Daily report [Feb. 20, 2015]

Georgia House of Representatives

DAILY REPORT 19th Legislative Day

Friday, February 20, 2015

House Budget & Research Office (404) 656-5050

House Communications Office (404) 656-0305

The House will reconvene for its 20th Legislative Day on Monday, February 23 at 10:00 a.m. The Rules committee will meet at 9:00 a.m. Six bills are expected to be debated on the floor.

Today on the Floor

Rules Calendar
HB 49 Revenue and taxation; electronic service of certain notices; provide
Bill Summary: HB 49 allows for county tax commissioners to offer the ability for taxpayers to opt in for receiving their tax bills and notifications electronically.

Authored By: Rep. Brett Harrell (106th) House Committee: Ways & Means

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 164 Nays: 1

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Structured 02-12-2015 Do Pass

HB 117

Employment security; modify definition of the term most recent employer; change certain provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 117 relates to employment security and is the annual "housekeeping" bill for the Georgia Department of Labor. It clarifies who is meant as "the most recent employer" as it relates to unemployment insurance law. It increases the statute of limitations, from four years to seven years, which is the amount of time the Commissioner of Labor has to collect over payments on claims or claims that were otherwise erroneously collected. Finally, it provides an exception within the unemployment code that would allow victims of family violence to voluntarily leave their jobs and still collect benefits. Unlike other claims, these claims would be charged to the unemployment insurance fund rather than the employer of the victim.

Authored By: Rep. Mark Hamilton (24th) House Committee: Industry and Labor

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 159 Nays: 1

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Modified-Open 02-05-2015 Do Pass

HB 160

Game and fish; trapping of raccoons in certain counties; repeal a provision
Bill Summary: HB 160 amends Code Section 27-3-62, relating to wildlife trapping, trappers, and fur dealers by removing the paragraph which made it unlawful to trap raccoons north of and including Carroll, Fulton, Dekalb, Gwinnett, Barrow, Jackson, Madison, and Elbert counties at any time during the year.

Authored By: Rep. Emory Dunahoo (30th) House Committee: Game, Fish, & Parks

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 144 Nays: 18

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Modified-Open 02-10-2015 Do Pass

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Daily Report for February 20, 2015

Today on the Floor

HB 202

Revenue and taxation; provisions regarding ad valorem taxation, assessment, and appeal; provide comprehensive revision
Bill Summary: This legislation revises the process of appealing an Ad Valorem tax valuation. The bill authorizes the use of electronic tax bills with consent of the tax commissioner and the taxpayer, requires the 5-year history and proposed millage rate(s) to be published on the local government's website when one is available, and reduces the minimum time period between the notice of the proposed millage rate and five-year history published in the paper and the adoption of the millage rate from two weeks to one. Additional time is granted to the tax commissioners to submit the digest of their county to the Department of Revenue. The ability for multiple counties to form a regional assessor's office and share staff and resources but prohibits contractors providing valuation services to the Board of Assessors from providing advice or assistance to the Board of Equalization and requires contractors to receive training specified by the Department of Revenue. When appealing a non-homesteaded property, the threshold to use a hearing officer is lowered to $750,000. The legislation would grant certain powers to county commissions to either appoint an appeal administrator or work with the Clerks of Superior Courts to better administer the appeals process, while imposing certain qualifications, educational requirements, and performance requirements on those who serve on Board of Equalization. The bill further clarifies the processes of appealing a valuation and at what point the case may enter the court system. The deadline for obtaining a mobile home location permit is moved from May to April 1 and increases the penalty for not having such permit. Lastly, the legislation requires the fair market value of real and personal property to be shown on the PT 61 real estate transfer form to ensure the appraised value for tax purposes the following year does not exceed to sale price of the property.

Authored By: Rep. Paul Battles (15th) House Committee: Ways & Means

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 161 Nays: 1

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Structured 02-12-2015 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 298 Certified process servers; sunset and legislative review provisions; repeal
Bill Summary: HB 298 repeals the sunset provision for the certified private process servers program. The program is currently set to expire on July 1, 2015.

Authored By: Rep. Mike Jacobs (80th) House Committee: Judiciary

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 150 Nays: 14

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Modified-Open 02-17-2015 Do Pass

HB 320

Scholarships; provide public disclosure of certain records held by Georgia Student Finance Commission, Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation and Georgia Student Finance Authority is not required; provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 320 restricts the data the Georgia Study Finance Authority, Georgia Student Finance Commission, and Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation can release for public disclosure.

Authored By: Rep. Chuck Williams (119th) House Committee: Higher Education

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 160 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

Modified-Structured 02-17-2015 Do Pass

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Daily Report for February 20, 2015

Today on the Floor

Postponed Until Next Legislative Day
HB 63 Georgia Employer GED Tax Credit Act of 2015; enact
Bill Summary: HB 63 revises the basic skills education programs income tax credit by allowing for a $400 credit to the employer when that employer pays for an employee to take the GED test through the technical school system of Georgia or a $1,200 credit when that employer gives paid time off to the employee to prepare for the GED and take the test.

Authored By: Rep. Kevin Tanner (9th)

Rule Applied: Structured

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 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: Rep. Scot Turner (21st)

Rule Applied: Modified-Structured

HB 246

Accountants; provide for powers and actions granted to other licensing boards; provisions
Bill Summary: This bill amends Chapter 3 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to accountants, to provide the State Board of Accountancy with powers and actions as a licensing board and is administratively attached to the State Accounting Office.

Authored By: Rep. David Knight (130th)

Rule Applied: Modified-Open

Local Calendar
HB 305 Sandersville School Building Authority Act; enact
Bill Summary: A bill to create the Sandersville School Building Authority and to provide for its powers and duties.

Authored By: Rep. Mack Jackson (128th)

House Committee: Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 160 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

02-19-2015 Do Pass

HB 329 Kennesaw, City of; corporate limits; change provisions
Bill Summary: A bill to create a new charter for the City of Kennesaw, so as to change the corporate limits of the city.

Authored By: Rep. Albert Reeves (34th)

House Committee: Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 160 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

02-19-2015 Do Pass

HB 345

Hogansville, City of; filling of vacancies in office of mayor or councilmember; provide certain procedures
Bill Summary: A bill to amend an Act incorporating the City of Hogansville, so as to provide for certain procedures for the filling of vacancies in the office of mayor or councilmember.

Authored By: Rep. Robert Trammell (132nd)

House Committee: Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 160 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

02-19-2015 Do Pass

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Daily Report for February 20, 2015

Today on the Floor

HB 371 Lake Park, City of; election and terms of office of mayor and councilmen; provide
Bill Summary: A bill to amend an Act creating a new charter for the City of Lake Park, so as to provide for the election and terms of office of the mayor and councilmen.

Authored By: Rep. John Corbett (174th)

House Committee: Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 160 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

02-19-2015 Do Pass

HB 379

Porterdale, City of; Redevelopment Powers Law; provide referendum
Bill Summary: A bill to authorize the City of Porterdale to exercise all redevelopment powers as permitted under the State Constitution and the Redevelopment Powers Law pending a local referendum to approve the authorization.

Authored By: Rep. Pam Dickerson (113th)

House Committee: Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 160 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

02-19-2015 Do Pass

HB 380 Troup County Community Improvement Districts Act; enact
Bill Summary: A bill to provide for the creation of one or more community improvement districts in Troup County.

Authored By: Rep. Randy Nix (69th)

House Committee: Intragovernmental Coordination Local

Floor Vote:

Yeas: 160 Nays: 0

Rule Applied: Committee Action: Amendments:

02-19-2015 Do Pass

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Daily Report for February 20, 2015

Next on the Floor

Next on the Floor from the Committee on Rules
The Committee on Rules has fixed the calendar for the 20th Legislative Day, Monday, February 23, and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker. The Rules Committee will next meet on Monday, February
23, at 9:00 a.m., to set the Rules Calendar for the 21st Legislative Day.

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

Authored By:

Rep. Carolyn Hugley (136th)

House Committee: Special Rules

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Structured 02-11-2015 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

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: Rep. Mark Hamilton (24th) House Committee: Governmental Affairs

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 02-11-2015 Do Pass

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 must acknowledge in writing to the reporting individual that the report has been received. Further, after the agency has completed the investigation, that agency is required to disclose in writing, within five 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 02-12-2015 Do Pass

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Daily Report for February 20, 2015

Committee Actions

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

No legislative action took place today for full standing committees.

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Daily Report for February 20, 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.

Monday, February 23, 2015 10:00AM FLOOR SESSION (LD 20) - 10:00am 9:00 AM RULES - 341 CAP 1:30 PM JUDICIARY NON-CIVIL - 132 CAP 1:30 PM MOTOR VEHICLES - 606 CLOB 2:00 PM Welch Subcommittee of Juvenile Justice - 506 CLOB 3:00 PM HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES - 606 CLOB 3:00 PM Academic Achievement and Curriculum Subcommittee of Education - 506 CLOB

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