This is an informal rundown of the legislative happenings. This update is from the most recent legislative days – 02/13/23, or Day 17. Legislative day 16 is also included.
House Votes
HB 129 – Rep. Soo Hong
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63759
WHAT IT DOES:
- Adds ‘pregnant women’ to the code section for who qualifies for TANF benefits
CONCERNS: We should limit benefits elsewhere before adding more people on the wagon, not to mention, women who are pregnant are also eligible for WIC benefits. This is also a Democrat response to the heartbeat bill -‘if you’re going to force women to have babies, you should support them while they do it.’
PASSED: 173-1
HB 139- Rep. Clint Crowe
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63769
WHAT IT DOES:
- Allows a non-sworn officer/retired officer to use the address of their last agency for felony witness cases/subpoenas so they don’t have to provide their home addresses to the defense teams.
- requires the officer/former officer to ensure they’re up to date on file with the agency so the agency can properly get the subpoenas to them.
CONCERNS: None
PASSED: 174-0
DAY 16 —
HB 119 – Rep. John Corbett
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63748
WHAT IT DOES:
- Clean-up bill addressing rules of the road for passing ‘stationary vehicles’ – known as ths Spencer Pass Law
- Strikes language for ‘towing or recovery vehicle, stationary highway maintenance vehicle,’ etc to simply say this applies to any vehicle other than an authorized emergency vehicle (which falls under Move Over Law)
- Using a more comprehensive term allows for the striking of other language about utility trucks, maintenance, etc.
CONCERNS: None.
PASSED: 169-0
HB 120- Rep. John Corbett
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63749
WHAT IT DOES:
- Addresses who is permitted to obtain a limited driving permit (due to sentencing for certain criminal offenses)
- Adds people who have had their licenses suspended in accordance with OCGA 40-5-75(E)(1)
- A person who has had their license suspended for a conviction related to the DUI conviction that included DUI – marijuana.
CONCERNS: This is great for three reasons:
- It brings DUI-marijuana convictions into line with DUI-alcohol convictions.
- It will limit overcharging and the dropping of charges. Currently, lots of courts will reduce a DUI-marijuana charge to a DUI-alcohol charge to allow a person to keep their license. This skews court statistics and also alters a criminal history, if convicted, to be something that is wholly different than the facts of the case.
- It disproportionately impacts people in rural Georgia because rural Georgia doesn’t have any means of public transportation. A loss of a license, whether warranted or not, usually contributes to a decline in socio-economic status because a person cannot go to work, or do anything else productive with their time…other than, probably smoke marijuana.
PASSED 169-2 (No votes: Collins + Petrea)
HB 175 – Rep. Lauren Daniel
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63842
WHAT IT DOES:
- This is the annual update for Motor Vehicles safe operations bill for commercial vehicles/carriers.
- Updates state law to be in compliance with federal law and regulation for this calendar year.
CONCERNS: None.
PASSED: 171-0
HB 183 – Rep. Matt Barton
LINK: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/63875
WHAT IT DOES:
- This is another ‘update’ bill that revises language, specifically for temporary license plates and temporary operating permits.
- Updates language in the law, such as:
- License plate → operating permit
- The state of Georgia → this state
- Also strikes old language or reserved sections no longer included in the law.
- Adds subsection (2) of OCGA 40-2-8(b) (which already exists) to align with striking of outdating language
- Adds language to expand definition for scope of obtaining a license plate, to include ‘revalidation decal’
- Adds a stipulation to current law about the county tag agent being able to issue temporary operating permits “upon application for renewal of a vehicle registration”
CONCERNS: None. The changes do not appear substantive.
PASSED: 172-0
