HB 0026 |
Negotiating | Elections- Elector to Vote in Any Precinct of County |
Bruce, Roger 61st |
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1/28/2015 |
House Second Readers |
GAff |
- | - |
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| This legislation gives election superintendents the authority to allow voters to cast their votes in any precinct in the county, so long as certain safeguards are provided. |
HB 0044 |
Negotiating | Drones- Restrict Use in Altitude and in Proximity to an Airport |
Smith, Earnest 125th |
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1/14/2015 |
House Second Readers |
PS&HS |
- | - |
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| This legislation prohibits unmanned drones from flying higher than 500 feet or within a five mile radius of an airport without the authority of the control tower or the agency or authority in charge if it is an uncontrolled airport. |
HB 0046 |
Negotiating | Elections- Authorize Inspection of Absentee Ballots by Candidate |
Turner, Scot 21st |
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1/15/2015 |
House Second Readers |
GAff |
- | - |
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| This legislation allows candidates to inspect and copy absentee ballots up to two years after the date of the election or primary. The reproductions of such absentee ballots shall be at the expense of the candidate and shall occur at a reasonable time and place as determined by the custodian of the absentee ballots. |
HB 0056 |
Negotiating | Statutory Guidelines for " No Knock Warrants" - Mandatory Reporting to the State |
Tanner, Kevin 9th |
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1/26/2015 |
House Second Readers |
JudyNC |
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| This legislation requires all law enforcement agencies who seek no-knock warrants to adopt guidelines and have an operational plan in place. This bill also requires each judicial officer who signs warrants to report to the Administrative Office of the Courts the number and type of warrants issued on a monthly basis. |
HB 0097 |
Negotiating | Prohibit Counties From Entering Into Non-Disclosure Agreements |
Turner, Scot 21st |
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2/9/2015 |
House Withdrawn Bill/Res Consideration |
GAff |
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| This legislation prohibits counties from entering into any nondisclosure agreements with other parties. Any offers, incentives, terms or conditions would be required to be disclosed without delay. Any citizen of the state may sue to enforce this law and compel the disclosure of the information in the agreement. ACCG believes it is important preserve project and prospect confidentiality prior to the announcement of a project. |
HB 0114 |
Negotiating | Department of Driver Services Clean Up Bill |
Tanner, Kevin 9th |
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1/11/2016 |
Senate Recommitted |
PS&HS |
PUB SAF |
- |
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| This legislation is the Department of Driver Services (DDS) annual housekeeping bill. One provision of this legislation eliminates the requirement that DDS notify licensed drivers by certified mail of suspension for failure to appear for a hearing on a traffic offense. The bill was amended in the rules committee prior to going to the floor to include a requirement that the court send a notice certified return receipt mail to those who fail to appear for court and give an opportunity for an additional hearing before notifying DDS. The proposed requirement could be a significant cost for local courts. The current version of the bill has stripped out the certified return receipt mail requirement for counties. |
HB 0130 |
Negotiating | Elections- Timely Process Act |
Bentley, Patty 139th |
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2/2/2015 |
House Second Readers |
GAff |
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| This legislation requires the Secretary of State's Office and county voter registration officials to process voter registration applications within 45 days of receipt. |
HB 0146 |
Negotiating | Elections- Permanent Portable Registration Act |
Frazier, Gloria 126th |
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2/2/2015 |
House Second Readers |
GAff |
- | - |
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| This legislation establishes new procedures to allow registered voters who have moved or had a name change to vote on election day. It also requires the Secretary of State to have the voter registration list of addresses compared to the United States Post Office's address list on a monthly basis. |
HB 0218 |
Negotiating | Religious Expression Act |
Teasley, Sam 37th |
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2/10/2015 |
House Second Readers |
Judy |
- | - |
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| This legislation prohibits the state and local governments from "substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion" (even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability) unless said burden is in furtherance of a "compelling government interest". Those burdened may sue. Please note that religion is not defined. ACCG is watching this bill closely to ensure that it does not unduly subject counties to costly, unending litigation regarding their policies or employment practices. |
HB 0221 |
Negotiating | Clarify That Rural 515 Properties are Treated Like Section 42 Properties for Valuation Purposes |
Powell, Jay 171st |
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1/11/2016 |
Senate Recommitted |
W&M |
FIN |
- |
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| This legislation was amended to clarify that federal loans for multi family housing purposes are to be treated like Section 42 properties for valuation purposes which includes Rural 515 properties. This provision clarifies the intent of HB 954 from last session. Please review this bill with your chief appraiser. |
HB 0224 |
Negotiating | Preserve Existing Medallion Systems for Taxicabs and Restrict Future Use |
Powell, Alan 32nd |
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2/10/2015 |
House Second Readers |
RegI |
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| Uber Bill |
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This legislation moves the registration, regulation, and licensing of all limo, taxicab, for-hire services, or transportation referral services to the Department of Public Safety if they begin operation after July 1, 2014. Local governments will be prohibited from adopting an ordinance requiring a certificate of public necessity or a medallion for taxicab, limo, or ride-share services after July 1, 2014.
The governing authority of a county or municipal airport remains authorized to regulate the network and establish fees so long as they are not in excess of the airport's cost of permitting and regulating.
This legislation also provides for other reporting and insurance requirements on the part of the transportation referral service and driver. It provides for fair rates and minimum requirements for use of technology in the calculation of fairs.
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HB 0226 |
Negotiating | Changes Terminology for Chauffeur License Endorsements |
Powell, Alan 32nd |
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2/10/2015 |
House Second Readers |
RegI |
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| Uber Bill 3 |
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HB 0265 |
Negotiating | Interest Rate on Past Due Taxes |
Golick, Rich 40th |
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2/11/2015 |
House Second Readers |
W&M |
- | - |
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| This bill changes the interest rate on unpaid state taxes and unpaid local taxes from 1 percent per month to 3 percent per year. |
HB 0356 |
Negotiating | Place Boats Under TAVT |
Stephens, Ron 164th |
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2/18/2015 |
House Second Readers |
W&M |
- | - |
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| This legislation provides for a new TAVT system of ad valorem taxation of watercraft and provides for titling and registration of watercraft through the Department of Revenue and county tag agents. |
HB 0364 |
Negotiating | Tax Digest Violation Penalty |
Knight, David 130th |
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7/1/2016 |
Effective Date |
W&M |
FIN |
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| This legislation gives the Department of Revenue the authority to revoke a county's qualified local government status if the Board of Tax Assessors fails to comply with an order to remove a property that the department determines is illegally on the tax digest. Once the qualified local government status has been revoked, the Board of Commissioners is given the authority to remove and reappoint the Board of Assessors to correct the tax digest and reinstate the county's qualified local government status. The tax tribunal is also given jurisdiction over refund petitions filed under the new requirements and can award attorney fees and interest along with any refunds. |
HB 0805 |
Negotiating | Regulation and Taxation of Ride for Hire Services |
Powell, Alan 32nd |
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1/25/2016 |
House Second Readers |
W&M |
- | - |
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| This legislation amends the laws regarding the regulation of taxi cabs, limousines and rides-share services. ACCG is negotiating on how to calculate the tax and how to share it with the municipalities.
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HB 0960 |
Negotiating | Penalties and Interest on Delinquent Taxes |
Kelley, Trey 16th |
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7/1/2016 |
Effective Date |
W&M |
FIN |
- |
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| This legislation requires the Department of Revenue to notify a local government when a refund request has been made that exceeds 10 percent of their average annual sales tax distribution. It also changes the interest rate owed on tax overpayment and delinquent taxes to the bank prime loan rate plus 3 percent. The penalty for delinquent property taxes is reduced initially to 5 percent after 120 days passed the due date then an additional 5 percent penalty is added for every additional 120 days passed due until a maximum penalty of 20 percent has been reached. Any penalties collected on city ad valolrem taxes must be sent to the city. Finally, automatic transmittal of refund request that remain pending for over a year to the Georgia Tax Tribunal. |
SB 0016 |
Negotiating | Job Creation Standards Act of 2015 |
Butler, Gloria 55th |
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1/13/2015 |
Senate Read and Referred |
- | FIN |
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| Establishes a ratio for tax incentive given to jobs created and recapture provisions. |
| This legislation requires counties that expend $35,000 or more stimulating economic development through bonds, grants, loans, loan guarantees, enterprise zones, tax increment financing, fee waivers, land price subsidies, matching funds, tax abatements, tax exemptions or tax credits to cross check job creation and other performance data or conduct periodic audits of corporations that receives such development subsidies. If the corporation fails to maintain wage and benefit achievements during the development subsidy or five years (whichever is longer), then the value of the development subsidy must be reduced on a prorated bases. If the corporation has already accrued the development subsidy, then the state can recapture the subsidy reduction. If the county fails to enforce any provision in this legislation, any individual who paid personal income taxes or any organization representing such taxpayers may sue to compel enforcement action. If the plaintiff wins, he or she is entitled to recover attorney's fees and court costs. Counties are required to publish summary statitstics about enforcement, as well as a list of corporations that have received development subsidies on their websites. All records prepared or maintained pursuant to this legislation are open records. |
SB 0046 |
Negotiating | Mandatory Audio/Video Recording Devices for all Law Enforcement |
Fort, Vincent 39th |
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1/26/2015 |
Senate Read and Referred |
- | PUB SAF |
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| This legislation requires law enforcement officers that respond to emerency calls or perform traffic stops to wear audio and video recording devices while they are on duty. Only the portions of recordings involving an encounter (i.e., a stop, detention or investigation of another person) are public records subject to disclosure. Recordings must be maintained for 90 days except that recordings involving an arrest, detention, use of force or for which a complaint has been lodged must be maintained for three years. Counties that fail to implement the recording devices by January 1, 2017, are subject to losing state funding and state administrated federal funding. The legislation provides for grant funding to help small and underfunded law enforcement agencies to comply with this law. |
SB 0102 |
Negotiating | Elections- Provides for an Instant Run-off Ballot |
McKoon, Joshua 29th |
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2/11/2015 |
Senate Read and Referred |
- | ETHICS |
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| This legislation provides for instant run off voting, which allows the return of an earlier qualifying period and a July primary. |
SB 0129 |
Negotiating | Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act |
McKoon, Joshua 29th |
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3/11/2015 |
House Second Readers |
Judy |
JUDY |
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| This legislation prohibits the state and local governments from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion (even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability) unless said burden is in furtherance of a compelling government interest and is the least restrictive means of achieving that interest. Those burdened may sue. In court, a prevailing party may recoup its attorney fees from the government. |
SB 0159 |
Negotiating | No-knock Search Warrant Requirements |
Stone, Jesse 23rd |
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1/11/2016 |
Senate Recommitted |
- | JUDYNC |
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| This legislation prohibits law enforcement from using no knock search warrants unless the department has a written policy that meets certain standards and the officer provides an affidavit or testimoney that the the act of knocking and announcing the officer would be dangerous to human life, inhibit the effective investigation of a crime by allowing destruction of evidence or would be futile. |
SB 0267 |
Negotiating | Guns - Reduce Local Licensing Fee by Half |
Williams, Michael 27th |
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1/13/2016 |
Senate Read and Referred |
- | JUDYNC |
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| Under this legislation, the weapons carry license fee going to the county probate court is cut in half, from $30 to $15, for applicants age 65 and over. ACCG commends the state for proposing a reduced licensed fee for this age group; however, this $30 fee is the cost to counties to process and create the license. Otherwise local taxpayers would be subsidizing this cost. If the state wishes to reduce the license charge it should instead step up and either reduce/eliminate its (GBI) state and federal background charge from the current $44 or simply not require the probate judges to process licenses all together. |
SB 0321 |
Negotiating | Public Utility Data - Locals Cannot Publicize Usage Data |
Hill, Hunter 6th |
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2/22/2016 |
Senate Read Second Time |
- | ED&T |
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| This legislation prohibits the state and local governments from publicizing any financial, operational, or consumption data related to a person's use of public utilities in any way which identifies the person's use of the utilities without the person's express consent. This does not prohibit disclosure of such data under an open records request. |
SB 0326 |
Negotiating | Soil Erosion and Sedimentation - Shorten Time for LIA to Act on Permits |
Jeffares, Rick 17th |
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2/4/2016 |
Senate Read and Referred |
- | RI&Util |
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| This legislation shortens the time period that counties (which are local issuing authorities) have to approve or deny a land disturbance permit from 45 days to 14 days. Furthermore, in addition to all other existing requirements, the bill mandates that only professional engineers (or a few other licensed professionals) may review land development plans (Level 2 Reviewers). If your county is a local issuing authority, please e-mail Todd Edwards (tedwards@accg.org) your concerns on complying with this legislative proposal. |