2018 Legislative Session Week Six
With the halfway mark behind us and “Crossover Day” only a few days away, week six was a substantially busy and productive time for my colleagues and I. Below are summaries of the bills discussed and passed during this legislative week.
Disaster Services
- House Bill 487 – This bill was overwhelmingly passed and seeks to give Civil Air Patrol disaster service volunteers the same flexibility and leave allowances as American Red Cross volunteers by granting paid leave for no more than 15 work days per year to participate in specialized emergency service operations. In doing so, Civil Air Patrol volunteers will no longer lose seniority, pay, vacation, compensatory time, sick time or earned accumulated overtime at work because of their emergency situation assistance.
Medical
- House Bill 678 – This bill strives to eliminate “surprise” hospital bills for Georgia citizens, which can sometimes be 10 to 12 times higher than in-network charges when an out-of-network doctor participates in their treatment team during an elective procedure. With this bill, patients will now be able to request and obtain information about other medical professionals and hospitals and potential care costs before care is given, file a dispute with an arbitrator from the insurance department, and give the patient 90 days to secure payment, negotiate or initiate a dispute after receiving a “surprise” bill.
Data Protection
- House Bill 79 – In an effort to protect citizen’s data, HB 79 would make it a requirement for law enforcement agencies to destroy unused data such as license plate information after 30 months. Information and data would only be allowed to be kept if it is part of an ongoing investigation or toll violation. There is no current law that restricts the amount of time law enforcement agencies can keep this data.
Military
- House Bill 749 – Unanimously passed, this bill would exclude military retirement income from Georgia income tax. It would also exclude military retirement income received by a deceased veteran’s surviving family member, regardless of the family member’s age.
Education
- House Bill 740 – By providing students with a multi-tiered system of support, this bill hopes to lessen the amount of students suspended each year. This bill would also prevent expulsion and suspension in public preschool through third grade for five or more days per school year without first attempting the aforesaid multi-tiered system of support, except students who are in possession of a weapon, drugs or any other dangerous item.
Elderly
- House Bill 635 – This bill would allow the establishment of an Adult Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Multidisciplinary Team for investigations of elder/disabled adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Created by the district attorney or his or her designee and representatives from law enforcement agencies, these teams would work collaboratively to improve response procedures and policies on elderly or disabled adult abuse.
Transportation
- House Bill 930 – In an effort to improve Metro Atlanta transportation and traffic, this bill would provide a new regional governance and funding structure for that area. It would also create the Atlanta-region Transit Link (the ‘ATL’). The responsibilities of this link would include coordinating transit planning and funding and overseeing Metro Atlanta transit activity.
My colleagues and I are now only 17 working days away from our adjournment, “Sine Die.” In our remaining weeks, I encourage you to visit me at my Capitol office, and please do not hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions or concerns regarding any current or upcoming legislation. My Capitol office is located at 220 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334, my office phone number is 404-656-5912, and I can be reached via email at awelch@smithwelchlaw.com. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative.
