Daily report [Jan. 31, 2006]

HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS

TOMORROW'S FORECAST

Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg. * The House will reconvene for its 11th Legislative Day on Wednesday,

Suite. 609

February 1, at 10:00 am.

(404) 656-0305 Phone

* 5 bills are expected to be debated on the floor.

GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DAILY REPORT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2006

LEGISLATIVE DAY# 10

TODAY ON THE FLOOR

Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson gaveled the House into session today, at 10:00 am, for the 10th legislative day of the 2nd Session of the 148th General Assembly.

DEBATE CALENDAR

HB 494 - Notaries public; additional qualifications; applications; amend provisions

- Changes requirements for qualifications of notaries

Notaries must be at least 18, a resident of the state, a resident of the county in which they are appointed,

must have an operating telephone number, and be able to read and write the English language

The language is changed from "must be at least" to "shall be"

Except for persons applying under 47-17-7, applicants will be required to submit proof of residence in the

county and must use his or her residential address

Adds to requirements for endorsements that endorsers must have known the applicant for at least one year

- Authored by: Rep. Ed Lindsey

- House Committee: Judiciary - Civil

- Rules Committee: Open

- Amendment(s): None

- Y: 161

N: 0

HB 950 - Public employees and students; celebration of holidays; prohibit restrictions

- House Bill 950 prohibits governmental entities in this state from restricting or prohibiting a public

employee or public school student from verbal expressions relating to the celebrations or observance of any

public or legal holiday.

Sections 1 through 6 of the bill address the First Amendment rights to the United

States Constitution and our freedom of speech rights. These rights have been interpreted by the Courts of the

United States and are applicable to the states. The United States Supreme Court has held that minors possess

First Amendment rights and that students are not freed of these rights at the schoolhouse gate.

This bill was prompted by the recent assaults on the use of saying "Merry Christmas" in speech or

otherwise.

- Authored by: Rep. Clay Cox

- House Committee: Special Rules

- Rules Committee: Modified Structured

- Amendment(s): None

- Y: 136

N: 25

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HR 1041 - J.T. Williams Honorary Bridge; designate

- A resolution honoring the accomplishments of JT Williams of Henry County by dedicating an honorary

bridge in his name.

- Authored by: Rep. Steve Davis

- House Committee: Transportation

- Rules Committee: Structured

- Amendment(s):

- Y: 163

N: 0

SB 386 - Apportionment of House/Senate; provide for composition of state senatorial

districts 46,47,49; elections

- This bill would tweak Senate districts 46, 47, and 49, by changing the Federal Court map to leave Madison

county whole as well as increase the number of Senators representing Athens-Clarke County two 2.

- Authored by: Sen. Ralph Hudgens

- House Committee: Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment

- Rules Committee: Structured

- Amendment(s):

- Y: 100

N: 69

* The House will reconvene Wednesday, February 1 at 10:00 am for its 11th Legislative Day of the 2nd Regular Session of the 148th General Assembly.
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RULES COMMITTEE

The Committee on Rules today has fixed the calendar for the 11th Legislative Day, Wednesday, February 1, as enumerated below, and can be called at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House.
DEBATE CALENDAR HB 101 - Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund; certain creditable service
- Bill authorizes creditable service for active members of the Peace Officers Fund for prior service as a peace officer which was rendered before January 1, 1976. This would apply to all persons who are active members on July 1, 2006 and to all persons becoming active members after that date. A member wishing to establish creditable service shall pay the employee's contribution in an amount equal to $10 for each month of service sought. The request for creditable service must be in writing, along with proof of prior service, and received by the Board no later than December 31, 2006. The General Assembly shall appropriate funds necessary to concurrently fund the provisions of this bill. - Authored by: Rep. Tyrone Brooks - House Committee: Retirement - Rules Committee: Open

HB 718 - Pretrial intervention and diversion programs; authorize certain courts to
administer
- Amends 15-18-80 to authorize the prosecuting attorney for any court that prosecutes criminal cases to create pretrial intervention programs. Currently, fees up to $300.00 can be assessed. The bill would direct those monies to the jurisdiction which is prosecuting the case rather than to the county in which the crime was committed as is the current rule. Court costs pursuant to 15-18-81 would be made payable to the jurisdiction which is prosecuting the case rather than to the county in which the crime was committed as is the current rule - Authored by: Rep. Ed Lindsey

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- House Committee: Judiciary - Non-Civil - Rules Committee: Open
HB 941 - Archives and History, Division of; documents; religious heritage; recognize
- To recognize the religious heritage of America; to direct the Secretary of State to prepare documents relative to that heritage; to authorize counties to post documents relative to that heritage for education; to direct the Attorney General to defend counties that display documents relative to the religious heritage of America; and to set forth the text relative to the religious heritage of America. - Authored by: Rep. Tommy Benton - House Committee: Special Rules - Rules Committee: Structured
HB 989 - Clerks of superior courts; sunset dates; change
- Changes Clerks' of Superior Court sunset dates for filing documents related to real estate and the development of state-wide automated information systems. - Authored by: Rep. Barry Fleming - House Committee: Judiciary - Rules Committee: Open
HB 1020 - Retirement; allowances; withdrawal of contributions; amend provisions
- The bill provides that the effective date of retirement is the first day of the month following the member's final month of employment. The bill also allows the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Defined Contribution Plan (GDCP) to establish the minimum amount of employee contribution and earned interest necessary to provide a monthly retirement allowance. - Authored by: Rep. Ben Bridges - House Committee: Retirement - Rules Committee: Open
* The Rules Committee will next meet on Wednesday, February 1 at 9:00 am to set the Debate Calendar for the 12th Legislative Day.
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COMMITTEE ACTION REPORT
Appropriations Health Sub-committee
`06 Supplemental Budget: Hearings
Appropriations Higher Education Sub-committee
`06 Supplemental Budget: Hearings
Banks & Banking HB 966 - Identity theft; credit report security freeze; provisions
- HB 966 would allow a consumer to place a "security freeze" on his or her credit report. To execute a security freeze, the credit reporting agency would place a notice in the consumer's credit report to prohibit releasing information without the express authorization of the consumer. The credit agency would provide the consumer a unique personal identification number or password to access his or her report. HB 966 also provides for the consumer to temporarily lift the freeze or remove it entirely. A consumer reporting agency may charge a fee of no more than $10.00 to a consumer for each freeze, or temporary lift of the freeze. - Authored by: Rep. Rob Teilhet - Committee Action: No legislative action was taken
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Defense & Veterans Affairs HB 984 - Education; parent in military service; excused absences; provide
- Granting up to 5 excused absences to elementary and secondary students in order to visit their parents prior to their deployment or while they are on leave. - Authored by: Rep. Mike Coan - Committee Action: Do Pass
Education
Assigned bills to subcommittee
Game, Fish & Parks HB 1085 - Finfish; certain species; open seasons, creel, and possession limits; amend
- This bill would reduce possession and creel limits on tripletail from 5 fish to 2 fish. - Authored by: Rep. Bob Lane - Committee Action: Do Pass
Judiciary (Non-Civil) HB 1059 - Sexual offenders; punishment; registration requirements; change provisions
- Increases penalties for certain sex crimes. Creates a new crime of aiding, abetting, or harboring a sex offender. Requires lifetime probation for offenders convicted of serious violent felonies other than murder or armed robbery after minimum sentence of 25 years in prison. Creates a new sentencing scheme for other enumerated sex crimes: mandatory split sentence to consist of mandatory minimum for the specific crime followed by at least one year of probation . Allows the court to grant straight probation if the defendant has no prior sexual offenses, can prove that he or she is a Level I or Level II recidivist risk, and upon consent of the victim. Eliminates first offender treatment for sex offenders. Adds to aggravating circumstances for death penalty that the offense of murder, rape or kidnapping was committed by a person previously designated a sexually dangerous predator. Requires criminal information collection to include the age and sex of the victim currently information is collected only about the criminal and the crime committed; Reorganizes Code section 42-1-12 ; Better defines the roles of each agency with regard to registering and monitoring sex offenders; Offenders will be required to register with law enforcement before leaving prison ; Failure to register will be punished as a felony; Redefines role of the Sexual Offender Registration Review Board (SORRB); Appointments will be made by the Governor; SORRB will determine recidivist status of all convicted sex offenders; Requires sexual predators to re-register every six months; Sets residency, workplace and loitering restrictions for sex offenders; 1000 foot limit includes churches; Reserves OCGA 42-9-44.1 and OCGA 42-9-44.2 related to requirements for sex offenders on parole - Authored by: Rep. Jerry Keen - Committee Action: Do Pass by Substitute
Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment HB 1137 - House Districts 46, 48, 50, and 51; provide for composition
- This bill, a Committee Substitute incorporating a separate district tweaking bill, would shift precincts among neighboring districts in the Golden Isles, North Fulton, and Gordon county. No district's political performance is significantly altered. Districts 5, 12, 46, 48, 50, 51, 167, and 179 are affected. - Authored by: Rep. Harry Geisinger - Committee Action: Do Pass
Ways & Means HB 1107 - Income tax credit; imposition, rate, and computation; real property; amend
- This bill allows taxpayers, both individuals and corporations, to claim a state income tax credit against their Georgia state income tax liability for each qualified donation of real property for conservation purposes. Any
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land that is donated must first be certified by the Department of Natural Resources that it is suitable for this purpose. The credit is limited to an amount not to exceed the lesser of $500,000 or 25% of the fair market value of the donated property for the year in which the donation occurs. Individuals are limited to a maximum credit of $250,000, whereas corporations are limited to $500,000. The amount of the credit used in any one year may not exceed the amount of state income otherwise due. Any unused portion of the credit may be carried forward for 5 succeeding years, but the credit cannot be applied to prior years' tax liability. - Authored by: Rep. Jay Roberts - Committee Action: Do Pass * Committee action reports are edited for this report. For full content, please contact the House Committee Services Office at 404-656-3206. Bills passing committees are reported to the Clerk's Office and are then placed on the General Calendar for Rules Consideration.
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COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE
8:00 AM APPROPRIATIONS - HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE
9:00 AM RULES COMMITTEE
2:00 PM CHILDREN & YOUTH COMMITTEE
2:00 PM INSURANCE COMMITTEE
3:00 PM TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
3:00 PM STATE PLANNING & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
3:30 PM REGULATED INDUSTRIES
3:30 PM PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
* For full agendas, please visit the General Assembly website, select House Committees. This meeting schedule is set as of 5:00pm today. Times and locations may change at the request of the Committee Chairman.
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Contact: Brent Cranfield
House Communications (404) 656-0305 Brent.cranfield@house.ga.gov
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