The Georgia General Assembly convened this week for legislative days 25 through 27. The House is still in session wrapping up LD 27 as this email is sent out. Legislators will return to the Capitol next week for Legislative Days 29 through 31. Crossover Day, the last day in which a legislation can pass from one chamber to the other to continue being considered, is also next week. Sine Die, the last day of session is Monday, April 4. Atlanta Braves co-CEOs Mike Plant and Derek Schiller visited the gold dome to display the 2021 World Series trophy.

Qualifying for office ended today at noon. You can look up who qualified here. Gwinnett will be represented by 9 state senators and 21 state representatives, an increase of 2 senators and 3 representatives. Gwinnett Chamber PPAC’s own Om Duggal and Shawn Still have qualified for House District 99 and Senate District 48 respectively. Due to qualifying for office, they have been asked to step down from this committee. Two pairs of incumbents will be vying for a seat: Bonnie Rich and David Clark for House District 100. Shelly Hutchinson and Rebecca Mitchell for House District 106.

A few weeks ago, U.S. Representative Carolyn Bourdeaux has hosted a roundtable discussion on her bill, Workforce Opportunity for Returning Citizens (WORC) Act that would help tackle our nation’s labor challenges while reducing recidivism rates. Adam Forrand, Gwinnett Chamber’s VP of Education, Talent, and Leadership Development, participated in the discussion on behalf of the chamber. You can read about her press release on the event here. The WORC Act would provide grants through the US Department of Labor to eligible entities that develop or expand education or workforce training programs that lead to employment for previously incarcerated individuals. Here is the bill’s text. The Gwinnett Chamber was proud to support the WORC Act.

Bill Tracking (*indicates newly added to list)

HB 78 Administrative Services, Department of; create Division of Supplier Diversity

Status: 1/26/2021 – House Second Readers

HB 389 Employment security; change definition of employment to include services performed by an individual for wages

Status: 3/3/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Insurance and Labor Committee. House Passed 162-6.

HB 587 Georgia Economic Recovery Act of 2021; enact

Status: 1/10/2022 – Recommitted to Senate Finance Committee. House Passed 157-14.

HB 835 Ad valorem tax; contracts between a county and a municipality for the tax commissioners to prepare the municipal tax digests and collect municipal taxes are not subject to approval of the tax commissioner; provide

Status: 1/10/2022 – House Second Readers

HB 855 Workers’ compensation; coverage for first responders for post-traumatic stress disorder arising in the course of employment; provide

Status: 1/24/2022 – House Second Readers

HB 865 Labor and industrial relations; professional employer organizations; provisions

Status: 1/14/2022 – House Second Readers

HB 866 Labor and industrial relations; employers to provide workers’ compensation to certain persons; require

Status: 1/14/2022 – House Second Readers

HB 867 Truth in Prescription Pricing for Patients Act; enact

Status: 2/7/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Senate Insurance and Labor Committee. House voted 166-1.

HB 872 Gwinnett County; Board of Education; revise district boundaries

Status: 2/17/2022 – Signed by Governor. House vote 148-7. Senate vote 49-0.

HB 873 Gwinnett County; Board of Commissioners; revise district boundaries

Status: 2/17/2022 – Signed by Governor. House vote 96-70. Senate vote 33-22.

HB 884 Professions and businesses; expedited licenses for military spouses; provisions

Status: 3/9/2022 – House Passed/Adopted by Substitute 164-0.

HB 920 Income tax; revise tax credit for certain investments to be limited to investments in entrepreneurship programs, centers, and initiatives

Status: 1/25/2022 – House Second Readers

HB 926 Labor and industrial relations; employers to provide certain documentation when compensating employees; require

Status: 1/25/2022 – House Second Readers

HB 932 Education; noncitizen students with certain refugee, special immigrant, or humanitarian parole status under federal law are classified as in-state for tuition purposes; provide

Status: 1/25/2022 – House Second Readers

HB 934 Sales and use tax; special district mass transportation

Status: 3/9/2022 – House Passed 150-8

HB 961 Torts; authorize apportionment of damages in single-defendant lawsuits; provide for evidence of fault of nonparties

Status: 3/3/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee. House passed 168-0.

HB 1013 Mental Health Parity Act; enact

Status: 3/9/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Health and Human Services Committee. House Passed/Adopted by Substitute 169-3.

HB 1037 Georgia Peer Workforce Navigator Pilot Program Act; enact

Status: 2/1/2022 – House Second Readers assigned to House Industry and Labor Committee

HB 1044 Local government; creation of regional development authorities; provide

Status: 2/17/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Economic Development and Tourism Committee. Passed out of the House 165-0

HB 1058 Income tax; affiliated corporations file separate or consolidated returns; provisions

Status: 3/4/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Senate Finance Committee. House Passed 163-0.

HB 1091 Torts; liability of owners and occupiers of land; provisions

Status: 2/2/2022 – House Second Readers assigned to House Judiciary Committee

HB 1093 Local government; residential dwellings; prohibit certain use restrictions

Status: 2/2/2022 – House Second Readers assigned to House Judiciary Committee

*HB 1152 Fair Business Practices Act of 1975; require merchants to accept cash for purchases

Status: 2/3/2022 – House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee Favorably Reported by Substitute.

HB 1187 Sales and use tax; exemption for certain high-technology data center equipment; extend sunset

Status: 2/7/2022 – House Second Readers assigned to House Ways and Means Committee

HB 1291 Sales and use tax; exemption for sale or lease of computer equipment of high-technology companies; revise spending threshold and extend sunset date

Status: 2/11/2022 – House Second Readers

HB 1322 Public utilities and public transportation; deployment of electric vehicle charging equipment; provide

Status: 3/9/2022 – House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee Favorably Reported by Substitute.

HR 579 Georgia Commission on Sustainability and Economic Opportunity; create

Status: 2/8/2022 – House Small Business Development Committee Favorably Reported by Substitute

HR 627 House Study Committee on Bureaucratic Hindrances to Businesses; create

Status: 2/8/2022 – House Small Business Development Committee Favorably Reported by Substitute

*SB 52 Selling and Other Trade Practices; legislative findings; standards for cybersecurity programs to protect businesses from liability; provide

Status: 2/22/2021 – House Second Readers

SB 257 Georgia Crime Information Center; criminal history record restrictions for certain persons cited with or convicted of certain criminal offenses; provide

Status: 2/10/2022 – House Second Readers. Senate voted 48-3

SB 329 Joint Tort-Feasors; apportionment of awards of damages among one or more persons in certain actions; provide

Status: 1/12/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 331 “Protecting Georgia Businesses and Workers Act”; enact

Status: 3/3/2022 – House Industry and Labor Committee Favorably Reported. Senate Passed/Adopted by Substitute 31-21.

SB 350 Elections; local legislation for nonpartisan elections for any county offices; authorize the General Assembly

Status: 1/25/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Senate Ethics Committee

SB 363 “Fair Business Practices Act of 1975,”; class action suits and for damages for violating the requirements for solicitations for corporate filings; provide

Status: 2/10/2022 – House Second Readers. Senate voted 51-0

SB 369 Board of Education of Gwinnett County; future elections for members of the board of education shall be nonpartisan; provide

Status: 2/21/2022 – Signed by Governor. House vote 95-61. Senate vote 32-21

SB 379 State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia; establish a program to promote the creation and expansion of registered apprenticeship programs in the state; provide

Status: 3/9/2022 – House First Readers. Senate Passed by Substitute – 42-4

SB 393 ‘Common Carrier Non-Discrimination Act’; enact

Status: 3/9/2022 – House First Readers. Senate Passed/Adopted by Substitute 33-21.

SB 394 “Georgia Computer Data Privacy Act”; enact

Status: 1/27/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Senate Science and Technology Committee

SB 421 ‘Georgia Utility Rate Reduction Act (GURRA)’; enact

Status: 3/9/2022 – Senate Read Second Time. Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities Favorably Reported by Substitute.

SB 460 Education; noncitizen students who have received a grant of deferred action for childhood arrivals; qualify for in-state classification; may be extended same consideration as citizens of the United States

Status: 2/7/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee

SB 492 Public Utilities and Transportation; the deployment of electric vehicle charging equipment; provide

Status: 2/11/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee

*SB 597 Department of Administrative Services; provide for definitions; certification of certain business enterprises; provide

Status: 3/4/2022 – Senate Read and Referred to Senate Insurance and Labor Committee

SR 463 Joint Study Committee on the Electrification of Transportation; create

Status: 3/9/2022 – Senate Rules Committee Favorably Reported

Congress

Congress is considering Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) that would combine both the US Innovation and Competition Act and the America COMPETES Act, bills that strengthen US manufacturing, R&D, and supply chain. MTB would also eliminate tariffs on imported goods and supplies that are not available in the US. The National Association of Manufacturers has a sign-on letter opportunity for those interested. Deadline is Friday March 18, 5:00 pm EST.

Bourdeaux Job Fair

Congresswoman Carolyn Bourdeaux is hosting a job fair on Wednesday, March 23rd at the Gwinnett Fairground auditorium. If you or someone you know is interested in reserving a table or booth, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/BixEQovYiwvS4F6g7. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to her Outreach Director, Rob Tester at Rob.Tester@mail.house.gov or 770-232-3005.


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