Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB233 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	25 HB 233/AP
2		-	House Bill 233 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
3		-	By: Representatives Townsend of the 179
4		-	th
5		-	, DeLoach of the 167
6		-	th
7		-	, Sainz of the 180
8		-	th
9		-	,
10		-	Burchett of the 176
11		-	th
12		-	, Hagan of the 156
13		-	th
14		-	, and others
	1	+	25 LC 39 4802S
	2	+	The Senate Committee on Rules offered the following
	3	+	substitute to HB 233:
15	4		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	5		AN ACT
17		-	To amend Chapter 4 of Title 1 and Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
18		-	1
	6	+	To amend Chapter 4 of Title 1 and Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,1
19	7		relating to holidays and observances and state government, respectively, so as to designate2
20	8		the fourth Friday in November of each year as "National Sugarcane Syrup Day" in Georgia;3
21	9		to designate Brunswick stew as the official state stew; to designate cornbread as the official4
22	10		state bread; to provide for legislative findings; to prohibit companies owned or operated by5
23	11		a foreign country of concern from submitting a proposal for a contract with a state agency6
24	12		for goods or services; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other7
25	13		purposes.8
26	14		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9
27	15		PART I10
28	16		SECTION 1-1.11
29	17		The General Assembly finds that:12
30	18		(1) Making sugarcane syrup has been a part of family farm tradition for generations,13
31	19		particularly in Georgia;14
32		-	H. B. 233
33		-	- 1 - 25 HB 233/AP
34		-	(2) The increase in production costs, competition from artificial syrups, and the decreasing
35		-	15
	20	+	- 1 - 25 LC 39 4802S
	21	+	(2) The increase in production costs, competition from artificial syrups, and the decreasing15
36	22		number of farmers who still make sugarcane syrup, however, has led some to refer to the16
37	23		making of sugarcane syrup as a dying art;17
38	24		(3) Establishing a "National Sugarcane Syrup Day" in Georgia would help to preserve the18
39	25		art of making sugarcane syrup by honoring those who continue with this longstanding19
40	26		family farm tradition and by raising public awareness of the differences between natural20
41	27		sugarcane syrup and artificial syrups;21
42	28		(4) Designating the fourth Friday in November of each year, the day after Thanksgiving,22
43	29		as "National Sugarcane Syrup Day" is particularly fitting, as it is not only a time when23
44	30		families gather and celebrate together, but also a time when some say sugarcane is at its24
45	31		sweetest in Georgia; and25
46	32		(5) It is, therefore, abundantly fitting and proper that the State of Georgia appropriately26
47	33		recognize and honor the family farm tradition of making sugarcane syrup by designating27
48	34		the fourth Friday in November of each year as "National Sugarcane Syrup Day" in Georgia.28
49	35		SECTION 1-2.29
50	36		Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to holidays and30
51	37		observances, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:31
52		-	"1-4-27.
53		-	32
	38	+	"1-4-27.32
54	39		The fourth Friday in November of each year is designated as 'National Sugarcane Syrup33
55	40		Day' in Georgia."34
56	41		PART II35
57	42		SECTION 2-1.36
58	43		The General Assembly of Georgia finds and determines that:37
59		-	H. B. 233
60		-	- 2 - 25 HB 233/AP
61		-	(1) Brunswick stew is a rich, thick stew noted for its signature ingredients of meat,
62		-	38
	44	+	- 2 - 25 LC 39 4802S
	45	+	(1) Brunswick stew is a rich, thick stew noted for its signature ingredients of meat,38
63	46		tomatoes, and fresh vegetables, such as sweet corn;39
64	47		(2) A plaque on an old iron pot in Brunswick, Georgia, declares the first Brunswick stew40
65	48		was made in it on July 2, 1898, on nearby St. Simons Island; and41
66	49		(3) Contrary to claims by other states, Georgia, and specifically Brunswick, Georgia, is the42
67	50		birthplace of Brunswick stew.43
68	51		SECTION 2-2.44
69	52		Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, is amended45
70	53		by adding a new Code section to read as follows:46
71		-	"50-3-94.
72		-	47
	54	+	"50-3-94.47
73	55		Brunswick stew is designated as the official Georgia state stew."48
74	56		PART III49
75	57		SECTION 3-1.50
76	58		The General Assembly finds and declares that:51
77	59		(1) The colorful history and traditions of the State of Georgia are inextricably associated52
78	60		with the food traditions of corn, and among the many legacies of this proud heritage is the53
79	61		delicious bread known as cornbread;54
80	62		(2) Relied upon by indigenous people to sustain themselves, cornbread has transcended55
81	63		its humble origins to take a place of honor at such events as the Prater's Mill Country Fair56
82	64		in Whitfield County;57
83	65		(3) With thousands of participants and visitors, such celebrations include cornbread58
84	66		cooked on a wood-burning stove and served with collard greens and pinto beans;59
85		-	H. B. 233
86		-	- 3 - 25 HB 233/AP
87		-	(4) Corn is grown, ground, and made into cornmeal at historic mills like Prater's Mill,
88		-	60
	67	+	- 3 - 25 LC 39 4802S
	68	+	(4) Corn is grown, ground, and made into cornmeal at historic mills like Prater's Mill,60
89	69		Berry College Mill, and Ogeechee River Mill and modern mills like Southeastern Mills and61
90	70		Logan Turnpike Mill;62
91	71		(5) Cornmeal is then sold in stores and served in eating establishments throughout the63
92	72		state, and cornbread is enjoyed by young and old at home and in restaurants;64
93	73		(6) Cornbread enjoys a singular stature in Georgia history and culture that is rivaled only65
94	74		by its undeniable appeal as a versatile and satisfying food; and66
95	75		(7) Accordingly, it is abundantly fitting and proper that cornbread be designated as the67
96	76		official Georgia state bread so as to fully recognize the importance of this product to this68
97	77		state.69
98	78		SECTION 3-2.70
99	79		Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, is amended71
100	80		by adding a new Code section to read as follows:72
101		-	"50-3-95.
102		-	73
	81	+	"50-3-95.73
103	82		Cornbread is designated as the official Georgia state bread."74
104	83		PART IV75
105	84		SECTION 4-1.76
106	85		Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, is amended77
107	86		by revising Code Section 50-5-84.2, relating to contracting with companies owned by China,78
108	87		as follows:79
109	88		"50-5-84.2.80
110	89		(a) As used in this Code section, the term:81
111	90		(1) 'Company' means any sole proprietorship, organization, association, corporation,82
112	91		partnership, joint venture, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, limited83
113		-	H. B. 233
114		-	- 4 - 25 HB 233/AP
115		-	liability company, or other entity or business association, including all wholly owned
116		-	84
117		-	subsidiaries, majority owned subsidiaries, or
118		-	parent companies, or affiliates of such85
	92	+	- 4 - 25 LC 39 4802S
	93	+	liability company, or other entity or business association, including all wholly owned84
	94	+	subsidiaries, majority owned subsidiaries, or parent companies, or affiliates of such85
119	95		entities or business associations, that exists for the purpose of making profit.86
120	96		(2) 'Government of China' means the People's Republic of China led by the Chinese87
121	97		Communist Party.88
122	98		(2) 'Foreign country of concern' means a country whose government is designated as a89
123	99		foreign adversary by the United States Secretary of Commerce pursuant to 15 C.F.R.90
124	100		Section 791.4.91
125	101		(3) 'Scrutinized company' means any company owned or operated by the government of92
126	102		China a foreign country of concern or any company in which the government of a foreign93
127	103		country of concern has an ownership stake.94
128	104		(b) A scrutinized company shall be ineligible to, and shall not, bid on or submit a proposal95
129	105		for a contract, directly or through a third-party seller, with a state agency for goods or96
130	106		services, including, but not limited to, a contract for the procurement or purchase of97
131	107		computers, printers, connecting cables, or interoperable videoconferencing services used98
132	108		in connection with an office environment.99
133	109		(c) A state agency shall require a company that submits a bid or proposal with respect to100
134	110		a contract for goods or services to certify that the company is not a scrutinized company.101
135	111		(d) If the Department of Administrative Services determines that a company has submitted102
136	112		a false certification under subsection (c) of this Code section:103
137	113		(1) The company shall be liable for a civil penalty in an amount that is equal to the104
138	114		greater of $250,000.00 or twice triple the amount of the contract for which a bid or105
139	115		proposal was submitted entire purchase value;106
140	116		(2) The state agency or the Department of Administrative Services shall terminate the107
141	117		contract with the company; and108
142	118		(3) The company shall be ineligible to, and shall not, bid on a state contract."109
143		-	H. B. 233
144		-	- 5 - 25 HB 233/AP
145		-	PART V
146		-	110
	119	+	- 5 - 25 LC 39 4802S
	120	+	PART V110
147	121		SECTION 5-1.111
148	122		All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.112
149		-	H. B. 233
150	123		- 6 -