Senate first readers 2007 February 21

SENATE FIRST READERS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21,2007 TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATIVE DAY

SB 184. By Senator Rogers of the 21st:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 7 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to income taxes, so as to provide for new definitions; to modify the computation of deductible business expenses; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Finance Committee.

SB 185. By Senator Hill of the 4th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 7 of Title 52 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to registration, operation, and sale of watercraft, so as to provide that an applicant for a certificate of number for certain vessels purchased outside the State of Georgia must prove by documentation satisfactory to the commissioner of natural resources that the sales and use tax has been paid or is not due; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Natural Resources and the Environment Committee.

SB 186. By Senator Goggans of the 7th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to create the City of Homerville Water and Sewer Authority and provide for its activation; to provide for a short title; to provide for definitions; to provide for the purposes, powers, duties, and functions of the authority and authorize certain contracts and agreements; to provide for the membership and appointment of members of the authority and their terms of office, qualifications, duties, powers, methods of filling vacancies, compensation, and expenses; to provide for organization, meetings, and quorum of the authority; to provide for an attorney of the authority; to provide for an audit and budgets; to authorize the authority to contract with others regarding its functions, to contract with others pertaining to the use of the utilities and facilities of the authority, and to execute leases and do all things necessary or convenient for the operation of such undertakings or projects; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB 187.

By Senators Pearson of the 51st, Rogers of the 21st, Whitehead, Sr. of the 24th, Goggans of the 7th, Wiles of the 37th and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Sectioq 12-2-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources, the Environmental Advisory Council, duties of the council and its members and the director, procedure for aggrieved persons, and inspections, so as to change certain provisions relating to review and approval or denial of applications for certain permits or variances; to provide for applicability and effect; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Natural Resources and the Environment Committee.

SB 188. By Senators Thompson of the 33rd and Hamrick of the 30th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 14 of Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the foster parents bill of rights, so as to provide that the bill of rights applies to foster parents caring for children who are privately placed; to provide for an administrative hearing for aggrieved parties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Judiciary Committee.

SB 189. By Senators Thomas of the 54th and Unterman of the 45th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 6 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state health planning and development, so as to revise the definition of "new institutional health service" for purposes of certificate of need requirements; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.

SB 190.

By Senators Harp of the 29th, Meyer von Bremen of the 12th, Moody of the 56th, Goggans of the 7th, Thomas of the 54th and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 7 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to issues of insanity and mental incompetency in pretrial proceedings, so as to provide for definitions; to provide that the committing court may have discretion to allow evaluation in the community for certain defendants; to provide that the committing court can order an evaluation of the defendant; to provide for the committing court to conduct a civil commitment hearing on the defendant; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Judiciary Committee.

SB 191. By Senators Brown of the 26th, Johnson of the 1st and Balfour of the 9th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to buildings and housing, so as to prohibit the naming of any public building, site, structure, road, highway, street, intersection, interchange, bridge, or other public property for Senator Robert Brown of Macon, Georgia; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State Institutions and Property Committee.

SB 192.

By Senators Shafer of the 48th, Hill of the 4th, Thomas of the 54th, Hooks of the 14th and Hudgens of the 47th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 34 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to motor vehicle accident reparations, so as to provide that a person who has been granted a valid certificate of self-insurance in another state may qualify as a self-insurer in this state; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflictinglaws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Insurance and Labor Committee.

By Senators Mullis of the 53rd, Jones of the 10th and Grant of the 25th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding local government, so as to provide that, if a county governing authority provides group health, life, disability, and liability insurance, retirement or pension coverage, social security and employment security coverage, and other similar or related employment benefits for county employees, such benefits must be offered to the sheriff, judge of probate court, clerk of superior court, tax receiver, tax collector, and tax commissioner on the same terms and conditions as other county employees; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

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

SB 194.

By Senators Staton of the 18th, Williams of the 19th, Wiles of the 37th, Harp of the 29th, Carter of the 13th and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, so as to provide in certain circumstances that the county election superintendent may begin the tabulation of absentee ballots prior to the close of the polls on the day of a primary, election, or runoff; to provide procedures for such tabulation; to provide that absentee ballots that are enclosed in an outer envelope but not contained in an inner envelope shall be counted; to provide that a person may cancel his or her absentee ballot under certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Ethics Committee.

SB 195.

By Senators Tate of the 38th, Reed of the 35th, Henson of the 41st, Davenport of the 44th, Jones of the 10th and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 3 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, so as to change the benefit formula for the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia from 2 percent to 2.5 percent; to change the maximum number of years of service used in such calculation; to provide a postretirement benefit adjustment; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Retirement Committee.

SB 196.

By Senators Reed of the 35th, Harp of the 29th, Thompson of the 33rd, Tarver of the 22nd and Harbison of the 15th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 4 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to military scholarships, so as to provide for scholarships for the children of persons killed or disabled as a result of combat wounds; to define certain terms; to provide,for a scholarship. equal to the tuition charges; to provide that the grant of such scholarships shall be contingent on funding; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Higher Education Committee.

SB 197. By Senators Harp of the 29th and Seabaugh of the 28th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 12
of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to solid waste management, so as to repeal certain provisions relating to municipal solid waste disposal facility sites near adjoining counties; to provide restrictions on landfill sites near adjoining counties; to provide an effective date; to provide for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Natural Resources and the Environment Committee.

SB 198.

By Senators Harp of the 29th and Seabaugh of the 28th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 12
of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to solid waste management, so as to provide protection for certain governmentally owned public drinking water supply intakes or water supply reservoirs; to provide an effective date; to provide for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Natural Resources and the Environment Committee.

SB 199. By Senator Hill of the 32nd:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 47-20-84 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to large retirement systems, so as to provide that no public retirement system shall invest h d s in certain corporations or obligations of corporations doing business with or in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, and Democratic People's Republic of Korea or certain other states; to provide for divestiture of such investments; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Retirement Committee.

SB 200.

By Senators Grant of the 25th and Thompson of the 33rd:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to local government, so as to provide for a comprehensive program for the creation of infrastructure development districts; to amend Chapter 5 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to water resources, so as to change certain provisions regarding permits for discharging pollutants into waters; to change certain provisions regarding permits for surface- . water withdrawal, diversion, or impoundment; to change certain provisions regarding permits for withdrawing, obtaining, or using ground water; to provide for related matters; to provide a contingent effective date; to provide for automatic repeal under certain circumstances; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

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

SR 292.

By Senator Butler of the 55th:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending the Leadership DeKalb Class of 2007 and honoring Executive Director, Sara A. Fountain; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 293.

By Senators Seay of the 34th and Davenport of the 44th:

A RESOLUTION commending the E. W. Oliver Elementary School "mathletes"; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 294.

By Senator Goggans of the 7th:

A RESOLUTION commending Jackie L, Wilson; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 295.

By Senator Goggans of the 7th:

A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending Mr. Francis M. Lott; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 296.

By Senator Goggans of the 7th:

A RESOLUTION dedicating the POW Julian Abel Memorial Bridge; and for other purposes.

Referred to Transportation Committee.

SR 297.

By Senator Goggans of the 7th:

A RESOLUTION dedicating the PFC Elwood W. Odom Memorial Bridge; and for other purposes.

Referred to Transportation Committee.

SR 298.

By Senator Goggans of the 7th:

A RESOLUTION dedicating the MWKIA Bryant H. Roberts, SFC Memorial Bridge; and for other purposes.

Referred to Transportation Committee.

SR 299.

By Senator Goggans of the 7th:

A RESOLUTION dedicating the POW Fred L. Belcher Memorial Bridge; and for other purposes.

Referred to Transportation Committee,

SR 300.

By Senators Brown of the 26th, Staton of the 18th and Mullis of the 53rd:

A RESOLUTION celebrating the life of legendary impresario Phil Walden of Macon, Georgia, and offering condolences on his passing; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 301.

By Senators Brown of the 26th, Staton of the 18th and Mullis of the 53rd:

A RESOLUTION dedicating the Phil Walden Memorial Interchange; and for other purposes.

Referred to Transportation Committee.

SR 302.

By Senator Douglas of the 17th:

A RESOLUTION commending the City of Locust Grove, Georgia; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 303.

By Senator Douglas of the 17th:

A RESOLUTION commending the City of Hampton, Georgia; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 304.

By Senator Williams of the 19th:

A RESOLUTION commending Mr. Charles Clark; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 305.

By Senators Tolleson of the 20th, Hill of the 4th, Henson of the 41st, Bulloch of the 11th, Meyer von Bremen of the 12th and others:

A RESOLUTION commending Jill Stuckey; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 306.

By Senator Seabaugh of the 28th:

A RESOLUTION expressing regret at the passing of Mr. Billy Ray "B.R." Johnson; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 307.

By Senators Hill of the 32nd and Rogers of the 21st:

A RESOLUTION commending Cameron Ellis; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 308.

By Senators Shafer of the 48th, Rogers of the 21st, Staton of the 18th, Wiles of the 37th and Chapman of the 3rd:

A RESOLUTION commending the Vietnamese community in Georgia and recognizing the community's pride in their "Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag"; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 309.

By Senators Grant of the 25th and Thompson of the 33rd:

A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by general law for the creation and comprehensive regulation of infrastructure development districts; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.

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