The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Cecil Staton, R-Macon, also makes it clear that local governments can pass more stringent massage parlor regulations. Though many communities already have done this, Macon’s city attorney’s office had some trepidation about doing so without a clear go-ahead from the state.
The bill passed the House 150-8, but in a different format from what the Senate already passed. That means the changes will have to get Senate approval, but Staton said he’s OK with the new language, signaling easy final passage in the Senate.
Driving rules for cell phones, texting near final passage
Legislation banning cell phone usage by teenage drivers was close to final passage Tuesday at the Georgia General Assembly, and a ban on text messaging may soon follow.
House Bill 23 makes it illegal for anyone under 18 and driving on an instructional or provisional license to talk on a cell phone while driving, unless they’re reporting an accident or other emergency. Violations would mean a $150 fine.
This bill passed the Senate and was expected to pass the House. That would send the bill to the governor for his signature.
Another bill, Senate Bill 360, contains various versions of a complete ban on texting while driving. The House and Senate differ over the details of this bill but are expected to negotiate those differences and pass the ban before the 2010 legislative session ends Thursday.
State considering refurbishing school buses
State dollars could be spent to refurbish school buses instead of buying new ones under legislation that passed the state Senate on Tuesday.
House Bill 936 will head back to the House of Representatives for another vote, but it survived in the Senate despite a push from Middle Georgia senators intent on killing it.
State Sens. Ross Tolleson, R-Perry, and George Hooks, D-Americus, both took the well to speak against the bill. Tolleson gave a fiery speech, saying the bill would eventually decimate bus fleets across the state. He called it “a disaster waiting to happen” and said he was “looking after the safety of the children of Georgia.”
Hooks cut directly to another point, one many in the Senate felt Tolleson was dancing past: Blue Bird, one of the world’s largest school bus manufacturers, is located in Fort Valley. That is in Hooks’ district and near Tolleson’s.
The company provides “thousands and thousands of jobs for Georgians,” Hooks said.
In the end, the Senate was not moved, and the bill passed 35-7. Tolleson and Hooks voted against it and were joined by two other Middle Georgia senators, Ronnie Chance, R-Tyrone, and Johnny Grant, R-Milledgeville.
The measure is one of several the Legislature has passed this year to give local school boards more spending flexibility during the ongoing budget crisis.
Senate approves plan for people to donate money to state
If you’d like to voluntarily pay more state taxes, the Georgia Senate voted Tuesday to help you out.
House Bill 1272 initially called for a spot on annual tax returns that would allow people to donate money to lupus and kidney disease research. The Senate added multiple sclerosis to the bill. And then it added voluntary donations to the state treasury.
The message is simple: If you think the state should raise taxes to avoid teacher furloughs and other budget cuts, feel free to raise them on yourself.
“I get phone calls all the time where people say we need to raise taxes and do something,” said state Sen. Bill Heath, R-Bremen and the amendment’s author.
The amended bill passed the Senate 50-0. It heads back to the House for another vote.
Grand prix-style races in Georgia under consideration
Legislation that would allow sanctioned “grand prix”-style road races in Georgia cleared the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 345 would allow the races on closed-off roads, provided the local governments sanction it. The bill, advertised as a potential economic boon for Georgia communities, passed the House 149-11. It heads back to the Senate for another vote.
No state money for salary increases in districts furloughing teachers
State funds could not be used for administration salary increases at school districts furloughing teachers and other employees under legislation that won final passage Tuesday.
House Bill 977 passed the Senate unanimously Tuesday and heads to Gov. Sonny Perdue for his signature. School districts could still use local dollars to give superintendents and other administrators raises, but they’d have to hold a public hearing to explain the raises first.
Some teacher certification requirements could be delayed until 2015
Some teacher certification requirements would be set aside until 2015 to save money under legislation that won final passage from the Georgia General Assembly on Tuesday.
House Bill 1307 is one of several money saving bills the Legislature has passed this year. It does away with learning requirements for certificate renewals for teachers and paraprofessionals until July 1, 2015.
The bill passed the Senate on Tuesday 48-0 and heads to the governor for his signature.
Senate OKs tax credit for energy-efficient appliances
The state Senate approved Tuesday a tax credit for energy-efficient appliances, but the bill must head back to the House of Representatives for final approval.
House Bill 1069 would give those who purchase energy-efficient equipment a tax credit totaling 25 percent of the cost of the equipment or $2,500, whichever is less.
Federal money would be used to fund the credit, though, and if no federal money is set aside for the program, it won’t be enacted.
The bill passed the Senate 47-1 on Tuesday and had already cleared the House.
But because the Senate made changes, the House will have to vote again to send the bill to the governor for his signature.
Senate approves new type of sales tax
The state Senate authorized a new type of sales tax Tuesday, one that requires voter approval and could support the arts.
House Bill 335 would allow local governments to call a new type of special purpose local option sales tax referendum. Instead of being limited to penny-on-the-dollar taxes, they could ask voters to approve just a fraction of a penny. Also, instead of being used only for construction, vehicle and equipment purchases — as SPLOSTs are now constrained — the money could be used to pay for daily operations for museums and arts organizations.
The new tax eventually could be a source of funding for entities such as the Georgia sports and music halls of fame in Macon. The bill passed the Senate 44-2. But it had been amended heavily — HB 335 initially dealt with other aspects of the tax code — and must go back to the House for final passage.
House wants Medicare supplemental coverage to be easier to obtain
Medicare supplemental insurance would be easier for disabled people under age 65 to get under legislation that passed the Georgia House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 316 requires insurers selling the supplemental policies to offer them not only to senior citizens, but also to people “enrolled in Medicare by reason of disability or end-stage renal disease.”
The bill passed the House 147-5 on Tuesday but must head back to the Senate for final passage.
Four strikes and you’re out
A fourth felony would mean a full sentence in Georgia under legislation that won final passage Tuesday.
House Bill 901 states that upon a fourth felony conviction, criminals would have to serve the maximum sentence without parole. It passed the state Senate easily and had already passed the House of Representatives, so it heads to the governor for his signature.
List of people allowed to give medical treatment consent expanded
A neighbor or friend could give consent for the medical treatment of an incapacitated friend if no family member can be found to do so, under legislation that passed the Georgia House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 367 adds “adult friend” to the list of people who can give consent. The phrase “adult friend” gave some concerns that the bill opened the door to gay domestic partnerships, but supporters said it’s about helping senior citizens who don’t have family nearby.
“It ends up being a neighbor, a friend that needs to be able to do that because that’s all they have in this world,” said state Rep. Sharon Cooper, R-Marietta.
The bill passed the House on Tuesday, but must go back to the Senate for final approval.
House gives state more restriction power on boats, docks
The state would have more power to restrict the type of boats used on Lake Sinclair and to regulate boat shelters and docks on High Falls lake under legislation that passed the Georgia House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 99 prohibits new “motorized vessel greater than 30 feet six inches in length” on Lake Sinclair, but it includes a grandfather clause for such boats already on the lake. It also prohibits bypass mechanisms that make boats louder by reducing the effectiveness of the vessel’s muffler on the lake.
An amendment was added to the bill Tuesday to give the Georgia Department of Natural Resources more regulatory power over boat shelters and docks “on High Falls Lake and High Falls Lake only,” state Rep. David Knight, R-Griffin, said Tuesday.
Senate Bill 99 heads back to the Senate for another vote.
Georgia students could be required to study Pledge of Allegiance
Georgia students would be required to study the Pledge of Allegiance under a measure headed to Gov. Sonny Perdue.
Senate Bill 518 passed the House unanimously Tuesday and had already passed the Senate. It would require public schools to include a study of the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag and the Georgia flag in their curriculum.
Bill: Contracts written in English take precedent
When insurance contracts and brochures are written in more than one language, the English contract would take precedent in court under legislation that won final passage Tuesday at the Georgia General Assembly.
House Bill 417 passed the Senate 47-1 and had already passed the House, so it heads to Gov. Sonny Perdue for his signature. The bill states that when “an insurer provided any material in a language other than English, the English language version of the policy ... shall control the resolution of the dispute or complaint.”
Asked whether that might help insurance companies take advantage of people who don’t speak English, state Sen. John Wiles — who presented the bill in the Senate on Tuesday — said everyone has an obligation to read and understand contracts they sign.
Telegraph writer Travis Fain compiled this report, which includes information from The Associated Press.
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