Senate first readers 2007 February 9

SENATE FIRST READERS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 09,2007 SIXTEENTH LEGISLATIVE DAY

SB 112.

By Senators Harp of the 29th, Smith of the 52nd, Cowsert of the 46th, Hamrick of the 30th and Williams of the 19th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 47-2-244 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to optional benefits available to appellate court judges, notice of election of benefits, eligibility for benefits, and disability benefits and survivor benefits, so as to provide that appellate court judges who make the option to receive a certain enhanced retirement benefit may retire after attaining the age of 60 with 12 years of service as an appellate court judge; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Retirement Committee.

SB 113. By Senators Shafer of the 48th, Hudgens of the 47th and Moody of the 56th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 23 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to agents, agencies, subagents, counselors, and adjusters, so as to provide for background checks; to require appointment of an agent by an authorized insurer before licensing; to provide for forms for license applications; to provide for appointment of limited subagents; to prohibit agents whose licenses are inactive from selling, soliciting, or negotiating insurance; to provide for rules and regulations for certain adjusters; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Insurance and Labor Committee.

SB 114.

By Senators Shafer of the 48th, Williams of the 19th, Johnson of the 1st, Rogers of the 21st, Pearson of the 51st and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 40 of Title 43 of the O.C.G.A., relating to real estate brokers and salespersons, so as to provide that certain time periods shall have passed after completing the terms and conditions of a sentence for certain criminal convictions before making an application for licensure; to provide for additional criminal offenses for which the Georgia Real Estate Commission may deny a license; to change the term "in-class hour" to "instructional hour"; to change the number of instructional hours for a broker prelicense course of study; to change the required number of continuing education hours; to provide for certain provisions relating to persons on active military duty or serving in the General Assembly; to permit the commission to provide certain educational materials to consumers; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee.

SB 115.

By Senators Shafer of the 48th, Johnson of the lst, Williams of the 19th, Rogers of the 21st, Pearson of the 51st and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 41 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to residential and general contractors, so as to revise the licensure provisions for residential and general contractors; to revise certain definitions; to provide that the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors may provide interpretation and guidance on the policies and procedures of the board; to provide for inactive licenses; to provide for categories of licenses; to allow the board to contract for the development and administration of examinations; to revise the manner of renewing licenses; to provide for penalties for intentionally attempting to evade licensing requirements; to provide

for exceptions to licensing requirements; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee.

SB 116.

By Senators Tolleson of the 20th, Williams of the 19th, Bulloch of the 11th and Hill of the 4th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 6 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the State Forestry Commission, so as to change provisions relating to the qualifications of the director of the commission; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Natural Resources and the Environment Committee.

SB 117.

By Senators Pearson of the 51st, Adelman of the 42nd, Rogers of the 21st, Smith of the 52nd and Reed of the 35th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 17-6-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to where offenses are bailable, procedure, schedule of bails, and appeal bonds, so as to provide for certain additional conditions for bail for sexual offenses; to provide for other related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Judiciary Committee.

SB 118. By Senators Hamrick of the 30th and Heath of the 31st:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2-260 of the O.C.G.A., relating to capital outlay funds generally, so as to change certain provisions relating to educational facilities surveys; to provide that zoning actions and permits for new development shall be considered as potential growth indicators for purposes of the state-wide needs assessment and development of local needs assessments; to provide that an educational facilities plan may be revised due to unanticipated accelerated student enrollment growth over a two-year period; to provide that a local school system can request capital outlay funds on a reimbursement basis or prior to or during construction; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Finance Committee.

SB 119. By Senators Hamrick of the 30th and Carter of the 13th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Titles 17 and 24 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to criminal procedure and evidence, respectively, so as to provide victims of crime and members of their immediate family with certain rights; to provide for certain procedures relating to a victim of a crime or member of the immediate family; to provide for certain exemptions for a victim of a crime; to provide certain requirements relating to the testimony of the victim of a crime; to provide for application to certain juvenile delinquency proceedings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Judiciary Committee.

SB 120.

By Senators Whitehead, Sr. of the 24th, Grant of the 25th, Murphy of the 27th and Thomas of the 54th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 50-16-38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state agencies acquiring real property through the State Properties Commission, so as to remove certain exceptions to the requirement that acquisitions of real property generally must be conducted through the commission; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State Institutions and Property Committee.

SB 121.

By Senators Whitehead, Sr. of the 24th, Grant of the 25th, Thomas of the 54th and Bulloch of the 11th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 50-16-41 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to rental agreements without competitive bidding, so as to modify certain exceptions to the State Properties Commission's authority to manage administrative space; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State Institutions and Property Committee.

SB 122. By Senators Hill of the 32nd, Rogers of the 21st and Weber of the 40th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2-210 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to annual performance evaluations, so as to require that the annual evaluation is signed by the evaluator and provided to the certificated person; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Education and Youth Committee.

SB 123.

By Senators Rogers of the 21st, Shafer of the 48th, Hawkins of the 49th, Hill of the 32nd, Schaefer of the 50th and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to local boards of education, so as to require that twins or other multiples are placed in the same classroom if the parent or guardian requests; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Education and Youth Committee.

SB 124.

By Senators Adelman of the 42nd, Harp of the 29th and Meyer von Brernen of the 12th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections, so as to correct typographical, stylistic, and other errors and omissions in Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated and in Acts of the General Assembly amending Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; to correct capitalization and spelling in Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; to provide for necessary or appropriate revisions and modernizations of matters contained in Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; to provide for other matters relating to Title 2 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Special Judiciary Committee.

SB 125.

By Senators Chance of the 16th, Staton of the 18th, Whitehead, Sr. of the 24th, Reed of the 35th, Heath of the 31st and others:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 9 of Chapter 6 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to speed restrictions, so as to specify that instruments charging violations of speed regulations shall state whether the violation occurred on a two-lane road or highway; to provide for additional penalties to be administered by the Department ~f Driver Services for certain traffic offenses; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Public Safety and Homeland Security Commiqee.

SB 126. By Senator Bulloch of the 1lth:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to create the Decatur County School Building Authority and to authorize such authority to provide, acquire, construct, equip, maintain, and operate public service facilities, to acquire the necessary property therefor, both real and personal, and to lease or sell any or all of such facilities, including real and personal property; to confer powers and to impose duties on the authority; to provide for the membership and for the appointment of members of the authority and their term of tenure and compensation; to provide that bonds or obligations be validated as authorized by Article 3 of Chapter 82 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Revenue Bond Law"; to provide for construction; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.

SB 127.

By Senators Meyer von Bremen of the 12th, Golden of the 8th, Adelman of the 42nd and Thompson of the 33rd:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 47-2-223 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to retirement benefits under the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia for those in service in the Uniform Division of the Department of Public Safety, so as to provide that certain members of such retirement system may elect to pay an additional employee contribution to such retirement system; to provide that any such person may retire at age 55 or after attaining at least 25 years of creditable service and receive an enhanced retirement benefit; to provide that any such election shall be irrevocable; to provide for related matters; tiprovide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to Retirement Committee.

SB 128. By Senator Carter of the 13th:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 5 of Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Office of the Child Advocate for the Protection of Children, so as to provide for confidentiality of records held by the Office of the Child Advocate for the Protection of Children; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes

Referred to Special Judiciary Committee.

SR 168. By Senator Unterman of the 45th:

A RESOLUTION recognizing February 9, 2007, as "Epilepsy Awareness Day"; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 169. By Senators Unterman of the 45th and Shafer of the 48th:

A RESOLUTION commending the Peachtree Ridge High School varsity competition cheerleaders; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 170. By Senator Thomas of the 2nd:

A RESOLUTION commending Carver State Bank; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 171.

By Senators Harp of the 29th, Wiles of the 37th, Cowsert of the 46th and Staton of the 18th:

A RESOLUTION commending University System of Georgia Outstanding Scholar Kira M. King of Augusta State University on Academic Recognition Day for 2007; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 172.

By Senators Harp of the 29th, Wiles of the 37th, Cowsert of the 46th and Staton of the 18th:

A RESOLUTION commending University System of Georgia Outstanding Scholar Ruby H. Barlow of Bainbridge College on Academic Recognition Day for 2007; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 173.

By Senators Harp of the 29th, Wiles of the 37th, Cowsert of the 46th and Staton of the 18th:

A RESOLUTION commending University System of Georgia Outstanding Scholar Nikki T. Sawyer of Clayton State University on Academic Recognition Day for 2007; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 174.

By Senators Harp of the 29th, Wiles of the 37th, Cowsert of the 46th and Staton of the 18th: '

A RESOLUTION commending University System of Georgia Outstanding Scholar Heather Rachael Ringwald of Coastal Georgia Community College on Academic Recognition Day for 2007; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 175.

By Senators Harp of the 29th, Wiles of the 37th, Cowsert of the 46th and Staton of the 18th:

A RESOLUTION commending University System of Georgia Outstanding Scholar Sandra Joyce Shorey of Columbus State University on Academic Recognition Day for 2007; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 176.

By Senators Harp of the 29th, Wiles of the 37th, Cowsert of the 46th and Staton of the 18th:

A RESOLUTION commending University System of Georgia Outstanding Scholar Cheri M. Pace of Dalton State College on Academic Recognition Day for 2007; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.

SR 177.

By Senators Harp of the 29th, Wiles of the 37th, Cowsert of the 46th and Staton of the 18th:

A RESOLUTION commending University System of Georgia Outstanding Scholar James Long of Darton College on Academic Recognition Day for 2007; and for other purposes.

Read and adopted.