First readers in House, 2007 February 10

FIRST READERS IN HOUSE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10,2007 SEVENTEENTH LEGISLATIVE DAY
Legislation not listed consecutively indicates those pre-filed.
HB 341. By Representative Hill of the 180th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to authorize the City of St. Marys to exercise all redevelopment and other powers under Article IX, Section 11, Paragraph VII(b) of the Constitution and Chapter 44 of Title 36 of the O.C.G.A., the "Redevelopment Powers Law," as amended; to provide for a referendum; to provide effective dates; to provide for automatic repeal under certain circumstances; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL
HB 342. By Representatives Hembree of the 67th, b o x of the 24th, Casas of the 103rd, Watson of the 9 1st, and Jackson of the 161st: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to insurance, so as to provide for direct billing of anatomic pathology services; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INSURANCE
HB 343. By Representatives Gardner of the 57th, Tumlin of the 38th, Stephenson of the 92nd, Teilhet of the 40th, McKillip of the 115th,and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 37 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to mental health, so as to provide a means for a competent adult to control either directly through instructions written in advance or indirectly through appointing an agent to make mental health care decisions on behalf of such person according to a written psychiatric advance directive; to provide a short title; to provide definitions; to provide for standards and limitations with respect to psychiatric advance directives; to provide for the responsibilities and duties of physicians and other mental health care providers and agents under psychiatric advance directives; to provide a statutory psychiatric advance directive form; to provide for construction of such form; to provide for applicability; to provide for statutory construction of chapter; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
HB 344. By Representatives Mumford of the 95th and Maxwell of the 17th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to retirement and pensions, so as to provide that a person appointed to the position of circuit public defender may elect membership in either the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia or the Georgia Judicial Retirement System; to provide for notice; to provide for a transfer of funds; to provide for a grant of creditable service; to provide that the membership of certain members of such retirement system shall be governed in a certain manner; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on RETIREMENT

HB 345. By Representative Greene of the 149th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act changing the method of selecting the members of the board of education of Miller County, approved March 2 1, 1968 (Ga. L. 1968, p. 2529), as amended, so as to provide for the compensation of the chairperson and members of the board; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL
HB 346. By Representative Jenkins of the 8th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 36-62-5.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to joint authorities, so as to provide that no resolution creating and activating a joint authority shall authorize authority members or directors to nominate or appoint their successors in office; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on STATE PLANNING & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
HB 347. By Representatives Ashe of the 56th, Hugley of the 133rd, Teilhet of the 40th, Porter of the 143rd, Smyre of the 132nd, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 9 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to grants for educational programs, so as to provide for grants for pilot projects to encourage the lengthening of the school year and the conditions and procedures relating thereto; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 348. By Representative Mumford of the 95th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 23 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to membership in the Georgia Judicial Retirement System, so as to provide that secretaries of superior court judges shall become members of such retirement system; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on RETIREMENT
HB 349. By Representatives Royal of the 171st, Rynders of the 152nd, and Houston of the 170th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act creating the State Court of Colquitt County (originally the City Court of Colquitt County and established as the Civil and Criminal Court of Colquitt County by Ga. L. 1968, p. 2139), approved August 7, 1931 (Ga. L. 1931, p. 293), as amended, so as to prohibit the judge of such court from engaging in the practice of law; to provide for the compensation of such judge; to provide for construction and for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTALCOORDINATION LOCAL

HB 350. By Representative Sims of the 169th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 48-8-3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to exemptions from sales and use taxation, so as to provide for a limited period of time that the exemption for sales for off-premises human consumption or use of eligible foods and beverages shall cease to apply; to provide an exception whereby such exemption shall continue to apply during such period of time for persons who have attained a certain age or are the recipient of certain social services benefits; to provide for a short title and legislative intent; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS
HB 351. By Representatives Stephens of the 164th, Lindsey of the 54th, Hill of the 21st, Graves of the 12th, and Horne of the 71st: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 12 of Title 50 of the O.C.G.A., relating to the Georgia Council for the Arts, so as to provide for legislative intent; to create the Georgia Arts Trust; to provide for certain reports and audits; to amend Article 2 of Chapter 7 of Title 48 of the O.C.G.A., relating to imposition, rate, and computation of income taxes, so as to provide a tax credit for certain donations to the Georgia Arts Trust and certain qualifying arts organizations; to provide for definitions; to provide for the calculation of such credit; to provide for limitations on such credit; to provide for related matters; to provide for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS
HB 352. By Representatives Sheldon of the 105th, Butler of the 18th, Carter of the 159th, and Ehrhart of the 36th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 12 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to control of hazardous conditions, preventable diseases, and metabolic disorders, so as to revise certain provisions relating to the assessment of the newborn screening program; to revise certain provisions relating to approved laboratories to perform screening testing; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
HB 353. By Representative O'Neal of the 146th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to revenue and taxation, so as to provide for offsets against unclaimed property; to provide for the notification, attachment, and seizure of funds held by financial institutions; to provide for the service of summons of garnishment; to provide for the service of subpoenas; to change certain provisions regarding the attachment, priority, and perfection of state tax liens; to change certain provisions regarding the disclosure of confidential tax information; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS

HB 354. By Representative O'Neal of the 146th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Titles 36 and 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating, respectively, to local government and revenue and taxation, so as to establish procedures and due dates for notification of homeowner tax relief grants; to provide for recording of tax executions; to change certain income requirements for taxpayers 62 years of age or older seeking a homestead exemption for school tax purposes; to change certain provisions regarding the transmission of resolutions setting the terms of members of boards of tax assessors; to provide for additional return filing requirements for public utilities; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS
HB 355. By Representatives Lunsford of the 1loth, Rice of the 5lst, Lewis of the 15th, Knox of the 24th, Channel1of the 116th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 Chapter 5 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to searches with warrants, so as to change provisions relating to issuance of search warrants by video conference; to provide for issuance of search warrants by facsimile or other electronic means; to provide for a definition; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY NON-CIVIL
HB 356. By Representatives Talton of the 145th, Hembree of the 67th, Manning of the 32nd, and Geisinger of the 48th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 2 of Article 13 of Chapter 6 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to uniform rules of the road for motorcycles, so as to provide for certain traffic regulations relating to motorcycles; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY NON-CIVIL
HB 357. By Representative O'Neal of the 146th: A BILL to be entitled 'an Act to amend Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to revenue and taxation, so as to define the terms "Internal Revenue Code" and "Internal Revenue Code of 1986" for certain taxable years and thereby incorporate certain provisions of the federal law into Georgia law; to provide that such provisions shall supercede and control over certain other provisions; to provide an effective date; to provide applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS
HB 358. By Representatives Talton of the 145th, O'Neal of the 146th, Manning of the 32nd, Sims of the 151st, Bryant of the 160th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 47- 16-102 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to death benefits under the Sheriffs' Retirement Fund of Georgia, beneficiaries, and the procedure for designation of beneficiary to receive such benefits, so as to increase the amount of the death benefit; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on RETIREMENT

HB 359. By Representatives Walker of the 107th, Reese of the 98th, and Sheldon of the 105th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to enact the "Georgia Home School Opportunity and Enrichment Act"; to provide for legislative findings; to require a local school system to allow home study students in grades nine through 12 to participate in extracurricular activities; to provide for academic requirements; to provide for ineligibility; to provide that the home study student is subject to all rules, regulations, and codes of conduct as other students; to provide for rules and regulations by the Department of Education; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 360. By Representatives Mumford of the 95th and Maxwell of the 17th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 5 of Chapter 2 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to service creditable toward retirement benefits in the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, so as to provide for a transfer of creditable service under certain conditions; to provide that a member of such retirement system who was previously a member of the Georgia Judicial Retirement System and who has not withdrawn his or her employee contributions from such retirement system may elect to have contributions made by him or her or on his or her behalf transferred to the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia; to provide for creditable service; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on RETIREMENT
HB 361. By Representative O'Neal of the 146th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 7 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to imposition, rate, computation, and exemptions regarding income tax, so as to change certain provisions regarding certain state income tax credits; to provide for procedures, conditions, and limitations; to provide an effective date; to provide for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS
HB 362. By Representatives Bryant of the 160th, Gordon of the 162nd, Jackson of the 161st, Day of the 163rd, Stephens of the 164th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act creating a new charter for the City of Garden City, approved April 17, 1973 (Ga. L. 1973, p. 3581), as amended, so as to provide for the election by the mayor and the city council of a president of council who shall assume the duties of the mayor in the event that the mayor and the mayor pro tern are unavailable; to provide that the mayor pro tem and the president pro tem be elected by secret ballot; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL

HB 363. By Representatives O'Neal of the 146th and Harbin of the 118th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-3-519.5 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to eligibility requirements for a HOPE grant at a branch of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education, so as to provide that students at Georgia Military College shall be eligible for HOPE grants; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on APPROPRIATIONS
HB 364. By Representatives Mumford of the 95th, Sailor of the 93rd, Stephenson of the 92nd, and Mangham of the 94th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to authorize the City of Conyers to exercise all redevelopment and other powers under Article IX, Section 11, Paragraph VII(b) of the Constitution and Chapter 44 of Title 36 of the O.C.G.A., the "Redevelopment Powers Law," as amended; to provide for a referendum; to provide effective dates; to provide for automatic repeal under certain circumstances; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTALCOORDINATION LOCAL
HB 365. By Representative Sims of the 169th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 24-9-21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to confidentiality of certain communications, so as to provide a limited confidentiality for communications between a state legislator and a constituent; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
HB 366. By Representatives Bearden of the 68th, Meadows of the 5th, and Tumlin of the 38th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 30-4-2, relating to right to equal public accommodations and to be accompanied by guide or service dog, so as to provide that every person engaged in the raising of a dog for training as a guide or service dog shall have the right to be accompanied by such dog in the same manner as a totally or partially blind, deaf, or physically disabled person under certain conditions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
HB 367. By Representatives Carter of the 159th, Stephens of the 164th, Parrish of the 156th, Parham of the 141st, and Jerguson of the 22nd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 5 of Chapter 4 of Title 26 of the O.C.G.A., relating to prescription drugs, so as to eliminate redundant language relating to what constitutes the practice of medicine; to provide for the substitution of therapeutically equivalent drugs; to provide for requirements for therapeutically equivalent substitutions; to provide that a substitution shall not constitute the practice of medicine; to amend Article 1 of Chapter 24 of Title 33 of the O.C.G.A., relating to insurance generally, so as to define certain terms; to provide for health insurance coverage for therapeutically equivalent substitutions under certain circumstances; to provide for statutory construction; to provide for enforcement by the Commissioner of Insurance; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INSURANCE