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Senate Rules Committee

Senate Rules Committee, March 9, 2026

2025-2026 Regular Session · 450 CAP · 29 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.

Copy for LLM, View as markdown, and Send to AI use the Markdown version: the summaries Georgia Commons wrote, under headings that name them, then the whole transcript with its times. View raw is the transcript alone.

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

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 bills covering environmental management, professional licensing, law enforcement, local government and other topics. Members unanimously approved a five-item calendar for the next day: HB 945, HB 115, HB 244, HR 1008 and SR 771. The committee then considered two bills in its standing committee role. It approved a substitute for HB 254 covering a Revolutionary War commemorative marker and a privately funded statue at the judicial center, by a 13-4 vote. It also unanimously approved a substitute for HB 1199, the annual update aligning parts of Georgia tax law with federal law.

Bills discussed (20)

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 956. Solid Waste Trust Fund; authorize use of funds for implementation of provisions of a solid waste management program

From 0:01:35 · turns 4 to 17

The sponsor said the bill would give the Environmental Protection Division director flexibility to use Solid Waste Trust Fund money to carry out the solid waste management plan. As an example, the sponsor said emergency staff responding to a tire fire could not currently be paid from that fund. Asked where that money comes from now, the sponsor confirmed it comes from the regular operating budget. No vote was recorded.

HB 219. Professions and businesses; establish a professional health program to provide for monitoring and rehabilitation of impaired healthcare professionals; authorize

From 0:03:18 · turns 20 to 25

The sponsor said the bill would offer nursing professionals an alternative disciplinary process that allows them to get help for impairment or physical problems, similar to options available to physicians and pharmacists. The sponsor said the committee heard the proposal the previous year but it did not advance. No questions or vote followed.

HB 483. Crimes and offenses; protections for inspectors of code enforcement; provide

From 0:03:58 · turns 29 to 35

The sponsor said the bill would define code enforcement officials and establish penalties for hindering them while they perform their duties. There were no substantive questions, and no vote was recorded.

HB 983. Conservation and natural resources; prescribed burning for silviculture purposes is exempt from certain burning notice and permit requirements; clarify

From 0:04:45 · turns 37 to 81

The sponsor said the Georgia Forestry Commission requested the bill to clarify prescribed burning and prevent confusion among local governments and landowners. Asked about silviculture, the sponsor described it as managing and caring for forests, with burning as one part of that work, and said the bill adds a definition. The sponsor said local governments may set burning rules but cannot prohibit prescribed burns, and that uncertainty about which burns qualify had caused problems in some places. No vote was recorded.

HB 485. Official Code of Georgia Annotated; various provisions enacted prior to 2013 which are contingent upon funding and which remain unfunded; repeal

From 0:08:06 · turns 88 to 101

The sponsor described the bill as a cleanup of Georgia law, including updates to technology language and federal references. The sponsor said it would repeal provisions that depended on funding but had remained unfunded since before 2013, including one dating to 1983. The sponsor also said it would remove unconstitutional portions of laws while retaining constitutional provisions, leaving out matters needing further policy debate. No substantive questions or vote followed.

HB 61. Motor vehicles; issuance of separate license plates for hearses and ambulances; provide

From 0:10:05 · turns 112 to 129

The sponsor presented the bill as a response to unlawful occupancy in extended-stay properties and hotels. The sponsor said it would close loopholes used by squatters while protecting lawful tenants and paying guests and clarifying the authority of property owners and law enforcement. In a brief exchange about ambulance tags on hearses, the sponsor said that issue had been resolved. No vote was recorded.

HB 549. Peace officers; extend time frame for which reimbursement of total training expenses by a subsequent employer may be sought

From 0:11:15 · turns 137 to 147

The sponsor said the bill would clarify and extend the period during which an agency hiring a peace officer must reimburse the officer's previous agency for training costs. The sponsor said the change would protect taxpayer investment, support workforce stability and establish a clear reimbursement process, and said relevant law enforcement agencies supported it. A committee member voiced support. No vote was recorded.

HB 115. Natural Resources, Department of; certain notice upon registration of a vessel; provide

From 0:12:14 · turns 149 to 270

The sponsor said the bill would create a legal framework to stop vessels from being abandoned in marshes and other waterways. The sponsor estimated that Georgia had about 159 to 160 abandoned or derelict vessels along the coast and about 38 in lakes statewide. Members asked no substantive questions. The committee later unanimously included the bill on the next day's calendar.

HB 945. Banking and finance; holds on accounts of eligible adults for suspected financial exploitation; provide

From 0:13:21 · turns 158 to 270

The sponsor described the bill as the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance's annual housekeeping measure and said interested parties had raised no objections. No substantive provisions were explained, and members asked no questions. The committee later unanimously included the bill on the next day's calendar.

HR 1008. State-wide water management plan; ratify amendments

From 0:14:03 · turns 166 to 270

The sponsor said the resolution would make structural changes to regional water councils under a process established in 2008 to respond to drought and other problems. The sponsor said the original membership arrangements had become an obstacle because attendance and quorum requirements made it difficult to act. Citing Hurricane Helene, the sponsor emphasized the need for councils to respond quickly. The chair selected the resolution for the next day's calendar, which the committee later approved unanimously.

SR 697. Colbert, Jason; recognize

From 0:17:22 · turns 202 to 208

The sponsor identified the resolution as recognition of the Technical College System of Georgia's GOAL Award winner. In the joint presentation of two recognition resolutions, the sponsor said the recipients would appear in the chamber on March 25. No vote was recorded.

SR 698. Mirzakulova, Dr. Ekaterina; recognize

From 0:17:24 · turns 204 to 208

The sponsor identified the resolution as recognition of the Technical College System of Georgia's Rick Perkins Award winner. In the joint presentation of two recognition resolutions, the sponsor said the recipients would appear in the chamber on March 25. No vote was recorded.

SR 610. Senate Study Committee on Improving and Increasing Recycling; create

From 0:18:01 · turns 215 to 216

The sponsor described the resolution as creating a study committee to examine recycling in Georgia and improvements to the existing system. The chair noted there were no questions. No vote was recorded.

HB 521. Local government; deannexation of certain properties; revise procedures

From 0:18:11 · turns 216 to 221

The sponsor said the original bill would require maps of property removed from city limits to be sent to the legislature's reapportionment office. The sponsor said additional provisions addressed annexation and deannexation issues in particular communities, but did not explain those provisions. There were no questions or recorded vote.

HB 185. Professions and businesses; repeal and reenact Chapter 11A, the Dietetics Practice Act

From 0:19:05 · turns 227 to 229

The chair said the bill would establish licensing for dietitians and nutritionists and that work on the proposal had been underway for about three years. The discussion also addressed who would carry the bill in the Senate. No vote was recorded.

HB 244. State auditor; local governments to request and receive in certain circumstances due date extensions related to filing annual audits; provide

From 0:19:30 · turns 229 to 270

The chair identified the bill as concerning local government annual audits and said it had been presented several times previously. The chair recalled that it had reached the floor before adjournment. No substantive provisions were explained at this meeting. The committee unanimously included it on the next day's calendar.

HB 1020. Judicial Retirement System; payment of monthly retirement benefits for creditable service as a district attorney at the age of 65 years; provide

From 0:19:52 · turns 230 to 234

The chair called attention to the judicial retirement bill but did not explain its provisions. Shortly before identifying it by number, the chair offered the prospective Senate presenter a chance to discuss it, and that member asked to wait until they had fully studied it. No vote was recorded.

SR 771. Senate Study Committee on Adoption and Permanency Affordability; create

From 0:20:11 · turns 236 to 270

The sponsor said the resolution would create a study committee to examine how Georgia could build an adoption system that better serves children and families seeking to adopt. Members asked no substantive questions. The committee unanimously included the resolution on the next day's calendar.

HB 254. State government; provide placement of Revolutionary War Patriots marker on state capitol building grounds and state archives building grounds

From 0:22:59 · turns 270 to 297

The sponsor said the original bill would authorize a bronze historical marker commemorating America's 250th anniversary on Capitol grounds. The sponsor said a national commission had supplied markers for the original 13 colonies and that legislative approval and the governor's signature were needed before the Capitol Arts Commission could approve a location. The sponsor reported that the House had passed the bill 166-0 on February 27, 2025. Another member explained that the substitute would also place a statue of a U.S. Supreme Court justice in the judicial center. In response to the chair, that member confirmed public money would not be used for the statue. The committee approved the substitute 13-4. The chair said it would be reported out the next day and could then become available for calendar consideration.

HB 1199. Revenue and taxation; Internal Revenue Code and Internal Revenue Code of 1986; revise terms and incorporate certain provisions of federal law into Georgia law

From 0:26:39 · turns 298 to 310

The presenting senator described the bill as the annual update deciding which federal tax changes Georgia would follow. The senator said work with budget leaders and the lieutenant governor's staff aimed to make the measure as close to revenue neutral as possible. The chair said the substitute would follow federal treatment of tips and overtime, unlike the House version. On the low-income housing tax credit, the presenting senator said the substitute would retain Georgia's 2024 treatment, and the chair described it as remaining dollar for dollar at that level. The presenting senator confirmed the chair's statement that most Finance Committee members had agreed to the changes. No further substantive questions followed. The committee unanimously approved the substitute.

Transcript

311 turns. Select a time to play that moment of the video.

  1. 0:00:58

    Order. We'll do things a little out of order of my normal. We are gonna do the rules calendar first, and then we will go into standing committee. So when we get done with the rules calendar, do not leave, 'cause we got some action to take. All right.

  2. 0:01:20

    You're just assuming I'm gonna call you first, huh?

  3. 0:01:23

    No, I'm not. I'm, I'm always optimistic.

  4. 0:01:26

    Well, Representative Corbett, I guess we'll just let you go ahead then.

  5. 0:01:30

    All right. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. Uh, I bring before you House Bill 956. The second page, uh ... No, second... A yellow sheet, fourth from the top, 956. Basically all we're doing here, we're just giving the EPD, uh, the director of EPD the flexibility to take actions that may be necessary to implement provisions of the solid waste management plan, is basically what, what we're doing, Mr. Chairman. Can we go in more detail? Or, or...

  6. 0:01:57

    Any questions? Senator Robertson.

  7. 0:02:01

    Yeah, for my good friend from the house, what, what type of... giving him to carry out what type of actions?

  8. 0:02:07

    Well, it'll... For example, they had a, uh, a, a tire fire, uh, if you want-

  9. 0:02:13

    A tire fire

  10. 0:02:14

    ... a fire pile, but you know. Anyway-

  11. 0:02:15

    Right

  12. 0:02:15

    ... they, they deployed their emer- emergency management team to that situation. But as the bill is currently written, uh, before we do this, they cannot use funds from the solid waste trust fund to pay for that deployment. They have to pay for them elsewhere. So-

  13. 0:02:29

    Okay. Where, where are they currently paying that from? Or is it out a regular operating budget that's not budgeted specifically for that?

  14. 0:02:36

    That would be correct.

  15. 0:02:38

    Thank you. I appreciate that.

  16. 0:02:42

    Any other questions? All right. You got another one?

  17. 0:02:48

    No, that's it. I appreciate your favorable consideration.

  18. 0:02:50

    All right. Thank you for being here. Representative Stevens. Welcome.

  19. 0:02:56

    Thank you, sir. Good to be back in committee.

  20. 0:02:58

    You know I love the first day after crossover day. I get- I get 180 new friends. I lose 55, but I get 180 new friends, so. As this committee, I mean, y'all get them too. I just get more of them. So, all right. Go ahead.

  21. 0:03:15

    And we aim to be friendly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. House Bill 219, halfway down the yellow sheet. We heard this last year. Didn't make it out.

  22. 0:03:23

    It might.

  23. 0:03:23

    This is one that gives an alternative, uh, discipline plan for the nursing, uh, folks. It allows them to, um, uh, get help if there is an impairment problem or a physical problem, whatever that is. Same thing that physicians and pharmacists and others have today.

  24. 0:03:43

    Any questions?

  25. 0:03:47

    All right. Thank you, sir.

  26. 0:03:48

    Yes, sir.

  27. 0:03:50

    Representative Prince.

  28. 0:03:53

    Good afternoon, Chairman.

  29. 0:03:54

    My good friend, Augusta. How are you, sir?

  30. 0:03:55

    All right. Better than I deserve. I'm here to present House Bill 483. Should be on your first page, I believe. And basically it, uh, defines, uh, code enforcement officials and then the penalties for, uh, hindering them from doing their duties, uh, while they're actually doing them.

  31. 0:04:13

    Okay.

  32. 0:04:15

    The back. Kay. Kay. Kay. Kay, it's on the back.

  33. 0:04:21

    Yes. Uh, everyone, there's one yellow sheet, one page, front and back. We're all caught up to speed. All right. I don't think you have any questions. You did such a fine job of explaining it.

  34. 0:04:34

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

  35. 0:04:34

    Thank you.

  36. 0:04:35

    Thanks for your consideration.

  37. 0:04:37

    All right. Representative Hagan.

  38. 0:04:41

    Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and committee. I have, uh, House Bill 983, and it's on the back page. And this bill came at the request of the Georgia Forestry Commission to clarify the definition of prescribed burning, to make sure there's no confusion between municipalities, counties, and landowners when they're looking to, to do a prescribed burn on land.

  39. 0:05:09

    So would this be a department bill?

  40. 0:05:11

    It is.

  41. 0:05:12

    They usually help. It's just-

  42. 0:05:14

    It's a department bill.

  43. 0:05:15

    You might lead with that next time. If there is a next time. You may be out of here today. Who knows?

  44. 0:05:21

    Mr. Chairman?

  45. 0:05:22

    Yes, Senator Robertson. I already had you miked up.

  46. 0:05:24

    Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Um, silviculture?

  47. 0:05:28

    Silviculture is the practice of managing and caring for our forests.

  48. 0:05:34

    Okay, so it's, it's-

  49. 0:05:35

    Hadn't been... I, I don't think it had previously been defined in the code, so they added that as well.

  50. 0:05:40

    Okay, and that's like the program they teach down in South Georgia where all the other universities come in, they teach them how to burn and maintain forestry, or...?

  51. 0:05:48

    It, it, it's, it's more than just burning. It's the whole man- maintaining and management of forests. But the burning is an important part of silviculture. And apparently there's some confusion in some locations as to whether certain types of burning were in fact prescribed burning. Because a municipality or a county can set- Guidelines around their, their burning ordinances, but they cannot pr- they cannot prevent or prohibit a prescribed burn. And so in some locations there was some confusion with the municipality as to whether a landowner could actually do a burn, and so this is...

  52. 0:06:26

    the intent here is to clear that up.

  53. 0:06:28

    So it's the culture-

  54. 0:06:29

    Right

  55. 0:06:29

    ... of SILVA.

  56. 0:06:30

    So does it have anything to do with, with soap box racing?

  57. 0:06:33

    Does not.

  58. 0:06:34

    Oh, come on. That's a little-

  59. 0:06:35

    Unless you need to clear the land in order to put in a, a track.

  60. 0:06:40

    Okay. Thank you. I-

  61. 0:06:41

    You can bet on it.

  62. 0:06:42

    I knew there was a hidden agenda.

  63. 0:06:44

    Always.

  64. 0:06:45

    All right. Any more questions about SILVA or the culture of? Senator Rhett.

  65. 0:06:52

    Thank you, Mr. President. Is this the representative first bill that's a department bill?

  66. 0:06:57

    Oh, no. Oh, no.

  67. 0:06:58

    And if it's a department-

  68. 0:06:59

    I didn't-

  69. 0:06:59

    ... bill, the first one, do we give her the same type of welcoming as if it was her first bill?

  70. 0:07:06

    I mean, I think I would consider the, the soap box derby bill that was referred to as an economic development department bill.

  71. 0:07:14

    Oh, there you go.

  72. 0:07:16

    Thanks. Thank you.

  73. 0:07:16

    Good answer. Good answer.

  74. 0:07:20

    Thank you.

  75. 0:07:20

    SILVA, SILVA derby. Yes, Senator Albers, you're recognized.

  76. 0:07:24

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Well, what do you think the odds are of getting this bill passed based on your prior one?

  77. 0:07:28

    Well, since it's a department bill, I would hope they would be 100%.

  78. 0:07:32

    Thank you.

  79. 0:07:36

    All right, I'm gonna let you... You better go before they-

  80. 0:07:38

    Thank you

  81. 0:07:39

    ... they're getting warmed up.

  82. 0:07:39

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

  83. 0:07:40

    You better go. All right. Let me get Representative Goady. He was next in.

  84. 0:07:45

    It's so nice to see all our House members.

  85. 0:07:48

    That's right.

  86. 0:07:48

    Hey, Representative Buckner, you're in standing, which is gonna be after this, so if you wanna have a seat. I don't want you to stand there and waste your energy. All right, Representative Goady, go for it.

  87. 0:08:00

    Hi. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Great to be with you guys again.

  88. 0:08:02

    We are honored to have you.

  89. 0:08:03

    Oh, man, it's just a pleasure. Uh, House Bill 485 is similar to the annual code revision bill, uh, but it's not that bill in fact. It, th- but it does some of the same things that the code revision bill does. It streamlines and modernizes technology as well as some of the federal ref- references in Georgia law. For example, the No, No Child Left Behind law, which has since been renamed Every Student Succeeds Act. Second, the bill repeals provisions contingent upon funding that had remained unfunded since, uh, 2013.

  90. 0:08:39

    Actually, one that has remained unfunded since 1983. Finally, the bill repeals unco- unconstitutional portions of a number of laws with new language, and this bill reflected the reenacted- ... constitutional portions of the law. Any unconstitutional portions of the law that require further debate and policy discussions by the general assembly were not included in this bill. I wanna thank legislative council-

  91. 0:09:06

    Sure

  92. 0:09:06

    ... they worked hard on this, along with the House Budget Research Office.

  93. 0:09:09

    We'll, we'll thank everybody after we pass it.

  94. 0:09:12

    All right.

  95. 0:09:13

    How about that? We gotta-

  96. 0:09:14

    Ask for your favorable consideration.

  97. 0:09:17

    I wanna thank my parents. And, and of course, the good Lord above.

  98. 0:09:23

    My football coach.

  99. 0:09:23

    Um, yeah, well, Coach Quisenberry. You know.

  100. 0:09:30

    Ugh.

  101. 0:09:31

    Let me start by talking about him in ninth grade, and- No, I'm kidding. All right. No questions.

  102. 0:09:37

    All right, sir. Thank you.

  103. 0:09:38

    Mr. Chairman.

  104. 0:09:39

    What, what you got, Senator Rhett?

  105. 0:09:40

    Thank them for getting our bills out.

  106. 0:09:42

    Yeah. I guess. We'll see. All right. Who's up? Seabaugh. Representative Seabaugh, come on.

  107. 0:09:52

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for the, uh, reprieve there so I could catch my breath from coming up the-

  108. 0:09:58

    You're welcome. We keep oxygen-

  109. 0:09:59

    ... stairs

  110. 0:09:59

    ... in the back if you need it.

  111. 0:10:00

    I might need it.

  112. 0:10:01

    Senator Cowsert needs it from time to time.

  113. 0:10:04

    I'm presenting House Bill 61. It's a squatter reform bill that clarifies Georgia law to close loopholes being exploited by criminal squatters and bad actors in extended stay-

  114. 0:10:15

    It's right here

  115. 0:10:15

    ... and hotel settings. This bill protects lawful tenants and paying hotel guests while restoring clear authority for property owners and law enforcement to address unlawful occupancy. That's House Bill 61.

  116. 0:10:28

    All right. Anybody you wanna thank that got you to this point?

  117. 0:10:31

    I wanna thank my mama and my daddy. And the chairman for having me today.

  118. 0:10:36

    There we go.

  119. 0:10:37

    Hey.

  120. 0:10:38

    Hey, there we go. That's how you get your bill passed.

  121. 0:10:41

    I'm next.

  122. 0:10:42

    Oh, Lord. Senator Rhett.

  123. 0:10:44

    He wants... Senator Rick Williams wanted to thank him when he put in their hearse.

  124. 0:10:50

    Oh.

  125. 0:10:50

    All right. We gotta work on your material.

  126. 0:10:56

    You may not still gotta put an ambulance-

  127. 0:10:58

    Tag on my hearse?

  128. 0:11:00

    No, sir. We got that fixed, taken care of.

  129. 0:11:02

    Okay.

  130. 0:11:03

    All right. Let's move it on.

  131. 0:11:05

    We got one more.

  132. 0:11:06

    Oh, you got another one?

  133. 0:11:07

    On the back page of the House Bill-

  134. 0:11:08

    How'd you do that? How'd you sneak two by me?

  135. 0:11:10

    Well, y'all accidentally forgot to put it in-

  136. 0:11:12

    We must have-

  137. 0:11:13

    ... last year

  138. 0:11:13

    ... last year. All right. HB 549.

  139. 0:11:16

    Yes, sir.

  140. 0:11:16

    Go for it.

  141. 0:11:17

    This is a, uh, update to the Georgia law relating to law enforcement training reimbursement by clarifying and extending the timeframe in which a hiring agency must reimburse the prior agency for the training cost of a peace officer. It protects the taxpayer's investment in officer training, promotes workforce stability, and ensures a fair, clearly defined reimbursement process for law enforcement agencies. All the appropriate law enforcement agencies are on board with this.

  142. 0:11:44

    Okay. Senator Robertson, do you approve that message?

  143. 0:11:49

    It is a, it is an outstanding bill, and whoever helped you do this, I hope you thank them, just not right now.

  144. 0:11:54

    All right.

  145. 0:11:55

    Good call.

  146. 0:11:56

    All right.

  147. 0:11:57

    All right, no questions.

  148. 0:11:57

    Thank you very much.

  149. 0:12:01

    All right. Representative Petrie. Or is it Petrea?

  150. 0:12:06

    Good afternoon. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, we're back with, uh, this one you've seen before. I bring you another coastal bill. This is House Bill 115. Y'all may recall from last year, this deals with an ongoing, uh, co- Problem we have on the coast of abandoned and derelict vessels being floated off into the marsh and abandoned there forever. And, uh, we have about 159 to 160 on the Georgia coast right now. It's about 38 in lakes all across the state. If there's any questions, I'm glad to answer, but this creates a statutory framework to stop the practice once and for all.

  151. 0:12:42

    Might go pair good with, uh, Senator Hatchett's got a recycling study committee. We could recycle them boats.

  152. 0:12:53

    You never know.

  153. 0:12:54

    All right, no questions. You got any more?

  154. 0:12:57

    Nope.

  155. 0:12:57

    I think that was it.

  156. 0:12:58

    That's it for now, sir. My, my fine friend and the great senator from the coast will be carrying that, sitting next to you.

  157. 0:13:05

    My vice chairman. Fine selection. Too bad he doesn't have any more picks this year.

  158. 0:13:15

    Representative Williamson, you got your banking bill.

  159. 0:13:18

    Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, I bring before you today House Bill 945, which is the annual housekeeping bill for the Georgia Department of, uh, Banking and Finance. Uh, it comes without objection for any of the interested parties. Be happy to answer any questions if the members have any.

  160. 0:13:34

    Uh, I don't think we have any.

  161. 0:13:36

    Thank you. Appreciate it.

  162. 0:13:36

    I feel good about your chances.

  163. 0:13:38

    Thank you.

  164. 0:13:40

    All right. My great representative, Lynn Smith, and neighbor, lives down the street from me. How are you, my friend?

  165. 0:13:50

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I might say I helped raise you, but then that might hurt me with this presentation, so.

  166. 0:13:55

    Might hurt you.

  167. 0:13:58

    Thank you so much for the opportunity to present to the committee House Resolution 1008. This process was created back in 2008 when we were struggling with drought and several other issues, including natural disasters, and the intent of this process and this resolution is to give our regional districts flexibility to respond to issues as they come up, which generates an a- a reporting to, um, the general assembly, and they have offered some changes to us.

  168. 0:14:34

    Essentially, it deals with structural adjustment to allow the councils to function. In the beginning, in a effort to build a lot of, uh, buy-in to the bill, several different groups were appointed with several members to each group. But it has become a hindrance in that, um, attendance and quorums are extremely important to get anything done. We only have Hurricane Helene to think about how and why we needed to act as quickly as we did.

  169. 0:15:04

    So with that, Mr. Chair.

  170. 0:15:08

    Any questions from the committee? Is this gonna be your la- Will this be the last resolution or bill you've had crossover? Did you, do you have anything else coming?

  171. 0:15:18

    Not to my knowledge.

  172. 0:15:21

    Okay.

  173. 0:15:21

    I might be asked-

  174. 0:15:21

    All right

  175. 0:15:21

    ... to carry something else at some point, but, um, yes, this is my last hurrah.

  176. 0:15:26

    All right.

  177. 0:15:27

    Although I am carrying for a couple of Senate bills on the House side.

  178. 0:15:30

    Well, of course you are. All of mine, of course, right?

  179. 0:15:33

    Yes.

  180. 0:15:34

    All right. Well, I'm gonna use chairman's privilege. You're gonna be on tomorrow.

  181. 0:15:38

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

  182. 0:15:39

    Yep.

  183. 0:15:40

    Thank you, members of the committee.

  184. 0:15:41

    You've been, thank you for your service. You've been a, a great, great representative for my hometown, our hometown, and I've been honored to serve with you for 10 years, and I wish you were coming back for 10 more. But, uh, but I hope, I'm not coming back for 10 more, so- ... I'm jealous of you, but-

  185. 0:16:03

    Um, I seriously-

  186. 0:16:04

    ... seriously, thank you. I, I appreciate you, love you, and wish you the best.

  187. 0:16:08

    That feeling is mutual. And to anyone who serves, a lot of times I think we stand up and put our fist up and say, "Put 'em up," as we try and do what is best for the State of Georgia. So my observation of the House and the Senate is we are the voice of the people. So thank you-

  188. 0:16:24

    All right

  189. 0:16:25

    ... Mr. Chairman.

  190. 0:16:25

    Well, thank you. And I, I like to quote you often. S- she taught me the, the toads we step on today are connected to the rear end that you have to kiss tomorrow. So- ... remember that around here.

  191. 0:16:37

    I tried with him, y'all. So-

  192. 0:16:39

    Yeah.

  193. 0:16:40

    Thank you.

  194. 0:16:40

    Well, it's a good thought. Don't step on too many toads, 'cause you're gonna need them the next day. There, I spell it out for you there, Senator Kirkpatrick. I don't want you to have to think too hard. All right, moving on. Senator Burns. You've been patiently waiting.

  195. 0:16:58

    No worries.

  196. 0:16:58

    And you're older than Senator Hatchett, so I'm letting you go before him.

  197. 0:17:01

    Thank you much, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate it. I bring you-

  198. 0:17:03

    Just by a year or two

  199. 0:17:03

    ... two Senate resolutions from the Department of the Technical College System of Georgia. These are resolutions to recognize the GOAL Award winner and the Rick Perkins Award winner. They will be in the chamber on March the 25th to receive the recognition.

  200. 0:17:16

    Okay.

  201. 0:17:18

    Thank you.

  202. 0:17:18

    You got a couple. Do you, did you say them both?

  203. 0:17:21

    Both, yeah. Senate Resolution 697.

  204. 0:17:24

    Got it.

  205. 0:17:24

    Senate Resolution 698. 697 is the GOAL Award winner.

  206. 0:17:28

    Yep.

  207. 0:17:28

    698 is the, uh, Rick Perkins Award winner.

  208. 0:17:31

    Awesome.

  209. 0:17:31

    Thank you.

  210. 0:17:31

    All right, good stuff. All right, Senator Hatchett. I kinda already covered yours for you, but-

  211. 0:17:38

    You did

  212. 0:17:38

    ... you can recover.

  213. 0:17:40

    I'll, I'll recycle your comments and just say this is a study committee on, uh, recycling in the State of Georgia, improving the system that we have.

  214. 0:17:55

    Any questions on this great...

  215. 0:18:00

    What's the bill?

  216. 0:18:01

    SR 610.

  217. 0:18:03

    610. Great study committee. All right, no questions. All right. Representative Anderson, you got something? HB 521?

  218. 0:18:12

    Yes, sir.

  219. 0:18:13

    Let's do it.

  220. 0:18:14

    House Bill 521 is, uh, the original part of the bill. Uh, simply, it had, requires that de-annexation maps be transmitted to the, uh, the reapportionment office in the legislature. Uh, then it, uh, got a couple of improvements with some, uh, uh, some specifics regarding annexation and de-annexation issues for certain communities in our state.

  221. 0:18:38

    Okay. No questions.

  222. 0:18:41

    Thank you.

  223. 0:18:42

    Thank you. Re- re- uh, Senator Hatchett, we've got, uh, Representative Reeves' Judicial Retirement. I believe you're carrying. Can you briefly go over that? Or if you wanna wait, you can.

  224. 0:18:57

    I'll wait.

  225. 0:18:57

    Okay.

  226. 0:18:58

    Until I fully study the bill.

  227. 0:18:59

    All right.

  228. 0:19:02

    All right, let's see. We've got HB 185. We've got Senator Hufstetler. Actually, I think I'm carrying that. Are you carrying that, on dietetics?

  229. 0:19:14

    You can have it.

  230. 0:19:16

    Okay. It simply sets up, uh, licensing for, uh, dieticians and nutritionists. So they've been working at this thing for about three years now. Good bill. Um, then we got HB 244. That's on the local government audits, annual audits. Uh, Representative Cannon has covered that multiple times. I think it even made it to the floor, and then we adjourned, so here it lies.

  231. 0:19:48

    Um, and then we've got HB 1020.

  232. 0:19:56

    1020, which is ...

  233. 0:19:59

    What was that? 1020 on the back.

  234. 0:20:01

    Okay.

  235. 0:20:01

    Second to last on the back. All right, let's pick a few.

  236. 0:20:09

    Okay.

  237. 0:20:09

    Oh, oh, I'm sorry. We got, yeah, SR 771. Senator Robertson, go ahead.

  238. 0:20:14

    That's just a study committee to look at how we can build a stronger, better adoption system here in Georgia that will be, work best for the children and those families looking to adopt.

  239. 0:20:25

    Good bill. Good resolution.

  240. 0:20:27

    Mm-hmm.

  241. 0:20:28

    All right, any questions? All right. Let's pick a few.

  242. 0:20:32

    We got pedal faster. We're keeping-

  243. 0:20:34

    At the top.

  244. 0:20:35

    We heard about statues and flags.

  245. 0:20:37

    All right. I didn't know that.

  246. 0:20:38

    I just drafted it this year. So we-

  247. 0:20:40

    All right. Let's go with the president pro tem. I'll give you a pick today.

  248. 0:20:45

    Uh, any ding-dings today?

  249. 0:20:48

    Uh, I've got two.

  250. 0:20:50

    I'm gonna roll the dice here and, and, uh, say House Bill 945.

  251. 0:20:56

    Very good.

  252. 0:20:57

    Seems like it would be a good pick.

  253. 0:20:58

    Very good.

  254. 0:21:00

    Might be a ding-ding, I don't know. Ooh, look at there.

  255. 0:21:03

    It is. Pick you another one.

  256. 0:21:05

    Okay. Um, for my good friends on the coast, House Bill 115.

  257. 0:21:13

    115. Boat Bill. All right. Leader Anavitarte.

  258. 0:21:25

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't think I'm quite in the mood to pick any House bills yet. So, um, any of the SRs I think are fine.

  259. 0:21:34

    771.

  260. 0:21:34

    I'll do s- 771.

  261. 0:21:39

    Or all the sev- or all the SRs.

  262. 0:21:42

    No. Um, okay.

  263. 0:21:45

    That's a ding-ding.

  264. 0:21:46

    And then-

  265. 0:21:47

    Ding-ding

  266. 0:21:47

    ... I've got, let's see. I put all this, one, two, three, f-

  267. 0:21:51

    All these are ours

  268. 0:21:51

    All right, I'm gonna add HB 244 since that's already been on the floor. That'll be enough for today. Tomorrow. We've already put on, and I already put on HR 1008. So all right, we've got SR 771, HB 115, HB 244, n- HB 945, and HR 1008.

  269. 0:22:22

    Got a motion, a delayed motion from Senator Albers. Now I'm nervous about the second. Got a second from Senator Robertson. Any further discussion? All right, bef- don't go anywhere. We still gotta do standing. All right. All in favor, raise your hand.

  270. 0:22:41

    Unanimous.

  271. 0:22:42

    Motion carries unanimous. Magnanimous. All right, we're gonna adjourn that meeting, and we're gonna call the standing meeting to order. You've got on your agenda here, first up, HB 254, Representative Buckner.

  272. 0:23:07

    Good afternoon. I've never been to standing rules before, so I'm just-

  273. 0:23:10

    Well, welcome

  274. 0:23:11

    ... I'm glad to be here. Um-

  275. 0:23:14

    You might have been here and just didn't know it.

  276. 0:23:16

    Well, that's true. I-

  277. 0:23:18

    Of course-

  278. 0:23:18

    That could've been my fault or-

  279. 0:23:20

    ... chairman might not have known it either

  280. 0:23:21

    ... somebody else's. I'm not sure. Do I go from the original version of the bill because-

  281. 0:23:26

    Yes, 'cause I don't believe you've seen the sub.

  282. 0:23:29

    Okay. All right. Um, so the original version was LC 39-45-37.

  283. 0:23:36

    Okay, your sub is LC 39-5054S, but if you'll go with the underli-

  284. 0:23:41

    I only sent you-

  285. 0:23:41

    If you'll cover the underlying, I'll have, uh, Leader Anavitarte cover the changes.

  286. 0:23:49

    Okay. Thank you. Um, this bill passed the House on the, oh, thank you, on the, uh, 27th of February in 2025 with a 166 to zero vote. What happened was, um, there is a national commission to celebrate the 250th birthday of America, and as one of the original 13 colonies, they have given the state of Georgia a bronze historic marker, and they wanted those markers put on the grounds of every state capital, uh, that were one of the original 13 colonies.

  287. 0:24:25

    Um, it had to come before the House, the Senate, and be signed by the governor so it could go to the Capitol Arts Commission, who gives final approval of where it can be located on the grounds. Um- So that's in, in essence the bill. It, uh, just is to commemorate the 250th birthday of America, and we're a little bit behind schedule.

  288. 0:24:51

    Yep, we better... That's why we're moving it today.

  289. 0:24:53

    Thank you.

  290. 0:24:54

    Get it called up. So on the sub, that's your lines 43 through 54, just to be clear for everyone. Leader Anavitarte, would you like to discuss and offer your change?

  291. 0:25:09

    Number two. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Very simply, just, um, the, the add or the change is placing a statue of the Honorable Clarence Thomas in the Nathan Deal Judicial Center.

  292. 0:25:23

    Not using public funds, correct?

  293. 0:25:26

    Correct.

  294. 0:25:28

    Is there any questions for either part? No questions. Okay. Now would be the appropriate time. I've got a motion do pass as amended, pass by sub LC395054S- Second ... as in Sierra, from Senator Ginn. I got a second from my vice chairman. Is there any further discussion?

  295. 0:25:58

    All in favor, raise your hand.

  296. 0:26:04

    One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 11, 12. Are y'all both up? 13. And all opposed? I've got four.

  297. 0:26:20

    Okay. Motion carries. That will go back to the... It'll be reported out of committee tomorrow, and potentially available tomorrow in regular rules.

  298. 0:26:32

    Okay. Thank you.

  299. 0:26:33

    You're welcome. Thank you. All right, moving on. We've got HB 1199. This is the annual, I don't know what you call it, tax bill? IRC. IRC. Internal Revenue Conformity Act. That. All right. Senator Hufstetler, go ahead.

  300. 0:26:56

    So this is our annual update. Sometimes we conform with them, sometimes we don't. Uh, this has been worked on with, uh, our appropriations chairman and, um, um, our lieutenant governor staff, people like that, have tried to make this as close to revenue neutral as possible. And so, um, I can answer any specific questions if anybody has on it, but...

  301. 0:27:23

    Well, I w- I would say the main things to know is the House did not conform with the federal government on- ... on taxing tips and overtime.

  302. 0:27:32

    Mm-hmm.

  303. 0:27:33

    Uh, this substitute does that. And then it did conform on the low-income housing tax credit.

  304. 0:27:40

    We'll, we'll be, we'll be the same on low income as we were in 2024.

  305. 0:27:44

    So-

  306. 0:27:44

    Keep keeping that the same

  307. 0:27:45

    ... still dollar for dollar, but,

  308. 0:27:49

    but at that level essentially. So those are the main changes. And there was some changes made in finance that, um, that I believe most, most of those that on that committee have agreed to, to these changes. Is that accurate-

  309. 0:28:05

    That's accurate

  310. 0:28:05

    ... Chairman? So- Motion to advance. Hold on. Has anybody got any questions? This is a committee. We're gonna have a process. Process is over. Okay. Motion to advance. I got a motion do pass from Senator Ginn by sub LC590418S, and a second from Senator Albers. Any further discussion? All in favor, raise your hand.

  311. 0:28:39

    Motion carries unanimous. All right. Meeting adjourned. Get to your committees. Everybody on finance. And kickball.

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