Daily report [Feb. 16, 2005]

GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Communications Office
Room 609, Legislative Office Building (404) 656-0305
DAILY REPORT

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Legislative Day # 19

Today on the Floor:

Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) gaveled the House into session today at 10:00 a.m. The Speaker recognized Rep. David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) to introduce the Devotional Speaker of the Day, Dr. Tom Jordan, who spoke to the full House and then led it in devotion. Majority Leader Jerry Keen introduced the House Resolution establishing the order of business for the day.
Speaker Richardson recognized Representatives Bob Holmes (D-Atlanta) to speak from the well for points of personal privileage and recognition of guests.
Rep. Sue Burmeister (R-Augusta) introduced the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Newton. The House then took up the House Rules Calendar.

House Rules Calendar Bills & Resolutions Passed:

Open Rule

HB 20

Motor vehicles; window tint restrictions; provisions - relating
to equipment of motor vehicles generally, so as to repeal and reenact certain provisions regarding window tint restrictions; to provide for definitions; to regulate the application or affixing of light transmission reducing material or glazing; to provide for criminal penalties; to provide for powers, duties, and authority of the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety - Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Woodstock) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None offered - Yeas: 125 Nays: 33

HB 98

"The Georgia Land Conservation Act", unanimously passed the
House with a vote 174:0 earlier this session, and recently passed the Senate with amendments. The bill, sponsored by Rich Golick (RSmyrna), Governor Perdue's Floor Leader, creates the Georgia Land Conservation Council, a Trust Fund, and a Revolving Fund to provide local cities, counties, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources grants and/or loans, if eligible, to purchase land for conservation purposes. - Motion to agree to Senate Amendments: Yeas: 158 Nays: 1

HB 166

"Health Share" Volunteers in Medicine Act; enact - relating
to the care and protection of indigent and elderly patients, so as to enact the "'Health Share' Volunteers in Medicine Act"; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for definitions; to provide for contracts between health care providers and governmental contractors; to provide uncompensated health care services to low-income persons; to provide for notice requirements to patients; to provide for volunteers providing support services; to provide for applicability of benefits; to provide for a report on claim statistics; to provide for an annual report by the Department of Community Health to certain legislative officers; to provide for liability coverage for claims and defense of litigation; to provide for the establishment of rules and regulations - Rep. Mickey Channell (D-Greensboro) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None passing - Yeas: 145 Nays: 19

HB 178

Retirement and Pensions Code; corrections - relating to
retirement and pensions, so as to correct typographical, stylistic, and other errors and omissions, as well as spelling and capitalization in Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated and in Acts of the General Assembly - Rep. Ben Bridges (R-Cleveland) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 157 Nays: 0

HB 196

Common sense Consumption Act; housekeeping bill; update to
ALEC model
- Rep. Bob Smith (R-Watkinsville) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: 1st Amendment adopted w/out objection
- Yeas: 154 Nays: 8

HB 246

Prescription drug orders; electronic transmission; amend provisions; housekeeping bill addressing legislation passed last year
dealing with electronic orders of prescription drugs. - Rep. David Graves (R-Macon) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None offered - Yeas: 160 Nays: 0

HB 273

Flex Auto Lanes; authorize DOT to implement - Authorizes
implementation of Flex Lanes (using shoulder of an interstate highway) in Georgia; comes to the Floor by committee substitute - Rep. John Lunsford (R-McDonough) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None adopted - Yeas: 103 Nays: 57

Bills & Resolutions Defeated: None * The House will reconvene on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 10:00 AM for its 20th Legislative

Day.

Wednesday in the Rules Committee
The Committee on Rules today has fixed the calendar for the 20th Legislative Day, Thursday, Feb. 17, as enumerated below, and can be called at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House.

Debate Calendar Open Rule

HB 155

Managerial control over acquisition of professional services; amend provisions - This legislation relates to managerial control over acquisition of professional services to provide control by the state for qualified professionals to be considered for contract.

HB 188

Registered sexual offender; publish photo in legal organ This bill will allow local newspapers to publish the picture of people who have been put on sexual offender registration list.

HB 195

Parental rights; petitions to terminate; change provisions Bill aims to move kids faster through foster care into adoptive homes. It sets a time limit of 90 days for juvenile courts to hold a hearing concerning the termination of parental rights, and 30 days after the hearing to render a decision - Sponsored & Presented by Rep. Barry Fleming (R-Harlem) - Bill Passed Unanimously

HB 222

Criminal procedure; discovery in felony cases; change certain provisions - discovery in felony cases to apply to juvenile proceedings

HB 264

Commission on Interstate Cooperation; change certain provisions - as to change certain provisions relating to creation and membership of the Georgia Commission on Interstate Cooperation

SB 33

Georgia Virtual School; authorize establishment; enrollment determination; rules/regulations - The Governor's Georgia Virtual School bill Authorizes the State Department of Education to create the Virtual School. The Georgia Virtual School will provide courses over the Internet to Georgia students. The students will interact with a teacher through email and phone. The DOE will make available over 60 high school courses, including over 12 AP courses. The Georgia Virtual School will be financed via QBE. The school day is divided into 6 segments. For each course that a student takes from the Georgia Virtual School, the DOE will receive one-sixth of the QBE funding dedicated to that student. Students who take courses from the Georgia Virtual School outside of the school day will be charged tuition, as is the case for summer school, for example, when offered by a public school system. This bill

will ensure that the full complement of AP and other advanced courses are available to every student in Georgia, regardless of where they live. The Senate Education committee amended the bill to clearly state that these courses will be provided free of charge to all Georgia high school students, which includes non-public school students. The cost of educating these non-public school students will not come out of the budgets of local school systems. The state DOE will report a student count and be funded based on that student count; thus, these students will be funded out of the state treasury. The maximum of 6 courses was taken out by the House subcommittee. - Presented to Rules Committee by: Rep. Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth), Chairman of the House Education Committee - Presented to Education Committee by: Dr. Ben Scafadi of the Governor's Office - Sponsored by Sen. Dan Moody (R-Alpharetta)

Structured Rule

HB 282

Income tax; deductions; purchases treated as expenses under federal law - so as to provide deductions in determining individual and corporate taxable net income for certain purchases which may be treated as expenses under federal law

* The Rules Committee will meet tomorrow morning, Thursday, Feb. 17 at 9:00 AM.
* Bills and Resolutions that are passed by the Rules Committee today will not be added to the House Debate Calendar until the next legislative day.

Wednesday's Committee Meetings' Actions
- Committee Reports prepared by House Research & Policy Office
Agriculture & Consumer Affairs
(DNM)
Appropriations
Education Subcommittee: FY 2006 Budget meetings Higher Education Subcommittee: FY 2006 Budget meetings
Banks & Banking
(DNM)
Children & Youth
The committee heard from Dee Simms, Child Advocate. She presented an overview to the committee of the Office of the Child Advocate. Handouts were distributed to the members. No legislation was considered by the committee.

Defense & Veterans Affairs
(DNM)

Economic Development & Tourism
(DNM)

Education
SB 34

Ga. Master Teacher Program; Academic Coach Program; establishment; regulations - An amendment passed making the National Board Certified Teacher portion of the bill applicable for certifications prior to July 1, 2006 and those renewals thereafter. Also, those currently in the pipeline or having enrolled in the process before December 31, 2004 and who obtain initial certification and subsequent renewals after July 1, 2006 will eligible for salary increases. This would allow those who already have National Board Certification and those currently in the process of achieving National Board Certification to remain teaching in the schools in which they are currently employed and do not have to relocated to a school not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress. - Sponsored by Sen. Dan Moody (R-Alpharetta) - Action taken: Do Pass with Amendment

Ethics
(DNM)

Game, Fish, & Parks
(DNM)

Governmental Affairs
(DNM)

Health & Human Services
(DNM)

Higher Education
(DNM)

Human Relations & Aging
(DNM)

Industrial Relations

HB 327

Workers' compensation; electronic documents; injuries; designation;

computation - Require the implementation of electronic filing for workers

compensation; redefine catastrophic injuries; adjust the weekly

compensation cap (increasing it to $450 from $425.)

- Speaking on behalf of the bill was Judge Carolyn Hall, Chairman of the

State Board of Workers' Compensation. Judge Hall explained the main

points of the new legislation:

- Presented to committee by Chairman Mike Coan (R-Lawrenceville) - The Committee voted favorably to pass HB 327 by Committee Substitute.

Information & Audits
(DNM)

Insurance
(DNM)

Interstate Cooperation
(DNM)

Intragovernmental Coordination
(DNM)

Judiciary Civil
(DNM)

Judiciary Non-Civil
(DNM)

Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment
(DNM)

MARTOC
(DNM)

Motor Vehicles
(DNM)

Natural Resources & Environment
(DNM)

Public Safety

HB 240

Law enforcement officer or firefighter; temporary disability; filing

claim - This bill extends the time within which law enforcement officers

or firefighters must file an application for compensation with respect to a

claim for temporary disability. The filing period is extended from thirty

days to sixty days. This would retroactively allow persons who failed to

claim within the specified time to do so for claims arising since July 1,

2001.

- Action: This bill was passed unanimously again as a committee

substitute (LC 22 5795S). Originally it had been passed out 'as amended',

but that was against new procedures of the House.

- Sponsor(s): Representatives Day of the 163rd, Neal of the 1st, and Horne

of the 71st

- Effective Date: Upon approval by the Governor

HB 242

Traffic control; signal monitoring devices; annual reports - This bill would help legislators keep informed about the uses of traffic-control signal devices by local authorities. In addition to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives (who are already specified to receive such report), this bill would require any county or municipality using any traffic-control signal monitoring device to also submit not later than February 1 of each year a report on such use during the preceding calendar year to: 1. The Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the Senate; 2. The Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; 3. The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Defense, and its members, and; 4. The House Committee on Public Safety, and its members. - Action: Passed unanimously by substitute (LC 22 5811S). - Sponsor(s): Representatives Day of the 163rd, Neal of the 1st, and Horne of the 71st

Public Utilities & Telecommunications
(DNM)

Regulated Industries

HB 17

Private detective and security businesses; license renewal; continuing

education - Relating to operators of private detective businesses and

private security business, this legislation would require the Georgia Board

of Private Detective and Security Agencies establish requirements of

continuing education as a condition for renewal of licenses. The Board

may waive education requirements under certain circumstances.

- Sponsored by Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Woodstock)

- Passed as Amended

HB 288

Orthotics and prosthetics practice; amend certain provisions - This legislation relates to orthotics & prosthetics practice. No person shall work as a technician unless the work is performed under the direction of a person licensed under this article. - Sponsored by Rep. Don Parsons (R-Marietta) - Passed

HB 444

Professional engineers and land surveyors; change certification requirements - This legislation represents a joint effort between the engineering and land surveying community to begin the requirement of a 4 (four) year degree for licensure as either a professional engineer or land surveyor. - Sponsored by Rep. David Graves (R-Macon) - Passed

Retirement

HB 373 HB 381

Teachers Retirement System; members of local funds; nonsectarian schools - Removes old "Jim Crow" law from the Code. The bill repeals a provision that allows any teacher or school employee who is employed in a public school and covered by a local retirement system to continue membership in the local system if they become employed in a nonsectarian private school in Georgia. - Sponsored by Rep. Tyrone Brooks (D-Atlanta) - Passed
Employees' Retirement; optional retirement allowances; technical corrections - Housekeeping bill that makes technical corrections to eliminate conflicting provisions in Code. - Sponsored by Rep. Ben Bridges (R-Cleveland) - Passed

Science & Technology
(DNM)

Special Rules
(DNM)

State Institutions & Property
(DNM)

State Planning & Community Affairs
All Local Legislation Passed Agenda: HB 259, 380, 382, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413,414, 415

Transportation
(DNM)

Ways & Means
(DNM)
* These committee action reports are for bills that have passed and/or were deemed favorable by the Full Committees. * (DNM) = Did Not Meet
Committee Meetings for Thursday, February 17, 2005

8:00 am9:00 am
8:00 am9:00 am
8:30 am9:30 am

Industrial Relations Committee Meeting (House Meetings) 230 CAP
Science & Technology Meeting (House Meetings) 403 CAP
Natural Resources & Environment Committee (House Meetings) 216 Capitol

9:00 am10:00 am 9:00 am10:00 am
9:00 am9:45 am 12:00 pm1:30 pm 1:00 pm2:00 pm 1:00 pm2:30 pm 1:00 pm4:00 pm
2:00 pm2:45 pm 2:00 pm3:00 pm
2:00 pm3:00 pm 2:00 pm3:00 pm
2:00 pm3:00 pm 2:00 pm3:00 pm 2:30 pm3:30 pm
2:30 pm3:30 pm
2:30 pm4:00 pm 2:30 pm4:30 pm

Rules Committee (House Meetings) 341 CAP
STATE CORRECTIONS SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING (House Meetings) CAPITOL
HEALTH & LIFE SUBCOMMITTEE (House Meetings) 406 LOB
Appropriations Health Subcommittee (House Meetings) 230 CAP
Governmental Affairs Committee (House Meetings) 216 CAP
Academic Support Subcommittee (House Meetings) 606 LOB
House Health & Human Services Committee Meeting Notice (House Meetings) 406 LOB
ADMIN/LICENSING SUBCOMMITTEE (House Meetings) ROOM 230
Judiciary (Non-Civil) Criminal Justice Subcommittee (House Meetings) 415 LOB
House Transportation Committee Meeting (House Meetings) 216 Capitol
Game, Fish & Parks Subcommittee Mtg. on HB 292 (House Meetings) State Capitol, Room 230
Judiciary (Civil) Committee Meeting (House Meetings) 132 State Capitol
Ad Valorem Tax Subcommittee Meeting (House Meetings) 133 State Capitol
Judiciary (Civil) Subcomittee on Family/Juvenile/Probate Law (House Meetings) 132 State Capitol
Game, Fish & Parks Subcommittee Mtg. on HB 292 (House Meetings) State Capitol, Room 230
Academic Achievement Subcommittee (House Meetings) 606 LOB
Appropriations General Subcommittee (House Meetings) 416 CAP

3:00 pm4:00 pm
3:30 pm5:30 pm 4:30 pm5:30 pm

Labor/Management Relations Subcommittee of House Industrial Relations Committee (House Meetings) 506 LOB
Appropriations Health Subcommittee (House Meetings) 341 CAP
Appropriations Higher Education Subcommittee (House Meetings) 216 CAP

* For meeting details & agendas, please click on the Committee Name. * This Committee Meeting Schedule is set as of 5:00 p.m. the day of this report. Committee Meeting Schedules are subject to change, and are updated via the General Assembly's website at www.legis.state.ga.us

Contact: Brent Cranfield House Communications (404) 656-0305 bcranfield@legis.state.ga.us