Legislation Sponsored by John Kennedy (14)

Date of Last Recorded Action: 5/7/2024

SB 0157 SupportDepositories of Public Funds - Reciprocal Deposits John Kennedy
5/2/2019 Effective Date Banks and Banking Banking and Financial Institutions -
2019/03/01 Report 2019/03/08 Report 2019/03/29 Report Financing Larry Ramsey
Revenue & Finance
This bill would allow local governments to deposit public funds into a "reciprocal deposit" program, under which the funds would be distributed to various banks and the funds in each bank would be insured to the FDIC limit. Detailed rules for the program would be developed by the State Depository Board.
SB 0191 NeutralChange the Term Law Assistants to Law Clerks and Staff Attorneys John Kennedy
3/7/2019 House Second Readers Retirement Judiciary -
Debra Nesbit Public Safety and Courts
SB 0373 SupportDirectors/Officers of Nonprofit Corporations - Raise the Standard for Liability John Kennedy
7/1/2020 Effective Date Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Judiciary -
Larry Ramsey
This bill is intended to provide additional protection to members of boards of directors and officers of nonprofit entities and electric membership corporations (EMCs). It would raise the standard of holding such directors liable for their actions from an ordinary-negligence standard to a gross-negligence standard. In addition, it would loosen restrictions on members of EMC boards from doing business with the EMC.
SB 0374 NeutralOffers to Settle Civil Claims John Kennedy
3/4/2020 House Second Readers Insurance Insurance and Labor -
General County Government Larry Ramsey
 This bill would expand the list of information to be included in settlement offers in civil lawsuits, and would broaden the statute's applicability to all civil claims rather than only motor-vehicle claims. The bill would also extend the time for accepting such offer to 40 days rather than the current 10 days.
SB 0410 NeutralProperty Tax Appeals - Payment of Attorney's Fees John Kennedy
7/22/2020 Effective Date Governmental Affairs Finance -
2020/02/28 Report 2020/03/06 Report 2020/03/13 Report 2020/06/19 Report Larry Ramsey
Property Tax

This bill would provide that, if a taxpayer appeals a property assessment to superior court and the final value is 85% or less than the board of assessors' value, the taxpayer's reasonable attorney's fees must be paid by the board of assessors. Under current law, such attorney's fees are payable if such value is set by the board of equalization. Additionally, any further court appeal of an award of attorney's fees must be specifically approved by the county governing authority. This bill also authorizes virtual board of equalization hearings in tax appeal cases where all parties consent.
SB 0411 SupportRural Broadband - Cap Rate which EMCs may Charge for Equipment Collocated on their Poles John Kennedy
3/12/2020 Senate Tabled -Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2020/02/28 Report Broadband General County Government Todd Edwards Utilities
In an effort to facilitate the deployment of rural broadband, this bill caps the rates that EMCs may charge for the collocation of broadband equipment on their poles at the Federal rate (47 U.S.C. Section 224(d)), which currently applies to Georgia Power and all other investor-owned electric utilities.     
SB 0445 SupportExtending Local Authority for Land Disturbance Permitting John Kennedy
7/29/2020 Effective Date Natural Resources and Environment Natural Resources and the Environment -
2020/02/28 Report 2020/03/13 Report 2020/06/19 Report Code Enforcement Kathleen Bowen
Land Use/Zoning Nat. Res. & the Environment Water Quality
This legislation would extend authority for permitting land disturbance activities to water and sewer authorities who are also responsible for stormwater management. An intergovernmental agreement with the governing authority of a county or municipality would be required. 
SB 0453 NeutralStatutory Rules Change for the Recusal or Disqualification of Judges of Superior and State Court John Kennedy
2/27/2020 Senate Read and Referred -Judiciary -
Civil Procedure Debra Nesbit Public Safety and Courts
SB 0463 NeutralElections - Several Changes to State Law John Kennedy
6/25/2020 House - House Withdrawn, Recommitted Governmental Affairs Ethics -
2020/03/06 Report 2020/03/13 Report Elections General County Government Todd Edwards
Current law requires counties to provide one voting machine for each 250 electors for all elections.  This bill still requires that ratio for general elections, but allows counties flexibility to reduce the amount of voting machines for other elections based on expected turnout, type of election, length of ballot, advanced voting and other factors.  Also, counties which have precincts where voters experience longer than an hour wait time for an election must take measures to reduce that wait time by the next election by either reducing the size of the precinct or adding additional voting machines.  The bill makes several other changes to clean up election law.  For a brief summary of the bill, please click here.  
SB 0464 SupportCybersecurity - Authorize Discussion in Executive Session and Protect Records John Kennedy
6/25/2020 House - House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Judiciary Judiciary -
Todd Edwards
This bill requires local governments to report (to the state director of emergency management) any cyber attack incident, data breach or identified use of malware that "creates a life-safety event; substantially impacts the security of data and information systems; or affects critical systems, equipment or service delivery".  It then authorizes any portion of a local government meeting that discusses or votes upon a cybersecurity issue to be held in executive session.  Lastly, it exempts local government records, data and information concerning cybersecurity from the Open Records Act.   
SB 0497 SupportAuthorizes County Governing Authorities to Impose Law Library Fees in County Recorders and Magistrate Courts John Kennedy
3/5/2020 Senate Read and Referred -State and Local Governmental Operations -
2020/03/06 Report Debra Nesbit Forfeitures, Fees, and Fine Add Ons Magistrate Court Public Safety and Courts
Revenue & Finance
This legislation allows counties to impose the law library fee in county recorders and magistrate courts by ordinance or resolution.
SB 0533 NeutralCity of Fort Valley; vacancies on the Fort Valley Utility Commission; provide John Kennedy
6/25/2020 House - House Second Readers Intragovernmental Coordination State and Local Governmental Operations -
Local Legislation
SR 0841 NeutralSovereign Immunity - Waiver for Certain Non-Monetary Claims John Kennedy
6/22/2020 House - House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Judiciary Judiciary -
2020/03/06 Report 2020/03/13 Report General County Government Government Immunity Larry Ramsey
The original version of this proposed constitutional amendment would waive sovereign immunity of the state, counties, and cities to allow person to seek a court declaratory judgment that a government action is beyond the government's authority or violates the state or federal constitutions. As amended in the House, the bill was revised completely and now proposes a constitutional amendment to expand gaming/gambling options. 
SR 1024 EvaluatingSenate COAM Study Committee; create John Kennedy
6/25/2020 Senate - Senate Passed/Adopted -Rules -
Debra Nesbit Law Enforcement Public Safety and Courts
Green background on status indicates a bill has been acted on the last recorded legislative day.



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