First readers in House, 2007 March 1

'l3- * Rules Suspended

FIRST READERS IN HOUSE THURSDAY, MARCH 01,2007

HB 637. By Representative Coleman of the 97th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2-281 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the assessment of effectiveness of educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to revise provisions relating to nationally norm-referenced instruments in reading, mathematics, science, and social studies; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION

HB 638. 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 if so provided by local law applicable to an authority which has been created and activated, 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 GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

HB 639. By Representative Sims 9f the 169th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 47-2-223 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to retirement benefits under the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia for those in service in the Uniform Division of the Department of Public Safety, so as to provide that certain members of such retirement system may elect to pay an additional employee contribution to such retirement system; to provide that any such person may retire at age 55 or after accruing at least 25 years of creditable service and receive an enhanced retirement benefit; to provide that any such election shall be irrevocable; to provide for persons in service on July 1, 2008; to provide for related matters; 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 640. By Representatives Benton of the 31st, Bearden of the 68th, England of the 108th, Hatfield of the 177th, and McCall of the 30th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state and other flags, so as to provide certain protections for statues, monuments, plaques, banners, structures, and other commemorative symbols; to provide certain requirements for several government entities regarding statues, monuments, plaques, banners, structures, and other commemorative symbols; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY

HB 641. By Representative Coleman of the 97th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to revise a provision relating to the delegation of authority to employ staff at the Department of Education; to provide that the State Board of Education can solicit donations, grants, gifts, devises, and bequests; to establish the Georgia Educational Excellence Foundation

and provide for its membership, duties, powers, and purposes; to provide that the State School Superintendent is authorized to enter into contracts for $100,000.00 or less; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 642. By Representatives Cox of the 102nd, Sheldon of the 105th, Thomas of the 100th, Coleman of the 97th, Everson of the 106th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 36-74-30 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other local code enforcement methods and probable cause for investigations required, so as to provide that a local government may require the registration of residential rental property; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
HB 643. By Representatives Mills of the 25th and Rogers of the 26th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to authorize the City of Oakwood to exercise all redevelopment and other powers under Article IX, Section 11, Paragraph VII 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 644. By Representatives Mills of the 25th and Rogers of the 26th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to provide a new charter for the City of Oakwood; to provide for incorporation, boundaries, and powers of the city; to provide for general powers and limitations on powers; 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, suspension, and removal from office relative to members of such governing authority; to provide for inquiries and investigations; to provide for organization and procedures; to provide for ordinances; to provide for the office of mayor and mayor pro tempore and certain duties and powers relative thereto; to provide for other matters relative to the foregoing; to repeal a specific Act; to provide for effective dates; to provide for severability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL
HB 645. By Representatives Mills of the 25th and Rogers of the 26th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to provide for the creation of one or more community improvement districts in the City of Oakwood; to provide for a short title; to provide for the purposes of said district or districts; to provide for definitions; to provide for a board to administer said district or districts; to provide for the appointment and election of members of said board or boards; to provide for taxes, fees, and assessments;to provide for notes and other obligations of said district or districts; to provide for authorized contents of agreements and instruments of the board generally, use of proceeds of notes or other obligations, and subsequent issues of notes or other obligations; to provide for construction; to provide that no notice, proceeding, publication, or referendum shall be required; to provide for dissolution; to provide the procedures connected with all of the foregoing; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL

HB 646. By Representatives Walker of the 107th, Oliver of the 83rd, and Benfield of the 85th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 10 of Title 30 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to community trusts for handicapped persons, so as to provide for various revisions to prohibit discrimination regarding the use of community trusts based on the age of an impaired person; to revise legislative findings; to revise the definition of "impairment"; to provide for the treatment of contributions to a community trust by a beneficiary over the age of 65; to change certain provisions relating to documents establishing a community trust; to provide for a statutory approved form of community trust joinder agreement; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
HB 647. By Representatives Setzler of the 35th, Tumlin of the 38th, Cooper of the 41st, Johnson of the 37th, Wix of the 33rd, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act creating a new charter for the City of Kennesaw, approved April 10, 1971 (Ga. L. 1971, p. 3620), as amended, so as to change the provisions relating to the corporate limits of the city; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL
HB 648. By Representatives Knox of the 24th, Meadows of the 5th, Maxwell of the 17th, and Rogers of the 26th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 33-42-4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions for long-term care insurance, so as to provide for changes to certain definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on INSURANCE
HB 649. By Representatives Smith of the 168th, Williams of the 178th, Lane of the 167th, Sims of the 169th, and Shaw of the 176th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 8 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Georgia Agricultural Commodities Promotion Act," so as to create the Georgia Blueberry Commission; to define certain terms; to provide for membership, appointment, election, terms, and compensation; to provide for powers; to provide for organization; to provide for the receipt, collection, and disbursement of hnds; to provide for an audit; to provide for liability; to provide for marketing orders; to provide for notice and hearing; to provide for publication of a certain report; to provide for the levying and collection of assessments; to provide for the maintenance of records; to provide for compliance; to provide for a penalty; to provide for applicability of Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act"; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER AFFAIRS
HB 650. By Representatives Smith of the 13lst, Geisinger of the 48th, Meadows of the 5th, and Lane of the 167th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 40-8-76.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to use of safety belts in passenger vehicles, so as to change certain penalties for violations; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on MOTOR VEHICLES

HB 651. By Representatives Meadows of the 5th, Scott of the 153rd, Hamilton of the 23rd, Jones of the 46th, Bums of the 157th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to local government, so as to provide for a definition; to provide for the incorporation of townships; to provide for the requirements and methodology for such incorporations; to provide for annexations of such townships; to provide for the conversion of such townships into municipal corporations; to provide for certain taxing powers and other duties and powers of such townships; 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 652. By Representatives Manning of the 32nd and Reece of the 11th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to educational programs, so as to enact the 'Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act'; to provide definitions; to require Braille instruction in the individualized education program of a student who is a blind or visually impaired child; to provide requirements for the individualized education program; to provide requirements for textbook publishers; to provide requirements relating to Braille for certain teachers; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 653. By Representative Ralston of the 7th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 4 of Chapter 7 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to bombs, explosives, and chemical and biological weapons, so as to expand the crime of hoax devices; to increase penalties for hoax devices; to provide for additional restitution as it relates to hoax devices; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY NON-CIVIL
HB 654. By Representatives Manning of the 32nd, Walker of the 107th, Harbin of the 118th, Stephenson of the 92nd, Coleman of the 97th, and others: A BIL,Lto be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to student health, so as to enact the "Student Asthma Management Act"; to provide for legislative findings; to define the term "asthma management plan"; to provide for a student asthma management plan for each student identified with asthma; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION
HB 655. By Representatives Smith of the 113th, Holt of the 112th, and Amerson of the 9th: A BILL To be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 30 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to handicapped persons, so as to change certain provisions relating to a definition of hearing impaired person; and the Georgia Service Center for Hearing Impaired Persons; to create the Georgia Commission on Hearing Impaired and Deaf Persons and provide for its members, powers, and duties; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Referred to the Committee on HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

HB 656. By Representatives Williams of the 89th, Lunsford of the 1loth, Mangham of the 94th, Brooks of the 63rd, Watson of the 91st, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 47-3-121, relating to optional retirement allowances under the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, election of such options, and revocation of election, so as to provide that a member who upon retirement elects survivor's benefits for a spouse and another may, in the event of divorce, revoke such election as to the spouse; to provide that the member may elect to reallocate the spouse's share amount among the other beneficiaries or such beneficiaries shall continue to be entitled to the same benefit; to provide for a recalculation of the member's 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 657. By Representative Mitchell of the 88th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to authorize the City of Stone Mountain to exercise all redevelopment and other powers under Article IX, Section 11, Paragraph VII 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 658. By Representative Powell of the 29th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 47-2-123 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to allowance payable under the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia upon death, disability, or involuntary separation from employment, restrictions on separating from state service, and employee entitled to involuntary separation benefits, so as to provide that disability benefit calculations shall be applicable without regard to age; 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 659. By Representative Powell of the 29th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 47-2-96 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to prior service credit and payments to obtain credit in the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, so as to extend the date by which a member must apply for creditable service for certain military 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 660. By Representatives James of the 135th and Sellier of the 136th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to create a board of elections and registration for Peach County and to provide for its powers and duties; to provide for definitions; to provide for the composition of the board and the selection and appointment of members; to provide for the qualification, terms, and removal of members; to provide for oaths and privileges; to provide for meetings, procedures, and vacancies; to relieve certain officers of powers and duties and to provide for the transfer of hnctions to the newly created board; to provide for certain expenditures of public funds; to provide for compensation of members of the board and personnel; to provide for offices and equipment; to provide for the board's performance of certain functions and duties for certain municipalities;to provide