Legislation with Tracking Level = Negotiating (21)

Date of Last Recorded Action: 4/8/2024

HB 0048 NegotiatingExempt Public Mass Transit Vehicles and School Buses from State Motor Fuel Tax Carl Gilliard
1/30/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2019/01/31 Report Kathleen Bowen Transit Transportation
This legislation exempts public mass transit vehicles, public school systems (school buses) and public campus transportation systems from the state motor fuel excise tax.
HB 0153 NegotiatingRegulatory Fees - Revise Bases for Calculating Shaw Blackmon
3/5/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Ways and Means --
2020/03/06 Report Intern 2 Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance
As amended in committee, this bill would make changes to the methods of calculating regulatory fees. Consistent with current law, local governments would be required to set regulatory fees so as to approximate the cost of the services being provided. This bill would eliminate the options of making that calculation for construction projects based on square footage or construction costs. Local governments would retain the authority to use flat fees or fees based upon hourly rates. The bill also provides that regulatory fees should be used to fund regulatory activities rather than general operations, but specifically provides that no separate accounts would be required for such fees. An earlier version of this bill would have eliminated the option for local governments to levy occupation tax on businesses based on gross receipts.
HB 0311 NegotiatingSovereign Immunity - Waiver for Certain Claims Andrew Welch
5/10/2019 Veto V5 Judiciary Judiciary -
2019/01/25 Report 2019/02/15 Report 2019/03/22 Report
 In response to several Georgia Supreme Court cases in recent years, this bill would waive the sovereign immunity of the state, counties, and cities with respect to certain non-monetary claims. As to local governments, a party could ask a court for an injunction or declaratory judgment based on an allegation that the government is acting in violation of 1) the U.S. or Georgia Constitutions; 2) state statute; 3) a state rule or regulation; or 4) a local ordinance other than a zoning ordinance. Such claims would have to be preceded by 30-days' notice to the government. A losing bidder in a public procurement would also have the power to challenge the award of a contract if that legal challenge is filed within 10 days of the contract's award. Other provisions limit lawsuits against government officers and employees in their individual capacity.
HB 0365 NegotiatingTaxation of Ride-Sharing Shaw Blackmon
6/26/2020 Senate - Senate Disagreed House Amend or Sub Ways and Means Finance -
2019/02/22 Report 2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/15 Report 2019/03/22 Report
2019/03/29 Report Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance
This bill originally addressed several changes to the title ad valorem tax (TAVT), including the TAVT rate and valuation of used cars sold by dealers. The Senate version of this bill completely replaced the above topic, and instead would exempt ride-shares (Uber, Lyft, etc.) from sales taxes and instead impose a 50-cent per ride fee on such rides.
HB 0412 NegotiatingTitle Ad Valorem Taxes - Exemption for Volunteer Fire Departments Eddie Lumsden
2/25/2019 House Second Readers Ways and Means --
2019/02/22 Report Larry Ramsey Property Tax Revenue & Finance
This bill exempts from Title Ad Valorem Taxes (TAVT) sales of vehicles to nonprofit corporations that provide firefighting services, such as volunteer fire departments.
HB 0422 NegotiatingLand Disturbance Permits Timothy Barr
2/25/2019 House Second Readers Natural Resources and Environment --
2019/02/22 Report Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment Stormwater
This legislation revises the process of reviewing and approving erosion and sediment control plans. ACCG has committeed to working with the author and co-authors of this bill on language to address their concerns. 
HB 0447 NegotiatingSales Tax Exemption On Jet Fuel Dominic Lariccia
1/13/2020 Senate Recommitted Ways and Means Finance -
2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/22 Report Airports Econ. Dev. & Transportation
Kathleen Bowen Revenue & Finance
The exemption of jet fuel from all (state and local) sales and use tax is continued through June 30, 2039. A new state excise tax of $0.005 per gallon is authorized to be levied on jet fuel. The intent of the use of funds from the new state excise tax is to support rural airports, per Governor Kemp's press release found here.

Throughout the session, ACCG joined the Georgia Airports Association in advocating for more funds and resources for our local airports. 
HB 0465 NegotiatingWater Customer Bill of Rights Don Parsons
3/4/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications --
2019/03/01 Report 2020/03/06 Report Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment
This bill, entitled the “Georgia Water Customer Bill of Rights Act”, would create new requirements for public and private water systems. The bill includes specifics on customer service standards, how and when billing should occur and notification requirements regarding termination of service.
HB 0485 NegotiatingStep Down Sunset of the Judicial Operations Fund Fee Andrew Welch
2/27/2019 House Second Readers Judiciary --
2019/03/01 Report Debra Nesbit Public Safety and Courts
This legislation provides a sunset provision for the Judicial Operations Fund with complete elimination by June 30, 2022.  In state court the $125.00 fee is shared with the county general fund, the state general fund receives $75.00 and the county general fund receives $50.00.  Effective 7/1/20 county general fund receives $35.00; 7/1/21 county general fund receives $18.00; total elimination on 6/30/22.
HB 0674 NegotiatingStreamlined Permitting for Alcoholic Beverage Licenses Alan Powell
3/5/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported Regulated Industries --
2020/02/07 2020/03/06 Report Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Kathleen Bowen
This legislation requires the Department of Revenue, on or before January 1, 2021, to develop and implement a state-wide, centralized online platform for retailers to apply for initial applications and renewals for local and state issued alcohol beverage licenses. The Department of Revenue would adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement and administer the licenses. 
HB 0715 NegotiatingOccupation Tax - Eliminate Gross Receipts Method and "$400 Club" Shaw Blackmon
2/26/2020 House Withdrawn, Recommitted Ways and Means --
2020/02/21 Report 2020/02/28 Report Business and Occupation Tax Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance
This bill would eliminate the option of local governments to use a business's gross receipts as the basis for calculating occupation tax. The bill would also eliminate the provision that gives many professions the ability to play a flat $400 per professional instead of the normal occupation tax formula. These changes would not become effective until 2025.
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 0792 NegotiatingSupplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020 David Ralston
3/17/2020 Effective Date Appropriations Appropriations -
2020/02/21 Report 2020/03/13 Report Appropriations Debra Nesbit
 This is annual supplemental amended budget for fiscal year 2020.  For a comphrehensive overview of budget items that may impact your county please click here. 
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 1083 NegotiatingRequire Law Enforcement of Verify Immigration Status Prior to Release Jesse Petrea
3/9/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Judiciary - Non-Civil --
Criminal Procedure Debra Nesbit General County Government Government Immunity Immigration
Public Safety and Courts
This legislation requires that law enforcement verifiy immigration status of anyone arrested for ICE detain orders.  Release of a person who does have detain order can subject the local government to liability for the actions of that person and waives the soverign immunity.
HB 1086 NegotiatingRequirement for Conclusion of Criminal Proceeding Prior to Civil Forfeiture Proceedings Ed Setzler
3/5/2020 House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Judiciary - Non-Civil --
2020/03/06 Report Civil Procedure Criminal Procedure Debra Nesbit Forfeitures, Fees, and Fine Add Ons
Public Safety and Courts
This legislation requires the court to stay civil forfeiture proceedings during the pendency of the criminal proceedings unless the owner or interest holder of the property waives such stay.
SB 0058 NegotiatingPrivate Civil Actions Regarding False Claims Zahra Karinshak
3/11/2019 House Second Readers Judiciary Judiciary -
2019/02/08 Report 2019/03/08 Report Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance
Under present law, a private citizen may file a civil lawsuit alleging that a party has made false claims for governmental money, but only upon specific approval by the state Attorney General. This bill would remove the requirement to obtain the AG's consent prior to filing such a lawsuit. As amended in House committee, a local government would receive notice of such lawsuits filed in that government's name.
SB 0084 NegotiatingGuns - Counties Must Provide Free Renewal Licenses Gregory Kirk
2/11/2019 Senate Read and Referred -Public Safety -
2019/02/15 Report Firearms/Carry Laws General County Government Todd Edwards
This bill provides that counties cannot charge the $30 fee from applicants renewing their Georgia Weapons Carry Permit.  The county still has to produce the renewal license to meet state-mandated specifications; however, other taxpayers must bear the cost of its production.  ACCG has no issues if the state wishes to take over and fund this service from counties, and then charge however much or little as the state deems appropriate.               
SB 0201 NegotiatingEMSC Transparency Bill - Requirement to Open Up EMS Zones Every Five Years Jeff Mullis
2/27/2019 Senate Read and Referred -Ethics -
2019/03/01 Report Debra Nesbit EMS/Ambulance 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 provides that no person may serve on the local coordinating entity in each health district for the EMSC program more than two years and may only serve as chairperson for one year.  The proposed statute would set forth a new procedure whereby another health district would be the final arbitrator of appeals in any given health district.  The proposal would also require that the local coordinating entity request new proposal from ambulance providers at least every five years.  Additionally, there is new language that requires that each provider comply with safety standards established by the board which may be based on the national safety standards of the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services, and requires additional mandatory monthly reporting regarding calls and response times.
SB 0224 NegotiatingAllow Weapons in Judicial Courts by Carry License Holders Tyler Harper
3/4/2020 Senate Read Second Time -Judiciary -
2020/03/06 Report Debra Nesbit Firearms/Carry Laws Public Safety and Courts
This legislation amends the statute related to carrying weapons in unauthorized locations to allow permit holders to carry in judicial buildings when they are not occupied by court officers or when court is not being held.  The bill also sets forth procedures for weapons disposal by municipal corporations.
SB 0275 NegotiatingOccupation Tax and Regulatory Fees - Exemption for Veterans Lester Jackson
3/29/2019 Senate Read and Referred -Veterans, Military and Homeland Security -
Larry Ramsey Property Tax Revenue & Finance
 Under current law, businesses owned by disabled veterans (as certified by the state Commissioner of Veterans Affairs) are exempt from paying occupation taxes and regulatory fees associated with such businesses. This bill would extend that exemption to businesses owned by any veteran or the spouse of a veteran.
Green background on status indicates a bill has been acted on the last recorded legislative day.



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