HB 0022 |
Evaluating | Creating New Cities - Stipulations |
Oliver, Mary Margaret 82nd |
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1/16/2013 |
House - House Second Readers |
GAff |
- | - |
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| This legislation stipulates methods by which the General Assembly can create new cities.
In counties where more than 25% of the population lives in cities, in order to create a new city, the remainder of the unincorporated area would have to be placed in the new city or annexed into existing cities.
In any type of county, a bill to create the new city would have to be introduced in the first year of a two year legislative session, studied in between sessions and adopted in the second year of the session. In the time between sessions, a study of the proposed city would be conducted to include: the economic viability of the proposed city, the plan for the remaining unincorporated area of the county, the amount of taxes necessary for the proposed city to provide services to its residents, the financial impact of the new city on the county and adjacent cities in the county, a comparison of the estimated police, fire and sanitation services in the new city, the county and the adjacent cities before and after the creation of the city, the financial impact of the plan on the remaining unincorporated area of the county, and the county as a whole and the existing cities.
The legislative committees considering the creation of the new city would be required to hear testimony to determine if there are less disruptive or less costly alternatives than creation of a new city. For instance, they would hear testimony about whether overlay zoning districts, special land use districts, and special tax districts would better meet the needs of the residents of the proposed city.
If a proposed city is within a certain distance of existing cities, the existing cities must adopt a resolution consenting to the creation of the new city. |
HB 0099 |
Neutral | Home Beer Makers Allowed to Brew More |
Spencer, Jason 180th |
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7/1/2013 |
House - Effective Date |
RegI |
RI&Util |
- |
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| Under current law, an individual may produce 50 gallons of malt beverages in a year in their home without having to be licensed or pay excise taxes so long as the malt beverages are not sold or offered for sale. This legislation allows the home brewer to make as much as 200 gallons per year and up to 25 gallons may be transported out of the home for special events regulated by the State Revenue Commissioner. Local Governments (in which the sale of malt beverages is lawful) may issue home-brew special event permits, to include contests, tastings and judgings, but cannot charge more than $50 for said permits. |
HB 0176 |
Neutral | Cell Towers/Equipment - Conditions on Local Government Approval Process |
Parsons, Don 44th |
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7/1/2014 |
Effective Date |
EU&T |
RI&Util |
- |
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| This substitute bill is significantly scaled back from last year's cell tower bill, resulting from a compromise between ACCG, GMA and wireless providers. Addressed among its provisions are a shot clock on new tower permit application and conditions on the forced removal of an existing tower, wireless equipment on public property and local government application fees. It does not affect a county's current ability to deny an application for a new tower, manage wireless infrastructure on its right of way, or contain an "automatically approved" provision if an application shot clock expires. For a summary of this compromise bill, please click here. |
HB 0185 |
Neutral | Selling Distilled Spirits Directly from Distillery |
Kidd, E. Culver "Rusty" 145th |
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2/5/2013 |
House - House Second Readers |
RegI |
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| This legislation allows the Georgia Department of Revenue to permit distilleries to sell package liquor in limited quantity. |
HB 0361 |
Neutral | Federal Labor Laws - Cannot Require Folks to Waive Them |
Lindsey, Edward 54th |
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7/1/2013 |
House - Effective Date |
I&L |
I&L |
- |
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| This legislation prohibits the state, cities and counties from passing ordinances or requirements in contracts, permits, licenses or zoning, that would require an employer or employee to waive rights provided by the National Labor Relations Act. For instance, a county could not require a potential contractor or vendor to accept terms to a collective bargaining agreement with its employees in order to enter into a contract with the county. |
HB 0367 |
Neutral | Reduce Distance for Outdoor Advertising Near Public Park |
Sharper, Dexter 177th |
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2/20/2013 |
House - House Second Readers |
Trans |
- | - |
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| Under current law, billboards may not usually be located within 500 feet of a public park, playground, recreation area, forest, or scenic area of cemetery. This legislation reduces this buffer to 200 feet. |
HB 0474 |
Oppose | Preemption of County and City Historic Preservation Ordinances |
Willard, Wendell 51st |
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2/27/2013 |
House - House Second Readers |
Judy |
- | - |
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| This legislation allows owners of vacant property within an historic district established by a county to subdivide their property in a way that is contrary to the county’s historic preservation ordinance so long as it is consistent with the county's zoning ordinance. The intent of the bill is to allow a property owner to circumvent county and city historic preservation ordinances. |
HB 0487 |
Neutral | Coin Operated Amusement Machines - Regulating |
Ramsey, Matt 72nd |
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4/10/2013 |
House - Effective Date |
RegI |
RI&Util |
- |
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This legislation moves the regulation of coin operated machines from the Department of Revenue to the Georgia Lottery Corporation. It allows the county to prohibit more than six Class B coin operated amusement machines that reward the player exclusively with non-cash merchandise, prizes, toys, gift certificates, etc. Under the old law, counties could only prohibit more than nine Class B machines. This legislation also allows the county to require an annual audit of the verified monthly reports that location owners and operators must prepare showing the gross receipts from the Class B machines, gross retail receipts for the business location and the net receipts of the Class B machines.
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HB 0741 |
Support | Septage Land Application Sites - Consistent with Local Zoning |
Kevin Tanner |
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4/23/2014 |
House Date Signed by Governor |
NR&E |
NR&E |
- |
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| This legislation requires those applying for septage land application permits to provide the EPD with a letter verifying that the proposed site complies with a jurisdiction's local zoning and land use ordinances. If a public hearing is held in the application process, it must occur in the same jurisdiction where the proposed site is to be located. |
HB 0782 |
Neutral | Out of State Unlicensed Businesses Allowed to Operate During State Declared Disasters |
Bruce Williamson |
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4/15/2014 |
House Date Signed by Governor |
W&M |
FIN |
- |
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| This legislation allows out of state utility contractors to come to Georgia from 10 days before until 60 days after a state of emergency to provide clean up, restoration and rebuilding of infrastructure and property without paying any taxes (other than sales tax), without being licensed. |
HB 0787 |
Neutral | Selling Liquor at the Distillery |
Kevin Tanner |
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1/23/2014 |
House Second Readers |
RegI |
- | - |
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| This legislation would allow craft distillers to make retail sales of alcohol up to 1.75 liters per day to any single customer. |
HB 0825 |
Neutral | Alcoholic beverages; fruit growers licensed as farm wineries obtain license authorizing production of distilled spirits and fortified wines pursuant to certain conditions; permit |
Penny Houston |
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4/15/2014 |
House Date Signed by Governor |
RegI |
AG&CA |
- |
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| This legislation allows the Revenue Commissioner to license farm wineries to make distilled spirits and fortified wines, as well as to have a tasting room located on the property of the farm or the property adjacent to the farm. |
HB 0855 |
Oppose | Service Delivery Strategy Revisions/New Penalties |
Andrew Welch |
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3/3/2014 |
House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute |
GAff |
- | - |
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| This legislation revises current Service Delivery Strategy (SDS) law by providing that each SDS agreement be reviewed and updated by January 1st of the third year after the census, along with other, new renegotiation triggers. It also allows any city to trigger renegotiations unilaterally. In addition to losing state grants, loans and permits, local governments failing to submit or implement a service delivery strategy within 180 days of being required to do so will have 10 percent of all SPLOST, LOST, HOST or other local tax proceeds held until an SDS agreement is reached. For a more detailed summary, please click here. |
HB 0952 |
Evaluating | Sale of Consumer Fireworks - Annual Licensing Fee Paid to State Fire Marshal |
Jay Roberts |
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2/11/2014 |
House Second Readers |
RegI |
- | - |
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| This legislation changes the law regarding the sale of consumer fireworks by providing for an annual $250.00 licensing fee for all consumer fireworks retailers to be paid to the State Fire Marshal. |
SB 0104 |
Support | Comprehensive Planning Revisions - Streamlining Requirements |
Ginn, Frank 47th |
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7/1/2013 |
Senate - Effective Date |
GAff |
SLGO |
- |
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| This legislation results from a two-year stakeholder process whereby ACCG, GMA and others partnered on the Department of Community Affairs' Planning Rules Task force to revise Georgia's comprehensive planning requirements on local governments. While, to the credit of DCA, most of the task force's recommendations have been achieved via its rulemaking process, three changes in statute were necessary. This legislation covers these necessary changes by:
- making housing, human services, natural resources, vital areas, historic and cultural resources, infrastructure, recreation and other components of a comprehensive plan optional to the local government;
- not requiring Regional Commissions (RC) to issue a public finding on whether a development of regional impact is in the best interest of the region or state; and
-changing deadlines on when a local government must adopt a comprehensive plan and submit it to their RC.
For a detailed summary of all the Comprehensive Planning changes promulgated by DCA, click here.
For a PowerPoint presentation of the changes, click here. |
SB 0229 |
Negotiating | Authorize County to Adopt Ordinance Allowing Sale of Consumer Fireworks |
Mullis, Jeff 53rd |
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1/13/2014 |
Senate Recommitted |
- | I&L |
- |
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| This legislation allows the county to adopt a local ordinance authorizing the sale of consumer fireworks. Also provides for a 10 percent excise tax on all fireworks sales. All revenues collectioed shall be paid to the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission and the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council in equal amounts. |
SB 0317 |
Oppose | Coin Operated Amusement Machines - Increase Numbers Substantially |
Lester Jackson |
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1/24/2014 |
Senate Read and Referred |
- | GvtO |
- |
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| This legislation severely restricts the ability of counties to regulate coin operated machines. Under current law, counties could restrict businesses from having more than six machines. This legislation allows businesses to have up to 500 coin operated machines. Additionally, current law restricts the payout of such machines to $5.00. This bill allows payouts up to $50 per play. |
SB 0335 |
Neutral | Alcohol - Locals May Authorize Retail Dealers to Conduct Tastings |
Burt Jones |
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2/21/2014 |
Senate Read Second Time |
- | RI&Util |
- |
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| This legislation allows counties to authorize alcoholic beverage tasting events. |
SR 0217 |
Neutral | Pari-Mutuel Wagering in Horse Racing; Constitutional Amendment |
Thompson, Curt 5th |
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2/12/2013 |
Senate - Senate Read and Referred |
- | RI&Util |
- |
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| This legislation, if approved by the voters, amends the constitution to allow pari-mutuel wagering in horse racing. |
SR 0820 |
Evaluating | Senate Entrepreneur in Residence Study Committee |
Judson Hill |
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3/18/2014 |
Senate Passed/Adopted |
- | ECD |
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| This legislation creates the Senate Entrepreneur in Residence Study Committee to examine impediments to entrepreneurs. The program would have two objectives: (1) to identify within government inefficient and overlapping programs that negatively impact entrepreneurs trying to start or expand a business, and to recommend solutions; and, (2) to serve as a visible advocate and mentor for entrepreneurs within the government, a point of contact who knows and understands their needs, concerns, and frustrations with regard to dealing with government. The entrepreneur in residence would: 1. Assist in providing outreach to entrepreneurs and small businesses; 2. Provide recommendations on ways to streamline and improve government procedures impacting entrepreneurs; 3. Recommend ways to improve programs available to entrepreneurs; 4. Facilitate meetings and forums to educate entrepreneurs on programs and requirements; 5. Provide technical assistance or guidance to entreprenuers in navigating government programs and requirements; 6. Participate in informal working groups of entrepreneurs in residence from various agencies established to discuss best practices, experiences, obstacles, opportunities, and recommendations. |