Join Mike and special guests Senator Marty Harbin (GA-16) and Representative Philip Singleton (GA- 71) as they discuss the current session and some of the pending legislative ideas

Brief Legislative Update Week of March 5th, 2021

By: Sen. Marty Harbin (R – Tyrone)

This week the Senate convened for three legislative days in preparation of Crossover Day which will take place on Monday, March 8th. This is an important time in the Senate, as we try to pass as many bills as possible so they can “crossover” to the House. The long days we spend in committee meetings and session are to ensure that all of the legislation we pass is in the best interest of our constituents. I am proud of the work we have accomplished this week, including passing some of my very own bills.

One of those was Senate Bill 112, which would require life insurance companies to provide an annual statement to policyholders and beneficiaries regarding the existence of the policy. The bill would also require life insurers to obtain policy locator service reports from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ and submit reports to the Department of Insurance. If there is a match found in the records, the insurer must notify the owner or beneficiary of the policy within 90 days. This legislation would prevent any beneficiaries from losing out on life insurance benefits simply because they do not know the life insurance policy exists. Additionally, no one should have to dig through a deceased policyholder’s papers or folders to search for clues as to whether or not a policy exists. I am incredibly proud that SB 112 passed out of the Senate this week and look forward to following its progress as it moves through the legislative process.

I was also pleased to see Senate Bill 266, which I sponsored, pass out of the Education and Youth Committee to be heard on the Senate floor sometime soon. Senate Bill 266 would prevent biological males from competing in sports with biological females in public and private schools in Georgia. The Save Girls’ Sports Act protects our female athletes and keep sports fair for those who participate.

In our Ethics Committee meeting we discussed and passed several election reform bills. This includes Senate Bill 202 and Senate Bill 232, which relate to securing the use of absentee ballots. I sponsored Senate Bill 232, which would require unique bar codes on individual absentee ballots, creating accountability for those ballots. We also discussed Senate Bill 241, which offers a comprehensive revision of our election systems. In this bill, we would create a voter intimidation hotline, require a reason for absentee voting, and revise where advance voting locations can be established. I am proud of the work we are doing to secure our future elections and restore the faith of our voters in the integrity of our election processes. We have already passed several election reform bills this session, and I look forward to seeing these new bills on the Senate floor soon.

I look forward to convening on Monday for Crossover Day, one of the busiest days of the session. We will then continue to work diligently through the rest of March serving the people of Georgia. As always, I am proud to represent the 16th District, and I thank you for trusting me to do so. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

I always welcome your input as to how we can keep Georgia as the best place to live, work, and play. My office seeks to help or assist you in any way we can. Please call my office at (404) 656-0078 or email me directly at marty.harbin@senate.ga.gov

Sincerely,

Senator Marty Harbin

District 16