HB 540 - Elections; remove references to ballot cards; provisions
-Bill Summary: HB 540 relates to primaries and elections generally, so as to remove references to ballot cards; to provide a time within which financial institutions must certify wrongful dishonor of candidate qualifying checks.
- Authored By: Rep. Austin Scott of the 153rd
- House Committee: Governmental Affairs
- Yeas: 91; Nays: 72
- Adoption of the conference committee report by both House & Senate represents final passage of this bill.
HB 948 - General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011
-Bill Summary: HB 948 will make and provide appropriations for the State Fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010 and ending June 30, 2011.
- Authored By: Rep. David Ralston of the 7th
- House Committee: Appropriations
- Yeas: 137; Nays: 33
- Adoption of the conference committee report by both House & Senate represents final passage of this bill.
HB 1069 - Income tax; credits for equipment that reduces energy or water usage; provide
-Bill Summary: HB 1069 provides for an income tax credit for taxpayers that purchase certain energy or water efficient equipment as part of new construction or for retrofit in the year the equipment is placed in service. The amount of the credit is 25% of the cost of the equipment or $2,500, whichever is less. Eligible equipment includes energy and water efficient equipment certified by the commissioner of natural resources as effective in reducing business or domestic energy or water usage. Tax credits allowed shall not exceed a taxpayers' income tax liability, and unused credits may be carried forward for five years. The aggregate amount of the tax credits that shall be allowed is limited to the amount of federal funds granted to Georgia for this purpose, and these credits will only be granted in years such federal funds are granted. After purchase of the equipment, the taxpayer must submit an application to the Dept. of Revenue for approval of the credit, and the credits will be allowed on a first come, first served basis.
- Authored By: Rep. Joe Wilkinson of the 52nd
- House Committee: Ways & Means
- Yeas: 97; Nays: 62
- Adoption of the conference committee report by both House & Senate represents final passage of this bill.
HB 1104 - Juvenile proceedings; graduated sanctions and secure detention for probation violators; provisions
-Bill Summary: HB 1104 relates to juvenile proceedings, so as to provide for graduated sanctions and secure detention for children who violate the terms of their probation; to define terms; to provide for an administrative procedure for hearing alleged violations of probation; to change provisions relating to dispositions for delinquent children.
- Authored By: Rep. Jimmy Pruett of the 144th
- House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil
- Yeas: 150; Nays: 1
- Adoption of the conference committee report by both House & Senate represents final passage of this bill.
HB 1195 - Labor and industrial relations; Georgia Workforce Investment Board; create
- Bill Summary: HB 1195 codifies the Georgia Workforce Investment Board that was created by a 2206 Executive Order, as well as providing for the membership of said board, its powers, functions and funding. Further, it establishes the Governor's Office of Workforce Development and Georgia Work Ready. This bill shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval. All funding is federal. No state dollars will be spent.
- Authored By: Rep. Terry England of the 108th
- House Committee: Industrial Relations
- Yeas: 150; Nays: 7
- Adoption of the conference committee report by both House & Senate represents final passage of this bill.
SB 238 - Board of Regents Scholarship; authorize additional types of student financial assistance for medical/dental students; Medical College of Ga.
- Bill Summary: Senate Bill 238 grants the board of regents the authority to grant financial assistance to medical and dental students at the Medical College of Georgia by way of service cancelable loans to help with the cost of tuition.
Students after the completion of their study program then are required to reside, and work in the state of Georgia for a one year period per $1,000 dollars awarded. In the event that any portion is not paid through service then the recipient is then required to repay the amount by twice the amount of the remainder of the loan.
The board of regents already has the ability to grant such financial assistance to other qualified students for their servitude to Georgia. This bill simply expands the programs eligible to medical and dental students.
- Authored By: Sen. Seth Harp of the 29th
- House Committee: Higher Education
- Yeas: 100; Nays: 43
- Adoption of the conference committee report by both House & Senate represents final passage of this bill.
SB 308 - Firearms; carrying and possession; change provisions; definitions
- Bill Summary: This bill clarifies Georgia law regarding where a person who has a license to carry a weapon may or may not do so.
Section 1-1 provides definitions for the following terms as used in Code section 16-11-127: handgun, knife, license holder, long gun, weapon, and weapons carry license.
The bill maintains current law regarding persons having weapons on their own property, the manner of carrying openly, and reciprocity with other states.
The bill removes current language which prohibits persons from carrying weapons to "public gatherings" and provides that persons may not carry in: houses of worship, courthouses, jails or prisons, government buildings, state mental health facilities, bars, unless specifically permitted by the owner, or within 150 feet of a polling place. The bill also provides that it is not prohibited for a licensed person to have a weapon locked in a vehicle at those aforementioned location's parking facilities.
The bill provides that private property owners have the authority to determine whether persons shall have the right to carry on his or her property.
The bill maintains current provisions prohibiting weapons in schools, including colleges and universities, but removes the 1,000 foot "gun free school zone" provision.
Persons prohibited from receiving or retaining a license include those who are less than 21 years old, are prohibited under federal law, have a felony conviction, or have been convicted of specific misdemeanors.
Probate courts have five rather than three days to take certain administrative steps in the application process.
The state will have the authority to require licenses have covert and overt security features, such as holographic imaging and photographs of licensees, effective January 1, 2012. The fee for a license is increased to $30.00. It will be an offense to possess a counterfeit license with intent to represent the information.
If a person takes legal action to challenge a rejected application, the applicant may sue for reasonable attorney fees. The new language provides the fees are only available upon showing the denial lacked substantial justification.
- Authored By: Sen. Mitch Seabaugh of the 28th
- House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil
- Yeas: 118; Nays: 44
- Adoption of the conference committee report by both House & Senate represents final passage of this bill.
SB 360 - Motor Vehicles; prohibit persons 18 years of age or younger from using wireless telecommunications devices; text messages
-Bill Summary: SB 360 relates to motor vehicles and traffic, so as to prohibit persons 18 years of age or younger from using wireless telecommunications devices for sending or receiving text messages while operating a motor vehicle; to provide penalties for violations; to change certain provisions relating to a driver's exercise of due care.
- Authored By: Sen. Jack Murphy of the 27th
- House Committee: Public Safety and Homeland Security
- Yeas: 133; Nays: 24
- Adoption of the conference committee report by both House & Senate represents final passage of this bill.
HB 23 - Motor vehicles; cell phones; text messaging; prohibit use
- Bill Summary: HB 23 prohibits the use of cell phones and similar electronic devices by class D driver's license holders under the age of eighteen. Penalties for violation include a fine of not more than $100 and not less than $50 as well as 2 points on the offender's driving record.
The Senate Public Safety Committee substitute to HB 23 makes violation of its provisions a flat $150 fine. It changes the point accumulation on the license to 1 point from 2. And, finally, it removes the automatic suspension of the license if the driver is involved in an accident.
- Authored By: Rep. Matt Ramsey of the 72nd
- House Committee: Motor Vehicles
- A motion to agree represents final passage of this bill.
HB 1005 - Special license plates; Zoo Atlanta; provide
- Bill Summary: HB 1005 creates specialty license plates to benefit Zoo Atlanta and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
- Authored By: Rep. Katie M. Dempsey of the 13th
- House Committee: Motor Vehicles
- A motion to agree represents final passage of this bill.
HB 1012 - Special license plates; service members killed in action; expand definition
- Bill Summary: HB 1012 expands the provisions of the Gold Star specialty license plate. Currently, only the spouse, mother, or father of a fallen service member may apply for the Gold Star plate. Under HB 1012, siblings and step-parents will also be able to obtain this plate. However, the plates will not be free for siblings or step-parents.
- Authored By: Rep. Billy Horne of the 71st
- House Committee: Motor Vehicles
- A motion to agree as amended by the House sent this bill back to the Senate for consideration. The Senate agreed to the House amendment so this bill received Final Passage.
HB 1050 - Real estate appraisers; appraisal management companies; add regulations
- Bill Summary: This bill requires the Real Estate Appraisal Management Companies to register with the Georgia Real Estate Appraisers Board. It further establishes certain standards and requirements for the registration and operation of such appraisal management companies and authorizes the Board to regulate such companies. This bill also outlines prohibited activities and authorizes the Board to take disciplinary actions against companies that violate such provisions.
- Authored By: Rep. Tommy Benton of the 31st
- House Committee: Regulated Industries
- A motion to agree represents final passage of this bill.
SB 239 - Education; mandatory attendance; provisions; require new residents in a local school system to enroll a child within 30 days
- Bill Summary: Senate Bill 239 relates to attendance and enrollment policies within schools systems for youth between the ages of six and sixteen. Parents or guardians are allotted a 30 day grace period to enroll students into a school once they have moved into a new district. If a parent or guardian causes a child to accumulate 5 or more days of unexcused absences or any similar attendance policy violations, they will be held responsible. Such parents or guardians could be guilty of a misdemeanor, subject to monetary fines, imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, community service or any combination of.
- Authored By: Sen. Ronald B. Ramsey, Sr. of the 43rd
- House Committee: Education
- A motion to agree represents final passage of this bill.
SB 299 - Juvenile Proceedings; zero tolerance policy on weapons in schools; change provisions
- Bill Summary: This bill changes provisions regarding the zero tolerance policy on weapons in schools, but only for cases involving children. Currently, school administrators are not given the opportunity to use any discretion in applying the policy. This bill will provide needed flexibility.
- Authored By: Sen. Emanuel Jones of the 10th
- House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil
- Rule: Modified-Structured
- Yeas: 156; Nays: 0
