Friday, May 04, 2012
As the period for Governor Deal to approve or veto legislation enters its final week, several important business measures supported by the Georgia Chamber were signed into law:
HB 797:The measure, which takes effect if voters approve a Constitutional amendment referendum this November, will restore an alternative route for creating charter schools in Georgia. The bill is designed to give local communities an additional tool for providing students in their area access to the best possible education – whether it is in public schools or in public charter schools approved by either the local school board or the state. (SUPPORT)
HB 347: Legislation that will accelerate Georgia’s repayment of a federal loan made to the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund while restoring long-term solvency to Georgia’s unemployment insurance system. The Chamber believes that an expedited repayment plan is urgently needed to save businesses and their employees from increasing fees and assessments. HB 347 offers a balanced approach in revising the current employer fee and employer assessment structure to repay the federal loan by 2014 – saving Georgia employers roughly $250 million in penalties.
SB 383:This bill revises international arbitration laws – solidifying Georgia’s position as a neutral location relating to commercial contract resolution. SB 383 will now allow companies to settle disputes within state borders – helping to reduce costs while making Georgia’s legal system friendlier to domestic and international businesses. (SUPPORT)
SB 427/SB 428:This Chamber-led legislation is a state regulatory reform package – streamlining government and increasing transparency to help Georgia companies create jobs. SB 427 requires the timely processing of permits required by the Environmental Protection Division and SB 428 requires an annual federal rules and regulations report to be compiled by each agency to identify those requiring state implementation. (SUPPORT; Scorecard)
While the Chamber’s major legislative priorities have already been signed into law, our Government Affairs team is continuing to work with the Governor’s Office and monitor activity throughout the final week of bill signings. The Governor has until May 8 to sign, veto or let bills become law without his signature.
The Governor’s office maintains a webpage dedicated to updating Georgians daily on signed legislation.
See what bills have been signed to date.
Thank you for being a part of the Georgia Business Action Network!
The Georgia Chamber wants to thank you for your support of the business community. To find out how you can become more involved, please take a moment if you haven’t already to complete your online GBAN profile.
