Today is Day 18 of the 40-day General Assembly and the Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives chambers are moving the process along when it comes to policy priorities.
Tort reform—Gov. Brian Kemp’s omnibus civil litigation package Senate Bill 68 last week passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and goes to the Senate floor for a vote. It contains key tort reform elements, including but not limited to reevaluating premises liability, requiring a truthful calculation of damages in personal injury cases (eliminating “phantom damages”) and allowing a jury to know whether a plaintiff was wearing his or her seatbelt in an auto accident.
A related bill, SB 69, regulates third party litigation financing to curb outside influence on trials, which includes that from foreign governments. Both reform bills are sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy, R-Macon.
Proponents say the passage of these bills will lower insurance rates. State Insurance Commission John King says, “I think it would be wrong for me to tell you that, but I can guarantee you that they will go up if we don’t do something about it.”
State income tax & rebate— Cutting the tax rate from 5.39% to 5.19%, and to provide another round of rebates to Georgians of up to $500, advanced in the House Ways & Means Committee last week. House Bill 111, the income tax reduction, is sponsored by Rep. Soo Hong, R-Lawrenceville. And HB 112, which would provide the rebate, is sponsored by Rep. Bubba McDonald, R-Cumming.
Tax credit scholarship program– HB 328 by Rep. Kasey Carpenter, R-Dalton, would raise the state’s tax credit scholarship cap from $120 million to $200 million. As it stands now, the program regularly hits its cap within the first few days after the rebate is opened. The idea is that far more students need to benefit from the program.
Ban of “gender-affirming” procedures– SB 39 prevents taxpayer dollars from funding gender-affirming procedures through the state health benefit plan and bans state-associated healthcare facilities from offering such life-altering services. Two Democrat senators have joined Republicans as sponsors for the bill introduced by Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia. He says, “Our tax dollars should not be used to push such radical policies.”
A sales tax holiday– Legislation to declare a sales tax holiday for purchases of guns and ammunition passed the Senate last week and goes to the House. SB 47 is sponsored by Sen. Jason Anavitarte, R- Dallas, and hunters and firearms owners across Georgia are especially cheering.
School cell phone prohibition– HB 340, known as “The Distraction-Free Education Act,” is sponsored by Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, and prohibits cell phone use by students through the eighth grade. “Our schools should be places of learning, free from the distractions of social media and non-educational screen time,” he says. In a related development, the Senate Children and Families Committee held a hearing on the use of cell phones in public schools.
Legislative office complex naming– The Senate is advancing a resolution to name the forthcoming Capitol Hill legislative office complex, slated for construction soon, after former governor, former U.S. Agriculture secretary and current University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue. Senate Resolution 95 is sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming.
