Agricultural Bills Passed During 2019 Session

HB 35: Poultry Diagnostic Center Tax Exemption
Reps. Watson, Dunahoo, Rhodes, LaRiccia, Jasperse, and Corbett
This bill will create a state sales tax exemption specifically for supplies and tools of the Veterinary Poultry Diagnostic Labs used for disease monitoring services. Given the unique structure of the Lab, this bill addresses an unusual circumstance causing the state to tax its own service.
Passed the House on 2/21/19. Passed the Senate on 3/18/19.

HB 213: Georgia Hemp Farming Act
Reps. Corbett, McCall, Pruett, Gilliard, Dickey, and Wilson
This bill is the Georgia Hemp Farming Act, which promotes on a preliminary basis, exploration of the cultivation and processing of hemp and the potential to open new commercial markets for farmers and businesses through the sale of hemp products.
Passed the House on 2/27/19. Passed Senate on 3/26/19. Senate Agreed to House Amendment on 4/2/19.

HB 223: Emergency Reporting Requirements Exemptions
Reps. Dickey, McCall, England, Dubnik, Smith.
This bill provides for an exemption to reporting emissions from routine agricultural and pesticide application practices, because they are not considered an emergency. This bill will also make Georgia consistent with federal law regarding emergency reporting requirements.
Passed the House on 3/5/19. Passed the Senate on 3/18/19.

HB 446: Hurricane Michael Tax Credit Transfers
Reps. Knight, Rutledge, Kelly, and Harrell
This bill clarifies language in the income tax credit for timber producers from the special session in November. The timber income tax credits are refundable and transferable, but once those tax credits that are transferred, they are no longer refundable and shall not the eligible for transfer again.
Passed the House on 3/5/19. Passed Senate on 3/28/19. House Agreed to Senate Substitute on 4/2/19.

HB 501: Development of Mariculture
Reps. Petrea, Hogan, Stephens, Williams, Sainz, and Gilliard
This bill develops the mariculture in the state and also creates rules and regulations for commercial shellfish farming in the state of Georgia through work between the Department of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources.
Passed the House on 3/5/19. Passed Senate the on 3/18/19.

HB 512: Propane Commodity Commission
Reps. Watson, Holmes, McCall, Mathis, Dickey, and Rhodes
This bill creates an Agricultural Commodity Commission for Propane. The House used this bill as a vehicle to attach language that gives the Department of Agriculture the authority to write rules and regulations relating to soil amendments and fertilizer.
Passed the House on 3/7/19. Passed Senate on 3/25/19. Senate Agreed to House Amendment on 4/2/19.

SB 2: EMC Authorization to Provide Broadband Services
Sens. Gooch, Wilkinson, Harper, Hill, Kirk, and Albers
Senate Bill 2 authorizes electric membership corporations (EMC) to establish or partner with another entity to provide broadband services to its members independent from its electrical services. This bill will also allow for EMCs to apply for federal grants to provide broadband.
Passed the Senate on 3/7/19.Passed on 3/28/19. House Agreed to Senate Amendment on 4/2/19.

SB 17: Telephone Cooperatives to Provide Broadband Services
Sens. Gooch, Wilkinson, Harper, Hill, Kirk, and Albers
This bill will authorize telephone cooperatives and their broadband affiliates to provide broadband services to its members, as well as, apply for federal grants to provide broadband.
Passed the Senate on 2/20/19. Passed the House on 3/21/19.

SB 37: Mutual Agreements with Lending Institutions
Sens. Ligon, Kennedy, and Jordan
This bill would require a person who wants to modify, alter, cancel, revoke, or rescind a promise, contract, agreement or commitment must do so in writing and will not be allowed to do so verbally.
Passed the Senate on 3/1/2019. Passed House on 3/25/19. Senate Agreed to House Substitute on 3/29/19.

SB 65: Title Transfers for Motor Vehicles
Sens. Harper, Gooch, Martin, Anderson, Ligon, and Mullis
This bill exempts the ad valorem tax fee on motor vehicles that have a transfer of title between legal entities owned by the same person.
Passed the Senate on 2/27/19. Passed House on 3/26/19. Senate Agreed to House Substitute on 3/28/19.

SB 66: Streamlining Wireless Facilities and Antennas Act
Sens. Gooch, Ginn, Lucas, Dugan, Cowsert, and Miller
This bill enacts the Streamlining Wireless Facilities and Antennas Act, which provides for the deployment of wireless broadband in the public right of way.
Passed the Senate on 2/25/19. Passed House on 3/25/19.

SB 75: Veterinary Practices Act Clean-up
Reps. Black, Wilkinson, Harper, Anderson, Burke, and Karinshak
Senate Bill 75 relates to the State Board of Veterinary Medicine, so as to provide a professional health program for impaired veterinarians.
Passed the Senate on 2/20/19. Passed House on 3/26/19. Senate Agreed to House Substitute on 3/28/19.