Rep. Alan Powell – 2022 Legislative Newsletter – Week Three

By State Representative Alan Powell, HD 32

Session was in full swing this week, with committees and subcommittees meeting to discuss issues that impact Georgians across our state.

Besides redistricting and the state budget, public safety and mental health are major issues facing the state. As well, we are sure to see legislation introduced on other matters of importance such as constitutional carry, medical cannabis, and gaming in some form.

During the 2021 session, HB 383: State government; certain contracts; Israel; provision passed the House, was amended in Senate but did not make final passage by the end of 2021 session. This week, the House voted to agree to the Senate’s changes before sending the bill to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. Israel is one of our many important economic trading partners, and this bill would reaffirm the state’s commitment to protecting this vital relationship with Israel.

There were many pieces of local legislation introduced and adopted. These bills were to make necessary changes brought about by the census, to Boards of Commissioners and School Boards. These bills are fully approved at the local level before coming to the General Assembly for adoption.

Other legislation that was introduced and assigned to a committee for hearing were:

House Bill 159: State Cybersecurity Review Board; establish
House Bill 752: Psychiatric Advance Directive Act; enact
House Bill 961: Torts; authorize apportionment of damage in single-defendant lawsuits; provide for evidence of fault of nonparties
House Bill 385: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia; employ beneficiaries; permit public school systems
House Resolution 579: Georgia Commission on Sustainability and Economic Opportunity; create
House Bill 886: Elections; sealing of ballots and unused security paper in secure containers; provide
House Bill 907: Elections; dates for special elections; questions related to sales and use taxes for transportation; revise provisions
House Bill 389: Employment security; change definition employment to include services performed by an individual for wages
House Bill 478: Evidence; expert testimony in criminal cases’ change rules
House Bill 867: Truth in Prescription Pricing for Patients Act; enact
House Bill 1013: Mental Health Parity Act

If you have an interest in finding out more about any of the bills above, you can check the legislative website: www.house.ga.gov or give my office a call for assistance. We also voted to adopt an adjournment resolution this week to determine our legislative calendar for the remainder of this session. Our crossover day, day 28, will be on March 15. This is the day all legislation has to be passed from one chamber to the other in order to have a chance to become law. Our last day of session day 40, is scheduled for April 4, leaving roughly nine more weeks to complete our ambitious legislative agendas.

On the home front, Titan Steel Door will invest more than $11 million in expanding their operations to Gateway Industrial Park in Hart County. Titan Steel Door currently has manufacturing operations in Murrayville, Georgia, where it employs more than 30 people in Lumpkin County. As part of this expansion, the company will open a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility spanning more than 145,000 square feet, located at 2052 Knox Bridge Crossing Road in Hartwell.

As your voice at the Capitol, I always appreciate hearing directly from my constituents back home. You can reach my Capitol office at 404-463-3793 or you may email me directly at [email protected].