Daily report [Feb. 9, 2006]

HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS

TOMORROW'S FORECAST

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

Suite. 609

February 13, at 1:00 pm.

(404) 656-0305 Phone

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

GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DAILY REPORT

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2006

LEGISLATIVE DAY# 16

TODAY ON THE FLOOR

Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson gaveled the House into session today, at 10:00 am, for the 16th legislative day of the 2nd Session of the 148th General Assembly.

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

- Amendment: None

- Y: 164

N: 0

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 prior 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 Section 2 states that all laws in conflict with this act to be repealed.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

- Amendment: None

- Y: 159

N: 0

HB 1066 - Metabolic and genetic disorders; system for screening newborns; change provisions - 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.
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- Authored by: Rep. Judy Manning

- House Committee: Children & Youth

- Rules Committee: Modified Open

- Amendment: None

- Y: 163

N: 7

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

- Amendment: None

- Y: 157

N: 2

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

- Amendment: None

- Y: 114

N: 52

* The House will reconvene Monday, February 13 at 1:00 pm for its 17th 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 17th Legislative Day, Monday, February 13, as enumerated below, and can be called at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House.
DEBATE CALENDAR
HB 400 - Teachers Retirement; postretirement benefit increase; provisions - Bill allows that all members of TRS who retired prior to July 1, 1974 with at least 20 years of creditable service would receive a benefit increase of 10%. If retired prior to July 1, 1974 with at least 10 years but less than 20 years, the benefit shall be reduced by 5% for each year less than 20 years. If less than 10 years no increase will be given. Members retiring from July 1, 1974 through June 30, 1982 shall receive 6% increase. Members retiring July 1, 1982 through June 30, 1987 shall receive 2%. No postretirement benefit increase is authorized for any person who retired after June 30, 1987. Any county, municipal, or local board

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of education is authorized, but not required, to provide a postretirement benefit increase as provided by this bill to any teacher who retired under this code section provided that: the actuary for the fund certifies that such increase would not result in any unfunded accrued liability or the affected political subdivision appropriate sufficient funds to cover the actuarial cost of granting such benefit. - Authored by: Rep. Brooks Coleman - House Committee: Retirement - Rules Committee: Structured
HB 959 - Mallory's Act; permanently disabled persons; parking permits; amend provisions - House Bill 959 amends Code Section 40-6-222 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to parking permits for persons with disabilities, to change certain provisions relating to permits for permanently disabled persons; to provide for permits issued to permanently disabled minors; and to provide a short title. Section 1 states that this Act should be known and cited as "Mallory's Act." Section 2 strikes subsection (c) which in turn says that the department shall issue a permanent permit to any person who is obviously permanently disabled and to any other permanently disabled person upon presentation of an affidavit of a practitioner of the healing arts stating that the specific person is permanently disabled. The affidavit shall further state the specific disability that limits the person to walk. The department shall also issue a permanent permit to an institution that operates vehicles that are primarily used for the transportation of individuals with disabilities. The institution needs to present certification for the use of the vehicles. The institution shall receive permits only for the number of vehicles used and need to put the permits on the driver's side of the dashboard. From one renewal period to another the color of the permit will vary in color. For a permit issued to a minor, it should display the word `minor' and show an expiration date the same as the date of his or her eighteenth birthday or two years from the date it is issued, whichever occurs last. The print of the expiration date must be legible. - Authored by: Rep. Gene Maddox - House Committee: Human Relations & Aging - Rules Committee: Open
HB 1054 - Controlled substances; certain classes; change provisions - Authored by: Rep. Ron Stephens - House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil - Rules Committee: Open
HB 1069 - Drivers' licenses; young driver tracking service; provide - This bill would establish a youthful driver tracking service for the purpose of allowing parents to monitor their children's driving habits. This would be accomplished by one of two methods; either the display of a toll free number on the child's vehicle for other drivers to call and leave comments, or the use of a cell phone's GPS tracking device to provide real time data via the internet. Though the youthful driver tracking service would be available to any parent wishing to use it, it would also be mandated, as a part of sentencing, for certain crimes and driving violations. - Authored by: Rep. Jack Murphy - House Committee: Motor Vehicles - Rules Committee: Modified Open
HB 1096 - Pike County; superior courts; change certain terms - Amends 15-6-3 so as to change the term in the Pike County portion of the Griffin Circuit to ending on the third Monday in October. - Authored by: Rep. Mack Crawford - House Committee: Judiciary - Rules Committee: Modified Structured
HB 1106 - Weight of vehicle and load; hauling of construction aggregates; include
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- A Bill to be entitled an Act to amend code Section 32-6-26 of the O.C.G.A., relating to weight of vehicle and load, so as to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. - Authored by: Rep. Tom Graves - House Committee: Transportation - Rules Committee: Open
* The Rules Committee will next meet on Monday, February 13 at 11:00 am to set the Debate Calendar for the 17th Legislative Day.
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COMMITTEE ACTION REPORT
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS HB 827 - Hospitals providing emergency room services; group liability insurance
- This bill provides for the authorization of the Department of Administrative Services to procure a group liability insurance policy for hospitals providing emergency room services. - Authored by: Rep. Debbie Buckner - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 833 - Georgia Procurement Registry; certain bid advertisements; local governments - This bill provides that the Georgia Procurement Registry shall be the official legal organ for advertisement of certain bid opportunities for goods and services and public works construction contracts by a municipal corporation, county, or local board of education. It requires advertisement of certain bid opportunities by local government entities via the Georgia Procurement Registry free of charge. - Authored by: Rep. John Lunsford - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 1112 - Speech-language pathologists and audiologists; licensing; change provisions - A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to professions and businesses, so as to change certain provisions relating to licensing of speech-language pathologists and audiologists; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. - Authored by: Rep. Bob Smith - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HR 606 - House Study Committee on Coroners' Compensation; create - A RESOLUTION creating the House Study Committee on Coroners' Compensation. - Authored by: Rep. Alan Powell - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
SB 399 - Municipal Corporation; special services district; within 3 miles of noncontiguous area treated as same noncontiguous area - SB 399 provides that a noncontiguous area located within ten miles of another noncontiguous area may be treated as the same noncontiguous area for the purposes of special district taxes, fees, and assessments collected to be spent to provide services. - Authored by: Sen. David Shafer - Committee Action: Do Pass
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES HB 832 - Physician's assistants; handling of professional samples
- Allows physicians' assistants to handle, order, and dispense free dosages of medicines provided by companies to patients so long as it is done so under the authority of a doctor and in accordance with existing
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rules and regulations. - Authored by: Rep. Tom McCall - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
SB 208 - Central Registry for Traumatic Brain/Spinal Injuries; create state-wide - Creates a Central Registry for Traumatic Brain and Spinal Injuries by ordering all licensed medical providers in the state to forward information about identities of qualified individuals to the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission inside the Dept. of Human Resources, so as to disseminate information to said individuals, as well as provide the state with data. - Authored by: Sen. Michael Meyer von Bremen - Committee Action: Do Pass
HIGHER EDUCATION HB 343 - Valdosta State University's Peach State Summer Theatre; designate official musical theatre
- No summary submitted - Authored by: Rep. Ron Borders - Committee Action: Do Pass
HR 84 - Valdosta State University's Peach State Summer Theatre; designate official musical theatre - No summary submitted - Authored by: Rep. Ron Borders - Committee Action: Do Pass
HR 1045 - State lottery; HOPE Scholarship Program; designation of funds - CA - The resolution allows for an amendment to the Georgia Constitution to protect lottery funds to be reserved only for HOPE and other tuition grants, scholarships or loans and for Pre-K and other educational shortfall reserves. - Authored by: Rep. Rich Golick - Committee Action: Do Pass
HR 1081 - Joint Higher Education Finance and Formula Study Committee; create - The resolution creates the Joint Higher Ed Finance and Formula Study Committee. The committee will review and evaluate the budgets and funding formula's used by the Board of Regents/University System and the Dept of Technical and Adult Ed. Specifically the committee will: (1) Conduct a review of the current financing of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and the Department of Technical and Adult Education to include an examination of budgeted revenues and expenditures; (2) Recommend revisions to the current funding formula used in calculating funding needs for the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia; (3) Recommend revisions to the current funding formula used in calculating funding needs for the Department of Technical and Adult Education; - Authored by: Rep. Bob Smith - Committee Action: Do Pass
HR 1082 - Higher Education Finance and Formula Study Committee; create - Creates a House Higher Ed Finance and Formula Study Committee - Authored by: Rep. Bob Smith - Committee: Action: Do Pass
HR 1258 - Appalachian Studies Center; Dahlonega; Georgia's official center; establish - No summary submitted - Authored by: Rep. Amos Amerson - Committee Action: Do Pass
HUMAN RELATIONS & AGING
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HR 1055 - Lymphedema; treatment by nationally certified therapists; urge - A resolution urging health care providers to utilize nationally certified therapists to treat lymphedema. - Authored by: Rep. Debbie Buckner - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HR 1056 - Lymphedema; health related schools; training in required curriculum; urge - This resolution urges the medical, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and other health related schools in this state to include training on lymphedema prevention and treatment. - Authored by: Rep. Debbie Buckner - Committee Action: Do Pass
JUDICIARY (CIVIL) HB 705 - Civil practice; process servers; secured communities; registration
- Adds a new paragraph (4) to sub-section (f) of 9-11-4 requiring that process servers be admitted to gated communities to perform lawful service of process upon demonstrating that that is their purpose and upon identifying themselves properly. If the process server is not admitted, service upon the guard or managing agent will be considered having served the particular resident. Creates a new sub-section (m) in 9-11-4 to create a state-wide registration of permanent process servers - Authored by: Rep. Ron Forster - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 955 - MARTA; public records relating to fare payment system; exempt from disclosure; provide - This bill would exempt MARTA's development and implementation of its TransCard and SmartCard fare system from open records requirements. - Authored by: Rep. Harry Geisinger - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
MOTOR VEHICLES No bills were passed out of the committee.
NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT HB 724 - Sewage management systems; licensed plumbers; allow certain work
- This bill adds a new subsection (d) to 31-2-7 to allow for any plumber licensed by the State Construction Industry Licensing board to access and repair any onsite sewage management system for the purposes of repairing or servicing any plumbing system or connection to the onsite sewage management system. - Authored by: Rep. Tom McCall - Committee Action: Do Pass
STATE INSTITUTIONS & PROPERTY HB 1250 - Probation Management Act of 2004; change repeal date
- Changes the repeal date of the "Probation Management Act of 2004" from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008. - Authored by: Rep. Terry Barnard - Committee Action: Do Pass
HB 1259 - Private detectives and private security officers; licensing; revise - Authorizes the granting of non exclusive easements for operation and maintenance of facilities, utilities, ingress, and egress in, over, under, upon, across or through property owned by the State of Georgia in the following counties: Chatham, Coweta, Douglas, Grady, and Muscogee. - Authored by: Rep. Terry Barnard - Committee Action: Do Pass
WAYS & MEANS HB 560 - Ad valorem tax; county tax assessors; property valuation appeal; change certain provision
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- This bill prohibits errors in the description and characterization of real property, determined by review of the board of tax assessors, from being the sole basis for increasing the valuation of such property during the two year period following an appeal in which the value of the real property was established. - Authored by: Rep. Chuck Martin - Committee Action: Do Pass
HB 1014 - Sales and use tax; government contractor; automatic repeal date; extend - This bill provides for an extension of the sales tax exemption for overhead materials of a government contractor from January 1, 2007 to January 1, 2011. - Authored by: Rep. Steve Tumlin - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 1040 - Carpet samples; raw material cost; fair market valuation; definitions - This bill defines the term `total raw material cost' to mean the manufactured cost of carpet samples. Supplies used in the manufacturing of the samples include binding, grommets, similar items and display devices such as racks, binders, and similar items. The fair market value of a carpet sample is equal to 21.9% of the total raw material cost. - Authored by: Rep. Roger Williams - Committee Action: Do Pass
HB 1182 - Sales and use tax exemption; certain hall of fame attractions; provisions - This bill provides for a sales tax exemption on the sale of tangible personal property for the construction of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The exemption will expire on December 31, 2008. - Authored by: Rep. Mark Burkhalter - 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 BROADCAST SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2006
NO COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THIS DAY.
* 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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