2019 Legislative Update
Legislative Days 12-16
The Georgia General Assembly adjourned Friday after completing the 16th legislative day. The Legislature will meet four days this week.
Governor Kemp announced that he will be seeking Medicaid waivers to develop a state focused plan to cover uninsured Georgians. Legislation to move forward with a waiver was introduced by the Governor’s Floor Leaders.
Governor Kemp signed his first bill into law on Friday. SB 25, sponsored by Senator Bill Heath, clarifies when the driver of a vehicle needs to stop, or not stop, upon encountering a stopped school bus.
It was a very active week with budget hearings and committee meetings. The amended budget is expected to move through the process quickly in the Senate. Meanwhile, House budget subcommittees are working on the FY 2020 budget.
The Senate Regulated Industries committee held hearings on SB 2 and SB 17 pertaining to rural broadband deployment. There was much debate as Senators are working to find a path to deploy broadband to unserved communities.
The House Special Committee on Access to Quality Healthcare held hearings on HB 198 which would revise the Certificate of Need law.
The Senate Regulated Industries heard SB 66 and the House passed HB 184, which are companion bills, dealing with the deployment of telecom technology known as small cell. These companion bills are a result of a compromise among local governing authorities and wireless companies seeking to improve wireless coverage in Georgia.
An election bill was introduced by Representative Barry Fleming. HB 316 is a result of work performed over the interim by a commission tasked with making recommendations to upgrade Georgia’s voting machines.
The Regional Business Coalition of Metropolitan Atlanta (RBC) is an organization of over a dozen of the largest and most active Chambers of Commerce throughout the metro Atlanta region. RBC member chambers represent over 15,000 member companies who employ millions of metro Atlanta residents. The RBC’s primary goal is to represent the interests of RBC Chamber members on regional public policy issues impacting our transportation, water and air quality and to advocate for solutions that improve metro Atlanta’s quality of life and economic vitality.