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
Now Habersham
Georgia lawmaker pushes for less reporting on schoolâs severe discipline
Counting disciplinary actions like suspensions and expulsions incentivizes schools to discipline students less, said Sen. Jeff Mullis, who authored a bill to remove the metric from Georgia s school climate formula. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
The number of suspensions and expulsions a school hands out could be removed from the formula to determine a key school ranking if a powerful GOP state lawmaker gets his way.
Counting disciplinary actions as part of the formula gives school officials incentives to mete out fewer punishments, Chickamauga Republican Jeff Mullis said Monday at a Senate Education Committee meeting.
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
Credit: Grant Blankenship/GPB News
After a failed attempt by some Republicans to overturn Georgia s thrice-counted certified election results that gave President Joe Biden a victory, GOP lawmakers in the state Senate have filed a barrage of bills that would add more barriers to the ballot box for many voters.
If all of the proposals announced by Senate Republican leadership Monday became law, future elections would look dramatically different.
Only a small subset of Georgians would be eligible to vote absentee by mail, and those that do qualify would have to submit some sort of photo ID with their application either online or on paper. They would not be allowed to get an application from outside groups, and could only return ballots through the mail or deliver in person to the county elections office. If someone moves to Georgia, or moves within the state, they would have to remember to opt in to having the Department of Driver Services update their voter registratio
Primary Content
Caption Bob Sapp gets vaccinated against COVID-19 in Cochran, Ga. on Monday January 25, 2021. The South Central Health District which includes Cochran was on pace to vaccinate as many as 300 people at the six hour vaccination event where Sapp was able to make an appointment. Credit: Grant Blankenship/GPB News
An ethical dilemma is coming to a boil in Georgia: Who should be at the front of the line to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Health care workers and long-term care staff and residents were first on the list when the shots arrived in Georgia in mid-December. Later that month, Gov. Brian Kemp and Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey announced people 65 and older, law enforcement and first responders would be added to the list.