March 29, 2024

In this Issue: 

• Sine Die
• General Assembly Protects Private Property Rights
• DEF Soon to be Eligible Under GATE 
• Leadership Tax Priorities
• General Assembly Protects Georgia Farmland
• FY 2025 Conference Committee Budget
• Retiring Friends of GFB
• Public Input About State Deer Management Plan

• Bills Headed to the Governor's Desk

Photo Credits: Atlanta Journal Constitution

Sine Die

星期五清晨，众议院议长伯恩斯和副州长琼斯的小木槌声响彻国会大厦，国会就此休会. 国会议员和游说者都为又一次立法会议的结束而欢呼，大厅里充满了兴奋. Legislative day 40, known as Sine Die, marks the end of the legislative session, and this year marks the end of the 2023-2024 biennium. 

佐治亚州农业局很幸运，在金色圆顶下度过了美好的一年，许多重要的立法都通过了两院，现在正在送到肯普州长的办公桌上. 在法案成为法律之前，它必须在40天的否决权期限内接受肯普州长的审查. The Governor has three actions he may take on a bill: sign, veto, or no action. If the Governor signs or takes no action on a bill it will become law. The Governor can prevent a bill from becoming law by enacting veto power. 

我们要感谢我们在大会上为促进和捍卫农业而努力的朋友们. Our state is fortunate to have many leaders who fight for the betterment of our industry. 我们还想特别感谢我们的GFB成员，他们花时间为我们组织的问题辩护. 无论你是在国会大厦参加GFB日，还是联系你当选的官员就具体问题进行倡导, we appreciate your dedication and passion to fight for the success of agriculture.

Photo Credits: Senate Press Office

General Assembly Protects Private Property Rights

On Tuesday, HB 1172 by House Whip James Burchett (R-Waycross) received final passage in the Senate. 这个法案一直是GFB本届立法会议的首要任务，如果没有其他农业和商业组织朋友的帮助，我们不可能通过它. 

HB 1172从法典中删除了公共信托原则并恢复了通航水域附近土地所有者的私有财产权 SB 115 last year. HB 1172很重要，因为它解决了以前立法的无人看管的后果，同时仍然允许公众通过, hunt, and fish on navigable waters which was the original intent of the legislature. While this bill resolved significant concerns, it has opened the flood-gate to further conversations surrounding water policy in the state. 在接下来的几个月里，我们将继续关注评估用于确定哪些水道被指定为通航通道的标准和方法 HR 1554 - House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters.

DEF Soon to be Eligible Under GATE

On Thursday, Chairman Russ Goodman presented SB 340 on the Senate floor and it passed with overwhelming favorable support. SB 340 was originally a tax exemption bill authored by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, but she willingly allowed Rep. Joe Campbell (R-Camilla) to present a substitute in committee changing the bill. SB 340, as it passed, will now make diesel exhaust fluid, DEF, an eligible purchase under the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption, GATE, program. We appreciate Rep. Campbell being willing to address this issue in the last few days of session. While it might seem simple, 这项法案将帮助把钱放回农民的口袋，并确保GATE项目满足生产者当前的需求.

Leadership Tax Priorities

This year Governor Kemp, Speaker Burns, 和副州长琼斯都负责通过一系列立法来降低乔治亚州公民的税收负担. Georgia already has one of the lowest tax structures in the nation, but our leadership stays committed to further reducing these rates for all Georgians. 

HB 1015 by Rep. Lauren McDonald (R-Cumming) reduced the income tax by an additional 10 basis points from 5.49% to 5.39%. HB 1019 by Rep. Matt Reeves (R-Duluth) increase the statewide homestead property tax exemption from $2,000 to $10,000. This bill requires a constitutional amendment, so for it to become law, it must be voted on in November. Additionally, HB 1021 by Rep. Lauren Daniel (R-Locust Grove) increase the dependent tax exemption from $3,000 to $4,000. 

这三个法案都在参众两院获得通过，并送到肯普州长的办公桌上等待最终批准. 

General Assembly Protects Georgia Farmland

On Tuesday, SB 420 by Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas) received final passage in the Senate. This bill will prohibit the foreign acquisition of farmland by nonresident aliens, business domiciled in, or governments of a nation deemed a foreign adversary by the federal government. GFB在这个问题上一直是支持的主要声音，并试图与作者合作，起草一份保护我们食品生产的法案. 

We would like to also recognize the work Rep. Clay Pirkle (R-Ashburn) has done on this issue throughout the past two years. Last year, Rep. Pirkle began this discussion with HB 452 and became a leading voice for the House on this policy. He carried SB 420 on the House floor and helped get this bill across the finish line. 

FY 2025 Conference Committee Budget

Late Thursday afternoon, Chairman Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin) and Chairman Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia), along with the other four conferees, released the fiscal year 2025 budget. 今年的会议委员会预算与我们从参议院看到的预算相当相似，并继续全面支持农业. 请看下面的预算要点，该预算于周四晚间在联合国大会参众两院获得通过. Like all bills, the budget must go before Governor Kemp for his approval before being finalized.

Department of Agriculture

• $267,861 for two shellfish inspection and certification specialist positions.
• $900,000 for agricultural improvements.

Department of Economic Development

• 20万美元用于支持GA制成品和农产品全球出口的合同.
• $200,为支持农村社区经济发展的土地开发专家职位提供1万英镑.

Agriculture Education

• $192,000 for new Peach Co. and Barrow Co. Young Farmer positions
• $88,000 for eight extended day/year programs within Ag Education.

Department of Natural Resources

• $300,000 for processing of venison donations to encourage deer harvests.
• $350,617 for five additional ag water withdrawal positions.

Board of Regents

• $500,000 for projects at the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation.

Student Finance Commission

• $35,000 increase for the Veterinary Loan Repayment Program service cancelable loans.

Capitol Project Funds

• $10,320,142 one-time funds to purchase vocational and agricultural education equipment statewide.
• $2,900,000 for renovation of Chambliss Hall, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
• $4,470,500 one-time funds for design and renovation of Dept. of Ag building
• $1,014,674 one-time funds for lab equipment at Tifton Lab.
• $3,000,000 one-time funds for chiller and generator replacement at Tifton Lab.
• $22,000,000 one-time funds for construction of new goat, sheep, and swine barn in Perry.
• $5,545,000 one-time funds for commercial driver's license pad at Georgia Northwestern Technical College

Retiring Friends of GFB

With the end of another legislative session, we see old friends return home for retirement and get ready to welcome newcomers to the Capitol. This year, 我们很遗憾地看到，一些农业的好朋友和支持者回家与家人和朋友团聚，在金色的穹顶下结束他们的职业生涯. 我们要感谢以下明年不会再来的农场局的朋友: 

Rep. Clay Pirkle of Ashburn, Rep. Penny Houston of Nashville, Rep. James Beverly of Macon, Rep. David Knight of Griffin, and Sen. Shelly Echols of Gainesville. 

我们对这些人对我们州的奉献和对农业的支持感激不尽. 我们将怀念在国会大厦周围看到他们，但我们知道，他们将继续为家乡的社区做出贡献.

Public Input About State Deer Management Plan

乔治亚州各地的农民不断表示，他们面临的挑战是白尾鹿越来越多地掠夺庄稼. 重要的是，我们要让决策者听到我们的声音，以便他们制定政策，解决我们的需求和关切. 自然资源部目前正在听取公民和利益相关者团体的意见，以便在他们准备未来6年的国家鹿管理计划时为他们的决定提供信息. 重要的是，农民要参与并就这项将持续多年的政策提出意见. Click below to learn more and submit input.

Click Here

Bills Headed to the Governor's Desk

HB 300:

Reps. Smith, Kelley, Williamson, Stephens, and Blackmon

这项立法将建立太阳能技术信托基金，并对格鲁吉亚太阳能设备的零售销售征收每千瓦容量15美元的费用. The fees collected would be used by the trust fund for remediation, decommissioning, and disposal of solar equipment, such as solar panels.

Passed House and Passed Senate 3/28/2024

HB 1114:

Reps. Wade, Gambill, Hong, McDonald, Jones, and others

This bill is known as the Data Analysis for Tort Reform Act. 这是肯普州长的优先事项，将帮助他的政府收集信息，为未来的侵权改革工作做准备.

Passed House and Passed Senate 3/26/2024

HB 1172:

Reps. Burchett, Rhodes, Leverett, Smith, and Williams

该法案由众议院渔业研究委员会主席提出. This bill is a priority of GFB this session. 它修正了SB 115(2023)的意外后果，并删除了与通航水域有关的公共信托原则的参考.

Passed House and Passed Senate 3/26/2024 

HB 1223:

Reps. Leverett, Petrea, Prince, Jackson, and Adesanya

该法案修订了1976年的《正规博彩网站评级》，禁止对目前受环保署发出的同意令或环保署现有执法行动约束的地点进行土壤修正.

Passed House and Passed Senate 3/26/2024

HR 1554:

Reps. Smith, Dickey, Corbett, Rhodes, and Smith

This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters. 这个研究委员会将试图澄清格鲁吉亚哪些水道被认为是可通航的.

Passed House 3/28/2024

SB 340:

Sens. Kirkpatrick, Albers, Hufstetler, Robertson, Anavitarte, and others

This bill would create a sales tax exemption for firearms safes and firearm safety devices. This bill was amended in House committee to include bill language from HB 1459 by Rep. Campbell to make DEF a GATE eligible purchase. 

Passed Senate and Passed House 3/28/2024

SB 420:

Sens. Anavitarte, Goodman, Beach, Cowsert, Gooch, and others

This bill would prohibit the foreign ownership of agricultural land by any non-resident alien, government, 或来自美国商务部长认定为外国对手的国家的企业. It would also restrict ownership by those individuals, governments, and businesses of any land that is within a 10 mile radius of a military installation. Any violator would be convicted of a felony with up to two years in prison or a $15,000 fine.

Passed Senate and Passed House 3/26/2024 

SR 786:

Sens. Kennedy, Anderson, Goodman, Watson, and Walker

This resolution creates the Senate Advancing Forest Innovation in Georgia Study Committee.

Passed Senate 3/26/2024