Legislation with Tracking Level = Oppose (56)
Use the drop down to the left to select the next 25 bills to display.

Date of Last Recorded Action: 5/7/2024

HB 0005 OpposeProhibit Employer From Using Salary History of New Job Applicant Park Cannon
1/16/2019 House Second Readers Industry and Labor --
2019/01/16 Test Report General County Government Personnel/Employment Todd Edwards
This legislation would prohibit an employer from using the salary history of a job applicant to determine their compensation.  It would only apply to applicants that are not currently working for the employer in another position.
HB 0102 OpposeExpand Property Tax Exemption on Properties Owned by Charities Charles Martin
2/6/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2019/01/31 Report Larry Ramsey Property Tax Revenue & Finance
This bill would expand the statutory exemption from property taxes for certain charitable institutions. The bill would eliminate the existing statute's requirement that a building be used "exclusively" for the institution's charitable purposes in order to be tax-exempt. The bill would also allow such buildings and accompanying land to be used for the primary or incidental purpose of raising revenue for charitable purposes.
HB 0136 OpposeAnimal Shelters - Must Post Picture of Impounded Animal on Website Demetrius Douglas
2/7/2019 House Second Readers Agriculture and Consumer Affairs --
2019/02/08 Report Animal Control General County Government Todd Edwards

Current law requires county animal shelters which impound an animal to notify the owner immediately upon impoundment, then go through certain steps if the owner cannot be reached.  This bill additionally requires animal shelters to immediately post a photograph of the animal, along with the animal's breed, on the animal shelter's website.   ACCG believes there is indeed good intent behind this legislation; however, there are many counties that simply lack the resources to do this and there are too many variables and challenges which make this infeasible.  
HB 0204 OpposeSales Tax Exemption - Veterinary Medicines Billy Mitchell
2/11/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2019/02/08 Report Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance
This bill would exempt from state and local sales taxes all sales of veterinary medicines.
HB 0219 OpposeTax Assessment - Listing of Applicable Regulations Lynn Smith
2/12/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2019/02/15 Report Larry Ramsey Property Tax Revenue & Finance
This bill would require tax assessors to develop a list of all federal and state regulations that impact their valuation of property. 
HB 0236 OpposeAllows Any First Responder to Engage in Emergency Transport of Patients Roger Bruce
2/13/2019 House Second Readers Public Safety and Homeland Security --
2019/02/15 Report Debra Nesbit EMS/Ambulance Fire Services Health and Human Services
Public Safety and Courts
This legislation circumvents the current process for obtaining an EMS zone through the rules of the Department of Public Health to provide EMS services.
HB 0243 OpposeTelecom - Another Attempt to Reduce Local Right of Way Fees - Another State Double Standard Lee Hawkins
2/13/2019 House Second Readers Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications --
2019/02/15 Report Franchise Fees General County Government Todd Edwards

This bill significantly reduces the amount of franchise and other fees that cities may charge for telephone/fiber/video wires running through their jurisdictions.  Ironically, the same limits do not apply to the State Department of Transportation’s rights of way, creating yet another state/local double standard in the administration of fees.  
HB 0264 OpposeEMSC Transparency Bill William Werkheiser
6/25/2020 House - House Conference Committee Appointed #2 116th, 157th, 16th Health and Human Services Ethics -
2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/22 Report 2019/03/29 Report
Debra Nesbit EMS/Ambulance Health and Human Services Public Safety and Courts
This legislation sets forth requirements for lobbying disclosures when promoting or opposing any matter before one or more local coordinating entities.  The bill also requires that all meetings be conducted in accordance with the open meetings statute and requires that each member of the local coordinating entity to comply with conflict of interest policies.  The legislation also prohibits any employee, operator, contractor, or owner of an ambulance provider currently providing service for a territorial zone or of an ambulance provider that has submitted a proposal for a new ambulance service in such territorial zone from serving on any committee, subcommittee, or ad hoc committee that is involved in the seletion of ambulance provider for the zone or from voting on any proposals from ambulance providers for new service within the zone.  The bill also sets forth procedures for appealing decisions and provides the final decision under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act. Finally the legislation requires the Department of Public Health to make recommendations to each local coordinating entity on benchmarks for accountability standards for each territorial zone.  On and after October 1, 2020 each ambulance provider shall submit quarterly reports outlining the number of 911 calls received; the number of 911 call answered; the response times; and a copy of quarterly reports submitted to the local entity.
HB 0302 OpposeLocal Design Standards Preempted Vance Smith
4/2/2019 House Withdrawn, Recommitted Agriculture and Consumer Affairs --
2019/02/15 Report 2019/02/22 Report General County Government Land Use/Zoning Todd Edwards

Similar to SB 172, this mammoth preemption legislation prohibits cities and counties from regulating "building design elements" in single or double family dwellings.  Local governments could no longer enact standards on:

-      exterior building color,

-      type or style of exterior cladding material, 

-      style or materials of roof structures or porches,

-      exterior nonstructural architectural ornamentation,

-      location or architectural styling of windows and doors, including garage doors,

-      the number and types of rooms, 

-      the interior layout of rooms, and

-      types of foundation structures approved under state minimum standard codes.  

In short, if a house meets state minimum standard building codes, it can be built.  The legislation would not apply to state or federal historic districts, mobile homes and homes governed by a neighborhood association or covenant.  

If applicable, please share examples of how this would impact any local design standards that your county has adopted with Todd Edwards (tedwards@accg.org).    

    

       
HB 0334 OpposeConstitutional Officers - An Additional 5 Percent Pay Increase to All David Knight
2/20/2019 House Second Readers Governmental Affairs --
Compensation General County Government Todd Edwards
Similar to SB 171, this legislation requires that counties provide a 5 percent pay raise for all constitutional officers (sheriff, clerk of superior court, tax commissioner and probate judge) and magistrate judges, effective January 1, 2021.  This is on top of all of the COLAs received since 2006, state and local supplements, the 5 percent pay raise received per each four-year term in office, and any fees a constitutional officer receives as personal compensation.  Regrettably, ACCG's efforts to require that, in order to receive another pay increase, local constitutional officers go through a similar process to what is required of county commissioners (providing a notice of intent and fiscal impact in the legal organ at least once a week for three consecutive weeks, then providing notice via a public hearing before a meeting of the respective county Board of Commissioners) failed.  To view constitutional officers' salaries, by county, please click here.
HB 0335 OpposeTitle Ad Valorem Taxes - Exemption for Head Start Vehicles Al Williams
2/20/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2019/02/22 Report Larry Ramsey Property Tax Revenue & Finance
This bill would exempt from paying title ad valorem tax any vehicles purchased by a nonprofit organization that provides Head Start programs pursuant to the state Head Start program.
HB 0411 OpposeAd Valorem Taxes - No Fees on Tax Bills Brett Harrell
2/25/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2019/02/22 Report Kathleen Bowen Revenue & Finance
This bill prohibits local governments from placing on the property tax bill any other fee or charge, such as solid waste/trash fees and stormwater fees. Instead, billing for such other fees would have to be separate (although they could be included in the same mailing as the property tax bill). Any partial payments by a taxpayer would be required to be first applied to property tax liability, and not pro-rated with other fees or assessments due. Preservation of local control on this issue is an ACCG Priority.

Click here for a list of counties that have reported to ACCG that they collect fees on their property tax bill. More information on the topic is included in ACCG's 2019 Legislative Toolkit, found here.
HB 0427 OpposeAd Valorem Taxes - Charitable Institution Exemption for Non-Profit Housing Park Cannon
2/25/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2019/02/22 Report Larry Ramsey Property Tax Revenue & Finance
This bill would exempt from ad valorem taxes multi-family housing properties that are owned by non-profit corporations and used to generate income for those non-profits.
HB 0440 OpposeIncrease Juvenile Court Jurisdiction to Include Children Under the Age of 18 Mandi Ballinger
3/9/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Juvenile Justice --
2019/03/01 Report Debra Nesbit Juveniles Public Safety and Courts
This legislation proposes changes the definition of "child" to include individuals under the age of 18 years when alleged to have committed a delinquent act; individuals under the age 22 and in the care of DFCS; under the age of 23 and eligible for and receiving independent living services through DFCS; and individuals under the age of 21 who committed an act of delinquency before reaching the age of 18 who was placed under the supervision of the court.  The superior court has exclusive original jurisdiction over the trial of any child 13 - 18 years of age who is alleged to have committed murder, murder in the second degree, voluntary manslaughter, rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery or armed robbery if committed with a firearm.
HB 0443 OpposeMunicipal Option Sales Tax - Expansion to Certain other Cities William Boddie
2/26/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
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. 
HB 0461 OpposeAd Valorem Property Taxes - Exemption for Non-Profit Multi-Family Housing Park Cannon
2/27/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2019/03/01 Report Larry Ramsey Property Tax Revenue & Finance
This bill would exempt from ad valorem taxation property owned by a nonprofit corporation and used exclusively for multi-family housing.
HB 0474 OpposeState Board of Workers' Compensation - process for adopting rules Tom Kirby
3/12/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Industry and Labor --
Insurance Intern 1 Larry Ramsey
 Under current law, the State Board of Workers' Compensation has broad authority to adopt and amend rules applicable to workers' compensation matters. This bill would add several specific procedural requirements for adoption of such rules, including a requirement that such rules avoid excessive costs on regulated entities and to require that such rules provide the least restrictive alternative on such entities to avoid excessive costs. This bill would also give House and Senate committees the power to prevent any rule proposed by the State Board from going into effect.
HB 0475 OpposeMandated Doula Services In Local Jails David Dreyer
2/27/2019 House Second Readers Health and Human Services --
Correctional Institutions/Jail Debra Nesbit Public Safety and Courts
This legislation requires that all local jails provide doula services (perinatal emotional and physical support during labor and delivery and intermittently during the prenatal period or postpartum) to all inmates during the period of 22nd week of gestation and ending one week after childbirth.  These comprehensive services would be required at the expense of the local taxpayers.
HB 0477 OpposeExempt Apartment/Condo's from Public Health Rules Ron Stephens
2/27/2019 House Second Readers State Planning and Community Affairs --
2019/03/01 Report Debra Nesbit Health and Human Services
This legislation exempts all apartment complex and condominium complex swimming pools from regulation by the Department of Public Health.
HB 0518 OpposeAutomatic Qualification for EMS Zone Within Boundaries of Existing Zones Michael Wilensky
3/1/2019 House Second Readers Health and Human Services --
2019/03/01 Report Debra Nesbit EMS/Ambulance Health and Human Services Public Safety and Courts
This legislation provides automatic approval for an EMS zone within the boundaries of an existing zone for municipalities that would qualify for seven or more ground ambulances.  
HB 0523 OpposeShort-Term Rentals - Preemption of Local Regulations Kasey Carpenter
2/5/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Regulated Industries --
2019/03/01 Report 2020/02/07 General County Government Preemption Todd Edwards
This bill would prohibit local regulation of most aspects of short-term rentals of property of eight days or less. Local governments could not prohibit such rentals, impose occupancy limits, require registration of such properties, regulate rental frequency, or require licenses/permits for or inspections of such properties.  Please contact your House members immediately if you have any concerns with this bill.  To assist, you can find ACCG's HB 523 talking points here.   
HB 0592 OpposeForest Land Protection Act Properties - Allow Surface Mining Steven Meeks
3/13/2019 House Second Readers Natural Resources and Environment --
Larry Ramsey Nat. Res. & the Environment Revenue & Finance
This bill provides that surface mining on properties that are receiving preferential tax treatment under the FLPA program would not constitute a breach of the FLPA covenant, provided that the property is restored to its conservation state within 3 years.
HB 0690 OpposeBuilding Permits - Locals Can't Charge More than $500 for Inspecting "Agricultural Structures" James Burchett
3/13/2020 Senate Read and Referred Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Assignments -
2020/03/13 Report General County Government Todd Edwards
This legislation prohibits cities and counties from charging a fee of more than $500 for permitting "agricultural structures", which includes buildings and structures used for the commercial production of crops, livestock, animals, poultry, honeybees, livestock, timber, forest products, products used for commercial aquaculture or farm labor camps for migrant workers.  ACCG feels that fees for permitting agricultural should approximate whatever the cost is for administering the permitting service.  If it cost the county more than $500 to conduct an inspection, other taxpayers will have to pick up the cost, thus subsidizing the service.         
HB 0712 OpposeProperty Tax - Notification and Maximum Increases Matt Gurtler
4/2/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
Larry Ramsey Property Tax Revenue & Finance
This bill would make numerous changes to the procedures for setting property tax millage rates. It would expand public notifications to include website posting and email distribution, along with lengthening advertising timeframes. It would also limit the taxable fair market value of property, allowing no more than a 3% annual increase in the value that would be subject to taxation.
HB 0730 OpposeSales Tax Exemption - Major Sporting Events Ron Stephens
1/14/2020 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2020/01/17 Report Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local
 This bill would exempt from sales taxes all purchases made by a host committee in conjunction with sporting events expected to generate $50 million or more in sales in the host community.
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