GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE ROOM 131, STATE CAPITOL 30334 404-656-5082 1-800-282-5800 
Weekly Wrap-up #7 
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The House recessed until Thursday, March 7, 2002 to work on the supplemental budget which is a revised spending plan for the current fiscal year ending June 30th. Lawmakers have also voted to recess Monday, March 11th thru Friday, March 15th and reconvene at 10:00 am on Monday, March 18, 2002. This is intended to give members time to work on the FY 2003 Budget, which begins July 1st of this year, and to save days in the session in case the General Assembly must redraw the district maps passed last August. A Federal Court in Washington is expected to rule on those proposed district lines by late March. To view spending proposals click here 
Faith Based Funds - HB 1407 passed Friday by a vote of 152 - 4. The measure, which is a part of the Governor's Legislative Package, allows faith-based charities to tap into government funds by permitting religious organizations to draw on government aid for various services. Under this bill, Georgia could take advantage of a federal law allowing state and local governments to aid faith-based charities in providing services through certain federal programs. Religious organizations receiving funding would not be allowed to refuse services to someone not of their faith, and the money could not be used for religious instruction or proselytizing. To view HB 1407 click here 
Cleaning Up Brownfields - HB 1406, which was adopted on Friday 153 - 8, changes the Georgia's Brownfield Program under which the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) manages the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. It expands the program's definition of property that qualifies for remediation and subsequent immunity from exposure liability. Currently, liability immunity is only granted if the property was on the EPD's Hazardous Site Inventory (HSI), but under this legislation, any contaminated land would be eligible. Another provision in the bill states that only the hazardous waste and soil of contaminated land be cleaned up. As it is now, the cleanup of groundwater in brownfields is required , which adds significant cost and involvement. A $3,000 application fee would be assessed to prospective purchasers of contaminated land to cover administration costs. 
Georgia Veterinary Practice Act - On Friday the House passed HB 719 by a vote of 156 - 7. This far reaching bill updates the definitions of veterinary medicine and veterinary technology in the Georgia Code. Some provisions include that all veterinary technicians must be under supervision of a licensed veterinarian and only two veterinary technicians are allowed per veterinarian. The bill also adds an additional position to the State Board of Veterinary Medicine, who must be a registered veterinary technician, and increases penalties for practicing veterinary medicine or veterinary technology without a valid license. Farmers would be exempted from certain animal management practices. 
Fighting Cancer - On Thursday the House passed HB 1143, 158 - 0. The measure seeks to promote the existence of a state income tax check-off allowing for contributions to aid in the fight against cancer. The checkoff, created during the 2000 session, allows Georgians to contribute some or all of their state income tax returns to the Georgia Cancer Research Fund. Money gained from these contributions would 
 
 be used to support breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer research programs. A portion of the cash would also go to the Georgia Cancer Coalition which stresses prevention, and early detection, in conjunction with research and treatment in the battle against cancer. 
Retired Public Safety Workers - On Thursday the House passed HB 931, 156 - 0. Under the bill, retired state troopers could be rehired by the Department of Public Safety to work as driver's license examiners and radio operators without suspending their retirement benefits. This is intended to help address a critical shortage in those two areas. 
Retired Volunteer Health Workers - HB 1344 passed 160 - 1 on Thursday. Retired medical workers, which includes doctors and nurses, could continue providing medical care on a volunteer basis for poor and indigent patients under the bill. A sunset provision was ready to go into effect this year and repeal the volunteer program, but by passing HB 1344, it will be allowed to continue. 
To view legislation click here 
Other Legislation Passed this Week 
Thursday, March 7, 2002 - 28th Day of the Session 
HB 1112, A bill to amend Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to motor vehicles and traffic, so as to change certain provisions relating to registration of motor vehicles; to change certain provisions relating to processing by private persons of applications for registration; to change certain provisions relating to special license plates for members of active reserve components of the United States; passed 164 - 0. 
HB 1256, A bill to amend Article 1 of Chapter 17 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to notaries public, so as to provide for denial of a notary recommission if the applicant engages in false or misleading advertising or the unauthorized practice of law; to provide that notaries who are not licensed to practice law must post notice of this fact; to provide that notaries who are not licensed to practice law are prohibited from rendering any service that constitutes the unauthorized practice of law; passed 114 - 46. 
HB 1289, A bill to amend Subpart 1 of Part 3 of Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame, so as to change provisions relating to the powers of the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame Board; passed 149 - 0. 
HB 1329, A bill to amend Code Section 16-12-60 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to rules and regulations regarding bingo, so as to increase the amount of money that may be paid to individuals assisting in the conduct of bingo games; to increase the number of organizations in which a person is authorized to participate in the bingo operations thereof; passed 159 - 0. 
HB 1405, A bill to amend Code Section 38-2-279 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to rights of public officers and employees absent on military duty as members of organized militia or reserve forces, so as to authorize a salary differential for citizen soldiers who are public officers or employees; passed 137 - 0. 
HB 1437, A bill to amend Part 1 of Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding grand juries, so as to change the population and 
 
 census application of certain provisions regarding use of stenographers or recording devices at grand jury proceedings; passed 166 - 0. 
HB 1490, A bill to amend Article 1 of Chapter 16 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to coroners, so as to provide for additional state compensation for the coroners of certain counties for each state inmate whose sentence of death is carried out in any such county; passed 161 - 7. 
HB 1494, A bill to amend Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the state employees' health insurance plan, so as to authorize the Board of Community Health to contract with any agricultural commodity commission created pursuant to Chapter 8 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated to provide for the inclusion in such plan of any such commission's employees and retiring employees and their spouses and dependents; passed 155 - 0. 
HB 1538, A bill to amend Article 11 of Chapter 9 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Southwest Georgia Railroad Excursion Authority, so as to assign the authority to the Department of Natural Resources for administrative purposes only; to change certain provisions regarding books and records; passed 163 - 0. 
HB 1557, A bill to amend Code Section 20-2-161.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to enrollment in postsecondary courses, academic credit, and the secondary options grant account, so as to delete provisions for calculating the funds to be requested for the secondary options account and payments to eligible institutions from such account; passed 155 - 0. 
HB 1565, A bill to amend Code Section 48-7-29 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to income tax credits for rural physicians, so as to change the definition of rural physician and rural hospital for purposes of qualifying for such credit; passed 157 - 1. 
HR 1143, A resolution to encourage members of the Georgia House of Representatives and state agencies and other service agencies involved in health care to promote the use of the Georgia income tax checkoff for contributions to cancer research; passed 158 - 0. 
HR 1224, A resolution designating National Nutrition Month in Georgia; passed 165 - 0. 
Friday, March 8, 2002 - 29th Day of the Session 
HB 878, A bill to provide remedies for the imposition of excessive regulatory fees by a county or municipal government; to amend Chapter 13 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to specific, business, and occupation taxes, so as to provide for complaints to the Department of Community Affairs and for civil actions; to provide for jurisdiction and remedies; to amend Article 1 of Chapter 8 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to the Department of Community Affairs; passed 164 - 1. 
HB 1284, A bill to amend Code Section 32-4-22 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to creation of the Developmental Highway System, so as to change the description of road corridors included within such system; passed 151 - 10. 
HB 1413, A bill to amend Article 11 of Chapter 7 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to personal care facility licensing and employee records checks, to provide for criminal records 
 
 checks for personal care homes employment applicants; to amend Chapter 2 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department of Human Resources, so as to provide that Code Section 31-7-250 through 31-7-264 shall apply to personal care homes; passed 159 - 0. 
HB 1418, A bill to amend Code Section 48-8-3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to exemptions from sales and use taxation, so as to provide for an exemption for sales to certain local government authorities; passed 150 - 0. 
HB 1519, A bill to amend Article 3 of Chapter 13 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the excise tax on the furnishing for value to the public of any rooms, lodgings, or accommodations, so as to change certain provisions regarding the levy and collection of such tax; to provide authorization with certain conditions for certain counties and municipalities to levy such tax; passed 154 - 5. 
HB 1525, A bill to amend Chapter 1 of Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding the General Assembly, Chapter 3 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to laws and statutes, and Chapter 36 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to annexation, so as to change procedures and enactment requirements regarding local bills; to change certain limitations with respect to effective dates of local bills; passed 160 - 0. 
HR 1111, A resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide that the General Assembly shall be authorized to provide by general law for the separate classification and taxation of properties on which there have been releases of hazardous waste, hazardous constituents, and hazardous substances into the environment; to provide for a setoff of all or a portion of the costs associated with remedial action against any increase in ad valorem taxation resulting from such remedial action; passed 165 - 0. 
To view legislation click here 
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