Closing Day: Georgia lawmakers tackle immigration, religious liberty protections and more.

Georgia lawmakers kept working late into the night Thursday to meet a key deadline and advance legislation that could change the state. Thursday was Transition Day, the last day of each legislative session during which legislation can move from one chamber of the Georgia Legislature to the other for consideration this year. In 14 hours, House and Senate lawmakers voted on more than 100 bills.

During the week leading up to Transition Day, Senators and Representatives worked overtime to get their bills through committee in time to be considered in plenary. Stay tuned to our 2024 Bill Tracker and read our Transition Day announcement to learn about the most anticipated bills.

Here are some of Thursday's highlights:

House of Representatives

• HB 1053:Prohibiting the use of CBDCs by Georgia state agencies (Adopted)
• Author:Rep. Carter Barrett (R-Cumming)
• Voting:136-32
• Review:This bill prohibits state agencies from using the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), which is the state's alternative to cryptocurrency. Citing privacy and security concerns, the bill prohibits Georgia's state government from using, accepting, or testing CBDCs.

• HB 1105:Law on Georgian Accounting and Reporting of Illegal Activities 2024 (Adopted)
• Author:Representative Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah)
• Voting:97-74
• Review:This bill provides for stricter penalties for sheriffs who refuse to report illegal immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and also requires mandatory public disclosure of the number of illegal immigrants held in correctional facilities. The bill also mandates that all eligible law enforcement agencies participate in the ICE 287(g) program or risk losing state funding.

• HB 1116:Rehabilitation of historical structures (Adopted)
• Author:Representative Debbie Buckner (D-Junction City)
• Voting:162-5
• Review:The bill expands the tax credit for the rehabilitation and preservation of buildings included in the National or Georgia Register of Historic Places, provided that several additional criteria are met. It also increases the total number of available credits, raising the cap to $60 million.

• HB 1125:Increase in the minimum wage for citizens of Georgia with disabilities (Adopted)
• Author:Representative Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta)
• Voting:160-0
• Review:The bill amends the federal labor law of 1938, allowing companies to pay disabled individuals less than the minimum wage. It is proposed to update the law, requiring companies to pay disabled individuals the federal minimum wage by July 1, 2026.

• HB 1146:Access to water for residential premises for workers (Adopted)
• Author:Ron Stevens (R-Savannah)
• Voting:105-58
• Review:In connection with Hyundai's expansion in Bryan County near Savannah, this bill will allow for faster construction of housing for workers by privatizing water permits in cases where state agencies cannot meet demand.

• HB 1180:Tax credit for film shoots (Adopted)
• Author:Representative Casey Carpenter (R-Dalton)
• Voting:131-34
• Review:This bill expands the rules for obtaining tax credits for film, television, and video game productions seeking tax credits in the state of Georgia. Under current legislation, productions must spend at least $500,000 to receive a 20% tax credit. The new law will raise the minimum amount to $1 million and include other incentives to encourage production companies to hire staff and suppliers based in Georgia.

• HR 780:Prohibition of voting for non-citizens (Not adopted)
• Author:Representative Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah)
• Voting:98-61
• Review:In response to states like California, Maryland, and Vermont allowing immigrants to participate in local elections, this resolution would create a barrier to similar legislation in Georgia. The bill proposed a ballot question for voters to determine whether only U.S. citizens would have the right to vote within the state, but it failed to secure a two-thirds majority in the House.

Senate

• SB 180:Law on the Protection of Religious Freedoms in Georgia (Adopted)
• Author:Senator Ed Setler (R-Equworth)
• Voting:33-19
• Review:The bill, which closely mirrors federal legislation of the same name, offers greater protection for religious communities by limiting the powers of state and local authorities to enact or enforce laws that contradict individuals' religious beliefs. Opponents of the bill argue that it could facilitate discrimination against various groups, such as women and the LGBTQ+ community.

• SB 390:Withdrawal from Membership in the American Library Association (Adopted)
• Author:Senator Larry Walker III (R-Perry)
• Voting:33-20
• Review:This bill deprives all libraries associated with the American Library Association of funding and also eliminates the State Board of Library Certification. While supporters of the bill argue that the separation is necessary to preserve Georgian values in the library environment, opponents point to numerous unforeseen consequences of withdrawing from the organization, especially for students pursuing a master's degree in library science within the state.

• SB 543:Regulation of Bingo Slot Machines (Adopted)
• Author:Senator Matt Brass (R-Newnan)
• Voting:47-4
• Review:This bill will allow the office of the Secretary of State to regulate electronic bingo slot machines, which are currently one of the three legal forms of gambling in the state of Georgia. It also increases the allowed payouts for playing bingo.

• SB 407:Report on Domestic Violence (Adopted)
• Author:Senator Donzella James (D-Atlanta)
• Voting:52-1
• Review:This bill amends the laws regarding reports of domestic violence, requiring law enforcement to take reports of domestic violence more seriously. It mandates that police create an incident report in response to domestic violence claims and note whether the incident involves an individual who currently has or previously had a protective order against them.