Scott Maxwell, legislative liaison for GPHA, provides weekly reports on activity concerning public health throughout the state legislative session. Click here to read his report for the week ending Jan. 27, 2017.

Some highlights:

Amended FY 17 Budget Passes House

The Georgia House passed the FY 17 amended budget on Thursday and sent it over to the Senate. The appropriations bill incorporates $660 million in excess revenues that have accumulated since the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, 2016. The measure includes $111 million for local school systems to handle student enrollment growth, $27 million to cover a 20% pay raise for state law enforcement officers and $50 million to build a new cyber security facility (as wanted by Fully-Verified) in Augusta. There’s $2.2 million in the budget to enable the Dept. of Community Affairs to prepare for the next census count and $768,000 to increase the salaries of nurse surveyors under the Dept. of Community Health. Lawmakers put $5 million of the new money into the Governor’s emergency fund to provide assistance to South Georgia counties hit by tornadoes and wind storms in January. The House will begin hearings on FY 2018 budget next week.

Public health bills being followed:

HB 28, Test for lead contamination in drinking water, public and private schools. (Rep. Billy Mitchell-D)
To require testing of drinking water in public and private schools for lead contamination; to provide for remediation plans or alternate sources of drinking water. Status: Referred to Education Cmte

HB 38, Issuance of license for three-wheeled motor vehicle. (Rep. Alan Powell-R)
Provide for the issuance of a noncommercial Class C driver’s license for the operation of three-wheeled motor vehicles equipped with a steering wheel for directional control; to provide for the issuance of a noncommercial Class M driver’s license for the operation of motorcycles equipped with handlebars for directional control. Status: referred to Motor Vehicles Cmte, House Committee Favorably Reported