Weekly Update

​We’ve officially made it halfway through the 40 day session.  This week, the legislature completed days 17 through 21 of the session.
 
HB 488 was presented to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Reeves Subcommittee by Rep. Martin Momtahan (R), Dallas on Thursday.  Several proposed amendments were heard by the committee though only one amendment was made to the bill.  The amendment does not impact the financial industry.    The bill was passed by the Committee.  On Friday morning, the bill was presented to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Full Committee and was passed by the Committee.  CBA will continue to monitor the progress of this bill.
 
HB 523 deals with short term rentals and was presented to the House Regulated Industries Committee by Rep. Kasey Carpenter (R), Dalton, and was passed as a committee substitute on February 5, 2020.   The changes made relate to equal treatment of all rentals.  This is no longer a short term rental bill and relates to any type of rental properties.  It will prohibit any additional licenses or registrations of rental properties. 
 
HB 781 was presented to the Senate Banking & Financial Institutions Committee on Tuesday by Rep. Bruce Williamson (R), Monroe.  This was a hearing only so no action was taken on the bill.  Chairman William T. Ligon, Jr. (R), Brunswick indicated that there would be a vote at next week’s meeting. 
 
HB 785 was presented to the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday by Rep. Joseph Gullett (R), Dallas.  This bill deals with electronic notarizations and remote online notarizations.  There were several groups that testified in support of the bill and there were several groups opposed to the bill as it relates to real estate closings.  Given the number of comments heard during testimony and questions from Committee members, there is a lot of work that needs to be done on the bill before it will be able to advance.  The author of the bill committed to working with all parties to draft language that would be amenable to all parties. 
 
HB 955 was introduced in the House by Rep. Chuck Efstration (R), Dacula.  The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.  This bill deals with elder abuse and financial exploitation.  The bill makes failure to report abuse or exploitation a high and aggravated misdemeanor instead of a misdemeanor.  The change in severity of the crime and burden that it places on our institutions (i.e. tellers, CSRs) is troubling and CBA opposes the bill as drafted.  CBA is working with the author of the bill to see if language can be tweaked.
 
HB 968 was introduced in the House by Rep. Chuck Efstration (R), Dacula.  The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.  The bill relates to a court of appeals decision relating to warranties.  The decision shifted warranties to a mandated eight year expiration instead of the stated warranty given by a company.  For example, if someone purchased a new roof with a 25 year warranty, the warranty would no longer be valid after eight years.  The bill passed unanimously by the committee on Tuesday and was placed on the House Rules Calendar for a vote on Day 22 of the session.
 
HB 969 was introduced in the House by Rep. Chuck Efstration (R), Dacula.  The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.  The bill relates to fair housing and pertains to the unlawful practice in selling or renting dwellings and the procedures, remedies, and judicial review related to this.  The bill was passed by the Committee on Tuesday.    


HB 987 was introduced in the House by Rep. Sharon Cooper (R), Marietta.  The bill was assigned to the Health and Human Services Committee.  The bill relates to the “Disabled Adults and Elder Persons Protection Act”.  The bill states that no person shall discriminate or retaliate in any manner again any person who makes a report of elder abuse or financial exploitation or any disable adult or elder person that is the subject of the report.  The bill was passed by the Committee.  The bill was passed by the House with a vote of 160-1 on Friday. 
 
HB 1008 was introduced in the House by Rep. Joe Campbell (R), Camilla.  The bill was assigned to the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.  This bill deals with factory built building and dwellings.  The bill revises language to state that the structure may or may  not contain a metal chassis.  CBA will monitor the progress of this bill.
 
HR 875 was presented to the Special Rules Committee by Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick (D), Lithonia, on Tuesday.  This was a hearing only presentation.
 
HR 933 was presented to the Special Rules Committee by Rep. William Boddie (D), East Point, on Tuesday.  The Resolution was passed by the Committee.
 
HR 1093 was introduced in the House by Rep. Don Parsons (R), Marietta.  This Resolution establishes a Joint Study Committee on Cybersecurity.  The Resolution was passed by Energy , Utilities & Communications Committee on Wednesday.  CBA will monitor the progress of this resolution.
 
SB 429 was introduced in the Senate by Senator William T. Ligon, Jr. (R), Brunswick.  The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.  In addition to other areas of the law, this bill makes a few code revisions under Title 7.  The bill was passed by the Committee on Wednesday.
 
SB 442 was introduced in the Senate by Senator William T. Ligon, Jr. (R), Brunswick.  The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.  This bill prohibits amendments to property owners’ association instruments and covenants that restrict rental of residential lots and plots.  CBA will monitor the progress of this bill. 
 
SB 443 was introduced in the Senate by Senator Jesse Stone (R), Waynesboro.  The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.  This bill relates to procedures for garnishment proceedings.  CBA is reviewing the bill in detail and trying to determine if there are any adverse impacts for financial institutions.  CBA will monitor the progress of this bill.
 
SB 462 was in the Senate Hopper on Friday.  The author of the bill is Senator John F. Kennedy (R), Macon.  At the time of this article, a copy of the proposed bill was not available.  The description of the bill states that the bill will transfer duties, powers, responsibilities, and other authority relative to industrial loans from the Industrial Loan Commissioner to the Department of Banking & Finance.  CBA will monitor the progress of this bill. 

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