Georgia Power, the private, shareholder-owned utility company, supported legislation this year to force their customers to prepay $2 billion in "finance" costs on the construction of new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle, near Augusta.
 
Georgia Power customers will prepay these costs from 2011 to 2017 - before these nuclear reactors are built, or running, or generating any benefit.  Let the Governor know how you stand on this issue.

 

House Bill 388 (HB 388-Mills) Option of Adoption Act: HB 388 would establish procedures for embryo adoption and elevate the legal status of an embryo (beginning at fertilization) to that of a child.  This bill would create a
cumbersome adoption process that would discourage people from donating embryos and establishes "personhood" for a fertilized egg. UPDATE: A
substitute bill that does NOT have the language elevating the legal status of an embryo passed out of the Judiciary Subcommittee and the full Judiciary Committee on March 6th.  It was passed by the House on March 12th and has
been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senate Bill 169 (SB 169 - Hudgens) Ethical Treatment of Human Embryos: SB 169 would unduly regulate infertility facilities and their treatments; ban cloning and stem cell research; elevate the legal status of an embryo; restrict unused embryo options and eliminate compensation for egg and sperm donors. UPDATE: On March 5th, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted 12-3 to send the bill to a special subcommittee consisting of Senators Smith (chair), Unterman, Wiles and Adelman. The bill was rewritten in special subcommittee by Senator Smith. Much of the original language was removed but the revised bill would ban cloning and stem cell research and would elevate the legal status of an embryo. It passed out of the special subcommittee and narrowly passed out of the full Senate Health and Human Services Committee on March 9th.  The bill was the major focus of crossover day. After much debate on the Senate floor a motion to table the bill passed on a vote of 30-26. During a Senate recess a substitute bill was drafted by Senator Smith. Following the recess a motion passed to take the bill from the table
and the substitute bill passed 34-22. The bill moves to the House.

 

HB 243- was adopted in the House by a vote of 92-79.  The bill would repeal the salary increase for persons receiving certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  If this bill becomes law, Georgia will be the only state in the nation not to have National Board of Certification for teachers.  2,500 educators have gone through the successful program, thereby providing our students the exceptional training they need to succeed in a 21st century global economy.

 

HB 509- was adopted in the House by a vote of 140 24.  The bill would add one consumer member onto the State Medical Board.

 

SB 57- was adopted in the Senate by a vote of 43-9.  The bill would ban prepayment penalties on subprime loans, requires lenders to verify a borrower's income and bans kickbacks for mortgage brokers.

 

HB 568- was adopted in the House by a vote of 91-85.  The bill would eliminate the rotating one-year term for the PSC chairman position.  Instead, the PSC chairman would be an elected position serving a three-year term - with no term limits.

 

HB 417- was adopted in the House by a vote of 155-13.  The bill would require that in the event of a dispute or complaint wherein an insurer provided any material in a language other than English, the English language version of the policy shall control the resolution of the dispute or complaint.

HB 381- was unanimously adopted in the House.  The bill would require the county board of health to contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture if they suspect violations within 'food processing plants' and to contact the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service if the processing plant in question is operating under a federal grant of inspection from the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.

SB 17- was unanimously adopted in the Senate.  The bill would increase filing fees and fines for campaign disclosure reports, financial disclosure statements, and lobbyist disclosure reports that are filed late.

SB 7- was adopted in the Senate by a vote of 50-1.  The bill would require that an oath be taken if the legislative chair requires it for testimony to be given in any committee or subcommittee of the General Assembly, legislators excluded. Witnesses could be guilty of a perjury charge on the material facts, a $1000 fine and 1-5 years incarceration.

HB 323- was unanimously adopted in the House.  The bill would extend the period of review for the Supreme Court's consideration of applications for pretrial proceedings in cases in which the death penalty is sought form 20 days to 45 days.

SB 36- was unanimously adopted in the Senate.  The bill provides for the adoption of codes of ethics to govern members of local boards of education and for an annual review of those codes.

HB 123- was adopted in the House by a vote of 157-3.  The bill would expand the definition of "child molestation" to include abuses through direct or indirect contact between the accused and the victim, including contact by electronic means, the Internet, or telephone.

SB 67- was adopted in the Senate by a vote of 37-14.  The bill would require all written and oral drivers license examinations shall be administered only in the English language; except for persons eligible for a temporary license.

HB 248- was adopted in the House by a vote of 166-1.  The bill would allow hazardous waste sites that meet specific criteria to voluntarily design their own remediation and cleanup.

HB 481-was adopted in the House by a vote of 164-4.  The bill would provide an income tax credit of $2400 for each employee who had previously been unemployed and who stays on the job for 24 months. Suspends new business registration fees with the Secretary of State. Creates a tax credit of $500 per employee against unemployment insurance taxes for hiring an unemployed worker. A sales tax deposit of estimated sales tax collections of one month is eliminated.

SR 453- was adopted in the Senate by a vote of 44-8.  The resolution creates a two year 18 member study committee to study the state tax structure. Six members appointed by Lt. Governor, six by Speaker, and six by governor. Each appointer must select an ordinary taxpayer among their six appointees.

HB 480- was adopted in the House by a vote of 133-39.  Starting 2010, motor vehicles titled in Georgia will not be subject to sales tax or ad valorem tax, but to a one-time state and local title fee in the amount of the lesser of $2000 or 7% of the value of the vehicle. Salvage titles will be subject to a $20 title fee only. Motor vehicles titled prior to 2010 will continue to pay ad valorem taxes. This legislation also includes the intent of the General Assembly to use $150 million (or $50 per title) of the state title fee revenues to fund trauma.

HB 44- was unanimously adopted in the House.  The bill would provide the application of zero-based budgeting to the budgeting process. The Office of Planning and Budget will determine which programs will be subject to zero-based budget recommendations in each year, which will occur no more than once every three years, but no less than once every four years. It also provides analysis of department and program objectives, considers alternative funding levels, and develops priority lists for departments. Also specifically states that the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia is considered a budget unit and will be periodically subject to zero-based budgeting.