Legislators prepare for new session

VALDOSTA -- New Year, new laws.

The arrival of 2020 brings a new legislative session in the Georgia General Assembly. The Valdosta Daily Times spoke with local state Reps. James Burchett, John Corbett, John LaHood, Dexter Sharper and state Sen. Ellis Black to preview what issues they will focus on and what bills they plan to sponsor and/or carry when they return to the golden dome in Atlanta.

Medicaid waivers

Rep. Dexter Sharper, D-Valdosta, said Georgia still needs to cover nearly 500,000 Georgians who are still without insurance. Full Medicaid expansion, he said, would take the burden off of local emergency rooms and hospitals serving people who are not covered.

In November, Gov. Brian Kemp announced a plan to pursue waivers, what some have called limited Medicaid expansion, that would require uninsured residents to work a minimum of 80 hours monthly to qualify for Medicaid assistance. Described as a "conservative reform" by Kemp's office, opponents argued that having limited Medicaid expansions, or waivers, is not a long-term solution.

"We really need to still figure out a way to help the uninsured in the whole entire state of Georgia," Sharper said. "In the meantime, we're waiting to see what's going to happen with the waivers that the governor is putting together to try and help some of the uninsured, but that's really going to be just a bandaid on a situation because you're still going to have several people that are uninsured."

Senior care

Rep. James LaHood, R-Valdosta, said media coverage of the senior-care industry should spark some new legislation. Citing the majority of his expertise being in the senior-care industry, he said he will closely monitor any legislation about the issue and possibly sponsor a bill.

"Right now, I'm just working closely with some advocacy groups and Chairman Sharon Cooper of the Health & Human Services Committee, as well as Jesse Petrea of the Human Relations & Aging Committee as we work with the Department of Community Health and other advocacy groups and industry associations to draft any needed legislation to address these issues," LaHood said.

Timber

Rep. John Corbett, R-Lake Park, said he would try to expedite the state to adopt new standards of the International Building Code. The IBC adopted the standards for a new wood called cross-laminted timber, but it usually takes Georgia three-to-four years to adopt new IBC standards, Corbett said.

"Theres's some stuff to allow for taller buildings to be built out of wood," Corbett said. "This new technology they've got out called mass timber, or cross-laminated timber. Right now they're limited to five stories, and this new technology allows them to go much taller."

Representing 6 counties with significant timber industries, Corbett will look to push legislation regarding cross-laminated timber.

Additionally, he mentioned being a member of the House Rural Development Council. Holding a meeting on Jan. 10, members will discuss upcoming legislation, from broadband to healthcare to trying to get more Georgia Grown products into our schools and prisons, Corbett said.

Teacher retirement

Sen. Ellis Black, R-Valdosta, said he has a variety of retirement bills that interest him but does not know how viable their passage would be because of cost concerns. He mentioned he would look at retirement programs, particularly for teachers, but did not know if Kemp would have the appetite.

Additionally, Black said he will reintroduce a bill previously passed but vetoed by Kemp. The bill, a change to the licensing boards for veterinarians, was vetoed because it did not go through the proper review process.

Vaping

Sharper will look into vaping and e-cigarette use for the upcoming session. He noted the complexity of the issue because some residents use vaping and e-cigarettes as a way to reduce nicotine consumption.

"It hasn't been proven and they can't say that vaping or e-cigarettes is a way to stop smoking per se, but the study shows that a lot of people are moving towards vapor and e-cigarettes as far as nicotine use versus cigarettes," Sharper said.

He also mentioned vaping rates among Georgia teens and how some have argued it's a better alternative for 14- and 15-year-olds who will try tobacco products regardless.

The federal government recently addressed vaping and e-cigarettes by banning most flavors of e-cigarette cartridges.

On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it is banning all flavored e-cigarette cartridges besides tobacco and menthol flavors in an effort to curb teenage vaping rates. Manufacturers were given 30 days to stop production of fruit, mint and dessert flavors, but the mandate does not include flavors of large, tank-based vaping devices, according to the Associated Press.

President Trump also signed a bill into law in December that prohibits buying tobacco products -- cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes -- if someone is younger than 21 years old. The law shifts the age of purchase from 18 to 21.

In non-tobacco matters, Sharper said he wanted to look at teen marijuana smoking rates as well. He said he would take a specific look at how to decrease the marijuana use rates in African American teens.

Religious liberties

Rep. James Burchett, R-Waycross, said he has considered carrying and sponsoring a constitutional amendment to protect what he called "religious liberties" in schools.

He stated students need protections for their freedom of religion and freedom of speech while at school.

"This is a direct reaction towards what's happening in many parts of the state where groups are coming in and protesting the fact that kids are praying in school. So, what happens then is a lot of times the school reacts and infringes upon those children's rights," Burchett said. "While there is a separation of church and state, there is the freedom to pray and the freedom to speak, and they should be able to do those things even in school."

2020 tensions

As the 2019 session was embroiled in hot debate on HB481, also known as "fetal heartbeat bill," which was passed and signed into law, The Times asked legislators if the tensions from the previous session will transfer to the upcoming one.

Sharper viewed the past year's strain as an isolated event because abortion is a sensitive issue.

"There's just every now and then you're going to have some issue -- if there's any gun law issues or things pro-life or not," Sharper said. "That pro-life stuff is a thing that's going to be behind us because of the heartbeat bill last session, but I think we're going to see people kind of work together."

Burchett agreed with Sharper's assessment that HB481 would not likely return this session but reaffirmed he would vote in favor of the bill if it returns.

LaHood echoed Burchett in his support of HB481 and said hot-button issues could again arise in 2020.

Black's thoughts on possible tensions in 2020 were short and sweet.

"Oh yeah, you've always got that," he said.

Corbett said while there will always be issues that stir consternation, the state legislature agrees on 90% of issues.

"Georgia is not like Washington where it seems like everything is broken," Corbett said. "We can actually get stuff accomplished in spite of our differences."

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