Wednesday 15th February 10, Legislative 2021 DAILY REPORT Day

House Budget & Research Office (404) 656-5050

 The House will reconvene for its 16th Legislative Day on Thursday, February 11 at 9:30 a.m.  The Rules Committee will meet at 9:00 a.m.  Four bills / resolutions are expected to be debated on the floor.

Today on the Floor

Rules Calendar HB 97 Courts; oath for certain clerks of the probate court; require and provide Bill Summary: House Bill 97 requires that any individual appointed as chief clerk of a probate court, or any clerk designated by a probate judge to exercise such judge's jurisdiction concerning uncontested matters, shall take the oath provided in the bill.

Authored By: Rep. Rob Leverett (33rd) Rule Applied: Modified-Structured House Judiciary Committee 02-03-2021 Do Pass Committee: Action: Floor Vote: Yeas: 172 Nays: 0 Amendments:

HB 106 Georgia State Indemnification Fund; replace the term National Guard with the term organized militia

Bill Summary: House Bill 106 adds the Georgia State Defense Force to the indemnification fund.

Authored By: Rep. (147th) Rule Applied: Modified-Structured House Defense & Veterans Affairs Committee 02-02-2021 Do Pass as Amended Committee: Action: Floor Vote: Yeas: 170 Nays: 0 Amendments:

HB 134 State government; meetings relating to cybersecurity contracting and planning from open meeting requirements; exclude Bill Summary: House Bill 134 excludes meetings relating to cybersecurity contracting and planning from open meeting requirements and exempts from public inspection any document or plan relating to cybersecurity devices, programs, or systems. No vote from an executive session meeting, in which a cybersecurity contract was entered into, shall be binding upon an agency until a subsequent vote is taken in an open meeting.

Authored By: Rep. Victor Anderson (10th) Rule Applied: Modified-Structured House Judiciary Committee 02-03-2021 Do Pass Committee: Action: Floor Vote: Yeas: 170 Nays: 0 Amendments:

HB 153 Fair Business Practices Act of 1975; solicitations of services for corporate filings required by the Secretary of State; provide for requirements

Bill Summary: House Bill 153 requires any person who mails a solicitation for services related to corporate filings to include the following disclaimer at the top of the document in 16-point Helvetica House of Representatives Daily Report for February 10, 2021 Today on the Floor

font: "THIS IS NOT A BILL OR OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT. THIS IS A SOLICITATION." The disclaimer must be both larger than and two inches from any other text in the solicitation. Any violation of this provision shall be considered an unfair and deceptive act.

Authored By: Rep. (119th) Rule Applied: Modified-Structured House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee 02-03-2021 Do Pass Committee: Action: Floor Vote: Yeas: 169 Nays: 0 Amendments:

Page 2 of 7 House of Representatives Daily Report for February 10, 2021 Next on the Floor

Next on the Floor from the Committee on Rules The Committee on Rules has fixed the calendar for the 16th Legislative Day, Thursday, February 11, and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker. The Rules Committee will next meet on Thursday, February 11, at 9:00 a.m., to set the Rules Calendar for the 17th Legislative Day.

HB 67 State government; public property; extend automatic repeals of certain provisions Bill Summary: House Bill 67 amends O.C.G.A. 50-16-18 to extend the sunset from July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2026 for provisions relating to state agencies and departments writing off small amounts due to the state, as well as for provisions relating to non-lapsing revenue collected by the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia.

Authored By: Rep. Chuck Martin (49th) Rule Applied: Modified-Structured House Higher Education Committee 02-03-2021 Do Pass Committee: Action:

HB 129 Sheriffs; compensation; modify certain provisions Bill Summary: House Bill 129 raises the minimum salary to $83,750.51 for sheriffs serving in a county with a population of 39,000 to 49,999.

Authored By: Rep. (172nd) Rule Applied: Modified-Structured House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee 02-08-2021 Do Pass Committee: Action:

HB 208 State holidays; second Wednesday of February of each year as National Swearing-in Day in Georgia; provide Bill Summary: This bill provides that the second Wednesday of February be designated as a "National Swearing-in Commitment Day" state holiday in Georgia. The state holiday celebrates the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), which allows young men and women to experience a sample of military life.

Authored By: Rep. (138th) Rule Applied: Modified-Open House State Planning & Community Affairs Committee 02-08-2021 Do Pass by Committee Committee: Action: Substitute

HB 246 Motor vehicles; issuance of replacement licenses and permits; increase fee Bill Summary: House Bill 246 increases the fee for a replacement permit or license from $5 to $10. The bill increases the cost of a limited driving permit from $25 to $32 and the replacement fee from $5 to $10.

Authored By: Rep. Sam Watson (172nd) Rule Applied: Modified-Structured House Motor Vehicles Committee 02-09-2021 Do Pass Committee: Action:

Page 3 of 7 House of Representatives Daily Report for February 10, 2021 Committee Actions

Committee Actions Bills passing committees are reported to the Clerk's Office and are placed on the General Calendar.

Banks & Banking Committee

HB 111 Financial institutions; clarify and remove superfluous language; provisions Bill Summary: House Bill 111 is the annual revision of Title 7 of the Code, relating to banking and finance, by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. Superfluous language is clarified, removed, and consolidated, terminology is updated, and outdated language is removed.

Name reservation periods for financial institutions are extended to six months. The department's criminal background check authorization, relating to persons involved in the acquisition of trust companies, is expanded.

The bill allows for the remote participation by shareholders of bank or trust companies and members of credit unions at their respective membership meetings if such participation is permitted by the institution's bylaws. Reasonable measures must also be implemented to accommodate for such participation. In the event of a proclaimed emergency, the board of directors may apply to the department for authorization to conduct such meetings solely through remote participation. The board of directors of a bank, trust company, or credit union may conduct meetings remotely.

Parts 14 and 15 of Article 2, Chapter 1, Title 7, relating to intrastate mergers of state-chartered banks and mergers of state-chartered banks with national banks, are amended to eliminate redundancies.

Further, provisions regarding intrastate mergers and conversions of financial institutions are amended to: eliminate the requirement that the department approve a merger or conversion if the resulting merged or consolidated entity will not be regulated by the department; require notification and certain documentation before a state bank charter can be extinguished; provide that if a merger or conversion requires the approval of a federal regulator, the department need not act on the application for such merger or conversion until such federal regulator makes such approval; require that the articles of merger or conversion contain the county of residence of board members; remove the requirement that the department consider convenience and need of the community when evaluating a merger application; eliminate publication requirements for the conversion of a national bank to a state- chartered bank; and removes language requiring that merger publications must be paid with a specific instrument.

For interstate banking mergers, the bill amends the Code to: remove language requiring an out-of- state bank to have a branch in Georgia immediately before a merger; provide that the commissioner of the department does not have to conduct safety and soundness examinations of out-of-state banks and eliminates the commissioner's ability to require an out-of-state bank to submit consolidated reports of condition and income to the department; allow an out-of-state bank to establish a de novo branch in Georgia under certain conditions; and also eliminate the requirement that out-of-state banks notify the commissioner of transactions that result in a change of control at such bank.

Provisions relating to the operation and regulation of credit unions are amended to: add and change criteria by which a credit union's board of directors may adopt and enforce membership expulsion policies; codify the processes in which the department evaluates a merger plan upon the adoption of a merger involving a credit union, and inspects and evaluates the articles of conversion after a credit union converts from a federal credit union to a credit union.

The bill clarifies language relating to the governing exemptions from licensing requirements as applied to the sale of payment instruments and the licensing of mortgage lenders and brokers. Operating procedures for installment loans are amended to allow installment loan lenders to enter into agreements with licensors to defer installment payments.

Finally, provisions relating to the Georgia Fair Lending Act are amended to update cross references

Page 4 of 7 House of Representatives Daily Report for February 10, 2021 Committee Actions

to federal statutes and regulations.

Authored By: Rep. Bruce Williamson (115th) House Banks & Banking Committee 02-10-2021 Do Pass Committee: Action:

Governmental Affairs Committee

HB 98 State government; conditions for meetings and public hearings to be held by teleconference in emergency conditions; provide Bill Summary: House Bill 98 establishes that when agencies hold meetings via teleconference, persons or agencies who participate by teleconference must be treated as fully participating, as if they were physically attending the meeting.

Authored By: Rep. Eddie Lumsden (12th) House Governmental Affairs Committee 02-10-2021 Do Pass Committee: Action:

HB 130 Local government; fence detection system; define term Bill Summary: House Bill 130 requires counties, municipalities, and consolidated governments to treat fence detection systems the same, in zoning and permitting matters, as alarm systems. The bill prohibits counties, municipalities, and consolidated governments from prohibiting the installation or use of fence detection systems that comply with Code.

Authored By: Rep. Joseph Gullett (19th) House Governmental Affairs Committee 02-10-2021 Do Pass Committee: Action:

Insurance Committee

HB 241 Insurance; revise meaning of property insurance; change parameters under which certain contracts or agreements may be canceled Bill Summary: House Bill 241 allows the deduction of benefits paid from any cancellation refund of a service contract to the customer. Additionally, this bill permits contracts for the replacement of lost, stolen, or inoperable key fobs to cover excess wear and use charges at the end of a lease.

Authored By: Rep. (15th) House Insurance Committee 02-10-2021 Do Pass by Committee Committee: Action: Substitute

HB 254 Insurance; Commissioner's enforcement authority with regard to adjusters; increase Bill Summary: House Bill 254 amends current public adjuster laws to increase consumer protections from fraud.

Sections One and Two give the Department of Insurance (DOI) the authority to adopt rules and regulations and requires all public adjusters to be licensed by DOI.

Section Three requires public adjusters to use contracts approved by DOI, outlines what these contracts must include, and specifically prohibits the public adjuster from working in multiple capacities, including as a contractor or appraiser.

Sections Four through Six outline the fees that public adjusters can collect, sets a cap for the total commission allowed to be collected from the settlement of the claim at 33.3 percent, and prohibits adjusters from receiving a commission if the insurer commits to paying the policy limits within 72 hours of the reported loss. Public adjusters are permitted to endorse a check from an insurer to an insured only if it goes into the adjuster's escrow account.

Page 5 of 7 House of Representatives Daily Report for February 10, 2021 Committee Actions

Public adjusters are required to file proof of financial responsibility with DOI and must keep records of all transactions for at least five years for review. Additionally, this bill adds new regulations for public adjuster advertisements and prohibits adjusters from soliciting during natural disasters. Furthermore, contractors are prohibited from acting as public adjusters on property that contracting services are being provided and prevents adjusters from offering public adjusting services whose license has been revoked.

Authored By: Rep. Eddie Lumsden (12th) House Insurance Committee 02-10-2021 Do Pass by Committee Committee: Action: Substitute

Judiciary Committee

HB 90 Torts; certain persons, firms, or corporations who are buyers of land for conversion of timber shall be exempt from certain liabilities; provide Bill Summary: House Bill 90 clarifies the damages that persons holding a security in land may seek when the land is converted without their consent. It creates uniformity with the Uniform Commercial Code by specifying that a buyer in the ordinary course of business shall not have liability to such persons.

Authored By: Rep. Bruce Williamson (115th) House Judiciary Committee 02-10-2021 Do Pass by Committee Committee: Action: Substitute

HB 212 Health; order not to resuscitate; revise parental requirement for consent Bill Summary: House Bill 212 revises Chapter 39 of Title 31, relating to cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The term "parent" is amended to include a person with legal authority to act on behalf of a minor or a parent of an adult without decision-making capacity. Requirements for the issuance of an order not to resuscitate a minor are clarified to ensure no such order can be issued without consent of the minor's parent if the parent is reasonably available or competent.

Authored By: Rep. (4th) House Judiciary Committee 02-10-2021 Do Pass by Committee Committee: Action: Substitute

Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 168 Penal institutions; certain information within inmate files of the Department of Corrections shall not be classified as confidential state secrets when requested by the district attorney; provide Bill Summary: House Bill 168 creates an exception to the confidentiality rules pertaining to inmate files for purposes of responding to actions by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. The exception is for information requested by the local district attorney when an inmate has been sentenced for a serious violent felony or for a dangerous sexual offense that was committed against a person younger than 18 years old. Upon receipt of the written request for these records, the Department of Corrections is required to provide the information to the local district attorney. These provided records are then required to be kept confidential and are not subject to public disclosure requirements. Anyone breaking this confidentiality, or conspiring to do so, can be charged with a misdemeanor.

Authored By: Rep. (166th) House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee 02-10-2021 Do Pass Committee: Action:

Page 6 of 7 House of Representatives Daily Report for February 10, 2021 Committee Actions

Special Committee on Access to Quality Health Care Committee

HB 234 Self-funded Healthcare Plan Opt-in to the Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act; enact Bill Summary: House Bill 234, known as the 'Self-funded Healthcare Plan Opt-in to the Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act,' allows for self-funded healthcare plans to annually elect to participate in the 'Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act.' Any participating healthcare plan must elect to participate starting on January 1 or the first day of its plan year and must provide notice to the commissioner of the Department of Insurance at least 30 days before the effective date.

The Department of Insurance must maintain a list on its website of all self-funded healthcare plans that have chosen to participate. The commissioner can remove any participant that fails to comply with the 'Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act.'

Authored By: Rep. (27th) House Special Committee on Access to Committee 02-10-2021 Do Pass Committee: Quality Health Care Action:

Committee Meeting Schedule This meeting schedule is up to date at the time of this report, but meeting dates and times are subject to change. To keep up with the latest schedule, please visit www.house.ga.gov and click on Meetings Calendar.

Date Time Name Location Video Agenda

02/11/2021 8:00 AM EDUCATION (House) 506 CLOB VIDEO Agenda HYBRID

02/11/2021 8:00 AM NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT 606 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

(House) HYBRID

02/11/2021 8:00 AM APPROPRIATIONS EDUCATION 341 CAP VIDEO Agenda

SUBCOMMITTEE (House) HYBRID

02/11/2021 8:30 AM WAYS AND MEANS (House) 406 CLOB VIDEO Agenda HYBRID

02/11/2021 9:00 AM RULES (House) 341 CAP VIDEO Agenda

02/11/2021 11:30 AM Special Committee on Election Integrity Rich 406 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

Subcommittee (House) HYBRID

02/11/2021 1:00 PM APPROPRIATIONS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 341 CAP VIDEO Agenda

SUBCOMMITTEE (House) HYBRID

02/11/2021 1:00 PM Regulated Industries Alcohol Subcommittee (House) 506 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

02/11/2021 1:00 PM Regulated Industries Regulatory Subcommittee 515 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

(House)

02/11/2021 2:00 PM Judiciary Non Civil Setzler Subcommittee (House) 406 CLOB VIDEO Agenda HYBRID

02/11/2021 2:30 PM Regulated Industries Low THC Subcommittee (House) 515 CLOB VIDEO Agenda

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