Ways and Means advances package of tax and regulatory bills, including scholarship cap increase and vaping registry

The Georgia House Ways and Means Committee on a late-session day advanced a package of tax and regulatory bills, moving them to the full committee by voice votes after debate, public testimony and a handful of amendments.

The most substantial policy change approved on the floor was a revision to the state's scholarship tax-credit program that raises the cap on available credits from $120 million to $140 million and changes several program mechanics. Lawmakers also moved forward a vaping-product registry bill that drew lengthy public testimony from retail operators and law-enforcement officials, a small-employer individual coverage reimbursement proposal, a military pay exemption measure, and other local tax and historic-preservation items.

The scholarship credit bill (HB 328, substitute LC501172S) was presented as an update to existing scholarship tax-credit rules. Committee discussion recorded the bill would: increase the program cap from $120 million to $140 million; allow insurance companies to participate at higher total levels but at a smaller percentage of their policy taxes; clarify that corporate-level tax credits cannot be rolled over to the next corporate tax year; allow unfunded subscription amounts to be reapplied at 95 percent after July 1 of each year; and (as introduced) extend the funding deadline for subscriptions from 60 days to 120…