Special Rules committee advances multiple ceremonial designations, a blood-plasma awareness day and a reinsurance resolution to Rules

At a meeting of the Georgia House Special Rules Committee, members advanced eight measures to the House Rules calendar after short presentations and unanimous voice votes. The measures include ceremonial designations (state heritage animals and cultural observances), a bill recognizing a blood-plasma awareness day and a House resolution explaining reinsurance.

The items matter because several create official state recognitions used in proclamations and outreach, while one resolution (House Resolution 40) draws attention to reinsurance, a financial tool insurers use to manage risk. The blood-plasma recognition bill proponents said the awareness day could support donor drives and public-education efforts.

Representative Douglas introduced House Resolution 40 (LC610056), described during the hearing as explaining “reinsurance,” the practice by which an insurer transfers risk to a reinsurer to manage capital and limit exposure to large losses. Douglas told the committee that reinsurance “is a risk management tool that helps the insurer manage capital and protect against large losses.” The committee moved the resolution forward by voice vote with a second and no recorded opposition.

Lawmakers also advanced several honorary-designation bills after brief remarks from authors. Representative Dennis Sharper asked the committee to recognize a second Monday in August each year as Local Elected Officials Day in Georgia, clarifying, “This is not a day off holiday. It's just recognition of our locally elected officials, day in Georgia.” Representative Cameron asked the committee to name the Marsh Tacky horse the state heritage horse (LC620080). Representative Howard presented a bill to designate the Pineywoods cattle as the state heritage cattle breed (LC620092). Representative Sheila Jones requested the first week in April be designated Women’s Golf Week (HB718, LC590125). Representative Angela Moore presented HB65 (LC442911) to designate the collard green and its pot liquor as Georgia’s official dipping sauce. Representative Rhonda Taylor asked the committee to designate April as Black Women’s History Month in Georgia (HB146, LC473231); Taylor said the bill previously passed the committee and “got kind of stuck at the last week of the session.”

Representative (name in transcript recorded as) Noel Cahan presented House Bill 620 (LC570244) to designate February 17 of each year as Blood Plasma Donation Awareness Day. Medical researcher Faquan Stafford addressed the committee in support, telling members that “the demand for plasma protein therapies is soaring representing a global market of billions” and that those therapies are “the lifelines of individuals suffering from a range of medical deficiencies.” Stafford cited historical figures in blood storage and transfusion research while urging state-level recognition to support outreach and donor recruitment. A committee member noted interest in coordinating the awareness designation with the House’s Gold Dome blood drive scheduled for March 13.

Each measure reported here was the subject of a motion to “do pass,” received a second, and was advanced to the Rules calendar by voice vote. Committee members said “aye” with no roll-call tallies recorded in the hearing transcript and no members announced in opposition. The committee did not reopen testimony for items presented at earlier hearings.

Votes at a glance (action and immediate outcome from the hearing): - HB 259 (LC394556): designate second Monday in August as Local Elected Officials Day — motion to do pass made and seconded; advanced to Rules by voice vote. - HB 466 (LC620080): designate Marsh Tacky horse as state heritage horse — motion to do pass made and seconded; advanced to Rules by voice vote. - HB 493 (LC620092): designate Pineywoods cattle as state heritage cattle breed — motion to do pass made and seconded; advanced to Rules by voice vote. - HR 40 (LC610056): resolution describing reinsurance — motion to do pass made and seconded; advanced to Rules by voice vote. - HB 146 (LC473231): designate April as Black Women’s History Month (state recognition) — motion to do pass made and seconded; advanced to Rules by voice vote. - HB 65 (LC442911): designate collard greens and pot liquor as state dipping sauce — introduced; hearing only today; advanced to further consideration (hearing status noted in transcript). - HB 718 (LC590125): designate first week in April as Women’s Golf Week — motion to do pass made and seconded; advanced to Rules by voice vote. - HB 620 (LC570244): designate February 17 as Blood Plasma Donation Awareness Day — motion to do pass made and seconded; advanced to Rules by voice vote.

Speakers who presented or provided testimony during the hearing included bill authors and one outside witness. The committee did not record roll-call vote tallies in the transcript; all recorded votes were voice votes with no recorded opposition.

The committee did not adopt policy changes or budgetary directives in this session; most bills are honorary recognitions or awareness designations and were advanced without additional committee amendments. The resolution on reinsurance was described for informational purposes and sent forward. Proponents of the blood-plasma awareness day said they intend to coordinate outreach through social media, community events, hospitals and health centers.

The committee indicated forms and procedural steps for members to carry the passed measures to the chairman’s office for scheduling on the Rules calendar. No formal implementation dates or appropriation amounts were included in the hearing record.

Ending: All measures were advanced to the House Rules calendar by voice vote; the committee hearing adjourned after the last item.