HR40: HR40 House Study Committee on Reinsurance for Essential Industries; create

Rising insurance claims and reinsurance costs have been pushing up commercial property and casualty insurance premiums, which especially strains small businesses and farmers, including those hit by Hurricane Helene's estimated $6.46 billion agricultural impact in Georgia. This resolution does not change insurance law directly. Instead, it creates the House Study Committee on Reinsurance for Essential Industries to study whether Georgia can set up public-private partnerships or special risk pools to reduce insurance premiums for key industries. The seven-member committee includes five House Insurance Committee members, the Commissioner of Insurance, and the Commissioner of Agriculture (or their designees), with a chairperson picked by the Speaker. The committee would study funding needs, identify which industries should qualify for reduced premiums, and can recommend legislation. It must file any findings before it is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the House Study Committee on Reinsurance for Essential Industries to examine Georgia's commercial property and casualty reinsurance market.
• Sets committee membership at seven: five House Insurance Committee members, the Commissioner of Insurance (or designee), and the Commissioner of Agriculture (or designee).
• Directs the committee to study public-private partnerships, special risk pools, funding needed for premium reductions, and which industries should qualify.
• Allows the committee to recommend legislation or other action based on its findings.
• Sets legislative member pay under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 and limits allowances to three days unless more are authorized.
• Abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025, requiring any report to be filed before that date.

Members of the House Committee on Insurance who may be appointed to the study committee, the Commissioner of Insurance and Commissioner of Agriculture, and indirectly small businesses and farmers facing rising property and casualty insurance premiums, including those affected by Hurricane Helene.

The resolution does not lower insurance costs itself, but it sets up a formal process for state officials to explore ways to reduce reinsurance and premium costs, which could eventually shape legislation affecting how much Georgia businesses and farmers pay for property and casualty coverage.

• Paragraph (1) creates the House Study Committee on Reinsurance for Essential Industries.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership at seven, including five legislators from the House Insurance Committee and two nonlegislative members, with a Speaker-appointed chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) directs the committee to study special risk pools, funding levels for premium reductions, and criteria for identifying essential industries.
• Paragraph (5) sets pay for legislative members under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 and caps allowances at three days unless extended.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved report or recommended legislation to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee is abolished.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
2. 2025-04-04House Third Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-03House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
4. 2025-01-28House Second Readers (House)
5. 2025-01-27House First Readers (House)
6. 2025-01-17House Hopper (House)

• Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-078)Primary sponsor
• Noel Williams (R, HD-148)
• Scott Holcomb (D, HD-101)
• Darlene Taylor (R, HD-173)
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Stacey Evans (D, HD-057)

1. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   166 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 9 absent)

   Uncontested House Resolutions: House Vote #444

• insurance reform
• reinsurance
• small business costs
• agriculture recovery
• legislative study committees