Volume 4, Legislative Week Three | February 2020
The Capitol Express
Welcome to Legislative Week Three

On Monday, January 27, the General Assembly returned to the Gold Dome for the third week of the 2020 legislative session. The House convened on the House floor every day this week to take up business, and also spent more time in our committees and subcommittees to carefully review proposed budget and begin hearings on various legislative initiatives. A number of bills move out of committee this week for further review by the House Rules Committee prior to coming to the House floor.

As we go through the legislative session, some of the legislation that is introduced is the result of work that we do in study committees, councils and commissions that hold meetings after session ends. After the 2019 legislative session, my colleagues and I spent time studying several important issues that impact our state to prepare for the 2020 session. Personally, I continued my service to Georgia and House District 49 as a member of the Rural Development Council and the Special Committee on Economic Growth . In additional to these committees the House authorized the Georgia Commission on Freight & Logistics and the House Study Committee on Maternal Mortality . Each of these groups issued in-depth final reports that included policy recommendations, which will guide us as we craft sound and effective legislation this session. Some of these recommendations were presented in committees this week, and several pieces of legislation have already been introduced this session as a result of their dedicated work. The Georgia House, with input from around the State of Georgia and from national experts, is working for you to craft solutions to allow Georgian more opportunities.

Please contact me with your input and thoughts on proposed legislation that may impact our community. When you visit your Capitol please consider stopping by our office at Capitol 417. You can also reach me by phone at my Capitol office at 404-656-5064 or by email at chuck.martin@house.ga.gov .  

To join our mailing list and get The Capitol Express directly to your inbox, text MARTIN4GA to 22828 .
Yours in Service ,
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
At the Capitol, we observed International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday, January 27, 2020, which marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp . This powerful day commemorates the catastrophic genocide that resulted in the deaths of 6 million Jews and 11 million others. To honor the lives that were lost during the Holocaust, the General Assembly passed legislation during the 2019 session to create a memorial in the State Capitol . Members of the General Assembly, along with Israel Consul General Anat Sultan-Dadon, joined together to unveil the new memorial this week. This tribute in the State Capitol will serve as an important reminder that we should never forget the events of the Holocaust, and it will educate Georgia citizens to help ensure that such atrocities are never committed again. 
House Study Committee on Maternal Mortality
House Resolution 589 was adopted in 2019 to create the House Study Committee on Maternal Mortality to study the state’s high maternal mortality rate and issues that impact maternal health. Members of the committee spent several months last year developing ideas and strategies to decrease and prevent maternal deaths in Georgia. The study committee’s final report includes several of these strategies, such as extending Georgia’s Medicaid coverage for pregnant and postpartum women and introducing legislation that would mandate a postmortem examination for any maternal death. The study committee also seeks to increase accessibility to health care for pregnant and postpartum women through tele-health services. Members of the study committee encouraged the state to continue to fund vital programs that support mothers and babies, as well as support various university research initiatives that collect important data on maternal deaths and pregnancy and postpartum related health issues in the state. Maternal health will remain a top priority in the House during the 2020 session, and these recommendations will guide us as we focus our legislative efforts to prevent maternal mortality.
Marketplace Facilitator Signed by Governor
On Thursday, January 30, Gov. Kemp signed the first major piece of legislation of the 2020 session. House Bill 276 was passed via a conference committee report during the first week of session and allows the state to collect taxable revenue from marketplace facilitators whose online platforms or apps are used to sell goods or services -- the measure does NOT create a single new tax. The new revenue anticipated to be generate by its passage is due currently -- thus collecting it is an issue of fairness to our local small business as they compete with mega sellers using internet platforms. This new law will go into effect on April 1 and as as previously mentioned will help level the playing field for small brick-and-mortar businesses that currently have sale tax charged to their products .
Alpharetta - Love my Hometown!
Great to meet with Alpharetta's Economic Development Manager Matthew Thomas at the Capitol on Tuesday, January 28th! Love representing my hometown - look forward to continuing to work for, live in and love our community! #ItsOurHomeYall #AwesomeAlpharetta
State Unemployment Rate Drops to 3.2%
Governor Kemp recently made a major announcement regarding Georgia’s economy - the state unemployment rate is currently the lowest recorded rate in state history. At 3.2%, more Georgians than ever before have a job . This is great news for the Peach State, and I’m looking forward to working with the Governor and my colleagues in the General Assembly to ensure our state’s economy continues to grow and thrive.
Committee Assignments
ChuckRyan
I remain honored to serve my neighbors in House District 49 and Georgians on the following committees:

and
You can find the schedules of these committees and the online streaming links of each by clicking on the links above or by clicking here .
Team Higher Education
For the next few months during this Legislative Session, you'll most likely find me at the Capitol in my office. It is my absolute honor to serve you all and my hometown community; look forward to hearing from and seeing you.

417 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334 
404.656-5064

Executive Assistant: Sarah Galyean Sarah.Galyean@house.ga.gov

Intern: Matthew Couper Matthew.Couper@house.ga.gov
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