Georgia Legislative Watch

Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee (pdf)

• SB 303, Senator John Douglas’ bill allowing certain pythons and anacondas to be kept as pets under certain conditions

House Judiciary Non Civil Committee (link)

• HB 896, Rep Doug Collins’ bill regarding speedy trials for members of the National Guard or other military units who have been called to duty overseas.
• HB 898, Rep Doug Collins’ bill regarding the contents of publication of drunk drivers’ information following their second or subsequent conviction.

House Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee (link)

• HR 1106, Rep Larry O’Neal’s resolution regarding the Honor and Remember Flag

House Regulated Industries Committee (link)

• HB 595, Rep Calvin Hill’s bill regarding warranties of residential contractors
• HB 604, Rep Stephanie Benfield’s bill to allow tasting rooms in breweries

House Retirement Committee (link)

• HB 249, Rep Chuck Martin’s bill expanding certain definitions in the Public Retirement Systems Investment Authority Law
• HB 546, Rep Tom Weldon’s bill regarding the Firefighters Pension Fund
• HB 974, Rep Howard Maxwell’s bill regarding the Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund
• HB 969, Rep Howard Maxwell’s regarding a variety of retirement issues, including military, teachers, and public school employees.
• HB 960, Rep Tommy Benton’s bill regarding the lump sum death benefit of the Georgia Defined Contribution Plan
• HB 542, Rep Brooks Coleman’s increasing the maximum allowable benefit payable upon normal, early, or delayed retirement under the Public School Employees Retirement System.
• HB 997, Rep Howard Maxwell’s placing the Employees’ Social Security Coverage Group under the jurisdiction of the State Personnel Administration

House Governmental Affairs Committee (link):

• HB 478, Rep Jay Powell’s bill requiring municipal court judges to be attorneys.
• HB 881, Rep Mike Jacobs’ bill revising the limitations of use of local bonds
• HB 122, Rep Edward Lindsey’s bill requiring every local government with a budget over $1 million to maintain a searchable budget website with all revenue and most expenditures detailed.

House Public Safety and Homeland Security Subcommittee (link)

• HB 938, Rep Allen Peake’s bill to ban texting while driving
• HB 944, Rep Amos Amerson’s bill to ban texting while driving

House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee (link):

• Presentation on Prescribed Burning from Georgia Forestry Commission Director Bob Farris
• HB 62, Rep Gene Maddox’s bill to create a State Veterinary Education Board and allow service cancelable educational loans for students studying veterinary medicine.
• HB 847, Rep Stephanie Benfield’s bill regarding school outreach to farmers
• HB 883, Rep Kevin Levitas’ Sanitary Activity for Food Processing Enterprises (SAFE) Act

House Judiciary Jacobs Subcommittee (link)

• HB 357, Rep Edward Lindsey’s bill regarding notification of the right to a court reporter

The Senate Science and Technology Committee (pdf) and the House Science and Technology Committee (link) will hear from Tino Mantella, President of the Technology Association of Georgia. The Senate Appropriations Judiciary Subcommittee (pdf) will review the FY10 Amended Budgets of several agencies. The House Appropriations Human Resources Subcommittee (link) will hear from Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond and receive an update on the status of the unemployment insurance trust fund. The House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee (link) will hear from the US Census Bureau. The House Appropriations General Subcommittee (link) will hear from the Department of Natural Resources and attached agencies. The House Health and Human Services Committee (link) will have a comprehensive update on the work of the trauma commission. The Joint House Motor Vehicles and Senate Public Safety Committee (link) will meet to hear about Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Data Contracts.

The Senate Rules (link) and House Rules (link) Committees, as well as the Science and Technology Keown Subcommittee (link), will meet but have no agenda available online at the time of this writing.

The Senate Ethics (link), State and Local Government Operations (link), Government Oversight (link), Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security (link), and Finance (link) Committee meetings have been canceled for today.

C/P SWGA Politics