2012 Scorecard Tracker
(as of 4/11/2012)
HB 48: Reducing Inventory Taxes
Sponsor: Jay Powell 171st
Status: Governor Signed into Law
Chamber Position: Support; Scorecard
HB 48 would expand the existing local freeport option to exempt, in part or whole, business inventory not covered in the current exemption from local property tax through a local a referendum. This would provide an appropriate option for local governments to remove this burdensome tax, attracting new business and helping existing business grow throughout the state.
HB 100: State Tax Tribunal
Sponsor: Allen Peake 137th
Status: Governor Signed into Law
Chamber Position: Support, Scorecard
HB 100 is legislation that would create a dedicated, independent tax body to oversee disputes involving tax decisions by the Georgia Department of Revenue. The Georgia Chamber believes this will allow for an efficient, streamlined resolution process and increase the uniformity and transparency of decisions in tax cases – taking away some of the unpredictability Georgia business owners sometimes face in this arena.
HB 386: State Tax Reform
Sponsor: Mickey Channell 116th
Status: Governor Signed into Law
Chamber Position: Support, Scorecard
House Bill 386 is legislation that includes comprehensive tax reforms benefitting businesses and families throughout our state. The Georgia Chamber beleives that these updates to the state tax code will help attract new investment, encourage job creation, provide support to existing businesses, and improve our overall competitiveness.
HB 683: Garnishment proceedings; filing of certain answers may be done by authorized officers or employees; provisions
Sponsor: Wendell Willard 49th
Status: Governor Signed into Law
Chamber Position: Support; Scorecard
Governor Deal signed into law legislation clarifying Georgia law regarding garnishment proceedings, stating that executing and filing of an answer to a garnishment order does not constitute the unauthorized practice of law. This change will allow businesses needed flexibility and cost savings. With the governor’s signature, the new law goes into immediate effect.
HB 868: Jobs Tax Credit and Quality Jobs Tax Credit Legislation
Sponsor: Doug Collins 27th
Status: Governor Signed into Law
Chamber Position: Support, Scorecard
HB 868 would improve Georgia’s economic competitiveness by modifying job incentives and tax credit programs, including but not limited to the research and development tax credit and the port tax credit bonus to be used in less developed census tracts, military zones and opportunity zones.
HR 1162: Constitutional Amendment for Charter Schools
Sponsor: Jan Jones 46th
Status: House/Senate Adopted; Referendum on Novermber 2012 Ballot
Chamber Position: Support, Scorecard
HR 1162 would restore an alternative route for charter school approval and clarify the state’s role in governing education. The Chamber supports public charter schools and other quality options for students that help create the educated workforce employers need to compete in our global economy.
SB 402: "Employees' Retirement System of Georgia Enhanced Investment Authority Act"
Sponsor: Tim Golden 8th
Status: Governor Signed into Law
Chamber Position: Support; Scorecard
SB 402 would allow the state’s Employees’ Retirement System to devote up to 5 percent of the system’s assets to certain types of alternative investments, including venture capital funds. Additional venture capital in Georgia would diversify our state’s economy and create clusters of business innovation to generate economic development.
SB 427: Administrative Procedure; require agency procedures for timely processing; applications for issuance/renewal of licenses
Sponsor: Ross Tolleson 20th
Status: Governor Signed into Law
Chamber Position: Support, Scorecard
SB 428 is part of a regulatory reform package aimed at streamlining government and helping Georgia companies create jobs. This measure requires the timely processing of permits required by the Environmental Protection Division.
SB 428: Administrative Procedure; provide for agency reports regarding federal government mandates and duplicate state/federal regulation
Sponsor: Ross Tolleson 20th
Status: Governor Signed into Law
Chamber Position: Support, Scorecard
SB 428 is part of a regulatory reform package aimed at streamlining government and helping Georgia companies create jobs. This measure would require an annual federal rules and regulations report to be compiled by each agency to identify those requiring state implementation.
The Georgia Chamber has also taken a position of support or opposition on several pieces of non-Scorecard legislation:
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
HB 311: Parent Protection Act
Sponsor: Roger Bruce 64th
Status: House Second Readers; Industrial Relations
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 316: Electric membership corporations; meetings open and public
Sponsor: Wendell Willard 49th
Status: House Second Readers; Energy Utilities & Telecommunications
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 432: Labor and industrial relations; employees use sick leave for immediate family care; allow
Sponsor: Katie Dempsey 13th
Status: House Committee Favorably Reported
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 816: Georgia Buy American Act; enact
Sponsor: Virgil Fludd 66th
Status: House Committee Favorably Reported
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 872: Commerce and trade; secondary metals recyclers; provide comprehensive revision of provisions
Sponsor: Jason shaw 176th
Status: House Sent to Governor
Chamber Position: Support
SB 42: Labor/Industrial Relations; prohibit employers from requesting credit reports on employees with certain exceptions
Sponsor: Donzella James 35th
Status: Senate Read and Referred; Insurance and Labor
Chamber Position: Oppose
SB 320: State Gov't; no state agency shall enter into a contract with private entity; provision of services; outside the geographical boundaries of the U.S.
Sponsor: Nan Orrock 36th
Status: Senate Read Second Time
Chamber Position: Oppose
SB 321: Secondary Metal Recyclers; comprehensive revision of provisions
Sponsor: Renee Unterman 45th
Status: House Committee Favorably Reported
Chamber Position: Support
SB 358: State Government; require this state to reciprocate the preferences granted by out-of-state local governments; resident vendors
Sponsor: John Bulloch
Status: Senate Sent to Governor
Chamber Position: Support
SB 408: "Georgia Utility Facility Protection Act"; revise the definition of the term "excavation"
Sponsor: Rick Jeffares 17th
Status: Senate Read and Referred
Chamber Position: Oppose
SB 447: Employment Security; unemployment compensation; prov.; change the amount of taxable wages; determination of weekly benefit amount; prov.
Sponsor: Fran Millar 40th
Status: House Committee Favorably Reported
Chamber Position: Support
SB 469: Labor; provide provisions prohibiting mass picketing shall apply to certain private residences
Sponsor: Don Balfour 9th
Status: House Withdrawn, Recommitted
Chamber Position: Support
COMPLIANCE
No bills to report at this time.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TAXATION
HB 73: Revenue and tax; local option tax for economic development; provisions
Sponsor: Ron Stephens 164th
Status: House Withdrawn Recommitted; Ways and Means
Chamber Position: Support
HB 384: Joint authorities; modify job tax credit received; revise investment tax credits
Sponsor: Doug Collins 27th
Status: House Second Readers; Ways and Means
Chamber Position: Support
HB 388: Revenue and taxation; revenue structure; comprehensive revision
Sponsor: Mickey Channell 116th
Status: House Withdrawn, Recommitted
Chamber Position: Support
HB 993: Revenue; sales and use tax; change certain definitions
Sponsor: Matt Ramsey 72nd
Status: House Second Readers; Ways & Means
Chamber Position: Support
HB 1027: Revenue and taxation; tax credit for film or video production in Georgia; change certain provisions
Sponsor: Ron Stephens 164th
Status: House Sent to Governor
Chamber Position: Support
EDUCATION
HB 797: Charter School Funding
Sponsor: Jan Jones 46th
Status:House Sent to Governor
Chamber Position: Support
SB 184: Last In First Out (LIFO) - provides requirements for reduction in force policies for teachers and personnel
Sponsor: Tommie Williams 19th
Status: Senate Sent to Governor
Chamber Position: Support
SB 410: School Grading Bill
Sponsor: Tommie Williams 19th
Status: Senate Sent to Governor
Chamber Position: Support
ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER MANAGEMENT
HB 43: Conservation and natural resources; mountaintop removal coal mining; prohibit purchase and use
Sponsor: Mary Oliver 83rd
Status: House Second Readers; Natural Resources and Environment
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 111: State-wide water management planning; change certain policy provisions Sponsor: Debbie Buckner 130th
Status: House Second Readers; Natural Resources and Environment
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 134: Water resources; regulate interbasin transfers; change certain provisions Sponsor: Allan Powell 29th
Status: House Second Readers; Natural Resources and Environment
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 153: Water Conservation Act of 2011
Sponsor: Richard Smith 131st
Status: House Second Readers; Natural Resources and Environment
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 368: Agricultural Water Supply Protection Act; enact
Sponsor: Tom McCall 30th
Status: House Second Readers; Natural Resources and Environment
Chamber Position: Oppose
SB 128: Water Resources; regulate interbasin transfers of water; provisions
Sponsor: George Hooks 14th
Status: Senate Read and Referred; Natural Resources and Development
Chamber Position: Oppose
SB 227: Military Interstate Compact
Sponsor: Barry Loudermilk 52nd
Status:Senate Sent to Governor
Chamber Position: Support
SB 401: "The Georgia Cogeneration and Distributed Generation Act of 2001"; change provisions; provide declaration of policy
Sponsor: Buddy Carter 1st
Status: Senate Read and Referred - Natural Resources & the Environment
Chamber Position: Oppose
SB 459: Electric Utilities; consumers may elect not to use smart meters; Public Service Commission may create/regulate a surcharge for consumers who elect not to use smart meters
Sponsor: David Shafer 48th
Status: House Second Readers
Chamber Position: Oppose
HEALTHCARE
HB 121: Discretionary Clause Prohibition Act; enact
Sponsor: Doug McKillip 115th
Status: House Withdrawn, Recommitted; Judiciary
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 132: Medical Food Equity Act; enact
Sponsor: Ben Watson 163rd
Status: House Second Readers; Insurance
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 476: Georgia Health Exchange Authority
Sponsor: Richard Smith 131st
Status: House Withdrawn Recommitted; Insurance
Chamber Position: Support
HB 736: Insurance; discretionary clauses in disability contracts; prohibit use
Sponsor: Roger Bruce 64th
Status: House Second Readers
Chamber Position: Oppose
SB 330: Health Coverage; individual accident/sickness policy; provide coverage for treatment of dependant children with cancer; autism
Sponsor: Vincent Fort 39th
Status: Senate Read and Referred; Insurance & Labor
Chamber Position: Oppose
SB 425: Insurance; provide for a physician profiling program; definitions; standards; establish criteria; provide disclosure information to patients
Sponsor: Josh McKoon 29th
Status: Senate Read and Referred
Chamber Position: Oppose
JUDICIARY
HB 100: Georgia Tax Court
Sponsor: Allen Peake 137th
Status: House Second Readers
Chamber Position: Support
SB 149: Georgia Medicaid Access Act; establish; provide for filing of a proposed complaint of a medical malpractice claim against a medical assistance provider
Sponsor: William Ligon Jr. 3rd
Status: Senate Read and Referred; Judiciary
Chamber Position: Oppose
SB 348: Civil Practice; personal service of a summons on a corporation; provisions
Sponsor: Emanuel Jones 10th
Status: Senate Tabled
Chamber Position: Support
SB 358: State Government; require this state to reciprocate the preferences granted by out-of-state local governments; resident vendors
Sponsor: John Bulloch 11th
Status: House Passed/Adopted
Chamber Position: Support
SB 383: 'Georgia International Commercial Arbitration Code'; repeal Part 2, relating to international arbitration
Sponsor: Bill Hamrick 30th
Status: Senate Sent to Governor
Chamber Position: Support
TRANSPORTATION
No bills to report at this time.
