The following Legislative Update is provided courtesy of the Paulding Chamber's AT&T Governmental Affairs Committee.

The information is provided by the Regional Business Coalition of Metropolitan Atlanta (RBC) which is an organization of over a dozen of the largest and most active Chambers of Commerce throughout the metro Atlanta region.  RBC Member Chambers represent over 15,000 member companies who employ millions of metro Atlanta residents.  The RBC's primary goal is to represent the interests of RBC Chamber members on regional public policy issues impacting our transportation, water and air quality and to advocate for solutions that improve metro Atlanta's quality of life and economic vitality.

Business & Industry  

HB 61sponsored by Rep. Jay Powell (R- Camilla) allows the state to collect sales tax on online purchases through either direct collection by the retailer or by notification of the tax amount to the consumer and the state. This bill did not pass but is eligible next session.
HB 145 sponsored by Rep. John Carson (R-Marietta), revises the tax policy on jet fuel for Hartsfield-Jackson. Jet fuel purchases for interstate flights would be taxed at 45% of the 4% state sales tax rate. This bill did not pass but is eligible next session.  

HB 192 sponsored by Rep. Beth Beskin (R-Atlanta), aims to return Georgia to an environment that facilitates reasonable decisions by corporate directors and officers.  This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

HB 225 sponsored by Rep. Jay Powell (R- Camilla), assigns liability to ridesharing services to collect the 4% state sales tax for transportation services. This bill did not pass but is eligible next session.

HB 243 sponsored by Rep. Bill Werkheiser (R-Glennville), prevents local government from fining local businesses on the basis of changes to an employee’s schedule. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

SB 2, the FAST Act, sponsored by Sen. Mike Dugan (R-Carrollton), would remove regulations on small businesses and would impose penalties on permitting entities that delay the return of important documents. This bill did not pass but is eligible next session.

SB 85 sponsored by Sen. Rick Jeffares (R-McDonough), is a compromise between the beer wholesalers and craft beer industries. It allows local breweries to sell a certain amount of beer directly to consumers and removes the tour requirement.  It also allows local distilleries to sell directly to consumers in a similar fashion.  This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  

SB 201 sponsored by Sen. Butch Miller (R-Gainesville), allows employees to use allocated sick leave to care for immediate family members.  This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

SB 233 the Religious Freedom Restoration Act sponsored by Sen. Marty Harbin (R-Tyrone), would have incorporated the federal Religious Freedom code section into Georgia law. This bill did not pass but is eligible next session.


Economic Development

HB 59 sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah), expands a tax credit for the rehabilitation of historical structures. Portions of this bill were amended onto SB 216, which passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  

HB 155, the “Georgia Musical Investment Act” is sponsored by Rep. Amy Carter (R - Valdosta) and offers an income tax credit for projects that are recorded in Georgia or for tours that begin in the state. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  

HB 158 sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah), would have created the Georgia Gaming Commission to authorize up to two destination resorts with casinos.  SB 79 was the Senate version of the bill and neither bill passed but they are eligible next session.

HB 199 sponsored by Rep. Trey Rhodes (R- Greensboro), is an income tax credit incentive for video game development and post production work and is intended to jumpstart emerging companies by making capital more readily available when they need it most. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

HB 265 sponsored by Rep. Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula), allows for an existing tax credit to be used by businesses for the purposes of creation and expansion of quality jobs in the state. It also adds a sales tax exemption for tickets to fine arts performances and on construction materials for renovation of facilities. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

HB 342 sponsored by Rep. Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula), creates a sales tax exemption for investments into urban redevelopment areas. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.


Education and Workforce Development

HB 37 sponsored by Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs) prohibits private colleges from adopting sanctuary policies in accordance with federal law.  This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  

HB 139 sponsored by Rep. Dave Belton (R-Buckhead), creates provisions for the transparency of financial information of local school systems and schools. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  

HB 237 sponsored by Rep. Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth), allows the Public Education Innovation Fund Foundation to receive private donations for the purposes of improvements to public schools and provides a tax credit to the donors.  This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  

HB 280 the Campus Carry bill sponsored by Rep. Mandi Ballinger (R-Canton), allows anyone with a concealed carry permit to carry a handgun on college campuses excluding sporting events, student housing, disciplinary proceeding rooms and some preschool spaces. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  

HB 329 sponsored by Rep. Jay Powell (R- Camilla), would change Georgia’s income tax from the graduated income tax to a flat 5.4% rate. It additionally mandated that a business not physically within the state must pay sales tax if it obtains a gross revenue of over $250,000 in a previous calendar year or conducted at least 200 retail sales on tangible personal property. This bill did not pass.  

HB 338 sponsored by Rep. Kevin Tanner (R- Dawsonville), provides for a system of supports and assistance for low-performing schools identified as being in the greatest need of assistance. The bill creates an Education Turnaround Advisory Council and a Joint Study Committee on the Establishment of a State Accreditation Process.  This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  

HB 430, the Governor’s Education Reform Commission Charter Schools, is sponsored by Rep. Buzz Brockway (R-Lawrenceville). The bill enacts provisions of the Education Reform Commission and clarifies language relating to the governance of charter school finances and property. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  

SB 3 sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Tippins (R- Marietta), known as the CONNECT Act, expands credentialing for vocational and skilled labor education in secondary schools. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  

SB 186 sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Tippins (R- Marietta), allows dual enrollment students to be eligible to receive the HOPE Grant to pursue an Associate’s degree. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.  


Transportation and Infrastructure

HB 44, the FY ’18 Budget, allocates $200,000 for the North Georgia Water Planning District and $1 million for a transit study.

HB 134 sponsored by Rep. Bubber Epps (R-Dry Branch), provides for special district mass transportation by creating greater flexibility for counties to use TSPLOST funds. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

HB 150 sponsored by Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell), extends the indexing of the state motor fuel tax until 2022. This bill did not pass.

HB 481 sponsored by Rep. Kevin Tanner (R- Dawsonville), provides for basic regulation on unmanned aircrafts. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

HB 506 sponsored by Rep. Tom Taylor (R- Dunwoody), gives MARTA additional flexibility when choosing retail concession partners to operate at MARTA stations. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

HR 848 sponsored by Rep. Kevin Tanner (R- Dawsonville), creates a study committee on Transit Governance and Funding after the bills to create the Georgia Commission on Transit Governance and Funding. HB 160 and SB 6 did not pass. The resolution was adopted.

SB 89 the Georgia Freight Rail Program, sponsored by Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth), would have created a program within the GDOT to provide for the maintenance and rehabilitation of state owned rail lines. This bill did not pass.

SB 116 sponsored by Sen. Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville), provides for assessments of storm water utility fees on water neutral properties. This bill did not pass.

SB 156 sponsored by Sen. Fran Millar (R-Atlanta), limits the Dekalb SPLOST to transportation and public safety uses and exempts groceries from sales tax. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

SB 183 sponsored by Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta), creates an additional financing mechanism for large roadway projects. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

SB 219 sponsored by Sen. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega), creates basic regulations on the operations and liability coverage of autonomous vehicles. This bill passed and awaits the Governor’s approval.

SB 251 sponsored by Sen. Gloria Butler (D-Stone Mountain), would allow Dekalb County to levy a 0.5% sales tax to expand MARTA. This bill did not pass.

SR 224 sponsored by Sen. Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville), creates a joint study committee on Storm-Water Management Fees. This resolution was adopted.

For detailed information on specific legislation visit: www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/Search.aspx