Daily report [Jan. 31, 2014]

HOUSE BUDGET & RESEARCH OFFICE (404) 656-5050 HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS (404) 656-0305

MONDAY'S FORECAST
* The House will reconvene for its 15th Legislative Day on Monday, February 3, at 10:00 AM. * 1 bill is expected to be debated on the floor.

Friday, January 31, 2014

14th Legislative Day

TODAY ON THE FLOOR
RULES CALENDAR
HB 176 - Mobile Broadband Infrastructure Leads to Development (BILD) Act; enact
- BILL SUMMARY: House bill 176 is known as the "Mobile Broadband Infrastructure Leads to Development (BILD) Act." The legislation will allow previously approved wireless support structures and wireless facilities to be modified or collocated without additional zoning or land use review beyond that which is typically required by the local governing authority for the issuance of building or electrical permits, as long as the proposed modifications do not substantially change the size of the existing structures. Limitations on the time allowed for review of new wireless facilities and fees charged for such by local governing authorities are outlined as well. - Authored By: Rep. Don Parsons of the 44th - House Committee: Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications - Rule: Modified-Structured - Yeas: 154; Nays: 4
HB 709 - Terrell County; office of coroner; provide nonpartisan elections
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to provide for the nonpartisan election of the coroner of Terrell County. - Authored By: Rep. Gerald Greene of the 151st - House Committee: Intragovernmental Coordination - Rule: Open - Yeas: 135; Nays: 13
HB 710 - Randolph County; office of coroner; provide nonpartisan elections
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to provide for the nonpartisan election of the coroner of Randolph County. - Authored By: Rep. Gerald Greene of the 151st - House Committee: Intragovernmental Coordination - Rule: Open - Yeas: 135; Nays: 15
HB 711 - Clay County; office of coroner; provide nonpartisan elections
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to provide for the nonpartisan election of the coroner of Clay County. - Authored By: Rep. Gerald Greene of the 151st - House Committee: Intragovernmental Coordination - Rule: Open - Yeas: 135; Nays: 14
HB 715 - Jekyll Island-State Park Authority; powers and responsibilities; revise
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill provides definitions for "developed land" and "undeveloped land". It also states that the Jekyll Island Authority (the authority) is empowered to convert no more than 1,675 acres of the total land area of Jekyll Island into developed land. The 1,597 acres of Jekyll Island that has been subdivided, leased, or improved according to the 2013 master plan as of January 1, 2014, is deemed as already converted to developed land. Additionally, the bill sets out the only ways that undeveloped land shall be converted to developed land after July 1, 2014. Those ways are as follows: 1. Twelve acres solely for the expansion of the existing campground; 2. Forty-six acres solely for public health, safety, or recreation. "Public recreation" excludes residential and commercial development; and 3. Twenty acres for unrestricted uses. The authority shall not in any way sell or otherwise dispose of any riparian rights, and the Jekyll Island beach areas shall be kept free and open for public use. The portion of the island lying south of 31 degrees, 1 minute, 34 seconds north latitude must be retained as undeveloped area, and the authority shall not enter into, renew, or extend any agreement or otherwise take any action regarding said portion of the island on or after May 30, 2007, except as otherwise provided. Improvements on the said portion of the island made prior to May 30, 2007 shall not require removal. Upon the expiration or termination of any lease of a single-family residence lot on said southern portion of the island, the authority may again lease such lot to the same or another lessee for a single-family or noncommercial purpose, or may set it aside for public use; but the lot shall not be further subdivided or leased for any multifamily residence or commercial use. The Jekyll Island 4-H center and soccer complex may continue to be used as such under an extension or renewal of an existing lease or under a new lease.

This bill does not prohibit the construction and use of public bicycle trails, public nature trails, or public picnic areas on the southern portion of the island by the authority. This subparagraph shall not be applied to impair the obligation of any valid contract entered into prior to May 30, 2007. - Authored By: Rep. Mark Hamilton of the 24th - House Committee: Natural Resources & Environment - Rule: Modified-Structured - Yeas: 156; Nays: 1
HB 738 - Quitman County; office of coroner; provide nonpartisan elections
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to provide for the nonpartisan election of the coroner of Quitman County. - Authored By: Rep. Gerald Greene of the 151st - House Committee: Intragovernmental Coordination - Rule: Open - Yeas: 137; Nays: 15
SB 297 - Elections; campaign contributions; filing of notices of intention to accept campaign contributions by county/municipal candidates
- BILL SUMMARY: Senate Bill 297 makes some changes to local elections and reporting requirements by requiring candidates make the declaration of intention to accept campaign contributions to the local election official. It also changes the time frame for which an affidavit to not accept funds is valid from just a calendar year to an election cycle so that the reports do not have to be filed each year. - Authored By: Sen. Butch Miller of the 49th - House Committee: Rules - Rule: Modified-Structured - Yeas: 158; Nays: 0
* The House will reconvene Monday, February 3, at 10:00 AM, for its 15th Legislative Day.
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COMMITTEE ON RULES
The Committee on Rules has fixed the calendar for the 15th Legislative Day, Monday, February 3, and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker.
NEXT ON THE FLOOR
HB 774 - Highways, bridges and ferries; require annual submission of State-wide Strategic Transportation progress report; provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: HB 774 looks to amend Title 32 of OCG relating to highways, bridges, and ferries in order to require the annual submission of a State-wide Strategic Transportation Plan progress report. Under this bill, the director shall submit an annual report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the chairpersons of both the House and Senate Transportation Committees covering the process of all construction projects valued at $10 million or more against the benchmarks. The bill further amends Code Section 32-4-63 by stating that both a county and a municipality are prohibited from negotiating a contract unless that contract involves the expenditure of less than $200,000. HB 774 further defines both yellow and red indications by adding language relating to flashing yellow and red arrow signals. Drivers are also not required to stop if the traffic signal is properly signed as a pedestrian hybrid beacon or ramp meter and operating in the unactivated dark mode. The speed limit on a highway on the federal interstate system inside an urbanized area of 50,000 population or more from sixty-five to seventy miles per hour. - Authored By: Rep. Sam Watson of the 172nd - House Committee: Transportation - House Committee Passed: 1/23/2014 - Rule: Modified-Open

COMMITTEE ACTION REPORT
Intragovernmental Coordination - Local
HB 822 - Suwanee, City of; change corporate limits
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to change the corporate limits of the City of Suwanee. - Authored By: Rep. Brooks Coleman of the 97th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Intragovernmental Coordination - Local
HB 836 - Sumter County; board of education and school superintendent; revise and restate law
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to revise the number of members and districts of the Sumter County Board of Education. - Authored By: Rep. Mike Cheokas of the 138th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Intragovernmental Coordination - Local
HB 850 - Valdosta, City of; levy an excise tax
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to authorize the governing authority of the City of Valdosta to levy a hotel/motel tax. - Authored By: Rep. Dexter Sharper of the 177th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Intragovernmental Coordination - Local
HB 856 - Coffee County; school district ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to provide a homestead exemption from Coffee County school district ad valorem taxes for educational purposes in the amount of 50 percent of the assessed value of the homestead for residents who are at least 65 but less than 70 years of age. - Authored By: Rep. Chuck Sims of the 169th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Intragovernmental Coordination - Local
HB 857 - Bacon County; Board of Commissioners; remove limitation regarding membership on boards and authorities
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to amend the Act which created the Bacon County Board of Commissioners so as to remove the limitation regarding membership of the chairperson and commissioners on boards and authorities. - Authored By: Rep. Chuck Sims of the 169th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Intragovernmental Coordination - Local
HB 858 - Columbus, City of; Recorder's Court; impose and collect technology fee for each fine imposed
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to authorize the Recorder's Court of Columbus, Georgia, to impose and collect a technology fee, not to exceed $25.00 for each fine imposed. - Authored By: Rep. Calvin Smyre of the 135th - Committee Action: Do Pass

Intragovernmental Coordination - Local
HB 865 - Berrien County; board of elections and registration; provide for composition of board and selection and appointment of members
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to amend the Act creating the Berrien County Board of Elections and Registration so as to provide for the composition of the board and the selection and appointment of its members. - Authored By: Rep. Penny Houston of the 170th - Committee Action: Do Pass
Intragovernmental Coordination - Local
HB 866 - Colquitt County; Board of Commissioners; change regular meeting requirements
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to amend the Act recreating and establishing the Colquitt County Board of Commissioners so as to change the regular meeting requirements. - Authored By: Rep. Jay Powell of the 171st - Committee Action: Do Pass
Intragovernmental Coordination - Local
HB 867 - Polk County; board of commissioners of roads and revenue; revise place of board meeting; provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: A Bill to amend an Act creating the Polk County Board of Commissioners of roads and revenue. - Authored By: Rep. Trey Kelley of the 16th - 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

TBD 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Monday, February 03, 2014 FLOOR SESSION (LD 15) E-Discovery Subcommittee of Judiciary Civil ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM BANKS & BANKING Appropriations Economic Development Pak Subcommittee of Judiciary Non-Civil Jacobs Subcommittee of Judiciary Civil HUMAN RELATIONS & AGING Appropriations General Government Subcommittee Appropriations Education Hunting Regulations Subcommittee of Game, Fish & Parks Appropriations Higher Education REGULATED INDUSTRIES HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

HOUSE CHAMBER- 10:00am 132 CAP 341 CAP 341 CAP 606 CLOB 132 CAP 133 CAP 515 CLOB 415 CLOB 341 CAP 605 CLOB 406 CLOB 403 CAP 606 CLOB 506 CLOB

* This meeting schedule is up to date at the time of this report, but meeting dates and times are subject to change. To keep up with the latest schedule please visit www.house.ga.gov and click on Meetings Calendar.