FIRST READERS IN HOUSE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2016 TWENTIETH LEGISLATIVE DAY *Rules Suspended HB 968. By Representative Caldwell of the 131st: A BILL to be entitled an Act to authorize the Magistrate Court of Pike County to impose and collect county law library fees as part of the court costs in the magistrate court; to provide for practices and procedures connected therewith; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL HB 969. By Representative Taylor of the 79th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 4 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to school financing, so as to provide that the allotment of funds provided to the county school system of any county having, in addition to the county school system, one or more independent school systems shall be reduced in each fiscal year by the amount of ad valorem taxes collected on behalf of such county school system in the preceding year attributable to that part of such county school system's millage rate in excess of 20 mills; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION HB 970. By Representatives Lumsden of the 12th, Powell of the 32nd, Hitchens of the 161st, Jasperse of the 11th, Atwood of the 179th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 25 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to fire protection and safety, so as to revise requirements for the issuance of certificates of compliance for fire departments; to revise and to provide for definitions; to expand the functions and powers of the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council; to revise qualifications for firefighters; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on PUBLIC SAFETY & HOMELAND SECURITY HB 971. By Representatives Benton of the 31st, Abrams of the 89th, Sharper of the 177th, and Bennett of the 94th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions applicable to social services, so as to authorize the Department of Human Services to provide the same medical assistance and health insurance coverages to kinship caregivers and the children in their care that are provided to foster parents and the children in their care; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on JUVENILE JUSTICE - 1 - HB 972. By Representatives Bennett of the 80th, Hugley of the 136th, Evans of the 42nd, Gordon of the 163rd, Abrams of the 89th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial relations, so as to enact the Georgia Pregnant Workers Fairness Act; to provide for a short title; to provide for intent; to provide for definitions; to provide for notice of rights; to provide for reasonable accommodations to job applicants and employees for circumstances related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions; to provide for a civil cause of action for unfair employment practices; to require the Department of Labor to develop courses and educate the public on such accommodations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on INDUSTRY AND LABOR HB 973. By Representatives Coomer of the 14th, Rice of the 95th, Powell of the 32nd, Kaiser of the 59th, Clark of the 101st, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 40 of the O.C.G.A., relating to identification and regulation of motor vehicles, so as to provide for the regulation by the Department of Public Safety of towing service providers operating on interstate highways subject to appropriation by the General Assembly; to provide for definitions; to require annual permits for the operation of towing service providers; to provide for power of the department to establish procedures for the issuance of such permits; to provide for a maximum fee to be charged for such permits; to provide for authority to promulgate rules and regulations; to provide for a right to a hearing upon denial of such permit; to provide for effective dates; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on PUBLIC SAFETY & HOMELAND SECURITY HB 974. By Representatives Oliver of the 82nd, Abrams of the 89th, Rice of the 95th, Tanner of the 9th, and Thomas of the 39th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 40-5-26 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to applications of minors, so as to provide for specific individuals who may sign an application for an instructional permit or driver's license for a minor; to amend Chapter 1 of Title 51 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions for torts, so as to provide for certain immunity for individuals who sign an application for an instructional permit or driver's license for a minor; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on JUVENILE JUSTICE HB 975. By Representatives Shaw of the 176th, Smith of the 134th, Efstration of the 104th, Caldwell of the 131st, Blackmon of the 146th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 10 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to assets and liabilities, so as to provide for certain updates to the standard valuation law as it relates to the reserve requirements for companies allowed to opt out of the principal based reserves standards; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on INSURANCE - 2 - HB 976. By Representatives Hitchens of the 161st, Willard of the 51st, Powell of the 32nd, Caldwell of the 131st, Tanner of the 9th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 5 of Chapter 18 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state records management, so as to provide for minimum retention periods for video recordings from law enforcement surveillance devices, law enforcement body-worn devices, or devices located on or inside of a law enforcement vehicle; to provide for a definition; to provide for exceptions; to provide for presumptions, civil liability, and fees; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on PUBLIC SAFETY & HOMELAND SECURITY HB 977. By Representatives Ramsey of the 72nd, Hatchett of the 150th, Ehrhart of the 36th, Williamson of the 115th, Golick of the 40th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to postsecondary education, so as to limit yearly tuition and student fee increases within the university system; to provide for definitions; to provide for methods of tuition and student fee calculation; to provide for exceptions, limitations, and waivers; to provide for related matters; to provide for a contingent effective date; to provide for automatic repeal under certain conditions; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on RULES HB 978. By Representatives Beverly of the 143rd and Randall of the 142nd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act entitled "An Act to provide for the restructuring of the government of the City of Macon, the City of Payne City, and Bibb County," approved April 20, 2012 (Ga. L. 2012, p. 5595), as amended, particularly by an Act approved February 14, 2013 (Ga. L. 2013, p. 3501), so as to provide that the nonpartisan election of the mayor and commissioners shall be held on the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November in even-numbered years; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL HB 979. By Representatives Caldwell of the 131st, Cooper of the 43rd, Golick of the 40th, Atwood of the 179th, Lott of the 122nd, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to assault and battery and related offenses against persons, so as to increase the punishment for aggravated assault and aggravated battery committed upon hospital emergency department personnel and emergency medical services personnel; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY NON-CIVIL - 3 - HB 980. By Representatives Powell of the 32nd, Rynders of the 152nd, Clark of the 147th, and Brockway of the 102nd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to primaries and elections generally, so as to provide for the reopening of qualifications in municipal elections 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 982. By Representatives Stephens of the 164th, Petrea of the 166th, Hitchens of the 161st, Stephens of the 165th, and Gordon of the 163rd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions concerning ad valorem taxation of property, so as to change certain definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS *HB 1005. By Representatives Powell of the 171st, Harrell of the 106th, Burns of the 159th, Ehrhart of the 36th, Holmes of the 129th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the joint county and municipal sales and use tax, so as to lengthen the period before such tax can be reimposed after it is not extended; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates; to provide for automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS HR 1325. By Representative Cheokas of the 138th: A RESOLUTION honoring the life of Sergeant First Class Victor A. Anderson and dedicating a road in his memory; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on TRANSPORTATION HR 1326. By Representatives Ramsey of the 72nd, Hatchett of the 150th, Ehrhart of the 36th, Williamson of the 115th, Golick of the 40th, and others: A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide that increases in tuition or fees at institutions of the University System of Georgia shall not exceed the rate of inflation; to provide for additional authority, limitations, and exceptions; to provide for related matters; to provide for submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on RULES - 4 - HR 1327. By Representatives Greene of the 151st, Ealum of the 153rd, Cheokas of the 138th, Rynders of the 152nd, and Dukes of the 154th: A RESOLUTION recognizing United States military Purple Heart recipients and dedicating a portion of a highway in their honor; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on TRANSPORTATION *HR 1344. By Representatives Powell of the 171st, Harrell of the 106th, Burns of the 159th, Ehrhart of the 36th, Holmes of the 129th, and others: A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to allow boards of education, subject to a referendum, to impose, levy, and collect a 1 percent sales and use tax for educational purposes and to adjust millage rate limitations upon and the millage rate levied by school systems to take into account the proceeds received from the sales and use tax by each school system the preceding year; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS - 5 -