2018 Capitol Update Week 6 – Taxes and Transportation
Week 6 on the House floor
We have just completed Week 6 and we are officially over half-way through this year’s session. “Cross Over Day” is Tuesday, February 27 – just a few legislative days away.
In an effort to increase transparency and eradicate surprise hospital billing for scheduled procedures, the House passed HB 678 this week. Authored by Insurance Committee Chairman Richard Smith, this bill would provide several consumer protections regarding health insurance and would prevent patients from receiving “surprise” bills, which may be 10 times higher than in-network charges, when an out-of-network doctor participates as part of their treatment team during an elective procedure. Under HB 678, hospitals, health care providers and insurers are required to disclose to patients all participants on their treatment team and identify those outside their insurance network.
Taxes and Transportation
House Transportation Chairman Kevin Tanner introduced HB 930 this week seeking reform of our various transit agencies to gain better coordination, planning, and access for citizens traveling throughout metro Atlanta. Chairman Tanner subsequently appointed me to serve on a Special Subcommittee to consider the bill. Many of the aspects are detailed in this AJC article.
- The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority is reconstituted as the “Atlanta-region Transit Link” or the ATL with the responsibility of coordination, planning, and funding future transit (not just rail) projects.
- The entire bill is a “May” and not a “Shall” meaning that participants will voluntarily, via referendum, choose to join the ATL. Communities wishing to remain outside the ATL governance model will be able to do so.
- New funding sources may include creation of Transit CIDs, imposition of a new 1 cent sales tax for up to 30-years, an additional 1 cent sales tax at the Atlanta Airport, and replacement of an existing sales tax on for-hire transportation services (taxis, ride-share) with a 0.50 cent per ride excise tax.
SB 17 authored by Gwinnett’s Renee Unterman will be championed in the House this year by Rep. Meagan Hanson. Cheers!
Let me hear from you
Thanks again for allowing me to serve,
Brett