First week of the 2012 Legislative Session comes to an end.

Lawmakers were focused on starting the long holiday weekend early as both the House and Senate convened just after 9:00 a.m. today.  Next week, the Joint Appropriations Committee will meet on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in an effort to get some background on the Governor's Budget recommendations and hear directly from the departments and agencies on his proposals for FY 2012 Amended and FY 2013. 

There is no Committee News today as no Committee meetings were held. 

Legislative News

House

After Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) called the House to order, Rep. Robert Dickey (R-Musella) introduced the Chaplain of the Day, Pastor Joe McDaniel of Musella Baptist Church.  Upon completion of the Pledge of Allegiance, Rep. Chuck Sims (R-Ambrose) made an announcement warning representatives to be aware of any population Bills that could affect their county exemptions.  The House then took action on HB 253 after it was presented by Rep. Doug Collins (R-Gainesville), which would give the Department of Public Safety authorization to sell its motor vehicles.  Rep. Collins asked the representatives to agree to the Senate substitute.  After being put to a vote, HB 253 passed 149 to zero.  Rep. Billy Mitchell (D-Stone Mountain) then requested that HB 673 be moved from the House Education Committee to the House Health and Human Services Committee.  Without objection, his request was granted.  The House will convene again at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, January 23, 2012. 

Senate

The Senate session did not last long at all today.  After a morning devotional, the Senate Secretary read several privileged Resolutions.  The Doctor of Day was then introduced as Zenobia Day, M.D. and she serves as Medical Director at the Morehouse School of Medicine.  The Senate will convene again at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, January 23, 2012. 

New Legislation

HB 713 - Rep. Randy Nix (R-LaGrange) proposed this Bill which would amend Chapter 2 of Title 20.  The Bill would delay implementation of some career and college readiness initiatives until the 2013-2014 school year, require career education in grades kindergarten through 12, and change the mandated assessment for postsecondary readiness to the end of the eleventh grade.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HB/713

HB 714 - Rep. Amos Amerson (R-Dahlonega) brought forth this initiative which would require every health club in the State to have at least one functional automated external defibrillator on site at such facility at all times for use during emergencies.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HB/714   

HB 715 - Rep. Lynne Riley (R-Johns Creek) authored this Bill which would amend Article 6 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 by placing limitations on certain contracts to assess and collect municipal taxes and prepare tax digests.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HB/715 

HB 716 - Rep. Ralph Long (D-Atlanta) introduced this Bill to amend Title 12 by providing collective emissions limitations for facilities emitting pentachlorophenol near primary and secondary schools.  It would also define pentachlorophenol and create penalties for noncompliance with such emissions limitations.   www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HB/716  [This legislation has been proposed previously by Rep. Long in 2009 and again in 2010.]

HB 717 - Rep. Penny Houston (R-Nashville) offered this piece of legislation which would amend Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 4 by creating criminal penalties for dog owners who fail to secure their dog and when that dog then inflicts severe injury or death on a human being.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HB/717   

HB 718 - Rep. Allen Peake (R-Macon) submitted this Bill which would create the "Georgia Capital Acceleration Authority." This initiative is designed to encourage investment in Georgia-based business enterprises. The focus would be to stimulate economic growth through venture capital funds and private equity organizations by following the investment policies outlined in Article 8 of Chapter 7 of Title 50.  This Authority would be under the Georgia Department of Economic Development.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HB/718

HB 724 - Rep. Stephen Allison (R-Blairsville) proposed this initiative which would amend Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 40 so that persons issued special license plates as certified firefighters would be exempt from paying an annual special license plate renewal fee.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HB/724

HB 725 - Rep. Mark Hamilton (R-Cumming) brought forth this piece of legislation which would amend Part 1 of Article 4 of Chapter 2 of Title 21 by allowing the reopening of candidacy qualifying periods under certain circumstances.  The Bill would also change certain provisions related to filing notice of candidacy, nomination petition, and affidavit, payment of qualifying fee, pauper's affidavit and qualifying petition for exemption from qualifying fee, and military service.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HB/725  

SB 308 – Sen. Johnny Grant (R-Milledgeville) introduced this Bill which would amend Chapter 4 of Title 20 by permitting proprietary institutions of higher education to participate in establishing college and career academies.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/SB/308 

SB 309 – Sen. Rick Jeffares (R-Locust Grove) submitted this piece of legislation which would authorize issuance of special hunting privileges to persons with a terminal illness in Chapter 2 of Title 27.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/SB/309  

SB 310 – Sen. Rick Jeffares (R-Locust Grove) offered this Bill which would change certain provisions related to prize proceeds subject to state income tax, attachments, garnishments, or executions, validation of winning tickets, prohibited purchases, money-dispensing machines, and unclaimed prize money.  This Bill would amend Chapter 27 of Title 50.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/SB/310

SB 311 – Sen. Ronald Ramsey (D-Decatur) authored this Bill to make it so that only licensed funeral directors and certain other persons would be permitted to sell certain burial objects as scrap metal.  It would also only allow government personnel and certain other persons to sell certain government property as scrap metal in Chapter 8 of Title 16.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/SB/311

HR 1119 – Rep. Sandra Scott (D-Rex) brought forth this Resolution to urge the U.S. Congress to pass legislation that will create a uniform national framework on digital commerce to protect consumers from multiple and discriminatory taxes.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HR/1119

HR 1120 – Rep. Sandra Scott (D-Rex) submitted this initiative to urge the U.S. Congress to enact a uniform Internet privacy law.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HR/1120

HR 1123 – Rep. Sandra Scott (D-Rex) authored this Resolution to recognize the importance of women's heart health and the promotion of programs that aid in the early detection and prevention of heart disease in women.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HR/1123

HR 1124 – Rep. Sandra Scott (D-Rex) proposed this Resolution to recognize the importance of proper infant nutrition and acknowledge the benefits of breastfeeding for both infants and mothers.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HR/1124  

HR 1130 – Rep. Kevin Cooke (R-Carrollton) submitted this piece of legislation to urge the U.S. Congress to repeal the Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/HR/1130 

SR 669 – Sen. Johnny Grant (R-Milledgeville) introduced this Resolution to commend the Boy Scouts of America program and recognize March 21, 2012 as Boy Scouts of America Day at the Capitol.  www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20112012/SR/669

If you have any questions concerning this Report, please contact Stanley S. Jones, Jr., Helen Sloat or Taylor Janney.