Daily report [Feb. 8, 2010]

OFFICE OF COMMITTEE SERVICES 609 Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg. (404) 656-0305 Phone (404) 656-5630 Fax

TOMORROW'S FORECAST
* The House will reconvene for its 15th Legislative Day on Tuesday, February 9, at 10:00 AM. * 4 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 859 - Probationer duties; tolling of probated sentences; clarify provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill allows for the tolling of probated sentences for probationers who are not able to be found or are not responsive to the orders of the court. Existing tolling statutes require that abscondment be proven as a prerequisite of a tolling order. - Authored By: Rep. Rich Golick of the 34th - House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil - Rule: Modified-Open - Yeas: 159; Nays: 8
HB 1016 - Identity fraud; include businesses as potential identity theft victims; revise
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill clarifies that corporate and other business entities that are targets of identity fraud are protected in the same manner as individuals. Further, it ensures that law enforcement personnel and prosecutors are able to investigate and prosecute identity theft against these entities. - Authored By: Rep. Rich Golick of the 34th - House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil - Rule: Modified-Structured - Yeas: 167; Nays: 0
* The House will reconvene Tuesday, February 9, at 10:00 AM, for its 15th Legislative
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COMMITTEE ON RULES
The Committee on Rules has fixed the calendar for the 15th Legislative Day, Tuesday, February 9, and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker.
TOMORROW ON THE FLOOR
HB 896 - Continuances; witness on active duty; change provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: When a defendant demands a speedy trial a continuance tolls the running of that demand if a necessary witness is unavailable for trial because of deployment. The current Code requires a request to the proper military authority, pursuant to the United States Code and other regulations.
The bill strikes the current provisions and only requires a party to provide testimony via affidavits or other documents that the witness has been activated to military duty - Authored By: Rep. Doug Collins of the 27th - House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil - House Committee Passed: 2/3/2010 - Rule: Modified-Open
HB 898 - Driving under the influence; notice of conviction publication; change provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: Currently, if a person is convicted of a second or subsequent DUI within 5 years, then the notice of conviction is published in the local paper. The publication includes, among other information, the photograph, name, and address of that person.
The bill strikes the provision that the convicted person's address will be published. - Authored By: Rep. Doug Collins of the 27th - House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil - House Committee Passed: 2/3/2010 - Rule: Modified-Structured
HB 908 - Quality Basic Education Act; expenditures, class size, additional days, salary; temporarily suspend
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill gives local systems total flexibility through waivers that: Eliminate Expenditure Controls media center, direct instruction, and staff development costs Eliminate Funding for Additional Instruction Days With this bill, waivers will be available for request by school systems through July 1, 2013. - Previous provisions regarding maximum class sizes and salary schedules were struck out from the original bill with this committee substitute. - Authored By: Rep. David Casas of the 103rd - House Committee: Education - House Committee Passed: 2/4/2010 - Rule: Modified-Structured
HB 963 - Ad valorem tax; returns of taxable real property; change certain provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 963 eliminates inconsistencies within the ad valorem tax code. In section 1, it eliminates the requirement that property tax returns by submitted in person or by mail. This provision conflicts with another section in the ad valorem code allowing for electronic filing of returns. This bill will allow for electronic filing of such returns.
Section 2 clears up an inconsistency in the code section providing a homestead exemption for those that are 62 and older with income of $10,000 or less. When an amendment to this section was passed several years ago to change the calculation of income to include only the net income of the resident and spouse rather than the gross income of everyone residing in the homestead, the statute was only changed in one of two places, and therefore is internally inconsistent. The result is that counties are applying the law inconsistently, with some counties not implementing the relaxed requirements of the prior amendment. The bill makes the technical correction so that the provision uniformly provides for a calculation based on the net income of the applicant and spouse only. - Authored By: Rep. Larry O`Neal of the 146th - House Committee: Ways & Means - House Committee Passed: 2/4/2010 - Rule: Structured
* The Rules Committee will next meet on Tuesday, February 9, at 9:00 AM, to set the Rules Calendar for the 16th Legislative Day.

COMMITTEE ACTION REPORT
Economic Development & Tourism
HB 867 - Commission on Regional Planning; create; provide for membership and duties
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill creates a Commission on Regional Planning, which will: Coordinate state contracts and planning of resource allocation as well as state service delivery. Identify appropriate funding for commissions pursuing shared service delivery goals as well as issues requiring state, regional or local action. This bill also establishes this Commission's governing board composition with the Governor serving as a chairperson. - Authored By: Rep. Ron Stephens of the 164th - Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
* 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

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

9:00 AM - 9:30 AM SPECIAL RULES

515 CLOB

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM RULES

341 CAP

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM General Government Subcommittee of Governmental Affairs

415 CLOB

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Appropriations Education Subcommittee

341 CAP

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Science and Technology Subcommittee

403 CAP

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Consumer Protection Investigation and Oversight Subcommittee

415 CLOB

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Academic Support Subcommittee of Education

515 CLOB

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM CHILDREN & YOUTH

403 CAP

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM JUDICIARY CIVIL

132 CAP

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM STATE INSTITUTIONS & PROPERTY

506 CLOB

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM WAYS & MEANS

606 CLOB

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Appropriations Public Safety Subcommittee

341 CAP

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Driver Safety & Services Subcommittee of Motor Vehicles

406 CLOB

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM Appropriations Economic Development Subcommittee

341 CAP

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

415 CLOB

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM GAME, FISH AND PARKS

403 CAP

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Appropriations Health Subcommittee

406 CLOB

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Appropriations General Subcommittee

341 CAP

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM TRASPORTATION

506 CLOB

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Appropriations Human Resources Subcommittee

341 CAP

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Appropriations Higher Education Subcommittee

341 CAP

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Public Safety Subcommittee

415 CLOB

* This broadcast schedule is up to date at the time of this report, but meetings dates and times are subject to

change. To keep up with the latest schedule please visit the General Assembly website www.legis.ga.gov and click

on House Meetings. To view the live stream of these meetings, please visit the Georgia Legislative Network.