Weekly report [No. 6 (2005)]

GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Communications Office
Room 609, Legislative Office Building 404-656-0305
WEEKLY REPORT

February 14 - 18, 2005

Legislative Week # 6

This Week on the Floor:

Friday, Feb.18

HB 54

Septic tank waste; regulation and permitting; certain land disposal

sites - This bill is meant to clarify a grand fathering provision intended in

the original legislation passed in 2002, by explicitly stating that, "...no

such approval [of a governing authority in the county in which a site is

located] shall be required if such site was in operation as of July 1,

2002..."

- Bill sponsored by Rep. Alan Powell (D-Hartwell)

- Rep. Carl Rogers (R-Gainesville) presented the bill to the House

- Floor Amendments: None

- Yeas: 138 Nays: 9

HB 266

Chiropractors; board of examiners; additional authority; to correct language in last year's legislation regarding disciplinary action taken regarding any licensee advertising violations not defined in the rules of the board. - Bill sponsored by Rep. Joe Wilkinson (R-Sandy Springs) - Rep. Joe Wilkson presented the bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 143 Nays: 2

SB 87

Georgia Seed Law; preempt certain local ordinances; exemptions This bill comes as a response to counties in other states enacting local ordinances that would ban the planting of genetically modified seed stock. This bill would preempt local governments from enacting ordinances relating to the labeling, packaging, sale, storage, transportation, distribution, notification of use, or use of seeds. - Sponsored by Sen. John Bulloch (R- Ochlocknee) - Kemp of the 46th Amends: Adds new code section 2-11-35 - Passed by Committee Substitute - Rep. Tom McCall (R-Elberton) presented the bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 117 Nays: 36

SB 88

Georgia Fertilizer Act; preempt certain local ordinances; exemptions - This bill would preempt local governments from enacting ordinances relating to the registration, labeling, packaging, sale, storage, transportation, distribution, use, or application of fertilizer. - Sponsored by Sen. John Bulloch (R-Ochlocknee) - Passed by Committee Substitute - Rep. Tom McCall (R-Elberton) presented the bill to the House - Floor Amendments: - Yeas: 130 Nays: 27

Thursday, Feb.17

HB 155

Managerial control over acquisition of professional services; amend

provisions - This legislation relates to managerial control over acquisition

of professional services to provide control by the state for qualified

professionals to be considered for contract.

- Passed committee with committee substitute

- Sponsored by Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs)

- Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs) presented this bill to the House

- Floor Amendments: None

- Yeas: 158 Nays: 0

HB 188

Registered sexual offender; publish photo in legal organ This bill will allow local newspapers to publish the picture of people who have been put on sexual offender registration list. - Sponsored by Rep. Sue Burmeister (R-Augusta) - Rep. Burmeister (R-Augusta) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: Adopted w/out objection -AM 221118 - to use photograph upon registration of sexual offender; new photograph every time offender has to register or re-register - Yeas: 157 Nays: 0

HB 195

Parental rights; petitions to terminate; change provisions Bill aims to move kids faster through foster care into adoptive homes. It sets a time limit of 90 days for juvenile courts to hold a hearing concerning the termination of parental rights, and 30 days after the hearing to render a decision - Sponsored Rep. Barry Fleming (R-Harlem) - Bill Passed Committee unanimously - Rep. Barry Fleming (R-Harlem) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 154 Nays: 0

HB 201

Veterinarians; boarders of animals; liens for treatment - relating to liens of veterinarians and boarders of animals, so as to change certain provisions relating to liens for treatment, board, or care of animals and right to retain possession - Sponsored by Rep. Tom McCall (R-Elberton) - Rep. Tom McCall (R-Elberton) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None

HB 222 HB 264 HB 289
SB 33

- Yeas: 154 Nays: 0
Criminal procedure; discovery in felony cases; change certain provisions - discovery in felony cases to apply to juvenile proceedings - Sponsored by Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Atlanta) - Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Atlanta) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 155 Nays: 0
Commission on Interstate Cooperation; change certain provisions - as to change certain provisions relating to creation and membership of the Georgia Commission on Interstate Cooperation - Sponsored by Rep. Ron Forster (R-Ringgold) - Rep. Ron Forster (R-Ringgold) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 152 Nays: 0
Pardons and paroles, Board of; allow certain employees assist law enforcement; This bill would extend the provisions which provided that a majority of the members of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles upon issuance of an executive order by the Governor - could confer upon its employees all the powers of law enforcement officer of this State to aid Federal, State and Local authorities in the preservation of order and peace. - Sponsored by Rep. Burke Day (R-Tybee Island) - Rep. Burke Day (R-Tybee Island) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 164 Nays: 0
Georgia Virtual School; authorize establishment; enrollment determination; rules/regulations - The Governor's Georgia Virtual School bill Authorizes the State Department of Education to create the Virtual School. The Georgia Virtual School will provide courses over the Internet to Georgia students. The students will interact with a teacher through email and phone. The DOE will make available over 60 high school courses, including over 12 AP courses. The Georgia Virtual School will be financed via QBE. The school day is divided into 6 segments. For each course that a student takes from the Georgia Virtual School, the DOE will receive one-sixth of the QBE funding dedicated to that student. Students who take courses from the Georgia Virtual School outside of the school day will be charged tuition, as is the case for summer school, for example, when offered by a public school system. This bill will ensure that the full complement of AP and other advanced courses are available to every student in Georgia, regardless of where they live. The Senate Education committee amended the bill to clearly state that these courses will be provided free of charge to all Georgia high school students, which includes non-public school students. The cost of educating these non-public school students will not come out of the budgets of local school systems. The state DOE will report a student count and be funded based on that student count; thus, these students will

be funded out of the state treasury. The maximum of 6 courses was taken out by the House subcommittee. - Presented to Rules Committee by: Rep. Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth), Chairman of the House Education Committee - Presented to Education Committee by: Dr. Ben Scafadi of the Governor's Office - Bill Sponsored by Sen. Dan Moody (R-Alpharetta) - Rep. Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: AM 330242 was not adopted by vote of Y-68:N-95 - Yeas: 166 Nays: 1

HB 282

Income tax; deductions; purchases treated as expenses under federal law - so as to provide deductions in determining individual and corporate taxable net income for certain purchases which may be treated as expenses under federal law - Sponsored by Rep. Jay Roberts (R-Ocilla) - Rep. Jay Roberts (R-Ocilla) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 157 Nays: 0

Wednesday, Feb. 16

HB 20

Motor vehicles; window tint restrictions; provisions - relating to

equipment of motor vehicles generally, so as to repeal and reenact certain

provisions regarding window tint restrictions; to provide for definitions; to

regulate the application or affixing of light transmission reducing material

or glazing; to provide for criminal penalties; to provide for powers, duties,

and authority of the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety

- Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Woodstock) presented this bill to the House

- Floor Amendments: None offered

- Yeas: 125 Nays: 33

HB 98

"The Georgia Land Conservation Act", unanimously passed the House with a vote 174:0 earlier this session, and recently passed the Senate with amendments. The bill, sponsored by Rich Golick (R-Smyrna), Governor Perdue's Floor Leader, creates the Georgia Land Conservation Council, a Trust Fund, and a Revolving Fund to provide local cities, counties, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources grants and/or loans, if eligible, to purchase land for conservation purposes. - Motion to agree to Senate Amendments: Yeas: 158 Nays: 1

HB 166

"Health Share" Volunteers in Medicine Act; enact - relating to the care and protection of indigent and elderly patients, so as to enact the "'Health Share' Volunteers in Medicine Act"; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for definitions; to provide for contracts between health care providers and governmental contractors; to provide uncompensated health care services to low-income persons; to provide for notice requirements to patients; to provide for volunteers providing support services; to provide for applicability of benefits; to provide for a report on claim statistics; to provide for an annual report by the

Department of Community Health to certain legislative officers; to provide for liability coverage for claims and defense of litigation; to provide for the establishment of rules and regulations - Rep. Mickey Channell (D-Greensboro) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None passing - Yeas: 145 Nays: 19

HB 178

Retirement and Pensions Code; corrections - relating to retirement and pensions, so as to correct typographical, stylistic, and other errors and omissions, as well as spelling and capitalization in Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated and in Acts of the General Assembly - Rep. Ben Bridges (R-Cleveland) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 157 Nays: 0

HB 196

Common sense Consumption Act; housekeeping bill; update to ALEC
model
- Rep. Bob Smith (R-Watkinsville) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: 1st Amendment adopted w/out objection
- Yeas: 154 Nays: 8

HB 246

Prescription drug orders; electronic transmission; amend provisions; housekeeping bill addressing legislation passed last year dealing with electronic orders of prescription drugs. - Rep. David Graves (R-Macon) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None offered - Yeas: 160 Nays: 0

HB 273

Flex Auto Lanes; authorize DOT to implement - Authorizes implementation of Flex Lanes (using shoulder of an interstate highway) in Georgia; comes to the Floor by committee substitute - Rep. John Lunsford (R-McDonough) presented this bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None adopted - Yeas: 103 Nays: 57

Tuesday, Feb. 15

HB 1

Bona fide conservation use property; breach of covenant; exceptions -

this legislation provides that leasing no more than six acres of the property

subject to the conservation use covenant for the purpose of placing a cell

phone transmission tower will not result in a breach of the covenant.

- Rep. Richard Royal (D-Camilla) presented the bill to the House

- Passed by Committee Substitute

HB 180

Human Resources; criminal history information; provisions - Allows DHR to receive criminal history information, including arrest and conviction data, which is relevant to any adult person who resides in a home where children in custody of DHR have been or may be placed. - Rep. Judy Manning (R-Marietta) presented the bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None

HB 200
HB 212 HB 217 HB 272 HB 298

- Yeas: 158 Nays: 0
Subsequent Injury Trust Fund; reimbursement; dissolution - relating to the Subsequent Injury Trust Fund, so as to provide that the Subsequent Injury Trust Fund shall not reimburse a self-insured employer or an insurer for an injury occurring after April 15, 2005, for which a claim is made after April 15, 2005; to provide that the fund shall continue to reimburse self-insured employers and insurers for claims made prior to April 15, 2005; - Rep. Mike Coan (R-Lawrenceville) presented the bill to the House - Floor Amendments: AM 221115 by Rep. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody),
which removed all occurrences of the date April 15, 2005 and replaced that date with December 31, 2005. - Amendment passed by vote of 82:81; Motion to reconsider amendment failed 70:93 - Yeas: 163 Nays: 2
Juvenile court; guardian ad litem; training for deprivation cases Requires certain training for guardians ad litem appointed for children in deprivation cases. - Rep. Judy Manning (R-Marietta) presented the bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 167 Nays: 0
Athletic trainers; service in schools; licensing requirements; exception - relating to athletic trainers, so as to provide that students, teachers, or other persons who serve as athletic trainers for a public or private elementary school or high school in this state must be licensed as an athletic trainer; to provide an exception for a student-trainer, assistanttrainer, or similar person who functions under the advice, consent, and supervision of a physician or a licensed athletic trainer; - Rep. Jay Neal (R-Lafayette) presented the bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 161 Nays: 2
Educational and living expense grants; foster and adopted children; eligibility - The grant is available to pay tuition, student fees and a costof-living expense for any undergraduate program at any of Georgia's pubic postsecondary institutions. - Rep. Bill Hembree (R-Douglasville) presented the bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 161 Nays: 1
Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation and Georgia Student Finance Authority; certain powers - It would increase their debt capacity, give them the ability to indemnify other parties and have collection tools to go after students who have defaulted on loans. - Rep. Bill Hembree (R-Douglasville) presented the bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None

- Yeas: 150 Nays: 2

HB 319

Retirement; large retirement systems; invest in securities - Bill would allow large retirement systems to invest, only in the same types of investments currently allowed by statute, but with more flexibility through the use of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). - Rep. Ben Bridges (R-Cleveland) presented the bill to the House - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 147 Nays: 3

Monday, Feb. 14

HB 184

Residential and General Contractors State Licensing Board;

membership - relating to creation of State Licensing Board for

Residential and General Contractors, so as to change the manner of

appointment of members of the board; to provide for related matters; to

provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other

purposes.

- Rep. Austin Scott (R-Tifton) presented bill

- Floor Amendments: None

- Yeas: 130 Nays: 33

HB 296

Family Court Division; Superior Court of Fulton County; pilot
project - relating to courts, so as to authorize the Family Court Division
of the Superior Court of Fulton County in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit as a pilot project of limited duration; - Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Atlanta) presented bill - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 165 Nays: 0

HR 66

SBA regulations of certain nonprofit corporations; service area include entire state a resolution providing that the Department of Community Affairs may provide that the service area of any nonprofit corporation created by a regional development center and designated as a certified development company by the federal Small Business Administration may include all or part of the entire State of Georgia solely for the purpose of providing authorized program services in accordance with SBA regulations; - Rep. Tommy Smith (R-Nicholls) presented bill - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 156 Nays: 0

HB 293

State Accounting Office; create - so as to create the State Accounting Office; to provide for a state accounting officer; to provide for the appointment and removal of such officer; to provide for staff and offices; to provide for duties and responsibilities of such officer; - Rep. Larry O'Neal (R-Warner Robbins) presented bill - Floor Amendments: None - Yeas: 154 Nays: 10

* The House is not in session on Monday, Feb. 21, for President's Day, but will be back in session on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 22 at 1:00pm for its 22nd Legislative Day.
Next Week in the Rules Committee:
The House Rules Committee will NOT meet on Monday Feb. 21 due to "President's Day."
The Rules Committee WILL meet on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 11:00am.
* Bills and Resolutions that are passed by the Rules Committee will not be added to the House Rules/Debate Calendar until the next legislative day.
Contact: Brent Cranfield House Communications (404) 656- 0305 bcranfield@legis.state.ga.us