North Gwinnett News

Lawmakers in Georgia gathered for legislative days 32 to 34 this week, with Wednesday designated as a committee work day. Six legislative days remain until Sine Die. On Thursday, the focus was on SB 68, Governor Kemp’s lawsuit reform priority. After over an hour and a half of debate, the measure passed with a vote of 91-82. The bill returned to the Senate after minor amendments by the Subcommittee and was agreed upon by the Senate on Friday with a vote of 34-21. SB 68 now awaits Governor Kemp's signature.

Governor Kemp has appointed Bárbara Rivera Holmes as the new Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor following the passing of Bruce Thompson last year. Holmes previously served as CEO of the Albany Chamber of Commerce.

In other legislative developments, HB 767 sponsored by Rep. Dewey McClain aims to reduce Gwinnett County School Board members' pay if there is a superintendent buyout and prevents them from restricting communication with the press. The bill has bipartisan support with eight Democrats and four Republican co-sponsors.

HB 739, which proposes annexing parts of unincorporated Lawrenceville into city limits and placing it on the ballot for a referendum in the 2026 general primary election, passed through the House on local consent.

Several bills are under consideration:

- HB 34 by Rep. Dale Washburn seeks to establish a system for tracking compliance with continuing education requirements for professional licenses.

- HB 111 led by Governor’s Floor Leader Soo Hong proposes reducing state income tax rates gradually from 5.39% to eventually reach 4.99%. It has cleared both chambers and awaits gubernatorial approval.

- HB 112 offers a one-time tax credit for those who filed state returns in recent years; it advanced past the Senate Finance Committee.

- HB 113 prohibits state agencies from purchasing goods from foreign entities deemed concerning; it passed unanimously in the Senate.

- Other notable bills include measures related to public works bid limits (HB 137), AI usage inventory (HB 147), military retirement benefits (HB 266), film tax credits (HB 475), homestead exemptions (HBs 539 & 540), open records requests (SB12), regulatory processes (SB28), military retirement income tax elimination (SB31), fentanyl-related penalties (SB79), charter schools encouragement (SB82), childcare expense tax credits (SB89), consumer privacy protection (SB111), and apprenticeship program access (SB180).

These bills reflect ongoing efforts across various sectors including education, taxation, privacy protection, healthcare, and economic development within Georgia's legislative agenda.