Yesterday in the Georgia Legislature – Mar. 14-15, 2023

This is an informal rundown of the legislative happenings. This update is from the most recent legislative day – 03/14/23, or Day 33, and 03/15/23 or Day 34.

SB 3 – Senator John Albers
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63492
“Reducing Barriers to State Employment Act of 2023”
SB 3 creates the ‘Reducing Barriers to State Employment Act of 2023’. The act requires the Department of Administrative Services to regularly assess and reduce, when possible, the requirements for jobs within state government.
Passed the House: 168-0

SB 27 – Sen. Matt Brass
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63664
SB 27 prohibits insurers from requiring ophthalmologists or optometrists to provide a discount on eye services that are not covered to receive increased payments, better reimbursements, preferential treatment, or any other benefit.
Passed the House: 167-0

SB 46 – Sen. Chuck Hufstetler
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63780 
PASSED THE SENATE: 56-0
WHAT IT DOES:

• Amends the Georgia HIV/Syphilis  Pregnancy Screening Act of 2015
• Requires that a woman be tested for HIV and syphilis when she is pregnant unless she refuses the testing
  • Must be done
    • at first pre-natal appointment
    • Between 28-32 weeks gestation 
    • At delivery
• Strikes language of previous testing requirements – which already existed but gave doctor more authority over the timing of testing…as a qualified doctor

CONCERN: Not sure why this change is necessary, but for a party that claims it wants to let doctors doctor…it sure doesn’t do that very often.
Passed the House: 169-2

SB 84 – Sen. Chuck Hufstetler 
LINK –> https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63962
WHAT IT DOES:

• Creates a new code section – OCGA 10-5-100
• Requires any person who is ‘a qualified individual – IE – supervisory, compliance, or legal capacity for a broker-dealer or investment advisor to report suspected abuse of elderly/incapacitated persons as it pertains to financial exploitation.
  • via abuse of power of attorney, guardianship, or conservatorship of an eligible adult (18 or older and mentally/physically incapacitated OR a person who is 65 years or older)
• Allows a A broker-dealer or investment adviser to delay a transaction involving the aforementioned if they believe financial exploitation may be a factor but they must notify state within 2 days of when the transaction was supposed to take place.
• Does not leave any liability on the broker/investment dealer when they DON’T catch incidents of financial exploitation 

CONCERN: None.
Passed the House: 169-0

SB 116 – Sen. Ben Watson
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/64126
SB 116 requires that municipal leases related to the operation of an arena, sports field, stadium, or other recreational facility must not exceed 20 years, and are not subject to renewal. Such leases must be subject to bids or auction after the initial lease expires.
Passed the House: 170-0

SB 120 – Sen. Shelly Echols
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/64176 
PASSED THE SENATE: 54-0
WHAT IT DOES:

• This is the annual update for Motor Carriers Operations to be in compliance with all changes to federal rules, regulations, and laws

CONCERN: None.
Passed the House: 169-0

SB 128 – Sen. John Albers
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/64199 
PASSED THE SENATE: 49-3
WHAT IT DOES:

• Adds language to investments for the Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund to allow the state to invest up to 15% of the funds/aggregate investment in alternative investments
  • This is the same % as the firefighters pension fund and 3x the max investment allowed for Teacher’s Retirement alternative investments and Employee’s Retirement investments.

CONCERN: None.
Passed the House: 166-3

SB 134 – Sen. Bill Cowsert 
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/64205 
PASSED THE SENATE: 56-0
WHAT IT DOES:

• Adds to the list of court proceedings in which a child may testify without taking an oath
• This adds ‘parental rights termination’ proceedings to the list which includes criminal proceedings and dependency proceedings.
• Also adds language to require, in all juvenile dependency adjudications that involve injury and disease, that any medical report that will be introduced to be provided ahead of time to the ‘other side’ at least 5 days in advance
• The other party can then object to admissibility (other than that the report is hearsay) within 3 days of the adjudication/hearing
• For parental termination hearings, a medical report must be provided to ‘the other side’ at least 15 days prior

CONCERN: Not sure why we allow kids to testify without taking an oath – they know what lying is.
Passed the House: 167-0