Georgia CommonsHouse Rules Committee, March 3, 2026
2025-2026 Regular Session · 341 CAP · 41 min
This is a machine transcript of the General Assembly's video, made by a speech-recognition model. It is not an official record and can mishear words, names, and numbers. Speakers are not identified. The video is the record: every timestamp links to the moment it plays.
The video is the General Assembly's, played from its Vimeo channel. Select any time below to play that moment. Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Agenda
Summary
Written by an AI model (gpt-6.1-sol) from the transcript. It is not part of the record, and the video is what was said.
The committee heard presentations on HB 1268, an annual code update; HB 1354, concerning medical-provider credentialing; HB 275, concerning uniform assessment language; and HB 963, concerning foreign-national involvement in ballot-measure campaigns. Members questioned whether the credentialing proposal would address Medicaid payment rates and how campaigns would report and verify donations under the election proposal. The committee also heard a presentation on a resolution supporting the arts as a resource for mental health and trauma recovery. No votes or decisions to place measures on a calendar were recorded. Before adjournment, the chair advised members that another meeting might be called later that day.
Bills discussed (4)
Each account covers the stretch of the meeting it names. The bill's number is said in that stretch, unless it was the only bill on a committee's agenda.
HB 1268. Official Code of Georgia Annotated; revise, modernize and correct errors or omissions
From 0:31:57 · turns 14 to 15 · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 1743
The sponsor described HB 1268 as the annual housekeeping measure to update and modernize Georgia's code. The sponsor said it would make no substantive changes. No members asked questions, and no vote was recorded.
HB 1354. Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act; require certain health insurers providing a network plan to approve credentialing applications within a certain time frame
From 0:32:28 · turns 16 to 24
The sponsor said HB 1354 would establish a uniform credentialing process across Medicaid and private health plans, allowing providers who apply through Medicaid to receive expedited credentialing with private insurers. The sponsor said providers had reported lengthy, repetitive applications that delay their ability to receive payment and serve patients. The sponsor argued that the change would reduce administrative burdens and encourage more providers to accept Medicaid patients. A committee member asked whether the proposal would address low payment rates, which the member identified as a reason providers do not participate in Medicaid. The sponsor said the bill would not change reimbursement rates but would help more providers become eligible to serve Medicaid patients. No vote was recorded.
HB 275. Income tax; change certain definitions
From 0:36:08 · turns 28 to 34
A committee member requested HB 275 under an unstructured rule and described it as a cleanup measure to give assessors across Georgia uniform assessment language. The member said the proposal came from the Assessors Association and had passed the Ways and Means Committee unanimously. No questions or vote were recorded in this meeting.
HB 963. Elections; prohibit foreign nationals from contributing to or participating in any campaign
From 0:37:00 · turns 35 to 54
The presenter said HB 963 would extend restrictions modeled on federal law concerning foreign-national campaign contributions and participation to Georgia ballot referendums and constitutional amendments. One committee member expressed general support but asked whether every donor would need a separate form. The presenter said committees would use existing reporting procedures, identify prohibited foreign-national donations and return them, and disclose whether foreign nationals directed preliminary committee activities. Asked about local sales-tax and other local referendums, the presenter said all ballot referendums would be covered. A second member asked what would happen if a campaign mistakenly accepted a foreign-national donation, noting that smaller campaigns have fewer staff and resources. The presenter said allegations would be investigated by the State Ethics Commission. In follow-up questions about certification, the presenter said each donation would require an affirmation of whether it came from a foreign source, possibly through a checkbox, but said the reporting form's design was not yet known. No vote was recorded.
Official records of this meeting
Transcript
56 turns. Select a time to play that moment of the video.
- 0:28:20
Good morning, everybody.
- 0:28:31
Good morning. If you will, please take a seat and we'll call the meeting to order, and we're gonna call on Chair Lady Taylor to open us up with a word of prayer.
- 0:28:41
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Please bow your head. Good morning, Father. Thank you for the day you've given us today and the blessings you bestow on us every day. We ask that you watch over us as we make decisions that affect the people of this state and the country. As we go forward, please bless our troops that are in danger and those that are fighting in a war. We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen.
- 0:29:05
Amen. Thank you, ma'am. Recognize Dean Greene for an introduction.
- 0:29:12
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the Rules Committee. I have a good friend here who makes deer sausage, and he, uh, he is the probate judge, and he's the magistrate judge. He's the EM, uh, he's EMS director. But I told him we make sausages too, so come come and watch us. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce, uh, our Judge Matthew South. Matthew.
- 0:29:47
Thank you, Dean. Welcome, Judge. Glad to have you. Okay. Uh, we don't have quite as many folks that wanna present a bill this morning as we had yesterday, but I think tomorrow we'll pick back up. So, uh, Representative, uh, Chairman Todd Jones.
- 0:30:09
Here we go. Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, members of the committee. I will be quick given the line. Um, I bring to you H.R. 1007. That is at the very bottom of page eight. This is a house resolution that effectively says that participation in the arts is globally recognized as a, as a significant resource for promoting mental health and wellbeing. This is critical because one of the things, as we were going through this resolution this past summer, one of the things that we asked for was basically third-party and peer-reviewed data to prove this.
- 0:30:47
Though I wanted to be encouraged by the fact that arts could do something for PTSD, for any type of mental health and things like that, we wanted to get the proof that it could occur. In fact, there are several peer-reviewed studies that confirm that the arts is a m- is one manner by which we can address mental health, trauma, anxiety, and other stress issues. As a matter of fact, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense have integrated art therapy into its programs for PTSD for our veterans and its army personnel.
- 0:31:19
So effectively what this resolution does, it states that the Georgia House of Representatives believes that the arts are a key role in supporting the recovery from trauma and addressing mental health concerns in our state. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, that is the resolution.
- 0:31:33
Okay. Don't see any questions. Thank you, sir.
- 0:31:37
Thank you, sir.
- 0:31:39
Okay. Leader Efstration, you, you have a request.
- 0:31:46
Which one? Which one is that?
- 0:31:47
Yeah. I'm s- Burchett, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
- 0:31:53
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and committee members. I bring before you House Bill 1268. It's our code revision bill, annual code revision bill, uh, that seeks to, it's a housekeeping bill and updating measures. Um, no substantive changes, just, um, um, uh, modernizing today's code. It's the one we do every year.
- 0:32:15
Okay. I don't see any questions. Thank you. Secretary Kelley, you got one?
- 0:32:24
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. I bring before you House Bill 1354. It's a measure aimed at helping our medical providers get credentialed with our, uh, both across our Medicaid system and with our private payers in Georgia. After a medical provider has gone through, uh, and received their education, by the time they've passed their boards, uh, and they're ready to practice medicine and deliver care to patients in Georgia, then the next big hurdle that stands before them is getting approved by the insurance company so that they can get reimbursed for the care that they provide.
- 0:33:02
Uh, I've heard from a number of medical providers that this process is arduous, that a lot of times it's redundant, that they are filling out, uh, long, lengthy applications, uh, for multiple, uh, payers, and that it takes, uh, a long amount of time that prevents them from being able to provide care to Georgia patients. I know that this body has worked hard to help make sure that patients in Georgia, uh, have access to, uh, our providers, and this is one thing that stands, uh, in our way.
- 0:33:37
And so what this legislation would do is essentially set up a uniform credentialing process, both in our Medicaid system and across our health plans, uh, so that a doctor, once they have applied through the uniform process for Medicaid, um, that then they would have the opportunity to have a expedited credentialing process that'll take place with our private payers. Uh, there are two benefits here as it relates. One, uh, will be we will get more doctors and medical providers on our Medicaid, uh, list.
- 0:34:14
It will incentivize providers to offer themselves to provide Medicaid care. That's something we offer often hear, is that we have providers, uh, we don't have as many providers willing to offer Medicaid care as we'd like. This will incentivize them. Second, uh, it will remove some of the burdensome process for our medical providers as it relates to getting reimbursed through our private payers and help them get across that final, uh, hurdle as it relates to being able to provide care for Georgia patients.
- 0:34:45
Mr. Chairman, I, uh, would be glad to take any questions.
- 0:34:49
Okay. Have a question. Leader Hugley?
- 0:34:54
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, to the gentleman. It's been my experience that providers are concerned about the pay, and that's one of the reasons why they don't sign up for Medicaid. Will this do anything to help with that aspect?
- 0:35:11
I appreciate that question. Uh, when I've spoken with the providers, the first thing they've mentioned to me is before they can even worry about what the, uh, when they're finishing up their boards, they know before they can provide any care to anyone, they have to be credentialed, and s- they're not able to do that. And so this while it does not address any reimbursement rate as it relates to Medicaid for our, uh, providers, it will certainly encourage more providers to be, um, uh, eligible to serve Medicaid patients.
- 0:35:43
Okay. Don't s- see any other questions. Okay, any other members of the committee have a request? Chair, uh, Leader Williamson, uh, have you got... Did you want to request anything?
- 0:35:57
275.
- 0:35:58
275? 275.
- 0:36:03
I'm sorry, sir. Apologize.
- 0:36:08
Yes, sir. House Bill 275.
- 0:36:09
Use your mic there.
- 0:36:10
Sorry.
- 0:36:12
Unstructured.
- 0:36:15
Sorry, Mr. Chairman. Uh, unstructured rule.
- 0:36:24
House Bill nu- It's, uh, uh, first one unstructured rule, House Bill 275, which simply, um, uh, it's a bill that would, um, clarify our assessment language where we're, uh, all the as- assessors state of Georgia would have a uniform assessment language, and it's cleaning it up, and it comes from the, uh, Assessors Association, and it's, uh, passed out of Ways and Means, uh, unanimously.
- 0:36:50
Okay. Don't s- see any questions on that. Uh, Chairman Martin, you have one?
- 0:36:56
Y- yes, sir. Uh, six up from the bottom of page three, um, House Bill 963 seeks to, uh, mirror federal law, uh, in regards to foreign national, uh, co- contributions and participation in elections for individual seats. It wishes to apply that to ballot referenda in Georgia and constitutional amendments.
- 0:37:18
Okay. Did you have a question, Whip, Whip Park?
- 0:37:23
Tha- thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, Chairman Martin, I, I for the most part support the bill. Um, I just had a question as to how this would operate. Would, would this require a form to be filled out for every single donor, or is it just something similar to what we currently do in terms of something more similar to, like, a self-attestation that no foreign, um... Yeah.
- 0:37:43
Ye- yes, sir. A- and, uh, I thank the gentleman for the question. On specifically, and there's several places, but the language i- is mirrored, uh, on line 72 through 82 of the bill. It basically, uh, committees that are required to report today if their donations, um, if they receive donations, uh, from foreign nationals are required to acknowledge those, and those, uh, would, would need to be, uh, returned. Those would be unallowed. So it would be the same reporting that goes through today. They would just be required to acknowledge that and also acknowledge if, if they were, uh, the preliminary, um, activities to set up the committee were, um, under the gui- or, or under the direction of foreign nationals.
- 0:38:24
Uh, one, one additional follow-up.
- 0:38:26
Mm-hmm.
- 0:38:26
Uh, these provisions would also apply to an SPLOST or, um, any other municipal or county local referendum, is that correct?
- 0:38:33
That, that is correct. Any, any ballot referenda. Cu- currently it applies to all, all the state elections and, and individual elections. And, uh, arguably, those referenda, especially constitutional amendments, are more important than any, any single elected official because they, they stand for a long time.
- 0:38:47
Thank you.
- 0:38:48
Thank you.
- 0:38:50
Okay, have another question, Leader Hugley.
- 0:38:54
Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. To the gentleman, what happens, uh, if, uh, a campaign does not have this information correct, and it's later determined that maybe they were a foreign national? Uh, you know, some campaigns are not as large as others, don't have the resources and staffing as others, so what would happen?
- 0:39:14
That, that would fall under, if, if I may, um, thank the lady for the question. That would fall under the purview of the State Ethics Commission, as it does now with any, um... There would have to be, uh, an allegation or a t- you know, a charge made, and then the State Ethics Commission, uh, would do an investigation, and it would fall under their purview.
- 0:39:30
So is there some type of certification that, uh, campaigns would have to supply for every donation or-
- 0:39:38
No, n- no. I thank the lady again for the question. It would, you would have to affirm that the donation did not come from a foreign national.
- 0:39:48
For each one?
- 0:39:51
I'm sorry?
- 0:39:51
For each donation, is that what you're saying?
- 0:39:54
A- absolutely. But that, you, you have to r- uh, uh, you have to report the donations today, so it would just be essentially a checkbox that you would affirm that that donation, um... A- and it might be you aff- affirm that it w- was from a foreign o- donation. Um, I don't know how the, the ethics committee would design the form, but you would notate either it is or it isn't from a foreign f- source.
- 0:40:17
Don't, don't see any other questions. Thank you. Any other members have a request? Okay. Um, I understand quite a number of bills came out of committee yesterday that'll be reported by the clerk today, so I expect we'll have a good many more requests tomorrow. But, uh, we've got a good number on the calendar for today. And, uh, let me just encourage you to, uh, be around today. We, and watch your emails. We're probably gonna end up having another meeting sometime.
- 0:40:50
So, uh, with that, we'll adjourn this meeting and get us out of here in time so the speaker won't fuss at me about us being late to go to the floor. Thank y'all.