Georgia Today: Senate passes gun-tax holiday bill; Atlanta nightlife report; Insurance clawbacks

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Thursday, Feb. 13. I'm Peter Biello. On this podcast, we feature the latest reports from the GPB news team. We're open to your feedback and story tips. Send them to us by email. The address is GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. On today's episode, the Georgia Senate creates a tax holiday for guns, ammo and gun storage devices. Atlanta releases a new report on the economic impact of the city's nightlife industry. And we'll take a look at the impact of so-called insurance clawbacks.

Joe Feldman: People just get frustrated and either pay on their own or, more likely, don't get care because it's too expensive.

Peter Biello: These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1:

Peter Biello: Let's start the show today with a bit of what's going on at the state capitol. The Georgia Senate yesterday passed a bill that would create a sales tax holiday for guns, ammunition and gun storage devices. GPB's Sarah Kallis has that story.

Sarah Kallis: Senate Bill 47 would create an 11-day period in October where Georgians could buy guns and related items with no sales tax. Republican Sen. Jason Anivatarte sponsored the bill.

Jason Anavitarte: People are wanting to keep themselves safe. We want to keep them family safe, whether that's buying a weapon or doing other means to keep their family safe.

Sarah Kallis: Democrats like Sen. Emanuel Jones oppose the legislation and say that the bill is insensitive in the wake of a deadly shooting last fall at Apalachee High School.

Emanuel Jones: I don't understand the logic behind trying to continuously promote guns in this state when we know the effect that has had on gun deaths.

Sarah Kallis: The bill passed 31 to 21 and now moves to the House. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis at the state capitol.

Story 2:

Peter Biello: Georgia lawmakers are moving to boost the state's role in semiconductor manufacturing. The state House yesterday passed HB 216, which would create a new Chips and Advanced Technology Commission. The group would work to expand semiconductor production, support related academic programs and advise officials on the industry. Republican state Rep. Vance Smith says bringing chip production to Georgia is critical.

Vance Smith: We need to bring that home because over 90% of the chips right now that go in your phone, your appliances, your cars, all that's made in Taiwan — over 90% of it. So we need to bring it back to Georgia.

Peter Biello: The commission would replace an existing advisory panel and would operate until 2028. The bill now moves to the Senate.

Story 3:

Peter Biello: The Georgia House passed a bill yesterday that would change how judges request their personally identifiable information to be redacted, things like phone numbers and addresses. Rep. Trey Kelly says the House passed a similar bill last year that asked judges to enter their personal information into a database for the information to be redacted.

Trey Kelly: Well, through the process of implementation this year, we've realized that asking all of our judges to submit this sensitive information to one central database may not be the most secure way to protect that information.

Peter Biello: The new bill, HB 199, would eliminate the database and instead provide a form for judges to fill out requesting their information be redacted. The bill passed unanimously.

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Mental health

​​​​​​​Story 4:

Peter Biello: Imagine you've gone to see a mental health professional, and because it's covered under your plan, your insurance foots the bill. Now imagine your insurer comes back to the therapist, maybe even years later, and says they want the payment back. That's an insurance clawback. And as GPB's Ellen Eldridge reports, the more it happens, the more therapists say they'll only take cash.

Ellen Eldridge: Tracy Hooper's therapy office is in Holly Springs, about 40 miles north of Atlanta in Cherokee County.

Tracy Hooper: I do have candy here. It typically lures the teenagers, but you are welcome to it.

Ellen Eldridge: She's a licensed professional counselor. If you see a, quote, "therapist," it's likely to be an LPC like Hooper. Hooper is the only one in her practice who accepts health insurance at all. She's in-network with one of the major companies. But last April, the insurance giant blindsided her.

Tracy Hooper: They realized that they paid out of the wrong plan, which I have no way of knowing which one is primary. And — and then they come back for all of the money.

Ellen Eldridge: They demanded Hooper pay them back for what amounted to six months worth of sessions with a client — a year after care. When insurance companies do this. Providers like Hooper call it a clawback. She says clawbacks are devastating to business owners like her. She says imagine it's payday:

Tracy Hooper: And you're expecting your paycheck to look a certain amount. And then your boss comes in and says, "You know what? I'm unhappy with the job you did two years ago, so sorry you're not getting paid this week."

Ellen Eldridge: Hooper took a $400 hit from that clawback. Episodes like that are driving therapists from insurance programs. Tammy Mark is with RTI International, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute. She says insurance reimbursement rates for doctors who treat physical health are up to 70% higher than for psychiatrists who are also medical doctors. So even psychiatrists are quitting insurance.

Tammy Mark: If the health plan is not going to reimburse them enough to participate, they're not going to participate.

Ellen Eldridge: Mark says that's why close to half of children in Georgia who need residential psychiatric care must go out of network. Amanda Marks is a licensed professional counselor in Cobb County. She specializes in treating substance use disorders, complex trauma and eating disorders. She has never signed up to accept insurance.

Amanda Marks: I attempted the process years ago, and then just, in complete honesty and transparency, just got overwhelmed and stopped because I felt like I would need a lawyer to help me understand the contracts.

Ellen Eldridge: Joe Feldman runs the nonprofit Cover My Mental Health. He says the effects of clawbacks and confusing contracts ripple out to people seeking care.

Joe Feldman: People just get frustrated and either pay on their own or, more likely, don't get care because it's too expensive.

Ellen Eldridge: Back in Tracy Hooper's office, she still has no clarity on her contract with the big insurance company. But they have paused clawbacks. For now, she's sticking with them.

Tracy Hooper: I want services to remain accessible for people.

Ellen Eldridge: Because Hooper knows that for many, if it wasn't for insurance, they'd have no therapy at all. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

​​​​​​​Story 5:

Peter Biello: Uncertainty over federal health funding in the new Trump administration is affecting Georgia researchers. Georgia's statewide public health conference has been canceled, and reductions in grants paid by the National Institutes of Health could cost Emory University alone $140 million. That's according to an email sent to staff. Georgia U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff today said the, quote, "drastic cuts" have the potential to slow progress toward cures and prevention.

Jon Ossoff: Today, I'm urging the Trump administration to reverse this dangerous policy which will put health at risk and which will put our hospitals and our research institutions in Georgia at risk. 

Peter Biello: A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked some cuts from taking effect.

​​​​​​​Story 6:

Peter Biello: The city of Atlanta has released a report on the economic impact of the city's bars, restaurants and arts venues. As GPB's Amanda Andrews explains, they're looking to address challenges for customers and business owners as the industry grows.

Amanda Andrews: The study from the Nightlife Division of City Government found nightlife establishments in Atlanta generated $5.1 billion in revenue in 2024 and supported over 40,000 jobs. But the industry is still recovering from COVID-19 pandemic-related customer losses and rising labor and supply expenses. The study found nearly half of consumers report they're going out less than last year, citing transit and safety as concerns. Mayor Andre Dickens says his office is committing to strategies that will improve the nightlife industry, like discounted parking for workers, more pedestrian infrastructure and grants to improve safety features, among others. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.

​​​​​​​Story 7:

Peter Biello: Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman says he won't seek reelection. In a social media post, Shipman says his family is facing medical challenges that will require his time and attention. Shipman didn't provide specifics and asked for privacy. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement his thoughts are with the Shipman family. Shipman was elected president of the city council in 2021. The entire council and mayor are up for reelection in November.

​​​​​​​Story 8:

Peter Biello: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says South Georgia's Ben Hill County is the first Georgia county to be 100% free of debris from Hurricane Helene in roadways and public spaces. The agency said today that it has removed more than 2.8 million cubic yards in its debris removal mission across Georgia. Progress is more than 90% complete in Candler, Dodge, Lowndes, McIntosh and Montgomery counties. More than 150 personnel are still actively deployed in the mission.

​​​​​​​Story 9:

Peter Biello: Gov. Brian Kemp plans to attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany this weekend. Kemp says that he's looking forward to participating in a roundtable discussion with foreign leaders and partners on international economic relations and geopolitics. The annual conference is the world's leading multinational forum for debating international security policy. It also provides a valuable opportunity for bilateral meetings with economic development prospects that can lead to more jobs and investment in Georgia. This will be the governor's second trip to Europe already this year. Last month, he led a trade mission to Germany and Poland.

​​​​​​​Story 10:

Peter Biello: The Port of Brunswick has surpassed the Port of Baltimore as the top U.S. gateway for automobile imports and exports. The Georgia Ports Authority said yesterday that more than 873,000 cars and trucks moved through Brunswick in 2024. The port recently finished more than $262 million in expansions and upgrades. Baltimore had been the No. 1 auto port in the U.S. for more than decade before a deadly bridge collapse last year shut it down for weeks.

Peter Biello: And that is a wrap on Georgia Today. We do appreciate you tuning in. We know you have a lot of choices when it comes to your news consumption. And we're glad you choose us. We hope you'll choose us tomorrow as well. The best way to remember to do that is to subscribe to this podcast. So subscribe now and we'll pop up in your feed tomorrow afternoon. You can always check for news updates at GPB.org/news as well. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow. 

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