2019 Legislative Update
Legislative Days 33-37
The Georgia General Assembly adjourned late on Friday, March 22 after completing the 35th legislative day of the 2019 Session after an emotional debate on the “heartbeat” bill in the Senate. They are in session four days this week – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
With the House, Senate and Governor’s Office working to advance their priorities, much positioning is occurring on major issues. Many of these issues will be ironed out during the last few days of session. The legislature is still scheduled to finish (Sine Die) on Tuesday, April 2nd.
SB 110, which provides the general legislation for the statewide business court, passed the House Judiciary Committee and awaits action in the Senate.
SB 2, addressing broadband deployment, passed the House on Thursday and goes back to the Senate for an agree/disagree.
SB 106, referred to as the ‘Patients First Act’, authorizes the Department of Community Health (DCH) to submit a Section 1115 waiver request to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for Medicare, passed out of the House on Monday and was signed by the Governor on Wednesday.
HB 276, the Marketplace Facilitator Sales and Use Tax which would require the collection of sales tax from marketplace facilitators who conduct at least $100k in sales, passed the Senate Finance committee on Thursday.
HB 511, which would create the Department of Mobility and Innovation, create new regional mobility zones and abolish the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, was heard in Senate Transportation Committee multiple times but did not pass.
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.