FIRST READERS IN HOUSE THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2017 EIGHTH LEGISLATIVE DAY *Rules Suspended HB 127. By Representatives Smith of the 134th, Lumsden of the 12th, Taylor of the 173rd, and Caldwell of the 131st: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to insurance, so as to repeal certain obsolete provisions relative to nonprofit medical service corporations and nonprofit hospital service corporations; to amend Titles 31 and 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health and public officers and employees, respectively, so as to revise provisions for purposes of conformity; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on INSURANCE HB 128. By Representative Battles of the 15th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 3 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, so as to change a certain provision relating to the chairperson of the board of trustees of such retirement system; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on RETIREMENT HB 129. By Representative Battles of the 15th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, so as to change a certain provision relating to the chairperson of the board of trustees of such retirement system; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on RETIREMENT HB 130. By Representative Parrish of the 158th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act to implement the Constitutional amendment creating the "Emanuel County Development Authority," approved March 27, 1965 (Ga. L. 1965, p. 2770), as amended, particularly by an Act approved April 13, 1982 (Ga. L. 1982, p. 4861) and an Act approved March 30, 1993 (Ga. L. 1993, p. 4324), so as to change the number of members serving on the Authority; to change the qualifications to serve as members of the Authority; to increase the number of years that the Authority may obligate itself contractually and issue bonds; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL - 1 - HB 131. By Representatives Bruce of the 61st, Boddie of the 62nd, Bazemore of the 63rd, Jackson of the 64th, Beasley-Teague of the 65th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend an Act to incorporate the City of South Fulton in Fulton County, Georgia, approved April 26, 2016 (Ga. L. 2016, p. 3726), so as to change the corporate boundaries of the municipality; to provide for related matters; to provide a contingent effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION LOCAL HB 132. By Representatives Bruce of the 61st, Boddie of the 62nd, Bazemore of the 63rd, Jackson of the 64th, Beasley-Teague of the 65th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to repeal the amendment to the Constitution of Georgia creating within Fulton County the Fulton County Industrial District and prohibiting the governing authority of Fulton County from levying any tax for educational purposes within the boundaries of an independent school system; to provide for a referendum with respect to the effectiveness of the foregoing; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on INTRAGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION HB 133. By Representatives Pezold of the 133rd, Caldwell of the 20th, and Clark of the 147th: 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 change the provisions relating to nomination of candidates by petition; to provide a short title; to provide for legislative intent; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS HB 134. By Representatives Epps of the 144th, Brockway of the 102nd, Stephens of the 164th, Williams of the 168th, Watson of the 172nd, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 5A of Chapter 8 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding the special district mass transportation sales and use tax, so as to change the definition of transportation purposes regarding such tax; to change certain provisions relating to special districts and the imposition of such tax; to change certain provisions relating to notice, intergovernmental agreements, and resolutions regarding such tax; to change certain provisions relating to the ballot question regarding such tax; to change certain provisions relating to the commencement of imposition and the timing of cessation of such tax; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS HB 135. By Representatives Carter of the 175th, Hitchens of the 161st, Tanner of the 9th, Lumsden of the 12th, and Welch of the 110th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 47-2-226 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to certain law enforcement officers permitted to obtain creditable service in the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia under certain conditions, so as to expand the class of law enforcement officers that may obtain - 2 - creditable service in such retirement system under certain conditions; 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 136. By Representatives Carter of the 175th, Hitchens of the 161st, Tanner of the 9th, and Lumsden of the 12th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 and Chapter 16 of Title 40 of the O.C.G.A., relating to drivers' licenses and the Department of Driver Services, respectively, so as to provide for demarcation of a valid driver's license, permit, or identification card by the Department of Driver Services and return of such license, permit, or card to a person applying for a new license or card; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on MOTOR VEHICLES HB 137. By Representatives Turner of the 21st, Welch of the 110th, Willard of the 51st, and Kelley of the 16th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions for crimes and offenses, so as to change provisions relating to restrictions on contingency fee compensation of an attorney appointed to represent the state in forfeiture actions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY HB 138. By Representatives Hawkins of the 27th, Barr of the 103rd, Dunahoo of the 30th, Dubnik of the 29th, and Tanner of the 9th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the number of judges of superior courts, so as to provide for a fifth judge of the superior courts of the Northeastern 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 declare inherent authority; 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 139. By Representatives Belton of the 112th, Powell of the 171st, Beskin of the 54th, Jones of the 47th, Glanton of the 75th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 14 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education accountability assessment programs, so as to provide transparency of financial information of local school systems and schools to the greatest extent practicable; to provide for legislative intent; to provide for accessibility to certain financial data of a local board of education; to provide for school level budget and expenditure data; to require local school systems and schools to provide certain information on their websites; to provide for certain data and reports; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on EDUCATION - 3 - HB 140. By Representatives Welch of the 110th, Willard of the 51st, Caldwell of the 131st, Hitchens of the 161st, and Evans of the 42nd: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 15 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department of Law, so as to provide for review and accounting of work performed by attorneys at law under independent contract to the Department of Law who have been appointed or designated either specially or generally as an assistant attorney general; to establish such review and accounting requirements; to require certification of the completion of such reviews to certain legislative committee chairpersons; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY HB 141. By Representatives Stephens of the 164th and Petrea of the 166th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 48-13-51 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to county and municipal levies on public accommodations charges for promotion of tourism, conventions, and trade shows, so as to expand the list of permitted expenditures for revenues from excise taxes on lodging; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS HB 142. By Representatives Frye of the 118th, Harrell of the 106th, Bentley of the 139th, Reeves of the 34th, Kelley of the 16th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 5 of Chapter 7 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to current income tax payment, so as to provide that each person required to submit a statement of taxes withheld, final payment of wages, or an annual or final return shall be assessed a late penalty for statements furnished after the due date; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS HB 143. By Representatives Williamson of the 115th, Morris of the 156th, Frazier of the 126th, Williams of the 119th, and Hilton of the 95th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 7 of the O.C.G.A., relating to financial institutions; to amend Code Section 13-1-15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the charging of convenience fees by a lender or merchant, so as to allow for such fees on loans made pursuant to Chapter 1 of Title 7; to amend Chapter 12 of Title 53 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to trusts, so as to revise a definition; to provide for the authority of a foreign entity to act in a fiduciary capacity; to prohibit the establishment of a place of business by a foreign entity acting as a fiduciary not transacting business in the state; to provide for a filing statement with the Secretary of State and appointment of an agent for service by a foreign entity; to provide for effective dates; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on BANKS & BANKING - 4 - HB 144. By Representatives Ehrhart of the 36th, McCall of the 33rd, Kirby of the 114th, Holmes of the 129th, Jasperse of the 11th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 4 of the O.C.G.A., relating to general provisions relative to animal protection, so as to regulate the retail sale of dogs and cats in this state; to provide for definitions; to provide that dogs and cats transported into this state for sale or offered for sale in this state shall be protected against certain diseases and parasites; to provide for examinations and certifications by veterinarians; to provide for certain rights of purchasers of dogs and cats; to provide for notices and representations to purchasers; to provide for the quarantine of dogs and cats suspected of carrying disease; to restrict certain local regulation; to require regulatory consistency; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER AFFAIRS HB 145. By Representatives Carson of the 46th, Stephens of the 164th, Hatchett of the 150th, and Smyre of the 135th: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 8 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding the state sales and use tax, so as to change the method of charging such tax on jet fuel; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on WAYS & MEANS HB 146. By Representatives Gravley of the 67th, Strickland of the 111th, Meadows of the 5th, Coomer of the 14th, Powell of the 171st, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 25-3-23 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general requirements for legally organized fire departments, so as to require such fire departments to purchase and maintain certain insurance coverage for firefighters; to provide methods for funding; to provide for rules and regulations; to amend Code Section 48-7-27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to computation of Georgia taxable net income, so as to provide an exemption for benefits received under said insurance coverage for firefighters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on INSURANCE *HB 152. By Representatives Gravley of the 67th, Cantrell of the 22nd, Kelley of the 16th, Collins of the 68th, Ridley of the 6th, and others: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 8 of Chapter 9 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to compensation for occupational disease, so as to allow a firefighter to show certain evidence as to the ordinary disease of life of cancer; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on INDUSTRY AND LABOR - 5 - HR 101. By Representatives Chandler of the 105th, Nix of the 69th, Dickey of the 140th, Carter of the 175th, and Coleman of the 97th: A RESOLUTION creating the House Study Committee on College Course Credit; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on SPECIAL RULES - 6 -