HB 0079 |
Neutral | Require Law Enforcement to Purge Tag Reader Information |
John Pezold |
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7/1/2018 |
Effective Date |
Public Safety and Homeland Security |
Public Safety |
- |
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| This legislation allows law enforcement to use high speed cameras to capture images of license plates. However, the data captured from the images may not be used for anything other than law enforcement purposes. The data must be destroyed no later than 30 months after it is collected unless the data is needed for law enforcement purposes. The collected data is exempt from the open records law. |
HB 0205 |
Support | Fracking Regulations |
John Meadows |
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5/8/2018 |
Effective Date |
Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications |
Regulated Industries and Utilities |
- |
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| This legislation amends the Oil and Gas Deep Drilling Act of 1975. It requires the creation of regulations governing hydraulic fracturing. Counties and cities have the ability to adopt local zoning or land use ordinances limiting the location or timing of fracking activities to protect natural resources, human life and human welfare. A three percent severance tax will be required from the sale price of the gas and oil obtained. Counties, where the fracking occurs, can enact local ordinances or resolutions to levy its own severance tax, which can't exceed nine cents per barrel of oil or two cents per thousand cubic feet of gas. |
HB 0374 |
Neutral | Tax Assessment - Change Procedures |
David Knight |
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7/1/2018 |
Effective Date |
Ways & Means |
Finance |
- |
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| This legislation allows for electronic return of property to the tax commissioner if he or she has adopted a written policy accepting electronic service. It also makes changes to the annual notice of current assessment from the board of tax assessors and makes changes to the property assessment appeals process, including lowering the value threshold for appeals to a hearing officer from $750,000 to $500,000. |
HB 0684 |
Evaluating | Fiscal Year 2019 State Budget |
David Ralston |
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5/2/2018 |
Effective Date |
Appropriations |
Appropriations |
- |
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HB 0692 |
Support | Deferred Compensation Plans - Automatic Enrollment |
Howard Maxwell |
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3/9/2018 |
Senate Read Second Time |
Retirement |
Retirement |
- |
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| This bill would allow municipalities to automatically enroll employees in deferred compensation plans and to pay certain plan costs. As amended in the Senate Finance Committee, counties would be included in such authorization. |
HB 0699 |
Support | Acceptance of Military Firefighter Training as Required Basic Firefighter Certification |
Dave Belton |
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7/1/2018 |
Effective Date |
Public Safety and Homeland Security |
Public Safety |
- |
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| This legislation allows military firefighter training in lieu of the required basic firefighter training for full time firefighters, upon the approval of the Firefighters Standards and Training Council. |
HB 0751 |
Support | 911 Legislation - Georgia Emergency Communications Authority Act |
Alan Powell |
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7/1/2018 |
Effective Date |
Public Safety and Homeland Security |
Public Safety |
- |
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| This legislation is similar to 911 legislation passed last year. It increases the prepaid fee to $1.50, eliminates cost recovery, and reduces the administrative fee retained by the providers from 3 percent to 1 percent. Please click here for a detailed summary by section. Please click here for talking points. |
HB 0756 |
Support | SPLOST - Annual Reporting Deadline |
Scott Hilton |
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3/12/2018 |
Senate Read Second Time |
Ways and Means |
Finance |
- |
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| This bill makes several changes to the requirements for annual reporting and publication of SPLOST proceeds and the expenditure thereof. Currently, reports are due within 180 days of the end of each calendar year. The bill changes "calendar year" to "fiscal year." For those counties with non-calendar year fiscal years, this would allow for SPLOST reports to be on the same schedule as annual audits, which are also due within 180 days of the end of the fiscal year. |
HB 0811 |
Support | Information Sharing with Tax Collection Agencies |
Jay Powell |
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5/3/2018 |
Effective Date |
Ways and Means |
Finance |
- |
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| This bill authorizes the Department of Revenue to contract with data companies for the purpose of identifying taxpayers who are not complying with requirements to collect and remit state and local sales taxes. Such vendors would be required to maintain the confidentiality of any taxpayer-specific records used in providing these services. |
HB 0814 |
Support | Coroners - Counties Allowed to Set Salary |
Ricky Williams |
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3/12/2018 |
Senate Read Second Time |
Governmental Affairs |
State and Local Governmental Operations |
- |
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| This legislation authorizes counties to establish the compensation of coroners and deputy coroners, unless said salaries are already covered by local legislation. Counties with a population of less than 34,999 must continue to offer the state's minimum salaries. Counties are able to offer COLAs and longevity increases (which are currently required), but there can be no double dipping on state, then local COLAs. Counties can elect not to set these salaries, but maintain the status quo spelled out in state law. |
HB 0886 |
Support | Sales Tax Exemptions - Revision of Agricultural Exemption/GATE Program |
Sam Watson |
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5/3/2018 |
Effective Date |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- |
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| This bill makes several changes to the GATE program: 1) increases the sales and operations thresholds from $2,500.00 to $5,000.00; 2) includes livestock as an agricultural product; 3) provides additional requirements for applicants who apply and provide IRS Form 1120 or 1120(s); requires the agriculture commissioner to get a taxpayer's valid state tax identification number prior to issuing an exemption certificate; 4) provides for 3 year duration of new exemption certificates for a fee of $150.00 and an annual wallet sized card showing the certificate is in effect for the current year; 5) provides for new procedures for suspension or revocation of the certificate for unlawful use; 6) authorizes DOR and the Department of Agriculture to share confidential tax information for program compliance purposes; and 7) requires the Department of Agriculture to prepare an annual report for the chairs of House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees. |
HB 0888 |
Neutral | Freeport Exemptions - Changes to Application and Reporting Process |
David Knight |
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5/8/2018 |
Effective Date |
Ways and Means |
Finance |
- |
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| This bill changes the procedures for obtaining Freeport Exemptions from ad valorem taxes by: 1) requiring the use of a summary as prescribed by the Department of Revenue instead of a complete schedule of inventory; 2) providing that if the county board of tax assessors fails to issue a denial letter within 180 days after receiving the freeport application, the exemption is granted; 3) granting the exemption for the assembly of finished parts; and 4) providing that an exemption application is timely if postmarked by the date on which the local government "closes the book" on annual property tax returns. |
HB 0951 |
Support | Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation |
James Shaw |
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7/1/2018 |
Effective Date |
Small Business Development |
Economic Development and Tourism |
- |
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| This bill would create the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation. The Center would study and develop recommendations to support economic development, healthcare, and other concerns in rural Georgia. The Center would also receive recommendations from a permanent Rural Development Council composed of state appointees. |
HR 1317 |
Evaluating | Study Committee on Real Property Taxation |
Andrew Welch |
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3/27/2018 |
House Passed/Adopted |
Ways and Means |
- | - |
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| This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Reforming Real Property Taxation. The resolution notes that real property taxation "needs a holistic revision by state lawmakers". |
HR 1398 |
Support | Short-Term Rentals - Study Committee |
Matt Dollar |
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3/23/2018 |
House Passed/Adopted |
Regulated Industries |
- | - |
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| This bill would create a House Study Committee to consider the effects and proper regulation of short-term rentals, such as provided via services like AirBnB. |
SB 0002 |
Neutral | The "FAST" Act - Local Fee, Permit and Licensing Requirements |
Michael Dugan |
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3/21/2018 |
House Insisted |
Small Business Development |
Economic Development and Tourism |
- |
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| This legislation had mandated that cities and counties which charge any regulatory fees (license or permit fees) or have any regulatory requirements to establish a schedule of such fees and requirements which must include time lines necessary for processing completed applications and a list of all documentation needed by applicants to meet regulatory requirements. Upon receipt of an application related to any fee, the applicant will pay only 50% of the fee. The local government must then notify the applicant whether an application is complete. Whenever the local government does not meet its deadline for acting on a "complete" application, the associated fees will be reduced by 10 percent for each 10 days said action is delayed. Local governments are required to set up a second, expedited process for processing all applications and permits and must study how to share applicants' information with other local, state and federal agencies so that applicants don't have to duplicate filing efforts with other governments.
For a summary of the above, Senate version of SB 2 please click here.
The above language was removed by the House and replaced with a voluntary "Ready for Partnership Georgia" program whereby local governments can adopt a series of measures to streamline their permitting processes to obtain said designation. While ACCG has no concerns with the now-current House version of the bill, there will most certainly be efforts by the Senate to reinstall the above language that ACCG opposes. Stay tuned, as this one will likely be decided in a conference committee report late on the last day of session.
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SB 0017 |
Support | Sunday Brunch Alcohol Sales |
Renee Unterman |
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5/8/2018 |
Act 461 |
Regulated Industries |
Regulated Industries and Utilities |
- |
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| This bill authorizes cities and counties, in which the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises is already lawful on Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 12:00 midnight, to allow said sale from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight if the county adopts an ordinance or resolution and the voters so approve via a referendum. Counties wishing to have this approved by the November 6, 2018 election should pass their ordinances by July 31st in order to provide their elections superintendents to prepare the proper materials ready and distributed to notify the public by August 4, 2018. |
SB 0324 |
Neutral | County - City Bridge Contracts |
John Albers |
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5/7/2018 |
Act 437 |
Transportation |
Transportation |
- |
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| This legislation clarifies that a city may contract with any county abutting its corporate limits for the construction and maintenance of a bridge within the limits of both such city and county. |
SB 0363 |
Neutral | Elections - Begin Tabulating Early Voting Ballots after 6:00 pm on Election Day |
Matt Brass |
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3/15/2018 |
House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute |
Governmental Affairs |
Ethics |
- |
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| This legislation allows election superintendents to begin processing and tabulating early voting DRE ballots after 6:00 p.m. on the date of a primary, election or runoff. Currently, only absentee ballots can be tabulated prior to the closing of the polls on election day. No results from these ballots shall be transmitted by modem or other devise prior to the close of the polls. The bill also closes the City of Atlanta's polls at 7:00 p.m. - that currently stay open until 8:00 p.m. Lastly, the bill establishes the weekend days for early voting as either the third Saturday or Sunday, but not both, prior to a primary or general election during the hours of 9:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. |
SB 0386 |
Negotiating | Transit Governance & Funding for Metro Atlanta |
Brandon Beach |
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3/7/2018 |
House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute |
Transportation |
Transportation |
- |
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| During the House Transportation Committee meeting that took place on 3.6.18, the language from SB 386 was stripped and in its place, the language from HB 930 was inserted. HB 930 is the transit bill authored by House Transportation Committee Chairman Kevin Tanner that addresses transit governance and funding options for the Metro Atlanta region (Cherokee, Clayton, Coweta, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale Counties). On 3.23.18, the Senate and the House insisted on their position to HB 930; therefore, a conference committee has been appointed where the differences from the House and Senate transit bills will be discussed with the goal of an agreed upon version will pass both chambers. HB 930 Conference Commitee composition: Rep. Kevin Tanner, Rep. Jan Jones, Rep. Calvin Smyre, Sen. Brandon Beach, Sen. Steve Gooch and Sen. David Lucas. Original Senate Transit Bill Language: This bill provides a new transit governance structure for the Metro Atlanta region and allows for an optional local funding mechanism to fund transit projects (Transit SPLOST). The newly created Atlanta-region Transit Link "ATL" Commission is a new division that would be placed under the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. The purpose of this commission is to plan and coordinate transit services, transit facilities, and the funding of those purposes throughout its jurisdiction. This jurisdiction consists of any county which has approved a MARTA tax or any county which has approved a Transit SPLOST. The ATL Commission is initially composed of 14 members including the Governor, GDOT Commissioner, CEO of MARTA, Executive Director of the Atlanta Regional Commission, and appointments made by the Mayor of the City of Atlanta, President of the Atlanta City Council, Chair of the Clayton County Board of Commissioners, Chair of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, CEO of DeKalb County, Chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, Chair of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners as well as an appointee selected by a majority vote of a caucus of the mayors from the municipalities in each county (Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton). If an additional Metro Atlanta county approves a Transit SPLOST, they shall have an appointee to the commission. The legislation provides for a 1% Transit SPLOST for a period of 30 years. An IGA between the county and qualified municipalities must be agreed upon that includes the list of proposed transit projects, an agreement with MARTA for all rail based projects and/or an agreement with the ATL Commission approved bus operator. The ATL Commission will have final approval of the transit project list. |
SB 0404 |
Neutral | Water Service Fees For Fire Sprinkler Systems |
Matt Brass |
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5/3/2018 |
Act 400 |
Governmental Affairs |
Natural Resources and the Environment |
- |
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This legislation states that no county, municipal, or other public water system shall charge or assess a separate fee for water service for fire sprinkler protection systems for more than the cost to provide such service. |
SB 0432 |
Evaluating | Income Tax and Sales Tax - Repeal of Multiple Exemptions |
John Albers |
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3/29/2018 |
House Insisted |
Ways and Means |
Finance |
- |
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| As amended, this bill would require the state to conduct cost-benefit analyses of a multitude of existing tax exemptions over the next several years. |
SB 0436 |
Neutral | Probate Court Code Modernization |
Brian Strickland |
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5/3/2018 |
Act 405 |
Judiciary |
Judiciary |
- |
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| This legislation updates and modernizes the code that governs the operation of probate courts. The bill also increases the surety bond requirement from $25,000 to $100,000. Additionally the bill changes the current process of filling a vacancy, from appointment of the associate judge to requiring a special election. |