Georgia's newest laws

• Yes, but: Kemp said last month that he's supporting legislation to push it down to 5.39%, according to the AJC.
• If the additional reduction gets OK'd, Georgians will save about $300 million annually in taxes, officials told the AJC.
• Zoom out: Ultimately, this law increases exemptions when Georgians file tax returns. Once the measure is fully enacted, the AJC reports taxpayers could save $1 billion — or more — a year.

CATCH Act: The Consumer Access to Contracted Healthcare Act amends a previous law for people with health insurance seeking in-network healthcare, according to Atlanta News First.

• It sets new standards to ensure residents can access primary and specialty care, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, pharmacies and laboratories regardless of where they live, ANF reports.
• It requires insurers to prove their compliance to the state commissioner, and companies could be penalized if they aren't following the law.

911 operator training: Georgia's 911 operators now have to complete annual training on how to give CPR instructions over the phone, according to ANF.

• By 2025, you can't be a certified 911 officer without this mandatory education.
• Of note: Senate Bill 505 was passed in 2022, but it went into effect on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.

Izzy's Law: Senate Bill 107 was introduced in honor of Israel Scott, a 4-year-old boy who drowned in 2022 during a swim lesson outside of Augusta, WSB-TV reports.

• It requires the Georgia Department of Public Health to develop aquatic safety guidelines for swim instructors no later than Jan. 1. Georgia's private swim instructors have until April 1 to put a safety plan in place.
• The law states the department will review the plans at least every five years to ensure they remain aligned with national standards for private swim instructors.

Online subscription renewals: The Online Automatic Renewal Transparency Act requires companies to notify you before any money is taken out for an online subscription, according to WTOC-TV in Savannah.

• The law also requires companies to provide a simplified cancellation process.

Mental Health Parity Act: House Bill 1013 requires health plans that offer coverage for mental health and substance abuse to do so at the same level as a physical illness, according to WFXG-TV in Augusta.

• The coverage also extends to significant others and dependents on the plan.

Veteran license plates: According to Fox 5 Atlanta, House Bill 175 creates special license plates for state constitutional officers and members of the Public Service Commission; retired members of the active reserve components and Georgia National Guard; and members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

• It also removes a requirement that disabled veterans display a certain license plate to qualify for a vehicle tax exemption.

Ambulance fees: House Bill 453 repeals the requirement for every ambulance service to pay an annual license fee, according to Atlanta Daily World.

Commercial Financing Disclosure Law: Senate Bill 90 requires disclosure statements from certain banks, credit unions, and online lenders in Georgia, according to the Buchalter law firm.

• The Georgia CFDL applies to covered "commercial financing" transactions occurring on or after Monday that are $500,000 or less, Buchalter reports.

Minority, women-owned businesses: House Bill 128 is designed to expand access to state certifications for minority, women and veteran-owned businesses navigating the procurement process for contracts, according to Augusta Business Daily.

• What they're saying: Gov. Kemp signed this bill in April, but it went into effect on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. When he signed it last year, Kemp said the bill would "cut red tape and support small businesses" in the procurement process to ensure state contracts are delivered at lower costs for the best value to taxpayers.

Driving permits: House Bill 120 creates new standards for limited driving permits — which are given to people who still need to drive for work, school, medical appointments, or substance abuse support group meetings after having their license suspended.

• Under this law, the state will revoke these permits if the permit holder breaks any vehicle laws, violates the conditions listed for their permit, or fails to pay child support.

Worthy of your time: Here's the full list of new laws signed last year.