Rep. Alan Powell

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 12-2-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to Environmental Protection Division, Environmental Advisory Council, duties of council and its members and director, appeal procedures generally, permit applications, and inspections, so as to authorize the director of the Environmental Protection Division to investigate and consider out-of-state regulatory history when processing applications for certain permits; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to repeal in its entirety Chapter 26, relating to the practice of midwifery; to revise provisions relating to peer review to include midwives; to amend Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to professions and businesses, so as to provide for the licensure and regulation of midwives; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for an exception under the "Georgia Registered Professional Nurse Practice Act"; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public utilities and public transportation, so as to reestablish a consumer utility counsel to represent consumers in matters before the Public Service Commission or other agencies concerning public utilities; to authorize the director to take depositions and conduct discovery; to authorize the director to employ certain personnel; to require that certain employees of the Public Service Commission be made available to assist the director; to provide for statutory construction; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 40-6-163 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to duty of driver of vehicle meeting or overtaking school bus, reporting of violations, and civil monetary penalty for violations captured by school bus camera, so as to revise the penalty amount for violations captured by recorded images; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 3 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to electrical service, so as to enact the "Georgia Homegrown Solar Act of 2025"; to provide definitions; to allow customers of an electric utility to aggregate demand from multiple locations and subscribe to certain off-site solar facilities; to provide for nondiscriminatory interconnection of such facilities; to provide for consumer protections for customers; to allow customers to access their own meter usage and provide such usage data to authorized third parties; to provide legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend various provisions of the O.C.G.A., so as to rename low THC oil as medical cannabis; to amend Chapter 12 of Title 16, Article 2 of Chapter 13 of Title 16, and Article 1 of Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the O.C.G.A., relating to offenses against the public health and morals, regulation of controlled substances, and general provisions relative to the Department of Public Health, respectively, so as to clarify and revise criminal penalties; to clarify and revise exemptions to criminal penalties; to provide a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 28 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to occupational therapists, so as to authorize occupational therapists to perform dry needling as a physical agent modality if certain training and education requirements are met; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 284) formally commends Nicholas Rucker, a physical therapist assistant student at Athens Technical College, for being named the 2024 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner. The bill recognizes Rucker as Georgia's top technical college student, highlighting his academic and leadership achievements and his role representing over 148,000 TCSG students. It does not create new laws or affect policies; it is purely a symbolic gesture of appreciation from the Georgia House of Representatives. The resolution was adopted unanimously on February 18, 2025.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 2 of Article 15 of Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Fair Business Practices Act of 1975," so as to provide for a limitation on interchange fees charged by payment card networks for credit or debit card transactions at retailers; to provide requirements for payment card networks in relation to such interchange fees; to provide for a civil penalty; to provide for definitions; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Maddy summaryHR 278 is a non-binding House resolution (not a substantive bill) congratulating Leo Mazzone on his induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. It formally recognizes his contributions as a former Atlanta Braves pitching coach, highlighting his role in mentoring Hall of Famers and leading the team to 14 consecutive division titles and the 1995 World Series. The resolution, adopted by the Georgia House on February 18, 2025, extends "sincere best wishes" to Mazzone but does not create any legal obligations or affect policy. It directly affects only Mazzone, as a ceremonial acknowledgment of his sports legacy.