Senate first readers 2001 January 24

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SENATE FIRST READERS Wednesday, January 24, 2001 SEVENTH LEGISLATIVE DAY

SB44. By Senators Hill of the 4th, Smith of the 25th, Jackson of the 50th, Marable of the 52nd, Meyer von Bremen of the 12th and others:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Part 5 of Article 8 of Chapter 2 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to provisions applicable to certain law enforcement personnel under the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, so as to provide that under certain conditions, persons employed as correction officers, parole officers, and probation officers may retire after accruing 25 years of creditable service without regard to age; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Retirement Committee.

SB45. By Senator Ray of the 481h:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 15 of Chapter 6 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to serious traffic offenses, so as to provide criminal punishment for the offense of causing death or serious bodily injury ofanother person by losing control ofa motor vehicle due to failure to take medication as prescribed; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Judiciary Committee.

SB46. By Senators Thomas of the 2nd and Johnson of the 1st:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 7 of Title 44 of the Official Code ofGeorgia Annotated, relating to dispossessory proceedings, so as to change certain time limits; to change the time within which the tenant must file an answer; to change the provisions relating to defenses and counterclaims; to change the provisions relating to tenders of rents owed and costs; to change the period for payments pursuant to court orders; to change the provisions relating to tenants remaining in possession; to change the provisions relating to payments into court; to change certain provisions relating to writs of possession and their effective dates; to change the provisions relating to appeals, the filing thereof, and supplementing the record; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Veterans and Consumer Affairs Committee.

SB47. By Senator Thomas of the 2nd:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 17-3-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to limitation on prosecutions generally, so as to provide that a prosecution for the offense of arson in the first degree may be commenced at any time; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Judiciary Committee.

(OVER)

SB 48.





By Senators Cagle of the 49th, Gillis of the 20th and Beatty of the 47th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 7 of Title 52 of the Official Code ofGeorgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to the registration, operation, and sale of watercraft, so as to exempt certain types of vessels from certain requirements relating to lifesaving devices; to change the penalty for operating certain vessels after the privilege to do so has been suspended; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Natural Resources Committee.

SB49. By Senators Streat of the 19th, Cheeks of the 23rd and Butler of the 55th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 22 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions applicable to eminent domain, so as to change the provisions relating to requirement of just compensation as a limitation on exercise ofpower ofeminent domain; to provide that interference with a property owner's exclusiverights includes interference with access rights incident to the property which may include but are not limited to any median or other interference creating increased circuity of travel or a change in traffic patterns; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to Transportation Committee.,
SB 50. By Senators Johnson of the 1st and Tanksley of the 32nd:



A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 15-6-62 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to additional duties of clerks of the superior courts, so as to authorize the maintenance of records in digital format; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Special Judiciary Committee.

SB 51. By Senators Thomas of the 10th, Hill of the 4th and Thomas of the 54th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 11 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to emergency medical services, so as to add provisions regulating the use ofautomated external defibrillators by lay rescuers; to amend Chapter 1 of Title 51 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to torts in general, so as to provide for immunity from liability for persons engaged in activities relating to the use of automated external defibrillators; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.

SB 52.

By Senators Thomas of the 10th, Brush of the 24th, Brown of the 26th, Thomas of the 2nd, Ray of the 4gth and others:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the O.C.G.A., relating to selling and other trade practices, so as to provide that a person who owns or operates a public accommodation may not restrict an individual from access or admission to the accommodation or otherwise prevent the individual from using the accommodation solely because the individual operates a motorcycle, is a member of an organization or association that operates motorcycles, or wears clothing that displays the name ofsuch an organization or

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association; to provide that no person who owns or operates a public accommodation may exclude patrons from parking two-wheeled or threewheeled vehicles in the parking lot of the public accommodation; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Transportation Committee.

SB 53.

By Senators Walker of the 22nd, Stokes of the 43rd, Thomas ofthe 2nd, Tate of the 381\ Butler of the 55th and others:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Title 43 of the 0.C.G.A., relating to professions and businesses, so as to enact the "Fair Health Care Billing Act of 2001 ";to state legislative findings;. to define terms; to provide for obligations and fees under health benefit plans and contractual and other liabilities and standards relating thereto; to limit certain collection and legal actions; to amend Code Section 10-1-393 of the O.C.G.A., relating to unfair practices, so as to include among those practices certain violations relating to health care billing; to amend Code Section 33-6-5 of the O.C.G.A., relating to unfair insurance practices, so as to include among those practices certain violations relating to health care billing; to provide for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.

SB 54. By Senators Ragan of the I Ith, Cagle of the 49th and Hooks of the 14th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Code ofGeorgia Annotated, relating to physicians, so as to provide that agents or personnel ofthe office ofSecretary ofState will conduct investigations on behalf of the Composite State Board of Medical Examiners and provide for procedures, complaints, and funding relating thereto; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.

SB 55 . By Senators Ladd of the 4151, Lamutt of the 215\ Polak of the 42nd, Price of the 561h, Balfour of the 9th and others:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 5 of Chapter 4 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Natural Gas Competition and Deregulation Act," so as to provide for a natural gas residential customer purchasing group program; to define terms; to direct the Public Service Commission to develop the purchasing group program by rule; to provide for the elements ofthe program; to provide for the membership, operation, governance, and operation of purchasing groups; to provide for the qualification, selection, and compensation ofpurchasing agents to negotiate the purchase of natural gas on behalf of purchasing groups; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Finance and Public Utilities Committee.

SB 56. By Senators Hamrick of the 30th and Hecht of the 341h:

A bill to be entitled an Act to provide for a homestead exemption from certain Douglas County ad valorem taxes for county purposes in an amount equal to the amount of the assessed value of that homestead that exceeds the assessed value

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ofthat homestead for the taxable year immediately preceding the taxable year in which that exemption is first granted to a resident; to provide that such exemption shall be extended to the unremarried surviving spouse at the time ofthe person's death so long as such unremarried surviving spouse continues to occupy the home as a residence and homestead; to provide a short title; to provide for applicability; to provide for a referendum, effective dates, and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB57. By Senators Thompson ofthe 33rd, Stokes ofthe 43rd, Tanksley ofthe 32"d, Hecht of the 34th and Haines of the 46th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 13 of Title 19 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to family violence, so as to enact the "Family Violence and Stalking Protective Order Registry Act"; to define terms; to create a registry of protective orders as a centralized data base for protective orders; to provide for the registry to be attached to and maintained by the Georgia Crime Information Center and governed by the Georgia Commission on Family Violence; to provide for the registry to be linked with the National Crime Information Center Network; to provide for standard forms for protective orders; to provide for electronic transmittal and maintenance of orders; to provide for foreign orders; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Judiciary Committee.

SB 58. By Senator Jackson of the 50th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to create the Board of Commissioners of Lumpkin County; to provide for continuation of certain obligations and liabilities; to provide for a chairperson and four additional members; to provide for elections and terms of office; to provide for qualifications; to provide for commissioner districts; to provide for the appointment of a clerk; to provide for filling of vacancies; to provide for oaths of office and surety bonds; to provide for the compensation and expenses of the chairperson and members of the board; to provide for a vice chairperson; to provide for powers and duties ofsuch officers; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SR33.

By Senators Meyer von Bremen of the 12th and Hooks of the 14th:
A resolution declaring January 24, 2001, as Albany-Dougherty County Day at the State Capitol; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR34.

By Senator Williams of the 6th:
A resolution recognizing and commending Denval B. Hamby for the gift to the St. Simons Land Trust; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.





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SR35. By Senators Dean of the 3151, Starr of the 44t\ Johnson of the 151, Bowen of the 13t\ Gillis of the 20th and Jackson of the 50th:
A resolution authorizing the granting of nonexclusive easements for the installation, operation, and maintenance ofutilities, ingress and egress, drainage, and dredging, as well as monitoring wells in, on, over, under, upon, across, or through property owned by the State of Georgia in Banks, Barrow, Bibb, Chatham, Evans, Fulton, Gwinnett, Jones, Laurens, Madison, Newton, Rockdale, Talbot, Tift, Toombs, Glynn, and White counties, Georgia; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to Finance and Public Utilities Committee.
SR36. By Senators Hill of the 4th, Streat of the 19th and Bowen of the l31h:
A resolution recognizing and commending Trooper First Class Lisa Stocks; and for other purposes.
Read and adopted.
SR37. By Senators Hill ofthe 4t\ Bowen of the 13t\ Thompson ofthe 33rct, Tanksley of the 32"ct, Lamutt of the 21st and others:
A resolution recognizing and commending Lieutenant Bill L. Mull; and for other purposes.
Read and adopted
SR38. By Senator Ragan of the 11th:
A resolution recognizing and commending Dr. W.C. "Bill" Arwood, Jr.; and for other purposes.
Read and adopted.
SR39. By Senators Johnson of the 1st and Thomas of the 2ct:
A resolution recognizing and commending Cheryl Haworth; and for other purposes.
Read and adopted.
SR40. By Senators Johnson of the 1st and Thomas of the 2"d:
A resolution commending and expressing appreciation to the SkyeLite Jazz Band of Savannah Arts Academy; and for other purposes
Read and adopted.
SR41. By Senator Hooks of the 14th:
A resolution designating the Jack Peed Bridge; and for other purposes.
Referred to Transportation Committee.

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SR42. By Senator Crotts of the l 71h:

A resolution congratulating the First Baptist Church of Conyers; and for other

purposes. Read and adopted.








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