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ATLANTA, Ga. â The closing bell of the 2021 General Assembly is set to toll on March 31 â Sine Die â giving state lawmakers only a handful of days to debate and act upon legislation before the 40-day session concludes.
The long list of bills under consideration at the start of the session in January was significantly narrowed after Crossover Day on March 8.
The 30th day of the 40-day session is the deadline for bills to pass out of at least one chamber, House or Senate, to be considered in that session.
In a session dominated by debate over voting rights and gambling, education bills still garnered attention. Consensus formed around Gov. Brian Kempâs budget bill which restored previous cuts to funding, but deep divides remain over vouchers for private schools, transgender rights in high school sports, charter school funding and other issues that appear annually.
Committee Reports
House Insurance Committee
The House Insurance Committee, chaired by Representative Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee) met this morning to consider a single measure.
HB 205, authored by Representative Noel Williams (R-Cordele) relates to new standards for travel insurance. The bill is a NAIC model act for travel insurance endorsed by the Georgia department of Insurance. It clarifies standards for permitting consumers to opt out of coverage offered by travel agents or carriers. The bill passed unanimously.
House Agricultural and Consumer Affairs
Newly named Chairman of the House Agricultural and Consumer Affairs, Representative Robert Dickey (R-Musella), held his first Committee meeting stating from the outset that he had large shoes to fill with recently retired Chairman Tom McCall (R-Elberton). Other members of leadership of this Committee are Representative Susan Holmes (R-Monticello) and Representative Steven Meeks (R-Screven). This large, 28-member committee overs
Senate Finance Committee
Senator Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome) led his Committee this afternoon with a hearing on SB 1, a bill authored by Senator Dean Burke (R-Bainbridge) which amends Title 31 to require that entities, that receive state income tax credits and provide self-funded, employer sponsored health insurance not subject to the regulatory authority of the Commissioner of Insurance, must report insurance claims information to the Georgia All-Payer Claims Database. The legislation further requires compliance with the reporting requirement beginning January 1, 2022, as a condition to continued receipt of any such tax credits.
The Committee held a hearing only discussion today on the legislation. Senator Burke explained the legislation on the All-Payer Claims Database initiative which has been adopted in 34 states. The goals are to provide transparency and predictability to improve outcomes and access to healthcare. The claims completed by providers for patients would be translate
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Lawmakers returned to the Capitol despite the downpour of rain and quickly got down to work for the people of Georgia. The first task tackled was the House Appropriations Committee taking action on its complete recommendations for the FY 2021 Amended Budget. After hearing the presentation of the recommendations by Chairman Terry England (R-Auburn) which he acknowledged had been on a “harried pace”, and swiftly moving the legislation forward out of the Committee, the Chairman announced that HB 80 would be on the floor of the House on Thursday morning. Our team will keep you posted as the budget makes its way through the process. The Committee Substitute on HB 80 is found in this link. The Committee Tracking Report is in this link, showing differences between the Governor and House versions of the proposed FY 2021 Amended Budget.