Georgia Chamber Legislative Update: February 4
Friday, February 04, 2011
February 4, 2011
Legislative Calendar
The General Assembly is in recess today and will reconvene on Monday for the 11th legislative day. The legislature will meet on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday next week.
Bills of Interest
- Sunday Sales: SB10, which would allow local communities to decide for themselves whether or not to allow Sunday sales of alcohol, was passed by the Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee with only one dissenting vote. The Georgia Chamber testified on behalf of the bill’s economic benefits.
- Immigration: HB87, introduced last week, received a hearing today by the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. Senator Jack Murphy (Cumming) has introduced a similar bill, SB40, which includes additional requirements and penalties. The Georgia Chamber is actively working with members of the General Assembly to ensure that whatever bills are ultimately passed do not place undue burden on business and to indemnify employers who make a good faith effort to follow the law.
- Economic Development: HB73, also known as the Local Growth Bill, has been introduced by Representative Ron Stephens (Savannah) and would allow communities to choose to implement a fractional sales tax of up to one penny to fund local economic development initiatives. The Georgia Chamber has not yet taken a formal position on this bill, although this concept is a standing policy priority.
- Health Care: Representative Matt Ramsey (Peachtree City) has introduced HB47, which would expand options for individual health insurance by allowing Georgians to purchase policies approved for sale in other states. While the Georgia Chamber has not yet taken a formal position on this bill, this option is a standing policy priority.
- Tax: HB100, introduced by Representative Alan Peake (Macon) would take a positive step towards the creation of a statewide independent tax court to improve judicial access and increase uniformity in decision-making on complex tax disputes. The Georgia Chamber supports this concept, which has been successfully implemented in other states, but has not yet taken a formal position on the bill.
Federal Health Care Law
Although a U.S. Senate vote on repealing last year's federal health care law failed 51-47, the Senate did vote overwhelmingly to reverse a provision requiring businesses to file 1099s for any vendor with whom they spent $600 or more each year. In addition, a Florida court ruled the law as passed last year unconstitutional, becoming the second court to do so and likely sending the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court.
