Gold Dome Report - March 2019 #19

The House and Senate had an extremely busy day today as each chamber dispensed with their constitutional requirement for the legislative session, passing a balanced budget for the new fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2020.  The Conference Committee Report for HB 31 was approved by both chambers around midday, and the new spending plan moves to Governor Kemp’s desk for his review and approval. But the chambers did not stop work there today. In fact, the House and Senate continue to debate legislation at our deadline. Highlights on today’s floor action include below with continued updates on Twitter filed under #GoldDomeReport.

In this Report:

• House, Senate Agree to Compromise FY 2020 Budget
• Floor Notes
• Rules Calendars for Legislative Day 38

House, Senate Agree to Compromise FY 2020 Budget

Late yesterday, the Conference Committee on the FY 2020 Budget met to sign off on a compromise version of next year’s spending plan. Conferees were vague as to the contents of the Conference Committee Report during yesterday’s meeting, saving the details for their legislative colleagues today, but we can now report the contents of the 26 pages of differences. Significant changes from the Senate position on the FY 2020 budget include:

• Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
  
  
  • $1,137,673 decrease from Senate allocation of $1,258,090 to increase provider rates by 3% for Community Access Group, Community Access Individual, Prevocational Services, and Supported Employment services.
  • $500,000 decrease from Senate allocation of $500,000 for a crisis stabilization unit in Columbus with instruction to support funding for operations of such units throughout the state as additional beds come open.
  • $200,000 decrease from Senate allocation of $250,000 for permanent supported housing for individuals with developmental disabilities in Forsyth County.
  • $100,000 decrease from Senate allocation of $350,000 for Mercy Care Health Systems to provide mental and primary health care to indigent Georgians.
• Community Health
  
  
  • $500,000 increase for Augusta University for a three-year primary care residency track for physicians (New Item).
  • $180,000 decrease to the Senate allocation of $180,000 for operation of the six regional Area Health Education Centers.
  • Return to House position of $4,999,870 for the Morehouse School of Medicine Grant to offset a reduction in federal matching funds for graduate medical education.
• Education
  
  
  • $3,000 salary increase for all certified educators beginning July 1, 2019.
  • $4,595,000 increase in House and Senate allocation of $9,590,000 in bonds for statewide vocational and agricultural equipment.
  • $400,000 increase to Senate allocation of $600,000 to Non-QBE Formula Grants for feminine hygiene products for low-income students.
  • $250,000 increase to Technology/Career Education for cyber security initiatives in high schools (New Item).
  • $100,000 increase to Senate allocation of $100,000 to expand the comprehensive Communities in Schools model of wraparound supports to new schools.
  • $3,262,547 reduction to Senate allocation of $5,262,547 to charter schools for facility grants under HB 430 (2017 Session).
  • $412,947 reduction to $825,947 added by House for reducing austerity to RESAs.
  • $250,000 reduction to $1M added by Senate for professional development programs for teachers providing instruction in computer science per SB 108 (2019 Session).
  • Return to House position of $968,634 for Non-QBE Formula Sparsity Grants.
  • Return to House position of $4,191,647 reduction to GSFC for Dual Enrollment.
• Human Services
  
  
  • Return to House position of $2,687,860 to increase DFCS relative caregiver daily per diem rates by $1.00.
• Public Health
  
  
  • $445,000 reduction to Senate allocation of $445,000 to maintain current funding levels for hospitals with trauma care designations.
  • $275,000 reduction to Senate allocation of $550,000 for ten Coverdell-Murphy Act remote stroke readiness grants.

The full list of differences and Conference Committee compromises can be found here, along with the full Conference Committee Report.

Floor Notes

The House voted on the following legislation of interest today:

• SB 2, authored by Sen. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega), cleared the House today with a vote of 107-62.  However, the initiative received a number of revisions before it made it to the House Floor today.  In an early morning meeting, the House Rules Committee provided a Rules Committee Substitute.  The underlying proposal addresses electric membership corporations and their affiliates in Chapter 3 of Title 46, permitting them to deliver broadband services.  The version passed by the Rules Committee is similar to the legislation carried by Rep. Penny Houston (R-Nashville).  The House Rural Development Council developed a number of recommendations in its meetings in 2018 and one of those recommended that rural broadband services be made available in rural areas.  The new version of SB 2 permits individuals who may have disputes with the electric membership corporations take those matters to their local superior courts rather than the Public Service Commission in Atlanta.  Rep. Al Williams (D-Midway) argued that the bill does not go far enough to help rural Georgia or as he stated, the “far reaches of Georgia.” He explained that an area of Liberty County has no broadband currently, and while the local “EMC” does a great job, this bill will not really provide help to his area.  He asked his fellow House Members to vote down the Substitute. Rep. Scot Turner (R-Canton) inquired about the broadband rate definition in the bill which is different than another definition for that term in another section of the Code. It moves back to the Senate for its review.

The Senate voted on the following legislation of interest today:

• HB 39, authored by Rep. Dave Belton (R-Buckhead), is the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact Act. The bill amends Title 43 to enter into the interstate compact, which will allow eligible physical therapists to practice across state lines. This bill PASSED 51-0 by Committee Substitute, and it returns to the House for further consideration.
• HB 79, authored by Rep. Carl Gilliard (D-Garden City), amends Title 30 to provide that blind persons shall not be discriminated against by the courts, Department of Human Services, or a child-placing agency in matters relating to child custody, guardianship, foster care, visitation, placement, or adoption. This bill PASSED 49-2 by Committee Substitute, and it returns to the House for further consideration.
• HB 91, authored by Rep. Andy Welch (R-McDonough), amends Title 31 to allow the Department of Community Health to retain fingerprints collected as part of the Georgia Long-Term Care Background Check Program. This bill PASSED 52-0 and proceeds to the Governor’s desk for signature.
• HB 228, authored by Rep. Andy Welch (R-McDonough), amends Title 19 to change the minimum age for marriage from 16 to 17. This bill PASSED 51-0 by Committee Substitute, and it returns to the House for further consideration.
• HB 233, authored by Rep. David Knight (R-Griffin), amends Title 26 to create the "Pharmacy Anti-Steering and Transparency Act". The bill prohibits nonresident pharmacies from sharing patient and prescriber data with affiliates for commercial purposes, presenting a claim for a service provided based on referral from an affiliate, or mailing a prescription to a patient when the prescriber calls for an in-person consultation. It also requires such pharmacies to file an annual disclosure statement of its affiliates. This bill PASSED 53-0 by Committee Substitute, and it returns to the House for further consideration.
• HB 310, authored by Rep. Greg Morris (R-Vidalia), amends Title 33 to move the deadline for the Department of Insurance to submit an autism coverage report to the General Assembly from January 15 of each year to June 15. This bill PASSED 53-0 and proceeds to the Governor’s desk for signature.
• HB 321, authored by Rep. Jodi Lott (R-Augusta), amends Title 31 to extend the sunset provision of the hospital Medicaid financing program to June 30, 2025. The bill also provides for new transparency requirements for non-profit hospitals. This bill PASSED 41-11 by Committee Substitute, and it returns to the House for further consideration.
• HB 367, authored by Rep. Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville), amends Title 33 to enact the "Corporate Governance Annual Disclosure Act". The bill requires insurers to report their corporate governance structure to the Department of Insurance. This bill PASSED 47-2 and proceeds to the Governor’s desk for signature.
• HB 530, authored by Rep. Bill Hitchens (R-Rincon), amends Title 20 to prohibit a parent or guardian from removing their child from public school for the purpose of avoiding mandatory attendance, school discipline, parental involvement, or parental responsibilities for the care and control of a child. This bill also requires DFCS to perform a home visit to any family that withdraws their child without adhering to the proper process. This bill PASSED 50-0 and proceeds to the Governor’s desk for signature.
• HB 551, authored by Rep. Dewayne Hill (R-Ringgold), amends Title 16 to provide for a standard level of kratom alkoloids and establish recommended dosages. The bill also provides for the prohibition of access to kratom for individuals under the age of 18. This bill PASSED 50-0 and proceeds to the Governor’s desk for signature.

Rules Calendars for Legislative Day 39

The House will take up the following propositions on Friday for Legislative Day 39:

• SB 68 -- Local School Systems; financial management; strengthen provisions (Substitute)(Ed-Tanner-9th) Sims-12th
• SB 117 -- Public Retirement Systems Standards Law; that does not require an individual to pay the full actuarial cost of obtaining such creditable service; prohibit passage of any law (Substitute)(Ret-Williams-148th) Black-8th (Rules Committee Substitute LC 43 1385S)
• SB 200 -- Georgia Department of Transportation; procedure for appealing the rejection of a contract bid; require (Trans-Smith-133rd) Gooch-51st

The House Rules Committee is expected to meet again tomorrow morning to set a Supplemental Rules Calendar for Friday.

The Senate will take up the following propositions on Friday for Legislative Day 39:

• HB 12 -- Quality Basic Education Act; post sign containing telephone number to receive reports of child abuse; require every public school
• HB 33 -- Weapons carry license; extension of time for the renewal of a license for certain service members serving on active duty outside of the state; provide
• HB 70 -- Guardian and ward; guardian and conservators of minors and adults; revise provisions
• HB 76 -- Alcoholic beverages; counties and municipalities may regulate alcohol licenses as to certain distances in a manner that is less but not more restrictive than those distances specified by the state; provisions
• HB 101 -- Ad valorem tax; all-terrain vehicles; revise definitions
• HB 118 -- Crimes and offenses; transmitting a false alarm; revise offense
• HB 134 -- County law libraries; repeal a population provision regarding the disposition of law library funds in certain counties
• HB 182 -- Sales and use tax; lower threshold amount for certain dealers
• HB 187 -- Community Health, Department of; pilot program to provide coverage for the treatment and management of obesity and related conditions; provide
• HB 193 -- Banking and finance; banks and credit unions to offer savings promotion raffle accounts in which deposits to a savings account enter a depositor in a raffle; allow
• HB 201 -- Board of Natural Resources; promulgate rules and regulations regarding anchoring certain vessels within estuarine areas; authorize
• HB 218 -- Education; eligibility requirements to receive the HOPE Scholarship as a Zell Miller Scholarship Scholar; provide
• HB 220 -- Solid waste management; certain solid waste disposal surcharges; extend sunset date
• HB 224 -- Income tax; credit for new purchases and acquisitions of qualified investment property shall be earnable for mining and mining facilities and allowed against a taxpayer's payroll withholding; provide
• HB 239 -- Georgia Business Court; establish
• HB 242 -- Professions and businesses; regulation of massage therapy educational programs; provide
• HB 276 -- Sales and use tax; certain persons that facilitate certain retail sales; require collection of tax
• HB 277 -- Insurance; allow good will from insurer acquisitions to be treated as an asset
• HB 288 -- Superior courts; revise the sums that the clerks are entitled to charge and collect for filing documents and instruments pertaining to real estate or personal property
• HB 290 -- Health; pilot program to provide pre-exposure assistance to persons at risk of HIV infection; establish
• HB 296 -- Superior Court of Hall County in the Northeastern Circuit; revise term of court
• HB 307 -- Abandoned Motor Vehicle Act; enact
• HB 319 -- Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund; member's benefits payable after death shall be paid to his or her estate when such member failed to designate a beneficiary or his or her designated beneficiaries are deceased; provide
• HB 324 -- Georgia's Hope Act; enact (Substitute)
• HB 345 -- Penal institutions; pregnant female inmates or a female inmate who is in the immediate postpartum period; provide prohibited practices
• HB 349 -- Local government; counties to exercise powers in incorporated areas; authorize
• HB 352 -- Sales and use tax; exemption for competitive projects of regional significance; change sunset provision
• HB 365 -- Alternative ad valorem tax; motor vehicles; lower tax rate imposed
• HB 379 -- Revenue and taxation; projects and purposes using SPLOST funds; revise annual reporting requirements
• HB 381 -- Child support; defined terms and terminology, grammar, and punctuation; revise and correct (Substitute) (JUDY-23rd) Efstration-104th
• HB 406 -- Local government; joint authorities to furnish certain information necessary for the state auditor to determine the net impact of their activities on associated tax digests; require (FIN-46th) Williamson 115th
• HB 444 -- Dual Enrollment Act; enact (Substitute) (H ED-37th) Reeves-34th
• HB 454 -- Motor vehicles; operation of motorized mobility devices; provide (Substitute) (PUB SAF-51st) Tanner-9th
• HB 456 -- Local government; elect an annual report in lieu of a biennial audit; increase expenditure amount (GvtO-7th) Tankersley-160th
• HB 470 -- Law enforcement officers and agencies; analysis and collection of DNA for individuals charged with a felony offense but sentenced as a first offender or under conditional discharge; provide (Substitute) (JUDY-3rd) Sainz-180th
• HB 472 -- Juvenile Code; procedures concerning removal considerations; revise (Substitute) (RULES-19th) Reeves-34th
• HB 478 -- Social services; improvements to the operation of the child abuse registry; provide (Substitute) (JUDY-42nd) Ballinger-23rd
• HB 490 -- Banking and finance; payment of large deposits of deceased intestate depositors and the deposit of sums held for deceased intestate residents; make changes (B&FI-25th) Ridley-6th
• HB 492 -- Property; dispossessory proceedings; require applications for execution of a writ of possession be made within 30 days of issuance of the writ unless good cause is shown (Substitute) (SJUDY-23rd) Rich-97th
• HB 499 - Public utilities and public transportation; use of electric easements for broadband services; permit (Substitute) (RI&U-46th) Kelley-16th
• HB 502 -- Civil practice; continuances for members of the Board of Regents and the Attorney General; revise (Substitute) (RULES-6th) Welch-110th
• HB 540 -- Housing tax credit; add to the list of tax categories eligible for an offset (Substitute) (FIN-52nd) Rhodes-120th
• HB 543 -- Domestic relations; equitable caregivers; provide (Substitute) (JUDY-29th) Efstration-104th
• HB 553 -- State Victim Services Commission; bill of rights for foster parents; delete references to an obsolete entity (I COOP-28th) Dempsey-13th
• HR 37 -- Georgia Commission on Freight and Logistics; create (TRANS-21st) Tanner-9th
• HR 51 -- Joint Georgia-North Carolina and Georgia-Tennessee Boundary Line Commission; create (I COOP-27th) Morris-26th
• HR 239 -- Savannah Logistics Technology Innovation Corridor; designate (S&T-1st) Stephens-164th
• HR 346 -- Georgia Southern Nursing Angels Memorial Bridge; Bryan County; dedicate (Substitute) (TRANS-21st) Tankersley-160th