Legislative Report Week 7
Legislative Report Week 7
February 28, 2025
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Photo Credits: House Media Services |
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This week, the General Assembly convened for legislative days 22-25, and one committee workday, beginning the week on Monday, February 24th, and wrapping up on Friday, February 28th. The week was packed with committee meetings and the calendar for floor votes filled up as the chambers push bills forward. On Tuesday, we were joined by over 800 4-H students from across the state for Georgia 4-H Day at the Capitol. This is a great time for students to learn about the legislative process and meet with their legislators. This is an important youth development program that is rooted in agriculture and gives many students the chance to learn about agriculture who may never have been exposed to the industry.
Next week, March 6th, is Crossover Day. Crossover is the day upon which every bill must pass from its chamber of origin to the next in order for it to remain eligible for consideration this year. Bills that do not cross chambers this year, will not be able to cross until next year. This is a pivotal point in the session to make sure bills continue to receive attention.
The General Assembly will convene for three legislative days next week and one committee workday beginning on Monday, March 3rd. |
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Take Action to Protect Crop Protection Tools SB 144 by Senator Sam Watson (R-Moultrie) and HB 424 by Representative Steven Meeks (R-Screven) are crucial companion bills that protect farmers from unjustified lawsuits and preserve access to critical crop protection tools. Without these protections, agriculture faces unnecessary legal threats, and Georgia risks losing essential products that safeguard our crops, sustain yields, and keep food prices stable.
These bills clarify pesticide labeling laws and prevent "failure to warn" lawsuits that could force the removal of EPA-approved plant protection products from Georgia's farms. Both bills are available for floor votes as Crossover Day quickly approaches.
Why This Matters: Protect Farmers: Ensures access to safe, modern crop protection tools that control invasive weeds and maintain productivity. Prevent Regulatory Chaos: Reinforces that EPA labeling standards under FIFRA serve as the national standard, preventing a patchwork of conflicting state regulations. Safeguard Our Food Supply: Without action, farmers could go out of business, and food prices will rise even further.
How You Can Help: Contact Your Legislators Today! Tell them to vote YES on SB 144 & HB 424. Georgia farmers need their support! Time is short, and the stakes are high. Without action, Georgia agriculture faces a serious threat. Let's ensure our farmers have the tools they need to thrive. Make your voice heard NOW! |
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Tort Reform Continues to Advance Following last week's momentum, the two tort reform proposals continue to move through the legislative process with fairly contentious debate. SB 68, sponsored by Senator John Kennedy (R-Macon), contains the bulk of the tort reform policies and passed the Senate last week. As the House takes on the debate, a special Rules Subcommittee on Lawsuit Reform was formed specifically to provide a fair and focused deliberation and is chaired by Representative Rob Leverett (R-Elberton). The first hearing was held on Thursday.
The second component of the Governor's Tort Reform package, SB 69 also sponsored by Senator Kennedy, addresses a single issue surrounding third-party litigation funding. This is a growing issue, where companies will encourage lawsuits by financing the plaintiff's cost to then collect on the settlement with enormous interest rates. This is a murky industry that is largely unregulated, and even allows for foreign actors to fund litigation for their own business or political interests. The need to address this has not generated much opposition fortunately, and was passed by the Senate on Thursday unanimously. |
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Photo Credits: House Media Services |
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On Thursday, the House of Representatives unanimously passed HB 143 by Chairman Robert Dickey (R-Musella), adjusting the state's agricultural water metering requirements. This bill follows the Governor's substantial funding and EPD's extensive work to reevaluate the southwest Georgia water usage and regulations. Numerous steps have been taken to open access to this vital resource for farmers. The increased data and technological advancements, as well as strategically positioned monitoring wells, provide EPD sufficient information to ensure we are good stewards of our water resources. This bill will not only reduce the burden of metering on farmers but also shift the cost of meters to the state. We appreciate Chairman Dickey's work on this bill, and we will remain engaged as the proposal moves to the Senate. |
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Amend Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Passes Senate This week both the Senate Appropriations Committee and the full Senate chamber considered HB 67, the amended fiscal year 2025 budget. We were appreciative to see the Senate invest more money into Hurricane Helene recovery efforts as well as a significant investment into agriculture education. Now, HB 67 must go back to the House so they may consider the changes made by the Senate. The House can choose to agree or disagree to the changes made. If the House disagrees and the Senate insist on their position, the budget will go to conference committee in order for both chambers to compromise on a bill they can agree on. A few of the key additions include:
Department of Agriculture
One Georgia Authority
Department of Education
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Truck Weights Continue to Have Strong Support On Monday, February 24th, HB 164 by Representative Steven Meeks (R-Screven) was called to the House floor to be considered by the whole chamber. This bill would permanently raise the allowable gross vehicle weight for trucks hauling agriculture and forest products from 84,000 pounds to 88,000 pounds. It is important Georgia producers are allowed to haul at these higher weights putting them on an equal playing field as surrounding states. Every state that neighbors Georgia can haul at least 88,000 pounds for agriculture and forest products.
We were excited to see HB 164 pass with strong support in the House. The bill received 164 yeas and 9 nays. It now must be considered by the Senate, and we will wait for the Senate Transportation Committee to take up the bill next. |
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On Wednesday, HB 129 by Representative Chas Cannon (R-Moultrie) was considered by the House Ways and Means Committee. This bill would allow certain entities who may not qualify for Conservation Use Value Assessment, CUVA, to lease land without breaching the landowner's covenant. The leasing entity must be comprised of American citizens, the primary focus must be agriculture, and one member of the entity must have at least a 25% ownership in the property. This bill received a favorable consideration from the committee and will now head to the Rules Committee where it waits to be considered by the full body.
On Thursday, HB 169 by Representative Chas Cannon (R-Moultrie) was considered on the house floor. This bill removes the modified breach penalty under the Conservation Use Value Assessment, CUVA, program for solar development projects. For all existing covenants, the modified breach penalty would remain in place until your covenant is renewed. HB 169 passed the House floor with unanimous support. GFB supports this legislation and believes it will help promote the integrity of CUVA. |
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Commissioner Harper Urges H-2A AEWR Relief - Requests Farmer Support As farmers face record input costs, inflation, and the strain of low commodity prices, the federal government has piled on with yet another increase to the mandated Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), jumping 9% over last year. Since 2022, Georgia farmers have been hit with a 31% total increase as a result of this broken and ineffective regulatory framework--costing our farm families approximately $250 million in increased labor. To supplement his efforts working with our Georgia delegation and the new administration, Commissioner Harper has drafted a letter to soon-to-be U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer imploring an immediate freeze or repeal of the 2025 AEWR rule.
Georgia farmers have the opportunity to support this effort and ensure the future of agriculture is financial viable. If you would like to join the Commissioner on this letter and support our farm families, please click the button below to enter your information. |
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Reps. Carpenter, Tarvin, Crawford, and Fleming This bill designates cornbread as the official state bread of Georgia. Passed House and Assigned to Senate Economic Development & Tourism Committee (2/27/2025)
Reps. Cooper, Carpenter, Jasperse, Dickey, and Camp This bill seeks to update veterinary licensing standards and includes provisions to license graduates of foreign veterinary schools. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, graduate from an accredited veterinary program or have equivalent certificate and pass a board-approved examination. Foreign graduates must complete a residency program of two or more years, obtain board certification in a specialty, and may only practice within that specialty. Passed House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee (2/27/2025)
Reps. Blackmon, Kelley, Williams, Erwin, and Washburn This bill modifies provisions related to the new statewide homestead property tax and extends the deadline for local governments to opt-out of the new homestead exemption from March 1, 2025, to May 1, 2025.. Passed the House and Passed Senate Finance Committee (02/26/2025)
Reps. McDonald III, Crowe, Hitchens, Lumsden, and Barrett This bill renames the Georgia Department of Public Safety's Motor Carrier Compliance Division (MCCD) to the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE) and updates language to include law enforcement responsibilities and provides terminology to explain how officers will be trained and what they enforce. House Passed and Assigned to Senate Transportation Committee (2/21/2025)
Reps. Cannon, Burchett, Dickey, Corbett, Huddleston, and other This bill seeks to remove restrictions on certain leased properties that were previously disqualified from entering into a CUVA covenant. The leasing entity must be owned by a US citizen, the primary purpose of the land use must be agricultural, 80% of the entity's gross income must come from bona fide conservation use, and one member must own at least 25% stake In the property for the leased property to remain eligible. Passed House Ways & Means Committee (02/26/2025)
Reps. Dickey, Smith, Yearta, Greene, Cannon, and others This bill will return the responsibility of metering to the State where an amendment, transfer, modification, or assignment is effective on or after April 20, 2018. It will remove the responsibility that farmers install sufficient infrastructure for the installation of state funded meters, following EPD's attempt of a meter installation and its determination of insufficient infrastructure. It will authorize EPD staff to undertake maintenance and new meter installation in specific cases. Passed House (02/28/2025)
Reps. Ridley, Ridley, Hagan, Carpenter, Cox, and others This bill intends to require food service establishments to disclose if any food product offered contains cell-cultured meat, plant-based meat alternatives, or both. Passed House (02/27/2025) Reps. Meeks, Hagan, Buckner, Dickey, Cannon, and others This bill removes the sunset on the truck weights legislation passed in 2023. It will make the 10% weight variance agriculture and forest products permanent, raising the gross vehicle weight to 88,000 pounds. Passed House and Assigned to Senate Transportation Committee (02/28/2025)
Reps. Cannon, Dickey, Corbett, O'Steen, Huddleston, and others This bill would remove the modified breach penalty for solar development and treat it as any other breach of covenant. Passed House and Assigned to Senate Finance Committee (02/28/2025)
Reps. Huddleston, Efstration, Dickey, Frye, and Ford This bill enhances the Veterinary Loan Repayment Program for veterinarians practicing food animal medicine in rural communities. Participants would qualify for a reimbursement that paid $30,000 per year for three years if selected. Passed House and Assigned to Senate Higher Education Committee (02/27/2025)
Reps. Townsend, DeLoach, Sainz, Burchett, Hagan and others This bill intends to designate Brunswick stew as the official state stew. Passed House and Assigned to Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee (02/27/2025)
Reps. Dickey, Anderson, Huddleston, Drenner, and Campbell This bill intends to alter solar energy agreements to include decommissioning agreements that include language to require the solar energy company to return the land to its previous state and provide financial assurance to do so. It also requires solar developers to obtain permission from the EPD before beginning construction and gives the EPD general oversight of the project. Recommitted to House Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications Committee (02/24/2025)
Reps. Anderson, Rhodes, Meeks, Williams, Huddleston, and others This bill makes some changes to the definition of an "multi-purpose off highway vehicle" and removes the ad valorem tax on said vehicles starting on January 1st, 2025. Passed House Ways & Means Committee (02/26/2025)
Reps. Camp, Hagan, Gullett, Cameron, New and Others This bill intends to make it unlawful for any person to engage in the transfer of any dog, cat, or domestic rabbit at any roadside, public right of way, parkway, median, public or commercial parking lot or sidewalk, park, recreation area, fair, transient or seasonal flea market, or a similar transient market or outdoor location, regardless of whether such activity is otherwise authorized by any person or entity. Passed House Committee on Agriculture & Consumer Affairs (02/26/2025)
Reps. Jenkins, Huddleston, Campbell, Ridley, and Byrd This bill intends to prohibit local ordinances that prohibit mobile sawmills on agricultural land and define all the waste from the mobile sawmills as agricultural products. Passed House Committee on Agriculture & Consumer Affairs (02/26/2025)
Reps. Dickey, Burns, Meeks, Hagan, Greene, and others This bill intends to transfer the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation to the Department of Agriculture from the University System of Georgia. Passed House (02/28/2025)
Reps. Corbett, Burchett, Ridley, and Rhodes This bill prohibits certain international organizations from having jurisdiction over local governments in Georgia. Assigned to House Natural Resources and Environment Committee (2/24/2025)
Reps. Ford, Burchett, Corbett, McDonald III, Wiedower, and others This bill would create the State Board of Trailer Manufacturers and require any person in the state who manufactures trailers to be licensed. The license fee will be $150 annually. Assigned to House Regulated Industries Committee (2/24/2025)
Reps. Jones, Thomas, and Martin This bill would give local governments the ability to adopt ordinances prohibiting the use of fireworks within 100 yards of an equine facility. Passed House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee (2/27/2025)
Reps. Camp, Mathiak, Smith, Jenkins, and Dickey This resolution recognizes John W. Mixon and dedicates the Georgia Forestry Commission building in Dry Branch in his honor. House Passed (2/26/2025)
Sens. Kennedy, Gooch, Robertson, Anivatarte, Walker III, and others This bill is part of the Governor's tort reform package. Passed Senate and Assigned to House Rules Committee (02/21/2025) Sens. Kennedy, Gooch, Robertson, Anivatarte, Walker III, and others This bill is part of the Governor's tort reform package. Passed Senate and Assigned to House Rules Committee (02/27/2025) |
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To stay updated on all the bills GFB is tracking, check out our newly updated bill tracker under the Action Center on the Georgia Farm Bureau website. There you will be able to find all the bills that we are following, a summary of the bill, the bill sponsors, and the most recent action. Click the button below to be redirected to our bill tracker. |
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Thank you for taking an active role in staying up-to-date and informed on the developments at our State Capitol. If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out to any of our Public Policy Department Staff and we will be happy to assist you.
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