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Gold Dome Update 
Highlights from the House 
Friday, January 31, brought to a close the first month of the new year and the third week of our 2020 legislative session. We convened every day this week and spent a great deal of time in our respective committees to review proposed legislation. These meetings resulted in a number of bills passing out of committee where they will now be reviewed by the Rules Committee prior to making it to the floor for a full House vote.

Many of the bills reviewed in committee over the last week are those resulting in work completed by our many study committees which met during the off-session season to further explore issues of importance. Study committees such as the Georgia Commission on Freight & Logistics, the House Rural Development Council, and the Committee on Maternal Mortality brought forth legislation with recommendations on how to best implement sound policy for each respective area moving forward. 

Transportation

Last week, joint hearings of the House and Senate Transportation Committees officially approved the Georgia Commission on Freight & Logistics’ final report and legislative recommendations. The proposal addresses issues such as workforce development, truck parking, freight rail investment and funding gaps. Additionally, the commission has requested that their work be extended through 2020 to continue their studies on how to best support our state’s record-breaking growth where freight and logistics are concerned. House Resolution 935 would reauthorize the commission for 2020 if the resolution is adopted by the House and Senate.

The House Transportation Committee also approved House Bill 820 , which would establish the Georgia Freight Railroad Program within the Department of Transportation. This program would increase our investment in our freight rail system, which handles approximately 27 percent of Georgia’s freight through the following: Rail Enhancement Plan, Rail Preservation Plan, and the Rail Industrial Plan. The quick growth of our state is a great benefit to all; however, we must ensure that we have proper infrastructure in place to support that growth. 
 
Rural Initiatives

The House Rural Development Council has also been hard at work in search for solutions plaguing our rural communities. The council’s recommendations include further support of our agriculture industry, expanded funding for rural broadband, the creation of tax incentives for rural physicians, as well as the development of a state-funded residency program to bring health care workers to rural areas. Since its inception in 2017, the councils work has resulted in several bills passing to benefit the less populated areas of our state. While there is still much to do, as a member of this committee, it has been rewarding to see our progress and we look forward to continuing our work in assisting our rural communities. 

Healthcare

Sadly, our state has been experiencing alarming rates of maternal mortality. Over the last several months our House Maternal Mortality study committee has been hard at work developing ideas to decrease and prevent maternal deaths in Georgia. The study committee’s final report includes several suggestions to improve mortality rates which include:
  • Extending Georgia’s Medicaid coverage for pregnant and postpartum women.
  • Legislation mandating a postmortem examination for any maternal death.
  • Increasing accessibility to health care for pregnant and postpartum women through telehealth services.

Continued funding for programs that support mothers and babies, as well as support various university research initiatives. Maternal health will remain a top priority in the House during the 2020 session. These recommendations will serve as a guideline as we work to prevent further deaths.

Tax Reform

Thursday, January 30, brought the Governor’s signature to House Bill 276 which was passed first week of session. This bill allows the state to collect taxable revenue from marketplace facilitators whose online platforms or apps are used to sell goods or services. The law will go into effect April 1 and will help level the playing field for our small brick-and-mortar businesses that currently have sale tax charged to their products.
We have successfully completed nine legislative days of forty. Over the next few weeks, the pace will become more hectic as we work hard to meet our session deadlines. If you have questions or concerns regarding legislation, we encourage you to reach out to us anytime. Thank you for the honor of allowing our delegation to serve as your voice under the Gold Dome. We will be back next week with more news on how we are working to benefit our district and great state to ensure simple, smart and effective government.

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

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