Legislation Assigned to the Senate RI&Util Committee (22)

Date of Last Recorded Action: 3/29/2024

HB 0057 SupportSolar Power Free-Market Financing Act Dudgeon, Mike 25th
7/1/2015 Effective Date EU&T RI&Util -
Code Enforcement General County Government Land Use/Zoning Nat. Res. & the Environment Todd Edwards
Utilities

This legislation authorizes residential and commercial electric customers, including local governments, to install solar technology on their property and utilize such financing mechanisms as leases, private solar energy procurement agreements (whereby payments are based on the output of the system), and authorization for electric companies to finance projects for their customers. Providing solar financing services does not make an entity an electric service provider and the power must be used on site or fed back to the electric utility. The bill does not limit or usurp current local regulatory or land use authority.

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HB 0085 SupportBeer and Wine Package Sales - Counties May Authorize within 100 Yards of School Buildings Harrell, Brett 106th
7/1/2015 Effective Date RegI RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Health and Human Services Todd Edwards

Respecting Home Rule, this legislation allows local governments to authorize the sale of package beer and wine from grocery stores within 100 yards of a school or school administrative building (which is currently prohibited by law).  Grocery stores must have at least 10,000 square feet of floor space and reserve at least 85 percent of their sales to food or other nonalcoholic items.  To authorize said beer and wine package sales, counties must pass a resolution or ordinance.  

HB 0152 NeutralCounties Must Report Alcohol Citations Duncan, Geoff 26th
7/1/2016 Effective Date RegI RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Todd Edwards
Counties with "bars" (defined as an establishment deriving 75% or more its annual revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverages) in unincorporated areas must adopt a policy and process to provide notice to the Department of Revenue within 45 days of any disciplinary action.  Disciplinary action is any citation or arrest on the premises against the holder of an alcoholic beverage permit or license for violations of state law or local ordinance related to the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcoholic beverages at a bar. The DOR Commissioner shall make available a reporting method. Bar bouncers must be 21 or older, and nobody under age 21 can enter said bars. Lastly, this bill makes the sale of powdered alcohol (or "palcohol") illegal in Georgia.   
HB 0201 WatchTelephone System for the Physically Impaired Parsons, Don 44th
3/18/2015 Senate Read and Referred EU&T RI&Util -
911 Debra Nesbit General County Government Public Safety and Courts Revenue & Finance
Telecommunications Utilities
The latest House substitute to this bill (LC 36 2721S) makes changes to the laws for providing telephone service to the physically impaired.
HB 0261 NeutralExtend Sunday Alcohol Sales at City and County Airports Harrell, Brett 106th
1/11/2016 Senate Recommitted RegI RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco Econ. Dev. & Transportation General County Government Todd Edwards
Aimed at international travelers, this legislation allows alcoholic beverages to be sold from 5:00 a.m. until midnight on Sundays in "sterile" areas of airports that are owned or operated by a city or county. Sterile means past a security check point.
HB 0276 NeutralAlcohol Code - Consolidate and Revise Harrell, Brett 106th
1/11/2016 Senate Recommitted RegI RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Todd Edwards
This lengthy legislation makes several changes to the alcoholic beverages law, clarifying and condensing language to streamline that code. This bill also prohibits the sale of powdered alcohol (or "palcohol") in the state of Georgia. 
HB 0340 SupportSt. Patrick's Day - Alcohol Sales on Sunday Petrea, Jesse 166th
3/3/2015 Senate Read and Referred RegI RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Todd Edwards
This legislation, mirroring SB 103, allows counties to authorize, through ordinance or resolution, the sale of alcoholic beverages for on site consumption from 12:30 p.m. until midnight on Sunday that falls within four days of St. Patrick's Day. Current law allows said sale from March 16-18.
HB 0341 NeutralBuilding Inspectors Can be Certified by Building Officials' Association Maxwell, Howard 17th
7/1/2015 Effective Date SProp RI&Util -
Code Enforcement General County Government Public Safety and Courts Todd Edwards

 This legislation authorizes the Building Officials Association of Georgia to certify building inspectors. 

HB 0461 NeutralMetal Theft Registry Requirements Shaw, Jason 176th
7/1/2015 Effective Date RegI RI&Util -
Business and Occupation Tax Debra Nesbit General County Government Georgia Bureau of Investigation Law Enforcement
Nat. Res. & the Environment Open Records/Meetings Act Public Safety and Courts Revenue & Finance Solid Waste
This legislation addresses catalytic converters and burial objects being sold to secondary metal recyclers.  This legislation will have no fiscal impact on counties.
HB 0535 SupportAlcohol - Sell Earlier for Sunday Brunch Harrell, Brett 106th
1/11/2016 Senate Recommitted RegI RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Todd Edwards
This legislation allows counties, by resolution or ordinance, to allow the on-premise sale of alcohol on Sundays starting at 10:30 a.m. if the county already has approved on-premise consumption of alcohol. Additionally, this legislation expands the times on Sundays that farm wineries may sell wine for on-premise consumption.
HB 1036 NeutralPipeline Companies - Moratorium on Eminent Domain Hitchens, Bill 161st
5/3/2016 House Date Signed by Governor EU&T RI&Util -
Air Quality Eminent Domain/Condemnation General County Government Land Use/Zoning Nat. Res. & the Environment
Todd Edwards Utilities Water Quality Water Quantity
This legislation imposes a temporary moratorium on the eminent domain powers of pipeline companies and on the ability of pipeline companies to get certain environmental permits until June 30, 2017.  HB 1036 also creates the State Commission on Petroleum Pipelines to study and develop a recommendation to the General Assembly of legislation to ensure that pipeline siting, construction and operation are consistent with the public interest in establishing minimum standards for land use to protect and preserve natural resources, environment, and vital areas and to best serve the residents of Georgia.
SB 0063 NeutralBrewpubs - Authorized to Sell Limited Malt Beverages Hill, Hunter 6th
7/1/2015 Effective Date RegI RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Todd Edwards

This legislation authorizes brewpubs to offer, as a souvenir, up to 72 ounces of sealed malt beverages to those taking brewery tours for consumption off premises. Brewpubs may also offer up to 36 ounces of malt beverage samples, for on-premise consumption, to those taking the tour. Brewers are to pay taxes on all souvenirs and samples.  Once permitted, distilleries are authorized to give away, as a souvenir which will be taxed, one 750 milliliter bottle of spirits to those taking a distillery tour and may provide up to three 1/2-ounce samples of their spirits (also taxed) during on-premise tastings.           

SB 0091 SupportAlcohol Sales - Permit within 100 yards of K-12 School Harper, Tyler 7th
3/13/2015 Senate Third Read Lost -RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Todd Edwards
This legislation allows counties to permit grocery stores to sell beer and wine for off-premise consumption within 100 yards of a K-12 school building or school grounds.
SB 0142 OpposePreemption - No Local Government Moratoriums on Zoning Procedures Beach, Brandon 21st
1/11/2016 Senate Recommitted -RI&Util -
General County Government Land Use/Zoning Todd Edwards Utilities
Yet another state preemption effort, this legislation prohibits counties and cities from establishing any moratorium with respect to the construction of cell towers, electrical power transmission lines, electrical power substations, 9-1-1 system facilities, natural gas transmission pipelines and natural gas power stations. Moratorium on water and sewage treatment facilities, reservoirs, sewer lines and in-ground fiber optic systems are limited to 90 days.       
 
SB 0153 NeutralLiquor - Bars May Purchase from Grocery Stores, Not Going through Distributor Ginn, Frank 47th
2/23/2015 Senate Read and Referred -RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Todd Edwards

This legislation allows those with a license to sell alcoholic beverages by the drink may also purchase beer, wine and liquor in the jurisdiction that they are licensed.  For example, if a bar runs out of a particular beverage, it can purchase said beverage from a grocery store without going through a distributor.       

SB 0174 NeutralAlcoholic Beverages; operation of company stores by distillers/brewers public can purchase limited quantities; limited conditions Ginn, Frank 47th
2/26/2015 Senate Read and Referred -RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Revenue & Finance Todd Edwards
This legislation allows distillers and brewers to sell a limited quantity of their product to the public at their company store.
SB 0190 NeutralCoin Operated Amusement Machines - Revise Regulations Miller, Butch 49th
7/1/2015 Effective Date RegI RI&Util -
Business and Occupation Tax General County Government Land Use/Zoning Revenue & Finance Todd Edwards
This legislation requires manufactueres and dealers, as well as owners, to purchase master licenses for bona fide coin operated machines from the state lottery.
SB 0244 SupportDistilled Spirits - Facilitate Going from a Dry to Wet County Jones, Burt 25th
3/27/2015 Senate Read and Referred -RI&Util -
Alcohol/Tobacco Elections General County Government Todd Edwards
Currently, in order to allow the sale of distilled spirits in a county, the Board of Commissioners must authorize/initiate, then a petition must be signed by at least 35% of registered voters, and then a referendum must be passed by voters. This legislation allows the county or the voters to initiate a referendum authorizing, or prohibiting, the manufacture or sale of distilled spirits without having to go through the 35% petition process.    
SB 0264 NeutralHorse Racing - Legalize in Georgia Beach, Brandon 21st
2/1/2016 Senate Read Second Time -RI&Util -
Econ. Dev. & Transportation Elections General County Government Law Enforcement Revenue & Finance
Todd Edwards

This enabling legislation starts the process of legalizing up to three horse racing tracks and parimutuel betting in Georgia. The Division of Horse Racing would be set up under the Georgia Lottery Corporation to prescribe regulations; issue, deny and revoke licenses;  and oversee all other aspects of this activity. Voters statewide would first have to approve a referendum (SR 135, which must be approved by 2/3rds of each legislative chamber) to legalize horse racing.  The city or county in which the racetrack would be located must then approve via a referendum - once it is either called for by a vote of the governing authority or a petition signed by 1 percent or 1,000, whichever is less, of qualified electors in the jurisdiction.  Three percent of racing proceeds (estimated to be about $15 million annually) go the HOPE Scholarship Program and 1 percent would go to the host community. Stripped from the bill was a provision that would have allowed up to 15 "satellite" betting locations across the state.

SB 0326 NegotiatingSoil Erosion and Sedimentation - Shorten Time for LIA to Act on Permits Jeffares, Rick 17th
2/4/2016 Senate Read and Referred -RI&Util -
Nat. Res. & the Environment Todd Edwards Water Quality

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. 

SB 0387 SupportCreation of Local Government 9-1-1 Authority Mullis, Jeff 53rd
2/18/2016 Senate Read and Referred -RI&Util -
911 Auditing/Budget Debra Nesbit EMS/Ambulance Fire Services
Forfeitures, Fees, and Fine Add Ons General County Government Law Enforcement Public Safety and Courts Revenue & Finance
Sheriff Telecommunications Trauma Care System

This legislation was developed over several years and incorporates many of the recommendations from the Governor’s Commission on 9-1-1 Modernization and Balanced Funding as well as recommendations from the Senate Study Committee. It is estimated the 9-1-1 centers could see as much as a 20 to 25 percent increase in revenues and double the prepaid fees that are collected at the point of sale and remitted to the Department of Revenue.

The Authority is made up of local officials, representatives from the telecommunications industry, and a GEMA representative, for a total of 15 members.

The Authority will provide statewide coordination of 9-1-1 activities in the state; provide planning; oversee compliance by carriers and service providers; audit service providers to ensure all fees are paid; and collect and distribute 9-1-1 fees through a centralized location. ALL 9-1-1 FEES COLLECTED IN A JURISDICTION WILL BE DISBURSED BACK TO THE JURISDICTION FROM WHICH IT CAME. 

The Authority may retain UP TO 3% for administration, for activities such as financial services, auditing and legal services.

The legislation eliminates the cost recovery charges that are billed back to jurisdictions by the wireless providers. It does allow the providers to bill their subscribers for cost recovery, but it will not come out of the 9-1-1fees received for the operation of the 9-1-1 center.

It also sets the 9-1-1 fees for landlines, wireless and prepaid, to $1.50 across the board.

   
SB 0402 NeutralMoratorium on Narcotic Treatment Program Licensure Mullis, Jeff 53rd
4/26/2016 Senate Date Signed by Governor RegI RI&Util -
Debra Nesbit General County Government Health and Human Services Land Use/Zoning Law Enforcement
Public Safety and Courts

This legislation enacts a moratorium on issuing new licenses to narcotic treatment programs.

Green background on status indicates a bill has been acted on the last recorded legislative day.








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