Daily report [Feb. 13, 2007]

MEMBER SERVICES
Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg. Suite 609 Phone: (404) 656-0305

TOMORROW'S FORECAST
* The House will reconvene for its 20th Legislative Day on Wednesday, February 14, at 10:00 AM. * 3 bills are expected to be debated on the floor.

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DAILY REPORT

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TODAY ON THE FLOOR
RULES CALENDAR
HB 106 - Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund; retirement benefit options; provide
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill allows the board to approve the interest rate and mortality basis which will be used for calculations of optional retirement benefits under the Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Funds instead of requiring the use of specific mortality tables and interest rate. - Authored By: Rep. Ben Bridges of the 10th - House Committee: Retirement - Rule: Open - Amendments(s): N/A - Yeas: 160; Nays: 0
HB 112 - Food; license requirements; fees; applications; change provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill amends the Georgia Dairy Act of 1980 (The Act), which allows the Department of Agriculture to set a license fee by regulation for certain businesses involved in the production, distribution and/or sale of milk or milk products. The fees do not generate enough revenue to cover the cost of collection and processing such fees. FY05 fees collected under this section were $1400 for the three different groups. Additionally, the bill removes the fees collected for "Cream Testers". The fees collected under this program were $95. These changes do not alter the responsibility of either the Department to regulate or the industry to produce clean and wholesome dairy products.
The bill also removes the fees collected for businesses that manufacture, bottle or distribute soft drinks and/or soft drink syrup in Georgia. The change would eliminate the need for a special license. Those firms producing these products can be licensed with the "Food Sales Establishment License" used for all other food businesses regulated by the Consumer Protection Division. The FY05 fees collected under this section were $1160. Again, these changes do not alter the responsibility of either the Department to regulate or the industry to produce clean and wholesome dairy products. - Authored By: Rep. Tom McCall of the 30th - House Committee: Agriculture & Consumer Affairs - Rule: Open - Amendments(s): N/A - Yeas: 167; Nays: 0

* The House will reconvene Wednesday, February 14, at 10:00 AM, for its 20th Legislative Day of the 1st Regular Session of the 149th General Assembly.
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COMMITTEE ON RULES
The Committee on Rules has fixed the calendar for the 20th Legislative Day, Wednesday, February 14, and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker.

RULES CALENDAR FOR NEXT LEGISLATIVE DAY
HB 24 - Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care Act; enact
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 24, also known as, an Advance Directive for Healthcare, provides for a combination in the current provisions of a living will and a durable power of attorney of healthcare in one form. The proposed bill calls for a stronger focus on a patient's right to choose various options concerning the type of treatment and care they receive in a healthcare facility. - Authored By: Rep. Steve Tumlin of the 38th - House Committee: Judiciary - Rule: Open
HB 151 - Hospital authorities; vacancies; General Assembly; change by local act
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill would allow the General Assembly to provide for the appointment of members to hospital boards by enacting local legislation. - Authored By: Rep. John Lunsford of the 110th - House Committee: Health & Human Services - Rule: Open
HB 231 - Public roads; lack of removal of vehicles; liable for gross negligence
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill amends Chapter 6 of Title 32 of the OCGA relating to maintenance and use of public roads generally in Code Section 32-6-2 relating to the authority of the department, counties, and municipalities to regulate parking and parking vehicles or leaving vehicles unattended on the right of way of a public road of the state highway system. Any time a state or local law enforcement officer finds a vehicle parked in violation or the department's regulations, that officer or employee is authorized to move the vehicle. New language is added at the end of this paragraph stating that any person or towing service that is instructed to remove or have removed such obstruction by a law enforcement officer, an official of a fire department acting under the authority of paragraph 1 of Code Section 25-3-1 or paragraph 3 of Code section 25-3-2, or an official of the department shall be liable only for gross negligence. - Authored By: Rep. Vance Smith of the 129th - House Committee: Transportation - Rule: Modified-Open
* The Rules Committee will next meet on Wednesday, February 14, at 9:00 AM, to set the Rules Calendar for the 21st Legislative Day.
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COMMITTEE ACTION REPORT
Agriculture & Consumer Affairs
HB 240 - The Retail Installment and Home Solicitation Sales Act; increase delinquency charges
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill raises the delinquency fee on retail installment contracts or revolving accounts from $18 to $25. The fee may only be charged once for the same default instance. This fee only applies if the installment payment is not paid within 10 days of the due date. - Authored By: Rep. Ben Harbin of the 118th - Committee Action: Do Pass
HR 170 - U.S. sugar policy; urge Congress to reform
- BILL SUMMARY: This resolution urges the United States Congress and Members of the Georgia Congressional delegation to work together to reform U.S. sugar policy in the 2007 Farm Bill. - Authored By: Rep. Tom McCall of the 30th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Game, Fish, & Parks
HB 239 - Board of Natural Resources; rules; game and fish criminal violations; change certain provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill updates certain date references to align Georgia code with dates that exist in rules and regulations adopted by the Georgia Board of Natural Resources. For example, the Board is authorized to set hunting seasons by rule; as such, it is necessary to periodically re-align the code with the Board's season dates to ensure effective enforcement.

- Authored By: Rep. Bob Lane of the 158th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Intragovernmental Coordination
HB 134 - Local governments; bid bonds; cash; change certain provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: The Bill provides that local governments may accept irrevocable letters of credit issued by a bank or savings and loan association in lieu of a bid bond which does not exceed $750,000. Under current law the bid bond ceiling in lieu of such letters of credit is $300,000. - Authored By: Rep. Terry England of the 108th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Judiciary
HB 16 - Public employees; fraud, waste, abuse in state operations; change definitions
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 16 seeks to extend "whistle blower" protection to the local level employee by adding additional language to the definitions of "public employee" and "public employer." - Authored By: Rep. Rich Golick of the 34th - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 153 - Juveniles; Division of Family and Children Services; provide certain requirements
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 153 seeks to provide additional judicial oversight in regards to the deprivation of juveniles. The new language requires DFACS to give a notice to the court, child, parents, guardians, and attorneys of record, five (5) days prior to the placement change of a child. All parties involved will have the right to request a hearing in regards to the change in location of the child. Exceptions will be made regarding emergency cases, where only the court shall be notified. - Authored By: Rep. Barry Loudermilk of the 14th - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
Public Safety and Homeland Security
HB 218 - Georgia Ports Authority; employees; power of arrest; peace officers; require
- BILL SUMMARY: A bill relating to the application of traffic laws and enforcement by security guards employed with the Georgia Ports Authority. This will require that those employees of the authority who are sanctioned to exercise the powers of arrest shall be certified peace officers subject to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council. - Authored By: Rep. Burke Day of the 163rd - Committee Action: Do Pass
* Bills passing committees are reported to the Clerk's Office, and are then placed on the General Calendar.
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COMMITTEE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Sales Tax Subcommittee (Ways & Means) Mtg.

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Resolutions Subcommittee (Transportation) Mtg.

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM House Rules Committee Mtg.

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Telecom Subcommittee Mtg. (Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications)

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM House Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee Mtg.

133 CAP 515 CLOB 341 CAP
506 CLOB
132 CAP (3:00pm or UPON

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
2:30 PM - 5:00 PM 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

ADJOURNMENT)

Academic Achievement Education Subcommittee Mtg. 515 CLOB

House Judiciary (Civil) Crawford Two Subcommittee Mtg.

415 CLOB

Elections Subcommittee (Government Affairs) Mtg.

133 CAP

State Institution & Property Committee Mtg.

506 CLOB

House Appropriations Health Subcommittee Mtg.

406 CLOB

Academic Support Subcommittee of Education Mtg. 515 CLOB

Joint House/Senate Higher Education Committee Mtg. 606 CLOB

Financial Institutions Regulations & Oversight Subcommittee Mtg. (Banks & Banking)

415 CLOB

Ways & Mean (Income Tax Subcommittee) Mtg.

605 CLOB

Financial Institutions Regulations Banking) Subcommittee Mtg.

&

Oversight

(Banks

&

415

CLOB

Dept. of Technical & Adult Education Subcommittee of Higher Education

506 CLOB

Retirement Committee Mtg.

403 CAP

Transportation Committee Mtg.

606 CLOB

* This schedule is accurate at the time of this report, but meeting dates and times are subject to change. To view the most up to date meeting schedule, please visit http://www.legis.ga.gov and click on Meetings Notices. To view the live streaming video of the meeting, please visit the Georgia Legislative Network website.
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CONTACT: BRENT CRANFIELD
(404) 656-0305 Brent.Cranfield@house.ga.gov