Our fourth week of the 2018 legislative session covered the discussion and passing of several important legislative bills listed below.

Adoption

House Bill 159 was perhaps our most important piece of legislation discussed in this session. Unanimously passed by the House and proceeded on to the Senate, this bill will include a change in the revocation period for Georgia birth mothers (10 days to 4 days), access to reasonable living expenses for all birth mothers, and safeguards on temporary powers of attorney. Once passed by the Senate, this bill will be sent to Gov. Deal’s desk for final approval.

Tax Laws

House Bill 661 was also passed unanimously during this session, and it would update the process for filing and removing tax liens against real estate by keeping the efficiencies of the original legislation, removing the current provision on statewide liens, and reverting back to county specific liens.

By providing an updated method for motor fuel distributors and wholesalers to submit monthly motor fuel tax reports, House Bill 694 would improve and expedite the electronic submission process.

Law Enforcement

We also covered the topic of state retirement benefits for law enforcement officers during this week’s session, and passed House Bill 135 to expand the group of law enforcement officers that are given these benefits. This bill will make Department of Driver Services (DDS) investigators qualified for an additional five years of creditable service in the state’s Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) for prior law enforcement services.

Protecting the Honey Bee

We also passed a bill for the continued preservation, protection, and conservation of Georgia’s official state insect, the honey bee. This bill, House Bill 671, will create a specialty license plate with the phrase “Save the Honey Bee” that will be available for purchase, thereby allowing Georgia citizens to contribute to an essential animal in our state’s ecosystem.

As we continue with the 2018 legislative session and prepare for legislative Day 28, “Crossover Day,” I encourage you to visit me at my Capitol office, and please do not hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions or concerns regarding any current or upcoming legislation. My Capitol office is located at 228-A State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334, my office phone number is 404-656-5099, and I can be reached via email at david.knight@house.ga.gov. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative.