This Week in the Senate March 15 - 19, 2021 The Countdown Has Begun Four more legislative days have come and gone Georgia Senate and our time under the Gold Dome is beginning to dwindle. This week was a productive one, with Press Office Staff committees convening to consider long lists of House Bills and senators presenting their legisla- Andrew Allison tion in House committees to carry their bills over Director the finish line. With Sine Die on the horizon, all members of the General Assembly have begun to Kessarin Horvath move with an amplified purpose, doing all they can Communications Specialist to perfect their legislation before our final deadline on March 31st. Kami Briden On Tuesday, a joint session of the House and the Senior Communications Associate Senate was called in order to receive the annual State of the Judiciary Address, delivered by Georgia Supreme Court Chief Jus- Cameren Rogers tice Harold Melton. Chief Justice Melton provided us with an update on how 2021 Communications Aide our judicial system has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic and identified the areas where the courts have succeeded in making progress adjudicating cases, and Maia Schulte highlighted a few areas of potential improvement. However, he also noted that 2021 Communications Aide the General Assembly has already taken critical steps towards ensuring individu- als receive timely trials and altering procedures for those on probation to free up Sascha Stryker additional legal resources. While we will miss Chief Justice Melton’s presence on 2021 Communications Aide the court, we feel secure in the knowledge that Presiding Justice David E. Nah- mias will lead with integrity on Georgia’s Supreme Court and continue to pro- mote justice for all Georgians. Due to Georgia’s continued economic resiliency in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are in a strong enough position to pass some of that success on to all Georgians. House Bill 593, the Tax Relief Act of 2021, proposes an increase in Edited by: the standard deduction that will lower the tax burden for Georgians, but especial- Steve Tippins, Chief of Staff ly for those in most need. In these times where so many are still experiencing fi- Senate President Pro Tempore Office nancial hardship, we owe this tax cut to the families who worked tirelessly to steer [email protected] our state through the uncertain waters of the pandemic and ensure that Georgia 321 State Capitol Building remained the best state in the nation in which to do business, with our AAA 404.656.6578 bond rating secured. It is a testament to the strength and resolve of our workforce 201 Coverdell Legislative Office Building that a tax cut is even possible, even as the pandemic begins to subside, and we will 18 Capitol Square S.W. continue to work to lessen the financial burden so many in our state continue to Atlanta, GA 30303 experience. I am proud to see this bill pass and look forward to bringing addition- p: 404.656.0028 al tax relief to Georgians. This session, and over the past few years, our state has made substantial progress in the field of foster care and adoption. This week, we passed an additional mea- sure in support of these children with House Bill 114. Under current law, an in- come tax credit may be claimed for foster children, capped at $2,000 per qualified child. This bill would raise that cap to $6,000 for the first five years and $2,000 FOLLOW US for every subsequent year. This increased credit will support those Georgians who engage with our foster care system and will bring more prospective foster parents fb.com/GeorgiaStateSenate into the process, which will help more children be placed into loving homes. Next week, we will meet for three legislative days with a few days set aside to focus on our committee work. We have only five legislative days remaining and @gasenatepress many important bills to consider before our time is up. If you every have any questions about any of the bills we discussed this week, or any legislation still pending before the General Assembly, please do not hesitate to contact my office. @gasenatepress Senator Butch Miller President Pro Tempore, Georgia Senate GeorgiaStateSenate MONDAY, MARCH 15 Annual Banking and Finance Update Sen. John F. Kennedy (R – Macon) carried House Bill 111, which would streamline and simplify existing statutes within the Geor- gia Department of Banking and Finance. Among other provisions, HB 111 would allow for remote participation in meetings, the ex- tension of time for a loan agreement by convenience deferment or hardship deferment, and would make revisions related to mergers and conversions. HB 111 passed with a vote of 50 to 0. – HB 111 TUESDAY, MARCH 16 U.S. Representative Rick Allen Visits the Senate Chamber Congressman Rick Allen (R – GA) visited the Senate to congrat- ulate the legislature for their work so far during the legislative ses- sion. Rep. Allen specifically commended the Senate for their efforts to make Georgia the best state in which to do busi- ness for the past eight years. He also encouraged the members to do their best to come together in times of hardship, rather than divide themselves on issues. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17 Revising Taxes Relating to Fair Market Value Sen. Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega) carried House Bill 63, which would revise code relating to the ad valorem tax for motor vehicles. This bill would redefine the fair market value (FMV) for vehicles leased in certain cases so the FMV is equal to the total of the depreciation plus any amortized amounts plus any down payments. HB 63 passed with a vote of 54 to 0. – HB 63 Extending Protection for Businesses Against COVID-19 Liability Claims House Bill 112, carried by Sen. Brian Strickland (R – McDonough), would extend the applicability of the Georgia COVID-19 Pandemic Business Safety Act from July 14, 2021 to July 14, 2022. This act provides businesses with immu- nity from COVID-19 liability claims, aside from certain exemptions. HB 112 passed with a vote of 36 to 17. – HB 112 Revising Commercial Driver’s License Requirements Sen. John Albers (R – Roswell) carried House Bill 169, which would require Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants to complete a commercial driver training course that complies with federal regulations concerning standards and state compliance. The bill would also extend the current period in which a CDL instruction permit is valid from 180 days to 365 days. HB 169 passed with a vote of 50 to 4. – HB 169 Requiring Electronic Submission of Forms to DOR House Bill 207, carried by Sen. John Albers (R – Roswell), would require certain businesses to submit information to the Depart- ment of Revenue electronically instead of by mail or fax. Some of these businesses include motor vehicle manufacturers, distributors, dealers and secondary metals recyclers. HB 207 passed with a vote of 54 to 0. – HB 207 Creating National Swearing-in Commitment Day Sen. Jeff Mullis (R – Chickamauga) carried House Bill 208, which would designate the second Wednesday of February each year as “National Swearing-in Commitment Day” in Georgia to acknowl- edge those committing to a career in national military service. HB 208 passed with a vote of 53 to 0. – HB 208 Annual Code Revision Commission Updates House Bill 497, carried by Sen. Brian Strickland (R – McDonough), would revise the Official Code of Georgia annotated for punctua- tion, grammar and other corrections, as proposed by the Code Re- vision Commission, as well as ensure that the online version of the Code matches that in print. It also specifies which areas of Georgia Code have an effect on law and which have no binding authority. HB 497 passed with a vote of 54 to 0. – HB 497 Prohibiting Tractors from Driving on Highways Sen. Lee Anderson (R – Grovetown) carried House Bill 693, which would prohibit farm tractors from driving on highways except un- der certain circumstances. The bill would also give wide load farm- ing equipment the right of way on roads if the vehicle cannot be moved to the right-hand side by the operator. HB 693 passed with a vote of 51 to 2. – HB 693 THURSDAY, MARCH 18 Increasing Tax Credit for Adopted Foster Children Sen. Bo Hatchett (R – Cornelia) carried House Bill 114, which would increase the income tax credit for the adop- tion of a qualified foster child from $2,000 per year to $6,000 for the first five years, then $2,000 per year until the child is 18. HB 114 would also prohibit the credit from being carried forward. HB 144 passed with a vote of 53 to 0. – HB 114 Revising Hemp Laws House Bill 336, carried by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R – Chickamauga), would change the definition of hemp processing and revise hemp processing laws for compliance with federal regulations. Among other provisions, HB 336 would make it illegal to grow or have hemp in a residential building. HB 336 passed with a vote of 45 to 7. – HB 336 Updating Hunting and Fishing Codes Sen. Tyler Harper (R – Ocilla) carried House Bill 362, which would redefine the words “bass” and “trout” to include additional species, change the smallest caliber allowed in a muzzleloading firearm during primitive weapons season from a .44 caliber to a .30 caliber, establish regulations for the use of minnow traps, and allow the Department of Natural Resources to create a deer management assistance program. HB 362 passed with a vote of 49 to 0. – HB 362 Revising and Creating Trust Funds House Bill 511, carried by Sen.