This bill prohibits the state, counties and cities from purchasing life insurance policies payable to the government on current or retired employees.

This bill prohibits cities and counties from regulating the sale of tobacco or tobacco related objects (i.e., papers, wrappers, blunt wraps, pipes, water pipes) to minors. It also preempts counties from regulating the possession of such products by minors.  Please contact Todd Edwards at tedwards@accg.org if you have concerns.  

HB 660 allows bona fide conservation use property to be used for the operation of a commercial hunting preserve or a choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm and provides that those uses will not cause a breach of the covenant by the taxpayer who is receiving the preferential conservation use tax assessment. The bill applies to both existing as well as future covenants. In the case of a commercial hunting preserve, the authorized use will also include "facilities for sporting clays." 

This bill makes it a felony to obtain or use another person's geolocation information.  HB 674 contains an exception allowing investigative officers, law enforcement officers or other emergency responders to intercept or access geolocation information in order to respond to a request made by someone for assistance or in there is a reasonable belief that the life or safety of a person is threatened. There is also an exception for persons obtaining geolocation through a warrant.  It is also permitted to intercept geolocation information of a person who has unlawfully taken the geolocation information.

Under current law, only individuals with a carry license are allowed to use or carry a handgun in a park, historic site or recreational area.  HB 679 would expand this to allow anyone who is not prohibited by law from possessing a weapon to carry and use a handgun in any park, historic site or recreational area. 

This legislation requires that cities and counties either approve or reject proposed routs of electric lines by a subsidiary company of an electric membership corporation which would traverse their communities.  These companies currently have the power of eminent domain to condemn right of way and easements for electric lines.  Furthermore, the bill requires that the Georgia Public Service Commission administer binding arbitration, which will be final, on any dispute arising between a local governing authority and said subsidiary company in this regulatory process.    

HB 695 lowers the disability threshold for disabled veterans to be able to receive a free motor vehicle license plate and revalidation decal plate from a 100% disability to a 60% disability.

This is the bill that will enact the state's "big budget" that will take effect on July 1, 2012.

HB 747 provides county tier 1 status for a census tract (or contiguous census tracts) that has a poverty rate of 45% of more. This status results in enhanced job tax credits for income tax purposes for those smaller areas to the same extent that would be applicable to an entire county.                           

HB 761 adds a sales tax exemption for the sale or use by a government contractor of overhead materials. The exemption will commence on the effective date of the bill and terminate on January 1, 2014.

This bill would allow counties to use state inmate crews to go on to private property to provide public services such as fire protection, animal control and disaster relief assistance.

This bill would required the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to have any change to their allocation rates or formulas approved by the General Assembly.

This bill requires tag offices to offer vehicle owners a free decal with the county name or a decal with "In God We Trust" for their license plates.