What You Missed: Georgia Senate Study Committee on Third Party Food Delivery Apps - Third Meeting
On November 1st, the Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA) Advocacy team, attended the final meeting of the Senate Study Committee on Third Party Delivery Apps. The Study Committee was established after Senate Resolution (SR) 428 was passed during the 2022 Legislative Session. A full recording of each meeting can be found here.
Members of the Senate Food Delivery App Study Committee - Find your legislators here.
Senator Elena Parent, Chairperson | District 42
Senator John Albers | District 56
Senator Frank Ginn | District 47
Senator Sally Harrell | District 40
Senator Harold Jones II | District 22
Background. Senator Elena Parent expressed interest in third party delivery apps in early 2020 after witnessing the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the restaurant industry. During the 2021 legislative session, Senator Parent introduced Senate Bill (SB) 205 which would have prohibited third party delivery apps from charging restaurants certain fees. SB 205 had its first hearing in the Senate’s Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee but ultimately did not make it out of Committee. In 2022, Senator Parent introduced SR 428 which allowed the creation of a Senate Study Committee on Food Delivery Apps.
The Recommendations. After reviewing recommendations and receiving testimony from public interest groups, the members of the Study Committee produced a comprehensive report and their recommendations for further action. The recommendations are listed below:
- The Study Committee recommends legislative action requiring third party food delivery platforms to establish a contract or written agreement with a restaurant before advertising that such a relationship exists;
- The Study Committee recommends legislative action requiring the use of thermal containers to transport food via third party food delivery platforms;
- The Study Committee recommends legislative action to prohibit smoking or vaping in delivery vehicles operated by third party food delivery platforms, and
- The Study Committee recommends continued discussion on the prohibition of transporting dogs, cats, and other pets (with the exception of service animals) in delivery vehicles operated by third party delivery platforms.
A Unanimous Vote. All proposals were unanimously approved by the committee. Senator Ginn was absent but had thoroughly reviewed the report and conferred with Chairperson Parent prior to the meeting. Chairperson Parent thanked all members of the Committee, legislative staff, and public interest groups for their contribution and adjourned the meeting.
Further Reading:
- Full list of research materials used in Committee report
- Recap of prior meetings: