GRA Stands Alone – Stops Rebate Bill

House Bill 567, sponsored by Representative Matt Dollar, would have required retailers to process and return rebates within 30 days of the postmarked date on the completed and submitted rebate form. The proposed legislation had received little attention, and it was presumed that the bill would not move. However, on March 13, 2007, the bill was placed on the agenda of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. This action, which came out of the blue, caught Georgia’s business interests and GRA by surprise.

Immediately prior to the committee meeting, members of the committee were polled by GRA President John Heavener to see what they would do with the bill. Much to his surprise, the overwhelming position was one of support for the bill.

Heavener was the sole individual to testify against the bill. He explained that the bill was impractical and problematic for Georgia’s retailers; that retailers had little or no control over the amount of time that the U.S. Postal Service and the manufacturer took in handling and processing rebates. He was questioned by the committee for twenty minutes or more. At last, Representatives Penny Houston and Kevin Levitas, expressed their doubts about the merits of the bill. Finally a motion was made and passed to assign the bill to a subcommittee where it ultimately died for the 2007 session.