Sen. Ben Watson

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Subpart 2 of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20, relating to compulsory attendance, so as to update and revise provisions of the state's compulsory school attendance laws; to provide that no student shall be expelled by a public school due solely to absenteeism;to provide for reporting requirements; to amend Code Section 20-4-141 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to establishment of pilot program, awarding of high school diploma to successful participants, skills and knowledge, eligibility for participation, and regulation, so as to make conforming changes; 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 Code Section 49-4-148 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to recovery of medical assistance from third party liable for sickness, injury, disease, or disability, so as to revise certain provisions to comply with federal law; to bar liable third-party payers from refusing payment solely because a healthcare item or service did not receive prior authorization; to require a third-party payer to respond to an inquiry from the Department of Community Health regarding a healthcare claim within 60 days; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 11 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to emergency medical services, so as to provide for the licensing and operation of emergency organ transport vehicles as ambulance services; to provide for the operation of such vehicles on public roadways; to amend Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to motor vehicles and traffic, so as to exempt emergency organ transport vehicles from those vehicles required to obtain an emergency vehicle permit from the Department of Public Safety; to revise and provide for definitions; to provide for 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 25 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to life insurance, so as to prohibit a policy of group life insurance from excluding or restricting liability for certain deaths occurring while an individual is an active duty service member; 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 Titles 20, 35, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, law enforcement officers and agencies, and professions and businesses, respectively, so as to revise or remove references to the United States Department of Education from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; to replace a reference to student aid reports with FAFSA submission summary; 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 Chapter 23 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority, so as to authorize the authority to finance and perform certain duties in connection with projects relating to natural gas facilities; to revise definitions; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for limited liability; 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 Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to inspection of public records, so as to revise provisions related to documents and records in the possession of private persons or entities; to revise definitions; to revise provisions related to judicial enforcement of inspection requests; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 231 is a commemorative bill that dedicates the interchange of State Route 400/US 19 and State Route 140/Holcomb Bridge Road in Fulton County. This interchange will be named the Officer Jeremy Labonte Memorial Interchange, honoring the life and service of Officer Jeremy Labonte of the City of Roswell Police Department.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors the life and memory of various distinguished individuals by dedicating portions of the state highway system in their names. Specifically, it dedicates intersections, roads, and bridges in memory of individuals such as former Senators Valencia Seay and Vincent D. Fort, athlete Latasha R. Butts, and civil rights leader Dr. Roy Charles Bell, with the bill's title also referencing Deputy Brandon Cunningham.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 16-6-13 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to penalties for violating Code Sections 16-6-9 through 16-6-12, so as to repeal certain penalty provisions for the offense of prostitution, keeping a place of prostitution, pimping, and pandering; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.