By: Sen. Jeff Mullis (R – Chickamauga)
We’re officially in legislative crunch time. With only two days left in the 2014 session, the fate of hundreds of bills will be decided before midnight on Thursday, March 20. Several bills have passed through both the Senate and the House, and are now waiting on the Governor’s desk for his signature.
The Senate was busy this week and passed a number of bills that will improve the lives of Georgians. I was proud to carry House Bill 459, commonly called the “Slow Poke Bill.” For safety reasons, it is dangerous for a driver to occupy the far left passing lane when the driver knows there is faster traffic coming up wanting to pass. This is especially true for emergency situations. This bill will not only make our roads safer during our everyday commute, but it will also enhance the responsiveness of our first responders who should be blocked in unnecessary traffic.
The Georgia General Assembly continued its stance to keep the taxes as low as possible in our great state. We passed House Bill 658, which is a full repeal of Georgia’s estate tax. From now on, in Georgia, the property and wealth you amass during your lifetime will be safe from taxation by your state government.
Another important measure that is now on the Governor’s desk is House Bill 702. Georgia has a proud founding tradition that we can follow back to the very founding documents of our country. HB 702 is a guide to build a special monument to commemorate and memorialize this noble history with the Preamble to the Georgia Constitution, a selection from the Declaration of Independence and the Ten Commandments.
In the days since Crossover Day, the Senate has turned its focus to a number of House bills, including:
House Bill 943
HB 943 requires health insurance policies that providing coverage for IV chemotherapies to provide the same level of coverage for orally administered chemotherapies. The bill was amended to require insurers to cover children six years of age or younger diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Status: Passed House; Passed Senate with amendments; under consideration in House.
House Bill 965
This bill creates a Good Samaritan Law, encouraging people to seek medical assistance for drug overdoses. HB 965 allows licensed health practitioners to prescribe and pharmacists to dispense opioid antagonists.
Status: Passed House; Passed Senate with amendments; under consideration in House.
House Bill 770
This bill defines the crime of home invasion in the first degree and home invasion in the second degree, both criminal and juvenile code.
Status: Passed House; Passed Senate with amendments; under consideration in House.
Senate Resolution 1172
SR 1172 recognizes the Honorable Sen. John “Dickey” Crosby for his service in the General Assembly since 2008 with a deep personal commitment to the welfare of all Georgians. The resolution commends his invaluable leadership and wishes him a long, happy and healthy retirement as he spends time with his family.
Status: Special Recognition.
Even on our busiest days, I am delighted to hear from the wonderful people in District 53. Please contact my district office or my Capitol office at any time if you have a problem or concern—my door and phone lines are always open. As always, it is an honor and a privilege to represent District 53 at the Georgia State Capitol.
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Sen. Jeff Mullis serves as Chairman of the Rules Committee. He represents the 53rd Senate District, which includes Catoosa, Dade, and Walker counties and portions of Chattooga County. He can be reached at his office in Atlanta at 404.656.0057 or by email at jeff.mullis@senate.ga.gov.
COLUMN
March 17, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jennifer Yarber, Director
jennifer.yarber@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028