Gold Dome Report - Legislative Day 36 - March 2025

Unusually heavy traffic that stalled commutes to the Georgia State Capitol for many on Thursday morning may prove to be symbolic of the waning days of the 2025 Legislative Session. With many bills and resolutions still lingering in committee or awaiting assignment to a Rules Calendar, horns are honking and expletives are flying as legislation fights to pass through the quickly narrowing lanes that lead to the House and Senate floors. The gridlock may have grown worse with the unveiling of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s version of the FY 2026 State Budget on Thursday morning. With substantial differences from the House version of the spending plan, legislative leaders and appropriators face a long road of negotiations (and likely horse trades) before the legislature can adjourn Sine Die next week.

More details on the Senate budget proposal and the day’s floor action in this #GoldDomeReport.

In this Report:

• Senate Appropriations Committee Advances FY26 State Budget
• Floor Action
• Committee Notes
• New Legislation
• What’s Next

Senate Appropriations Committee Advances FY26 State Budget

In a meeting on Thursday morning, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) revealed his version of the FY 2026 State Budget. As rumored, the Senate spending plan includes numerous departures from the House version passed earlier in the legislative session. We’ll have notes on the proposal in Friday’s report, but the full budget bill with differences highlighted is available here.

Floor Action

The House took up the following measures on Legislative Day 36:

• HB 53 - Georgia veterans; allow certain persons to be buried in Georgia veterans cemeteries (Senate Substitute) - PASSED 163-0
• HB 58 - Aviation; adoption of local ordinances, resolution, regulations, or policies that restrict the flight of unmanned aircraft systems over mass public gatherings; authorize (Senate Substitute as Amended by House) - PASSED as amended 162-1
• HB 92 - Revenue and taxation; postpone date by which local governing authorities can opt out of base year homestead exemption (Senate Substitute) - PASSED 165-0
• HB 475 - Income tax credit; film, gaming, or digital production; revise a definition (As Amended by Senate) - PASSED 159-2
• SB 9 - "Ensuring Accountability for Illegal AI Activities Act"; enact (Substitute)(T&II-Thomas-21st) Albers-56th (Rules Committee Substitute LC 56 0401S) - PASSED 152-12
• SB 40 - Secondary Metals Recyclers; the definition of the term "used, detached catalytic converters" to said article; provide for applicability - PASSED 159-3
• SB 56 - Georgia State Indemnification Fund; the Department of Administrative Services to purchase annuities for the payment of indemnification claims; authorize - PASSED 165-0
• SB 63 - "Quality Basic Education Act"; local school systems offer certain exams to home study students; require (Substitute)(Ed-Rice-139th) Dixon-45th - PASSED 166-0
• SB 69 - "Georgia Courts Access and Consumer Protection Act"; enact - PASSED 98-69
• SB 72 - "Hope for Georgia Patients Act"; enact (Hth-Hawkins-27th) Brass-6th - PASSED 161-0
• SB 85 - Grants for Foster Children; a grant program to provide grants to former foster youth who meet eligibility requirements, subject to specific appropriations; establish (Substitute)(HEd-Kelley-16th) Brass-6th - PASSED 166-2
• SB 105 - Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians; licensed veterinarians and veterinary technicians to practice veterinary teleadvice; authorize - PASSED 168-0
• SB 233 - Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission; revise the subcommittees (P&CH-Cooper-45th) Brass-6th - PASSED 164-2

The Senate took up the following measures on Legislative Day 36:

• HB 86 - Public officers and employees; calculating and setting the salaries of certain state officials; revise provisions - PASSED 45-10
• HB 164 - Highways, bridges, and ferries; allowable variance for weight limitations upon a vehicle or load; repeal automatic repeal provisions - PASSED 55-1
• HB 175 - Education; employee comprehensive background checks for early care and education programs and Head Start programs; revise provisions - PASSED 54-0
• HB 196 - State employees' health insurance plan; drugs dispensed for self-administration; provisions - PASSED 55-0
• HB 208 - Special license plates; support state parks and historic sites; establish - PASSED 55-0
• HB 241 - Contracts; convenience fees for payment by electronic means; revise provisions - PASSED 53-3
• HB 307 - Quality Basic Education Act; students significantly at risk of not achieving grade level reading proficiency or with characteristics of dyslexia; include provisions - PASSED 55-0
• HB 428 - Health; codify right to in vitro fertilization for individuals - PASSED 53-1
• HB 473 - Controlled substances; Schedule I; provide certain provisions - PASSED 53-0
• HB 484 - General Assembly; digitization and electronic publication of Georgia Laws; provide - PASSED 52-2
• HB 551 - Motor vehicles; conditions, procedures, and limitations for issuance of temporary operating permits; provide - PASSED 48-3
• HB 579 - Professions and businesses; licensure to engage in trade; provisions - PASSED 53-0
• SB 350 - DeKalb County; certain judges, judicial officers, and county officers; revise the compensation - PASSED 52-0
• SR 292 - Senate Special Committee on Investigations; investigate additional matters; to authorize the use of compulsory process to secure the attendance of witnesses; authorize - ADOPTED 33-21
• SB 13 - Georgia Environmental Finance Authority; finance and perform certain duties in connection with projects relating to natural gas facilities; authorize (House Substitute) - PASSED 50-0
• SB 96 - Official Code of Georgia Annotated; provisions creating certain boards, panels, authorities, centers, commissions, committees, councils, task forces, and other such bodies; update and modernize (House Substitute) - PASSED 51-0
• SB 153 - Official Code of Georgia Annotated; revise, modernize, correct errors or omissions in, and reenact the statutory portion of said Code (House Substitute) - PASSED 50-1
• SB 252 - Real and Personal Property; conveyance of municipal property interests to independent school systems; provide (House Substitute) - PASSED 52-0

Committee Notes

Senate Regulated Industries

Senator Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) reconvened his committee Wednesday at 9 a.m. to continue its business after having just met on Tuesday at 5 p.m. The agenda included the following:

• HB 449, by Representative Trey Rhodes (R-Greensboro), seeks to subject certain companies providing water services to regulation by the Public Service Commission. It targets privately owned water systems with 2,000 or more customer connections, excluding those owned by the state or political subdivisions. The bill mandates that rates and charges for water services from these systems be just and reasonable, subject to commission jurisdiction. Any proposed rate increase of 15% or more over the lowest rate in the past three years requires a commission review, with provisions for hearings to assess the fairness of such increases. If a rate increase is deemed just and reasonable, no further hearings on rate increases will occur for three years unless another 15% increase is proposed. The bill excludes one-time connection fees and costs from federal disaster declarations from the 15% increase calculation. LC 55 0604S.

Adam Shaifer, CEO of Piedmont Water Company, spoke to the committee in opposition to the bill, characterizing it as unnecessary and overreaching. He stated it would Increase compliance costs and regulatory delays, which would drive up costs for customers. He does not believe it’s fair to single out the only two companies in the state who this would apply to. Senator Carden Summers (R-Cordele) asked why it should not be regulated since it is a monopoly. The water business is the most capital-intensive utility. Piedmont Water stepped in and filled the void of the municipality. 25 years ago, they started by buying small systems, tied them together, and built sewage treatment plants. There are 1700 private systems in the state, but Piedmont Water is one of the only ones that have connected multiple private systems. Their largest system is at Lake Oconee. Representative Rhodes explained that his constituents feel they are being treated unfairly.

Chairman Cowsert introduced a substitute to the bill (LC 55 0632S) which would not impose price controls rules or regulations but would give relief to homeowners by allowing them to dig their own wells if they want to, at their own expense. Currently, some local ordinances and subdivision covenants prohibit this at Lake Oconee. The committee voted DO PASS.

• HB 571, authored by Representative Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville), seeks to formalize the role of radiologist assistants, requiring them to obtain licensure from the Georgia Composite Medical Board. The legislation outlines the qualifications necessary for licensure, including age, conduct, and certification requirements, and mandates continuing education for license renewal. It also specifies that radiologist assistants must work under the direct supervision of a licensed radiologist and are prohibited from interpreting images, making diagnoses, or prescribing medications. The bill introduces a new Article 13, known as the "Radiologist Assistant Act," which defines key terms and sets forth the duties and powers of the Georgia Composite Medical Board concerning radiologist assistants. The board is empowered to establish rules, conduct hearings, and manage the licensure process, including renewals and disciplinary actions. An advisory committee will be appointed to consult with the board on various matters, including the issuance and revocation of licenses. Representative Hawkins explained that the goal is to expand service and reduce wait times.

Becky Ryals, on behalf of the Georgia Radiological Society and the Georgia Society for Radiological Technologists, spoke in favor of the bill. Radiology assistants came to GA in the early 2000s and wanted to be recognized as providers under state law. Legislation was passed, but it did not include a licensure requirement. 15 years later, the nearest school is in North Carolina, and many of those graduates want to come to GA to practice, but hospitals are sometimes afraid to hire them without licensure. This will help address the healthcare workforce issue. Chairman Cowsert asked why they needed licensure. They have gone through the training, but some facilities are reluctant to hire them without licensure. Since they are doing the same level of work as other licensed mid-level providers, the board feels it is appropriate to have them licensed as well. Senator Matt Brass asked how many RAs there are. Currently, there are far less than 100. We hope that this licensure will create an incentive for more RAs to come to Georgia.

There was concern among the committee that expanding the scope of practice for RAs could expose patients to too much risk. Senator John F. Kennedy (R-Macon) had prepared an amendment that would expand the provision to allow general supervision (versus only personal or direct supervision), but after hearing testimony, Senator Carden Summers (R-Cordele) motioned to table for further refinement, and Senator Kennedy seconded the motion. The committee voted to TABLE.

House Public and Community Health Committee

Chair Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta) convened her committee on Wednesday to hear two measures.

• SB 30, by Senator Ben Watson (R-Savannah), prohibits puberty blockers in minors for gender dysphoria. The chair brought a substitute that permits the use of blockers on the opinion of two psychiatrists or psychologists and under the care of a pediatrician certified in the condition or board-certified. The senator was vigorously questioned by the Democrats and challenged also by the Chair. Senator Watson recited shifts in position in European countries to limit blockers after leading the charge in the treatment of gender dysphoria with puberty blockers. He and the Chair exchanged views on the extent of the prohibition in current and proposed law and the clarity of recent medical literature. The Chair characterized the substitute as making it more difficult for a parent to elect puberty blockers as a treatment, but not prohibiting it.

Dr. John Leiter testified for the bill by phone in place of Dr. Michelle Zena who had previously testified before the committee. He said blockers are inappropriate for dysphonia before the age of consent because he argued there are no cellular issues that it addresses. He distinguished blockers for precocious early onset puberty with their use for gender dysphoria, arguing side effects of the medicines such as decline of bone density.

A nurse parent with a transgender child testified passionately that she should be able to find care for her daughter in Georgia, without traveling out of state. The substitute still limits hormone therapy and gender surgery broadly but permits their use under certain conditions. She continued to oppose the compromise in the bill because the 2023 prohibitions on treatment remain in place.

Dr. Shirley Howe, a pediatric endocrinologist, next testified in opposition to the bill for the Georgia Society of Pediatricians. She addressed the initial bill, not the substitute. She accented that all major national health professional societies currently support the use of blockers and that the Scandinavian countries who had changed their view of the use of puberty blockers had not prohibited them, as the original bill does.

Psychologist Nancy McCord also testified against the bill. She described her experiences with counseling parents of transgender kids and accented their careful concern for their children’s wellbeing.

Rep Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners) moved the passage of the substitute. Sen Spencer Frye (D-Athens) then testified against the bill and characterized it as a waste of time. He supported parental choice in the care of their transgender children. There was then a motion to table the bill by Representative Michelle Au (D-Johns Creek). The motion failed on a hand vote. The Chair did not recognize an amendment to add nurse practitioners to the bill. The committee then voted DO PASS.

• HR 611, authored by Representative Katie Dempsey (R-Rome), creates a study committee on youth abandoned in mental health service locations. The committee voted DO PASS without testimony or comment.

House Insurance Committee

The House Insurance Committee, chaired by Representative Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee), met on Wednesday morning to consider one bill:

• HR 659, authored by Chairman Lumsden, creates a study committee on insurance market reform. As drafted, the committee would consist of seven House members and four non-legislative members at large. The committee is intended to address concerns about rising insurance premiums and the lack of competition in the insurance market.

Chairman Lumsden presented the resolution to the committee, noting there are a few changes being proposed by the Speaker’s Office. An amendment was proposed to change the composition of the study committee to eight House members and 3 non-legislative members at large. The amendment also clarified if and how members of the study committee would be compensated. The amendment was adopted, and the committee recommended the resolution DO PASS as amended and be sent to the Rules Committee.

House Health Committee

Chairman Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville) and the Health Committee took up three measures on Wednesday:

• HR 572, authored by Representative Leesa Hagan (R-Lyons), is a House Study Committee on the Addiction Epidemic and Solutions for Recovery. Representative Hagan noted that addiction had not been studied in the state. The committee made some changes to the proposal with the addition of a “certified peer specialist” to be on the committee and adding that they also look at individuals with dual diagnoses. The resolution received a DO PASS as amended, moving the proposal forward to the House Rules Committee.
• HR 592, authored by Representative Mark Newton (R-Augusta), is a resolution creating the House Study Committee on Non-Compete Contracts for Physicians. Representative Newton, also a physician, discussed how the FTC had banned non-compete clauses and how it could potentially harm patients. However, many private equity firms are buying up facilities and practices. He mentioned the Georgia situations involving Wellstar and MCG. He noted too some states have adopted laws on non-competes (Rhode Island, Arkansas, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and others. Some of those address mental health providers, APRNs, etc. where such are banned. Representative Newton noted these agreements, though, could be beneficial in helping to retain physicians in the state. Representative Deborah Silcox (R-Sandy Springs) noted that the issue is also relevant and of importance to residents and fellows; Representative Newton agreed with her on this matter. Representative Karen Mathiak (R-Griffin), also a chiropractor, noted the issue of non-competes was relevant to her profession as well. The resolution received a DO PASS recommendation, moving it forward to the House Rule Committee.
• SB 39, authored by Senator Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia), amends Chapter 18 of Title 45 and Chapter 4 of Title 49. It prohibits coverage of expenses for gender-affirming care under the state health benefit plan or with any state funds. It also prohibits state healthcare facilities and healthcare providers employed by the state from providing gender-affirming care. Several presenters spoke to the legislation, noting that the initiative would be harmful to patients. A physician noted that it cuts off best practices of care and that the government should not overrule health care whether transgender or not. He further recited that the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and American Psychological Association support the care. Georgia Equality also noted that if the General Assembly seeks to address “costs” then they should look at the lawsuits filed and pursued against the state and instances settled — to date, $4.1 million has been settled and paid in legal fees. These cases, regarding this type of care, are a burden to taxpayers. The Georgia Human Rights Campaign also opposed the initiative, noting it flies in the face of recent 11th Circuit Court rulings. The committee adopted the amendment, stripping out Section 1 of the legislation (which were the findings), and provided a DO PASS recommendation on the legislation, moving it forward to the House Rules Committee. There was no discussion about who would carry the bill in the House.

Senate Finance Committee

Chairman Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome) and members of the Senate Finance Committee met late Wednesday and took up these measures:

• HB 52, authored by Representative Carmen Rice (R-Columbus), amends O.C.G.A. 48-5-48, addressing homestead exemptions for disabled veterans. It allows a disabled veteran a homestead exemption. It allows surviving spouses or minor children of the disabled veteran to also be entitled to the exemption (it would be children under age 18). The homestead would cease when the minor ages out. ACCG was reported as not having issues with the proposal. The homestead exemption would be reviewed every three years. The legislation received a DO PASS recommendation, moving the proposal forward to the Senate Rules Committee. Senator Randy Robertson (R-Cataula) will carry the measure in the Senate.
• HB 186, authored by Representative Mark Newton (R-Augusta), originally was the legislation addressing the Fostering Success Act. At this meeting, the legislation received a “rider” with the addition of SB 89, authored by Senator Brian Strickland (R-McDonough). Both bills address Chapter 7 of Title 48. Senator Strickland’s portion of the bill adds an income tax credit for taxpayers. It permits a 50% credit against the amount of the credit provided by federal law. It defines the “qualifying child” as a child under the age of six. The child care tax credit is something that came about from the Study Committee on Affordable Child Care. It does cap the credits at $20 million in the aggregate. The underlying portion of the legislation expands the tax credit for contributions to foster child support organizations (serving youth who are aging out of care). In this legislation, it allows organizations that serve justice-involved youth. It also expands the ‘wraparound services” for the organizations to provide. It also creates a tax credit for insurance companies against their premium tax liability. Organizations receiving the advantage of the credits are still required to be approved by the Department of Human Services. There are also provisions that the entities receiving funds, as certified by the department, must have their CEOs sign an affidavit. Annually, this credit is capped in the aggregate at $30 million (only $10 million is allowed to be used by business enterprises). An amendment was offered by Senator Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) to address the percentages used by the organizations on the services provided to youth and administrative expenses; in the bill, as considered, the percentages were 80/20 respectively. Senator Tillery’s amendment changed that to 90/10, which the committee adopted. The legislation passed as amended, forwarding the legislation to the Senate Rules Committee. Senator Strickland will carry the legislation forward in the Senate.
• HB 248, authored by Representative Rick Jasperse (R-Jasper), adds a new Code section at O.C.G.A. 48-7-29.27. It seeks to allow a tax credit for expenses incurred by taxpayers for geothermal machinery installations at residential dwellings. Installation expenses may average $10,000 per ton. The credit proposed is capped at $2.5 million and would sunset in five years. There were questions raised about the federal credits allowed which are 30% on the installation now. There were other questions on whether geothermal was used in commercial or industrial projects; yes, and those included data center projects. It was noted that geothermal may reduce wholesale power costs by 12%. No action was taken on this proposal.
• HB 370, authored by Representative Houston Gaines (R-Athens), was originally a bill addressing the statewide base year homestead exemption. HB 370 was gutted and now includes language sought by the Department of Insurance to provide small businesses incentives to provide their employees health insurance through a tax credit. It proposes to add at O.C.G.A. 48-7-40.10 a credit if the employers offer individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRA). A change was made in the committee so that the employer would have to have 25 employees (rather than 50) and another change was adopted to sunset this “pilot” after three years rather than five years. The legislation received a DO PASS as amended, but no Senate sponsor was identified at this meeting.
• HB 463, authored by Representative Shaw Blackmon (R-Bonaire), seeks to add language at O.C.G.A. 48-5-44.3 to provide statewide homestead exemption from ad valorem taxes for certain senior citizens who volunteer with local governments. It would allow local governments to determine the amount of this exemption. It is supported by the Council on Aging and GMA and ACCG are neutral on the proposal. No action was taken at the meeting on the legislation.
• HB 532, authored by Representative Buddy DeLoach (R-Townsend), amends Titles 12 and 48. It addresses the annual grants made when the state owns the property and the local governments maintain the property. It eliminates the county from receiving a grant of funds pursuant to O.C.G.A. 48-14-4 (in instances where the state has 20,000 or more acres and that property is taken off county tax rolls). The legislation received a DO PASS recommendation, passing with a vote of 6-4. The legislation proceeds to the Senate Rules Committee. Senator Mike Hodges (R-Brunswick) will carry the measure in the Senate.

New Legislation

The following new legislation of interest has been introduced: