[March 21, 2022] | Well, we are past day 28 of 40, which was our Crossover Day. It is the last day a House bill can be sent to the Senate for their scrutiny and the same for them to the House. It was a long day in the House chambers voting on many different items that fellow legislators had brought before us. I presented and passed two bills: one for our used car dealers and the dealer tags they use. It will fix the number of tags they can use to the number they earned on January 1, 2020 before covid. My second bill names roads and bridges across Georgia for special Georgians. I'm working personally on naming the bridge in Talking Rock for N.C. Low. We all know coffee is a big thing on a day like that, and I found a new friend: coffee-flavored Coke Zero.
Both the Senate and House worked until late in the evening on Tuesday to get their work done. I will go over a couple of bills, but if you want the complete list, use my contact info below; and I?ll send you the whole list with an explanation of what the bills do.
In 2019, the Georgia House passed legislation to allow limited in-state licensing, production, and distribution of low-THC oil cannabis (Medical Marijuana) for Georgians suffering from certain chronic or terminal illnesses. This program has launched, but production has not started; and thousands of eligible Georgians have been left without access to this alternative medicine. The process has stalled due to lawsuits and threats of lawsuit. As such, we passed legislation this week to ensure that we get this medicine into the hands of those who desperately need it. House Bill 1425 would cancel the original 2020 competitive application request for medical cannabis licensing proposals and would direct the Medical Cannabis Commission to take all necessary steps to purchase or obtain necessary quantities of low-THC oil or other similar products from an available legal source. The commission would also take all necessary steps to provide for low-THC oil dispensation, including the development and issuance of dispensing licenses for independent pharmacies and designated research universities. We have experienced production delays, but this measure would jump-start low-THC licensing and production to finally provide treatment and relief for suffering Georgians. We needed to get this done.
Just for fun, I will name a few bills in one sentence, so if interested, contact me below: A bill to establish a tax credit for contributions to foster care support organizations. A bill to allow a sheriff to be compensated by supplement for official services but up to 2 courts. A bill to help those who retrofit vehicles for wheelchairs with their ad-valorum taxes. A bill to exempt timber equipment from ad-valorum taxes like other agricultural equipment is. A bill requiring training for those who are part of regional development commissions. A bill that would require Georgia income tax be paid for royalties for entertainment work done in Georgia. A bill that would provide an insurance premium discount for those who fortify their homes to resist catastrophic events. A bill that would require that fees paid to the solid waste trust fund be put in the trust fund. And lastly, House Bill 1464 which updates Georgia?s laws regarding the investigation of election fraud and election crimes.
I encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or concerns regarding legislation that has been discussed or passed so far. You can reach my Capitol office at 404-656-7153, or you can email me directly at rick.jasperse@house.ga.gov.
As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your State Representative and legislative voice here at Georgia? Capitol.