By: Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry)
The Senate adjourned Sine Die just before midnight on April 2nd, marking the end of the 2019 Legislative Session and handing the baton to Governor Kemp. The governor has 40 days to sign or veto any legislation the General Assembly passed this year, meaning May 12th is the last day new laws will be signed this year.
Here are a few of the measures that passed this session that are on their way to the Governor’s desk:
Rural broadband has been a big point of conversation for some time now, and I am happy to say Senate Bill 2 was given final passage. This legislation would allow EMCs across Georgia to provide broadband services. There are a few restrictions in place, but we believe this bill will encourage and allow the deployment of broadband to areas in our state that other service providers have neglected over the years.
Additionally, HB 324 which addresses medical marijuana in our state, passed the Senate and House. This bill addresses the lack of access to low THC oil. Simply put, this bill would create a five-member Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission to oversee the sale of low-THC cannabis oil to Georgians who are registered patients suffering from designated diagnoses, including things like seizure disorders related to epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease (full list of diseases can be found here: https://dph.georgia.gov/low-thc-oil-faq-general-public). The proposed commission would be in charge of: obtaining oil outside of Georgia as they have sovereign immunity working on behalf of the state, and issuing Class 1 and Class 2 licenses for the production, growing, manufacturing and dispensing of the low THC oil. Under HB 324, The University of Georgia and Fort Valley State University, our state’s two land grant universities, would be able to apply for federal licenses to grow marijuana for the purpose of converting it into cannabis oil for research. Additionally, the state Board of Pharmacy would be allowed to license pharmacies interested in selling oil to registered patients. We’re hopeful that this extremely limited access to growing will allow the few thousand patients who need the oil to be able to purchase it in Georgia and will no longer have to move or travel across the country to access it. However, I want to reiterate that this will not allow the vaping, smoking or “edible” forms of THC, as seen in some states. This would only allow for the use of oil for people with very specific illnesses or diseases as outlined in Georgia law.
The Heartbeat Bill was also given final passage and will be soon singed by the Governor. This pro-life measure is one of the most robust in the nation and will help save thousands of innocent lives in our state. Several insurance related bills I carried also received final passage, and I am hopeful their passage will help Georgia businesses continue to thrive. Lastly, Senate Bill 225, which I sponsored in the Senate, was given final passage. This legislation would make several updates to state law regarding foster care. This legislation essentially aligns Georgia Code with the Federal Family First Prevention Services Act which puts money into pro-active and preventative services to attempt to keep children out of the foster care system. It also changes the funding for group homes by clarifying that future federal funding will only be available to Qualified Residential Treatment Facilities, which are for children with severe behavioral and developmental challenges.
This was an incredibly productive session for a multitude of areas. If you have any questions about these bills or any that received final passage, please do not hesitate to let me know. In the off-session this year, I will be chairing the “Senate Study Committee on Creating a Georgia Agricultural Marketing Authority” which will look at various components of Agriculture marketing in the state, including our farmers markets. I look forward to meeting with stakeholders from across our state and figuring out how we can help market and promote our state’s number one industry. Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you!
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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Caucus Vice Chairman for the Majority Party. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Houston, Laurens and Pulaski counties. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at larry.walker@senate.ga.gov