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SENATE FIRST READERS
THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2001
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATIVE DAY



SB 3.

By Senator Ladd of the 41 st:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act known as the "Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Act of 1965," approved March 10, 1965 (Ga. L. 1965, p. 2243), as amended, so as to provide for a future extension of the 1 percent sales and use tax rate for the authority, conditioned upon certain contract amendments or approval in a referendum; to provide for procedures; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Finance and Public Utilities Committee.

SB4.

By Senator Ladd of the 41 st:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act known as the "Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Act of 1965," approved March 10, 1965 (Ga. L. 1965, p. 2243), as amended, particularly by an Act approved April 19, 2000 (Ga. L. 2000, p. 4492), so as to change the provisions relating to the composition of the board of directors of the authority; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Finance and Public Utilities Committee.

SB 255.

By Senators Mullis of the 53rd, Johnson of the 1st, Price of the 56th, Stephens of the 51 st, Thomas of the 54th and others:

A bill to be entitled an Act to be known as the "Regulatory Reform Act of 2001 "; to provide for a short title, findings, and a statement of purpose; to amend Chapter 3 of Title 1 of the O.C.G.A., relating to laws and statutes, so as to provide that the state and each county, municipality, consolidated government, school district, or political subdivision thereof shall be bound by each statute enacted by the General Assembly and by any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to such statute unless the words of the statute plainly, clearly, and unmistakably show that the intention of the General Assembly is otherwise; to amend Code Section 31-6-21.1 of the O.C.G.A., relating to procedures for rule making by the Department of Community Health; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.

SB 256. By Senator Fort of the 39th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Title 47 of the 0.C.G.A., relating to retirement and pensions, so as to establish the Teachers' Optional Retirement Plan; to define certain terms; to provide that the board of trustees of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia shall establish an account for certain teachers in such plan; to provide for participation in such plan; to provide for the payment of employer and employee contributions into such plan; to provide for an election of participation; to provide for vesting; to provide for the distribution of funds; to provide for

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the transfer of funds to the board of trustees of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia and the grant of creditable service in such retirement system; to provide a penalty for certain employment related crimes; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Retirement Committee.

SB 257.

By Senator Fort of the 39th:
A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 47-3-87.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to credit in the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia for service rendered in independent school system prior to, but not later than, June 30, 1979, so as to provide that such credit may be obtained prior to January 1, 2003; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Retirement Committee.

SB 258.

By Senator Fort of the 39th: A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 47 of



the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to employee and employer contributions under the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, the creation of funds for contributions, benefits, and administrative expenses, so as to provide that the employer shall pay the employee contributions on behalf of any person eligible to receive a service retirement under such

retirement system and who agrees to a certain period of employment; to

provide that such amount shall be treated as employer contributions; to

provide for the withholding of federal income taxes; to provide for a

penalty; to provide for related matters; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other

purposes.

Referred to Retirement Committee.

SB 259.

By Senator Fort of the 39th: A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 47 of



the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to retirement allowances,

disability benefits, and spouses' benefits under the Teachers Retirement

System of Georgia, so as to provide conditions pursuant to which certain

retired members of such retirement system may return to service and

maintain their benefits; to provide for the commitment of a certain period of

service; to provide for the creation of a separate deferred benefit account

within such retirement system; to provide for the disbursement of funds; to

provide for the forfeiture of funds; to provide for rules and regulations; to

provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal

conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Retirement Committee.


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SB 260 .

By Senators Starr of the 44th and Hecht of the 34th:
A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act creating the board of commissioners of Clayton County, approved February 8, 1955 (Ga. L. 1955, p. 2064), as amended, particularly by an Act approved April 16, 1999 (Ga. L. 1999, p. 4653), so as to change the provisions relating to the compensation of the chairperson and members of the board; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB 261.

By Senators Starr of the 44th and Hecht of the 34th:
A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act creating the Clayton County Water Authority, approved March 7, 1955 (Ga. L. 1955, p. 3344), as amended, particularly by an Act approved April 4, 1963 (Ga. L. 1963, p. 2967), so as to provide guidelines to call special meetings; to expand the method of notice for special meetings; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB 262.

By Senators Starr of the 44th and Hecht of the 34th:
A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act creating the State Court of Clayton County, approved January 28, 1964 (Ga. L. 1964, p. 2032), as amended, particularly by an Act approved May 1, 2000 (Ga. L. 2000, p. 4576), so as to provide for an increase in the compensation of the clerk of the state court; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB 263.

By Senators Starr of the 44th and Hecht of the 34th:
A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act providing a salary for the official court reporter of the Clayton Judicial Circuit, approved March 17, 1959 (Ga. L. 1959, p. 375), as amended, particularly by an Act approved March 17, 1997 (Ga. L. 1997, p. 4211), so as to change the compensation of the official court reporters of the Clayton Judicial Circuit; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB 264.

By Senators Starr of the 44th and Hecht of the 34th:
A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act to provide a homestead exemption from certain City of Morrow ad valorem taxes for city purposes, approved March 30, 1993 (Ga. L. 1993, p. 4446), as amended, particularly by an Act approved March 27, 1995 (Ga. L. 1995, p. 3909), so as to increase the amount of the homestead exemption from City of Morrow ad valorem taxes to $60,000.00; to provide for applicability; to provide for a referendum and automatic repeal; to provide effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

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SB 265.

By Senators Starr of the 44th and Hecht of the 34th:
A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act placing the judge of the Probate Court of Clayton County on an annual salary, approved February 7, 1950 (Ga. L. 1950, p. 2068), as amended, particularly by an Act approved April 16, 1999 (Ga. L. 1999, p. 4661), so as to change the compensation of the judge of the probate court; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB 266. By Senators Starr of the 44th and Hecht of the 34th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act placing the sheriff and clerk of the Superior Court of Clayton County on an annual salary, approved February 25, 1949 (Ga. L. 1949, p. 1910), as amended, particularly by an Act approved April 16, 1999 (Ga. L. 1999, p. 4668), so as to increase the salary of the clerk of the Superior Court of Clayton County; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB 267.

By Senators Starr of the 44th and Hecht of the 34th:
A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act consolidating the offices of tax receiver and tax collector of Clayton County into the office of tax commissioner, approved August 18, 1925 (Ga. L. 1925, p. 600), as amended, particularly by an Act approved April 16, 1999 (Ga. L. 1999, p. 4659), so as to change the provisions relating to the salary of the tax commissioner; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB 268. By Senators Starr of the 44th and Hecht of the 34th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend an Act placing the sheriff and clerk of the Superior Court of Clayton County on an annual salary, approved February 25, 1949 (Ga. L. 1949, p. 1910), as amended, particularly by an Act approved April 16, 1999 (Ga. L. 1999, p. 4651), so as to change the provisions relating to the compensation of the sheriff; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB 269.

By Senators Kemp of the 3rd, Haines of the 46th and Hecht of the 34th:
A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 5-3-30 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to calendaring appeals in the superior or state courts and jury trials therein, so as to eliminate the magistrate court monetary jurisdictional limit; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Judiciary Committee.





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SB 270. By Senators Kemp of the 3rd, Hecht of the 34th and Ray of the 48th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 17-10-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to sentencing, so as to allow state and magistrate court judges to set bond under certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Judiciary Committee.

SB 271. By Senators Kemp of the 3rd, Haines of the 46th and Ray of the 48th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 3 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to laws and statutes, so as to provide for notice to the Attorney General of any challenge to the constitutionality of any statute of this state; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Judiciary Committee.

SB 272.

By Senators Mullis of the 53rd, Hecht of the 34th, Jackson of the 50th, Guhl of the 45th and Ladd of the 41st:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 10 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the procedure for sentencing and imposition of punishment, so as to clarify that the Department of Corrections has authority to supervise misdemeanor sentences transferred from out of state under the Interstate Supervision Compact; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Corrections, Correctional Institutions and Property Committee.

SB 273. By Senators Johnson of the 1st and Fort of the 39th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to dangerous dog control, so as to require the owner of a dangerous dog to provide evidence of insurance in the amount of $100,000.00 or more covering the owner against liability for any personal injuries inflicted by the dangerous dog or a surety bond in the amount of $100,000.00 payable to any person injured by the dangerous dog; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Insurance and Labor Committee.

SB 274.

By Senators Lee of the 29th, Meyer von Bremen of the 12th, Jackson of the 50th, Hill of the 4th, Golden of the 8th and others:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2-212 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to salary schedules for certain public school employees, so as to provide that a local school system shall pay the first salary payment on the last day of the month in which service 1s rendered; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Education Committee.

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SB 275. By Senator Meyer von Bremen of the 12th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 44-12-300 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state recognition of American Indian tribes, so as to officially recognize the American



Cherokee Confederacy; to provide for an effective date; to repeal

conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Veterans and Consumer Affairs Committee.

SB 276.

By Senators Meyer von Bremen of the 12th, Hecht of the 34th and Lee of the 29th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 18 of Title 15 of the Official

Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to prosecuting attorneys, so as to

change the procedures relating to the appointment of a substitute for a

district attorney or solicitor-general who is disqualified from engaging in a

prosecution; to provide for other matters relative to the foregoing; to

provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to Judiciary Committee.



SB 278. By Senator Ladd of the 4lst:

A bill to be entitled an Act to provide for a homestead exemption from certain DeKalb County ad valorem taxes for county purposes in an amount equal to the amount by which the current year assessed value of a homestead exceeds the base year assessed value of such homestead; to provide for definitions; to specify the terms and conditions of the exemption and the procedures relating thereto; 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.

SB 280.

By Senator Thomas of the 10th: A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Article I of Chapter 7 of Title 31 of



the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the regulation of

hospitals and related institutions, so as to require that citations of

deficiencies of licensed nursing homes be accompanied by written concurrence of not fewer than 20 percent of the personal physicians of the residents of such nursing homes; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Veterans and Consumer Affairs Committee.


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SB 281. By Senator Thomas of the 10th:

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, related to registering and licensing of vehicles, so as to provide for a special license plate recognizing registered nurses;' to provide for purposes, design, applications, fees, issuance, revenues, renewals, and transfer; to change certain provisions relating to space for county name decal; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Finance and Public Utilities Committee.

SB 282.

By Senators Hecht of the 34th, Stokes of the 43rd, Starr of the 44th, Brown of the 26th, Scott of the 36th and others:

A bill to be entitled an Act to provide for a short title and legislative findings; to amend Chapter 20A of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Patient Protection Act of 1996," so as to define certain terms; to provide standards and procedures for verification of benefits and precertifications relating to managed health benefit plans; to provide for liability and personnel; to provide for applicability; to amend Code Section 33-6-5 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to unfair insurance practices, so as to include among those practices certain practices of insurers and managed care entities with regard to health benefit and plans; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.

SR254. By Senator Jackson of the 50th:

A resolution commending and honoring Karen Shayne; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR257. By Senators Johnson of the 1st and Thomas of the 2nd:

A resoJution designating Meals on Wheels Day in Chatham County; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR258. By Senators Walker of the 22nd and Hooks of the 14th:

A resolution recognizing and commending Daccus Turman; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 259. By Senator Hamrick of the 30th:

A resolution commending the Carrollton High School Trojan cheerleaders; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

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SR260. By Senator Hamrick of the 30th:

A resolution recognizing and commending Douglas Blueprint; and for other purposes.



Read and adopted.

SR 261.

By Senators Burton of the 5th, Blitch of the 7th, Thomas of the 10th, Ragan of the 11th, Meyer von Bremen of the 12th and others:

A resolution urging the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to consider the granting of foreign language credit to those students who demonstrate proficiency in American Sign Language; and for other purposes.

Referred to Higher Education Committee.

SR262.

By Senators Tate of the 38th, Stokes of the 43rd, Thomas of the 2nd,

Thomas of the 10th and Smith of the 25th:
A resolution creating the Joint Task Force on Developing a Federally Funded Prescription Drug Benefit for Low-Income Elderly Citizens; to



provide for the membership, powers, duties, and mission of the task force;

to provide for related matters; and for other purposes.

Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.

SR263.

By Senator Stephens of the 51st:
A resolution honoring the life and achievements of Susan Landrum; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 264.

By Senator Streat of the 19th:
A resolution commending Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Buchan on their 50th wedding anniversary; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 265.

By Senator James of the 35th:
A resolution recognizing Faith and Family Day in Georgia; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR266. By Senator James of the 35th:

A resolution honoring Tri Cities Visual and Performing Arts Magnet

Program; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.



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