Loading...Legislative Bulletin - March 16, 2007
Welcome to Week 9 of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Legislative Bulletin. The General Assembly has been in recess since Friday, March 2, but committees from both chambers have continued to meet during the break. The Senate and the House both resume meeting on Monday, March 19th for the 28th day of the 2007 legislative session.
Below are among the bills that the Georgia Chamber is actively tracking, listed by category, and the status of each.
Compliance
SB 243 - Ethics in Government
Sponsor: Sen. Unterman
This bill would make changes to the current laws relating to campaign committee disclosures and lobbyists’ registration fees and disclosure filing fines.
Status: Passed Senate Ethics committee on 3/13/07. Awaiting action in the Senate Rules committee.
Georgia Chamber Position: Under Consideration.
General Business, Technology & Transportation
HB 434 - Regional Transportation Funding
Sponsors: Reps. Martin, Royal, Burns, Benfield, Fludd & C. Johnson
This bill would allow two or more counties to vote on a regional sales and use tax for transportation funding.
Status: Passed a subcommittee of House Ways & Means. Awaiting action in full committee.
Georgia Chamber Position: Support. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce has a standing position supporting significant increases in transportation funding and plans to discuss this bill further in the coming week.
Healthcare
SB 102 - Chiropractors' Scope of Practice
Sponsors: Sens. Balfour, Unterman, Rogers, Williams & Henson
This bill would increase chiropractors' scope of practice.
Status: Passed Senate Health & Human Services committee on 3/15/07. Awaiting action in Senate Rules committee.
Georgia Chamber Position: Oppose. This issue is raising significant new cost concerns for many in the business community.
Judiciary
SB 286 - Dismantling ER Tort Reforms
Sponsors: Sens. Harp, Brown, Shafer, Seabaugh, Cowsert & Murphy
This bill would weaken provisions from Civil Justice Reform (SB 3) by removing the section requiring plaintiffs' attorneys to prove that emergency room doctors acted with gross negligence.
Status: This bill remains in Senate Hopper.
Georgia Chamber Position: Oppose. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce will oppose all attempts to weaken legal and tort reform legislation adopted by the Georgia General Assembly and signed by the Governor in 2005.
Small Business
SB 137 - Sunday Sales of Alcohol for Off-premise Consumption
Sponsors: Sens. Harp, Stoner, Adelman, Bulloch, Fort & C. Thompson
This bill would provide counties and municipalities the opportunity to hold a referendum on the retail sale of alcohol on Sunday beginning at 12:00 Noon for off-premise consumption if the county or municipality currently allows for such on Monday through Saturday.
Status: Recommended Do Pass by the Senate Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee, 03/13/07.
Georgia Chamber Position: Support. The retail Sunday sale of alcohol for off-premise consumption was included on the 2007 Georgia Chamber Legislative Agenda and will be pursued in this legislative session. Please contact your senators to express your support of SB 137!
Taxation & Business Incentives
HB 237 - The Integrated Plant Theory
Sponsors: Martin, Stephens, Lewis, Watson, Royal & Smyre
This bill would exempt the sales tax on all machinery and equipment that is necessary and integral to the manufacturing process.
Status: Recommended Do Pass by the House Ways & Means Sales Tax Subcommittee, 3/15/07.
Georgia Chamber Position: Support. The support and adoption of the “integrated plant theory” was included in the 2007 Georgia Chamber Legislative Agenda.
HB 272 - Sales Tax Exemption on Energy Used in Manufacturing
Sponsors: Reps. Lewis, Stephens, Martin, Ralston, Williams of the 4th & Graves
The Sales Tax Subcommittee recommended a committee substitute containing language capping the sales tax rate on the energy used in the manufacturing process.
Status: Recommended Do Pass by the House Ways & Means Committee, 3/15/07.
Georgia Chamber Position: Support. The Elimination of the Sales Tax on Energy used in manufacturing was included in the 2007 Georgia Chamber Legislative Agenda.
HB 361 - Retraining Tax Credits
Sponsor: Rep. O'Neal
This bill as approved by the House Ways & Means Committee creates provisions for unused income tax credits in research and development as well as establishes a 3-year rolling assessment to determine base year port traffic increases for the purpose of establishing income tax credits.
Status: Recommended Do Pass by the House Ways & Means Committee, 3/15/07.
Georgia Chamber Position: Neutral.
Workers’ Compensation, Labor & Employment
HB 572 - Artificial Wage Mandate
Sponsors: Beasley-Teague, Brooks, Mitchell, Mangham & Stephenson
This bill would require the State of Georgia and certain employers who contract with or receive financial assistance from the state or a state agency to pay its employees a "living wage."
Status: Awaiting action in House Industrial Relations committee.
Georgia Chamber Position: Oppose. Mandated wages and employment benefits, which create disparities between local governments, produce an anticompetitive marketplace that has a negative effect upon job growth, business relocation and expansion.
SB 96 - Drug Free Work Screening
Sponsor: Sens. Golden & Stoner
This bill would strengthen the Drugs Don't Work employer program by allowing for oral screening onsite.
Status: Passed Senate Insurance & Labor committee on 3/15/07. Awaiting action in Senate Rules committee.
Georgia Chamber Position: Support. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce upholds the right of employers to ensure a safe, drug-free workplace and will continue to work together with the authors of this bill to shepherd it through the legislative process.
For a full listing of bills being considered for action by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, visit: www.gachamber.com/gov/hotissues.html.
