Daily report [Feb. 14, 2007]

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

TOMORROW'S FORECAST
* The House will reconvene for its 21st Legislative Day on Thursday, February 15, at 9:00 AM. * No bills are expected to be debated on the floor.

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RULES CALENDAR
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 - Amendments(s): N/A - Yeas: 170; Nays: 0
HB 76 - Emergency management; nomenclature and symbols; require permission; provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: A bill relating to emergency management requiring permission of the Georgia Office of Homeland Security's and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency's Nomenclature. The Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to emergency management is to be amended by inserting a new article after Article 7.
The new article shall be known as "Georgia Office of Homeland Security and Georgia Emergency Management Agency Nomenclature Act of 2007". The article will describe the meaning of different terms such as badge, director of the affected agency, emblem, person, seal, and willful visitor. Only with permission from the director of the Georgia Office of Homeland Security `OHS' knowingly may use the words of the Georgia Office of Homeland Security and the Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center in connection with any advertisement. Also, only with permission of the director of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency `GEMA' knowingly may use the words of Georgia's Emergency Management Agency in connection with any type of advertisement. Any person who displays any emblem, seal or badge of OHS or GEMA without permission from director will be in violation of this article. Any person that seeks permission may submit a written request to the appropriate agency. When there is a violation the director has the right to apply to the Superior Court of Fulton County or to the Superior Court of County of residence for an injunction to restrain the violation. The director has the right to collect a sanction from the violator. Any person that has given money for their use of agency nomenclature or symbols in violation to this article may maintain a suit for damages against the violator. Any willing violator shall be found guilty of a felony and be fined or imprisoned. - Authored By: Rep. Burke Day of the 163rd - House Committee: Public Safety and Homeland Security - Rule: Open - Amendments(s): N/A - Yeas: 161; Nays: 3

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 - Amendments(s): N/A - Yeas: 167; Nays: 0
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 - Amendments(s): N/A - Yeas: 150; Nays: 3
* The House will reconvene Thursday, February 15, at 9:00 AM, for its 21st 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 21st Legislative Day, Thursday, February 15, and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker.
RULES CALENDAR FOR NEXT LEGISLATIVE DAY
No Rules Calendar for Thursday, February 15, 2007
* The Rules Committee will next meet on Thursday, February 15, at 08:00 AM, to set the Rules Calendar for the 22nd Legislative Day.
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COMMITTEE ACTION REPORT
Judiciary Non-Civil
HB 233 - Long-term Care Facility Resident Abuse Reporting Act; change definition
- BILL SUMMARY: Adds to the definition of the term "exploitation" in Code Sections 30-5-3 and 31-8-81 to include the improper use of a disabled or elder person's resources and/or property through undue influence, coercion, harassment, duress, deception, false representation, false pretense, or other similar means - Authored By: Rep. David Ralston of the 7th - Committee Action: Do Pass
HB 270 - Juvenile proceedings; appointment of guardian ad litem; change provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: Revises definitions related to a Court Appointed Special Advocate or "CASA" to provide that a CASA will be a community volunteer who is trained, screened and supervised by the court, and has been appointed a guardian ad litem by the court in a juvenile deprivation proceeding. The CASA will be sworn in by a juvenile court judge and will not be assigned a case before being sworn in. CASAs will be appointed as early as possible in the proceedings by a signed order and his or her duties will be to advocate

for the best interests of the child. As an advocate for the child the CASA will be notified of all court proceedings and will have access to all records and information relevant to the child's case; the CASA's right to access those records will be as broad as any attorney's rights. CASA's will be immune from liability and can be removed by the court for nonparticipation or for acting in a manner contrary to the child's best interest or if the court deems further service unnecessary. - Authored By: Rep. David Ralston of the 7th - Committee Action: Tabled
Retirement
HB 318 - Public Retirement Systems Investment Authority Law; change certain provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill relates to the Public Systems Investment Authority Law. The bill: Allows large retirement systems to invest up to 20% (currently 10%) in foreign companies; Amends current law to allow large retirement systems to invest in real estate investments trusts that are organized as business corporations or unincorporated trusts (currently code refers only to corporations); and Allows a U. S. company that is incorporated outside of the U.S. to be classified as a domestic company for investment purposes by clarifying which corporations is domestic and which are foreign in conformity with federal securities laws as regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. - Authored By: Rep. Tommy Benton of the 31st - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
State Institutions & Property
HR 57 - Elbert County; conveyance of certain state owned real property; authorize
- BILL SUMMARY: A resolution authorizing the conveyance of certain state owned real property in Elbert County, Georgia. The state of Georgia is the primary owner of the real property in Elbert County and all matters relating to the real property by acting through its State Properties Commission. - Authored By: Rep. Tom McCall of the 30th - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
Transportation
HB 192 - Transportation, Department of; contracts; provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill will amend Code Sections 32-2-61, 32-2-70, 32-4-63, 32-4-69, 32-4-113, and 32-4-119 by changing the dollar amounts used in the Code Sections relating to expenditures in DOT projects/bids to $100,000.00. Code Section 32-4-67 is amended by revising subsection (a) to state that no bid other than a bid solely for engineering or other kinds of professional services will be considered without a proposal guaranty to the county. Code section 32-4-119 also adds the language "other than a contract solely for engineering or other professional services" to its introduction. - Authored By: Rep. Vance Smith of the 129th - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HR 146 - Bohler, Dr. Charles Emory; designate portions of SR 26
- BILL SUMMARY: Resolution designating portions of State Route 26 in Bulloch County in honor of the memory of Dr. Charles Emory Bohler. Portion to be designated from the eastern city limits of Brooklet to the eastern city limits of Statesboro. This portion will be named the Dr. Charles Emory Bohler Highway. - Authored By: Rep. Bob Lane of the 158th - Committee Action: Do Pass
HR 147 - Erk Russell Highway; designate portions of SR 26
- BILL SUMMARY: Resolution honoring the memory and achievements of Coach Erskine "Erk" Russell by designating portions of State Route 26 in Bulloch County as the Erk Russell Highway. - Authored By: Rep. Bob Lane of the 158th - Committee Action: Do Pass
HR 171 - Cason and Virginia Callaway Conservation Highway; dedicate portions of SR 116
- BILL SUMMARY: A resolution honoring the lives of Cason and Virginia Callaway and dedicating the Cason and Virginia Callaway Conservation Highway in their memory. - Authored By: Rep. Vance Smith of the 129th - 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

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Thursday, February 15, 2007 House Rules Committee Mtg.

341 CAP

* 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