NEWSPAPER
A Textbook for the Times!
i
Issue 1 Thursday, January 2, 2020
The Voice of Crawford
also serving Byron and Peach County
2 Sections, 10 Pages One Dollar
Melissa Lockett, family and friends hosted a Community
Breakfast on Christmas morning that was well attended
and everyone left well fed. Santa Claus was on hand for the
kiddies.
Governor Brian Kemp has
signed and approved new
laws that went 1 into effect
for Georgians on January l,
2020.
The most controversial bill
signed into law in 2019 will
remain on hold, for now.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed
more than 300 bills into law
in 2019. Many have already
taken effect, while others will
be enacted with the new year.
However, HB 481, the
so-called “Heartbeat bill”
that banned abortions after
a fetal heartbeat has been
detected, was placed on
hold after a federal ruling in
October.
Here is a short version of
some of the laws that have
gone into effect and what
they mean.
HB 63
This law will give doctors
a way around what is called
“step therapy”. That’s when
an insurance company
requires you to try certain
preferred medications first
and have those drugs fail be
fore you can receive the drug
prescribed by your doctor.
If you have a health plan
that is renewed or starts on
Jan. 1, HB 63 gives doctors a
path to apply for exceptions
to avoid step therapy and
quickly start you on the med
ication they believe you need
for your condition.
HB 166
This bill will require genetic
counselors to be licensed
with the state. According to
the Georgia Association of
Genetic Counselors, Georgia
is the 28th state to have this
requirement.
Genetic counselors will
crate treatment plans for
individuals or families af
fected by or at risk of genetic
disorders. There will also be
new requirements for these
counselors to receive con
tinuing education.
HB 478
This bill creates stricter
state requirements to list
someone on the state’s child
abuse registry. Abusers will
now need to be at least 18 to
be listed instead of 13.
The process for having a
review hearing before being
added to the list, or having
a name expunged will be
updated on Jan. 1.
HB 266
If you use a 529 Plan to save
for college, your state tax
deduction will double from
$2,000 to $4,000 per child if
you’re a single taxpayer, and
jump from $4,000 to $8,000
per year if you file jointly
with a spouse.
This begins with the 2020
tax year.
HB 239
Establishes a business court
that handles business issues
such as contract disputes,
copyright disagreements and
arguments over who came
up with a money-making
idea.
HB314
This bill requires titling of
boats and watercraft (similar
to vehicles), and provides the
rules for the titling system.
It’s designed to “deter and
impede theft”, “facilitate
the ownership, transfer and
financing” of boats and wa
tercraft, and “create equity
and fairness for the selling of
vessels by dealers, brokers,
agents, private parties and
manufacturers.”
HB 458
This bill prohibits the use
of firefighting foam that
contains PFAS chemicals
(defined as a “class of fluo-
rinated organic chemicals
containing at least one fully
fluorinated carbon atom”
The bill provides two excep
tions.
HB 28
Adds an additional judge
to the superior courts of the
Griffin Judicial Circuit.
HB21
Adds an additional judge
to the superior courts of the
Gwinnett Judicial Circuit
HB 288
This bill revises fees that
superior court clerks can
charge to file real estate and
personal property docu
ments.
HB 507
This bill revises the criteria
used by tax assessors to de
termine the fair market value
of real property.
