GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE ROOM 131, STATE CAPITOL 30334 404-656-5082 1-800-282-5800 
Weekly Wrap-up #5 
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The General Assembly will be in recess Thursday, February 21, 2002 and Friday, February 22, 2002. It will reconvene Monday, February 25, 2002 at 1:30 pm. This is to allow members to work on the state's budget and to save enough time for possible redrawing of political lines during the session. Lawmakers are waiting for a federal court in Washington to render a verdict on Georgia's proposed legislative and congressional district maps. As stated in Constitution, the General Assembly has 40 days from the second Monday in January to complete its annual regular session. Monday of this past week was the 20th day of the session, only 18 remain. The House Rules Committee will also be meeting on Monday, February 25th at 11:30 am to set the next day's legislative calendar. 
Retirement Income Ceiling Raised - On Monday the House passed HB 1313 by a vote of 163 to 0. The bill increases the maximum income retirees could earn this year without being taxed by the state from $14,000 to $14,500. Next year, under the legislation, the ceiling would be raised again to $15,000. The bill would deprive the state treasury of about $6.1 million this year and $6.4 million next year. 
Air Bag Installment - On Monday the House passed HB 1192 by a vote of 158 - 3. Under the measure, mechanics would have to follow federal guidelines for installing air bags. Violators of the law would be charged with a high misdemeanor. The bill was introduced because of complaints by some car owners that their air bags were found to contain foreign objects like trash or soda cans. 
Oconee River - HB 1096, which passed on Tuesday 132 - 17, creates the Oconee River Greenway Authority to conserve and maintain undeveloped land around the Oconee River. The new authority would be housed in the Department of Natural Resources and coordinate the construction and management of trails, recreation areas, and non-commercial development along the Oconee River. The bill also allows the authority to seek private donations to buy land around the river. 
Perfusionists - HB 69, which passed on Wednesday 158 - 2, allows the state Medical Examiner's Board to oversee an examination and licensing process for perfusionists. The Board would also set up a continuing education and training program to ensure perfusionists are well versed in the latest methods and information. Perfusionists are medical assistants who operate the heart and lung machines during open-heart surgery. 
Banks - HB 1176 passed 156 - 0 on Tuesday and allows banks chartered in Georgia to serve as fiduciaries in states other than Georgia's bordering states. 
To view legislation click here 
Other Legislation Passed this Week 
 
 Monday, February 18, 2002 - 20th Day of the Session 
HB 1026, A bill to amend Chapter 1 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions of the ""Georgia Public Revenue Code,"" so as to revise provisions relating to Georgia taxes; to define the terms ""Internal Revenue Code"" and ""Internal Revenue Code of 1986"" and thereby to incorporate provisions of federal law into Georgia law; passed 160 - 0. 
HB 1285, A bill to amend Chapter 6 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the state auditor, so as to change provisions relating to the state auditor's authority to conduct special examinations and audits and to obtain documentary evidence in connection therewith; to provide for the state auditor's powers to conduct vulnerability assessments and reviews of electronic information systems and computer security systems; passed 161 - 0. 
HB 1303, A bill to amend Article 22A of Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to marine manufacturers, so as to change certain provisions relating to termination of contractual relationship between dealer and manufacturer; to change certain provisions relating to application of said article; passed 163 - 1. 
Tuesday , February 19, 2002 - 21st Day of the Session 
HB 1003, A bill to amend Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to telephone and telegraph service, so as to provide for the establishment of a telecommunications equipment distribution program; to authorize the use of surcharge funds for the administration and operation of the program; passed 154 - 2. 
HB 1104, A bill to state a general intent to eliminate the future ""sunset"" of certain provisions relating to superior court clerks' fees and the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Authority; to provide that provisions of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to fees charged by clerks of superior court and remittance to and use of certain such funds by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Authority which were in effect and applicable on January 1, 2002, shall remain in effect indefinitely until and unless changed by future Act of the General Assembly; to amend an Act amending Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to courts; to amend an Act amending Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to clerks of superior courts; passed 158 - 0. 
HB 1150, A bill to amend Article 7 of Chapter 14 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to pick-your-own farm operations, Chapter 12 of Title 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to injuries from equine or llama activities, and Article 7 of Chapter 4 of Title 27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to limited liability of owners and operators of fishing locations, so as to change the provisions relating to exemptions from liability of pick-your-own farm operations, equine or llama activities, and owners and operators of fishing locations; passed 158 - 1. 
HB 1155, A bill to amend Chapter 9 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to workers' compensation, so as to provide that the State Board of Workers' Compensation shall provide certain data to state and federal government entities as authorized by law; to change certain provisions relating to certification or licensing of rehabilitation suppliers; to remove the requirement that income benefit checks must be drawn on a Georgia depository; passed 162 - 1. 
HB 1237, A bill to amend Code Section 31-3-5 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to functions of county boards of health, so as to change the definition of the term ""soil classifier""; to repeal 
 
 a certain definition; to change the provisions relating to who may conduct investigations of the suitability of sites within the state for on-site sewage management systems; passed 160 - 0. 
HB 1238, A bill to amend Code Section 24-7-9 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to identification of medical bills, as to change the list of health care professionals from whom bills submitted into evidence were received; passed 152 - 0. 
Wednesday, February 20, 2002 - 22nd Day of the Session 
HB 488, A bill to amend Article 5 of Chapter 3 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to service creditable toward retirement benefits under the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, so as to authorize creditable service for service as a teacher in certain private schools; passed 159 - 3. 
HB 1175, A bill to amend Code Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the number of superior court judges for each judicial circuit, so as to create a new fourth superior court judgeship for the Alcovy Judicial Circuit; passed 160 - 0. 
HB 1178, A bill to amend Code Section 43-47-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions relative to used motor vehicle and used motor vehicle parts dealers, so as to exclude certain organizations from the definition of used motor vehicle dealer; passed 163 - 0. 
HB 1288, A bill to amend Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding ad valorem taxation of property, so as to provide for the separate classification of certain commercial dockside facilities for purposes of ad valorem taxation; passed 162 0. 
HR 364, A resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide that dockside facilities whose primary use is the landing and processing of seafood may be classified as a separate class of property for ad valorem property tax purposes, and such class may be divided into separate subclasses for ad valorem purposes; to authorize the General Assembly to provide by general law for the ad valorem taxation of such dockside facilities including, but not limited to, providing for different rates, methods, assessment dates, and taxpayer liability for such class and for each of its subclasses and to do so without need for uniformity of taxation with other classes of property or between or within its subclasses; passed 160 - 0. 
HR 805, A resolution designating that portion of State Route 15 within the corporate limits of Sandersville as a Blue Star Memorial Highway; passed 157 - 1. 
To view legislation click here 
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