Senate first readers 1996 January 23

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SENATE FIRST READERS Tuesday, January 23, 1996 SEVENTH LEGISLATIVE DAY

SB 583. By Senators Ragan of the 11th, Middleton of the 50th, Cagle of the 49th and Guhl of the 45th:
A bill to amend Chapter 11 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to seeds and plants, so as to substantially rewrite the laws of this state relating to seed; to provide for definitions; to repeal certain definitions; to change the provisions relating to labeling of seeds; to change the provisions relating to the required contents of labels; to change the provisions relating to prohibited acts and to provide for additional prohibitions.

Referred to Committee on Agriculture.

SB 584. By Senators Henson of the 55th, Thomas of the 10th, Boshears of the 6th and others:
A bill to enumerate instances of proper and improper political activity for employees of the state in the classified service and to provide for exceptions; to amend Chapter 2 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department of Public Safety, in order to repeal an existing statutory prohibition against certain political contributions by employees of such department.

Referred to Committee on Ethics.

SB 585. By Senators Broun of the 46th, Clay of the 37th and Henson of the 55th:
Abill to amend Code Section 3-3-7 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to local authorization and regulation of sales of alcoholic beverages on Sunday, so as to authorize certain county governing authorities to provide by ordinance or resolution for the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises on Sunday in certain counties during certain hours.

Referred to Committee on State and Local Governmental Operations (General).

SB 586. By Senators Bowen of the 13th, Oliver of the 42nd, Perdue of the 18th and others:
A bill to amend Part 2 of Article 3 of Chapter 6 of Title 32 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the state highway system, so as to provide that no outdoor advertising depicting obscene material shall be allowed; to restrict outdoor advertising of commercial establishments where nudity is exhibited; to provide for legislative intent; to define a certain term.

Referred to Committee on Public Safety.

SB 587. By Senators Dean of the 31st, Marable of the 52nd, Ray of the 19th and Guhl of the 45th:
Abill to amend Title 42 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to penal institutions, so as to define certain terms; to authorize certain county correctional facilities to obtain certain information from inmates relating to medical insuranoe; to provide for the provision and payment of medical treatment for inmates; to provide that certain state and county correctional facilities may deduct from inmate accounts.
Referred to Committee on Corrections, Correctional Institutions &Property.
SB 588. By Senators Dean of the 31st, Marable of the 52nd, Ray of the 19th and others:
A bill to amend Part 10 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, known as the "Georgia Music Hall of Fame Authority Act," so as to change the provisions relating to the general powers of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Authority; to authorize such authority to expend available funds for the meals, entertainment, and incidental expenses of bona fide prospects.
Referred to Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Cultural Affairs.
SB 589. By Senator Middleton of the 50th:
A bill to provide for an advisory referendum election to be held in Lumpkin County for the purpose of determining whether the Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners should adopt comprehensive land use regulations for unincorporated areas of the county; to determine whether animal control regulations should be established and an animal control department created; to provide for legislative findings and declaration.
Referred to Committee on State and Local Governmental Operations.
SB 590. By Senators Middleton of the 50th, Turner of the 8th, Madden of the 47th and others:
A bill to amend Article 1 of Chapter 7 of Title 52 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Georgia Boat Safety Act," so as to provide that it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a moving vessel with a child under a certain age aboard unless the child is wearing a personal flotation device; to provide for an exception.
Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.
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SB 591. By Senators Thompson of the 33rd, Starr of the 44th and Kemp of the 3rd:
Abill to amend Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 32 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to dimensions and weight of vehicles and loads, so as to change the weight limitation on vehicles hauling solid waste and recovered materials.
Referred to Committee on Transportation.
SB 592. By Senators Perdue of the 18th, Thomas ot the 10th, Johnson of the 1st and others:
A bill to amend Article 1 of Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding insurance, so as to provide that health benefit policies provide for the direct access of patients to services of an obstetrician or a gynecologist; to provide for disclosures; to provide for legislative intent and findings; to provide for a definition.
Referred to Committee on Insurance and Labor.
SB 593. By Senators Griffin of the 25th, Newbill of the 56th, Langford of the 29th and Stokes of the 43rd:
A bill to amend Article 4 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to local boards of education, so as to require certain full-time local school system finance officers and accounting personnel to attend and complete the School Finance Officers Certification Program conducted by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
Referred to Committee on Education.
SB 594. By Senators Gochenour of the 27th and Langford of the 29th:
A bill to amend Article 5 of Chapter 12 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the disposition of unclaimed property, so as to change the presumption of abandonment of certain unpaid wages; to provide for the disposition of such wages.
Referred to Committee on Special Judiciary.
SB 595. By Senators Clay of the 37th, Edge of the 28th and Balfour of the 9th:
A bill to amend Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to fiscal affairs subcommittees, so as to change the designation of the appropriations period applicable to budget unit object class transfers; to specify categories of budget unit object class transfers which the subcommittees may approve.
Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
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SB 596. By Senators Taylor of the 12th, Hooks of th.e. 14.th :and Harbison of the 15th~
Abill t0: amend Title 29 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,. relating to guardian and ward, so as to provide for a comprehensive change in the guardianship of beneficiaries of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; to provide for definitions; to provide for the appointment of guardians; to provide for procedures relating to guardianship.
Referred to Committee on Defense and Veterans Affairs.
SB 597. By Senators Clay of the 37th, Edge of the 28th and Johnson of the 1st:
A bill to amend Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions applicable to telephone and telegraph service, so as to change the provisions relating to avoiding or attempting to avoid charges for use of telephone, telegraph, or cable television service; to change the provisions relating to making, possessing, selling, allowing use of, or publishing assembly plans for devices.
Referred to Committee on Science, Technology and Industry.
SB 598. By Senator Clay of the 37th:
Abill to amend Code Section 48-5-7.4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to bona fide conservation use property, so as to provide that a family limited partnership, a family limited corporation, or a family limited liability company shall be a qualified owner; to provide an effective date; to provide applicability.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
SB 599. By Senator James of the 35th:
A bill to amend Article 1 of Chapter 7 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions applicable to the landlord and tenant, so as to provide for a tenant's remedy of repair and deduction for minor defects; to provide that a landlord upon written notification by the local department of health or other state, county, or municipal agency that there exists a condition on the premises which constitutes a health or safety violation.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
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SB 600. By Senator James of the 35th:
A bill to amend Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to selling and other trade practices, so as to create the "Used Car Buyer's Protection Act"; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for definitions; to require dealers to offer a written warranty on all motor vehicles sold to consumers; to provide for the terms of such warranty.
Referred to Committee on Consumer Affairs.
SB 601. By Senators James of the 35th and Harbison of the 15th:
A bill to amend Article 1 of Chapter 7 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions applicable to landlords and tenants, so as to prohibit a landlord from retaliating against a tenant by increasing rent or decreasing services or by bringing or threatening to bring an action for possession after the tenant has exercised certain rights or undertaken certain legal actions.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
SB 602. By Senators Oliver of the 42nd, Stokes of the 43rd, Henson of the 55th and others:
A bill to amend Code Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to numbers of judges of superior courts, so as to provide for a tenth judge of the superior courts of the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit of Georgia; to provide for the appointment of the first such additional judge by the Governor.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
SB 603. By Senator Boshears of the 6th:
Abill to amend an Act providing for the nonpartisan nomination and election of the judge of the Probate Court of Appling County so as to provide that such nonpartisan nomination and election of the judge of the Probate Court of Appling County shall begin with the election held in 1996; to provide an effective date.
Referred to Committee on State and Local Governmental Operations.
SB 604. By Senator Johnson of the 1st:
A bill to amend Code Section 52-7-13 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to boating safety zones, so as to provide that certain restrictions on the operation of watercraft shall not apply to certain licensed events; to provide an effective date.
Referred to Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Cultural Affairs.
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SB 605. By Senators Perdue of the 18th, Madden of the 47th, Langford of the 29th and others: A bill to amend Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the death penalty in general, so as to provide an additional aggravating circumstance which may be considered in sentencing in murder cases; to provide that such additional aggravating circumstances shall be the fact that the victim of the murder was a child under the age of 16 and the offense involved child abuse, sexual abuse, or sexual exploitation of the victim.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
SB 606. By Senators Oliver of the 42nd, Dean of the 31st and Henson of the 55th: A bill to amend Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to motor vehicles, so as to provide for assessment of a driver's operating record for violation of the child safety restraint lawi to change provisions relating to mandatory use of child passenger restraining systems.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
SB 607. By Senators Marable of the 52nd, Pollard of the 24th and Thomas of the 10th: Abill to amend Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to criminal obstruction of public administration, so as to change provisions relating to criminal interference with emergency medical technicians; to provide for applicability of such provisions to other emergency medical personnel; to define terms; to define criminal offenses and prescribe penalties.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
SB 608. By Senators Oliver of the 42nd, Scott of the 36th and Stokes of the 43rd: A bill to amend Article 3 of Chapter 13 of Title 19 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the State Commission on Family Violence, so as to provide for additional members; to provide for staggered terms of commission members.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
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SB 609. By Senators Hill of the 4th, Kemp of the 3rd and Thomas of the 10th: A bill to amend Article 8 of Chapter 21 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to funding for assistance programs for crime victims, so as to provide that additional penalties imposed in criminal cases to provide such funding shall be imposed in all criminal and ordinance violation cases in all courts of the state and its political subdivisions.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
SB 610. By Senators Stokes of the 43rd, Scott of the 36th and Thompson of the 33rd: A bill to amend Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to criminal assault and battery, so as to define the offense of family violence battery; to prescribe the punishment for first and subsequent convictions of such offense; to provide for an effective date and applicability.
Referred to Committee on Special Judiciary.
SR 425. By Senator James of the 35th: A resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide for four-year terms of off ice for members of the Georgia Senate; to provide for submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection.
Referred to Committee on Ethics.
SR 426. By Senator James of the 35th: A resolution urging the governing authority of each political subdivision of this state which is a 1996 Olympic venue to develop and implement a comprehensive recycling plan to be in effect during the period of the Olympic games.
Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.
SR 427. By Senator James of the 35th: A resolution creating the Senate Study Commission on Economic Development and Revitalization in South Fulton County.
Referred to Committee on Rules.
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SR 428. By Senator James of the 35th: A resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to authorize the General Assembly to create a recycling and solid waste reduction fund from which funds shall be disbursed to develop this state's recycling infrastructure and solid waste reduction capabilities; to provide for payments into the fund and disbursements therefrom; to provide for submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection.
Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
SR 429. By Senators Clay of the 37th, Lamutt of the 21st, Thompson of the 33rd and Tanksley of the 32nd: A resolution commending and congratulating Ms. Margaret Joy Gillentine.
Read and adopted.
SR 430. By Senator James of the 35th: A resolution recognizing African American entrepreneurs and proclaiming the second Thursday in February as "African American Business Enterprise Day".
Referred to Committee on Rules.
SR 431. By Senator Bowen of the 13th: A resolution commending Mrs. Sulla Burnam Brown on the occasion of her 90th birthday.
Read and adopted.
SR 432. By Senators James of the 35th, Bowen of the 13th and Gillis of the 20th: A resolution creating the Senate Recycling and Economic Development Study Committee.
Referred to Committee on Rules.
SR 433. By Senators Madden of the 47th, Gillis of the 20th, Clay of the 37th and Taylor of the 12th: A resolution urging the United States Cengress to reject the proposal to sell the facilities used to generate electric power marketed by the Southeastern Power Administration.
Referred to Committee on Rules.
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SR 434. By Senator Ray of the 19th: A resolution commending Major George L. Johnson on the event of his retirement.
Read and adopted. SR 435. By Senators Middleton of the SOth, Ragan of the 11th,
Marable of the 52nd and others: A resolution commending the Georgia School Food Service Association and its members. Read and adopted. SR 436. By Senators Johnson of the 1st and Johnson of the 2nd: A resolution commending Patrick J. Russo. Read and adopted.
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