GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Communications Office 
Contact: Brent Cranfield House Communications 
(404) 656-0305 1.877.222.2768 bcranfield@legis.state.ga.us 
DAILY REPORT 
Friday, February 25, 2005 Legislative Day # 25 Today on the Floor: The House convened this morning at 9:00am. Rep. Doug Holt ( R-Social Circle) was recognized to introduce the Devotional Speaker of the Day, Rev. Hill, who spoke to the full House and then led it in devotion. Speaker Richardson(R-Hiram) recognized Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica) who reflected on the shooting death of Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy, Blake Gammill. After the moment silence in honor of Deputy Gammill, The Speaker then recognized Rep. Ed Setzler (R-Kennesaw) to introduce the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Williams. Upon passage of the House Local Calendar, First & Second Readers, Speaker Richardson recognized Representatives Barbara Massey Reece (D-Menlo), Amos Amerson (R-Dahlonega), Lynmore James (D-Montezuma) and Mable Thomas (D-Atlanta) for Morning Orders. Representative David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) introduced HR 174, commending the Gilmer High School Wrestling Team on their 2005 State Championship. Rep. Bob Holmes (D-Atlanta) introduced HR 281, inviting the Links Inc. Group to the House. The House then took up the Rules Calendar for the day. 
House Rules Calendar Bills & Resolutions Passed : 
 
 Open Rule HB 381 - Employees' Retirement; optional retirement allowances; technical corrections Housekeeping bill that makes technical corrections to eliminate conflicting provisions in Code. - Authored by Rep. Ben Bridges (R-Cleveland) - Passed by Retirement Committee - Rep. Ben Bridges presented this bill on the House floor. - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 147 Nays: 0 
HB 460 - Public retirement systems; compliance with Internal Revenue Code; provisions - so as to make numerous changes throughout said title to ensure that Georgia's public retirement systems are in compliance with the federal Internal Revenue - Authored by Rep. Ben Bridges (R-Cleveland) - Passed by Retirement Committee - Rep. Ben Bridges presented this bill on the House floor. - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 147 Nays: 0 
HR 142 - Committee on the Implementation of Textile Agreements; request approval of safeguard petitions - A resolution requesting that the Committee on the Implementation of Textile Agreements approve the safeguard petitions filed by the United States textile industry - Authored by Rep. Richard Smith (R-Columbus) - Passed by Economic Development & Tourism committee - Rep. Richard Smith presented this bill on the House floor. - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 148 Nays: 2 
SB 48 - Renal Dialysis Advisory Council; revise; dialysis facilities; eliminate certain provisions - a general intent to eliminate the future "sunset" of certain provisions relating to renal disease facilities; so 
 
 as to revise certain provisions relating to membership on the Renal Dialysis Advisory Council Authored by Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) 
- Rep. Tom Graves (R-Fairmount) presented this bill on the House floor. - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 151 Nays: 1 
SB 82 - Financial Institutions; supplement definitions; personnel policies - Substitute LC34 0226S ; Financial Institutions - Banking Dept. Housekeeping Bill - Authored by Sen. Bill Hamrick (R-Carrollton) - Do Pass by Committee Substitute - Rep. James Mills (R-Gainesville) presented this bill on the House floor. - Floor Amendments: - Yeas: 153 Nays: 2 
Bills & Resolutions Defeated:None 
* The House will reconvene on Wednesday, March 2 at 10:00 AM for its 26 th Legislative Day. 
Rules Committee 
The Committee on Rules today has fixed the calendar for the 26 th Legislative Day, Wednesday, March 2, as enumerated below, and can be called at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House. Debate Calendar Open Rule HB 183 - State employees; payroll deductions; certain non-profit organizations; include corrections officers - State employees; payroll deductions; certain non-profit organizations; include corrections officers 
 
 - Sponsored by Rep. Terry Barnard (R-Glennville) 
HB 207 - Plumbing; licensure requirements; this legislation simply allows licensed septic tank installer to run the line making a connection between any on-site waste-water system to the existing structure (home/building). 
- Authored by Rep. Carl Rogers (R-Gainesville) 
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. 
- Authored by Rep. Burke Day ( R-Tybee Island) 
- This bill was passed unanimously as a committee substitute (LC 22 5795S). 
HB 279 - Highways; vehicles hauling certain products; weight limitation variance - This legislation allows farmers to haul farm products within a 100 mile radius from point of origin and with a variance on the weight of product of 5%. 
- Amends 32-6-26(g) Relating to weight of vehicles hauling forest, agricultural, or farm products, this legislation states that before law enforcement issues a violation citation, the violator is given a 5 percent variance on the weight of product they are carrying within a 100 mile radius of the farm or point of origin. 
- Authored by Rep. Johnny Floyd (R-Cordele) 
- Do Pass by Committee Substitute 
HB 301 - Fishing; authorize taking by hand under certain conditions - This bill would make it legal to spearfish for channel and flathead catfish in the Savannah River only. Currently, residents of South Carolina are allowed to spearfish in the Savannah River, and it presents an enforcement problem to keep up with those who are legally allowed to spearfish and those who are not. This would make it legal to spearfish ONLY in the Savannah River and sets forth conditions by which fish may be legally taken with spears. This bill also makes it legal to take fish by hand, also known as `grabbling' or `noodling', and sets forth conditions by which fish may be legally taken by hand. 
- Authored by Rep. Pete Warren (D-Augusta) 
- Passed unanimously without amendment 
 
 HB 309 - Code Titles 31, 44, and 49; conform references to House and Senate committee names relating to the duties of the Advisory Board on Anatomical Gift Procurement, and Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to social services, so as to correct the names of committees of the General Assembly 
-Authored by Rep. Ron Forster (R-Ringgold) 
HB 406 - Trusts; allocation of principal and income; amend provisions - relating to allocation of principal and income, so as to change provisions relating to the duty of the trustee as to receipts and expenditures; to provide for general principles relating to the allocation of principal and income; to provide for the discretionary power of a trustee to adjust the trust receipts between principal and income; to provide for requirements and prohibitions in adjustments; to provide for the criteria and procedure for conversion to a unitrust; to provide for judicially approved conversion; to provide for requirements and prohibitions in conversions; 
-Authored by Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Atlanta) 
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. 
Authored by Rep. David Graves (R-Macon) 
HB 459 - Employees' Retirement; disability retirement and allowance; amend provisions - relating to the Employees Retirement System of Georgia, so as to provide that a member of such retirement system seeking a disability retirement shall make written application to the board of trustees; to provide that the board of trustees may request relevant information from a disability beneficiary; to provide a penalty for failure to provide such information; to provide for a reduction in disability allowance if the disability beneficiary is found to be earning more than the difference between the disability allowance and the earnable compensation used to calculate such allowance 
Authored by Rep. Ben Bridges (R-Cleveland) 
HB 467 - Food service establishments; Department of Human Resources establish grading sheet relating to promulgation of rules, regulations, and standards by the Department of Human Resources and county boards of health, so as to require additional standards on certain matters 
Authored by Rep. John Heard (R-Lawrenceville) 
 
 HB 570 - Interlocal Cooperation Act; enact - relating to local government, so as to provide for the comprehensive regulation of interlocal agreements; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative purposes; to provide for definitions; to provide for procedures, conditions, and limitations with respect to such agreements; to provide for the status of such agreements; to provide for approval or disapproval of such agreements; to provide for funding, property, personnel, and services; to provide for the cumulative nature of such agreements 
Authored by Rep. Martin Scott (R-Rossville) 
SB 125 - Economic Development; state-wide tourism marketing; Music Hall of Fame Authority; board appointment - relating respectively to state government and conservation and natural resources; to promote tourism through a state-wide tourism marketing program and a more focused administrative structure; to provide for implementation and for coordination of other agencies by the Department of Economic Development; to provide corresponding amendments to powers of the Board of Economic Development; to provide for a Georgia Tourism Foundation and the solicitation and disbursement of contributions; to transfer the assignment for administrative purposes of certain venues and authorities with tourism roles to the Department of Economic Development; to provide for appointment of the board of the Music Hall of Fame Authority 
Authored by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) Requesting in Rules by Rep. Vance Smith ( R-Pine Mountain) 
* The Rules Committee will meet on Wednesday, March 2 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. 
Friday's Committee Meetings' Actions - Committee Reports prepared by House Research & Policy Office 
Appropriations General Subcommittee: Met Education Subcommittee: Met Health Subcommittee: Met Higher ED Subcommittee: Met 
 
 Public Safety Subcommittee: Met 
Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment HB 499 - Congressional districts; composition and election provisions 
"G-7 Congress" Redistricting Map Authored by Rep. Bobby Franklin (R-Marietta) Do Pass by Committee Substitute 
Motor Vehicles Committee met, but no legislative action was taken. 
Ways & Means Committee Meeting Canceled 
* These committee action reports are for bills that have passed and/or were deemed favorable by the Full Committees. * (DNM) = Did Not Meet