Original source: Georgia Legislative Report - MCO Group

01. Legislature Completes Day 21

The General Assembly convened Tuesday through Friday this week, completing day 21 of the 40-day session. The legislature will reconvene Monday, February 24th, for legislative day 22, recess on Tuesday for a committee workday and reconvene on Wednesday and work through Friday, February 28th, completing day 25 of the legislative calendar.  

Committees are in full swing, and legislation continues to make its way through the sub-committee and committee process. By the end of next week there will only be 30 legislative days before crossover day (the day a bill must pass its Chamber of origin) and long days of committee hearings and floor deliberations will continue.

As a reminder, the adjournment resolution (SR 6) and House and Senate committee schedules are linked below.

Legislative tracking reporting through Legistracker is up to date. Please let us know if you have questions or trouble accessing your account.

02. Kelly Loeffler Confirmed to Lead Small Business Administration

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Kelly Loeffler, a Georgia businesswoman and former senator, to lead the Small Business Administration, returning a stalwart supporter of President Donald Trump to Washington.  At SBA, Loeffler will oversee the entity that describes itself as the only Cabinet-level federal agency "fully dedicated to small business” by providing “counseling, capital, and contracting expertise as the nation’s only go-to resource and voice for small businesses.” Typically, the agency, which was founded in 1953, offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by a disaster, loans that can be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other expenses that would have been met if not for the disaster. 

03. Gov Kemp Appointed to White House Council of Governors

Gov. Kemp is among ten governors President Donald Trump appointed to the bipartisan Council of Governors. The Council focuses on helping states and the federal government coordinate on issues related to national security, disaster responses, the military and more. The governors will serve a two-year term. Kemp’s appointment marks the first time a Georgia governor has served on the council. The other appointees include:

• Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, co-chair, Republican
  
• North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, co-chair, Democrat
  
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Republican
  
• Lousiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Republican
  
• Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Democrat
  
• Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Democrat
  
• New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Republican
  
• Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Democrat
  
• South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Republican 

04. Duracell Establishing R&D Global Headquarters in Atlanta

Gov. Kemp announced this week that Duracell, one of the world’s leading battery manufacturers, will establish its new Global Headquarters for Research and Development at Science Square in Atlanta, creating 110 jobs and investing approximately $56 million. Duracell currently has a manufacturing facility in LaGrange, Georgia, that has been in operation since 1980 and a logistics and distribution plant in Fairburn, Georgia, that began operations in 2020 

05. House Passes Hurricane Helene Tax Relief Bill

Tuesday the House of Representatives passed HB 223, which would provide tax relief to agricultural and timber communities in areas of the state impacted by Hurricane Helene, by a vote of 173–0.

The bill was introduced by Majority Whip James Burchett and co-signed by Majority Leader Chuck Efstration and Governor Kemp’s House Floor Leaders State Representatives Lauren McDonald (R-Cumming), Soo Hong (R-Lawrenceville), Matthew Gambill (R-Cartersville) and Will Wade (R-Dawsonville). It mirrors legislation passed in the wake of 2018’s Hurricane Michael and would provide tax benefits to allow federal aid and crop insurance dollars to go further in rebuilding impacted Georgia communities.