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Under the Gold Dome….A Message from Representative Howard Maxwell

Howard HeadshotIt has been nearly two months since the 2017 legislative session of the General Assembly came to a close. Even though the session ended, we continued to work with the Governor’s office, hoping to get our bills signed into law. Per Georgia law, Governor Deal is given 40 days after session adjourns to either sign or veto proposed legislation. If no signature or veto was taken by this year’s May 9th deadline, the legislation automatically becomes law, effective July 1. This year we took action on a number of important measures. Education, healthcare, public safety and military affairs were top priorities as we continue our efforts to move Georgia forward. Below you will find a highlight of major bills passed during our 40 days on Capitol Hill.

Education
House Bill 139 promotes transparency within our public-school systems by requiring the Department of Education to post certain school-level budget and expenditure information, excluding information made confidential by law, on its website.
House Bill 224 changes the 'Quality Basic Education Act' to allow military students to attend any school within their school system, if space is available, beginning in the 2017- 2018 school year.
House Bill 237 allows the establishment of the Public Education Innovation Fund Foundation. The foundation may receive donations to provide grants to public schools for the improvement of student achievement. Funds will be awarded through a competitive grant process.
House Bill 338 creates an alternative “Turnaround” school system which will support and provide assistance for the lowest-performing schools which receive below a 60 on the statewide accountability system for three consecutive years.
House Bill 463 allows the Department of Early Care and Learning to incorporate a non-profit corporation which will aid the department in promoting public-private partnerships between businesses, non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, local school systems, public schools, as well as, early care and education programs.
Senate Bill 211 ensures dual-enrollment students are not penalized by local school systems for taking collegiate coursework while still in high school. Under the bill, no school system can exclude a dual-enrolled student from eligibility for class valedictorian or salutatorian.

Military and Veterans
House Bill 245 requires the Georgia Professional Standards Commission to allow military spouses to qualify for temporary certificates, certificates by endorsement, or expedited certificates when moving to Georgia.
House Bill 470 allows the Department of Economic Development to administer a grant program to provide assistance to military communities. Grant amounts will be determined case-by- case and communities will be eligible if it is found the money will assist in furthering positive relationships between military installations and surrounding communities, while assisting in efforts to defend the success of a military installation from a federal review or closure.
House Bill 196 includes the original HB 209 that amends Georgia code relating to homestead exemption by qualified disabled veterans. The bill allows disabled veterans who receive a final determination of disability from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs containing a retroactive period of eligibility, or their surviving spouse or minor children, to receive a refund of up to three years of ad valorem taxes paid during the retroactive period.
Senate Bill 108 establishes a new Women Veterans' Office which will reach out to female veterans improving awareness of eligibility while conducting assessments of the specific needs of women veterans with respect to benefits and services.

Healthcare
House Bill 154 expands the role of licensed dental hygienists, making care more accessible throughout the state. The bill authorizes licensed hygienists to perform dental screenings and certain duties without the supervision of a dentist.
Senate Bill 14 also known as the Rural Hospital Organization Assistance Act of 2017, will assist in offsetting high costs which greatly affect our rural hospitals by allowing these healthcare organizations to apply for state grants.
Senate Bill 16 expands Georgia’s medical cannabis oil program by adding six illnesses to the list of qualifying medical conditions. The bill also allows patients to legally possess a maximum of 20 fluid ounces of cannabis oil with a maximum of 5 percent THC.
Senate Bill 88 updates the application process and licensing requirements for Georgia’s drug abuse treatment and education programs and narcotic treatment facilities that treat individuals who are dependent on heroin and opiate-like drugs.
Senate Bill 121 will make Naloxone, a lifesaving drug that counteracts opioid overdoses, more readily available through over the counter sales without a prescription.
Senate Bill 180 expands and incentivizes the Rural Hospital Tax Credit for individual and corporate donations to rural hospitals in areas with a population of 50,000 or less. Senate Bill 206, known as, Hearing Aid Coverage for Children Act, would require health insurance plans in Georgia to cover the cost of hearing aids for children 18 and under.

Public Safety
Senate Bill 160, Back the Badge Act of 2017, broadens the offenses of aggravated assault on public safety officers. The bill also requires a mandatory sentence minimum of 10 years and maximum of 20 years for individuals whom discharge a firearm at a public safety officer.
Senate Bill 176 offers citizens a lower cost alternative to arrest and incarceration when an individual fails to appear in court for a non-serious traffic violation. Senate Bill 219 changes our motor vehicle laws to allow fully autonomous vehicles to operate on Georgia’s roadways. Bills of Interest
House Resolution 389 creates the House Rural Development Council to identify the challenges and economic development opportunities in our rural communities.
Senate Bill 85 will allow craft breweries and spirit distilleries to sell limited amounts of products directly to their visitors, which are currently only available through distillery tours.
Senate Bill 104 requires government entities to post the human trafficking hotline notice inside some government buildings. The bill also criminalizes the use of any devise to secretly observe, photograph, videotape, film or record underneath or through a person’s clothing, where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.
House Bill 146 requires fire departments to provide adequate insurance coverage for firefighters who have served 12 consecutive months on duty and are disabled and unable to continue to work as a result of career causing cancer.

If you are interested in learning more about the bills listed above, or other legislation passed this session please visit, www.legis.ga.gov and click on the legislation tab. Although session is adjourned for the remainder of the year, our schedules will remain hectic with study committees, constituent issues, legislative panels and district events.
Hopefully, we will see you at some of these events! In the coming months, you will continue to receive monthly updates on major issues affecting our state and district. As always, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve our community. It is an honor to work on your behalf under the Gold Dome. If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me at any time!GA House