House Appropriations voted out the supplemental budget this morning, and it is on the House calendar tomorrow(Thursday).  The education budget was changed little.  

• They disagreed with the Governor on the cut to equalization, so that $17 million was put back in.  
• The local five mill share was not adjusted, so it remains over the 20% limit in statute.` Any adjustment there would probably have just increased the austerity reduction, so systems with a high property value are saving others some pain whether they want to or not.

There were no education bills in either chamber today.  Several committees met -- some to take action and some to have a first discussion on bills.

Action Taken

SB 206, the tax expenditure report, was voted out of House Appropriations today.  It now goes to House Rules Committee.

HB 927, the bullying bill, was voted out of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee.  The substitute passed should be online tomorrow.  This bill now goes to Rules.

It's Baaaack

The Ad Valorem Subcommittee of House Ways and Means Committee met to hear and discuss the following:

• HR 1, the constitutional amendment to limit assessments.  We talked about this a lot last year, but the House could not get the needed 2/3 votes to pass it.  They still want it.  A substitute was presented with several new provisions that we will detail after we look at them more carefully.
• HB 517, the enabling legislation for HR 1
• HB 1041, relating to tax digests when property is in arbitration or on appeal

The Sales Tax Subcommittee of House Ways and Means met to discuss the following:

• HB 1013, relating to the newspaper requirement for SPLOST
• HB 1020 and HR 1203, a constitutional amendment and enabling legislation to allow part of SPLOST to be spent on M&O

Senate Finance met to hear SB 346, the reformation of the property assessment and appeals system.  This is a massive, complex bill that will have much more discussion.  Majority Leader Chip Rogers presented a substitute today which will not be available online until it passes out of committee.

UPCOMING

Thursday, February 11

The General Assembly will be in session.

Senate Education & Youth will meet at 8 AM in 310 CLOB.  The agenda includes SB 298, requiring first aid in health courses; SB 132, the Dropout Deterrent Bill raising the dropout age; and SB 386, the Governor's pay-for-performance bill.

House Education Committee will meet at 2 PM in 506 CLOB to vote on SB 84, the school governance bill, and to hear reports from subcommittees.

The General Assembly is in recess Friday and Monday.