Gold Dome Update 
Highlights from the House 
Week Eight
We have successfully completed 25 legislative days of 40. Friday, March 5, brought to a close week eight of our legislative session. It was an eventful week as we passed more than 40 bills and resolutions on the House floor. As our Crossover Day deadline is quickly approaching, we are all working hard to ensure passage of sound policy and beneficial legislation on behalf of our citizens and state.
House Action

End It.
Sadly, Atlanta was listed by the FBI as one of 14 U.S. cities with the most sex trafficking activity. Last week, we continued our efforts to combat this vile practice through House Bill 823 . HB 823 would allow the Georgia Department of Driver Services to revoke a person’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) and impose a lifetime CDL ban in Georgia for those who are convicted and knowingly used a commercial vehicle to commit any type of human trafficking.

Surprise Billing
In recent years, many of our citizens in need of medical care have been plagued with “surprise billing.” Surprise billing occurs when an insured patient receives treatment from an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility. These instances leave patients with huge medical bills which they were not made aware or expecting. To lessen the impact of surprise billing, we passed House Bill 888 and House Bill 789.

HB 888, the “Surprise Billing Consumer Act,” seeks to prevent patients from receiving out-of-network surprise bills after they undergo medical procedures by establishing a process for dealing with disputed bills. Under the bill the insurer and the medical provider would be allowed set various rules for arbitration proceedings in hopes of reaching an agreement in a timely manner. 
House Bill 789 would create a health benefit plan rating system to provide transparency for patients by letting them know whether certain specialty doctors are in-network with patient plans.

Prescription Drug Costs
In addition to our work in protecting citizens against surprise billing, we also passed several bills which will improve regulations for Georgia’s pharmacy industry while reducing the cost of prescription drugs.

House Bill 946 works to create transparency for prescription drug prices by allowing the state to better oversee pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs). PBM’s are third-party prescription drug administrators that pay for, reimburse and cover the cost of drugs, devices or pharmacy care on behalf of a health plan.

In addition to HB 946, we also passed House Bill 947 . This bill works to address issues such as PBMs reimbursing pharmacies for Medicaid prescriptions at a lower rate than actual drug costs.

Last but not least, we passed House Bill 918 which updates the “Pharmacy Audit Bill of Rights” and “Pharmacy Anti-Steering Act.” This bill works to end the practice of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) steering patients to pharmacies that are owned by or affiliated with them. The elimination of this practice will give patients more access to the healthcare providers of their choice. Further, this bill seeks to reform the burdensome audit process on pharmacists, ultimately allowing them more time to assist patient needs. 
Through these bills, we can ensure that Georgians are receiving their prescriptions at fair and competitive prices while also having the freedom to choose their preferred pharmacy.

Military & Veteran Support
Last week, we continued our support of Georgia’s military and veteran population through the passage of House Bill 914 . HB 914 would streamline and expedite the professional licensing process for military spouses, as well as service members who are transitioning into the private sector, when they move to our state. Under the bill, professional licensing boards will be required to issue expedited licenses to those who hold a current job license and are in good standing with another state.

Foster Care Updates
Last Thursday, we continued our work to assist children in foster care through House Bill 855 . HB 855 would require that the Department of Education (DOE) provide guidance to local school systems in determining whether a newly enrolled foster care child has been exposed to trauma which negatively impacts the student’s academic performance or behavior. Following protocol, as determined by the BOE, these assessments will help identify whether the child in question meets criteria to receive special education and other services, such as individual education plans (IEPs). Removal from one’s home is traumatizing for anyone, but especially for our children. We are hopeful this protocol will assist in identifying these students early, so that they can receive the educational tools needed to ensure their academic success.

Georgia Hemp Updates
Before the conclusion of week eight, we passed House Bill 847 to expand and improve Georgia’s hemp farming laws. This legislation builds upon the Georgia Hemp Farming Act of 2019. Under the bill, any college or university in Georgia will be allowed to operate a pilot hemp research program. Further, it would permit our schools within the university system to work with third parties to assist in research programs. The bill also requires that any hemp or hemp products that are shipped, transported or delivered have proper documentation stating that the product meets federal hemp guidelines. Finally, HB 847 would increase the initial permit fee for a hemp processor from $25,000 to $50,000 and revise background check requirements for licensees and permittees. 
My colleagues and I also passed the following bills and resolutions on the House floor during week eight:

House Bill 486 , which would prohibit an individual from advertising that he or she is a journeyman plumber unless he or she has a valid license from the Division of Master Plumbers and Journeyman Plumbers;

House Bill 576 , which would change the distribution order of payments collected from driving under the influence and reckless driving fines by moving the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund up to the fifth on the list in order to receive payments;
House Bill 578 , which would allow the Department of Human Services (DHS) to review certain law enforcement conviction data for individuals that DHS considers to hire as a volunteer, intern or student;
House Bill 755 , which would require local boards of education to provide itemized allotment sheets to local charter schools;

House Bill 815 , which would add an exemption from sales and use taxes for authorities which provide public water or sewer service;
House Bill 816 , which would allow chiropractors and physicians to organize and jointly own a professional corporation within their scope of practice;
House Bill 829 , which would allow tangible homestead property owned by individuals 65 years of age or older to be assessed at 20 percent of the fair market value to levy local school district ad valorem taxes. This is companion legislation to HR 962;
House Bill 830 , which would allow eligible large retirement systems to invest up to 10 percent of assets in alternative investments;

House Bill 859 , which would set a maximum penalty of $50 for the first violation and $75 for the second violation, without the addition of surcharges, to the misdemeanor violation of the window tint law;
House Bill 861 , which would revise the definition of a commercial motor vehicle to include vehicles that are used only in intrastate or only in interstate commerce;
House Bill 882 , which would remove the sunset on the exemption for sales of food and food ingredients to a qualified food bank;

House Bill 885 , which would grant district attorneys access to all information regarding a violent or sexual offender's record, including confidential state secrets, when the offender is found guilty of serious violent felonies or dangerous sexual offenses and is eligible for parole;
House Bill 897 , which would require the State Forestry Commission to create a website for individuals or firms that harvest standing timber to serve as a uniform system of notification for harvesters to notify their local governing authorities of their practices;
House Bill 900 , which would update the design for the existing breast cancer special license plate;
House Bill 932 , which would allow podiatrists practicing within the scope of their practice to jointly own a professional corporation with any doctors of medicine or osteopathy, as well as add a criminal background check to the list of license requirements for podiatric medicine;
House Bill 957 , which would allow teachers at Georgia charter schools to be eligible for state health insurance plans;
House Resolution 962 , which would amend the Georgia Constitution to authorize the General Assembly to allow local boards of education to call for local referenda to authorize an assessment of residential homestead property at 20 percent of fair market value;
House Bill 966 , which would provide regulations for the growing, selling and buying of palmetto berries in Georgia;
House Bill 968 , which would clarify that the statute of repose for actions to recover damages for deficiencies connected with improvements to realty does not apply to actions for breach of contract, including, but not limited to, actions for breach of express contractual warranties;
House Bill 969 , which would update Georgia’s laws regarding fair housing to meet the "substantially equivalent" threshold, which is required for all state housing laws in order to be certified by the Fair Housing Assistance Program;
House Bill 972 , which would provide penalties for violations of pipeline safety standards and regulations in Georgia that are enforced by the Public Service Commission;
House Bill 1003 , which would allow for an additional superior court judge in in the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit;

House Bill 1054 , which would authorize the Department of Public Health to promulgate rules and regulations creating a newborn screening system for the prevention of serious illness, severe physical or developmental disability and death caused by inherited metabolic and genetic disorders;

House Resolution 1094 , which would authorize non-exclusive easements for the construction, operation and maintenance of facilities, utilities, roads and ingress and egress in, on, over, under, upon, across or through state property in the following Georgia counties: Barrow, Calhoun, Chatham, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Crisp, Dougherty, Douglas, McIntosh, Muscogee, Paulding, Polk and Richmond;

House Resolution 1167 , which would serve as a conveyance resolution for properties located in six counties, conveying property owned by the state of Georgia or amending those conveyances.
All bills passed by the House are now under consideration in the Senate. As always, I will continue to send updates regarding our efforts for the remainder of this year’s legislative session.
Qualifying Week

In addition to our regularly scheduled session, our Georgia Secretary of State also hosted qualifying week for the upcoming election cycle. After much prayer and consideration, I am excited to announce that I will be seeking re-election to continue my service as your House Representative within the Georgia General Assembly. Our family sincerely appreciates the guidance and wisdom so many have lent over the years and we are grateful to have your support as we work towards the future. 
As always, we will continue to update you for the remainder of the legislative session. In the meantime, if you need anything at all, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for the honor of allowing us to serve our home under the Gold Dome. It is humbling that you have entrusted our local delegation to ensure our district values are protected. We will continue to stand strong for the betterment of our district and great state through simple, smart and effective government. 

Respectfully,
Shaw Blackmon
Representative of Georgia's 146th House Dis trict
 
Representative Shaw Blackmon
District 146

Phone: 404-463-7583
Address: 401-K State Capitol
Atlanta, Georgia 30334