Daily report [Feb. 11, 2015]

Georgia House of Representatives

DAILY REPORT 14th Legislative Day

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

House Budget & Research Office (404) 656-5050

House Communications Office (404) 656-0305

The House will reconvene for its 15th Legislative Day on Thursday, February 12 at 10:00 AM. The Rules Committee will meet at 9:00 AM. 5 bills are expected to be debated on the floor.

Today on the Floor

Rules Calendar
HB 47 Prescription drugs; certain refills of topical ophthalmic products under certain conditions; authorize
Bill Summary: HB 47 allows a pharmacist, without authorization from the practitioner, to refill prescriptions for topical ophthalmic products at 70 percent of the predicted days of use. Additionally, a practitioner can authorize refills earlier than 70 percent of the predicted days of use.

Authored By: Rep. Sharon Cooper (43rd) House Committee: Health & Human Services

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 160 Nays: 1

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Modified-Structured 02-02-2015 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 62

Special needs students; waive certain qualifications for students whose parent is an active duty military service member stationed in Georgia within the previous year; provide
Bill Summary: House Bill 62 exempts students whose parent(s) are active duty military from having to meet the requirement of being a resident of Georgia for one year to receive the special needs scholarship.

Authored By: Rep. Kevin Tanner (9th) House Committee: Education

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 163 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Modified-Structured 02-04-2015 Do Pass

HB 86

Social services; provide for transfer of the Division of Aging Services to the Georgia Adult and Aging Services Agency; provisions
Bill Summary: This bill creates the Georgia Adult and Aging Services Agency as the successor to the Division of Aging Services of the Department of Human Services. The bill provides for the transfer of the rights and responsibilities, employees, assets, director, and board to the new agency. Sections 4-12 revise references throughout the code to the new entity. The new agency will be administratively attached to the Department of Community Health but will submit its own budget proposal to the General Assembly and Governor.

Authored By: Rep. Tommy Benton (31st) House Committee: Human Relations & Aging

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 160 Nays: 3

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Open 02-02-2015 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Page 1 of 7

House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 11, 2015

Next on the Floor

Next on the Floor from the Committee on Rules
The Committee on Rules has fixed the calendar for the 15th Legislative Day, Thursday, February 12 and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker. The Rules Committee will next meet on Thursday, February 12 at 9:00 AM to set the Rules Calendar for the 16th Legislative Day.

HB 52

Child custody; require parenting plans to be incorporated into final orders; change provisions
Bill Summary: This bill clarifies language regarding parenting plans involving child custody. The bill adds to the court's discretion by giving the court the ability to waive the requirement for a parenting plan in the court's final decree in legal action involving the custody of a child.

Authored By: Rep. Regina Quick (117th) House Committee: Juvenile Justice

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Open 02-02-2015 Do Pass

HB 65

Education; local boards of education and certain charter schools to hold at least two public meetings on the proposed annual operating budget; require
Bill Summary: House Bill 65 requires local school boards and charter schools to hold at least two public meetings prior to adopting any budget, so that the public can provide input on the proposed annual budget. The public meetings must be advertised in a local newspaper, and a summary of the proposed budget must be posted on the local board's website. The governing body must also provide to any person requesting an electronic copy of the line item budget at no cost and within three days of such request.

Authored By:

Rep. Michael Caldwell (20th)

House Committee: Education

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Open 02-04-2015 Do Pass

HB 91

Education; eliminate Georgia High School Graduation Test; provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 91 would retroactively allow past students who failed the Georgia High School Graduation Test but fulfilled all of the other requirements for graduation, to petition their local school board in order to obtain a degree from their high school. Past students receiving their diploma through this method will not count towards graduation rate calculations.

Authored By:

Rep. Brooks Coleman (97th)

House Committee: Education

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Open 02-04-2015 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 177 Social services; school personnel required to report child abuse shall be notified by child protective agency upon receipt of report and completion of investigation; provide
Bill Summary: This bill requires that within 24 hours of a school employee making a report of suspected child abuse, the agency which receives the report to acknowledge in writing to the reporting individual that the receiving agency has received that report. Further, after the agency has completed the investigation, that agency is required to disclose in writing, within 5 days, whether the agency confirms or un-confirms that child abuse has occurred to the school counselor or the principal.

Authored By:

Rep. David Wilkerson (38th)

House Committee: Juvenile Justice

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Open 02-09-2015 Do Pass

HB 195 Pharmacists and pharmacies; substitutions of interchangeable biological products; provide
Bill Summary: HB 195 allows a pharmacist to substitute a biological product with an interchangeable biological product. A biological product, as defined by the bill, is a virus, therapeutic serum, toxin, antitoxin, vaccine, blood, blood component or derivative, allergenic product, protein, or any other trivalent organic arsenic compound, applicable to the prevention, treatment, or cure of a disease or condition of human being. An interchangeable biological product is a biological product that meets safety standards set forth by the Public Health Service Act. The pharmacist must indicate the

Page 2 of 7

House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 11, 2015

Next on the Floor

substitution for an interchangeable biological product on the prescription label, and must notify the prescriber of such a substitution within 48 hours of dispensing the product.

Authored By: Rep. Sharon Cooper (43rd) House Committee: Health & Human Services

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 02-09-2015 Do Pass

Page 3 of 7

House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 11, 2015

Committee Actions

Committee Actions
Bills passing committees are reported to the Clerk's Office and are placed on the General Calendar.

Education Committee
HB 100 Education; date by which a child must reach a certain age in order to be eligible for enrollment in certain educational programs; change provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 100 requires that a child be 5 years old by August 1st to begin school for the 2017-2018 school year and by July 15th thereafter. The bill also makes changes to a number of other enrollment deadlines to reflect August 1st instead of September 1st.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Tom Dickson (6th) Education

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 164

Professional Standards Commission; professional learning requirements for certification renewal; extend the suspension
Bill Summary: House Bill 164 would extend the suspension of professional learning requirements for certification renewal by the Professional Standards Commission from July 1, 2015 to July 1, 2017. This bill would apply to already certified personnel and paraprofessionals.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Chuck Martin (49th) Education

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 198

Jason Flatt Act-Georgia; enact
Bill Summary: House Bill 198 creates the Jason Flatt Act-Georgia. This act requires all certificated public school personnel receive annual training in suicide awareness and prevention. Local school systems must adopt a policy on student suicide prevention and identify appropriate materials to fulfill training requirements.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Katie Dempsey (13th) Education

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass

Governmental Affairs Committee
HB 73 Public officers; counties and municipalities provide by local law for district durational residency requirements; authorize
Bill Summary: House Bill 73 reserves the power of the General Assembly to pass a local law requiring candidates running for any county or municipal governing body or board of education to reside within their electing district for a period not to exceed 12 months before those individuals are eligible to seek election from that district.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Scot Turner (21st) Governmental Affairs

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass

Page 4 of 7

House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 11, 2015

Committee Actions

HB 95

Local government investment pool; trust fund managed by state treasurer; provide
Bill Summary: House Bill 95 relates to the Local Government Investment Pool and amends the code section that allows for local government investment pool funds to be consolidated with state funds under the control of the state treasurer for investment purposes. It provides that the state treasurer may also place these consolidated funds in a separate trust fund to be administered by the state treasurer pursuant to policies established by the State Depository Board.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Kevin Tanner (9th) Governmental Affairs

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass

HB 121

Elections; write-in candidacy filings to include authorization by candidate if not done by candidate; require notice
Bill Summary: House Bill 121 is a housekeeping bill for the Secretary of State's Office. It reflects the recommendations by the Georgia Elections Advisory Council.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Mark Hamilton (24th) Governmental Affairs

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass

HB 194

Elections; advance voting times and dates; revise
Bill Summary: House Bill 194 changes the period for early voting. It provides that early voting shall begin on the third Monday prior to each election and will end on the Friday prior to the election. It further provides that it will occur on the second Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and on the second Sunday between 12:00 noon and 4:00 pm or the third Saturday between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm, to be determined by the local jurisdiction. This bill provides for 12 days of early voting.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Mark Hamilton (24th) Governmental Affairs

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Insurance Committee
HB 162 Insurance; provide for insurance compliance self-evaluative privilege; provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 162 allows insurance companies to self evaluate for the purposes for compliance with Georgia statute. By self policing, the state and the insurance companies are saved the cost of unnecessary regulatory oversight. The results of the audit from the self evaluation are protected from public disclosure absent a court order.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Jason Shaw (176th) Insurance

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Intragovernmental Coordination - Local Committee
HB 38 Grady County Magistrate Court; impose and collect county law library fees as part of court costs; authorize
Bill Summary: A Bill to authorize the Magistrate Court of Grady County to impose and collect county law library fees as part of the court costs in the magistrate court.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Darlene Taylor (173rd) Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass

Page 5 of 7

House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 11, 2015

Committee Actions

HB 251 Americus, City of; provide for a city manager
Bill Summary: A Bill to provide a new charter for the City of Americus, so as to provide for a city manager, city clerk, and finance director.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Mike Cheokas (138th) Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass

HB 254 Waycross, City of; rename the police court as the municipal court
Bill Summary: A Bill to provide a new charter for the City of Waycross, so as to rename the police court as the municipal court and provide new provisions for the operations.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. John Corbett (174th) Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass

HB 257 Decatur County; restate provisions of said Act
Bill Summary: A Bill to amend an Act relating to the board of commissioners of Decatur County to provide for the election of a chairperson and vice chairperson.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Darlene Taylor (173rd) Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass

HB 258 Decatur County; office of treasurer; abolish Bill Summary: A Bill to abolish the office of treasurer of Decatur County.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Darlene Taylor (173rd) Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass

Special Rules Committee
HB 70 State symbols; designate gray fox as official state mammal Bill Summary: House Bill 70 would designate the whitetail deer as the official state mammal.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Carolyn Hugley (136th) Special Rules

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

State Properties Committee
HB 104 State Properties Code; applicability of public bidding processes for certain conveyances; clarify
Bill Summary: House Bill 104 amends the "State Properties Code" by clarifying the applicability of public bidding processes for certain conveyances and correcting any cross-references.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Emory Dunahoo (30th) State Properties

Committee Action:

02-11-2015 Do Pass

Page 6 of 7

House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 11, 2015

Committee Actions

Committee Meeting Schedule
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.

Thursday, February 12, 2015 10:00 AM FLOOR SESSION (LD 12) - HOUSE CHAMBER- 10:00am
8:00 AM Appropriations General Government Subcommittee - 406 CLOB 8:00 AM NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT - 606 CLOB 8:00 AM Appropriations Economic Development Subcommittee - 506 CLOB 9:00 AM RULES - 341 CAP 1:00 PM Setzler Subcommittee of Judiciary Non-Civil - 515 CLOB 1:00 PM JUVENILE JUSTICE - 415 CLOB 1:00 PM Professional Boards Subcommittee of Regulates Industries - 406 CLOB 1:00 PM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - 606 CLOB 2:00 PM TRANSPORTATION - 506 CLOB 2:00 PM Appropriations Public Safety Subcommittee - 415 CLOB 2:00 PM Appropriations Education Subcommittee - 341 CAP 2:00 PM Appropriations Human Resources Subcommittee - 406 CLOB 3:00 PM WAYS & MEANS - 606 CLOB 3:30 PM Appropriations Higher Education Subcommittee - 515 CLOB

Page 7 of 7