Legislative Session Report Week 10

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GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMPLETES HISTORIC 2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The General Assembly declared sine die last night after using the full eleven days it had remaining in the 2020 Legislative Session. Like many predicted, the legislature's top priorities for the remaining days included passing the FY21 budget, reflecting a 10% cut across the board, and passing a hate crimes bill, which Governor Kemp signed into law on Friday. 

Georgia agriculture saw success this week as Senate Bill 211 passed the House on Thursday. The bill - which passed the Senate during the 2019 session - calls for truth in labeling, prohibiting companies from referring to plant-based or lab-grown product as "meat." Proper labeling of protein substances has been a priority issue for Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) for many years, and we worked diligently with a number of agriculture and retail groups across the state to craft a bill that would satisfy all affected parties. We applaud the hard work and diligence of Senator Tyler Harper who carried this bill through the legislature over the past two years.

As you are aware, House Bill 545, the Right to Farm Bill, passed out of the Senate last week with an amendment that removed many of the protections that our current law had in place. Due in large part to party-line disagreement, House Bill 545 did not make it to a conference committee where it could have once again been amended, and with the conclusion of the 2020 Legislative Session, the bill ultimately died. The 2021 Legislative Session will mark the first year of a new biennium, complete with a new slate of legislators, and GFB staff will spend the off-season dedicated to wordsmithing a new bill to send through the proper channels as the legislature reconvenes in January. While this was not the outcome we hoped for, we could not be more appreciative of the many calls, emails, and visits that our members made to their legislators over the past two sessions. Your efforts helped us to continue moving the needle in the right direction, and your dedication did not go unnoticed.

Stay tuned for a final recap of the 2020 Legislative Session next week. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to any of our Public Policy Department staff.

BILLS OF INTEREST THAT SAW PASSAGE THIS SESSION

HB 777: Tall Mass Timber Construction
Reps. Corbett, Burns, McCall, England, Smith, LaRiccia
This bill would allow for the Department of Community Affairs to review the 2021 International Building Code so as to consider amending the state minimum standard codes to allow tall mass timber construction types.
Passed the House on 2/20/20. Senate Adopted on 6/16/20.

HB 847: Hemp Regulation Updates
Reps. Corbett, McCall, Dickey, Pruett, and Gilliard
This update to the hemp legislation that was passed last legislative session makes technical adjustments to comply with federal rules, creates a new license for a hemp nursery grower allowing sale to another permittee, sets the initial processor permit fee at $25,000, increases the automatic renewal fee from $10,000 to $50,000 after the first calendar year, and establishes a sampling test requirement prior to harvest.
Passed the House by Substitute on 3/05/20. Senate Adopted on 6/22/20.

HB 897: Uniform Timber Harvest Ordinance
Reps. Burchett, Burns, McCall, Corbett, Rhodes, Watson
This would provide for a uniform timber harvest ordinance statewide and establish a statewide notification process by the Georgia Forestry Commission. 
Passed the House on 3/04/20. Senate Adopted by Substitute on 6/22/20. House Agreed to Senate Substitute on 6/25/20.

HB 966: Regulating the Harvest and Sale of Palmetto Berries
Sens. Burchett, Corbett, Pirkle, McCall, Ridley, Rhodes
This bill would regulate the harvest, sale, and personal home use of palmetto berries. 
Passed the House by Substitute on 3/03/20. Senate Adopted by Substitute on 6/19/20. House Agreed to Senate Substitute on 6/25/20.

HB 1057: Regulation of Soil Amendments
Reps. Rhodes, Fleming, Erwin, Frye
This bill would authorize further regulation of soil amendments derived from industrial by-products by local governments.
Passed the House by Substitute on 3/12/20. Senate Adopted on 6/25/20.

HB 1093: Establishing an Agricultural Commodity Commission for Wine and Grapes
Reps. Meeks, McCall, Pirkle, Ridley, Watson
This bill would allow for the establishment of an Agricultural Commodity Commission for Wine and Grapes.
Passed the House on 3/12/20. Senate Adopted by Substitute on 6/23/20. House Agreed to Senate Substitute on 6/25/20.

SB 211: Meat Labeling
Sens. Harper, Wilkinson, Black, Anderson, Walker, Heath
This bill will prohibit the sale and advertisement of nonanimal and non-slaughtered animal flesh from being called meat.
Passed the Senate on 3/7/19. House Adopted by Substitute on 6/25/20. Senate Agreed to House Substitute on 6/25/20.

SB 346: State Board of Veterinary Medicine
Sens. Black, Burke, Anderson, Harrell, Payne
This bill would allow for the addition of a veterinary technician to the State Board of Veterinary Medicine as well as provide a professional health program for impaired veterinarians.
Passed the Senate on 3/03/20. House Adopted on 6/19/20.

SB 358: Muscadine as State Grape
Sens. Harper, Sims, Burke, Walker, Black, Karinshak
This bill would designate the muscadine grape as the official state grape.
Passed the Senate on 3/10/20. House Adopted on 6/19/20.

SB 362: Livestock Straying
Sens. Wilkinson, Anderson, Harper, Burke, Rahman
This bill would change the fees for impounding animals and disposing of impounding animals that are running at large or straying.
Passed the Senate on 2/28/20. House Adopted on 6/17/20.

SB 381: Georgia Food Act
Sens. Kirkpatrick, Burke, Black, Walker, Wilkinson, Rahman
This would deem certain information obtained by the Department of Agriculture from the Federal Food and Drug Administration confidential and not subject to disclosure.
Passed the Senate on 3/10/20. House Adopted on 6/26/20.

REMAINING BILLS OF INTEREST THAT DID NOT SEE PASSAGE THIS SESSION

HB 23: EMC Authorization to Provide Broadband Services
Reps. Houston, Powell, England, Watson, Corbett, and Greene
House Bill 23 is another bill to come out of the Rural Development Council. This bill authorizes electric membership corporations (EMC) to establish or partner with another entity to provide broadband services to its members independent from its electrical services. This bill will also allow for EMCs to apply for federal grants to provide broadband.
Passed the House on 2/11/19. Assigned to Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities.

HB 455: Georgia Agriculture Marketing Authority
Reps. Houston, England, McCall, Gilliard, and Stovall
This bill creates the Georgia Agriculture Marketing Authority, the purpose of the authority is to manage the facilities and activities of farmers markets. The Authority will market and promote agricultural products to agribusinesses and the public in an effort to boost the state's economy.
Passed the House on 3/5/19. Assigned to Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.

HB 545: Right to Farm
Reps. McCall, Burns, England, Watson, Pirkle, and Dickey
This legislation seeks to strengthen and protect farmers from loopholes in our states right to farm laws. This clarification in language helps producers by clearing up language that is vague and could be interpreted in ways detrimental to agriculture.
Passed the House on 3/7/19. Senate Adopted by Substitute on 6/18/20.

HB 690: Exempting Agricultural Structures From Permitting Fees
Reps. Burchett, McCall, Pirkle, Rhodes, Corbett
This bill seeks to exempt agricultural structures from excess permitting fees.
Passed the House by Substitute on 3/12/20.

HB 829: Authorize Reduction of Residential Homestead Property Assessment
Reps. Stephens and Harrell
This bill would allow for local governments to hold a referendum to reduce the 40% assessment of residential homestead property owned by those aged 65 or older to only 20%. This would only apply to local school district taxes for educational purposes. 
Passed the House by Substitute on 3/03/20. Assigned to Senate Finance Committee on 3/04/20.

HB 886: Animal Microchips and Reporting
Reps. Welch, McCall, Knight
This bill would require veterinarians or veterinary technicians that provide treatment to animals to scan such animals' microchips and to report ownership information under certain circumstances.
Passed the House on 3/12/20.

HB 1015: Georgia Carbon Sequestration Registry Tax Credits
Reps. Wiedower, Burns, Smith, Jones, Corbett, and Gaines
Allows for building materials and timber products to be included in the Georgia Carbon Sequestration Registry for tax credits.
Passed the House by Substitute on 3/12/20.

SB 338: Animal Protection
Sens. Kirkpatrick, Black, Walker, Cowsert, Anderson, Sims
This bill would require licenses for pet dealers, kennels, stables, etc., and would also allow the Commissioner to promulgate rules and regulations for animal protection.  
Passed the Senate on 3/10/20.

SB 396: Pecan as State Nut
Sens. Walker, Wilkinson, Black, Anderson, Hill, Burke
This bill would designate the pecan as the official state nut.
Passed the Senate on 3/02/20. House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee Favorably Reported on 6/24/20.

SB 407: Regulating the Harvest and Sale of Palmetto Berries
Sens. Harper, Heath, Burke, Harrell, Ginn
This bill would regulate the harvest, sale, and personal home use of palmetto berries. 
Natural Resources and Environment Favorably Reported by Substitute on 3/04/20. House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee Favorably Reported on 6/17/20.