2021 Signed Legislation

Retirement and pensions; eligible large retirement system's assets that may be invested in alternative investments; increase percentage

Crimes and offenses; victims of stalking; expand applicability of protective orders

Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact Act; enact

Health; term limits for members of joint hospital authorities; provide

Torts; transfer of structured settlement payment rights; provide new requirements

Georgia Composite Medical Board; require certain training relating to sexual misconduct for members

Criminal procedure; revise certain arrest powers; provisions

Code Revision Commission; revise, modernize and correct errors or omissions

Labor, Department of; employment security; change certain provisions

Public Safety and Judicial Facilities Act; enact

Cohutta, City of; provide new charter

Crimes and offenses; provide for the crime of theft by possession of stolen mail

Property; conveyance of certain state owned property; authorize

Katie Poff Memorial Interchange; Baldwin County; dedicate

Savannah Logistics Technology Innovation Corridor; designate

Gardiner, Kenneth Eric; compensate

DeKalb County School Districts; boundaries of the City of Atlanta independent school systems are not extended by annexation; provide

Code Of Georgia; enactment of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; revise provisions

Early County; school district ad valorem taxes; educational purposes; provide homestead exemption

Professions and Businesses; patient protection measures for patients undergoing sedation in certain settings; provide

Georgia Commission on E-Commerce and Freight Infrastructure Funding; create

Charlotte Nash Intersection; Gwinnett County; dedicate

Ad valorem tax; qualified timberland property; add a definition

Georgia Carbon Sequestration Registry; inclusion of building products in construction; provisions

Heritage trust program; sale of Patrick's Fishing Paradise to a private entity; authorize

Permit Required for Burning Woods, Lands, and Marshes or Other Flammable Vegetation; except certain yard waste from permitting

Health; prohibit providers from discriminating against potential organ transplant recipients due solely to the physical or mental disability of the potential recipient

Public utilities and public transportation; prohibit governmental entities from adopting any policy that prohibits the connection or reconnection of any utility service based upon the type or source of energy or fuel

Fair Business Practices Act of 1975; solicitations of services for corporate filings required by the Secretary of State; provide for requirements

Special license plates; support breast cancer related programs; amend logo design

Sales and use tax; local authorities providing public water or sewer service; exempt

Highways, bridges, and ferries; proposal guaranty for bids upon certain projects; provide

Georgia Pharmacy Practice Act; pharmacy care; revise definition

Senator Johnny Isakson Bridge; Chatham County; dedicate

HOPE Scholarship; procedure for students with disability as defined by the American with Disabilities Act to apply for a waiver; establish

Education; State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to award high school diplomas; provide

"OneGeorgia Authority Act"; grant program to support border region retail and tourism projects; provide

Education; school climate rating does not include discipline data; provide

Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act; revise prior school year requirement

Office of College and Career Transitions; change name to the Office of College and Career Academies

Distilled spirits; initiate a referendum election for the authorization of the issuance of licenses; provide additional method

Health; eliminate duplicative state licensure and regulation of clinical laboratories; provisions

License Plates; specialty license plate supporting members of the United States Army Rangers; establish

Georgia State Indemnification Fund; replace the term National Guard with the term organized militia

Torts; provide certain immunities from liability claims regarding COVID-19; extend applicability for one year

Income tax; certain elections to be made by Subchapter "S" corporations and partnerships for the filing of tax returns and imposition of taxes; allow

Community Health, Department of; submit state plan amendment to implement express lane enrollment in Medicaid; direct

Motor vehicles; commercial driver's license; provide requirements for issuance

Motor vehicles; electronic submission of certain documentation required of manufacturers, distributors, dealers, secondary metals recyclers, used motor vehicle parts dealers, and scrap metal processors by the Department of Revenue; provide

Professions and businesses; podiatry; amend a provision relating to fingerprint and criminal background checks

Community Health, Department of; assess one or more provider matching payments on ambulance services; authorize

Georgia Telehealth Act; revise

Motor vehicles; clarify what constitutes an obstruction for purposes of exceptions to when a vehicle is to drive on the right side of roadway

Crimes and offenses; protection of elder persons; revise definitions

Bingo; transfer regulatory authority from Georgia Bureau of Investigation to Secretary of State

Special license plates; certified, volunteer, and retired firefighters; provide standards for proof of eligibility

Motor vehicles; number of required hours in the intervention component of DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Programs; reduce

Courts; increase minimum compensation for chief magistrates and others; provide

Newborn Screening and Genetics Advisory Committee; create

HOPE scholarships; add Georgia Independent School Association to the list of accrediting agencies

Alternative ad valorem tax; motor vehicles; revise definition of fair market value

Georgia Farmers' Market and Produce Terminal Development Authority Act; enact

Courts; oath for certain clerks of the probate court; require and provide

Professions and Businesses; grounds for refusing to grant or revoking a license; revise

Mechanics and Materialmen; waiver of lien and labor or material bond rights; conform a reference within a statutory form

Distilled Spirits; initiating a referendum election for the authorization of the issuance of licenses for the package sale of distilled spirits; modify the petition requirements

Elementary and Secondary Education; provision relating to student transportation; revise

Motor Vehicles; autonomous vehicles from certain vehicle equipment requirements; exempt

Bonds and Recognizances; appointed judges who are fulfilling a vacancy of an elected judge to issue an unsecured judicial release under certain circumstances; authorize

Contracts and Purchases by Public Schools; payment on guaranteed energy saving contracts; proceeds from local option sales taxes collected for educational purposes; provide

Ethics in Government; leadership committees; chairpersons; such committees may receive contributions and make expenditures; provide

Professional Licenses; extend the time a member of the military has to qualify for the issuance of a license; electrical contractor, plumber;

Buildings and Housing; procedures for alternative plan review, permitting, and inspection by private professional providers; provide

"Tax Credit Return on Investment Act of 2021"; enact

Georgia Foundation for Public Education; a nonprofit corporation created by the foundation to receive private donations to be used for grants to public schools; authorize

Education; Georgia Teacher of the Year shall be invited to serve as advisor ex officio to the State Board of Education; provide

Domestic relations; protection of children; strengthen, clarify, and update provisions

Culloden, City of; reduce city council to five members

State holidays; second Wednesday of February of each year as National Swearing-in Day in Georgia; provide

Jackson County; authority of the board of elections and registration to act in certain situations; provide

Insurance; revise meaning of property insurance; change parameters under which certain contracts or agreements may be canceled

Clayton County; Board of Education; change compensation of members

Sardis, City of; provide new charter

Pelham, City of; reduce size of city council; revise powers of mayor

Professions and businesses; exempt persons having completed Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training from required fingerprint submission for application to be licensed as a private guard, watchman, or patrolman

Bacon County; Board of Education; modify compensation of members

Motor vehicles; require registration application forms to include optional information regarding certain conditions which may interfere with a registrant's ability to communicate

Local government; imposing civil penalties upon an alarm systems contractor for a false alarm that occurs through no fault of alarm systems contractor; prohibit

City of Sylvester Public Facilities Authority Act; enact

Sylvester, City of; provide extraterritorial utility services; authorize

Social services; reasonable access to records concerning reports of child abuse to the Administrative Office of the Courts; provide

Criminal procedure; add DFCS case managers to people for whom arrest warrants may be issued only by certain judicial officers

Clay County; Board of Education; change compensation of members

Brantley County; Board of Commissioners; authorize chairperson to make and second motions and vote on all matters

Perry, City of; levy an excise tax

Georgia Crime Information Center; develop a system to collect information on an individual's ability to communicate with law enforcement or emergency responders; provisions

Brookhaven, City of; filling of vacancies in the offices of mayor and councilmembers; provisions

Stewart County; Board of Commissioners; revise provisions relating to purchases and bids

Pickens County board of elections and registration; provide abolition of board on a date certain

Bleckley County; probate judge; provide nonpartisan elections

Bleckley County; Probate Court; charge technology fee

City of Hapeville Public Facilities Authority Act; enact

Sylvester, City of; ward residence requirements for city councilmembers; provide

Whitfield County Public Facilities Authority Act; enact

Euharlee, City of; revise corporate limits

Pendergrass, City of; add two new members to city council

Fort Valley, City of; Utility Commission; add three appointed members

Coweta County Public Facilities Authority Act; enact

Atlanta, City of; urban enterprise zones; provide for findings and purpose

Fulton Technology and Energy Enhancement Authority; create

Fort Oglethorpe, City of; Redevelopment Powers Law; provide for a referendum

Catoosa County; Redevelopment Powers Law; provide for a referendum

Royston, City of; city council posts; provide

DeKalb County; State Court; provide definitions

City of Chickamauga Public Facilities Authority Act; enact

Wayne County Altamaha River and Leisure Services Authority Act; enact

Richmond County; Board of Education; modify compensation of members

Clarkston Development Authority Act; repeal

Fannin County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

State-Wide Probation System; conditions and procedures under which probation may be terminated early; revise

Counties and Municipal Corporations; "fence detection system"; define the term; counties, consolidated governments, and municipalities regulate or prohibit such system; limit the ability

Child Advocate Advisory Committee; composition; revise

License Plates; individuals who served in the armed forces for an ally of the United States during active military combat; provide a veteran's license plate

Lumpkin County; board of commissioners; qualifications for the county manager; revise

Lincoln County; board of elections and registration; reconstitute and reestablish