House Rules Committee, March 31, 2026 Video: https://vimeo.com/1178869935 (a timestamp t plays at https://vimeo.com/1178869935#t=s) Page: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-31/house-rules-2 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. [0:23:29] Good afternoon, everybody. [0:23:37] I want to thank our technology group for getting us back in order here. As far as I know, all our mics are working now, so that'll, that'll help us. Okay, we're gonna take requests from the members. And, uh, Chairman Carson, you wanna explain Senate Bill 143? [0:24:02] Thank you. [0:24:02] Try that. [0:24:04] Thank you, Chair. Um, this is Senate Bill 143. This is [0:24:08] in regard to some pension reform for the firefighters. Um, what this, uh, particular bill does, the, the current statute allows for retirement benefits beginning at age 55, after 25 years of service. This allows a firefighter to continue serving in the fire service, uh, in their local jurisdiction and can continue to receive, uh, these benefits from the supplemental annuity fund. The second part of House bill... Excuse me, Senate Bill 143 also includes HB 818. What this does is moves the pension for the defined benefit plan for the tax court judge from ERS to TRS. [0:24:44] That's all it does, sir. [0:24:49] I don't see any questions on that. Thank you. All right. Now, let's, uh, hear from, uh, Chairman Lunsden. You're gonna talk to us about the substitute to Senate Bill 462. [0:25:07] Try that. [0:25:09] Okay. Yes. Uh, we have a substitute for, uh, Senate Bill 462. This is, um, the, uh, surprise, uh, ambulance billing bill. We passed a version out similar, uh, to this, uh, earlier in session, but this has, uh, a little higher percentage on it than the previous one did. And then, um, previously, we'd attached our insurance affordability legislation to this bill as well, but the Senate took that off and they a- but they have enacted most of our, um, House Bill 1344, which was really the result of the study committee bill. [0:25:45] So most of that's taken care of. All we're doing with this is, uh, Senator, uh, Steele's, uh, surprise billing and also, uh, um, Representative, uh, Reeves', uh, excess profits legislation. Um, those are, those two bills have been combined in this, and that's what the sub does. [0:26:11] Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Lunsden, I was trying to follow along there. What did you say was increased or was a higher number? [0:26:19] Right. The, um, amount of the, it was 300% of Medicare, I think, in Chairman, um, Powell's original bill, and this is, um, the Senate version of it, and it's 325%, so that's what they agreed to. [0:26:36] Thank you. Okay. Don't see any other questions. Okay. Is there a motion to accept or to approve of Senate Bill 462, substitute LC52-1122S? [0:26:53] Move. [0:26:54] Second. [0:26:54] Have a move and a second. Is there any opposition? Okay, it's approved. Now we're gonna recognize, uh, Vice Chair Leverett to speak to Senate Bill 552. [0:27:06] Wireless. [0:27:08] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um- [0:27:10] Wait a minute [0:27:10] ... in the spirit of deja vu all over again, on Senate Bill 552, um, we are, uh, undoing the changes we did this morning. So we've removed the literacy bill and inserted the, uh, title back in. So this is the, um, version that passed the House Judiciary Committee of this bill earlier this year. [0:27:33] I don't see any questions. Well, I do have a question. Since, uh, represent- uh, Whip Park. [0:27:37] Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, Chairman Leverett, uh, uh, does, uh, this original version still include that opportunity for schools to not be open? [0:27:49] Yes. Yes, it does. [0:27:49] Okay. [0:27:49] It still has the language about n- nothing requires a limited open forum, and there are also the additional, um, I guess I would say, uh, clarifying provisions at the end, uh, that, that, uh, of the, the sort of powers that schools still retain over discipline and, uh, attendance and all that kind of stuff. [0:28:08] Thank you, sir. [0:28:09] Thank you for the question. [0:28:10] Okay. Don't see any other questions. Do I hear a motion to approve Senate Bill by sub- 552 by sub LC49-2882S? [0:28:20] Move. [0:28:21] Have a motion and a second. Any opposition? [0:28:23] Objection. [0:28:24] Have an objection. All those in favor say aye. [0:28:26] Aye. [0:28:27] All opposed, no. [0:28:29] No. [0:28:29] It's approved. Okay. All right. Now, let's set a supplemental calendar for today under a modified structure. Modified structure. Senate Bill 33. [0:28:42] Move. [0:28:43] Have a move and a second. Any opposition? It's own. Okay. Senate Bill 143. [0:28:52] Move. [0:28:53] Second. [0:28:53] Have a move and a second. Any opposition? It's own. Senate Bill 175. [0:29:01] Move. [0:29:02] Have a move and a second. Any opposition? [0:29:05] Objection. [0:29:05] Have an objection. All right. All those in favor of putting it on say aye. [0:29:09] Aye. [0:29:09] Those opposed, no. [0:29:11] No. [0:29:12] It carries. Senate Bill 398. [0:29:16] Move. [0:29:17] Have a move and a second. Any opposition? It's own. Senate Bill 400. [0:29:24] Move. [0:29:26] Move and second. Any opposition? It's own. Senate Bill 423. Moved. Moved and seconded. Any opposition? Objection. Have an objection. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed, no. No. It carries. Senate Bill 437. [0:29:49] Moved. Have a move and a second. Any opposition? Okay, it's on. Now, Substitute Senate Bill 462, LC52, 1122S. Is there a move? Moved. Have a move and a second. Is there any opposition? It's on. Senate Bill 552 by Substitute LC492882S. [0:30:21] Is there a move? Moved. Moved and second. Any opposition? Objection. Is there opposition? Yes, sir. There is opposition. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed, no. No. It carries. Senate Bill 586. Moved. Moved and second. Any opposition? It's on. Okay, uh, that'll be our s- supplemental calendar. Keep an eye out for your emails or for announcements on the floor, and if not, we'll see you, uh, Thursday at 9:00 AM on day 40. [0:30:57] Thank you. We're adjourned.