Weekly wrap-up [House] [No. 1 (Jan. 18, 2002)]

GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE ROOM 131, STATE CAPITOL 30334 404-656-5082 1-800-282-5800
Weekly Wrap-up #1
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The House of Representatives of the 146th General Assembly of Georgia convened its second regular session at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 14, 2002. The state constitution requires all regular sessions of the General Assembly start on the second Monday in January and last for forty legislative days.
Budget Address - On Wednesday, January 16, 2002 the Governor came before a joint session of the legislature at 11:00 am to outline his proposed $16.2 billion budget for the 2003 fiscal year, which begins July 1st of this year. State agencies have been ordered by the Governor to trim what they spend by 2.5 percent this current fiscal year which ends June 30th, and 5 percent for the next fiscal year. Also, taking advantage of low interest rates, the Governor last week proposed a $1.3 billion bond package in his supplemental budget, which is revised spending plan for the current fiscal year. Governor Barnes says it will create jobs and speed up construction of K-12 schools and classrooms, highways, prisons, colleges and technical schools.
Highlights of the Governor's FY 2003 budget include: A 3.5 percent salary increase for teachers and a 2.5 percent salary increase for state employees, $353 million for continued property tax relief for the state's homeowners by raising the homestead exemption, $235 million to cover the growth of the Medicaid health insurance program for low-income residents, $14.4 million in new money for child protective services which includes $3.5 million for 100 new caseworkers- $3.9 million for mental health and other services designed to keep families together- $2.1 million to care for a projected increase of children in foster care, $20.4 million to expand the PeachCare health insurance program for children, $4.6 million to develop end-of-course tests for high schoolers that will eventually replace the Georgia High School Graduation Tests, $1.8 million to fund a 10 percent salary supplement for teachers who are National Board Certified, $1.6 million to expand the Georgia Early Learning Initiative program that promotes more learning for pre-schoolers, $27 million for the University System to pay the continuing expenses of the semester conversion program, $2.8 million in funds and $7 million in bond proceeds for the Yamacraw Mission, a program that attracts high-tech industry to the state, $65.4 million in tobacco settlement funds for the OneGeorgia Authority to distribute as economic development grants to rural cities and counties, $2.4 million to beef up the homeland security programs administered by the state's public safety agencies, $4.1 million to add 68 new positions to drivers' license stations in metro area counties, $3.2 million to fund a program that will allow some drivers to renew their licenses over the telephone or the internet.
To view the Governor's Budget Address click here
To view the Governor's speech on the Supplemental Budget click here
Auto Insurance Database - On Thursday the House passed HB 994 by a vote of 166 - 0. The measure extends the deadline for implementing the statewide computer database of automobile insurance holders

to Jan. 31, 2003. A bill authorizing the database was passed and signed into law in the 2001 session, but due to administrative problems, a one time extension was needed for the deadline of January 1, 2002. Once in place, the database will eliminate requirements that drivers carry in their cars proof they have the mandatory level of automobile insurance coverage. Currently, if they don't have this proof, a citation can be given even if the driver is insured.
State of the Judiciary - On Friday, January 18th at 11:00 am the Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, Norman S. Fletcher, gave his first State of the Judiciary address to a joint session of the Legislature. The Chief Justice stressed the need to improve indigent defense throughout the state, strengthen programs against family violence, a legal loan forgiveness program for young attorneys who enter public service and legislation allowing District Attorneys and Probate Judges to be elected on a non-partisan basis.
To visit the Georgia Supreme Court site click here
Other Legislation Passed this Week
Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 3rd Day of the Session
HB 842, A bill to amend Chapter 14 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Superior Court Clerks' Retirement Fund of Georgia, so as to provide that state court clerks may be members of such retirement fund; to define certain terms; to change the membership of the board of commissioners of such retirement fund; to increase the annual allowable cost of living increase in benefits; Passed 165 - 0.
HB 203, A bill to amend Code Section 47-4-101 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to retirement benefits payable upon normal, early, or delayed retirement under the Public School Employees Retirement System, so as to increase the maximum benefit; Passed 165 - 0.
HB 252, A bill to amend Code Section 47-7A-100 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to eligibility for pension benefits, optional pension benefits, vesting of rights to pension benefits, and early retirement provisions under the Georgia Class Nine Fire Department Pension Fund, so as to provide that certain members shall be entitled to an increase in the maximum monthly retirement benefit equal to 2 percent of the monthly retirement benefit for which the member would have been otherwise eligible for each full year of creditable service in excess of 25 years; passed 161 - 0.
HB 255, A bill to amend Code Section 47-7-100 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to eligibility for pension benefits, optional pension benefits, vesting of rights to pension benefits, and early retirement provisions under the Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund, so as to provide that certain members shall be entitled to an increase in the maximum monthly retirement benefit equal to 2 percent of the monthly retirement benefit for which the member would have been otherwise eligible for each full year of creditable service in excess of 25 years; passed 163 - 0.
HB 785, A bill to amend Part 10 of Article 8 of Chapter 2 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to membership of employees of certain state authorities in the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, so as to provide for membership in such retirement system by employees of the Georgia Rail Passenger Authority; passed 157 - 0.
HB 955, A bill to amend Article 5 of Chapter 32 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,

relating to service creditable for retirement benefits under the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, so as to provide that any member of such retirement system who has accrued at least 25 years of creditable service may obtain up to three years of additional creditable service; Passed 166 - 0.
Thursday, January 17, 2002 - 4th Day of the Session
HB 947, A bill to amend an Act entitled ""An Act to continue the Fulton County School Employees Pension Fund,"" so as to provide a post retirement benefit increase; passed 161 - 0.
HB 949, A bill to amend an Act entitled ""An Act to continue the Fulton County School Employees Pension Fund,"" so as to change the provisions of such Act relating to the grant and calculation of cost of living benefit increases; passed 165 - 0.
HB 571, A bill to amend Code Section 47-11-50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to payment to Judges of the Probate Courts Retirement Fund of Georgia of a portion of fees collected in connection with marriage licenses, the duty to record and report collection, interest, delinquent payments, and penalties, so as to provide for the payment into such fund of certain additional amounts; passed 162 0.
HB 990, A bill to create a new judicial circuit for the State of Georgia, to be known as the Paulding Judicial Circuit and to be composed of Paulding County; to provide for the judges and district attorneys of said new circuit and the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit and their terms, selection, and compensation; to revise and restate certain provisions of law relating to the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit and to enact provisions for the Paulding Judicial Circuit; to amend Article 1 of Chapter 6 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to superior courts in general, so as to provide for the composition, terms of court, and number of judges of said circuits; passed 166 - 0.
Friday, January 18, 2002 - 5th Day of the Session
HB 960, A bill to amend Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 32 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to dimensions and weights of vehicles and loads, so as to change certain provisions relating to securing loads on vehicles; to amend Article 11 of Chapter 6 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to miscellaneous provisions of uniform rules of the road, so as to change certain provisions relating to operating vehicle without adequately securing load; passed 146 - 0.
To view legislation click here
The General Assembly will be in recess next week. On Monday, the Capitol will be closed for the MLK Holiday and the remaining four days of the week will be used for committee hearings on the proposed state appropriations bill. The House will reconvene at 10 a.m., January 28th.
Georgia House of Representatives Public Information Office