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Votes at a glance: Georgia House passes a package of bills on Feb. 25, 2025
Summary
The Georgia House approved a set of bills Feb. 25, 2025, covering natural resources, veterans’ life insurance language, Medicaid glucose monitor coverage for gestational diabetes, pension investment rules, an interstate massage compact, manufacturing tax exemptions, foster-support tax credits, truck weight rules, and a licensing tracking system.
The Georgia House approved a group of bills on Feb. 25, 2025, covering a range of policy areas. Below are the key outcomes, sponsors and brief descriptions. Vote counts are taken from the official roll calls recorded on the floor.
- House Bill 287 (Environment / DNR updates). Presenter: Chairman Rhodes. The bill updates code references and amendments to the Environmental Protection Division, clarifies courtesy hunting and fishing license definitions (expands disabled courtesy licenses to include more residents and nonresidents), standardizes a youth age category to 16, and adjusts shellfish master-harvester license pricing (packages of up to 10 for $200; unlimited at $400). House passage recorded: yeas 171, nays 0. (Committee: Game, Fish and Parks.)
- House Bill 182 (Group life insurance for service members). Presenter: Representative Lumsden. A Department of Insurance bill clarifying that being on active duty alone is not a valid reason to deny group life insurance claims; sponsors noted that only a minority of military personnel see combat and sought to prevent inappropriate claim denials. House passage recorded: yeas 171, nays 0. (Committee: Insurance.)
- House Bill 352 (Continuous glucose monitors — Medicaid & gestational diabetes). Presenter: Representative Seebaugh. Amendment ensures Medicaid covers continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for pregnant women with gestational diabetes when prescribed by a physician; sponsors argued CGMs reduce obstetric complications and long-term diabetes risk. House passage recorded: yeas 169, nays 2. (Committee: Public and Community Health.)
- House Bill 78 (Retirement systems alternative investments). Presenter: Representative Franklin. The bill raises caps on alternative investments: Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) allocation from 5% to 10% and firefighters’ pension alternative investments from 15% to 20% (as presented on the floor). Sponsors said the change helps diversify portfolios and seek higher returns to support future COLAs; opponents raised risk concerns about private equity liquidity and transparency. House passage recorded: yeas 161, nays 9. (Committee: Retirement.)
- House Bill 232 (Interstate Massage Compact). Presenter: Representative Silcox. The bill joins an interstate compact to create a multi-state licensure pathway for massage therapists, raises required training to 625 hours to align with neighboring states, and establishes a compact board to govern reciprocity. House passage recorded: yeas 165, nays 5. (Committee: Regulated Industries.)
- House Bill 153 (Ready-mix concrete / manufacturing tax exemption extension). Presenter: Representative Beth Camp. Extends a sales and use tax exemption covering manufacturing equipment and clarifies inclusion of ready-mix concrete transport equipment, extending relief through 06/30/2031. House passage recorded: yeas 168, nays 3. (Committee: Ways & Means.)
- House Bill 136 (Foster child support tax credit expansion). Presenter: Representative Newton. Expands and strengthens tax-credit support for organizations serving foster youth and those aging out of care; increases maximum annual credit-cap language (sponsors referenced raising the program ceiling from $20 million toward $30 million maximums) and limits overhead so most funds go directly to services, including tuition, mentoring-subsistence supports and program wraparound services. House passage recorded: yeas 170, nays 2. (Committee: Ways & Means.)
- House Bill 164 (Truck dimensions/weights sunset repeal). Presenter: Representative Meeks. The bill removes a sunset provision to make higher allowable truck weight limits permanent for certain forestry and transport uses. Sponsors said it assists recovery and efficiency after Hurricane Helene. House passage recorded: yeas 164, nays 9. (Committee: Transportation.)
- House Bill 34 (Continuing education tracking system / Secretary of State). Presenter: Representative Washburn. The bill directs the Secretary of State’s office to establish an online continuing-education tracking and licensing renewal system for professional boards under that office; sponsors said it will improve compliance and reduce paperwork. House passage recorded: yeas 171, nays 2. (Committee: Regulated Industries.)
Other actions on the calendar included adoption of Senate Resolution 7 (state road dedications), which passed 174-0.
What to watch next: Most of these measures now move to the Senate for consideration. Implementation details for insurance and Medicaid items (HB 182, HB 352) and new licensing/tracking rules (HB 34) will depend on administrative rulemaking and agency guidance.
