First readers in House, 2007 February 20

FIRST READERS IN HOUSE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20,2007 TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATNE DAY
HB 470. By Representatives P h s h of the 156th, Rice of the 5lst, Parham of the 141st, and Powell of the 29th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to repeal.Article 28 of Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the O.C.G.A., relating to motor vehicle warranty rights; to enact a new Article 28 of Chapter 1 of Title 10 to be known as the "Georgia Lemon Law"; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative intent; to provide for definitions; to provide for documents and infomation to be provided to consumers; to provide for a duty of the manufacturer to repair and correct nonconformities; to provide for replacement or repurchase of nonconforming vehicles; to provide for an informal dispute settlement mechanism; to provide for arbitration; to provide for an appeal of the arbitration decision; to require exhaustion of remedies by the consumer; to provide for a new motor vehicle arbitration panel; to provide for resale of a nonconforming vehicle; to provide for collection of a consumer fee; to provide for new motor vehicle dealer liability; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
HB 471. By Representatives Stephens of the 164th, McCall of the 30th, and Rynders of the 152nd:
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 80 of Title 36 of the OfEcial Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions applicable to counties, municipal corporations, and other government entities, so as to prohibit local governments from requiring transfer of the ownership of privately constructed water or sewage systems under certain conditions; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
HB 472. By Representatives Meadows of the 5th, Maxwell of the 17th, h o x of the 24th, Smith of the 131st, and Rogers of the 26th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions of insurance, so as to provide that an insurer may provide insurance policies and other information in a language other than English; to provide in the event of a dispute or complaint arising involving material not in English, the English version of the material will control the resolution of the dispute or complaint; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INSURANCE
HB 473. By Representative Jamieson of the 28th:
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act creating the Banks County board of
commissioners, approved August 19, 1916 (Ga. L. 1916, p. 349), as amended, particularly by an Act approved March 27, 1985 (Ga. L. 1985, p. 4532), and an Act approved April 14,1997 (Ga. L. 1997, p. 4 166), so as to change the compensation of the chairperson and other members of the board of commissioners; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL

HB 474. By Representatives Cheokas of the 134th, Smith of the 113th, Lewis of the 15th, and Parsons of the 42nd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 2 of Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the university system, so as to require certain universities in Georgia to offer Georgia entities the first opportunity to purchase or license intellectual property produced by such universities; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION
HB 475. By Representatives Roberts of the 154th, McCall of the 30th, Manning of the 32nd, and Sheldon of the 105th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 14A of Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to flea market vendors' record keeping, so as to restrict the sale of certain items at flea markets; to provide for a misdemeanor; to provide for a fine; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY NON-CIVIL
HB 476. By Representatives Rice of the 5lst, Casas of the 103rd, Reese of the 98th, Coan of the 101st, Mumford of the 95th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 15-6-2 of the O.C.G.A., relating to the number of judges of superior court, so as to provide for a tenth judge of the superior courts of the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit; to provide for the appointment of such additional judge by the Governor; to provide for the election of successors to the judge initially appointed; to prescribe the powers of such judge; to prescribe the compensation, salary, and expense allowance of such judge to be paid by the State of Georgia and the counties comprising said circuit; to authorize the judges of such circuit to divide and allocate the work and duties thereof; to provide for the manner of impaneling jurors; to provide for an additional court reporter for such circuit; to authorize the governing authority of the counties that comprise the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit to provide facilities, office space, supplies, equipment, and personnel for such judges; to declare inherent authority; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
HB 477. By Representative Hanner of the 148th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to reincorporate and provide a new charter for the City of Richland in Stewart County, Georgia; to provide for boundaries and powers of the city; to provide for a governing authority of such city and the powers, duties, authority, election, terms, method of filling vacancies, compensation, expenses, qualifications, prohibitions, conflicts of interest, and suspension and removal from office relative io members of such governing authority; to provide for inquiries and investigations; to provide for oaths, organization, meetings, quorum, voting, rules, and procedures; to provide for ordinances and codes; to provide for a mayor and mayor pro tempore and certain duties, powers, and other matters relative thereto; to provide for administrative affairs and responsibilities; to provide for boards, commissions, and authorities; to provide for other matters relative to the foregoing; to repeal an Act incorporating the City of Richland in the County of Stewart, approved August 16, 1922 (Ga. L. 1922, p. 925), as amended; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTALCOORDINATION LOCAL

HB 478. By Representatives Marin of the 96th, Floyd of the 99th, Teilhet of the 40th, and Thomas of the 100th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 10-1-393 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to unfair or deceptive practices in consumer transactions, so as to provide that the terms of phone cards shall be disclosed at the time of purchase and through certain notifications; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER AFFAIRS
HB 479. By Representatives Marin of the 96th, Floyd of the 99th, Teilhet of the 40th, and Thomas of the 100th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 41 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to abatement of nuisances generally, so as to change certain provisions relating to definitions relative to county and municipal abatement powers; to change certain provisions relating to county or municipal ordinances relating to unfit buildings or structures; to change certain provisions relating to determinations by public officers that dwellings, buildings, or structures are unfit or vacant, dilapidated, or being used in connection with commission of drug crimes; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
HB 480. By Representatives Marin of the 96th, Floyd of the 99th, and Rice of the 51st: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act creating a new charter for the City of Norcross, Georgia, approved March 28, 1990 (Ga. L. 1990, p. 4934), as amended, particularly by an Act approved April 4, 1991 (Ga. L. 1991, p. 3680), an Act approved March 25, 1996 (Ga. L. 1996, p. 3666), and an Act approved March 24, 1997 (Ga. L. 1997, p. 35 17), so as to change the form of government from a mayor-council form of government to a city manager-council form of government; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTALCOORDINATION LOCAL
HB 481. By Representatives Lindsey of the 54th and Wilkinson of the 52nd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 8 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to sales and use taxation in general, so as to provide that certain sales and use taxes imposed on sales to and construction of certain tourist attraction facilities may under certain conditions be refunded to the owner and operator; to define a term; to provide for applications, records, and administration; 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 482. By Representatives Lane of the 158th and Stephens of the 164th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to abolish the ofice of elected county surveyor of Bryan County pursuant to Code Section 36-7-2.1 of the O.C.G.A.; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTALCOORDINATION LOCAL

HB 483. By Representative Cox of the 102nd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to authorize the City of Lilburn 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 484. By Representatives Hembree of the 67th, Ehrhart of the 36th, Smith of the 113th, Sheldon of the 105th, Gardner of the 57th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 7 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to HOPE scholarships and grants, so as to revise a definition and add a definition; to provide that enrollment in postsecondary courses at a branch of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education will not count against the hourly caps for HOPE grants; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION
HB 485. By Representative Rice of the 51st: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to prestige license plates and special plates for certain persons and vehicles, so as to specify that certain existing license plates shall not be subject to the special tag renewal fee; to provide for new revenue-sharing license plates; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on MOTOR VEHICLES
HB 486. By Representative Willard of the 49th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 48-5-359.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to contracts with the county tax commissioner to assess and collect municipal taxes and prepare the tax digest, so as to change certain provisions regarding compensation to be paid to the tax commissioner for additional duties; 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 487. By Representatives Scott of the 153rd, Keen of the 179th, Burkhalter of the 50th, and Fleming of the 117th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, so as to provide that the candidate who receives the most votes in a primary, special primary, election, or special election, other than a municipal primary, municipal special primary, municipal election, or municipal special election shall be nominated or elected, provided that the votes for such candidate exceed 45 percent of the total votes cast in that contest in the primary, special primary, election, or special election; to provide a definition; to change the date of

the presidential preference primary in Georgia; to change the date by which the parties must submit names to the Secretary of State for inclusion on the ballot and the date on which the Secretary of State shall publish such list of names; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
HR 278. By Representatives Beasley-Teague of the 65th, Fludd of the 66th, Brooks of the 63rd, Stanley-Turner of the 53rd, and Jordan of the 77th: A RESOLUTION urging the Congress of the United States to enact legislation that would penalize banks and other financial institutions for continuing to automatically deduct money from accounts after receiving appropriate notice from the account holder to stop making such automatic deduction; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on BANKS & BANKING