Daily report [Feb. 8, 2007]

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

TOMORROW'S FORECAST
* The House will reconvene for its 16th Legislative Day on Friday, February 9, at 10:00 AM. * 4 bills are expected to be debated on the floor.

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RULES CALENDAR
HB 79 - Motor vehicles; light transmission through windows; materials; provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill adds federal, state and local government vehicles, as well as licensed private detectives' vehicles, to the list of exemptions from Georgia's window tinting restrictions. - Authored By: Rep. Ronald L Forster of the 3rd - House Committee: Motor Vehicles - Rule: Open - Amendments(s): N/A - Yeas: 142; Nays: 13
HB 100 - Shrimp and shrimping; revise various provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill provides for an extensive re-write of the Shrimp Fishery. The recommendations contained in the bill came from a public stakeholder process coordinated and facilitated by the Coastal Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources in 2005, and according to DNR's position - are not contrary to the wise use and conservation of Georgia's shrimp resource. - Authored By: Rep. Cecily Hill of the 180th - House Committee: Game, Fish, & Parks - Rule: Open - Amendments(s): N/A - Yeas: 156; Nays: 10
HB 122 - Commercial feeds; labeling requirements; exclude equine feed
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill only applies to feed produced for equines. The bill would require that ingredients for equine feed be listed in descending order of predominance by weight, rather than the use of a collective term for a group of ingredients. As an example, instead of simply "grain products," a label would read, "Wheat, Oats, etc." - Authored By: Rep. Terry England of the 108th - House Committee: Agriculture & Consumer Affairs - Rule: Open - Amendments(s): N/A - Yeas: 162; Nays: 0
* The House will reconvene Friday, February 9, at 10:00 AM, for its 16th 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 16th Legislative Day, Friday, February 9, and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker.
RULES CALENDAR FOR NEXT LEGISLATIVE DAY
HB 53 - Piedmont Circuit; terms of court; change provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 53 seeks to change various provisions for the Piedmont Circuit, which consists of Banks, Barrow, and Jackson Counties. This bill makes the terms of court for all counties in the circuit the first Monday in February and August. The bill further states that the grand jury shall not be required to be impaneled in the first day of each term. - Authored By: Rep. Terry England of the 108th - House Committee: Judiciary - Rule: Open
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
HB 101 - Public records; agricultural or food systems information; provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill adds two new paragraphs, 10.2 and 10.3, at the end of subsection(a) of 50-18-72. This code section relates to certain public records kept by the Georgia Department of Agriculture (The Department) that are not subject to disclosure. Paragraph 10.2 exempts certain agricultural or food system records, data or information that is considered by The Department to be a part of the critical infrastructure, which has the same meaning as 42 U.S.C. Section 5195c(e). Paragraphs 10.3 exempts certain records, data or information collected by the Department for the purposes of a national animal identification system, which is a voluntary program to identify animals and track them as they come into contact with animals other than herd mates from their premises of origin. - Authored By: Rep. Penny Houston of the 170th - House Committee: Agriculture & Consumer Affairs - Rule: Structured
HR 56 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; raising full pool for Lake Lanier; urge to study
- BILL SUMMARY: This resolution urges the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the United States Congress to begin a study of the costs and effects of adding to the storage capacities of all Corps reservoirs in the State of Georgia. - Authored By: Rep. John Heard of the 104th - House Committee: Natural Resources & Environment - Rule: Open

* The Rules Committee will next meet on Friday, February 9, at 9:00 AM, to set the Rules Calendar for the 17th Legislative Day.
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COMMITTEE ACTION REPORT
* The House was out of session on Tuesday & Wednesday this week; however House committees met to take up legislative business. Below are the committee action reports for the previous two days along with today's report. All bills were filed with the Clerk's Office today, and will be on Friday's General Calendar.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Code Revision
HB 220 - Georgia Criminal Justice Improvement Council; repeal Chapter 8
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 220 calls for the repeal of Chapter 8 located in Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. By abolishing Chapter 8 of Title 28, the Georgia Criminal Justice Improvement Council will cease to exist. - Authored By: Rep. Burke Day of the 163rd - Committee Action: Do Pass
HB 245 - Georgia State Prison warden; passenger motor vehicle; repeal certain provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 220 calls for the repeal of Code Section 35-1-2, which allows for particular provisions for the warden of Georgia State Prison, specifically a passenger motor vehicle paid for by the Department of Public Safety. - Authored By: Rep. Terry Barnard of the 166th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Intragovernmental Coordination - Local
HB 215 State Court of Athens-Clarke County; Office of the Clerk; Repeal Provisions -BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to provide for an additional judge for the State Court of Athens-Clarke County, designates the present
judge as the Senior Judge, and provides salaries for each. - Authored By: Rep. Keith Heard of the 114th - Committee Action: Do Pass by Substitute
HB 266 - Camden County; Redevelopment Powers Law; exercise all powers
- BILL SUMMARY: The Bill authorizes Camden County to exercise all Redevelopment Powers as permitted under the State Constitution's Redevelopment Powers Law pending a local referendum to approve the authorization. - Authored By: Rep. Cecily Hill of the 180th - Committee Action: Do Pass
HB 273 - Oconee County; Board of Commissioners; member terms; provide
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to provide staggered terms for the members of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners pending approval to do so in a local referendum. - Authored By: Rep. Bob Smith of the 113th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Judiciary
HB 136 - Public policy; contract of insurance; indemnification; provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: The implementation of House Bill 136 will close a loop-hole in the current Code Section 13-8-2, which currently allows contracts of insurance to indemnify, or hold harmless, parties for damages arising in bodily injury or property damage due to a party's sole negligence. This bill specifically applies to "a contract or agreement relative to the construction, alteration, repair, or maintenance of a building structure, appurtenances, and appliances." - Authored By: Rep. Mike Coan of the 101st - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 155 - Department of Human Resources; personal care home owners; criminal history; permit
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 155 calls for mandatory criminal background checks for owners of "personal care homes, private home care providers, community living arrangements, and child welfare agencies." This bill makes it unlawful for an owner to operate any of the previously stated small businesses with a criminal record. - Authored By: Rep. Wendell Willard of the 49th - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
Motor Vehicles
HB 171 - Motor vehicles; scrap metal or parts; certificates of title; provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 171 addresses and clarifies several conflicts in the Code regarding titles for end of life vehicles. Based on an affidavit system utilized by the state of New York, HB 171 would allow persons without a title to recycle an end of life vehicle (12 years of age or older, and worth $750 or less) for parts or scrap by filling out an affidavit which auto recyclers would submit to the Department of Revenue. Falsification of this document would be a felony punishable by 1-3yrs in prison and a $1000-$5000 fine. - Authored By: Rep. Tom Rice of the 51st - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Health & Human Services
HB 127 - Prescription drugs; generic; change provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill would restrict pharmacists from substituting generic equivalents for anti-epilepsy drugs. - Authored By: Rep. Charlice Byrd of the 20th - Committee Action: Do Pass
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 - Committee Action: Do Pass
HR 15 - Joint Study Committee on State Stroke System of Care; create
- BILL SUMMARY: The resolution would provide for the Joint House & Senate Study Committee on the State Stroke System of Care, charged with examining and reporting on an improved method for treating and preventing strokes. - Authored By: Rep. Mickey Channell of the 116th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Judiciary Non-Civil
HB 8 - Elections; tampering of electronic voting machines; increase penalty
- BILL SUMMARY: Sets a mandatory sentencing scheme of one to ten years in prison or a fine of $250,000 or both as felony punishment for willfully tampering with or damaging electronic voting devices. This applies to anyone who willfully tampers with or damages the devices including a manufacturer or seller of voting equipment who alters the equipment without prior approval of the Secretary of State. - Authored By: Rep. Timothy Bearden of the 68th - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 168 - Associate juvenile court judges; appointment; change qualifications
- BILL SUMMARY: Amends qualifications for juvenile court judges to require that each associate juvenile court judge have the same qualifications as required for a juvenile court judge, including being at least 30 years old, having been a citizen of the state for at least three years and having practiced law for at least five years. - Authored By: Rep. Robert Mumford of the 95th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Retirement

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 - Committee Action: Do Pass
Transportation
HB 192 - Department of Transportation; 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
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 - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Judiciary
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 - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 118 - Brunswick and Cobb Judicial Circuits; additional superior courts judge; provide
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 118 calls for an increase in the number of judges of the superior courts in the Brunswick and Cobb Judicial Circuits. Cobb Judicial Circuit's number of judges will rise from 9 to 10, and Brunswick Judicial Circuit's from 4 to 5. - Authored By: Rep. Earl Ehrhart of the 36th - Committee Action: Do Pass
HB 119 - Certain state officials; annual salaries; increase
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 119 calls for an increase in annual salary for Supreme Court Justices; Court of Appeals Judges; and superior court judges from $139,418.00 to $170,500.00; $138,556.00 to $169,500.00; and $99,862.00 to $128,400.00, respectively. - Authored By: Rep. Wendell Willard of the 49th - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 120 - Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; certain judges; travel allowances; provide
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 120 provides for a mileage reimbursement for Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of the Court of Appeals who reside 50 miles or more from the judicial building in Atlanta. The mileage reimbursement is limited to one (1) round trip per week during the regular and extraordinary session of court. - Authored By: Rep. Wendell Willard of the 49th - 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 MEETING SCHEDULE

Friday, February 09, 2007

9:00 AM - Special Rules Committee Mtg. 10:00 AM CANCELLED

515 CLOB

9:00 AM 10:00 AM

House Rules Committee Mtg.

341 CAP

9:00 AM - Budget & Fiscal Affairs Oversight 10:00 AM Committee Mtg.

415 CLOB

12:00 PM - House Judiciary(Non-Civil) Mumford 1:00 PM Subcommittee Two - CANCELLED

132 CAP (UPON ADJOURNMENT)

1:30 PM - House Appropriations General 3:00 PM Subcommittee Mtg

506 CLOB

2:00 PM - General Government Subcommittee 4:00 PM (Government Affairs) Mtg.

515 CLOB

2:00 PM - Joint Senate/House Health & Human 3:30 PM Services Committee Mtg.

Emory Campus, Emory University Winship Cancer Institute (11:45 or IMMEDIATELY UPON ADJOURNEMT 2:00pm)

2:30 PM 4:00 PM

Special Study Committee on CON

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