12 March 2021

 

LWVAF, Report from the Capitol, Week 9

This week the General Assembly met for four days, which included CrossOver Day, completing Day 31.  It will return on Monday for another four-day week.  The end, it’s a gettin’ closer.  Sine Die is scheduled for March 31.

With CrossOver, there is now an indication of probable winners and certain losers.  Horse racing and pari-mutuel betting never made it out of committee, but sports betting crossed over.  Expansion of health care for the uninsured did not make it, but inconveniences of voting survived in multiple forms.  Abortion was a no-show this year, but vouchers appeared in several varieties.  And local control was king in some places and too dumb to come in from the cold in other areas so Big Daddy had to take control.  Consistency at the state Capitol is as elusive this year as in the past.

Now, the state has a problem seldom seen -- so much money, it doesn’t know what to do with it.  With this week’s passage of the most recent federal COVID relief bill, there is money they don’t know how to spend.  Apparently, the feds have said, “Can’t cut taxes!”, so it has to go elsewhere.  What might LWV suggest?  Cleaner air and water?  Healthier population?  Smarter kids?  Paid family leave for a new child in the family?  Broadband for all?  Free junior college?  Public transportation that goes where people need to go?  A bed for all who need one?  That list can get pretty long.  

Contact your legislator and let them know your thoughts.  And the next time you go to vote and you have to stand in a very long line for an awfully long time, call them again.

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BOLD Bill Number = final passage

CA = constitutional amendment.  Requires a 2/3s vote in each chamber and a majority vote in the next general election scheduled for November 2022.

DV = Differing Versions

TGFS = To Governor for Signature

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In CHAMBERS 

CHILDREN

SB 92  Robertson – 29     PASSED Senate    H.Judiciary Non-Civil

Products containing dextromethorphan cannot be sold to or purchased by a minor.  Cough medicines might have this drug.  Youngsters drink it for a high.

 

HB 114  Reeves – 37     PASSED House     S.Finance

Increases the tax credit for adoption of a child in foster care to $6000, currently $2000.

 

HB 258  Sainz – 180     PASSED House     S.Judiciary

A defense in a sexual assault cannot be made of victim consent if the victim is under the age of 16.

 

HB 272  Ballinger – 23     PASSED House     S.Judiciary

Juvenile Court will include children who are under age 18.  Effective 1-1-2022.  Currently, Superior Court  handles those age 17.  If passed, Juvenile Court will handle cases concerning all minors, except for felonies which may be assigned to Superior court if the juvenile is age 13 or older and gang related activity.

 

EDUCATION – PREK – 12

SB 106  Davenport – 44     PASSED Senate     H.Education

Local school systems may have a multi-tiered system of support for students in grades Pre-K through grade 3.  If a student is to be suspended for more than 5 consecutive days, the student shall first receive wrap around services.  Exceptions are bringing a weapon to school or other dangerous instrument, illegal drugs, or endangering others.  Currently, students cannot be expelled before being tested for sight and hearing which can cause behavior problems.

 

SB 153  Dolezal – 27     PASSED Senate     H.Education

GOAL, Graduation Opportunities and Advanced Learning are state charter schools designed to provide credit recovery for students who have dropped out but wish to get a high school diploma.  There are three in existence:  Mountain Education Charter, Foothills Charter, and Coastal Plains Charter School serving a total of 6000 students.  The bill contains a funding formula to reflect the fact that their students do not attend full time – they get materials for the class and complete it on their personal schedule – and the full time equivalent measure of QBE does not reflect the work of the schools.

 

HB 173  Benton – 31    PASSED Senate      S.Retirement

Increases to 10% the amount of assets of large retirements systems which may be invested in alternative investments.  The Teachers Retirement System, TRS, is a very large retirement system but is specifically excluded.  It can only invest up to 5% of its assets, a provision passed in 2020. Also excluded is the Employees Retirement System, ERS, which covers a lot of state workers and school workers who are not certified educators.  Alternative investments include corporate bonds, short term IOUs, and perhaps some very conservative stock. It also includes venture capital, but that is not the intent of the proposal.   Investing for retirement system assets is done by a group of money managers, employees of the fund, whose objective is to preserve the principal of the fund for the members, i.e. very conservatively.

 

SB 213  Harper – 7     PASSED Senate     H.Education

ESPLOST funds can be used to pay for guaranteed energy saving contracts of a local school system including training programs incidental to an energy contract, equipment used in a building project designed to reduce energy or voter consumption or wastewater production.

 

SB 226  Anavitarte – 31     PASSED Senate     H.Judiciary Non-Civil

Libraries are exemptions from distributing harmful materials to children.  School libraries would no longer be exempt.  Local board of education to have a policy.  State board of education to develop a model policy.

 

SB 246  Brass – 28     PASSED Senate     H.Education

Learning Pod Protection Act.  Home school parents not to be subject to additional restrictions or regulations of the local school district.  Any student not enrolled in a primary education option shall be considered a home school student.

 

HB 606  Nix – 69     PASSED House     S.Higher Education

Adds GA Independent School Association to list of accrediting organizations for HOPE scholarships.  Effective 7-1-21.

 

HB 681  Yearta – 152     PASSED House     S,Education & Youth

Requires a course in financial literacy in high school.  Could be a unit within the required Economics Course.

 

EDUCATION – POSTSECONDARY

SB 97  Jackson – 2     PASSED Senate      H.Higher Education

When the University System of GA waives out-of-state tuition, three institutions may also waive out-of-state tuition for the immediately preceding term – Albany State, Fort Valley State, and Savannah State.  These three universities are currently under enrolled and have difficulty filling up their capacity with qualified students from GA.  

 

SR 154  Orrock – 36     PASSED Senate     H.Insurance

Creates a   17 -member Joint Study Committee for Strengthening Georgia’s Future Workforce.  The committee shall have 10 legislators, half from each chamber with both majority and minority party members.  They shall study the barriers to getting a degree, certification, or credential; shall determine if a needs-based scholarship can be created and how to fund.  By 2025, 60% of the jobs will need some type of postsecondary preparation and the state is not yet on track to have that type of a skilled work force.  Report is due 12-1-2021.

 

HB 617  Martin – 49     PASSED House     S.Higher Education

Postsecondary student athletes may receive compensation for use of their name, image, or likeness.  The compensation cannot be used to get the student to attend a particular school and cannot be paid if the terms of the contract are in conflict with the terms of participation at the school or terms of an athletic scholarship.  The school shall have a class for student athletes at the beginning of their first and third year of at least 5 hours to present financial aid, debt management, and a recommended budget for student athletes at that school.  Time management and available academic resources are also to be included.  The student is entitled to have a legal advisor as well as an athletic agent.

 

ELECTIONS & ETHICS

SB 62  Tippins – 37     PASSED Senate     H.Special Committee on Election Integrity

Ballots shall have the name and designation of the precinct printed or stamped on each ballot.  Every ballot shall have embedded a holographic security device or seal.  Requires storing counted ballots by precinct in sealed containers.  Chain of custody for each container is to be maintained until such ballots can be legally disposed of.  When a ballot needs to be duplicated, it shall be assigned a unique number and that same number shall be placed on the duplicate ballot.  The original and duplicate ballot shall be kept together except for when the duplicate is being processed.  There is no exception when no item on the ballot is precinct specific, such as county wide or state wide race.

 

SB 72  Mullis – 52     PASSED Senate      H.Special Committee on Election Integrity

Coroners, probate court judges, funeral homes in a county shall provide monthly information about persons who have died to county registrars who shall remove the names of the deceased from voter rolls.  Currently, information is provided monthly to the Secretary of State by the Bureau of Vital Statistics for all people who have died in the state.  If the deceased was registered to vote, the Secretary of State shall remove such names from the voter rolls.

 

SB 74  Mullis – 52     PASSED Senate      H.Special Committee on Election Integrity

Poll watchers in tabulation centers cannot be limited to one location by the election superintendent.

 

SB 202  Burns – 23     PASSED Senate      H.Special Committee on Election Integrity

Those that mail unsolicited applications for absentee ballots shall only mail them to registered voters who have not already requested a ballot or voted.  Does not apply to Secretary of State or local elections officials.  There is allowed a data lag of 5 days between the date of the data from Secretary of State and the mailing.  State Election Board may fine up to $100 per violation and the money goes to local election department to offset the cost of multiple applications from the same voter.  Getting a copy of the registered voter list costs $250 and takes one or two weeks.  Applied to mailed applications, not forms handed out in person or placed on a table for voter to pick up.

 

SB 241  Dugan – 30     PASSED Senate     H.Special Committee on Election Integrity

•  The Attorney General is to maintain a hotline for complaints and allegations of voter intimidation and illegal election activities.  Response required within 3 days.  Author suggests this is to relieve the Secretary of State.

• State Election Board and Secretary of State must get legislative approval prior to entering into any consent agreement.  

• State Election Board may recommend to local delegation that a local election superintendent be removed.  The legislative delegation can remove the superintendent within 15 days and name a temporary replacement experienced in managing elections and need not be a county resident.  

• Empowers the Secretary of State to use multistate voter registration system to check for voters registered in more than one state.  

• Mobile units may replace polling places only if the existing location is deemed unfit for human occupation or has suffered an outage of electricity or water.  Must be located within a half mile of the existing polling place and have court approval and disability access.  

• Restrictions on voting absentee by mail:  65 and over, disabled, election day on a religious holiday, work all day in a public service job including as an election worker, out of town all day.  

• The application for an absentee ballot must include date of birth and a driver’s license number or a DDS issued identification card number or last 4 digits of social security number.  First time voters can send copies of other legal identification.  Signature matching will no longer be used to ID the applicant.

• Except for the Secretary of State or local election officials, all who provide applications for absentee ballots must have printed thereon in 20-point font a notice which identifies the entity.  

• Advanced voting sites can be located only in government owned buildings , currently on government owned property.  Thus, mobile units cannot be used for advanced voting. 

•  Allows Secretary of State to audit absentee ballots during the 24 months after the election.  

• Anyone who views another ballot, except for those providing assistance, shall be guilty of a felony.  This could include a child who was accompanying a parent to the polls.

• Notices of emergency rules adoption by State Election Board because of a public health emergency shall be at least 20 days before the date of adoption.  The legislature can void the emergency rule within 10 days after receipt by the legislative committee.

 

SB 253  Merritt – 9     PASSED Senate      H.Special Committee on Election Integrity

When polling places are changed, in addition to current notice requirements, a 4 foot by 4 foot sign is to be posted at the previous polling place for 7 days prior to and on the day of election.

 

HB 333  Efstration – 104     PASSED  House     S.Ethics

Ethics in Government Act of 2021.  Transfers the GA Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission, formerly the GA Ethics Commission, to the State Accounting Office, currently the Secretary of State.  Commission staff attorneys’  allegations are handled same as are individuals filing a complaint.  Dates of action on a complaint are now the date of alleged violation, rather than the date filed.  Increases the number of years records must be held by a candidate for an office with a term of 4 or more years to 5 years, currently 3; if term is 6 or more years, the hold is for 7 years; and if a constitutional amendment, referendum or local issue or any recall, the hold is 3 years.  Leftover campaign funds cannot be used to make loans to the candidate or the candidate’s family members, business, or non-profits of which the candidate is on the payroll or has a controlling interest.

 

GOVERNMENT – GENERAL

HB 92  Gambill – 15     PASSED  House     S.Government Oversight

Information in Vital Records can be transferred to State Archives, and thus accessible to the public, 100 years after a birth and 75 years after a death, marriage, or divorce.  Currently, the transfer is made 125 years after a birth and 100 years after a death, marriage, or divorce.  Vital Records can only be access by the individual or close relatives, or legal representatives.  After transfer to Archives, they can be accessed by anyone.  Those doing genealogy research can get access to more recent records with this proposal.

 

HB 138  Mainor – 56     PASSED  House     H.Agriculture & Consumer Affairs

Landlords shall provide to prospective tenants information on all crimes attempted or committed on the property within the last 12 months which were reported to or investigated by law enforcement.  Failure to comply is a violation of fair housing laws.

 

SB 152  Robertson – 29     PASSED  Senate     H.Governmental Affairs

The word ‘Courage’ is added to the pledge of allegiance to the GA state flag.  It now reads “I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag and to the principles for which it stands:  Wisdom, Justice, Moderation, and Courage.”

 

SB 200  Anavatarte – 31     PASSED  Senate     H.Judiciary

Emergency powers of the governor cannot close certain business and houses of worship, regardless of the emergency.

 

SB 236  Brass – 28     PASSED  Senate     H.Regulated Industries

Mixed drinks can be purchased to go with a food order.  The drink must be in a sealed container, placed in a locked compartment of the vehicle of the customer or behind the last seat if no trunk.  Two drinks per entre, each containing no more than 3 ounces of liquor.

 

GOVERNMENT – TECHNOLOGY

HB 156  Parsons – 44     PASSED House     PASSED Senate     DV

Requires all governmental organizations and utilities to report any cyber attacks to the director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, GEMA, which also have to be reported to FEMA.  Meetings where cyber security is discussed can be exempted from public access; documents, reports, data, and cyber information is exempted from open records.

 

GOVERNMENT – COUNTIES AND CITIES

SB 144 Tippins – 37     PASSED Senate     H.Government Affairs

City housing authorities cannot operate outside of that city’s boundaries without authorization from the other governing entity.  Existing housing projects outside of the city boundaries are entitled to operate but no additional projects can be developed.  Currently, housing authorities can operate out the city for 10 miles.  But they are not complying with the zoning and ordinances of the entity in which they are operating.  This will require them to follow the rules of the governing entity in which the project will be located.

 

HB 579  Oliver – 82     PASSED House     S.Public Safety

Bonds for public safety and judicial facilities can be issued without a public referendum, but still require an approved resolution of the governing body.

 

GOVERNMENT – COURTS AND CRIMES

SB 10  Jones – 10     PASSED Senate     H.Judiciary Non-Civil

Drag racing and laying drag to be high and aggravated misdemeanors as in the acts of advertising or promoting an exhibition of such.  A spectator at such events is guilty of a misdemeanor.  Those betting can be fined.  A ‘high performance’ vehicle with 650 horse power or more shall be registered with the commissioner of Driver Services and it must display a specially designed license plate.  Laying drag gets 8 points off the driver’s license.  Drag racing on any state highway can result in a fine of $2500 or more.  The vehicle will be impounded and stored at the owner’s expense until the offense is adjudicated.  Fines up to $2,000, $3,000, and $5,000 for first, second, and third offense, respectively.

 

SB 75  Jackson – 41     PASSED  Senate      H.Judiciary

A tenant who is a documented victim of stalking may terminate a residential real estate rental or lease agreement effective 30 days after providing written notice.  Victims of civil or criminal family violence already have this option.

 

SB 78 Jones – 22     PASSED  Senate     H.Judiciary Non-Civil

Added to the sexting statute as felonies are transmissions or causes to be transmitted nudity or sexually explicit photos or videos of an adult, either real or manufactured, which are then posted on a website, peer-to-peer file sharing site, thumbnail gallery, movie gallery post, linked list, live webcam, web page or message board as harassment or serving no legitimate purpose.  Fine is $200,000 or 1-10 years imprisonment or both.   Currently, the law deals with the transmissions but not the postings.

 

SB 163  Strickland – 17     PASSED  Senate     H.Judiciary

The chief judge of the Supreme Court, each Superior Court, and each State Court may suspend the right to a speedy trial in cases of emergency such as: a volume of cases much higher than expected, case clearances are much lower than expected, the number of speedy trials requested, number of jury trials held during the latest court term, space limitations, limited availability of judges, extents of prosecuting attorneys and the court to reduce the number of criminal defendants held for trial, and any other relevant facts (like COVID).  Data shall be submitted from judges to the chief judge.  A plan to establish the priority of cases to be called to trial is to be formulated.

 

SB 166  Cowsert – 46     LOST in Senate

Jurors are disqualified from serving if they are employed by or have a financial interest in an insurance company that may have a financial interest in the outcome of a case.

 

HB 231  Gaines – 117     PASSED House     S.Judiciary

Protective orders for victims of stalking may include those with a dating relationship, more than casual, and those living in the same household  thru’ whom a pregnancy has developed.

 

HB 255  Holcomb – 81     PASSED House     S.Public Safety

In cases of sexual assault cases when the victim chooses not to report immediately, the police shall maintain any physical evidence that relates to identity of the perpetrator for 12 months.  Such evidence shall be in a ‘sexual assault kit’ and its location and test results done thereon shall be tracked.  Every entity having custody of such evidence will participate in the tracking system.  Information about the perpetrator shall be shared with the national data based maintained by the FBI.  The Forensic Medical Examination Advisory Committee is created to establish by rule and regulation the criteria for certification of sexual assault nurse examiners.  The GA Composite Medical Board shall refuse to license a physician who has sexually assaulted a patient.  Health care professionals shall report physicians for suspected sexual assault.

 

HB 479  Reeves – 37     PASSED House     S.Judiciary

Citizen’s arrest is now limited as to who may use it – persons on their own property and security in retail establishments against shoplifters.  Brought to curb abuses like those exercised by citizens with Ahmaud Arbery near Brunwick.

 

HB 534  Bonner – 72     PASSED House     S.Judiciary

Promoting illegal drag racing and laying drag is a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature with driver’s license to be suspended for up to 12 months on the first offense, up to 3 years on the second offence, and on the third offense the person is declared a habitual violator with license suspension for up to 5 years, $100,000 fine, incarceration of 1-5 years, or both.

 

HB 631  Cheokas – 138     PASSED House     S.Public Safety

The GA Crime Information Center is to collect information on an individual’s ability to communicate with law enforcement or emergency responders.  Information is to be voluntarily submitted.  At the individual’s option, to add motor vehicle registration information, address, and description of the condition impeding the person’s ability to communicate.

 

GOVERNMENT – EMPLOYMENT

SR 134  Walker – 20    PASSED Senate     H.Judiciary  

CA to suspend compensation to a constitutional officer for indictment of a felony.  The insurance commissioner was indicted in May 2019 and the state has been paying his salary ever since because there has been a judicial order in place to not have trials.  If passed in a referendum, the salary would stop immediately thereafter.  If found innocent, the back pay would then be paid.

 

HB 146  Gaines – 117     PASSED House     S.Insurance & Labor

Paid parent leave of 120 hours (3 weeks) during every 12 month period for government employees, including employees of local school boards, is available to employees who have worked for 6 months and put in at least 700 hours.  The leave is for birth of a child, adoption of a child, or inclusion of a foster child into the family.  The leave is capped at 120 hours even if there are multiple events during the same 12 month period, and may be taken all at one time or in several segments.  Sponsor wants more than 3 weeks, but needs to get something on the books which can be changed later.

 

SB 156  Harbin – 16     PASSED Senate     H.Industry & Labor

There is created the position of Chief Labor Officer under the Commissioner of Labor, appointed by the governor subject to Senate confirmation.  The Chief Labor Officer will provide high level assistance to the Commissioner in these times of very high volumes of folk seeking services provided by the department.  The Chief Labor Officer shall have the same powers as the Commissioner plus must develop and implement a plan to improve reliability and timeliness regarding proper payment of unemployment insurance benefits, provide timely reports regarding unemployment compensation benefits, provide timely reports and responses to any financial audits of the department.    Seems to be a temporary position because this section of the code is to be repealed January 2022.

 

SB 218  Walker – 20     PASSED Senate     H.Judiciary

Elected and other public officials who are suspended because of an indictment for a felony shall also have salary or compensation suspended.  Currently, the person is paid until convicted. During the pandemic when trials have been suspended, this could be several months before a trial, and perhaps conviction.  If found innocent, the back pay would be paid.

 

GOVERNMENT – FEDERAL ISSUES

HR 183  Knight – 130     PASSED House     S.Natural Resources & Environment

Urges Congress to pass the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.

 

HEALTH

HB 93  Cooper – 43   TGFS   Because federal licensing applies, eliminates duplicate state licensure and regulation of clinical laboratories; eliminates state inspections of clinical laboratories;  repeals provisions relating to examination of human specimens and methods for selection of blood donors and collection, storage, and processing of human blood.

 

HB 163  Cooper – 43   TGFS   Department of Human Services is to develop and submit a plan to implement express lane enrollment in Medicaid by June 30, 2022.   The department will automatically enroll and renew eligible children in Medicaid based on information collected for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance, SNAP also known as food stamps, program.  The children of families eligible for SNAP are automatically eligible for Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids but an application  must be made separately.  The patient will not need to make the second application.  The department will save money by eliminating their efforts to locate and get these eligible people to apply for health care. There are 120,000 children on food stamps who are not on Medicaid.

 

SB 164  Hufstetler – 52     PASSED Senate     H.Health & Human Services

Updates requirements for HIV patients and their responsibility to inform others of their status if both parties are to engage in sexual behavior.  Declassifies syringes and hypodermic needles as drug related objects.

 

HB 290  Setzler – 35     PASSED House      S.Health & Human Services

A hospital or nursing home may not limit visits from a legal representative to a patient after 24 hours of a hospital admission or treatment even during a declared health emergency.  Reasonable restrictions may be imposed.  Thelegal representative, the one with health power of attorney, may be a relative.  The visit may be up to 1 hour per day.

 

HB 567  Cooper – 43     PASSED House      S.Health & Human Services

Creates the Newborn Screening and Genetics Advisory Committee to review and make recommendations to the Department of Public Health when a new disorder is added to the federal Recommended Uniform Screening Panel.  The Committee has between 11 and 21 members, and shall make recommendations within one year after the date the disorder is recommended by the federal panel.  Currently, there are 33 conditions that can be tested on newborns. For many, if the condition is positive, corrective measures need to be taken immediately to keep the disease from harming the child and perhaps creating lifetime disabilities.

 

HB 605  Cooper – 43     PASSED  House     S.Health & Human Services 

Authorizes electronic monitoring for indigent and elderly in long-term care facilities.  Would use a camera and have the permission of the roommate.

 

REVENUE & TAXATION

SR 135  Mullis – 53     PASSED  Senate     H.Economic Development & Tourism

CA to provide for sports betting.  Enabling legislation is SB 142.

 

SB 142  Mullis – 53     PASSED  Senate     H.Economic Development & Tourism

Wagering on professional and college sports contests under direction of the Lottery Corporation.  College sports in GA schools cannot be subject of wagers.  The bets are to be placed through a licensed better via phone application.  Wagers per better are limited to $2500 per month.  Licensees to have a $5 million reserve.  Half the profits go to need based scholarships or loans.  Outlines who may bet, where one may place a bet, how the money is to be tracked and stored and paid out, controls, licensing of betting places, violations and penalties. Enabling legislation for SR 138. 

 

HB 498  Watson – 172     PASSED House     S.Finance 

Expands the property tax exemption for agriculture to add dairy products and unfertilized eggs of poultry as qualified farm products .  State referendum required.

 

TRANSPORTATION & DRIVING

HB 165  Barr – 103     PASSED House     S.Transportation

Slow moving vehicles must have a strobe light mounted on top.

 

SB 210  Robertson – 29     PASSED  Senate     H.Motor Vehicles

Provides for a digital motor vehicle license plate.  Uses a third party provider who installed the display and send signals displaying the Department of Driver Services data required to uniquely identify the motor vehicle.  Anticipates that emergency messages for the public could be displayed, and Levi’s Calls, Amber Alerts.  If the license is not renewed, the provider shall be notified by DDS and will immediately cease to provide any data for display.

 

HB 247  Carson – 46     PASSED House     S.Public Safety

The fines for ‘distracted driving’ while using an electronic device is $100, currently ‘up to $100’.  The first offense for this charge is no longer forgiven, currently it is if one buys a device to hold the electronic device.

 

LOCAL – FULTON and its CITIES

HB 160  Boddie – 62     PASSED House     S.Finance

‘Municipality’ for the MOST, Municipal Only Sales Tax, is defined as one with waste water flow of 85 million gallons per year, or one which connects to a waste water system in another municipality with a flow of 85 million gallons per year.

Atlanta provides sewer service to a number of adjacent cities.  The MOST tax in Atlanta is dedicated to repair and replacement of the sewer system. Currently, only sales within the city of Atlanta pay the MOST tax.  This proposal would extend the tax to sales in those other cities who hook into Atlanta’s waste water system. These other areas outside of the city of Atlanta are charged more for their water than the same amount used by a city resident.  This proposal would make those areas pay extra twice.

 

HB 600  Dreyer – 59    TGFS   Hapeville city council quorum is a majority of the members and the mayor as long as one city wide elected official is present.  If the mayor is not present, the alderman-at-large will preside.  If the alderman-at-large is not present, the councilman-at-large shall preside.  If a vacancy on the city council within the first two years of the term, a special election will be called.  If during the second two years of the term, the remaining members of the city council will appoint a replacement.

 

HB 708  Dreyer -  59     PASSED House     S.Local Delegation

Creates the Hapeville Public Facilities Authority.

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In COMMITTEE

 

EDUCATION – PREK-12

SB 66  Anavitarte – 31     PASSED Senate      DO PASS in H.Education

Merges the Innovation Fund with the GA Foundation for Public Education to receive gifts and make innovation  grants to at risk public schools.  Both funds exist at the Department of Education to receive funds for grants to school systems. Because the Foundation for Public Education has a director on board, it is the survivor fund.  In 2020 there were about 110 grants made for a total of $1.5 million.  Most receiving schools are rural and all are in the lowest 5% of achievement.

 

SB 88  Goodman – 8     PASSED Senate     DO PASS in H.Education

Georgia’s Teacher of the Year is invited to be an advisor to the State Board of Education.  Veterans who are honorably discharged, have a bachelor’s degree, and attain a passing score on the GA Assessments for Certification of Educators (GACE) may get an alternative teacher certification.  These individuals will get training in teaching in 3 years while being in a classroom under a military support provisional certificate issued in one-year increments, the application for which is to be jointly by the individual and the employing school system.  Three years of creditable services will be given for the previous military service.   Part of the governor’s Teacher Pipeline proposal.

 

SB 159  Gooch – 51     PASSED Senate     DO PASS in H.Education     DV

DOE is to draw up specification for an 8 passenger motor vehicle to transport school children to and from school activities.  Cannot be a shared ride service, such as Uber or Lyft.   GA is the only state that does not allow alternatives to school buses to transport students.  Schools used to purchase their own vans for athletic purposes and DOE outlawed them because they did not have as many safety features (color, stop arms, etc.) as school buses, and drivers were often not trained school bus operators.  These are to be used primarily to transport students who are low incidence and/or long distances from school, such as special ed or the homeless.

 

SB 220  Payne – 54     PASSED Senate     DO PASS in H.Education      DV

GA Civics Renewal Act.  Creates a 17-member GA Commission on Civics Education to periodically review all elements of civic education in GA schools and specifically the following high school pathways:  CTAE, law, public safety, corrections, and security pathways.  Shall produce an annual report to the General Assembly with any recommendations.  Must meet between 2 and 4 times a tear.  The DOE Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator shall report to the commission annually.

 

REVENUE & TAXATION

HR 184 Stephens – 164     DO NOT PASS in H.Economic Development & Tourism

CA to have pari-mutuel wagering in GA.  

 

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Sally FitzGerald, Capitol Observer

sallyfitz [at] bellsouth.net

League of Women Voters – Atlanta/Fulton   www.lwvaf.org

League of Women Voters – Georgia   www.lwvga.org

Know the issues.  Join the conversation.  Make a difference.

21.W9.12Mar