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This week the General Assembly convened on Monday, March 2 and worked through Thursday, March 5 to complete legislative day 25. The legislature will reconvene on Monday, March 9 for legislative day 26. Thursday, March 12 will mark “crossover day” which is the last day bills can pass their chamber of origin in order to be further considered. To view the latest adjournment resolution click here.
On Wednesday, March 4 the Senate passed House Bill 792 need link to bill which is the Amended Fiscal year 2020 budget. The AFY 2020 budget covers appropriations from July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020. HB 792 passed by substitute by a vote of 52-1 in the Senate.
The 2020 election cycle candidate qualifying for both partisan and nonpartisan races began this week on Monday, March 2 at 9:00am and came to a close on Friday, March 6 at 12:00 pm. To view the qualified candidates please visit the Secretary of State’s website here.
Wednesday House Speaker David Ralston announced the creation of a special committee on Access to the Civil Justice System. The Georgia Chamber, along with dozens of other statewide organizations have identified lawsuit reform as a top priority for this legislative session. We commend Speaker Ralston for his focus on this important issue and look forward to working with the committee to further address legislation to level the playing field for businesses negatively impacted by frivolous lawsuits.
To gain a better understanding of the lawsuit abuse crisis Georgia is currently facing, please watch and share the “Meet Mary” video here.
Senate Bill 374: Offers and Acceptance of Settlement in Civil CasesSenate Bill 493: Data Protection Act
Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Senator Bruce Thompson (R-White)
Senate Bill 493 encourages businesses to conform to the highest standards of cybersecurity software which provides them with an affirmative defense against lawsuits due to a data breach.
Senate Bill 486: In-School SAT/ ACT Testing
Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Senator P.K. Martin (R-Lawrenceville)
Senate Bill 486 would require that either the SAT or ACT be administered to all public school students in 11th grade. Districts choose the test their students take as well as their testing date. This bill applies to all public school students including students transitioning to and from the Department of Juvenile Justice. The implementation of SB 486 is contingent upon appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly.
Business Court Vote Fails - Issue Tabled Again!
On Thursday morning SB110, dealing with one-party consent for business court cases, was called up for a floor vote and failed. Immediately following the vote was a motion to reconsider which passed and the second vote on SB110 was tabled without rejection. This means that at any time the vote can be called again on SB110. Please thank those senators that voted yes on this legislation and reach out that voted no - the business community is fully committed and needs this change!
About Business Courts:
In 2019, the State-wide Business Court enabling legislation was passed and signed into law. The statete currently requires both parties to consent to the transfer of a case from superior or state court to the Business Court. This model has proved to be inefficient in the Atlanta-metro Business Court as well as in other states. So, there is a legislation to remove the two-party consent provision and allow one party to file a motion to transfer the case to the Business Court. This important change is needed to make the Business Court accessible and successful. To find your legislators, click here.
This week the General Assembly convened on Monday, February 24 for legislative day 17 and worked through Friday, February 28 to complete legislative day 21 of 40. The legislature will reconvene on Monday, March 2 and work through Thursday, March 5. To view the latest adjournment resolution click here.
2020 election cycle candidate qualifying for both partisan and nonpartisan races will begin Monday, March 2 at 9am at the state capitol and will end on Friday, March 6 at 12pm. To view the 2020 State Elections and Voter Registration Calendar, please visit the Secretary of State’s website here.
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Chamber Position: SUPPORT and SCORECARD
Sponsor: Senator John Kennedy (R- Macon)
SB 374 establishes reasonable parameters for settlement demand letters in civil cases. Currently, plaintiffs' lawyers can make settlement demands so complex that when an insurance company asks for clarification or cannot fulfill every request, it is seen as a rejection of the settlement offer and the insurance company is said to be acting in "bad faith”. Claims of bad faith allow a plaintiff’s attorney to sue an insurer for more than the policy limits of the defendant. This bill requires offers of settlement to be reasonable, limited in scope, professional, and clear, so that bad actors cannot continue to issue specious and purposely complex offers of settlement. SB 374 moved out of the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee on Monday and is now eligible to be heard on the floor of the Senate.
Chamber Position: SUPPORT and SCORECARD
Bill Sponsor: Senator Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega)
SB 415 is a comprehensive pro-business bill tackling several issues important to Georgia’s legal climate. The climate of lawsuit abuse in Georgia leads to higher insurance rates for all Georgians, higher costs for goods and services, and genuine concern from the business community about the unpredictability of liability management in Georgia. This bill addresses many areas of concern including premises liability, trucking lawsuits, seat belt admissibility in civil cases, asbestos litigation, truth in medical damages, among others. SB 415 was heard in a subcommittee of the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee on Wednesday and Friday of this week where it was ultimately voted out and moves on to full committee for consideration next week. To gain a better understanding of the lawsuit abuse crisis Georgia is currently facing, please watch and share the “Meet Mary” video at Facebook and and Twitter at https://twitter.com/balancescalesGA.
https://www.facebook.com/BalanceTheScalesGA
House Bill 488: Organized Retail Crime
Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Martin Momtahan (R-Dallas)
House Bill 488 creates a new statute for "organized retail theft" in the criminal code. HB 488 addresses the challenges with stolen goods, fraudulent returns, and gift card scams. This legislation will tackle the organized nature of these schemes allowing law enforcement to capture all of the people involved, not just the ones doing the individual shoplifting, and sets a standard of evidence and punishment appropriate for the size and scope of said criminal operations. HB 488 passed out of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee Friday morning and is now eligible for consideration before the House of Representatives.
Senate Bill 306: Audiology and Speech Pathology
Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Sponsor: Senator Valencia Seay (D- Riverdale)
SB 306 is a bill that allows audiologists and speech pathologists to obtain a license to practice in Georgia through an interstate compact agreement which would recognize other state licenses with similar requirements. By providing this type of licensure agreement for these specialties, as the state has also done with physicians, nurses and physical therapists, we can increase access to critical health services throughout our state. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted the bill out unanimously on Wednesday, February 26. The bill is now eligible for consideration by the full Senate.
Senate Bill 316: Military Spouse Licensure
Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Senator Bruce Thompson (R-White)
Senate Bill 316 would provide reciprocity to military spouses who are licensed in other states to practice certain professions and occupations in Georgia. By presenting a reciprocal licensing process that is similar to other states, SB 316 would ultimately circumvent obstacles for military spouses to help these families begin working upon relocation. The bill was voted out of the Senate on Thursday by a vote of 55-0.
House Bill 820- Freight Rail Program at GDOT
Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Sponsor: Representative Kevin Tanner (R- Dawsonville)
On Monday, the Georgia House of Representatives passed HB 820, 162-1, which creates a line item in the Georgia Department of Transportation budget to allocate funds, as needed, directly to freight rail. Georgia has the fastest growing port in the country. By 2028, port volume is projected to increase from 4 million to over 8 million containers annually. Over 80% of that cargo will travel by truck on Georgia’s highway system. In order to be prepared for this growth, investment in freight and logistics infrastructure should be a top priority as we look for solutions to the increasing truck traffic on our roads. HB 820 allows for direct state investment specifically in railways and railroad as the amount of freight moving through our state continues to grow.
To learn more about the Chamber’s engagement on this critical issue, please visit www.cantwaitforfreight.com or follow us on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaCantWaitForFreight/
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David Raynor
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
404-223-2267 | draynor@gachamber.com Cosby Johnson
Vice President, State & Political Affairs
404-223-2285 | cjohnson@gachamber.com Daniela Perry
Senior Director, Public Policy & Federal Affairs
404-223-2270 | dperry@gachamber.com Nancy Palmer
Director, Government Affairs
404-223-2489 | npalmer@gachamber.com Allison Plummer
Manager, Government and Political Affairs
404-223-2295 | aplummer@gachamber.com Jasmine King
Manager, Government Affairs
404-223-2285 | jking@gachamber.com Emily Pateuk
Manager, Public Policy
404-223-2475 | epateuk@gachamber.com
This week, the legislature stood in recess to allow the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to conduct hearings for both the FY 2020 Amended and FY 2021 budgets. The General Assembly will reconvene on February 18, 2020 for legislative day 13 and work through Friday, February 21. To view the latest adjournment resolution click here.
Please join the statewide business community in urging your legislator to vote YES on the conference committee report to Senate Bill 110.
In 2019, the State-wide Business Court enabling legislation was passed and signed into law. The statute currently requires both parties to consent to the transfer of a case from superior or state court to the Business Court. This model has proved not only in the Atlanta-metro Business Court but also in other states to be inefficient, so there is legislation to remove the two-party consent provision and instead allow one party to file a motion to transfer the case to the Business Court. This important change is needed to make the Business Court accessible and successful.
To find your legislators, click here.
Statewide Business Court Facts
Do Business Court cases have to be heard in Atlanta?
No, the law provides for a number of location options: Atlanta, Macon, and pre-trial matters can be by video conferencing. A motion may be made by either party to hear the matter in the original venue chosen by the plaintiff. Finally, any jury trials will take place in the original filing location.
(Section 15-5A-2, Lines 49-64) What types of cases are heard in Business Court?
Complex business litigation, mergers, high-level contract disputes, trademark litigation, securities litigation, typically between two or more businesses. No personal injury, landlord tenant, family law cases will be heard by the business courts.
(Section 15-5A-3, Lines 89-155) What is the threshold for cases before the business court?
The amount in controversy must be at least One million dollars ($1,000,000) involving commercial property or Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) if the claim does not involve commercial property.
(Section 15-5A-3, Lines 128-132)
House Bill 538: Tax Tribunal Legislation
Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Representative Todd Jones (R-South-Forsyth)
Legislation designed to level the playing field for taxpayers in disputes with the Department of Revenue, having passed out of the House Judiciary Committee with a unanimous vote, is set to be voted on by the full House of Representatives on Tuesday, February 18th. House Bill 538 allows judges more flexibility in taxpayer dispute cases and frees them from an administrative rule requiring them to defer to Department interpretations of ambiguous laws. If passed by the House of Representatives, the bill would move to the Senate for further consideration.
On Monday, Governor Kemp reported that Georgia’s net tax collections for January totaled nearly $2.36 billion for an increase of $100.8 million, or 4.5 percent. The net tax collections from January 2019 totaled $2.25 billion. To see the press release overviewing last month’s increases please click here.
On Tuesday, January 11, 2020 the new state judicial complex was dedicated to former Governor Nathan Deal. The event was attended by many notable Georgians to celebrate all that has been accomplished in our state’s judicial system. The Honorable Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and Governor Brian Kemp were among the many speakers to highlight Governor Deal’s tireless efforts around reforming our state’s criminal justice system.
In the 2019-2020 regular session House Resolution 1 was introduced by Speaker David Ralston to name the new state appellate judicial complex in honor of the former governor. The Nathan Deal Judicial Center will house the Georgia Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and the state’s new Business Court.
“Georgia Can’t Wait for Freight” is an initiative promoted by The Georgia Transportation Alliance and the Georgia Chamber to raise awareness about the nearly 6 million tons of freight carried throughout Georgia each week. This campaign highlights the opportunities and challenges for Georgia’s transportation network because of dramatic freight growth in Georgia’s future.
To learn more about the Chamber’s engagement on this critical issue, please visit www.cantwaitforfreight.com or follow us on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaCantWaitForFreight/
David Raynor
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
404-223-2267 | draynor@gachamber.com Cosby Johnson
Vice President, State & Political Affairs
404-223-2285 | cjohnson@gachamber.com Daniela Perry
Senior Director, Public Policy & Federal Affairs
404-223-2270 | dperry@gachamber.com Nancy Palmer
Director, Government Affairs
404-223-2489 | npalmer@gachamber.com Allison Plummer
Manager, Government and Political Affairs
404-223-2295 | aplummer@gachamber.com Jasmine King
Manager, Government Affairs
404-223-2285 | jking@gachamber.com Emily Pateuk
Manager, Public Policy
404-223-2475 | epateuk@gachamber.com
This week, the general assembly reconvened on February 3, 2020 for legislative day 10, and worked through Wednesday, February 5th completing legislative day 12. The legislature will stand in recess until February 18, 2020 when it will reconvene for legislative day 13. To view the latest adjournment resolution click here.
Please join the statewide business community in urging your legislator to vote YES on the conference committee report to Senate Bill 110.
In 2019, the State-wide Business Court enabling legislation was passed and signed into law. The statute currently requires both parties to consent to the transfer of a case from superior or state court to the Business Court. This model has proved not only in the Atlanta-metro Business Court but also in other states to be inefficient, so there is legislation to remove the two-party consent provision and instead allow one party to file a motion to transfer the case to the Business Court. This important change is needed to make the Business Court accessible and successful.
To find your legislators, click here.
Statewide Business Court Facts
Do Business Court cases have to be heard in Atlanta?
No, the law provides for a number of location options: Atlanta, Macon, and pre-trial matters can be by video conferencing. A motion may be made by either party to hear the matter in the original venue chosen by the plaintiff. Finally, any jury trials will take place in the original filing location.
(Section 15-5A-2, Lines 49-64)
What types of cases are heard in Business Court?
Complex business litigation, mergers, high-level contract disputes, trademark litigation, securities litigation, typically between two or more businesses. No personal injury, landlord tenant, family law cases will be heard by the business courts.
(Section 15-5A-3, Lines 89-155)
What is the threshold for cases before the business court?
The amount in controversy must be at least One million dollars ($1,000,000) involving commercial property or Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) if the claim does not involve commercial property.
(Section 15-5A-3, Lines 128-132)
House Bill 545: Right to Farm
Chamber Position: SUPPORT and SCORECARD
Bill Sponsor: Representative Tom McCall (Elberton)
HB 545 passed out of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee on Tuesday. The general assembly has long established Georgia as a “Right to Farm” state to protect agriculture operation from frivolous nuisance lawsuits. This bill addresses vagueness and ambiguity in the law that Georgia shares with other states whose farmers have fallen victim to undue litigation. The Georgia Chamber supports adding the protections included in HB 545 so that Georgia’s #1 industry can continue to expand and thrive in the future. The bill is now eligible for a vote in the full State Senate.
Senate BIll 315: General Contractor Lien Law Legislation
Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Senator Lindsey Tippins (Marietta)
SB 315 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday with unanimous support. This bill clarifies existing state law to allow tradesmen to sue for breach of contract in payment disputes without deference to a waiver of lien. The Georgia Chamber joined the Associated General Contractors of Georgia and over 15 other statewide organizations in support of the bill. SB 315 is now eligible for a vote in the full State Senate.
Senate Bill 316: Military Spouse Licensure
Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Senator Bruce Thompson (White)
This week the Senate Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committee held a hearing for Senate Bill 316. This bill would provide reciprocity to military spouses who are licensed in other states to practice certain professions and occupations in Georgia. The Georgia Chamber supports this bill as it currently awaits a vote out of the Senate committee.
House Resolution 935: Georgia Commission on Freight and Logistics
Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Bill Author: Representative Kevin Tanner (Dawsonville)
On Wednesday, the Georgia House of Representatives passed HR 935, 169-0, which reauthorizes the Freight and Logistics Commission for another year. The commission met four times across the state in 2019 to study Georgia’s future freight growth and its impacts on our economic future. The Georgia Chamber looks forward to partnering with the general assembly in their continued work on the Freight and Logistics Commission to provide transportation solutions to all Georgians.
To learn more about the Chamber’s engagement on this critical issue, please visit www.cantwaitforfreight.com or follow us on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaCantWaitForFreight/
David Raynor
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
404-223-2267 | draynor@gachamber.com
Cosby Johnson
Vice President, State & Political Affairs
404-223-2285 | cjohnson@gachamber.com
Daniela Perry
Senior Director, Public Policy & Federal Affairs
404-223-2270 | dperry@gachamber.com
Nancy Palmer
Director, Government Affairs
404-223-2489 | npalmer@gachamber.com
Allison Plummer
Manager, Government and Political Affairs
404-223-2295 | aplummer@gachamber.com
Jasmine King
Manager, Government Affairs
404-223-2285 | jking@gachamber.com
Emily Pateuk
Manager, Public Policy
404-223-2475 | epateuk@gachamber.com
Monday marked the start of the 2020 Session of the Georgia General Assembly. The legislature met Monday through Thursday, completing the 4th legislative day of 40. Next week, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will meet jointly to hear from Governor Kemp and various state agency leaders regarding the FY 2020 Amended and FY 2021 Budgets. Hearings are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 21. The General Assembly will reconvene on January 27, 2020 for legislative day 5, and work through Friday, January 31.
On Wednesday, the Georgia Chamber hosted its annual Eggs & Issues Breakfast at the Georgia World Congress Center. Over 2,500 elected officials and industry leaders from across the state were in attendance to discuss issues pertinent to Georgia’s ever-evolving economy. Special guests at this year’s sold-out event included U.S. Senator David Perdue, Governor Brian Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, Speaker of the House David Ralston, and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Georgia Chamber President & CEO, Chris Clark, announced a number of new organizational initiatives, as well as unveiling our 2020 Legislative Priorities, and the 2020 Recommendations from the Chamber’s Rural Prosperity Initiative.
Click here to view photos from the event.
On Thursday, Governor Brian Kemp addressed the Georgia General Assembly along with other elected leaders in his second State of the State address emphasizing his top priorities for the 2020 Legislative Session. Governor Kemp opened by tipping his hat to the many political leaders who came before him and set forth a strong business environment to keep Georgia the number one state in the nation in which to do business for the seventh year in a row. Highlights from his address included support for teacher pay raises; improving access to health care through the state’s pending ACA waiver proposals; reforms to the state’s adoption and foster care laws; cracking down on gang activity statewide; and upholding his commitment to tackling human trafficking.
In closing, Governor Kemp praised the strong business community, highlighted the 64,000 private sector jobs that were created this past year, and touted the 3.3% unemployment rate, the lowest in Georgia’s history.
Click here for the transcript and here for the video footage of Governor Kemp’s State of the State Address.
The Georgia Chamber would like to thank Georgia House Majority Leader Jon Burns (R-Newington) for his remarks on the House Floor highlighting the Eggs & Issues Breakfast and the long-standing partnership between the Georgia Chamber and the House of Representatives.
We look forward to our continued partnership in serving Georgia’s business community, and we thank you and all of our elected leaders for your friendship and support.
Click here to view footage of Leader Burns’ remarks.
This week, House Bill 276, a priority of the Chamber, was adopted by the General Assembly which aims to bring parity between online and brick and mortar retailers. This bill seeks to collect sales tax from online and third-party platforms selling retail products, thus leveling the playing field for Georgia-based retailers and increasing revenue for the state. A conference committee was appointed from the House and Senate to negotiate final changes to the carryover bill from the 2019 Session. The report of this conference committee was adopted by both chambers yesterday by votes of 111-54 and 40-9, respectively. The bill now moves on to Governor Kemp for his consideration.
The Georgia Chamber is preparing for the upcoming 2020 election cycle. During the previous cycle, the Georgia Chamber Political Action Committee (PAC) supported over 100 different candidates and hosted over 25 candidate fundraisers at the Georgia Chamber office.
This year, we will continue to grow and expand our political reach across the state. We will increase our involvement with members and local chambers on the political front as we prepare for the upcoming elections.Today, your personal or corporate commitment to the Georgia Chamber PAC will ensure that the organization is prepared to meet the challenges ahead. If you are interested in attending a PAC event, contributing to the PAC, or need additional information, please contact Allison Plummer at aplummer@gachamber.com. If you would like to donate online today, click here.
Wednesday’s release of a Georgia Tech study showed that the film industry’s direct spend in Georgia is $4.2 billion- significantly higher than previously reported, and asserts the industry’s investment and job creation is paying off for taxpayers.
The Georgia Screen Entertainment Coalition responded, saying “Georgia Tech’s study puts to rest any doubts about the tremendous economic impact that film industry has delivered for the state. Researchers dug into the numbers to see that the industry’s spending was far greater than previously reported and actually hit $4.2 billion in the 2017 budget year. We can safely assume that the direct spending – which goes to local businesses large and small – has grown even more in the last two years. The bottom line is, this report from an esteemed academic institution proves that Georgia’s film tax credit is working as intended and that it’s benefiting Georgians and local businesses even more than we thought.”
To read GSEC’s full response, click here. To read the Georgia Tech study, click here.
GSEC will continue working to promote and protect Georgia’s film, television and digital entertainment industry. If your company would like to join our efforts and show your support of this Georgia’s screen entertainment industry, please contact GSEC Executive Director, Kelsey Moore at kmoore@gachamber.com or 404.223.2261.
Following the report from the Senate Study Committee on how to make Georgia a better place to do business, Georgians for Lawsuit Reform (GLR) is gearing up for a major tort reform push this session. The GLR lobbying team will be strongly advocating for the tort reform omnibus bill which includes all of GLR’s legislative priorities for 2020. GLR will also be focused on fixing the business courts bill passed in 2019. Currently, for a case to be heard by the State’s business court, both parties must consent to the transfer from the original court. However, the proven best practice is for only one party to have to request a transfer to the business court. GLR will be advocating for this change during the 2020 session.
We welcome you joining all of our efforts on behalf of the business community this coming session. If you would like to be involved, please contact GLR Executive Director, Meagan Hanson at mhanson@galawsuitreform.com.
Please join us for the 3rd annual State of Transportation Reception hosted by the Georgia Transportation Alliance, Georgia Highway Contractors Association, Georgia Construction Aggregate Association and Georgia Ready Mixed Concrete Association. This event will be held next Tuesday, January 21 at 5:30PM at the Atlanta History Center.
Special guests include Speaker of the House David Ralston, Senate Transportation Chairman Brandon Beach and House Transportation Chairman Kevin Tanner.
To purchase a ticket, please click here. If you have any questions, please reach out to Maddison Hendershot at mhendershot@gachamber.com.
David Raynor
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
404-223-2267 | draynor@gachamber.com
Cosby Johnson
Vice President of State & Political Affairs
404-223-2285 | cjohnson@gachamber.com
Daniela Perry
Senior Director, Public Policy & Federal Affairs
404-223-2270 | dperry@gachamber.com
Nancy Palmer
Director, Government Affairs
404-223-2489 | npalmer@gachamber.com
Allison Plummer
Manager, Government and Political Affairs
404-223-2295 | aplummer@gachamber.com
Jasmine King
Manager, Government Affairs
404-223-2285 | jking@gachamber.com
Emily Pateuk
Manager, Public Policy
404-223-2475 | epateuk@gachamber.com
The legislature was in recess this week to allow the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to conduct joint state budget hearings. The General Assembly will reconvene on January 27, 2020 for legislative day 5, and work through Friday, January 31.
Tuesday through Thursday this week, state legislative budget committee members heard from Governor Kemp, the state’s fiscal economist and various state agency leaders regarding the Amended Fiscal Year 2020 and Fiscal Year 2021 Budget proposals. While the state is still expected to experience growth over the next year, it may slow from previous years according to the state’s fiscal economist, Jeffrey Dorfman. Although Governor Kemp has called for 4% and 6% budget reductions in FY 2020 and FY 2021, respectively, the essential service areas of education, Medicaid and transportation were exempt from these cuts.
Please find the Governor’s Budget Report for AFY 2020 and FY 2021 here.
January 23, 2020 (Atlanta, GA) - The Georgia Transportation Alliance has announced a new educational campaign called “Georgia Can’t Wait for Freight” to raise awareness about the nearly 6 million tons of freight carried throughout Georgia each week. This new campaign will highlight the opportunities and challenges for Georgia’s transportation network because of dramatic freight growth in Georgia’s future.
The “Georgia Can’t Wait for Freight” campaign was announced at the State of Transportation Reception in Atlanta, attended by over 400 business leaders and elected officials. The event was hosted by Georgia Transportation Alliance, Georgia Highway Contractors Association, Georgia Construction Aggregate Association and Georgia Ready Mixed Concrete Association, and attended by special guests, Georgia House Speaker, David Ralston, GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry, Senator Brandon Beach, Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee among others.
Recent research shows that 90% of Georgians agree that transportation is important for job growth and economic prosperity. Given that Georgia has the fastest growing port in the country with a projected increase from over 4 million containers annually to over 8 million containers annually by 2028, investment in freight and logistics infrastructure should be a top priority. Further, over 80% of that cargo will travel by truck on Georgia’s highway system. Georgia’s future economic growth is directly tied to transportation infrastructure that allows businesses to get their products to market efficiently and their employees safely to work.
“There is unquestionably a direct correlation between transportation infrastructure and growing Georgia’s economy,” says Senator Brandon Beach, Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. “Georgia has an enormous opportunity for big business in freight and logistics that will make our state the capital of the eastern seaboard. Investing in and making transportation a priority right now will only boost Georgia’s economy in the future.”
For more information on the “Georgia Can’t Wait for Freight” campaign, please visit CantWaitForFreight.com.
David Raynor
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
404-223-2267 | draynor@gachamber.com
Cosby Johnson
Vice President of State & Political Affairs
404-223-2285 | cjohnson@gachamber.com
Daniela Perry
Senior Director, Public Policy & Federal Affairs
404-223-2270 | dperry@gachamber.com
Nancy Palmer
Director, Government Affairs
404-223-2489 | npalmer@gachamber.com
Allison Plummer
Manager, Government and Political Affairs
404-223-2295 | aplummer@gachamber.com
Jasmine King
Manager, Government Affairs
404-223-2285 | jking@gachamber.com
Emily Pateuk
Manager, Public Policy
404-223-2475 | epateuk@gachamber.com
This week, the general assembly reconvened on January 27, 2020 for legislative day 5, and worked through Friday, January 31 completing legislative day 9. The legislature will reconvene on Monday, February 3 and work through Thursday, February 6.
Contact your senator to vote YES on Senate Bill 110.
In 2019, the State-wide Business Court enabling legislation was passed and signed into law. The statute currently requires both parties to consent to the transfer of a case from superior or state court to the Business Court. This model has proved not only in the Atlanta-metro Business Court but also in other states to be inefficient, so there is legislation to remove the two-party consent provision. The two-party consent provision would be replaced to allow one party to file a motion to transfer the case to the Business Court. This important change is needed to make the Business Court accessible and properly utilized.
***We anticipate a vote on Monday. Please call or email your Senator with your support for this critical revision to the Business Court statute.***
To find your legislators, click here.
This week, the Georgia Chamber acted on three items pertaining to federal legislation and agency regulations. The Canadian Snowbird Act, House Resolution 3241, would allow Canadian citizens age 50 and older who rent or own property in the U.S. to extend their visa for 59 days. This bill would benefit economic development and commerce, and has been widely supported across the United States. The Chamber has taken a support position for this piece of legislation that was originally brought to Congress in 2017.
Access to rural broadband continues to be a key issue at both the state and federal levels. On Wednesday, the Chamber approved a letter of support to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the expansion of broadband access through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF.) This fund would distribute more than $16 billion dollars in broadband support to areas currently without service as well as allow broadband providers, both large and small, to work on the expansion.
Finally, this week, the organization tool a position of opposition to a pending regulation change before the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The proposed CMS federal rule would shift a significant portion of the responsibility for Medicaid funding to the state at a cost of almost $1.5 billion.
MARKETPLACE FACILITATOR BILL SIGNED INTO LAW
On Thursday, Governor Kemp signed House Bill 276 into law that will bring greater parity between online and brick and mortar retailers with respect to the collection and remittance of sales taxes to the state. The Georgia Chamber supports this legislation and commends Governor Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly for ensuring that all Georgia retailers are treated fairly.
DUAL ENROLLMENT LEGISLATION PASSES SENATE
On Tuesday, the Georgia Senate approved House Bill 444 entitled “The Dual Enrollment Act”. Passed by the House of Representatives and supported by Governor Kemp, HB 444 seeks to control the skyrocketing costs of Georgia’s dual enrollment program. By narrowing Dual Enrollment to upperclassmen who take core curriculum classes, Georgia is allowing students who are ready for college course work to focus in areas that clearly transfer to post-secondary institutions. By protecting the financial security of this important workforce development educational pathway, we ensure generations of Georgia’s students will continue to enjoy the benefits of the Dual Enrollment program.
BENEFIT CORPORATIONS BILL PASSES SENATE COMMITTEE
This week the Senate Judiciary Committee took up House Bill 230 sponsored by Scott Holcomb (D-Atlanta). HB 230, provides for the creation of "Benefit Corporations" as an option for corporate structure in Georgia. Currently, 34 states have similar corporate structures, all geared towards accommodating businesses that welcome the dual role of creating shareholder profit and creating a positive social impact. Having already passed the House of Representatives, and the Senate Judiciary committee, HB 230 is now eligible for a vote before the State Senate.
TAX TRIBUNAL LEGISLATION CLEARS HOUSE COMMITTEE
Legislation designed to level the playing field for taxpayers in disputes with the Department of Revenue passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday with a unanimous vote. House Bill 538, sponsored by Representative Todd Jones (R-South Forsyth), allows judges more flexibility in taxpayer dispute cases and frees them from an administrative rule requiring them to defer to Department interpretations of ambiguous laws. The bill is now eligible for a floor vote in the House of Representatives, and, if passed, would move to the Senate for further consideration.
REAUTHORIZATION OF FREIGHT & LOGISTICS COMMISSION
Last legislative session, the Georgia Chamber supported position on House Resolution 37 and Senate Resolution 19, both of which created a joint legislative commission to study Georgia’s future freight growth. Ultimately, HR 37 passed and created the Georgia Commission on Freight and Logistics. The commission met four times across the state in 2019 and took a deep dive into the future of Georgia’s freight infrastructure and studied Georgia’s future freight growth and its impacts on our economic future.
Yesterday, the Joint House and Senate Transportation Committees met to release the commission’s report and recommendations, including extension of the Commission. The commission also recommended creating a line item in the budget for a freight rail program at the Georgia Department of Transportation. Both recommendations were addressed with 2 bills passed out of the House Transportation Committee immediately following the joint committee meeting.
House Resolution 935, sponsored by Chairman Kevin Tanner, reauthorizes the Freight and Logistics Commission for another year.
House Bill 820, sponsored by Chairman Kevin Tanner, creates a line item in the budget for the Georgia Department of Transportation to allocate funds, as needed, directly to freight rail. This bill helps identify freight rail as a priority for Georgia and allows for direct state investment specifically in railways and railroads.
The Georgia Chamber and Georgia Transportation Alliance support both pieces of legislation.
The Smart Decisions Coalition released a set of recommendations that represent a variety of policy options that can be pursued by policymakers, local community leaders, or business leaders to improve Georgia’s talent pipeline.
The Smart Decisions Coalition is a coordinated effort by Georgia’s community, business, and education leaders created by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Foundation to increase college enrollment and completion to improve the long-term success of the state’s workforce.
The Coalition began meeting in December 2018, considering all potential solutions to the challenges of affordability and access as well as how to ensure students are immediately employable upon completion of a degree and able to adapt as technology and industries evolve. The recommendations released provide an overview of existing programs, and inventory of organizational engagement, and future opportunities.
The Coalition was pleased to honor Senate Education and Youth Committee Chairman P.K. Martin IV with the “Championing Georgia’s Future Award”. Chairman Martin is dedicated to creating a more educated and qualified workforce in the state. The Coalition is grateful for his leadership and hard work.
Chris Clark, President and CEO, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, stated, “Talent development is critical to Georgia’s economic prosperity. 60% of Georgia jobs will require some college by 2025 and today only 47.9% of adults qualify statewide. Through this collaborative effort, our state will be better positioned to prepare Georgia students for the jobs of today and those of the future.”
The Smart Decisions Coalition recommendations can be found here.
David Raynor
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
404-223-2267 | draynor@gachamber.com
Cosby Johnson
Vice President of State & Political Affairs
404-223-2285 | cjohnson@gachamber.com
Daniela Perry
Senior Director, Public Policy & Federal Affairs
404-223-2270 | dperry@gachamber.com
Nancy Palmer
Director, Government Affairs
404-223-2489 | npalmer@gachamber.com
Allison Plummer
Manager, Government and Political Affairs
404-223-2295 | aplummer@gachamber.com
Jasmine King
Manager, Government Affairs
404-223-2285 | jking@gachamber.com
Emily Pateuk
Manager, Public Policy
404-223-2475 | epateuk@gachamber.com
