2017 Legislative Session
February 10, 2017
Session Enters Active Mid‐Stretch
Committee activity continues at an active pace as legislators strive to make the most of each legislative day. Hearings begin early in the morning and last into the evening as hundreds of bills and resolutions are deliberated.
Next week, the General Assembly will meet Tuesday through Friday. There is plenty of time left in the 2017 session for members to move their initiatives through the legislative process, but the calendar will become a factor as the midway point approaches.
Veterinary Medicine Day at the Capitol
Wednesday, February 8 was recognized as Veterinary Medicine Day at the Capitol and the Association addressed members of the Senate to offer the group as a resource for animal and public health concerns. Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee Chairman John Wilkinson (R‐Toccoa) hosted the group and released a press release celebrating the day, available online here.
Thanks to all the members who traveled to Atlanta to participate in this important day of advocacy and education.
Licensing Issues
SB 2: The FAST Act by Sen. Mike Dugan, R‐Carrollton
Heard in the Senate Economic Development & Tourism Committee on 2/7
SB 2 attempts to support Georgia’s businesses by creating efficiency and transparency in the permitting and licensing process at the state and local level. The bill has been amended to require that an applicant initially only pay 50% of permitting or licensing fees, with the balance to be paid before the license, certificate or permit is issued. The legislation requires state and local government agencies to establish a fee schedule that will include turnaround times. If the agency fails to meet that schedule, the fee will be reduced by 10% for every ten days past the deadline. In addition, agencies will be required to offer expedited processing, which can be no more than twice the original fee.
Section 3 of the bill also requires each professional licensing board to establish rules to issue provisional licenses for individuals who have been previously licensed by the board or who have been licensed for that profession in another state. The boards are permitted to refuse to issue provisional licenses, but only if they can determine that doing so would pose a significant danger to the life, health or safety of the public.
HB 55: PLB Term Limits by Rep. Rick Williams, R‐Milledgeville
Pending in the House Regulated Industries Committee
Freshman legislator Rick Williams has filed his first bill, which imposes an eight consecutive‐year term limit on members of all professional licensing boards appointed to a term beginning on or after July 1, 2017.
Professional Issues
HB 40: Veterinary Records by Rep. Scot Turner, R‐Holly Springs
Pending in the House Rules Committee
Representative Scot Turner has reintroduced legislation that requires a veterinarian to disclose the rabies vaccination history of any animal in the veterinarian’s care to the physician caring for a person bitten by that animal. The veterinarian has 24 hours from receipt of the written request from the physician to supply the vaccination history. This version is identical to the compromise the Association reached with the author last year, which limited the scope of the request to rabies. The bill is eligible for placement on the House debate calendar.
HB 231: Annual Drug Update by Rep. Bruce Broadrick, R‐Dalton
Pending in the House Judiciary Non‐Civil Committee
HB 231 is the annual drug update bill, which changes and reclassifies provisions related to controlled substances. Of particular interest to veterinarians, the bill classifies Carfentanil and Thiafentanil as Schedule II controlled substances. The Association is also monitoring a number of other bills related to illicit drugs laced with fentanyl.
Animal Welfare and Regulatory Issues
HB 253: Dog and Cat Sterilization by Rep. Wendell Willard, R‐Sandy Springs
Assigned to the House Motor Vehicles Committee on 2/7
HB 253 increases the proportion of money derived from the sale of specialty license plates promoting the dog and cat reproductive sterilization support program from $10 to $19 per tag. The non‐profit organization Humane Pet Association of Georgia collected signatures from over 60 House members in support of the legislation.
HB 288: Service Animals by Rep. Tom Kirby, R‐Loganville
Assigned to the House Judiciary Non‐Civil Committee on 2/8
Similar to legislation the author introduced last year, HB 288 provides for additional rights and responsibilities for persons with service animals. Pat of the author’s intent is to limit abuse of service animal and companion animal protections.
HB 313: Dog Bite History by Rep. Keisha Waites, D‐Atlanta
Assigned to the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee on 2/10
HB 313 requires a person transferring ownership of a dog of a certain breed to provide the new owner an informational brochure produced by the Department of Public Health that includes various statistics on dog bites.
HB 144: Regulate Retail Pet Stores by Rep. Earl Ehrhart, R‐Powder Springs
Pending in the House Rules Committee
Offered by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, HB 144 creates a new class of pet dealers licensed by the Department. These licensed retail pet store owners must administer certain inoculations before selling an animal and must guarantee the animals for 14 days (increased from the 10 days previously reported) after sale to ensure only healthy animals are sold. It prohibits local governments from adopting ordinances that ban the otherwise legal sale of animals from retailers licensed by the bill. The Association has worked with the Council on various medical components of the legislation and suggested revisions have been incorporated. Having been favorably reported from the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, the bill is now eligible for full debate.
HB 49: Livestock Dealers and Market Operators by Rep. Clay Pirkle, R‐Ashburn
Pending in the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee
This legislation updates license and surety requirements of livestock dealers and livestock market operators. It also requires the Commissioner of Agriculture to publish the names and locations of duly‐licensed dealers and market operators.
SB 21: African Pygmy Hedgehogs by Sen. Josh McKoon, R‐Columbus
Pending in the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee
Exempts the African pygmy hedgehog from wild animal licensing permit requirements if the animal is sterilized and vaccinated. A version of this legislation has been introduced for the last several years.
HB 50: Livestock Liability Protection by Rep. Clay Pirkle, R‐Ashburn
Pending in the House Judiciary Committee
HB 50 provides liability protection for certain activities related to livestock and requires every livestock activity sponsor, livestock professional and owner of a livestock facility to post signage warning patrons that they are not liable for the injury or death of a participant in livestock activities. The definition of “livestock activity” is limited to nonprofit events like school fieldtrips where the participants engage with livestock.
Public Health and Safety Issues
HB 176: Food Standards by Rep. Tom McCall, R‐Elberton
Adopted by the House on 2/9
HB 176 authorizes Georgia’s Department of Agriculture to enter into agreement with the federal government to enforce provisions of certain federal laws relating to standards, labeling, and adulteration of food.
SB 78: Adulteration and Misbranding of Food by Sen. Lee Anderson, R‐Grovetown
Adopted by the Senate on 2/8
This bill authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture to issue a variance or waiver to certain rules and regulations promulgated by the Department relating to the adulteration and misbranding of food.
The next legislative report will be available on February 17