Daily report [Feb. 8, 2006]

HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS

TOMORROW'S FORECAST

Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg. * The House will reconvene for its 16th Legislative Day on Thursday,

Suite. 609

February 9, at 10:00 am.

(404) 656-0305 Phone

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

GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DAILY REPORT

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2006

LEGISLATIVE DAY# 15

TODAY ON THE FLOOR

Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson gaveled the House into session today, at 10:00 am, for the 15th legislative day of the 2nd Session of the 148th General Assembly.

DEBATE CALENDAR

HB 954 - Public transportation; sale or exchange of tokens, transfers, transaction cards, or tickets without

consent, repeal prohibition

- Removes the provision in Code Section 16-12-120.1 that punishes as a misdemeanor the sale of

fraudulently obtained transit coins, tokens, transfers and the like.

- Authored by: Rep. Harry Geisinger

- House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil

- Rules Committee: Open

- Amendments: None

- Y: 157

N: 0

HB 1019 - "Taser Certification Act"; create

- Prior to use of electronic control weapons or similar devices, peace officers will be required to complete a

course of instruction and certification approved by council provided by the Georgia Public Safety Training

Center. All persons certified to use electronic control weapons will complete an update or refresher training

course as may be prescribed by the council in order for their electronic control weapons certification to

remain in force. The council is authorized to withdraw or suspend certification to operate an electronic

control weapon of anyone for failure to meet the update or refresher requirements.

- Authored by: Rep. Burke Day

- House Committee: Public Safety

- Rules Committee: Open

- Amendments: None

- Y: 162

N: 1

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 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.
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- Authored by: Rep. Jay Roberts

- House Committee: Ways & Means

- Rules Committee: Structured

- Amendments: None

- Y: 156

N: 0

POSTPONED FROM PREVIOUS LEGISLATIVE DAY
HB 1022 - Members of constitutional commissions; reimbursements; provide - BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 45-7-4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the annual salaries of certain state officials, so as to provide that members of constitutional commissions may be reimbursed for certain expenses incurred during the performance of their official duties; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. - Authored by: Rep. Ben Bridges - House Committee: Appropriations - Rules Committee: Open - Amendments: - Recommitted to Committee
* The House will reconvene Thursday, February 9 at 10:00 am for its 16th 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 16th Legislative Day, Thursday, February 9, as enumerated below, and can be called at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House.
DEBATE CALENDAR
HB 644 - Employees' Retirement; allowable service; change provisions - Bill allows members who had temporary full-time service in the legislative branch, before July 1, 2006, to purchase up to 10 years of service. The member must make application to the board before January 1, 2007 and pay the employee and employer contributions that would have been paid. - Authored by: Rep. Brooks Coleman - House Committee: Retirement - Rules Committee: Structured

HB 984 - Education; parent in military service; excused absences; provide - House Bill 984 amends subpart 2 of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of title 20 of the Offical Code of Georgia Annotated, which relates to compulsory attendance for students in elementary and secondary education, to provide that a student whose parent is in military service is granted excused absences from school to visit with his or her parent pior to deployment or while on leave; to provide for related matters and to repeal conflicting laws. Section 1 states that a student in elementary and secondary education whose parent is in military service in the armed forces of the United States or the National Guard, and such that parent is called for duty overseas or on leave from overseas deployment, will be granted excused absences, up to a maximum of five days per school year, to visit the parent, and the student will be credited as being present. Section 2 states that all laws in conflict with this act to be repealed. - Authored by: Rep. Mike Coan - House Committee: Defense & Veterans Affairs - Rules Committee: Open

HB 1066 - Metabolic and genetic disorders; system for screening newborns; change provisions
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- HB 1066 would allow for the screening of newborns for serious illness, developmental disabilities, metabolic and genetic conditions. The Department of Human Resources will be authorized to establish and adjust fees associated with the screening, retrieval, and diagnosis of the screenings, but no services will be denied on the basis of inability to pay. These requirements will not apply to an infant whose parents object to the screening based on a religious belief. - Authored by: Rep. Judy Manning - House Committee: Children & Youth - Rules Committee: Modified Open
HB 1067 - Georgia Commission on Interstate Cooperation; certain provisions; amend - This bill changes provisions relating to creation and membership of the Georgia Commission on Interstate Cooperation as follows: - The Georgia Commission will be composed of 10 regular members - 5 members of Senate Committee on Interstate Cooperation - 5 members of the House Committee on Interstate Cooperation - 5 members of the Governor's Committee on Interstate Cooperation will serve in an advisory capacity to the commission The Georgia Commission will participate as a member of any regional, national, or international nonpartisan legislative organization that promotes interstate or international cooperation. Any nonpartisan legislative organization in which this state that is a participant and has its regional or national headquarters located in this state, is declared a joint governmental agency of this state and of the other states which cooperate through it. - Authored by: Rep. Ron Forster - House Committee: Interstate Cooperation - Rules Committee: Open
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 - House Committee: Reapportionment - Rules Committee: Structured
* The Rules Committee will next meet on Wednesday, February 8 at 9:00 am to set the Debate Calendar for the 16th Legislative Day.
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COMMITTEE ACTION REPORT
AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER AFFAIRS HB 1213 - Poultry; disposal; provide
- This bill comes in response to the bird flu, and State Agriculture Departments are all looking at similar legislation. In cases where poultry is available live at a market that operates over the weekend, it is possible that the bird flu could be successively passed along to birds that are coming into the market. - Authored by: Rep. Tom McCall - Committee Action: Do Pass
BANKS & BANKING HB 1238 - Wire transmission; money; illegal immigrant fee; provide
- HB 1238 provides for an "Illegal Immigrant Fee Act," and would allow taxing wire transmissions to a foreign country by 5% of the amount transmitted. An important intent of the bill is that the wire transmission tax be applied to indigent care programs. The fee would not apply if the customer presents
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adequate proof or US citizenship or that the customer is legally present in the US. The standard of such proof of citizenship is the list of acceptable documents as defined by the Department of Homeland Security. Any person who evades the fee would be guilty of a misdemeanor for the first offense; for the second or subsequent offense, a person would be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. - Authored by: Rep. Tom Rice - Committee Action: D o Pass by Committee Substitute
CHILDREN & YOUTH HR 1079 by Rep. Fran Millar was referred to sub-committee. Rep. Jay Neal will chair a sub-committee to look further into creating a House Study Committee on a Children's Inter-agency Council to study budget items that affect children.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM Database not updated at the time of this report.
EDUCATION HB 250 - Local boards of education; training members; amend certain provisions
- The bill relates to staff development programs. It eliminates the exemption of the board of education of the Department of Juvenile Justice to be exempt from the six hours of training in education finance, generally accepted accounting principles and budgeting. It also eliminates the provision that at least six of the twelve hours of training specifically related to education finance, accounting principles and budgeting for all new members of governing boards. The bill changes the Georgia Education Leadership Academy to the Georgia Department of Education and adds `regional educational service agencies' in place of `other agencies and associations'. - Authored by: Rep. Howard Maxwell - Committee Action: Do Pass
HB 661 - School clubs; local boards provide information to parents; policies and procedures - The bill would require local boards of education to obtain written permission from parents/guardians for their children to participate in clubs or organizations. A yearly description of these must be given. The student handbook can give these descriptions. - Authored by: Rep. Bobby Reese - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 972 - Teacher certification renewal; require test in basic computer skill competency - The bill relates to teacher certification. The Professional Standards Commission shall not require a course in computer skill competency or the InTech program but one in basic computer skill competency for teacher certification renewal. The test shall be made available to be taken onsite at the school where the certificated personnel are assigned. Local systems shall appoint individuals at each school to serve as proctors for those taking the test. - Authored by: Rep. David Casas - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HR 1048 - Market-Demand Skills Education in High Schools Committee; create - This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Market-Demand Skills Education in High Schools in order to study the issues surrounding youth unemployment and make recommendations relating to teaching market-demand skills in public schools. Due to high youth unemployment which has been shown to correlate with high youth crime, the Committee is empowered to study the problems relating to unemployment and recommend any actions or legislation that is deems necessary or appropriate. - Authored by: Rep. Fran Millar - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
GAME, FISH & PARKS
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HB 338 - Hunting; primitive weapons; amend provisions - This bill would make it legal to use modern scopes on primitive muzzle-loading firearms. - Authored by: Rep. Pete Warren - Committee Action: Do Pass
HB 1211 - Southern Appalachian brook trout; official state cold water game fish; designate - This bill would designate the Southern Appalachian brook trout as the official Georgia cold water game fish. - Authored by: Rep. Bobby Reese - Committee Action: Do Pass
HR 1226 - Georgia Quail Trail; Dept. of Natural Resources; initiate - This resolution would create and initiate the "Georgia Quail Trail" program, which would link hunters to quail hunting opportunities in this state by identifying, showcasing and promoting quail hunting venues. - Authored by: Rep. Bob Lane - Committee Action: Do Pass
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Database not updated at the time of this report
JUDICIARY (NON-CIVIL) Database not updated at the time of this report
REGULATED INDUSTRIES HB 801 by Rep. Tom McCall was referred to sub-committee.
RETIREMENT HB 554 - Teachers Retirement; prior service credit; Regents Retirement
- Bill provides that a member with at least ten years of creditable service shall be entitled to receive creditable service for a prior period of employment while participating in the Regents Retirement Plan. - Authored by: Rep. Quincy Murphy - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 1151 - Deferred compensation plan; Board of Trustees; administer - Bill states that the Board of Trustees of ERS shall administer any deferred compensation plan provided to state employees. Presently, these plans are administered by the Employee Benefit Council (State Merit System). These plans include 401 (k), 403 (b), and 457. - Authored by: Rep. Jim Cole - Committee Action: Do Pass
TRANSPORTATION
HB 1097 - Outdoor advertising signs; restriction; amend - A Bill to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 32-6-75 of the O.C.G.A., relating to restrictions on outdoor advertising signs authorized by Code Section 32-6-72 on the interstate system, primary highways, and other highways, so as to provide that no such signs may advertise the availability of certain entertainment which appeals to the prurient interest; to prohibit erecting certain signs having two faces on one visible side after a certain date; to permit certain types of non-mechanical multiple message signs subject to certain limitations; to impose certain height limitations on erecting such outdoor advertising signs subject to certain conditions after a certain date; to provide for procedures relative to the foregoing; to provide for severability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. - Authored by: Rep. Tom McCall - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
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HR 408 - Negro Branch in Brooks County; rename Pride Branch - This resolution renames the area known as Negro Branch in Brooks County as Pride Branch. - Authored by: Rep. Ellis Black - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
* 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 BROADCAST SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2006
8:30 am Natural Resources & Environment
606 CLOB
9:00 am Rules Committee
341 CAP
2:00 pm Health & Human Services
606 CLOB
2:00 pm Higher Education
515 CLOB
2:00 pm State Institutions & Property
506 COB
3:00 pm Governmental Affairs
406 CLOB
3:00 pm Human Relations & Aging
506 CLOB
4:00 pm Motor Vehicles
406 CLOB
* 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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