EXTENDED
CITIZEN FORTIFICATION: House Bill 479 would abolish Georgian law that allows private individuals to arrest someone, while security guards and shop clerks can continue to detain people they accuse of a crime until the police arrive.
INCOME TAX CUT: Georgia would increase the amount of money someone could make before paying House Bill 593 income taxes and cut total taxes by $ 140 million.
SPORTS BETTING: With Senate Resolution 135 and Senate Law 142, Georgian voters could decide whether to allow sports betting. Lawmakers would divide the proceeds into college scholarships for low-income students, expanded high-speed internet access, and rural health services.
PATIENT VISIT: Hospitals and nursing homes would have to allow patients at least one visitor after many blocked access to visitors under House Bill 290 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
LABOR COMMISSIONER: The Senators on Monday revived Senate Draft 156, which would create a chief labor officer to oversee unemployment benefits. The move would curtail Labor Commissioner Mark Butler’s authority as lawmakers say his department has poorly handled a flood of jobless claims.
STREET RACING: House Bill 534 and Senate Bill 10 would increase penalties for illegal street races and stunt drives.
SCHOOL COUPONS: Senate Bill 47 would expand eligibility for a program that pays children with special educational needs to attend private schools. The House failed to take into account House Bill 60, which would have created a new education savings program to provide vouchers for private schools and home schools.
ADULT CRIME AGE: The age at which most people are charged with adult crimes would increase from 17 to 18 in Georgia under House Bill 272.
HOME-SCHOOLED ATHLETES: Public schools would require home-schooled students to participate in track and field and after-school activities as long as they take at least one online course through the local school under Senate Bill 51.
LAWSUIT LIABILITY: House Bill 112 is extended to July 2022. Georgian law protects companies and others from legal action if someone accuses them of contracting COVID-19.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING: Senate Bill 33 would allow victims or state officials to bring civil actions against traffickers, while Senate Bill 34 would make it easier for people who have been trafficked to change their names.
PULLED DRIVING: Drivers in Georgia couldn’t avoid penalties by telling judges that they bought hands-free kits for their cell phones under House Bill 247.
PAID PARENTAL LEAVE: House Bill 146 would offer nearly 250,000 state, public university, and public school employees three weeks of paid parental leave at any time after the birth, adoption, or care of a child.
TIME CHANGE: House Bill 44 calls on Georgia to permanently switch to daylight saving time if the US Congress approves it. Senate Bill 100 calls on Georgia to adhere to Standard Time year-round unless Congress allows states to permanently switch to daylight saving time.
DEFUND THE POLICE: House Bill 286 states that cities and counties cannot cut spending on their police services by more than 5% per year.
PORCH PIRACY: It would be a mandatory prison crime for people stealing packages from someone else’s porch under House Bill 94.
HAZING: Senate Bill 85 would increase penalties for bullying and make it a crime to force people to participate in bullying when someone is seriously injured, including from alcohol poisoning.
TEACHER INCENTIVES: House Bill 32 would give a US $ 3,000 per year state tax credit to some Georgian teachers who agree to work in certain rural or underperforming schools.
NOT AHEAD
LAWMAKER PAY RAISE: The pay of 180 House members and 56 Senators in Georgia would have nearly doubled under House Bill 675 and Senate Bill 252. Most of the nationally elected officials would also have received significant pay increases. The legislature’s pay has not changed since 1999.
EMERGENCY FORCES: House Bill 358 would require lawmakers to renew Governor Brian Kemp’s emergency powers every 30 days and every 90 days thereafter to limit the powers Kemp has exercised over the Georgian health emergency for nearly a year.
IN-STATE EDUCATION: House Bill 120 would have allowed some people without legal immigration status to apply for tuition at most universities and colleges in Georgia.
TRANSGENDER SPORTS: Senate Bill 266 would have banned transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams in high schools. Proponents say those not born women could have unfair advantages, but opponents say the proposal was illegal and cruel under federal law.
LIMIT VALUES: Georgian voters could have voted on the limitation of the state legislature to 12 years per chamber and the extension of the tenure of senators to four years under Senate Resolution 37, a constitutional amendment. The measure would also have limited the office of lieutenant governor to two terms.
STONE MOUNTAIN: Senate Bill 158 would have called for a “Let Freedom Ring” memorial for civil, electoral and human rights to be erected on Stone Mountain, which is home to a giant carving of Confederate leaders.
PROTEST RESTRICTIONS: Senate Bill 171 would have made blocking a freeway during a protest a crime, imposed penalties for other forms of protest, and expanded the state’s definition of illegal gathering. It never left the committee.
CASINO GAMBLING: None of the various actions that casinos would authorize have left the committee.
HORSE RACING: None of the various measures that would authorize betting on horse races have been removed from the committee.
