House Bills on Territory, False Alarms and Non-Profit Monies

This week at the state capitol we honored retiring UGA President Michael Adams for his service to the university and our state. While the House also took up several pieces of legislation this week, I would particularly like to call your attention to a few that may directly affect our community.

House Resolution 4 urges the state of Tennessee to accept a settlement of its boundary dispute with the state of Georgia that has been ongoing for nearly two hundred years.

The settlement would reflect the boundary line established by the flawed 1818 survey, except with a one and a half mile “inlet” that would allow Georgia access to the Tennessee River at Nickajack in the northeast corner of our state, which would provide Georgia with an abundant amount of water. The compromise would not affect citizens residing in Tennessee, but would allow Georgia its rightful access to the Tennessee River.

HR 4 also authorizes the Governor to enter into any necessary negotiations with the state of Tennessee to resolve this longstanding border dispute.

House Bill 59 would help increase public safety by reducing the number of false alarms reported to law enforcement, which would allow our first responders to focus their resources on those truly in need. This legislation requires an alarm monitoring company to use a second contact for alarm verification if its first attempt is unsuccessful.

If the second contact is reached and the alarm went off in error, then any dispatched law enforcement can disregard the report and continue with their regular duty. No second verification call would be required, however, if the alarm monitoring company has video or audio verification of a fire alarm, panic, robbery-in-progress, or crime-in-progress. It is important that we utilize law enforcement wisely. Reducing the number of responses to false alarms will help communities throughout the state do just that.

House Bill 198 helps ensure that Georgians receive accurate information about their health insurance options. Under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as “Obamacare,” health insurance exchanges will be required to award grants to “navigators.”

These navigators will then help people enroll in qualified health plans – a service currently provided by insurance brokers. Despite the fact that navigators will perform services similar to those provided by insurance brokers, the ACA explicitly prevents states from requiring navigators to hold an insurance producers license.

This in effect would allow people who have not undergone the same level of training as an insurance broker to essentially carry out a similar role. This could cause consumers to receive inconsistent or inaccurate advice about their health care coverage options.

Therefore, HB 198 would allow the state Insurance Commissioner to license navigators and ensure that they have the necessary qualifications to provide proper health insurance guidance.

House Bill 101 is the last piece of legislation I want to bring to your attention this week. This bill would make it easier for our state’s non-profit organizations to raise money by selling food at local events. Georgia law requires food service establishments to obtain a food service permit from the state before selling food to the public. While Georgia already exempts food sold at a fairs or festivals from this permit requirement, it does not exempt food sold by nonprofit organizations at other short-term events.

HB 101 would change this so that nonprofit organizations could sell food at events lasting five days or less, like a weekend bake sale or Relay for Life event, without having to get a food service permit from the state. Nonprofit organizations would, however, still have to comply with all local government permitting requirements.

In addition to the legislation discussed above, the House also approved House Bills 50, 60, 79, 103, 115, 116, 135, and 154. Now that this legislation has been approved by the House, it will all go onto the Senate for consideration.

Please feel free to call me if you have any questions or comments about legislation being considered in the General Assembly.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative.