Daily report [Feb. 2, 2016]

House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 2, 2016

Next on the Floor

Georgia House of Representatives
DAILY REPORT

14th Legislative
Day

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

House Budget & Research Office (404) 656-5050

House Media Services (404) 656-0305

The House will reconvene for its 15th Legislative Day on Wednesday, February 3 at 10:00 a.m. The Rules committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. Six bills / resolutions are expected to be debated 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, Wednesday, February 3, and bills may be called at the pleasure of the Speaker. The Rules Committee will next meet on Wednesday,
February 3, at 8:30 a.m., to set the Rules Calendar for the 16th Legislative Day.

HB 402 Insurance; encourage employers to provide work based learning opportunities for students age 16 and older; provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 402 provides for a five percent discount in worker's compensation insurance premiums for employers that provide work-based learning opportunities for students aged 16 years and older. Any work-based learning program must be certified by the State Board of Education. The participating student must be covered by the employer's worker's compensation policy.

Authored By: Rep. Eddie Lumsden (12th) House Committee: Industry and Labor

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Open 01-27-2016 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 421 Retirement and pensions; officers employed by Department of Community Supervision shall be entitled to certain disability benefits; provide
Bill Summary: HB 421 amends O.C.G.A. 47-2-221 relating to the eligibility of Employees' Retirement System's enhanced disability benefits. This bill entitles community supervision officers employed by the Department of Community Supervision to enhanced disability benefits if they become permanently disabled due to an act of external violence or injury incurred in the line of law enforcement duty. This bill is certified by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts as a non-fiscal retirement bill. The actuary has determined that a state appropriation is not required to implement the changes set forth in this bill.

Authored By:

Rep. Chad Nimmer (178th)

House Committee: Retirement

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Open 01-27-2016 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 690 Employees' Retirement System of Georgia; provide that certain law enforcement officers obtain creditable service in system under certain conditions; provisions Bill Summary: HB 690 amends O.C.G.A. 47-2-226 relating to creditable service for certain members of the Employees' Retirement System (ERS). In this bill, the definition of "law enforcement officer" is expanded to include any member in service of the Uniform Division of the Department of Public Safety, any conservation ranger of the Department of Natural Resources, any officer of the Georgia Bureau of the Investigation, and any alcohol and tobacco officer or agent with the Department of Revenue. Any "law enforcement officer" would be eligible to obtain five years of creditable service for certain prior year service as a full time employee of a local governing authority. The "law enforcement officer" would have to meet the following criteria to receive creditable service: held a position where
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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 2, 2016

Next on the Floor

they were invested with the authority to enforce criminal or traffic laws, had the power to arrest, and had duties which included the preservation of public order, the protection of life and property, or the prevention, detection or investigation of crime; was not eligible for a defined benefit or defined contribution retirement or pension plan while employed by the local governing authority; and has been a member of ERS for at least 10 years. Any member wishing to receive creditable service must apply to the Board of Trustees of ERS and pay an amount determined to be sufficient to cover the full actuarial cost of granting creditable service. This bill has been certified by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts as a fiscal retirement bill. The actuary has determined that a state appropriation is not required to implement the changes set forth in this bill.

Authored By: Rep. Amy Carter (175th) House Committee: Retirement

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Open 01-27-2016 Do Pass

HB 691 Municipal courts; removal of appointed judges under certain circumstances; provide
Bill Summary: House Bill 691 provides for the removal of an appointed municipal court judge for certain unethical conduct by a two-thirds vote of the entire membership of the municipal governing authority. The bill has provisions to temporarily fill a resulting vacancy until a new appointment is made.

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

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 01-28-2016 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 801 HOPE; include certain coursework in computer science as optional rigor requirements; revise provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 801 provides for the addition of a computer science class in the category of advanced science to satisfy the eligibility requirements to receive the HOPE scholarship. The bill also adds certain STEM courses, as identified by the Board of Regents, to the classes eligible for the 0.5 point grade increase granted to equalize grade point averages (GPAs) of students taking college level courses while in high school.

Authored By: Rep. Jan Jones (47th) House Committee: Higher Education

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Structured 01-26-2016 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 815 Meat inspection; inspection and regulation of certain avian meat products and facilities; provide
Bill Summary: The bill provides for the Georgia Department of Agriculture to provide meat inspections of any avian species which are grown commercially for slaughter and preparation as human food but are not amenable to the 'Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act.' The Commissioner may exercise concurrent jurisdiction with the United States secretary of agriculture and may enforce this article and any regulations without regard to licensing agency. The legislation further provides for the department to inspect meat and meat products in retail and other service establishments.

Authored By:

Rep. Trey Rhodes (120th)

House Committee: Agriculture & Consumer Affairs

Rule Applied: Committee Action:

Modified-Open 01-27-2016 Do Pass

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 2, 2016

Committee Actions

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

Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee
HB 876 Animals; license and surety requirements of livestock dealers and market operators; update
Bill Summary: HB 876 revises Code sections regarding livestock dealers and auctions with updated language. The legislation also provides for the update of license and surety requirements of livestock dealers and livestock market operators to allow the Georgia Department of Agriculture to charge an annual fee of $25 for livestock dealers and livestock order buyers, as well as a fee for livestock markets based on the surety required. The bill maintains current penalties and exemptions for who must register as a dealer.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Clay Pirkle (155th) Agriculture & Consumer Affairs

Committee Action:

02-02-2016 Do Pass

Game, Fish, & Parks Committee
HB 840 Conservation and natural resources; rules and regulations used to establish criminal violations; change provisions
Bill Summary: HB 840 amends Code Section 12-2-2, relating to the Environmental Protection Division and the Department of Natural Resources generally and Code Section 27-1-39, relating to game and fish by updating the effective date to January 1, 2016 for all standards, rules, and regulations of the Board of Natural Resources. The bill also revises the definition of "feral hog" to specify that if a hog has lived any part of its life in a wild state it will be considered to be feral. The bill adds Code Section 27-2-13.1 which requires a film production wildlife permit for any person to keep, hold, or possess any wildlife for film production. The department may impose requirements for the housing and care of the wildlife. The permit shall authorize the permit holder to transport, possess, or transfer wildlife for any permitted purpose related to film production. The permit holder shall not release the wildlife from captivity or house the wildlife in a manner that poses a reasonable risk that the wildlife may be released or escape.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Ron Stephens (164th) Game, Fish, & Parks

Committee Action:

02-02-2016 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Health & Human Services Committee
HB 34 Georgia Right to Try Act; enact
Bill Summary: HB 34, the 'Georgia Right to Try Act,' grants some terminally-ill patients faster access to investigational drugs that have that have passed phase one in the three-phase FDA drug approval process. The bill only grants access to investigational drugs, biological products, or devices for eligible patients with terminal illnesses. The process requires written informed consent, as well as full voluntary cooperation from all parties. Under HB 34, manufacturers are not required to offer the treatment, and health insurance companies are not required to pay for the treatment. Doctors, as well as other involved participants, are indemnified.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Mike Dudgeon (25th) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

02-02-2016 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 2, 2016

Committee Actions

HB 783

Controlled substances; Schedules I and IV; change certain provisions
Bill Summary: HB 783 revises O.C.G.A 16-13-25, relating to Schedule I controlled substances, by adding and removing certain substances from the Code section. Additionally, this bill revises O.C.G.A 16-13-28, relating to Schedule IV substances by adding and removing certain substances from the Code section. Further, multiple new substances are added to O.C.G.A 16-13-71, relating to the definition of a dangerous drug, and creates a list of restricted dangerous drugs which are deemed by the General Assembly to have no medical use.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Bruce Broadrick (4th) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

02-02-2016 Tabled

HB 813

Pharmacists and pharmacies; expedited partner therapy; provisions
Bill Summary: House Bill 813 allows a licensed practitioner who has diagnosed a patient with chlamydia or gonorrhea to prescribe antibiotic drugs to the sexual partner of the patient without physically examining such partner. Additionally, under the provisions of this bill, prescription drug orders transmitted by facsimile or computer do not have to include the name and address of the sexual partner of the patient described above, nor is patient counseling required for the sexual partners of patients clinically diagnosed with chlamydia or gonorrhea.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Rick Jasperse (11th) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

02-02-2016 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

HB 853

"Coverdell-Murphy Act"; update current system of levels of certified stroke centers to reflect advances in stroke treatments and therapy; provisions
Bill Summary: HB 853 encourages hospitals to establish comprehensive stroke centers to provide care to patients who experience complex strokes. Additionally, this bill promotes the establishment of remote treatment stroke centers to provide treatment to patients in rural and other underserved areas of the state.

Under the provisions of this bill, the Department of Public Health is authorized to establish one or more additional levels of stroke centers, in consultation with the Georgia Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry. Any hospital identified as a comprehensive or primary stroke center must be certified by a national health care accreditation body recognized by the Department of Public Health. Additionally, remote treatment stroke centers must be certified and identified by the Department of Public Health.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Lee Hawkins (27th) Health & Human Services

Committee Action:

02-02-2016 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

Higher Education Committee
HB 798 HOPE; home study students who receive certain scores on standardized college admission tests; provide eligibility
Bill Summary: House Bill 798 provides for home study students who receive scores in the 75th percentile or higher nationally on standardized college admissions test to be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship. The eligibility requirements for the Zell Miller Scholarship are also modified to require a score in the 80th percentile or higher on the ACT or SAT and a GPA of at least 3.7 for students graduating from eligible high schools. The bill further modifies the requirements for the Zell Miller Scholarship to require a score in the 93rd percentile or higher on the SAT or ACT for home study students and students having graduated from a high school which is not eligible.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Joyce Chandler (105th) Higher Education

Committee Action:

02-02-2016 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 2, 2016

Committee Actions

Regulated Industries Committee
HB 775 Health; restrictions on sale and dispensing of spectacles; provide
Bill Summary: HB 775 defines "over the counter spectacles" and "spectacles". Spectacles and contact lenses require a prescription, from a duly licensed examiner, and no prescriptions shall be given unless an eye examination is performed by such person writing the prescription. The penalty for writing a prescription without a license is lowered to a misdemeanor.

Authored By: House Committee:

Rep. Earl Ehrhart (36th) Regulated Industries

Committee Action:

02-02-2016 Do Pass by Committee Substitute

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House of Representatives

Daily Report for February 2, 2016

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.

Wednesday, February 03, 2016 10:00 AM Floor Session (LD 15)House Chamber - 10:00AM
8:00 AM INSURANCE 606 CLOB 8:30 AM RULES 341 CAP 8:30 AM Trucks Weights Sub 415 CLOB 9:00 AM INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION 403 CAP 1:00 PM Academic Innovations Sub 506 CLOB 1:30 PM Judiciary Non-Civil Setzler Sub 132 CAP 1:30 PM GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 606 CLOB 2:00 PM Appropriations Health Sub 406 CLOB 2:00 PM RETIREMENT 515 CLOB 2:00 PM BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS 506 CLOB 2:30 PM Judiciary Civil Fleming Sub 403 CAP 3:00 PM SPECIAL RULES 515 CLOB 3:00 PM Appropriations General Government Sub 415 CLOB 3:00 PM EDUCATION 606 CLOB

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