2020/01/31 (40)
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Date of Last Recorded Action: 5/6/2024

HB 0276 SupportSales Tax - Marketplace Facilitators Brett Harrell
4/1/2020 Effective Date Ways and Means Finance -
2019/02/15 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report
2020/01/17 Report 2020/01/31 Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local

This bill would expand the definition of "dealers" who are required to collect sales taxes to include "marketplace facilitators", such as online platforms that allow vendors to sell goods or services through those platforms. Annual sales via such a platform of $100,000 or more into Georgia would require the facilitator to collect and remit all state and local sales taxes on all such sales. Franchising operations that have at least $500 million in annual Georgia sales (such as large hotel chains) can decide to have their franchisees collect sales taxes rather than having the franchisor be considered a marketplace facilitator.

 
HB 0757 OpposeElections - Add Special Election Primaries at County Expense Barry Fleming
2/19/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Governmental Affairs --
2020/01/17 Report 2020/01/31 2020/02/21 Report Elections General County Government
Todd Edwards
This bill statutorily authorizes the Georgia Secretary of State to designate filing dates/periods for those running in special elections to fill a vacated seat for federal and state office and local election superintendents to set the qualifying dates for those running for county office.  It also addresses the dates by which persons may register to vote in special elections.  Among other provisions in this bill, very concerning to ACCG is that it would now require "special primaries" for special elections to fill vacated state legislative seats.  This adds another election round that counties must fund in the special election process.  Additionally, it draws out the election, prolonging the filling of a legislative vacancy and leaving the county unrepresented longer at the General Assembly.  ACCG believes that if the state wants to add another round of elections, particularly for state legislative seats, then the state should pay for it.       
HB 0765 OpposeMagistrate Court Judges and Clerks Increase in Minimum Compensation Mitchell Scoggins
6/25/2020 Senate - Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute Judiciary State and Local Governmental Operations -
2020/01/17 Report 2020/01/31 2020/02/21 Report 2020/02/28 Report Debra Nesbit
Magistrate Court Public Safety and Courts

This legislation rolls all existing COLA's up and provides for a 5% COLA effective January 1, 2021.  Note:  The amounts listed in bill include all existing COLA's already awarded since 2006 to update the code, the only "new" salary increase is 5% on top of all the COLA's.
HB 0774 NeutralUnpermitted Release of Ethylene Oxide Erick Allen
1/16/2020 House Second Readers Natural Resources and Environment --
2020/01/31 Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment
This legislation requires any unpermitted release of ethylene oxide to be reported to the Georgia Environmental Protection (EPD) within 24 hours of discovering the release. EPD will be required to make this information public on their website.
HB 0777 NeutralState Building Code - Add "Mass Timber" as a Construction Material John Corbett
7/1/2020 Effective Date Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Agriculture and Consumer Affairs -
2020/01/31 2020/02/21 Report 2020/03/06 Report General County Government Todd Edwards
This bill amends the state minimum building standards code to authorize the use of "tall mass timber" as a construction material - provided the Department of Community Affairs approves this addition in their rule making process.    
HB 0784 NegotiatingOpen Meetings - Allow School Board Security Discussions in Executive Session Eddie Lumsden
1/28/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported Governmental Affairs --
2020/01/31 General County Government Open Records/Meetings Act Todd Edwards

This legislation allows local boards of education to discuss school safety plans in executive session (rather than require such discussions to take place in an open meeting).  
HB 0787 NeutralGuns - Honor All Other States' Weapons Carry Permits in Georgia Mandi Ballinger
2/25/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Public Safety and Homeland Security --
2020/01/31 2020/02/21 Report Firearms/Carry Laws General County Government Todd Edwards
Georgia currently has weapons carry permit reciprocity agreements with many states, meaning gun licenses from those other states will be honored here and Georgia permits will be honored in those states.  This bill states that anyone licensed to carry a weapon in "any" other state is authorized to carry in Georgia.  It also requires the Attorney General to enter into an agreement with any state that requires an agreement to give effect to this expanded reciprocity.    
HB 0788 OpposeSales Tax Exemption - Energy used in Manufacturing Ready-Mix Concrete Equipment John Corbett
1/28/2020 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2020/01/31 Larry Ramsey Property Tax Revenue & Finance
 Under current law, energy used in manufacturing ready-mix concrete equipment is exempt from sales taxes through July 1, 2020. This bill would extend that exemption until July 1, 2025. The substance of this bill has been added to HB 1035.
HB 0790 WatchStructural Engineers - Require Certification Vance Smith
1/28/2020 House Second Readers Regulated Industries --
2020/01/31 General County Government Todd Edwards
This legislation requires structural engineers to be professionally certified by the State of Georgia.  It specifically defines structural engineers and structural engineering, then requires cities and counties to use only structural engineers for services "that could jeopardize the health, safety or welfare of the public."  Local building officials are required to maintain a permanent record of permit information indicating the structural engineer who has sealed the plans of building permits.  There are several exemptions, including local elected officials.      
HB 0799 NeutralAllow Early Reinstatement of Driver's License and Limited Driving Permits for Persons Convicted of Driving While Under the Influence of Drugs Shaw Blackmon
7/29/2020 Effective Date Judiciary - Non-Civil Judiciary -
2020/01/31 2020/02/28 Report Debra Nesbit Public Safety and Courts Traffic Enforcement
This legislation provides for eligibility of persons convicted of driving while under the influence of prescription drugs (for which they have a prescription) to apply for early license reminstatement and/or a limited driving permit.  Under current law individuals convicted for DUI Drugs are not eligible for a limited driving permit.
HB 0806 OpposeSales Tax - Expand Cities Authorized to Levy a Municipal Option Sales Tax (MOST) William Boddie
1/29/2020 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2020/01/31 Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local
This bill would allow a city to seek a 1% sales tax for water and sewer purposes, if that city's system connects to the system of a city already imposing the tax. As written, this would apply to several cities in Fulton County. The MOST is the only setting where a sales tax is levied in less than an entire county, and such taxes may impact voter support of future county-wide sales taxes. The bill would also authorize the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the Lieutenant Governor to order an audit of any city levying this tax.
HB 0807 NeutralOccupation Tax - Financial Information for Businesses in Multiple Jurisdictions Martin Momtahan
6/23/2020 Senate - Senate Read Second Time Ways and Means Finance -
2020/01/31 2020/02/21 Report 2020/03/13 Report Business and Occupation Tax Larry Ramsey
Revenue & Finance
 For businesses that operate in more than one jurisdiction and that are subject to a gross-receipts occupation tax, this bill would allow the submission of an affidavit from a CPA, rather than tax returns, regarding the proper allocation of gross receipts to the operations within each jurisdiction. The bill would also specify that regulatory fees must be used for funding the regulatory operations rather than general county operations. As amended in the Senate, the bill would clarify that local governments are not required to create separate accounts for such regulatory fees.
HB 0808 NeutralTitle Ad Valorem Tax - Loaner Vehicles Martin Momtahan
1/1/2021 Effective Date Transportation Finance -
2020/01/31 2020/02/07 2020/02/21 Report 2020/06/19 Report Larry Ramsey
Property Tax Revenue & Finance
Under existing law, dealer "loaner vehicles" are exempt from TAVT for so long as they are used as loaners vehicles for customers. As amended in committee, this bill would extend to 45 days (from the current 30 days) the amount of time that such a vehicle can be loaned to one customer without such vehicle being subject to TAVT. 
HB 0811 NeutralInterest on Tax Payments and Refunds Brett Harrell
1/29/2020 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2020/01/31 Larry Ramsey Property Tax Revenue & Finance
Under existing law, taxes owed to the state or local governments bears interest at a rate equal to the prime bank rate plus 3%. Similarly, taxes that are overpaid bear interest at the prime rate plus 3% until repaid to the taxpayer. This bill would change the interest rate in both circumstances to the prime rate.
HB 0812 OpposeSpecial Elections for Referendum Questions Donna McLeod
1/29/2020 House Second Readers Governmental Affairs --
2020/01/31 Elections Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local
 This bill would require that any referendum questions (for example, SPLOST and T-SPLOST referenda) could only be placed on the ballot in even-numbered years. Current law also provides permissible election dates in odd-numbered years.
HB 0815 NeutralSales Tax Exemption - Public Water/Sewer Authorities Houston Gaines
3/9/2020 Senate Read and Referred Ways and Means Finance -
2020/01/31 2020/02/28 Report 2020/03/06 Report Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance
Sales Tax-Local
This bill would exempt from sales taxes purchases made by governmental authorities that provide water and/or sewer services. 
HB 0820 NeutralGeorgia Freight Railroad Program Kevin Tanner
1/1/2021 Effective Date Transportation Transportation -
2020/01/31 2020/02/28 Report 2020/06/19 Report Econ. Dev. & Transportation Kathleen Bowen
Transportation
This legislation creates a Georgia Freight Railroad Program under the authority of the Georgia Department of Transportation. Subject to appropriations, state funds could be used for the investment in railways and railroad facilities and equipment.
HB 0832 NegotiatingParks & Rec Facilities: Heat Related Injuries Kasey Carpenter
1/30/2020 House Second Readers Governmental Affairs --
2020/01/31 Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment
This legislation would require local governments or authorities who operate parks and recreation facilities used by youth athletic organizations for football (age 18 and younger) to ensure that their parks and facilities are equipped with certain vessels for heat related injuries.

This legislation is in response to a 2019 House Study Committee on Heat-Related Injuries, Cardiac Injuries, and Other Sports-Related Injuries - report found here. 
HB 0834 SupportBroadband - Authorize Local Revenue Bonding Rick Jasperse
1/30/2020 House Second Readers Governmental Affairs --
2020/01/31 General County Government Todd Edwards
This bill, broght by the House Rural Development Council, simply amends state revenue bond law to authorize local governments to issue revenue bonds for wired or wireless (broadband) services that will transmit data at a rate not less than 200 kilobits per second to and from end users and provide access to the internet.  As the state's rural broadband initiative grant program has yet to be funded, this allows another tool for local governments to consider in seeking broadband service.   
HB 0835 NeutralTax Collection - Contracts for Collection of Municipal Taxes Scot Turner
1/30/2020 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2020/01/31 Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance Tax Commissioner
In counties with less than 50,000 tax parcels, current law allows the tax commissioner to directly contract with a city to collect city taxes and to receive compensation from the city for those services. This bill would eliminate such direct contracts between tax commissioners and cities, with the result that counties and cities could contract for the tax commissioner to collect city taxes. Such contracts would include compensation from the city to the county to cover the cost of collections. Counties would be authorized to provide additional compensation to the tax commissioner for collection of city taxes. Tax commissioners would be prohibited from receiving compensation directly from the city.
HB 0836 NeutralAlcohol Licenses - DOR Can Issue Throughout the Year Kasey Carpenter
1/30/2020 House Second Readers Regulated Industries --
2020/01/31 Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Todd Edwards
This bill provides that the State Revenue Commissioner will provide annual alcohol licenses at any point during the year.  Currently, licenses must be applied for by November 1 of each year, and the commissioner must issue licenses by January 1.  Furthermore, all licenses issued will be transmitted to the applicant electronically - unless the applicant requests that the license be mailed.         
HB 0837 NeutralFulton County Development Authority Limitations Charles Martin
1/30/2020 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2020/01/31 Econ. Dev. & Transportation Economic Development Kathleen Bowen
This legislation would prohibit county development authorities, in counties where at least 95% of the land area is incorporated, from acquiring property titles, undertaking projects and granting tax abatements without the approval of the board of education or municipality where the property, project, or abatement is located. This legislation currently only applies to Fulton County. 
HB 0846 SupportInterest on Taxes and Direct Sales Tax Pay Permits for Certain Industries John Corbett
6/30/2020 Effective Date Ways and Means Finance -
2020/01/31 2020/02/21 Report 2020/02/28 Report 2020/06/19 Report Larry Ramsey
Property Tax Revenue & Finance
This bill would lower the interest rate payable on tax refunds, as well as past-due taxes, to the prime rate (currently, prime rate plus 3%). The bill would further establish rules for direct pay permits for certain industries, allowing those companies to directly pay to the Dept. of Revenue sales taxes on their business purchases (rather than paying sales taxes to vendors who then remit those taxes). Finally, local governments would have the option of having any sales-tax refunds to such direct-pay permit holders deducted over the same period of time as the overpayments, thereby avoiding the budgetary impact of having such refunds deducted all at once (as is currently the case). No interest would run on such permit holders' overpayments until they actually submit a refund request (as opposed to running from the time of overpayment). This bill also makes provides a state income tax credit for manufacturers of personal protective equipment (PPE) and updates the state income tax code to track similar federal law changes.
HB 0848 NeutralSurplus Property - State Can Sell to Entities Outside Georgia Shaw Blackmon
1/1/2021 Effective Date Governmental Affairs State Institutions and Property -
2020/01/31 2020/02/28 Report 2020/06/19 Report 20YY/MM/DD Report General County Government
Todd Edwards
Currently, the State government may negotiate the sale and transfer of surplus goods to political subdivisions, charitable institutions and public corporations located, or providing services, in Georgia.  This legislation removes the requirement that these entities be located or provide services in Georgia.   
HB 0850 OpposeSales Taxes - Change in Permissible Referendum Dates Jason Ridley
1/31/2020 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2020/01/31 Elections Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local
This bill would require that referenda on new or renewing sales taxes (SPLOST, E-SPLOST, T-SPLOST, etc.) be held on the November election date in any year. Under current law, two dates are permissible each year (3 dates in a Presidential election year) for holding these referendum votes.
Green background on status indicates a bill has been acted on the last recorded legislative day.



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