Comité Agriculture & Consumer Affairs de la Cámara de Representantes, 23 de febrero de 2026

Transcripción

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1. 0:02:19

   Okay, um, good afternoon, uh, committee. Thank y'all for being here. I know it's, uh, a little bit on the late afternoon, but it's better than 8:00. That was the other option this morning. So, um, so I'll call us to order and, uh, open us, uh, with a, with a prayer. If y'all bow your head, please. Our Father, we thank you for this day. Thank you for bringing us together here safely. Just give us a good day of, um, of, uh, hearing testimony, of, uh, doing your work here in this legislature.

2. 0:02:53

   Just give us the patience and the wisdom as we move forward with legislation over the next few weeks here. Just, uh, lead and guide us in every decision we make. In Christ's name I pray. Amen.

3. 0:03:06

   Amen.

4. 0:03:06

   Okay. We've got, um, good many bills here this morning, but what I w- would like to do first is hear the, uh, three bills that our subcommittee, uh, heard last week. Um, thank you, um, Subcommittee Chairman Cox for, uh, chairing that committee. Uh, I know some of y'all were on that. And so, um, we'll get right into that, and then, uh, uh, Chairman Parsons, we'll, uh, we'll hear your bill right after that.

5. 0:03:36

   Uh, HB 158, uh, Representative Lehman Franklin. Is he here? I think this is, uh, the oldest bill we've got.

6. 0:03:48

   Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate it. Members of the committee. Yes, so this, uh, this bill actually passed through this committee last year, and it went to Rules. Um, it was late in the game, and, uh, we just, I, we ran out of time in Rules. It just couldn't get out, out of that, but, um, you guys have heard it before. We made some, some tweaks on it bef- um, last year as well. But basically, what this does is it, um, it allows for, um, the Georgia Superior Court Clerk's corporate authority to be able to, um, um, record or have a database of the trade names or doing business as, um, in Georgia.

7. 0:04:24

   So currently right now, when you register for a, a corporation or a company, it goes through the secretary of state. You can go into that database and you can see, you know, all the information that you want to. It's in one, one place. But if you have a trade name, um, or doing business as, you have to currently register that within the county of the, uh, of, uh, the operation of that business. So there's, what, 159 counties to do that. So if you wanted to look up that information for that doing business as or that company, you have to go to every single county to make sure that you've covered the state, um, to find it, basically.

8. 0:05:01

   So what this does is it allows... Nothing changes in the way that things are recorded with the, with the, uh, clerks of the court. Everything is exactly the same way. The money that, um, for the admin fees are exactly the same way. The, the local, uh, counties get that money. Um, but they're just required at that point to be able to do electronic transfer to the corporate authority, which holds that information there, so it makes it a lot easier, more transparent for someone to go, wants to go look up that information on that business. Um, it also provides for the, um, opportunity that if, uh, one of those businesses close out or, or goes bankrupt or just closes out their, um, uh, their business or shuts down, it allows for them to take it out of the database.

9. 0:05:44

   Currently, we don't have that system or allowance to do that, so all the counties have a collection of all these businesses that are there that, um, cannot be removed from the database. So it allows them, if you want to, to send a letter in, you can cancel that out. So it cleans up the system a little bit better as well. Um, that's basically the bill, Mr. Chairman. I'll answer any questions you may have.

10. 0:06:05

    Okay. Thank you. Um, um, we've got a couple questions. Uh, Representative Carter.

11. 0:06:14

    Thank you, Chairman. Thank you. I like this bill. Um, my, my question is, I probably had the same one the last time we heard it, too. Now, where would this database be housed, and how, who's paying for the technology and all of that? So it's called the Georgia Superior Court Clerk's Corporate Authority, and it was established, um, if my information is correct, established in 1993. So it's already there. Um, and they do... You could go online and look at. They do a, a collection of different things, you know, that they're given the authority to do. Um, and the reason why we're using them is because it's already established.

12. 0:06:46

    Um, if you notice in the bill, the requirement here is not in for, um, not to take place until a year from now, and that's to kind of get them ready to be able to collect this data and that. If we didn't use them, then one, we'd have to figure out a way how the clerks would not... They wouldn't get their $15 for one, which is a, a problem. Um, and w- or we have to figure out how the secretary of state would have to reimburse them that money if we wanted to do it. And then, uh, you know, the, the perfect solution, though, really would be to send it to the secretary of state. But to do that, you'd have to... They would lose their money, and you already have this system in place, so we're using this, uh, uh, this authority because it's already there, basically.

13. 0:07:24

    Thank you. Yes, ma'am.

14. 0:07:27

    Okay. Um, Representative Franklin. Uh, Chairman Corbett

15. 0:07:32

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Not, not a, uh, question, but, um, I know we did hear this bill last year, and I think we passed it out. So at the, at the proper time, I would like to make a motion. This would be the proper time. I'd like move to pass. All right. Do I, I hear a second? Um, any other questions or discussions from the committee members? Hearing none, I'll call for a vote. A- all in favor of moving this bill to rules, s- uh, signify it by saying I. I. Opposed? Hearing none, bill passes.

16. 0:08:04

    Thank you all. Thank you. Representative- Thank you, Mr. Chairman ... uh, 158 LC 443471S. Is that correct? Yes, sir. That's what, that's right. Okay. Thank you. Um,

17. 0:08:24

    Representative Gullett,

18. 0:08:29

    HB 996. No, excuse me. Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. 1201. 1201. 1201, yes, sir. 1201. Uh, could you tell us your, uh, LC number? Yeah, it's 520948. Okay. HB 2. Uh, mic's yours. Thank you, members of the committee. Um, House Bill 1201 is a straightforward safety measure, uh, and an update to Georgia's smoke detector standards in new homes. Um, current law already requires smoke detectors be installed in new residential construction, but some devices, um, allowed under such a statute are not certified to the most current UL 217 safety standard.

19. 0:09:10

    Um, the way fires ignite now, they, they burn hotter, and because they're synthetic materials, um, they burn faster. Uh, and so the escape time to escape out of the home went from 17 minutes a few decades ago to two minutes today. Um, so this just simply updates the requirement that smoke detectors installed in new homes meet the ninth edition of the UL 217 standard or later. Um, and, uh, just, just for context, 2024, 83 Georgians lost their lives to a fire in a home.

20. 0:09:44

    Um, early detection saves lives, and this bill helps that. So I'm happy to answer any questions. I know in subcommittee it came up with who would enforce, uh, that the new standards are in there, and I do have an answer for that. That's the, um, uh, 25240. It says the local building and fire marshal. Um, there's a $25 fine, uh, provided that a warning is provided the first time. So, um, the, your local building inspectors, uh, and your fire marshals will be the one enforcing this. Happy to answer any questions.

21. 0:10:16

    Thank you, uh, Chairman Gullett. Uh, one, uh, one question. Uh, number 16, um, uh, Chairman Jasperse. Sure. Yeah. Thank you, Chairman. Just got a quick question. So I know this is for new dwellings and, and the new dwelling units exceptions, but are... Does Home Depot sell, uh, or any of the sell things that are non-certified by UL 217? I mean, how's the public gonna know? Yeah, I, I don't... I would imagine that... I, I don't know the exact answer.

22. 0:10:46

    I would imagine most of the ones in Home Depot are gonna be the newest standard, 'cause that is the current standard. Um, how the public know this is really for, for new residential, it'd be for the builders to know. Uh, people back home, uh, don't have to know that, but a builder would, um, as part of, you know, as part of getting your, um, license. Sure. Occupancy license. So just by curiosity, what's the penalty if they don't? 20, so $25 fine, provided that the first one is a warning. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman. Mm-hmm.

23. 0:11:18

    Um, any other, um, questions of the chair- of the, um, author of the bill?

24. 0:11:25

    Hearing none, uh, I would entertain a motion if it's the will of the committee.

25. 0:11:33

    Chairman Leverett? Move to pass, Mr. Chairman. Hear a motion do pass. Do I hear a second? Second. Second. Uh, any other questions or discussions from members of the committee? Hearing none, I'll call for a vote. All in favor of do pass, uh, please signify by saying I. I. Opposed? Hearing none, bill passes on to rules. Thank you so much. Thank you. Make sure, um, get me a form, uh, to do that.

26. 0:12:08

    Um, next, um, H, um, came out of subcommittee HB 1224, Representative Carter Barrett.

27. 0:12:56

    Okay, uh, Representative tw- uh, HB 1224, could you tell us your, uh, LC number? Make sure we got the right... Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman. Uh, that's LC number 443470S. Correct. Okay. Proceed. Thank you, sir. Uh, ladies and gentlemen, thank y'all. It's an honor to be here with you today, uh, presenting House Bill 1224. Y'all have probably heard me, uh, you may even be dodging me when you see me in the halls these days, talking about, uh, automatic renewals of contracts and subscriptions.

28. 0:13:29

    This is an idea that I've been... It's been in my head for probably five years. And, um-

29. 0:13:35

    Uh, last year, uh, the House of Representatives passed overwhelmingly House Bill 529, uh, that, that, uh, y- y- flew through with a great bipartisan support almost unanimously in the House of Representatives. Uh, it made it over to the Senate, and it is sitting in, uh, Ag and Consumer Affairs in the Senate today, but that's not, that was a previous renewal, uh, bill that we had, uh, done. This is House Bill 1224. We've all had, uh, subscriptions or contracts that we, we go enter into with companies we love, and they provide services and, and things that we really enjoy having.

30. 0:14:16

    But we've probably all... Has anybody in here ever found themselves get a renewal on a subscription they didn't anticipate, maybe with a much higher price than they originally had?

31. 0:14:26

    Yes.

32. 0:14:27

    I think we all have. I think every single person I've discussed this matter with says, "Oh, my gosh, that's happened to me too," or, "It happened to my mom," or, "I'm working through this right now." That's the reason we passed House Bill, uh, that's wh- the reason I created House Bill 1224. What House Bill 1224 does is essentially says that if you offer me an automatic renewal of a subscription, and I've gotta come and I've gotta terminate that subscription, there's a window of opportunity for me to come in and terminate that, usually after 11 months but before 12 months.

33. 0:15:00

    And if I miss it because you send me 400 emails a year, and I get numb to it, or it goes to my spam folder or whatever, I kinda don't have any remedies. Some of the app operators out there, they'll say, "Oh, we'll give you a refund for that, but let us offer you a great new subscription," uh, uh, another alternative. And some, there are good actors out there, and there are bad actors out there. The model is essentially get it and forget it, and I think it's built into the model that says, "We want you to subscribe. In fact, we're gonna make you have an automatic renewal." And this idea came to me because I, I'm a, uh, I have a newspaper subscription, and I read it every single day, and I love this newspaper.

34. 0:15:40

    What I don't love is when I sign up for an automa- uh, sign up for the thing for a year and it costs me 65 bucks, and a year later it goes up to $265, and a year later it goes up to $450. And if I'm, and, and when they send me 400 emails a year, I become numb to the fact that I'm getting these, and then they slip in one little email, says, "Oh, we're about to renew you, and we're gonna raise your price through the moon," and, uh, and you miss it. After the fact, you go back and say, "Oh, I, I..." You see your bank statement or, or your credit card statement and go, "Oh, whoa, I didn't expect that.

35. 0:16:13

    I don't want that." You know, some of the good actors will say, "Hey, we'll give you a pro rata refund." Others say, "No, sorry, you're out of luck," but you're canceled as of next year, but you're not getting your $250 back. This affects everybody in the entire country. I'm almost astounded that we're even having to talk about this today. I can't believe this has gone on as long as it has. Last year I introduced a bill that said, "Hey, you can offer me an automatic renewal, but you can't make me do it.

36. 0:16:44

    You at least need to give me the option to have it end at the original term. You know, offer it to me for convenience, but I'd like, I might, I might be the kind of person that doesn't wanna put something on my calendar, a tickler out there. I might be 86 years old and maybe I'm not comfortable doing those things." We all are super busy and we forget things, we miss things. So I created that bill that said you need to give me the option to say I want it to end at the end, 'cause I'll, you all tell me how easy it is to end. I'm just gonna tell you on the front end, I want out.

37. 0:17:17

    Like, "Oh, no, you can't do that." I was sh- actually surprised at the pushback from industry about that. Thought it was fairly innocuous. So we came in this year and we created several different alternatives. We essentially created a buffet of options for industry to look at and to weigh in on, say, "Okay, if you, if you can't live with that, how about if we try this option? You can, if you automatically renew me for a year or more," we're not talking about month-to-month contract, "you automatically renew me for a year or more, and you crank my price up, you ought to give me a grace period, say, 45 days for me to at least get my bank statement or a credit card statement." Like, "Well, no, we don't really like that." I say, "Okay, okay, good.

38. 0:18:02

    How about this? If you automatically renew me for a year or more and you crank my price up, you ought to have to get my affirmative consent at least for me to, to, to go forward." See, I'm standing on the shoulders of a, of a great representative, Houston Gaines, who created the original legislation around this. Industry is tough. It's a great bill. It's an elegant, simple bill that says we've gotta have clear means to, to, to cancel.

39. 0:18:32

    You've gotta notify me a certain way. But what industry did very effectively was they neutered the bill by saying, "This is for contracts over two years." But none of you hardly ever as a consumer do contracts business to consumer for over two years. Anybody remember the last time they did a subscription for over two years? It's kind of o- you might see that in business. You're not gonna see it with business to consumer. So what, the bill was essentially neutered.

40. 0:19:03

    I've been shocked at the pushback on some very fundamental incremental changes recommended, and we literally put out a buffet of options and the, and the pushback has been withering. But I'm proud to say that this body, the House of Representatives, passed that bill last year overwhelmingly on a bi- in a bipartisan fashion. The subcommittee on consumer affairs have passed, passed House Bill 1224 unanimously last, uh, last week.

41. 0:19:40

    And, uh, I've, I've, I'm hoping that this, this committee will give its favorable consideration to this bill, which is very fundamental. And I intentionally said we're not trying to be onerous, so over the top in what we're asking for. We're asking for very sensible, common sense changes for the industry that is just fair and gives the consumer a fighting chance. This bill has overwhelming support out in the world. Seniors love this bill.

42. 0:20:11

    Many organizations are, are firmly behind it, and, uh, many consumer advocates are behind it, and I hope you will too. Thank you. I'd be happy to entertain any questions.

43. 0:20:22

    Thank you, Representative Barrett, for that very, uh, passionate, uh, talk on, on this bill, uh, HB1224. I'm convinced. Um, I hope my committee is. Uh, I do have a que- we do have a question, uh, Representative Carter.

44. 0:20:41

    Uh, thank you, Chairman, and, uh, thank you, Representative. I'm over here reflecting on this subscription that I could not eliminate 'cause I couldn't find a human, and they just would not cooperate. And as a senior, at the appropriate time, and if it's appropriate, I'd like to move the due pass.

45. 0:21:02

    Um,

46. 0:21:05

    uh, that would be an appropriate time. I see no other questions. Any other questions from the committee? Um, go ahead and make that motion.

47. 0:21:16

    I move that we do pass, uh, HB1224 LC443470S as written.

48. 0:21:25

    Thank you. Uh, do I have a second?

49. 0:21:28

    Second.

50. 0:21:29

    Okay. Are you going ... Uh, I thought we have a ... No? We're gonna pass it in this form?

51. 0:21:38

    It's a different bill.

52. 0:21:40

    Different bill. Okay, I got you. Um, okay. To the committee, uh, all in favor say, um, signify by saying aye.

53. 0:21:50

    Aye.

54. 0:21:50

    Opposed? Hearing none, motion passes.

55. 0:21:54

    Thank you.

56. 0:21:54

    Thank you, uh, Representative, and, uh, good bill. On to Rules.

57. 0:21:59

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

58. 0:21:59

    Thank you for being here.

59. 0:22:00

    Ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

60. 0:22:01

    Okay.

61. 0:22:05

    Um, to my good friend, Chairman Parsons, HB1301. Welcome to the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, to the Chairman of, uh, Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications.

62. 0:22:23

    Thank you, Chairman. Ladies and gentlemen of the committee, I gotta say, in my 32 years now, this is the first time I've been before this committee, so I don't know how that happened. Maybe because I live in Cobb County, I guess. This legislation, House Bill 1301 LC560485, it deals with, uh, entities that, uh, gather and, uh, sell information on people.

63. 0:22:54

    I think the code calls them consumers, but they're people in general, and they can sell that information between themselves. Different companies can sell the information between themselves, and they do. Now, this legislation here, uh, regards in particular to companies that gather information, and, uh, here again, they sell to each other. But the, the, the ultimate purpose is for it to be sold to a company or to a prospective employer, I should say, of, uh, background checks, criminal background checks.

64. 0:23:30

    And this is, uh, the, the language in this bill just does two things, if you have the bill in front of you there. On line 41 through 45, it just clarifies the language that's already in code to make sure ... What we're trying to do here is to make sure that the information that is sold to the prospective employer is, uh, information that is, uh, the most current information that there is.

65. 0:23:58

    And also change it to the items that are looked at. In addition to arrests, indictments, convictions, and convictions would be, uh, restrictions and pardons. I believe somebody has a, has a sub, or not a sub, but amendment that would put some, uh, additional language in there. But this actually, uh, protects, um, and helps employers because to make sure that they have the most recent information when they get a background check, um, I think, I'm looking at it in particular restrictions.

66. 0:24:32

    Uh, there could be something in a background check, if it's not current, um,

67. 0:24:39

    someone could have a r- restriction that has gone on on some kind of a, some a- some action, a restriction that wasn't there when the, when the background check was done. Uh, there could be something where somebody had a restriction, uh, an employer gets the report, uh, but the, uh, restriction had been lifted before that time. So it actually helps employ- prospective employers and prospective employees. And as, as you know, um, well, first of all, jobs aren't as easy to get as some people might think that they are.

68. 0:25:13

    But there are a lot of jobs, uh, with, with the, uh, building, continuous building of the, uh, warehouses, a lot of warehouse work that a lot of these people go to trying to get employment. If they don't get employment after they've done everything that they try to do, everything they have to do, uh, to be able to get everything taken care of, they've paid their, uh, uh, paid off their, uh, all the fees that they had to pay off, they've done time if they had to do time, and to not be able to get a job because of some- something on a background check that's not valid because it wasn't current, I think is a, uh, is an issue that needs to be Looked at and changed, and that's what this is about.

69. 0:25:51

    I've, I've had a couple people come to me and, and, uh, bring this up to me, and it's not something that's normally in my lane of what I do here, but I just think it's something that we need to take a look at and try to help with. Here again, it helps the employer, prospective employer, to make sure that what he's seeing in a background check is, is current, that it's not old, and, uh, can also help a prospective employer, employee who's just trying to get a job, uh, you know, be able to pay, pay rent, pay a, buy a car, take care of the family, all the things that they're trying to do after they've done everything that they, uh, that they want to do or try, need to do, uh, to move on with life.

70. 0:26:33

    And I think it's a societal issue. If we can't do some things like this to help people in that situation, I think it only creates more societal problems. And I think that here again, it's a very simple bill. Everybody says that, but it's about as simple as they get, really. It just changes some language, adds, adds some language, and there is, I think there is a, uh, amendment to, uh, that I do not have an object- uh, objection, objection to that might be brought up. And I would be glad to answer any questions.

71. 0:27:01

    Thank you, Chairman Parsons. Um, we do have, uh, one question. Uh, uh, Chairman Gutter.

72. 0:27:09

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have those amendments. There's actually two of them. Uh, I'm not sure if you're aware of both of them.

73. 0:27:17

    Uh, I am, yes.

74. 0:27:19

    Okay.

75. 0:27:19

    Yes.

76. 0:27:19

    All right. But-

77. 0:27:20

    Okay. Let's-

78. 0:27:21

    At a proper time, I'm-

79. 0:27:21

    We'll get to that at a, a proper time. Um, we'll, um, we'll have to have a motion on, on the bill and then go to the friendly amendment. So I'll open it up to, to the rest of the committee. Any other questions to the author of the bill? Okay. I'll, uh, pro- uh, this time I'll take a motion.

80. 0:27:41

    So moved.

81. 0:27:41

    Uh, got a motion. Uh, got a second. I'll go back to you, uh, Chairman Gunter, uh, to, uh, make the, uh, amendment.

82. 0:27:52

    All right. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman.

83. 0:27:53

    I take it we're passing out the amendment right now.

84. 0:27:55

    Yes, that's, that's correct.

85. 0:27:55

    So gi- uh, give, uh, um, Owen, uh, Victor just a moment-

86. 0:28:01

    Okay

87. 0:28:01

    ... to get that out and have that in front of you.

88. 0:28:23

    Okay. Has everybody got a copy of the, uh, friendly amendment, um, or-

89. 0:28:28

    Okay.

90. 0:28:28

    Chairman?

91. 0:28:29

    Ch- Chairman Parsons, you've had a chance to look at this. Is this-

92. 0:28:31

    I have, yes.

93. 0:28:32

    And this is what you're familiar with?

94. 0:28:33

    Yes, I'm fa- I'm familiar with it.

95. 0:28:35

    Okay.

96. 0:28:35

    I'm good.

97. 0:28:36

    Um, the first amendment I would offer is, um, at line 42 after the words, uh, record restrictions, and it would read, "Vacated offenses, offenses discharged pursuant to OCGA 42-8-60 or OCGA 16-13-2." Uh, the one, uh, 42-8-60 is the First Offender Act, and 16-13-2 is conditional discharge. They both basically do the same thing.

98. 0:29:08

    So it's...

99. 0:29:11

    Okay. Um, are there any, um, uh, questions, uh, on the amendments as presented?

100. 0:29:18

     I have one.

101. 0:29:20

     Do have one. Um, Chairman, um, that's-

102. 0:29:24

     Jasperse.

103. 0:29:24

     Uh, Jasperse.

104. 0:29:25

     Yeah. I think it's just for a friendly question to, to my judge here. So in, in this bill, and it may be written somewhere else in the code section where it's longer, so what happens when if, if an individual reporting agency doesn't follow either of your two amendments? What, what does the individual can do or has redress or for a false report?

105. 0:29:59

     Yeah. Well, I think that it would result in some type of litigation for, uh, damages of whatever it does-

106. 0:30:07

     Yeah

107. 0:30:07

     ... to a person. I mean, that's, that's basically what-

108. 0:30:11

     That's just essentially, yeah, okay.

109. 0:30:12

     Yeah, that's essentially it.

110. 0:30:13

     They, they have to know about it, then find it, find out-

111. 0:30:15

     Right

112. 0:30:15

     ... and then challenge it, whatever, all that kind of stuff.

113. 0:30:19

     And what this is supposed to do is to ensure that the reporting agencies are up to date on vacated offenses and discharges. So it's really a note to them to clean up your act.

114. 0:30:33

     Good. Thank you.

115. 0:30:36

     Um, any other questions from the committee to the chairman? I do have one. Uh-

116. 0:30:45

     Angie.

117. 0:30:45

     Who? Who?

118. 0:30:46

     Oh.

119. 0:30:48

     Uh, Representative O'Steen, is that it?

120. 0:30:50

     Thank you, Chairman.

121. 0:30:51

     Okay.

122. 0:30:51

     Mine was just kind of a follow-up on what Chair, uh, Chairman Jasperse said. Is the, is the person given, um, given the information that is... Does that make sense, my question asked? D- are, am I aware of what's being determined about me, what's being reported about me? Does that make sense?

123. 0:31:12

     You can be. Um, usually when you go for a job and they make you sign the document to release your records, um, you'll find out about it then. So and probably won't get the job, but it'll, it'll, this'll give you action to, to take after that.

124. 0:31:35

     Okay.

125. 0:31:36

     Okay. Um, Chairman Hagan.

126. 0:31:38

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The amendments that I had are addressed by Chairman Gunter, but I would also point out that if the Senate would pass a bill that the House has so wisely passed two years now, that might also help address this issue, um, when, in regards to first offenders Just wanted to put that on record, Chair.

127. 0:32:00

     You're right.

128. 0:32:02

     Chairman knows of what she speaks. Um, at the proper time I'll enter- I, I see no other questions on the amendment. We'll vote, committee will vote on the amendment, uh, and I-

129. 0:32:14

     I'll move on it.

130. 0:32:15

     Um-

131. 0:32:15

     I'll move on it.

132. 0:32:16

     Okay. We got a, a motion to, uh, vote on the, on the amendment. Uh, got a second. Uh, any other questions, uh, comments on the amendment? Hearing none, all in favor say aye.

133. 0:32:29

     Aye.

134. 0:32:29

     Opposed? Hearing none, amendment passes. So, uh, Lead Council, he- were you, were we good?

135. 0:32:40

     Yes, Chair.

136. 0:32:40

     Okay. All right. So, now I'll entertain a motion for the, uh, for the bill with the amendment included.

137. 0:32:49

     So moved.

138. 0:32:49

     Got a motion. Do I hear a second?

139. 0:32:51

     Second.

140. 0:32:51

     We got-

141. 0:32:52

     Got another amendment.

142. 0:32:54

     Got one more?

143. 0:32:54

     Well, we kind of took them as one.

144. 0:32:57

     Okay.

145. 0:32:57

     Um, do we need to d- Paul, do we need to do them separately or together?

146. 0:33:02

     It, the, the second one hasn't been read into the record, Chair.

147. 0:33:05

     Oh, okay. I'm sorry. Got ahead of myself.

148. 0:33:07

     Okay.

149. 0:33:08

     Okay. Uh, Chairman Gunter.

150. 0:33:10

     All right. Thank you. Um, this is, uh, going to line 45, add a sentence that reads, "Sealed criminal history record information shall not be reported if restricted and sealed by a court order, or as a matter of law as of the date such report is furnished." And this en- ensures that the reporting agencies comply with existing law.

151. 0:33:38

     Any questions on, uh, that change of the second amendment, uh, line 45?

152. 0:33:46

     Hearing none, uh, I'll, I'll entertain a motion, um, for that, uh, amendment.

153. 0:33:53

     So moved.

154. 0:33:54

     Got a motion. Got, do I hear a second? Hear a second. Any other discussion or comments on, um, on the second amendment? Hearing none , all in favor say aye.

155. 0:34:06

     Aye.

156. 0:34:07

     Opposed? Um, amendment passes. All right. So we have, uh, two, uh, amendments, um, that are passed, uh, onto, uh, LC560485. Uh, we'll go back to the bill, uh, as amended. Any other questions or comments on the bill? Um, hearing none, I entertain a motion to do pass.

157. 0:34:37

     So moved.

158. 0:34:37

     Um, uh, do I have a second?

159. 0:34:40

     Second.

160. 0:34:42

     Okay. All in favor say aye.

161. 0:34:45

     Aye.

162. 0:34:45

     Opposed? Hearing none, motion passes. On the roads, Mr. Chairman.

163. 0:34:49

     Thank you, Chairman. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Appreciate it.

164. 0:34:54

     Oh, um, we did have a, someone signed up to speak in front of that bill. Would you, would you w- care?

165. 0:35:03

     We've already passed it. But if it's for, they'd love to hear you.

166. 0:35:08

     Wade Askew from Goldome Partners. We represent Georgia Justice Project, and happen to have worked closely with Chairman Hagan on the bill she may have referenced earlier. But thank you, everybody. Uh, we support it. And, uh, and appreciate Chairman Gunter and everybody's consideration of the, the friendly amendment. And most of all, thank you to Chairman Parsons. Thank y'all. This does fill genuinely a real significant need for folks.

167. 0:35:30

     Thank you. Okay. We're making good time today. Um, we, um, next on our agenda would be Chairman, uh, Leverett.

168. 0:35:45

     I have a chair in front of me. Go ahead.

169. 0:35:46

     Do you have anything on 1195 for us? You can do it from right there, suits me.

170. 0:35:52

     I, I do, Mr. Chairman. I have a request that you pass the bill.

171. 0:35:58

     If, if you'd like some more explanation, I'm glad to offer it. This basically just clears up Senate Bill 105 from last year. Th- that was the bill that sort of introduced the concept of veterinary teleadvice and teletriage and telemedicine, and we're just clarifying that the veterinary-client-patient relationship isn't required for either. We had done that with respect to one of them, but not both. And we removed some geographic restrictions that, that really were difficult to apply and made it difficult for vets or poison control centers to provide advice with regard to specific animals about poison and, and things of that nature.

172. 0:36:31

     So we're just trying to clear that up so vet practices and the, um, poison control centers who have licensed vets or vet techs can still continue to provide that service.

173. 0:36:45

     Okay. Thank you, Chairman. Uh, we do have a question number 26. That would be Chairman Meeks.

174. 0:36:51

     Um, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to make sure I heard, heard the gentleman correct, that we were cleaning up a Senate bill.

175. 0:36:59

     That is correct.

176. 0:37:00

     A practice we're very familiar with around here, Mr. Chairman.

177. 0:37:02

     Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, at the proper time, I'd like to mo- uh, make a motion.

178. 0:37:06

     Okay. Um, we'll take that in consideration and hold that. I got, uh, you want to, uh, speak to the bill, um, Jake Taylor?

179. 0:37:15

     Yeah, Mr. Chairman. Uh, just real quick, um, today I'm speaking on behalf of Georgia Vet Med Association. Just want to show support. I could also come up here after and say thank you too, but, um, I appreciate the time, and appreciate the author and all the stakeholders.

180. 0:37:33

     Um, any other questions or discussion on, uh, uh, Chairman Leverett's, um, 1195 LC 443479S?

181. 0:37:48

     Chairman Meeks.

182. 0:37:50

     Motion to pass.

183. 0:37:51

     I hear a motion.

184. 0:37:52

     Second.

185. 0:37:53

     Second. Any other discussion? Hearing none, all in favor of, uh, this bill s- signify by saying aye. Opposed? Hearing none, motion passes. Uh, and bill on the rules to pass. Thank you. Thank you. Um, do I see Representative, uh, Berry here? There he is.

186. 0:38:20

     Uh, we have this bill, um,

187. 0:38:25

     glad to welcome to the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.

188. 0:38:30

     Thank you. I'm excited to be here. Thank you all.

189. 0:38:33

     So, um-

190. 0:38:34

     Let me get-

191. 0:38:35

     Uh, tell me your LC number on that.

192. 0:38:38

     Working from LC 600187.

193. 0:38:41

     Okay.

194. 0:38:43

     608, uh, 60... Yes. Make sure I got my own self right. All right. Um, good afternoon, um, m- Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. Um, today I'm proud to present to y'all House Bill 996, uh, and I feel it is a common sense and data-driven step towards addressing one of the most urgent, um, but often overlooked crisis in our state, and that's food access. I appreciate, first, the committee and your steadfast work to ensure that every Georgia family has a meal on the table, uh, and hopefully a Georgia grown meal.

195. 0:39:13

     Uh, before I start working through the bill, let's start with the reality that's facing, um, Georgia families and, and see an infographic that's going around. Right now, nearly 1 million Georgians live in areas with limited access to a full service grocery store. Broader estimates show that close to 2 million people, including half a million children, uh, live in food deserts. This is not a small, isolated problem, it is a statewide crisis that is hidden in plain sight, and it's getting worse. Um, in Metro Atlanta, the number of residents without nearby grocery access has grown 22% in recent years.

196. 0:39:47

     Inside the I-285 perimeter, uh, one of the most economically powerful regions in the Southeast, there are still more than 35 identified food district, food desert areas. Um, so what HB 90, 996 does is very simple. It follows a model that is taken and already done in Mississippi. It simply ensures that we actually track this problem with consistency and transparency. The intent of this legislation is purely statutory. It does not, uh, create an appropriation or require new spending. It simply ensures that we are con- using consistent, transparent data to understand the scope of the problem and make smarter decisions with the resources that we already have.

197. 0:40:24

     Um, using the same standards already recognized by USDA, whether someone lives more than one mile from the grocery store or in urban areas or 10 miles in rural communities, this bill establishes the framework for ongoing monitoring and reporting on food access across our state. What gets measured, we know, like we say this in education all the time, what gets measured, gets ex- addressed. And I want this bill to be the beginning, and ultimately a framework for a partnership between the general assembly and community organizations, neighborhood associations, HOAs, cities and counties, um, to develop concrete policy solutions to reduce food deserts, whether through community grocery stores, neighborhood gardens, or continued support for our farmers.

198. 0:41:00

     Um, right now we are not measuring this crisis in a way that allows us to respond effectively. Um, this, food, the issue of food deserts disproportionately impact low income communities and communities of color the most. In majority Black neighborhoods, only about 36% of small stores carry fresh produce, compared to 61% in other areas. Um, this is a structural inequity that we see in our state, and it shows up in our outcomes. And one in seven residents in Georgia are food insecure, and among children it's even worse, that is one in five children are food insecure in our state. Now, this is a state that is very wealthy, very prosperous, and one in five children, uh, do not have consistent access to food.

199. 0:41:36

     Um, so what this bill does is it does not claim to solve this problem overnight, but it does something just as important. It gives us the tools to see clearly, to act strategically, and to hold ourselves accountable. Um, it allows us to better align our resources, support local solutions, and ensure that w- we are investing taxpayer dollars and targeting the communities that need it the most. Um, I believe that this is a bill about fairness, about public health, economic mobility. Um, healthy food is a right, and we should ensure that we are empowering every single Georgia family to have the life and opportunity they deserve with meals on the table.

200. 0:42:07

     Um, and with that, I will entertain any questions, and I ask for your favorable consideration.

201. 0:42:13

     Um, well, thank you, Representative, and thank you for these handouts. Um, a lot of good information, uh, on these. This is a, um, issue this committee's been, uh, looking at for, uh, several years. I know, uh, former Representative, uh, Karen Bennett and I-

202. 0:42:29

     Mm-hmm

203. 0:42:30

     ... uh, have had lots of discussions about, uh, food, uh, uh, accessibility, uh, as well as affordability, uh-

204. 0:42:38

     Absolutely

205. 0:42:38

     ... but, uh, I'm, I'm one of those, uh, representatives. My home county does not have a grocery store-

206. 0:42:44

     Mm-hmm

207. 0:42:44

     ... uh, either. Um, it's, we got pretty good roads to drive to, but, uh, no, no grocery store c- close by. Um-

208. 0:42:53

     Sure

209. 0:42:53

     ... but anyway, um, thank you for the legislation. You do have some questions here. Um, Chairman Hagan.

210. 0:43:02

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Representative, for, for your concern for pe- people and their access to good, healthy food.

211. 0:43:10

     Thank you.

212. 0:43:10

     Um, you, you mentioned on this hand- regarding the handout that a, a food desert is defined as less than a mile in urban areas and less than, or greater than a mile in urban areas and greater than 10 miles in ru- rural areas. But, uh, in the legislation it only says, uh, a mile. And I'm wondering, I know this is hearing only, but I'm wondering if you consider adding in the greater than 10 miles in rural areas, because I think-

213. 0:43:42

     Mm-hmm

214. 0:43:42

     ... you're, you won't have an accurate, um, idea of where food deserts are because har- I mean, I would think 98% of people in rural areas live more than a mile from a grocery store. So I think-

215. 0:43:57

     Right

216. 0:43:57

     ... uh, just a suggestion to k- maybe consider adding that

217. 0:43:59

     Definitely oversight on my part. Um, definitely-

218. 0:44:02

     Okay. All right

219. 0:44:02

     ... an over-

220. 0:44:03

     Thank-

221. 0:44:03

     ... an overlook of that one

222. 0:44:05

     Okay. Great, great suggestion. Um, uh, Representative Ford.

223. 0:44:11

     Hey, I was gonna ask when this data was collected, because I'm in rural Georgia, a lot of us are, and, um, the Dollar Generals, for instance, have been kinda revamped now and are selling fresh produce and fresh vegetables, which we are so happy about. And, um, you know, usually you can find a Dollar General every five miles where I'm at anyway. So, um, just didn't know when this, um, this data, because I feel like it's better now than it was.

224. 0:44:39

     I am happy to get the years for you. Um, I'll go back to my seat. Um, not that you shot the top of my head.

225. 0:44:44

     All right. Thank you.

226. 0:44:45

     I'm sure it's recent.

227. 0:44:47

     I feel like they're, I feel like they're addressing it, um, and trying to improve it. But...

228. 0:44:59

     Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Representative Byrd, for bringing this bill.

229. 0:45:02

     Thank you.

230. 0:45:02

     This is interesting. I very much, like Chairman Dickey, live in a county where there's one grocery store-

231. 0:45:08

     Mm-hmm

232. 0:45:08

     ... and there's 21,000 people that live in my county. Um, and so everyone has to drive if they don't go to that one store.

233. 0:45:14

     Right.

234. 0:45:15

     Um, so when... A couple of things. When I was looking at y- your definition on line 16, retail food store means a food store that has reportedly has $2 million in annual sales and contains all the majority food departments found in a traditional supermarket. Um, kind of going back to Representative Ford's point, we have five Dollar Generals in my community.

235. 0:45:36

     Mm-hmm.

236. 0:45:36

     And I know that's a lot, but we don't have... We've got a little, bitty grocery store. So going back to that, would a Dollar General, are you familiar with that model? Would that-

237. 0:45:44

     No

238. 0:45:44

     ... fit that? Because they do not have, to my knowledge, fresh meat, um, and poultry. Um, so I'm j- um, that was one consideration.

239. 0:45:55

     I think they'd meet the mark by the two million in annual sales, of course. Um, but by fresh meat, no. And, um, Dollar General generally, um, for majority areas, are not, is not considered, um, habitable or sustainable-

240. 0:46:10

     A grocery store

241. 0:46:10

     ... grocery store. Correct.

242. 0:46:11

     Yeah. I gotcha. And Mr. Chairman, could I do a follow-up, please?

243. 0:46:14

     Uh, yes.

244. 0:46:15

     Okay. I'll be brief. All right. And then on lines 20 through 23, um, you know, you've got coordination with DFCS-

245. 0:46:22

     Mm-hmm

246. 0:46:23

     ... Department of Family and Children Services, to prepare this annual report. Has there been a fiscal note obtained to determine h- what kind of resources they would need to gather this data and produce the report?

247. 0:46:37

     So from my conversations, that wasn't, we didn't think there would be a need for a fiscal note. It would be more, uh, just a staffing agency issue. Um, but happy to look more into that.

248. 0:46:47

     All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

249. 0:46:50

     Yes. Um, Chairman Camp, I think that is the real, um, uh, hurdle, um, he has on this bill is the staffing, uh, is the cost of, of actually doing what the bill, uh, wants to be done. And, um, um, the Department of Ag or Children's Services I think would need some, um, preparation, uh, and staffing if, if this bill, um, would move. And so that, that is one of the issues.

250. 0:47:22

     Um, and, um, and the other big issue, I guess the first, uh, is what the, uh, representative trying to do is, is gather information. And on line 26, uh, r- the recommendations on what to do about them is, is probably the most difficult, uh, uh, thing, uh, first off. But, uh, I guess you'd have to, as, uh, as the author's trying to do here, gather the, uh, information and the data on, on what exactly the situation is, uh, that we have there with these deserts before we move forward with recommendations.

251. 0:47:57

     But anyway, lots of questions. Uh, Chairman Jasperse.

252. 0:48:00

     Yes, sir. I'm just following up Chair Lady Camp there. There'd be, instead of DFCS, who has, we've given them quite a few jobs, uh, the bill author may look at the University of Georgia and the extension service there-

253. 0:48:13

     Mm-hmm

254. 0:48:13

     ... or Family and Consumer Science Department, 'cause this is sort of in their ball of wax, the things that they work on every day.

255. 0:48:21

     Right.

256. 0:48:22

     Former county agent knows of what he speaks very well. Great, uh, great source of information and resources, our University of Georgia faculty in each and every county in the state of Georgia. Uh, any other, this is hearing only, any other questions, uh, or comments to the author on the bill? Um, hearing none, uh, thank you for discussion. Thank you, um, Representative, for bringing this bill.

257. 0:48:54

     And, uh, any other information, uh, any other, uh... We got a flyer for our peanut dinner in, uh, I think it's a week from today. Always a, uh, very good at Ruth's Chris, and the report from the Georgia Peanut Commission, um, is given at that meeting, uh, by legislation. Um, also notice we will need to have a, uh, committee meeting on Wednesday morning. Um, uh, and we have some, um, not many bills then, but we will have a couple to discuss and maybe a speaker, uh, on, uh, Wednesday morning.

258. 0:49:35

     Uh, crossover day is getting closer. Thank y'all for moving these bills today on to rules. I know the authors, we're all on timelines around here. So with that, I'll entertain a motion to, uh, dismiss. Uh-

259. 0:49:51

     So moved.

260. 0:49:52

     Huh?

261. 0:49:52

     So moved.

262. 0:49:54

     So moved. Have a good evening.

263. 0:50:05

     Thank you.