From the upper chamber 2008 March 4

Report for Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The twenty-seventh day of the 2008 legislative session was called to order by Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle.
Senator Don Balfour of the 9th stated that the journal had been read and was found to be correct.
Senate Bills 536-548, Senate Resolutions 1061, 1063, 1069, 1071, 1073 and 1074, and House Bills 68, 237, 649, 851, 1239, 1330, 1340 and 1347 were read for the first time and assigned to committees. The clerk then read the reports of standing committees and second readers.
After the morning roll call, Sen. Valencia Seay of the 34th led the Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance. She then introduced the Chaplain of the Day, Pastor Andre Landers of the New Birth South Metropolitan Church of Jonesboro, who led the Senate in the daily devotional.
Sen. Regina Thomas of the 2nd took the well on a Point of Personal Privilege to speak against SB 506, the SHAPE Act, which passed the Senate last week.
Sen. Vincent Fort of the 39th took the well on a Point of Personal Privilege to discuss his concerns with new provisions included in the Public Hospital Integrity Act.
SR 1062, 1064-1068, 1070 and 1072 were read and adopted.
Sen. Lee Hawkins of the 49th took the rostrum to introduce the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Ralph Tillman of Newton.
The clerk read SR 766, which congratulates the Appling County Bulldawgs 4-H Gun Team for winning the 42nd Annual Jaycee International BB Gun Championship. Majority Leader Tommie Williams of the 19th took the rostrum to speak to the resolution.
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The clerk read SR 1048, which commends the cultural, economic and educational cooperation between Georgia and the Federal Republic of Germany. Senators Judson Hill of the 32nd and Michael Meyer von Bremen of the 12th took the rostrum to speak to the resolution.
Sergeant-at-Arms Lorenzo Wallace escorted Sens. Chip Pearson of the 21st, Jack Murphy of the 27th and Jeff Mullis of the 53rd, and their guests, to the rostrum.
The clerk read SR 1032, which recognizes the career of veteran comic James Gregory. Sen. Mullis took the rostrum to speak to the resolution and to introduce Mr. Gregory to the Senate.
The Senate Local Consent Calendar, consisting of SB 524, was adopted by a vote of 48 to 0.
President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson of the 1st moved to suspend the rules so that SB 549 could be read for the first time and assigned to committee. There was no objection.
The clerk read SR 1012, which allows for the conveyance of certain property in 10 counties.
Sen. Johnny Grant of the 25th took the well to present the bill.
The Committee Substitute to SR 1012 was unanimously adopted.
SR 1012 was adopted by substitute by a vote of 47 to 0.
SB 470 was read. The bill requires insurance companies to file an actuarial opinion statement with the Insurance Commissioner to provide for early warnings of a company that may be in trouble. This model legislation was proposed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Sen. Ralph Hudgens of the 47th took the well to present the bill.
SB 470 passed by a vote of 47 to 0.
The clerk read SB 485, which creates a licensing program for home inspectors.
Sen. John Wiles of the 37th took the well to present the bill. He yielded to questions from Sen. Fort.
The Committee Substitute to SB 485 was unanimously adopted.
SB 485 passed by substitute by a vote of 45 to 0.
The clerk read SB 508, which is a housekeeping bill that updates provisions relating to probate courts.
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Sen. Meyer von Bremen took the well to present the bill.
The Committee Substitute to SB 508 was unanimously adopted.
SB 508 passed by substitute by a vote of 49 to 0.
Sen. David Shafer of the 48th asked that SB 305 be removed from the Judiciary Committee and recommitted to the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee. There was no objection.
SB 525 was read, a housekeeping bill that changes certain provisions of the Georgia Technology Authority.
Sen. Cecil Staton of the 18th took the well to speak to the bill and yielded to questions from Sen. Hudgens.
SB 525 passed by a vote of 50 to 0.
The clerk read SB 472, known as the Anti-cigarette Smuggling Act, which directs the Department of Revenue to adopt digital based cigarette stamp processes in order to further guard against tax evasion.
Sen. Shafer took the well to present the bill.
SB 472 passed by a vote of 50 to 0.
The clerk read SB 493, which provides that when a Tax Allocation District (TAD) is created within a Community Improvement District (CID), all properties may be included in the TAD.
Sen. Curt Thompson of the 5th took the well to speak to the bill.
SB 493 passed by a vote of 45 to 2.
The clerk read SR 996, which is a Constitutional Amendment that allows school boards to pledge tax funds received from redevelopment programs.
Sen. Dan Weber of the 40th took the well to present the bill and Amendment 1, which clarifies language to state that a school board needs a formal resolution for the pledge to be approved. He yielded to questions from Sens. Fort and Kasim Reed of the 35th.
Amendment 1 was unanimously adopted.
The Committee Substitute to SR 996 was unanimously adopted as amended.
SB 996 passed by substitute by a vote of 46 to 3.
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Following the announcements, Sen. Johnson moved that the Senate stand adjourned until 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 5.
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