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Week Two Marked by Governor Signing First Bill of the Year and House Approving Supplement Budget
The second week of the 2014 legislative session moved along quickly as the General Assembly was only in for four days due to the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday. Their short work week did not hinder any progress as Governor Nathan Deal signed into law HB 310, and House members voted to approve the FY2014 amended budget. Remember, ACCG has “the scoop” on everything taking place under the Gold Dome that pertains to counties and serves as your resource for legislative and policy news. Continue to watch for ACCG Action Alerts, read the weekly Legislative Update, and watch the “County Scoop” (video legislative updates) to remain in the know during this year’s session.
Governor Deal Signs Bill to Implement Changes to the State’s Elections Calendar
On Tuesday, Gov. Deal signed into law HB 310 which aligns state and local elections with the court ordered federal elections calendar. Federal elections were moved to an earlier date after it was ruled that the state’s runoff period must be for the duration of at least 45 days. A 45 day runoff period would provide military personnel with sufficient time to submit their ballots. To learn more about additional provisions within HB 310, review the bill summary in the legislative update below.
Week Two Bears More Budget News, House Approves FY2014 Amended Budget
Today, the House voted on the Governor’s FY2014 amended budget. Also called “the little budget,” the FY2014 amended budget will now move to the Senate for a vote. The House made some suggested changes to the Governor’s recommended budget, but overall the Governor’s recommendations remained intact. There were significant cuts to the Department of Corrections County Jail Subsidy Fund in the recommended budget to align with actual expenditures. The State’s recent Criminal Justice Reform has resulted in the steep reduction backlog witnessed by county jails. The House FY2014 amended budget includes a provision to increase the daily reimbursement rate from $22 per day to $43 per day paid to counties housing state inmates. ACCG is hopeful this provision will hold in the Senate.
HB 176 Reflects Compromise Language on Cell Towers
HB 176 is substitute legislation on the cell tower bill from last session. Significantly scaled back from the original bill, HB 176 includes provisions addressing local government application procedures and fees, a 150-day shot clock to act on new tower permit applications, the removal of existing towers, and rental charges on public property. No longer in the bill are the “automatic approval” provisions if application shot clocks are missed, language allowing the incremental increase in size and width of existing towers, the prohibition of any local regulations on cell equipment placed on utility poles in the right of way, and various other measures ACCG found most objectionable from last session. The current bill is a result of compromise among ACCG, GMA, and the wireless providers. ACCG will continue to closely monitor HB 176 to help ensure this language is honored throughout the legislative process.
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