The House and Senate floors were unusually active Monday compared to a typical fifth Legislative Day. Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) welcomed Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens to address his chamber amid ongoing debate on a proposed Buckhead City. Mayor Dickens reiterated his vision that Atlanta should be “a city with a bright future” and committed to a collaborative approach with lawmakers in managing the state capital and fighting crime. The mayor then proceeded to the Senate, where the reception was attentive, if a little more tepid.
The debate on the elections also continued in earnest in the Senate. Members debated SR 363, Senator Butch Miller’s (R-Gainesville) proposal that would amend the Georgia Constitution to permit only United States citizens and Georgia residents to register and vote in elections. The proposal, which would enshrine a requirement already enshrined in state law, fell short of the required two-thirds majority by 33 party lines to 14.
More on Monday’s committee actions and Speaker Ralston’s changes in committee leadership from last week in today’s #GoldDomeReport.
In this report:
The Speaker appoints new Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs
As hearings on the joint appropriations concluded last week, Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) announced a series of new committee leadership appointments. Although committee members and chairs are typically appointed at the beginning of each biennium, it is not uncommon for the heads of the House and Senate to appoint (and demote) committee chairs during the term.
The newly appointed committee chairs include:
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Representative Kasey Carpenter (R-Dalton) – Creative Arts & Entertainment
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Representative Houston Gaines (R-Athens) – Legislative and Congressional reallocation
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Representative Stan Gunter (R-Cornelia) – Special Committee on Election Integrity
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Rep John LaHood (R-Valdosta) – Code rework
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Representative Noel Williams (R-Cordele) – Banking and Banking Committee
The new Vice Committee Chairs include:
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Representative Mandi Ballinger (R-Canton) – Rules
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Rep. Beth Camp (R-Concord) – Juvenile Justice
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Representative Tyler Paul Smith (R-Bremen) – Judiciary Non-Civil
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Representative Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville) – Transportation
committee reports
Senate Committee for Economic Development and Tourism
The Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee met this morning and adopted its rules of procedure for the session; those rules are the same as in 2021. The only bill on the agenda was HB 342, authored by Rep. Dale Washburn (R-Macon). Legislation prohibits any plumbing company from advertising its services unless the master plumber and journeyman hold a valid license. The changes for this requirement are added in OCGA 43-14-8(b)(3). The legislation received a DO PASS recommendation from the committee and now goes to the Senate Rules Committee (LC 5002183). Note that this bill also passed through this committee in 2021, but never made it onto the Senate rule calendar.
Senate Judiciary Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Brian Strickland (R-McDonough), met to consider the following measures:
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SB 197, authored by Senator Kim Jackson (D-Pine Lake), amends Title 16 to accommodate how the Penal Code defines “stalking.” In particular, the bill changes the definition so that stalking can also include acts inside a victim’s home.
Senator Jackson introduced the bill to the committee after Chairman Strickland noted that the bill passed the committee last year. Mazie Lynn Guertin of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers spoke on the legislation and expressed her appreciation for Senator Jackson’s cooperation, but stated that she still could not support the legislation. Judge Paige Whitaker of the Fulton County Superior Court and Georgia Commission on Family Violence supported the legislation, noting that 47 other states already recognize that stalking can be committed inside the home. The committee took no action on the bill.
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SB 332, written by Senator John Albers (R-Alpharetta), is the Inform Consumers Act. The bill amends Title 10 to provide for certain disclosures by third-party sellers of high-volume consumer products on online marketplaces. Specifically, the bill requires online marketplaces to collect and verify third-party information, and reflects federal legislation on the matter.
Senator Albers introduced the bill to the committee, saying it would target organized retail crime. He noted that this legislation imposes similar information-recording requirements for third-party marketplaces as those for pawnshops and metal buyers. Stephen Loftin of the Georgia Retail Association supported the law, noting that it was passed in another state and similar bills have been introduced in 20 other states. CVS, The Home Depot, Walgreens, Walmart, and the Georgia Food Industry Association supported the legislation; and Amazon.com and eBay came forward calling for support for federal legislation on these issues. The Cobb Chamber of Commerce filed a letter in support of the bill.
The committee unanimously recommended that the bill be DO PASS and sent to the Rules Committee.
House Rules Committee
The House Rules Committee, chaired by Rep. Richard Smith (R-Columbus), only met for a hearing on Rep. Beth Camp’s (R-Concord) HR 39. The law, if passed, would align Georgia with four other states for a state convention. The appointed congressional delegates would create term limits for US congressmen. Without a vote, the resolution remains in the Rules of Procedure Committee.
New legislation
The following legislation of interest was brought into the House:
The following relevant bills have been introduced into the Senate:
What’s next
The General Assembly will reconvene for Legislative Day 6 on Tuesday 25 January at 10:00 am.
The Mental Health Caucus will meet Tuesday, January 25 at 1:00 p.m. at 341 CAP.
Copyright ©2022 Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLPNational Law Review, Volume XII, Number 24
