[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6116547,"mediaKeyId","2732726-c698021f9b3ff44b726b828c70e62b7a","parentId",2732726,"title","Votes at a Glance: Selected House Bills and Local Measures Passed by the Georgia Senate","audioSeconds",371,"startMs",6320000,"endMs",6691000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2732726-c698021f9b3ff44b726b828c70e62b7a&start=6320&end=6691","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2732726-c698021f9b3ff44b726b828c70e62b7a/thumbnail_6320000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6116547/Georgia/Votes-at-a-Glance-Selected-House-Bills-and-Local-Measures-Passed-by-the-Georgia-Senate","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116547-b1fae49b96fb69f952791ae09457525d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771028684&Signature=m8nK~kgYxdEFfz37v4zbx269qtYLjra8W-j5AHx7twC-HZHVRvlEO93mRXo1s~CYeWRWTUFwn4c4hmI1w~95HcFNYF533aORd4G8znA-qvXuI27OgfGvnzxmR3QqKjgapjWXTPXzkju-wyIvqPbZiCzpqx7THpbYrf6VplAZmgq85lcxNXOud3u8RkNeUwZpyPl5kTOFl2yJlIcJtmWv1fP1hwK2LODHc8U2vdRy33C~yJAhjBncJt2tNQFQOhM0jjdix3N7S8pYUnYNfnvO23rjzERT2-ayvV8qzhbxyymrmg8myiooT2ZaXWMB0XGVWEBeM26Njlq8KPNQHwKxfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","GA State Legislature ","date","2025-03-21T00:00:00Z","article","The Georgia State Senate took final floor action Friday on several House bills and local measures. Below are selected items from the floor with the outcome recorded in the transcript.

House Bill 58 (Unmanned Aircraft/Drone operations near ticketed events): The Senate adopted a committee substitute restricting certain unmanned aircraft systems from flying within 400 feet of a ticketed entertainment event, with exceptions for FAA‑authorized operations and explicit consent. The bill passed the Senate by substitute, recorded as ayes 53, nays 2.

House Bill 159 (Georgia Housing Finance Authority bond limit increase for Georgia Dream program): The Senate approved a measure to raise the outstanding bond limit used to fund the Georgia Dream homeownership program (mortgage revenue bonds) to $6 billion to allow the authority to continue mortgage assistance. The recorded vote on the floor was ayes 49, nays 6.

House Bill 331 (Animal protections; certain transfers prohibited): The Senate passed the House substitute; the on‑floor tally recorded in the transcript was ayes 53, nays 1.

Other local home‑rule and homestead exemptions (examples): The Senate agreed to House or committee substitutes for a number of local homestead exemption bills and local consent calendar items; many passed by voice consensus or recorded unanimous consent on the floor (transcript indicates multiple local bills were approved with no objections and some unanimous recorded tallies).

What to watch next: For each passed bill, the official enrolled text and certified vote totals in the Senate journal and the Secretary of the Senate’s enrolled bills list should be consulted for final counts, effective dates and any contingent provisions. Several of these items passed with committee substitutes adopted on the floor.

Ending: The Senate adjourned the session at the close of floor business and scheduled committee meetings and further floor business according to the posted calendar.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Legislative Day 34 | 2025 Legislative Session | 03/21/2025 (Senate) ","oneSentenceSummary","On Friday the Senate passed multiple House bills and local measures on varied topics including unmanned aircraft restrictions, housing finance bond limits and animal‑protection measures. Tally highlights below reflect recorded floor votes in the session transcript.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Georgia , Georgia","taxId",77688,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6116552,"Senate Advances Measure to Exempt Military Retirement Income from State Income Tax",1323,6009000,7332000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2732726-c698021f9b3ff44b726b828c70e62b7a&start=6009&end=7332","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2732726-c698021f9b3ff44b726b828c70e62b7a/thumbnail_6009000.jpg","/articles/6116552/Georgia/Senate-Advances-Measure-to-Exempt-Military-Retirement-Income-from-State-Income-Tax","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116552-a63a8e84045db578ac7f59c6331363f8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771028684&Signature=Hx0FQXjC63vD7cqbTdK6tR~atoa~mze4Fb6XZ7IUyWecUoXanc4vQjF~sy3LoJihqe48oWWNuySvuQ~6~M0fws8b32Qmqea0WnpmX2Yl76MNtC5d8CBycA76z0yUxEPPFKC490KbN~BqaBBjfNNRXZyIKFqRKZUCFzblfp1iCFQ8yM5Af254cNpAg4JVGqcQW2ytgDeXHb62ol8U0XI3jQDUszqliwrBeFW8wKEClvZA0BLzeevJMU0ZtEmSfvfuDGJd08s5BlTThwqK8bb1NQYdrqIexEs~y-H2eVezVs4wKs9nHfW6GbzjMRedYMkrPG-xuLJ5mqqkzWybbLjQPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Georgia Senate advanced and approved amended language tied to House Bill 266 that exempts certain military retirement income and related compensation from state income tax.

Senators said the change is intended to help about 95,000 retired service members who live in Georgia and to make the state more attractive as a retirement destination for veterans. Supporters described the measure as a modest, targeted tax cut for veterans and noted it mirrors Senate Bill 31’s language that had previously passed the chamber.

Opponents cautioned about the bill’s fiscal impact. One senator on the floor noted a fiscal‑note range the legislature received showing a fiscal-year cost from roughly $23 million to $58 million, with many speakers citing an estimated midpoint near $40 million per year and warning that state revenues already face reductions from prior enacted measures. Supporters responded that income‑tax collections total roughly $16 billion and that the change represents a small portion of that revenue and a policy priority for the session.

Action on the floor included debate over the fiscal note and the bill’s alignment with Senate Bill 31 language. Senators also discussed programmatic goals: supporters said the change could encourage veterans to retire in Georgia and cited bipartisan support.

The substitute reported by the Senate Finance Committee (chair: Senator Huffstetler) reflected prior senate language exempting military retirement benefits. The committee offered a substitute and the Senate “perfected” House Bill 266 on the floor; the sponsor noted the substitute is substantively identical to the Senate version of SB 31.

Vote and next steps: The substitute advanced on the floor; the transcript records floor debate and committee reports in support. The transcript includes a fiscal‑note range (estimated $23 million to $58 million full fiscal year) discussed by senators on the floor. The bill’s final enrolled text and official recorded vote as sent to the Governor should be confirmed in the official Senate journal and enrolled bill text.","The Senate debated and approved language tied to House Bill 266 to exempt certain military retirement and service-related compensation from Georgia income tax; supporters framed it as a targeted tax cut for veterans while opponents flagged a multi‑million dollar fiscal impact.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6116557,"Georgia Senate Agrees to House Substitute on Broad Tort-Reform Measure After Heated Debate",3115,8320000,11435000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2732726-c698021f9b3ff44b726b828c70e62b7a&start=8320&end=11435","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2732726-c698021f9b3ff44b726b828c70e62b7a/thumbnail_8320000.jpg","/articles/6116557/Georgia/Georgia-Senate-Agrees-to-House-Substitute-on-Broad-Tort-Reform-Measure-After-Heated-Debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116557-d58618e70a5e3d5d55e8aa955e2c5d0c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771028684&Signature=fTx0iSlCaHoVuIbtTkorQObr8xkc6BepBtodVZpLAN2WVV89RxV5~nflYGkI9FuhZvVNl2gDGqRVB3beB5HcYFlDFvcLB3MFDw7V9PcupP~mOMQsFtKU6qPSq9fka3KaLrCP~TOKoc4oZulozDwGsY8PkMQ5a1YXXo61JEvJTq4n7i2ZOckiEs4cX-s00BmhUmsX53hQCceqQGTNnOqCTet4-m027NFft9rk4QEmS4aPGZK2U1abEfsjc5Q0BbYqn5TxLcI6eZwedyFfSe5wLAFywM3KdH2XT7wjL2BD2l2cJ-F1br~XyDoXZ1FKNgvSCnpZSUsIEWLCzPbcUSDXSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Georgia State Senate on Friday approved the House substitute to Senate Bill 68, a wide-ranging tort-reform measure that revises rules on civil practice, evidentiary matters, damages and certain premises-liability claims.

Senate proponents said the bill will rebalance Georgia's civil justice system and reduce litigation-related costs for businesses and insurers; opponents said the measure would make it harder for many victims to obtain justice.

Senator Kennedy (18th District), the bill sponsor, told colleagues the substitute incorporates months of work between the governor's office, the House and Senate committees, and outside stakeholders and “strikes that needed balance.” The sponsor outlined changes the House made on timing for damage arguments, voluntary-dismissal timing, seat-belt evidence and bifurcation procedures.

Opponents repeatedly warned the bill would limit remedies for victims of negligence or criminal conduct on private property. Senator Parens (40th District), who offered Amendment 1 to expand carve-outs for victims under 18 and those 65 and older, described multiple Georgia criminal cases and argued: “If these lawsuit reforms pass, the victims in these cases may never get their day in court.” The Senate voted down Amendment 1 (yeas 22, nays 32).

Sponsor and supporters said the substitute preserves causes of action for trafficking victims and that the bill excludes civil claims tied to specific trafficking statutes; it also leaves many traditional tort claims intact, they said. Senate floor debate included requests for clarity on how the bill would interact with existing anti‑trafficking statutes and with prior laws giving civil remedies to trafficking victims.

After debate, the President Pro Tempore moved to agree to the House substitute; the motion carried (ayes 34, nays 21). The House later had passed its substitute; the Senate’s vote to agree moves the revised language forward.

What the bill does: the substitute makes procedural reforms (timing of damage arguments, mandamus when courts delay motions), narrows or clarifies some forms of recoverable “phantom” or billed damages, revises voluntary‑dismissal timing, preserves trial‑court discretion on seat‑belt evidence, clarifies bifurcation rules and includes a premises liability section that provides limited protection for owners against certain types of negligent‑security claims while expressly excluding claims arising from covered criminal trafficking offenses in chapter 6 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

What happened on the floor: Amendment 1 (offered by Senator Parens, 40th District) to add express protection for victims under 18 and victims 65 and older failed 22–32. The motion to agree to the House substitute passed 34–21.

Next steps: With the Senate’s agreement to the House substitute, the bill proceeds per the legislative process to the next step specified by chamber procedure.

Context: Supporters, including the governor’s office and business groups, framed SB 68 as a needed correction to litigation costs they say raise insurance and business expenses; critics including plaintiff attorneys and victim advocates argued the measure would remove accountability and reduce deterrence that civil suits provide.

Ending note: The floor debate repeatedly returned to whether the bill would meaningfully lower insurance premiums without independent oversight of insurers; several senators urged additional transparency and data from insurers before broad legal changes were enacted.","After hours of debate and a failed amendment to expand carve-outs for child and elderly victims, the Georgia Senate voted to agree to the House substitute for Senate Bill 68, a comprehensive tort-reform package changing civil-practice rules, damages testimony and premises-liability standards.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a Glance: Selected House Bills and Local Measures Passed by the Georgia Senate

Senate Advances Measure to Exempt Military Retirement Income from State Income Tax

Georgia Senate Agrees to House Substitute on Broad Tort-Reform Measure After Heated Debate