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Under the Gold Dome
January 25-29, 2010
Week 3 |
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League of Women Voters of Georgia
100 Edgewood Avenue Northeast
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
404-522-4598 |
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Nonpartisan News From The Georgia Capitol
Published weekly by the League of Women Voters of Georgia Education Fund
Editor: Tracey-Ann Nelson
Know the Issues. Join the Conversation. Make a Difference. |
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Jobs for Georgia
Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (Dist. 21)and State Representative Tom Graves (Dist. 12) introduced the Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2010 (JOBS Act of 2010) this week. HB 1023 and HB 1024 are designed to stimulate Georgia's economy by providing tax credits, cuts and incentives to create, expand and attract new businesses in Georgia.
HB 1023 contains eight initiatives that are designed to spur job growth. These include a 50% tax credit for an "Angel Investor", anyone who invests in a small business in Georgia or starts up Georgia businesses with 20 or fewer employees, a $2,400 tax credit for the hiring of the most difficult to employ as well as unemployed, and a quarterly credit towards unemployment insurance tax for each eligible employee hired who was receiving state unemployment benefits. The income tax credits would be available after two years of investment. The total "Angel Investor" tax credit pool would be limited to $10 million per year (adjusted for inflation).
The legislation also calls for the creation of the "Year for Georgia Entrepreneurs," allowing Georgians the opportunity to start a new business with no state fees. It also eliminates the net worth tax law that taxes wealth accumulation. The Tax Foundation advocates the elimination of this tax as Georgia is only one of a handful of states that still retains the net worth tax.
Additionally, this bill triggers a 50% reduction of the capital gains tax for all Georgia taxpayers. Georgia currently has the 15th highest capital gains tax in the country and the 2nd highest in the Southeast, while two of our neighboring states, Tennessee and Florida, are at 0%.
Legislators plan to introduce further bills that would do the following: give tax credits for companies that hire the currently unemployed and cut the capital gains tax in half if the state can afford it.
Rogers (Dist. 21) said, "This legislation should be like a bright neon sign, telling the world Georgia is open for business and open for investment. These difficult economic times call for bold action. Giving Georgia entrepreneurs the freedom they need to do business will be the key to a prosperous Georgia with good high paying jobs."
HB 1024 contains calls for the gradual phase out of the sales tax deposit on small businesses and phases out a tax deposit that is required for Georgia businesses. According to the bills authors, once HB 1023 is implemented nearly $200 million of working capital would be returned to Georgia's small businesses that is held on deposit with the state. |
House and Senate Calendar
The 9th day of the Legislative session will be Monday, February 1st. |
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Texting Ban to be Studied
HB 938 - Rep. Peake (Dist. 137) Legislation to ban texting while driving was slowed down yesterday due to questions over enforcement, which then led to the creation of a study committee.
A proposed House bill that would ban people from sending or reading text messages while driving has hit a bump in the road. Stumped by questions about how the new law would be enforced and how a police officer would determine if someone was sending a text message as opposed to say, making a phone call, forced the House of Representative's Public Safety committee to send the bill to a study committee.
"This is a valid question," said Rep. Allen Peake (Dist. 137), the author of one of two bills that would ban texting. Peake, along with Rep. Amos Amerson (Dist. 9), both testified Wednesday about their similar bills that would ban texting, while imposing healthy fines and points on an offender's driver's license. However, committee chairman Rep. Burke Day (Dist. 163) said, based on the number of questions, it would be best to further study both bills and refine them into one.
Two weeks ago, the two House members dropped the no texting bills. Peake's bill, HB 938, says that anyone found guilty of writing, sending or reading a text message while driving would be fined $50 to $100 and have two points placed on their driver's license. Amerson's bill, HB 945, places the fine at $300.
Usually, creation of a study committee is a signal that a bill is likely dead. | |
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You are invited to
League Legislative Day
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
8:00am - 12:00pm
Loudermilk Center
40 Courtland Street SE
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 507-1690
Invited Guests:
Governor & Mrs. Perdue
House Speaker,
David Ralston
Speaker Pro Tem,
Jan Jones
Mayor of Atlanta,
Kasim Reed
Continental Breakfast Served
Parking Available
RSVP 404-522-4598 or
escott@lwvga.org |
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Lawsuit Challenging HB251
By Stephen Gurr of the Gainesville Sun
Former Gainesville school board member Kelvin Simmons has filed a federal lawsuit challenging a state law that barred him from seeking re-election.
Simmons and Bartow County Board of Education Chairman Lamar Grizzle are plaintiffs in the suit against Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp and the State Election Board. The anti-nepotism provision was included in HB 251 that also addressed child enrollment options.
The suit alleges the law likely prevents more than 10,000 Georgia residents with relatives who are school administrators from seeking a school board post. The lawsuit also challenges the law on the grounds that the House bill violated a state constitutional prohibition against addressing two distinctly different subjects - in this case school choice and nepotism - in the same bill. | |
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Legislation
JUDICIARY
SB 131 - Sen. Hamrick (Dist. 30) - Revisions to the Georgia Trust Code. This would adopt the uniform trust code that was developed by the uniform law commission. Status: House Committee Favorably Reported
GUNS
HB 615 - Rep. Bearden (Dist. 68) - Firearms Act/ Carrying of Concealed Weapons. Allows the governor to suspend or limit the sale of firearms during states of emergency. Status: House 2nd Readers
HB 1015 - Rep. Golick (Dist 34) - Street gang terrorism and prevention. Strengthens sentencing for persons who are found guilty of being involved with gang and gang related activities. Status: House 1st readers
HEALTH
SR 795 - Sen. Harp (Dist. 29) - Proposed Constitutional Amendment stating that no law can be passed that restricts a person's freedom of choice of private health care, interferes with a person's right to pay for lawful medical services, or imposes a penalty or fine for choosing to obtain or decline health care coverage. Status: Senate Read and Referred
HB 172 - Rep. Maxwell (Dist. 17) - Reexamines people receiving disability benefits under the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia and provides that the amount earnable by certain disabled members shall include certain payments that the beneficiary receives from workers' compensation. Status: Senate Recommitted
SB 315 - Sen. Preston (Dist. 52) - Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act. Standardizes regulations that allow health practitioners, licensed from Georgia or other states, to volunteer during a state of emergency. Also provides that volunteer physicians shall not be liable for damages to disaster victims unless such an act or omission is intentional. Status: Senate Committee Favorably Reported
ENVIRONMENT
HB 1039 - Rep. Buckner (Dist. 130) - Changes the state restrictions and adds exemptions on outdoor watering policy. Prohibits watering between the hours of 10 A.M. and 6 P.M. daily. Exceptions include agricultural purposes, storm/waste water collection and use, personal food garden irrigation, and new landscape installation. Status: House Hopper
TAXES
HB 951, HB 952, and HB 953 - Rep. Smith (Dist. 70) - Proposes exemptions from state sales and use tax on school supplies, clothing, footwear, computers, and computer related accessories for a limited period of time. Additional tax exemptions include sales of certain energy efficient products or water efficient products for a limited period of time. Status: House Second Readers |
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KEY
HB- House Bill HR- House Resolution
SB- Senate Bill SR- Senate Resolution CA-Constitutional Amendment
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The League of Women Voters of Georgia, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major policy issues and influences public policy.
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