SENATE FIRST READERS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020 SIXTEENTH LEGISLATIVE DAY SB 402. By Senators Robertson of the 29th, Albers of the 56th, Miller of the 49th, Unterman of the 45th, Payne of the 54th and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 6 of Title 17, Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 11 of Title 15, Chapter 10 of Title 16, Article 4 of Chapter 3 of Title 42, and Article 1 of Chapter 7 of Title 52 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding bonds and recognizances, custody and release of child, offenses against public administration, pretrial release and diversion programs, and general provisions regarding registration, operation, and sale of watercraft, respectively, so as to provide for conditions for unsecured judicial release on a person's own recognizance; to revise and provide for definitions; to provide for full-face bond requirements; to revise cross-references; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Public Safety Committee. SB 403. By Senators Jones of the 25th, Mullis of the 53rd, Beach of the 21st, Harbison of the 15th and Lucas of the 26th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 27 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to lottery for education, so as to provide for the lottery game of sports wagering in this state; to provide for and revise certain definitions; to provide for oversight of such lottery game by the Georgia Lottery Corporation and its board of directors; to provide for the creation of the Georgia Mobile Sports Wagering Integrity Commission; to provide for the membership, powers, duties, and responsibilities of the commission; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee. SB 404. By Senators Dolezal of the 27th and Unterman of the 45th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 71 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to development impact fees, so as to provide for development impact fees for education; to provide for definitions; to provide for the manner of calculation, imposition, and collection of such fees; to provide for related matters; to provide for a contingent effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Education and Youth Committee. SB 405. By Senators Tippins of the 37th, Rhett of the 33rd, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Jordan of the 6th, Thompson of the 14th and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the number of superior court judges for each judicial circuit, so as to provide for an eleventh judge of the superior courts of the Cobb Judicial Circuit; to provide for the appointment of such additional judge by the Governor; to provide for the election of successors to the judge initially appointed; to prescribe the powers of such judge; to prescribe the compensation, salary, and expense allowance of such judge to be paid by the State of Georgia and the county of such circuit; to declare inherent authority; to provide for related matters; to provide effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Judiciary Committee. - 1 - SB 406. By Senators Anderson of the 24th, Black of the 8th, Walker III of the 20th, Dugan of the 30th, Gooch of the 51st and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 80 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions applicable to counties, municipal corporations, and other governmental entities, so as to provide an additional manner of publishing certain legal notices by counties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations (General) Committee. SB 407. By Senators Harper of the 7th, Heath of the 31st, Burke of the 11th, Harrell of the 40th, Ginn of the 47th and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 6 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to forest resources and other plant life, so as to regulate the harvest and sale of palmetto berries; to provide for definitions; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for certificates of harvest; to provide for records of harvest activities and purchase transactions; to provide for prohibited acts; to provide for stop sale, stop use, and removal orders; to provide for seizure of berries; to provide for home or personal use of berries; to provide for penalties and restitution; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Natural Resources and the Environment Committee. SB 408. By Senators Strickland of the 17th, Dugan of the 30th, Miller of the 49th, Unterman of the 45th, Anderson of the 43rd and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 34-1-10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to use of sick leave for care of immediate family members, so as to repeal the sunset provision relating to such sick leave requirements; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Insurance and Labor Committee. SB 409. By Senators Parent of the 42nd, Henson of the 41st, Butler of the 55th, Jones II of the 22nd, Jones of the 10th 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 primaries and elections generally, so as to provide for a permanent absentee voter list; to provide for procedures regarding such list; to provide for maintenance of such list; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Government Oversight Committee. SB 410. By Senators Kennedy of the 18th, Dugan of the 30th, Gooch of the 51st, Miller of the 49th, Stone of the 23rd and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 48-5-311 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to creation of county boards of equalization, duties, review of assessments, and appeals, so as to provide an alternative means of recovering costs of litigation and attorney's fees in ad valorem tax appeals; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Finance Committee. - 2 - SB 411. By Senators Kennedy of the 18th, Jones of the 25th, Watson of the 1st, Miller of the 49th, Cowsert of the 46th and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 2 of Article 4 of Chapter 3 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to corporate purposes and powers of electric membership corporations, so as to require electric membership corporations to comply with certain requirements in determining the rates for attachments to utility poles by communications service providers; to provide for certain terms and conditions for such attachments; to provide for definitions; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee. SB 412. By Senators Robertson of the 29th, Wilkinson of the 50th, Gooch of the 51st, Harbison of the 15th, Payne of the 54th and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 33-7-6 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to property insurance, contract requirements, rules and regulations, and exemptions, so as to revise the meaning of property insurance; to change the parameters under which certain contracts, agreements, or instruments may be canceled; to provide for penalties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Insurance and Labor Committee. SB 413. By Senators Martin of the 9th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Dolezal of the 27th and Albers of the 56th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 67A of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to conflicts of interest in zoning actions, so as to expand the definition of the term applicant; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to State and Local Governmental Operations (General) Committee. SB 414. By Senators Jones II of the 22nd, Parent of the 42nd, Rhett of the 33rd and Anderson of the 43rd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to registration of voters, so as to provide that any person convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude shall not register to, remain registered to, or vote and to enumerate such felony offenses; to provide for a definition; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Judiciary Committee. SB 415. By Senators Gooch of the 51st, Miller of the 49th, Dugan of the 30th, Wilkinson of the 50th, Kennedy of the 18th and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend various titles of the O.C.G.A., so as to streamline the process of litigation and reduce costs for Georgia's industries, small businesses, and citizens; to amend Title 9 of the O.C.G.A., relating to civil practice; to amend Title 15 of the O.C.G.A., relating to courts; to amend Title 36 of the O.C.G.A., relating to local government; to amend Title 40 of the O.C.G.A., relating to motor vehicles and traffic; to amend Title 44 of the O.C.G.A., relating to property; to amend Title 51 of the O.C.G.A., relating to torts; to provide for related matters; to provide for severability; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Insurance and Labor Committee. - 3 - SB 416. By Senators Mullis of the 53rd, Miller of the 49th, Dugan of the 30th, Kennedy of the 18th, Walker III of the 20th and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-4-37 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Office of College and Career Transitions and powers and duties, so as to change the name of the Office of College and Career Transitions to the Office of College and Career Academies; to provide for the appointment and duties of a director of said office; to provide for the approval of advisers to the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia; to provide for collaboration between the office and certain entities to support efforts to recruit new industries and expand existing industries; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Higher Education Committee. SR 776. By Senator Dolezal of the 27th: A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide that the General Assembly may by general law authorize local boards of education to impose, levy, and collect development impact fees and use the proceeds to pay for a share of the cost of additional educational facilities; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes. Referred to Education and Youth Committee. SR 777. By Senators Seay of the 34th, James of the 35th, Orrock of the 36th, Tate of the 38th, Williams of the 39th and others: A RESOLUTION congratulating Pearline Booth Greene on receiving the Yellow Rose Award from Senator Valencia Seay; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 778. By Senator James of the 35th: A RESOLUTION recognizing February 21, 2020, as Georgia Election Officials and Registrars Day at the state capitol; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 779. By Senator Harbison of the 15th: A RESOLUTION recognizing and commending LaVeda Bennett for her military service; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 780. By Senators Parent of the 42nd, Henson of the 41st, Butler of the 55th, Jones of the 10th, Harrell of the 40th and others: A RESOLUTION commending and congratulating Robert Persons; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 781. By Senators Parent of the 42nd, Henson of the 41st, Butler of the 55th, Jones of the 10th, Harrell of the 40th and others: A RESOLUTION commending and congratulating Vinnie Anziano; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. - 4 - SR 782. By Senators Parent of the 42nd, Henson of the 41st, Butler of the 55th, Jones of the 10th, Harrell of the 40th and others: A RESOLUTION commending and congratulating Kessler Higdon; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 783. By Senators Parent of the 42nd, Henson of the 41st, Butler of the 55th, Jones of the 10th, Harrell of the 40th and others: A RESOLUTION commending and congratulating David Putman; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 784. By Senators Parent of the 42nd, Henson of the 41st, Butler of the 55th, Jones of the 10th, Harrell of the 40th and others: A RESOLUTION commending and congratulating Andrew Hagberg; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 785. By Senators Parent of the 42nd, Henson of the 41st, Butler of the 55th, Jones of the 10th, Harrell of the 40th and others: A RESOLUTION commending and congratulating Daniel Orta; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 786. By Senators Parent of the 42nd, Williams of the 39th, Orrock of the 36th, Henson of the 41st and Butler of the 55th: A RESOLUTION commending Niara Botchwey on her exceptional academic achievements; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 787. By Senators James of the 35th, Dugan of the 30th, Rhett of the 33rd and Seay of the 34th: A RESOLUTION commending R.L. Cousins High School and Hutcheson High School as the first African American schools in Douglas County; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 788. By Senators Miller of the 49th, Dugan of the 30th, Harbin of the 16th, Payne of the 54th, Kennedy of the 18th and others: A RESOLUTION commending the Building Owners and Managers Association of Georgia (BOMA Georgia) and recognizing February 25, 2020, as BOMA Georgia Day at the state capitol; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. SR 789. By Senators Harper of the 7th, Ginn of the 47th, Wilkinson of the 50th and Black of the 8th: A RESOLUTION recognizing Friday, February 21, 2020, as Alpha Gamma Rho Day at the state capitol; and for other purposes. Read and Adopted. - 5 - HB 292. By Representative Benton of the 31st: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 21 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions for the Regents Retirement Plan, so as to eliminate certain remittances required to be made by the University System of Georgia to the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia; 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. HB 716. By Representatives Blackmon of the 146th and Smith of the 134th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 33-24-59.23 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to carrier issuing health benefit plans to pay insurance agent's commissions and regulation authority, so as to provide that carriers issuing a health benefit plan in this state through an agent shall file proposed commission rates with the department; to provide that carriers that do not pay commission during special enrollments shall upon policy renewals pay such commission along with renewal commission; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Insurance and Labor Committee. HB 777. By Representatives Corbett of the 174th, Burns of the 159th, McCall of the 33rd, England of the 116th, Smith of the 70th and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to standards and requirements for construction, alteration, etc., of buildings and other structures, so as to direct the Department of Community Affairs to undertake a review of the 2021 edition of the International Building Code so as to consider amending the state minimum standard codes to allow tall mass timber construction types; to provide a date by which said review is to be completed; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. HB 786. By Representatives Welch of the 110th, Douglas of the 78th, Rutledge of the 109th, Holly of the 111th, Mathiak of the 73rd and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 15-6-2 of the O.C.G.A., relating to the number of judges of superior courts, so as to provide for an additional judge of the superior courts of the Flint Judicial Circuit; to provide for the appointment of such additional judge by the Governor; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to Judiciary Committee. HR 1023. By Representatives Welch of the 110th, Efstration of the 104th, Fleming of the 121st, Trammell of the 132nd, Kelley of the 16th and others: A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide that the people of this state may petition the judiciary for declaratory relief from certain acts of this state or certain local governments or officers or employees thereof that violate the laws or Constitution of this state or the Constitution of the United States; to provide for related matters; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes. Referred to Judiciary Committee. - 6 -