7 New Laws Going Into Effect In 2020 In Georgia You'll Want To Know About
By Marisa Roman|Published January 03, 2020
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Marisa Roman
Author
A New Jersey native with over 15 years of writing experience, Marisa has studied at both New York University and Florida International University. She has lived all over the country, including a decade stint in South Florida. Marisa is well-versed in exploration as she travels a good majority of the year in her self-converted Sprinter van. Her articles have been featured in various notable publications over the years, she has a published collection of short stories, and three completed screenplays under her belt.
When the clock struck midnight for a new decade, many of us were celebrating what was to come. In Georgia, that could mean a lot of change if you’re keeping an eye on the law. In fact, the new year brings quite a few new laws to The Peach State, and you’ll want to stay in the know to see if any of these changes will affect you directly. Governor Brian Kemp has signed over 300 bills into law in 2019, and many of them have already taken effect, however, these are the laws that will begin in the new year.
The law known as the "Title Ad Valorem Tax: Used Cars and Tax Rate" will ultimately lower title and valorem tax on new cars from 7% to 6.6% through June 2023. This means that it will likely cost you less to purchase a new car in Georgia. However, this may also affect used car lots, which will begin being calculated on the retail sales price for tax purposes over the previously used "book value." This new law will not affect purchasing a car outside of a dealership.
2. Raising the legal age to marry with parental consent to 17…
This law passed within the 2019 Georgia legislation in order to raise the legal marriage age with parental consent to 17 years old. Prior to this law being in place, the legal age to marry with parental approval was 16.
For Georgians who are using a 529 Plan in order to save for college, there will be a large tax deduction that will come into play for the 2020 tax season. Those who are filing as a single taxpayer will see their tax deduction double from $2,000 to $4,000 per child. Those who file jointly with a spouse will see a jump from $4,000 to $8,000 per year.
Anyone over on Lake Lanier, take note! A new bill HB 314 was signed into legislation in Georgia providing rules for titling boats and watercraft that will be similar to the process for vehicles. This new law is intended to deter theft and create a safer, more fair way to own, transfer, or finance boat titles whether through dealers, brokers, or private parties.
5. Changes to the HOPE scholarship for college tuition…
Within the new 2020 legislative year, HOPE scholarship recipients will be able to qualify for the tuition aid up to 10 years after graduating from high school. Students will still need to meet the basic requirements of the scholarship to earn it but will be eligible to qualify for aid 10 years after high school. There will be exceptions on the 10-year cap for students who also served in the military.
The new bill signed into legislation known as HB 239 will establish a business court in order to handle specific issues that arrive related to business. This court will be in charge of handling copyright disagreements and violations, contract disputes, and arguments over which party generated the money-making idea.
7. New workaround for doctors regarding “step therapy”…
There is a new law going into effect in 2020 known as HB 63, which gives doctors a way around "step therapy." Step therapy is what happens when an insurance company requires that the insured tries preferred medications first and have those drugs fail, before consulting with a doctor regarding another prescription. Starting January 1, 2020, doctors in Georgia will have a path to apply for an exception around step therapy in order to quickly begin needed-prescription treatment for a patient.
Did you know about any of these new laws? Do any affect you directly? Share with us in the comments section! Or if you want to get a good New Year’s laugh, check out these weird historical laws in Georgia.
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