SB 7 (Beach-21st) Requires designated research universities to ensure that at least 90% of early action admissions are offered to Georgia resident students. STATUS: Senate Higher Education Committee

SB 15 (Anderson-43rd) Creates a new category of coursework dealing with the history of Black people and their contributions to American society. This course may be taken by students between ninth and twelfth grade and may be required by the local education authority for high school graduation. STATUS: Senate Education and Youth Committee

SB 17 (Jones-10th) Creates a certification program for whole child model schools. STATUS: Senate Education and Youth Committee

SB 47 (Gooch-51st) Expands the Special Need Scholarship to include students with a 504 plan and a specific, qualifying diagnosis, as well as students who received preschool special education services under IDEA, and students who have been adopted or placed into permanent guardianship from foster care. STATUS: Senate Education and Youth Committee. This bill will be heard in Committee this MONDAY

SB 51 Thompson-51st Authorizes home study students in grades 6-12 to participate in extracurricular and interscholastic activities in the student’s resident public school system; to provide that home study students shall complete one qualifying course during any semester the student participates in an extracurricular or interscholastic activity in the student’s resident public school system. STATUS: Senate Education and Youth Committee

SB 59 (Albers-56th) Provides that local charter schools to get an additional 3% of the base amount per FTE in QBE funding with a $3.5 million cap per school and requires the local school system to provide space for a local charter school or provide a stipend for facilities (Thanks to Sally Fitzgerald for this summary!). STATUS: Senate Education and Youth Committee

SB 66 (Anavitarte-31st) Authorize a nonprofit corporation incorporated by the Georgia Foundation for Public Education to receive private donations to be used for grants to public schools and dissolves the Public Education Innovation Fund Foundations. STATUS: Senate Education and Youth Committee

SB 81 (Mullis-53rd) Changes the name of the Office of College and Career Transitions to the Office of College and Career Academies and requires the Technical College System of Georgia to collaborate with the Workforce Development Board and the Department of Economic Development to support the efforts of College and Career Academies and local economic development partners to assist in the recruitment of new industries and to expand existing industries by demonstrating the preparation of technically skilled high school graduates to be ready to work within existing industries or industries being recruited to the state. STATUS:

SB 88 (Goodman-8th) Invites the Georgia Teacher of the Year to serve as an advisor ex officio to the State Board of Education. STATUS: Senate Education and Youth Committee

SB 97 (Jackson-2nd) Allows each institution of Georgia’s university system to award out-of-state tuition differential waivers and assess in-state tuition to persons who are unable to be classified as in-state for tuition purposes. Albany State University, Fort Valley State University, and Savannah State University are permitted to award out-of-state tuition differential waivers to up to 10 percent of the equivalent full-time students enrolled. STATUS: Senate Hopper

HB 5 Scott-76th Requires the Georgia Lottery Corporation to offer one or more games to benefit homeless military veterans. STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HB 70 (Kendrick-93rd) Requires the composition of each statutorily created board and commission reflect the general population. STATUS: House Governmental Affairs Committee

HB 79 (Allen-40th) Gives regulation of the dates and times for the lawful use or ignition of consumer fireworks exclusively to counties and municipal corporations. STATUS: House Regulated Industries Committee

HB 95 (Lim-99th) Creates a refundable earned income tax credit equal to 10% of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) that such taxpayer is allowed. STATUS: House Ways and Means Committee

HB 110 (Clark-147th) Allows anyone who is eligible for a weapons carry license to lawfully carry a weapon without such a license. STATUS: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee

HB 112 (Kelley-16th) Extends certain immunities from liability claims regarding COVID-19 by one year to July 14, 2022. STATUS: Recommended Do Pass by the House Special Committee on Access to the Civil Justice System. The bill now rests in House Rules Committee

HB 116 (McClain-100th) Increases the state minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $15.00 per hour. (Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.). STATUS: House Industry and Labor Committee

HB 142 (Carpenter-4th) Allows qualified education tax credits to be used by certain insurance companies against certain tax liability. STATUS: House Ways and Means Committee

HB 180 (Lim-99th) Requires the state to maintain databases of sources of funding available to members of the public. STATUS: House Governmental Affairs Committee

HB 197 (Lewis-Ward-109th) Lowers the employee threshold applying to the flexible use of existing sick leave from businesses employing 25 or more to 18 or more and extends the sunset of this Act (Family Care Act) from 2023 to 2025. STATUS: House Industry and Labor Committee

HB 204 (Scott-76th) Creates a comprehensive civil rights law that protects individuals from discrimination in housing, public accommodations, and employment on the basis of race, disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. Amends existing laws to include certain missing protections (e.g., fair housing law amended to include protections for sexual orientation, gender identity, and age). STATUS: House Judiciary Committee

HB 218 (Ballinger-23rd) Expands weapons carry license reciprocity so that persons who are not residents of this state are authorized to carry a weapon in this Georgia if licensed to carry in any other state. STATUS: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee

HB 230 (Schofield-60th) Prohibits discrimination based on hairstyles associated with race, color, or national origin in housing, education, employment. STATUS: House Judiciary Committee

HB 289 (Belton-112th) Makes any person 17 years of age or older who meets the qualifications for issuance of a Class C license and has proof of military enlistment eligible to receive a Class C license; and removes the requirement for the alcohol and drug course for any person under 18 years of age who becomes a resident of Georgia and who has a valid license issued by another state or country. STATUS: House Motor Vehicles Committee

HB 297 (Marin-96th) Requires reasonable access to public services for non-English speakers, including translation, oral language services, and the like. STATUS: House Hopper

HR 1 (Scott-76th) Constitutional Amendment – Requires the Georgia Lottery Corporation to offer one or more games to benefit homeless military veterans. (HB 5 is the enabling legislation for this constitutional amendment). STATUS: House Higher Education Committee

HR 4 (Cantrell-22nd) Constitutional Amendment which, starting in 2024, limits House members of six consecutive terms; increases the Senate term to four years with a limit of three consecutive terms and limits the Lt. Governor to two consecutive terms. STATUS: House Governmental Affairs Committee

HR 30 (Stephens-164th) Constitutional Amendment – Permits the operation and regulation of limited casino gaming in this state at licensed destination resort facilities with proceeds supporting the HOPE Scholarship and others. STATUS: House Economic Development and Tourism Committee

SB 16 (Anderson-43rd) Creates the Georgia Commission on Black Women and Girls. The commission would be administratively attached to the Georgia Department of Public Health. STATUS: Senate Government Oversight Committee

SB 18 (Jones II-22nd) Eliminates the statute of limitations on the offenses of rape, aggravated sodomy, and aggravated sexual battery; to provide that a prosecution for the offenses of rape, aggravated sodomy, and aggravated sexual battery. STATUS: Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 24 (Butler-55th) Raises the state minimum wage to $15 per hour from $5.15 per hour. (Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.) Orders the Georgia Department of Labor to calculate the cost of living annually (starting in 2022) and to reevaluate the minimum wage accordingly on an annual basis (starting in 2023). STATUS: Senate Insurance and Labor Committee

SB 25 (Butler-55th) Increases the value of the state tax credit for child and dependent care expenses (based on the federal tax credit) to 100 percent of the federal tax credit. STATUS: Senate Finance Committee

SB 30 (Beach-21st) Allows pari-mutuel horse racing in this state at a limited number of licensed equestrian centers; to create the Georgia Horse Racing Commission. Some proceeds would be used to fund education, health care needs, and rural development in this state, as well as the treatment of problem pari-mutuel wagering issues. STATUS: Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee

SB 58 (Parent-42nd) Establishes a state-level, refundable earned income tax credit for individuals earning below a certain income threshold. STATUS: Senate Finance Committee

SB 61 (Anderson-43rd) Prohibits discrimination based on hairstyles associated with race, color, or national origin in housing, education, employment. STATUS: Senate Insurance and Labor Committee

SB 65 (Gooch-51st) Changes certain provisions relating to the Universal Access Fund so as to modernize such Act and to provide for a certain portion of such fund to be used for the deployment of broadband services in unserved areas and provides powers and duties of the Public Service Commission so as to fund contributions and distributions. STATUS: Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee

SR 53 (Beach-21st) Amends the state Constitution to allow for pari-mutuel betting on horseracing and provides that revenue from taxation or regulation be directed toward education, rural healthcare, and health insurance coverage. STATUS: Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee

2 Minute Advocacy Asks

Get Kids Insured

The “Ask”:

Call members of the House Health and Human Services Committee and ask that they vote YES to House Bill 163 (the Express Lane Eligibility bill) when it comes before them in committee on Tuesday, February 9.

The Details: 

Approximately 197,000 children in Georgia lacked health insurance coverage in 2019 – the fourth-highest uninsured child population in the country. The majority of these children are eligible, but not enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP, known in Georgia as PeachCare for Kids®).

Express Lane Eligibility (ELE) would allow Georgia to use data from other federal or state programs (e.g., Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)) to identify and enroll eligible children in Medicaid/CHIP. Implementing ELE with SNAP would:

  • Facilitate insuring an estimated 60,000-70,000 currently uninsured children!
  • Prevent gaps in children’s Medicaid coverage by facilitating automatic renewals
  • Enable administrative efficiencies for the state

The Message:

Dear Representative,

Please vote YES on House Bill 163 when it comes before you in committee. I am fully supportive of efforts to efficiently and effectively reduce the number of uninsured children in our state. HB 163 is an excellent way to do that, by streamlining enrollment, and could result in coverage for 60,000-70,000 children who currently are receiving SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits but who have no health insurance. Thank you for being a voice for Georgia’s children.

The How:

Contact members of the House Health and Human Services committee here.

Raise the Age

The Ask

Contact members of the House Juvenile Justice Committee and ask them to support raising the age of Juvenile Court jurisdiction from encompassing children up to 17-years-old to include children up to 18-years-old as well when the issue comes before them.

The Message

Dear Representative _________, Please support Section 1 of House Bill 272, which raises the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to encompass non-violent 17-year-old’s, when the issue comes before you in the House Juvenile Justice Committee. The juvenile justice system does a better job than the adult system of holding young people accountable when they commit minor offenses by requiring youth to attend school, make restitution to victims and attend community-based rehabilitative programs that focus on the causes of the problem behavior. By raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to cover non-violent 17 year old’s, Georgia can improve public safety, save taxpayer dollars and strengthen Georgia’s economy. Please note that this bill does NOT affect serious offenders of all ages, who will continue to be tried in adult court. Thank you for your service and for all you do for Georgia’s children.

The How

Click here for contact information for members of the House Juvenile Justice Committee

The Details

Georgia is one of only three states (along with Texas and Wisconsin) that processes all 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice system, sending them to adult court rather than through the juvenile justice system. HB 272 would raise the age (“RTA”) of youth served by juvenile court to include non-violent 17 year olds. Click here for our groovy factsheet on RTA!

Studies about brain development support the idea of keeping young offenders in juvenile court until at least age 17.

  • Numerous health experts confirm that the brain’s frontal lobe — referred to as the “executive” part of the brain — is not fully developed until the mid-20s. This part of the brain regulates decision-making, planning, judgment, and impulse control.

Current law shuts out parents of 17-year-olds. These children — and their parents — deserve the right of parental support as they navigate the court system.

  • When a youth is arrested, police call parents, who generally become heavily involved as the child travels through the court system. The sound assumption is that parents will play a key role in supporting positive behavior change.
  • When a 17-year-old is arrested, police in Georgia need not call the parents because 17-year-olds are legally adults in this circumstance. Children who are susceptible to coercion may also agree to a plea bargain without any parental input. In many cases parents do not find out about their child’s arrest until it becomes a barrier in college applications.
  • Families are involved throughout the juvenile court process.

The juvenile justice system does a better job than the adult system of holding young people accountable when they commit minor offenses, and serious offenders of all ages will remain in adult court.

  • In juvenile court, more so than in adult court, a 17-year-old is much more likely to be mandated to attend school, make restitution to victims and attend community-based rehabilitative programs that focus on the causes of the problem behavior.
  • These rehabilitation efforts improve public safety, save taxpayer dollars and strengthen Georgia’s economy.
  • Raising the age of jurisdiction will not reduce or minimize appropriate punishment to deserving young offenders.
  • Youth charged with similar crimes and with similar criminal histories who are treated as adults are more likely to commit the same or a more serious offense in the future than those who remain in the juvenile system