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Votes at a glance: Georgia House Day 40 — several Senate substitutes adopted, multiple bills pass unanimously or with wide support
Summary
On Day 40 the Georgia House agreed to Senate substitutes or passed a string of bills on the rules calendar, including measures on price-rounding (HB1112), family justice centers (HB1283), foster parent rights (HB256), higher education (SB556), and veteran license plates (SB76); most measures passed with large majorities or unanimous consent.
The Georgia House on Day 40 moved through a packed rules calendar, adopting Senate substitutes and passing several bills by voice or recorded vote before a lunch recess.
Among the bills that the House agreed to were:
- House Bill 1112 (penny rounding): Representative Carter Barrett explained the measure as guidance for retailers after the U.S. Treasury curtailed penny production; the House agreed to the Senate substitute (yeas 163, nays 4).
- House Bill 1283 (family justice centers): Representative Panitch explained a Senate amendment authorizing family justice centers and an evidence-retention provision; the House approved the amendment and substitute by unanimous consent.
- House Bill 506 (medical assistance / EMS surprise-billing language): Chairman Hilton said the original tobacco-cessation language was replaced with EMS surprise-billing language previously passed; the House agreed to the substitute (yeas 168, nays 2).
- House Bill 256 (foster parent bill of rights): Representative Gullett said the Senate added recording-access provisions for juvenile court proceedings; the House agreed to the substitute (yeas 171, nays 0).
- House Bill 1215 (judgeships): Representative Butch Parish explained additional judgeships added by the Senate substitute for several judicial circuits; the House agreed (yeas 117, nays 0).
- Senate Bill 76 (license plates / veterans eligibility): Representative McCollum said the bill adds medal recipients to veterans' eligibility for specialty tags and removes tag stickers; the House passed SB76 (yeas 168, nays 2).
- House Bill 659 (rural medical assistance / optometrists): Representative Gerald Green said optometrists were added to the service-cancelable loan program; the House agreed to the Senate amendment (yeas 164, nays 8).
- Senate Bill 556 (higher education package): Representative Chuck Martin presented a multipart bill (including a need-based DREAM scholarship and counting advanced fine arts toward HOPE GPA); the House passed SB556 (yeas 167, nays 2).
Most items were advanced after rules committee substitutes were adopted on the floor; a number of measures were adopted unanimously or with large margins. Privilege resolutions honoring community leaders and local awards were adopted before recess.
Ending: The House recessed for lunch after completing the morning orders and calendar actions; several passed measures will either return to the Senate for concurrence or move to enrollment depending on subsequent procedural steps.
