This Week in the Senate March 29 - 31, 2021 Sine Die - 2021 Just after midnight on Wednesday, March 31st, the Georgia Senate Georgia General Assembly officially adjourned Sine Die. During our final week, we methodically worked Press Office Staff our way through the calendars of bills assigned by the Rules Committee, and all told, we considered 87 bills Andrew Allison and resolutions and agreed to House alternations to Director numerous others. This year presented many unique and unexpected challenges, not only for the General Assem- Kessarin Horvath bly, but for all Georgians. These struggles have been at Communications Specialist the forefront of our minds from the moment we first gaveled in back in January, and I truly believe that this Kami Briden session we were able to address the issues that mattered Senior Communications Associate most to you. This session, we made vast improvements to our adoption processes, enhanced election Cameren Rogers security, passed a balanced budget even while in the middle of a pandemic, and provided 2021 Communications Aide a tax cut for Georgians most in need, all while continuing the fight against COVID-19. The majority of the legislation we passed did so with broad bipartisan support and Maia Schulte even in areas in which we disagreed, we did so respectfully. Senate leadership, including 2021 Communications Aide Majority Leader Mike Dugan (R – Carrollton) and Minority Leader Gloria Butler (D – Stone Mountain), deserve to be commended for how effectively they managed their Sascha Stryker respective caucuses and how they worked together to achieve common policy objec- 2021 Communications Aide tives. Our President of the Senate, Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, also deserves praise for his leadership and for navigating our body throughout our daily business in the Senate Chamber. The Senate is fortunate to have some of the most dedicated public servants our state has to offer leading our Chamber on all fronts. Gratitude, as always, is also owed to the many staff members who dedicate long hours to ensure the legislative session runs smoothly. I would particularly like to recognize Edited by: the Senate Budget and Evaluation Office, which was dealt a particularly difficult hand Steve Tippins, Chief of Staff this year, as they were tasked with aggregating the economic data on how your taxpayer Senate President Pro Tempore Office dollars would be most efficiently allocated. This was no easy task, but our team rose to [email protected] the challenge and ensured that Georgia’s budget remained fair and balanced. The Senate 321 State Capitol Building Research Office provided their legal minds and experience to assisting legislators as they 404.656.6578 mapped out their policy proposals and provided accurate and timely analyses of legis- 201 Coverdell Legislative Office Building lation for all senators, particularly helpful in the final days of the session when bills are 18 Capitol Square S.W. frequently amended or substituted. The Senate Press Office worked to find innovative Atlanta, GA 30303 methods to keep the committee process functioning when the need for limited virtual p: 404.656.0028 meetings arose and livestreamed well over 200 legislative hearings to ensure the public could remain engaged in the process. They also assisted all members with their communi- cation needs, providing a much needed and valuable service to their constituents. Finally, I need to commend our administrative assistants for their flexibility and adaptability managing each member’s office. Our state government truly could not operate if it were not for each of you lending your time, talent and skills towards making this session run so smoothly. Each Senate staffer has my full and sincere appreciation, and I thank them FOLLOW US for all of their work. fb.com/GeorgiaStateSenate While the 2021 session may be over, that does not mean that your elected representatives are done working for you. Throughout the interim, we expect to appoint several Study Committees where we will analyze specific policy issues in-depth so to have legislation ready for next year. Additionally, at some point this winter, we expect to be called back in @gasenatepress for a Special Session in order to work on the reapportionment and redistricting process resulting from the 2020 Census. Please know that you can call on me at any time during the interim by contacting either me or my office. @gasenatepress Senator Butch Miller President Pro Tempore, Georgia Senate GeorgiaStateSenate MONDAY, MARCH 29 Creating Senate Study Committee on Violence Against Health Care Workers Sen. Butch Miller (R – Gainesville) sponsored Senate Resolution 281, which would create the Senate Study Committee on Violence Against Health Care Workers to address a rise in aggressive en- counters, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. SR 281 passed with a vote of 49 to 0. – SR 281 Establishing a Teacher Retention and Recruitment Program House Bill 32, carried by Sen. Burt Jones (R – Jackson) would establish a teacher recruitment and retention program within the State Board of Education for qualifying schools. Within the pro- gram, teachers would be offered a $3,000 refundable tax income credit to teach in rural and low performing schools in high-need subject areas. HB 32 passed with a vote of 50 to 0. – HB 32 Revising Vehicle Registration Applications Sen. Bruce Thompson (R – White) carried House Bill 43, which would provide a space on vehicle registration applica- tions for applicants to indicate that they have a physical, mental or neurological condition which impacts their ability to communicate. HB 43 passed with a vote of 49 to 4. – HB 43 Extending Nonlapsing Revenue Automatic Repeals Sen. Bill Cowsert (R – Athens) carried House Bill 67, which would extend automatic repeals of provisions related to write-offs of small amounts due to the state and nonlapsing revenue for the University System of Georgia and Tech- nical College System of Georgia. HB 67 would also implement a reporting system for these university systems for the purpose of outlining the nonlapsing revenue from the preceding fiscal year, expressing plans for this revenue, reporting actual expenses paid and reporting the cumulative balance of the nonlapsed revenue. HB 67 passed with a vote of 47 to 6. – HB 67 Revising Penalty for Stolen Mail House Bill 94, carried by Sen. John Kennedy (R – Macon) would make stealing mail and porch piracy a felony punish- able by imprisonment for one to five years. HB 94 passed with a vote of 38 to 14. – HB 94 Defining a Cremation Device House Bill 124, carried by Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R – Dallas), would define a “cremation device” as a retort, vat, or container that is used to cremate dead human bodies. HB 124 would insert “cre- mation device” into applicable codes. HB 124 passed with a vote of 48 to 3. – HB 124 Enacting Gracie’s Law House Bill 128, carried by Sen. Clint Dixon (R – Gwinnett) would prohibit entities from denying organ transplants to disabled indi- viduals due to their disability. It would also prohibit health insurers from denying coverage for these operations due to a person’s dis- ability. HB 128 passed with a vote of 52 to 0. – HB 128 Limiting Public Meetings Relating to Cybersecurity Sen. Bo Hatchett (R – Cornelia) carried House Bill 134, which would allow discussions on cybersecurity measures to take place in executive sessions of agency governing bodies. It also exempts cybersecurity-related documents from disclosure as public records. HB 134 passed with a vote of 51 to 0. – HB 134 Revising Provisions Related to Schools on Military Bases House Bill 152, carried by Sen. Chuck Payne (R – Dalton), would revise provisions relating to nonpublic postsecondary educational institutions operating on military bases.This bill would provide for an alternative review of renewal applications, provide for filing of a surety bond in the event of a change in ownership and provides for the remittal of surety bonds. HB 152 passed with a vote of 53 to 0. – HB 152 Adding a Provision to the Fair Business Practices Act of 1975 Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry) carried House Bill 153, which would require written solicitations for corporate fil- ings services notating that it is a solicitation and not a bill, official government document or has been sent by the Secretary of State’s Office. HB 153 passed with a vote of 50 to 1. – HB 153 Allowing Mounted Electronic Devices on Windshields Sen. Randy Robertson (R – Cataula) carried House Bill 165, which would allow people to drive with a mounted electronic device on their windshield. HB 165 passed with a vote of 50 to 0. – HB 165 Adopting Federal Vehicle Regulations House Bill 174, carried by Sen. Burt Jones (R – Jackson) would adopt federal regulations relating to the safe oper- ation of commercial motor vehicles and carriers. HB 174 passed with a vote of 52 to 0. – HB 174 Redesigning Special License Plates Sen. Sheila McNeill (R – Brunswick) carried House Bill 179, which would create special license plates supporting members of the United States military and the fight against cancer. Proceeds raised from the plates would be dis- bursed to Support our Troops, Inc. and the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education, Inc.. HB 179 would also redesign the Breast Cancer Awareness license plate. HB 179 passed with a vote of 45 to 0. – HB 179 Revising Provisions Related to Firearms Sen. Bo Hatchett (R – Cornelia) carried House Bill 218, which would allow any person licensed to carry in another state to carry in Georgia, expand the ban on creating multijurisdictional database of weapons carry licenses, impose penalties when a government fails to auction unclaimed firearms and prohibit the imposition of cer- tain restrictions on firearms during a state of emergency.