Legislative Update By Senator Steve Gooch (51)ATLANTA (February 24, 2012)

Each year, the General Assembly is constitutionally mandated to pass a balanced state budget. On Thursday, we were one step closer toward fulfilling this goal with the passage of the Senate’s FY 2012 amended budget. In order to meet our fiscal obligations, we must see a month by month growth rate of 4.4 percent. To sustain this, Governor Nathan Deal had to make some additional cuts to his initial budget recommendations, which totaled $47.2 million. The decrease was in response to a slight flattening in state revenues over the past several months. This budget substitute simply adjusts the amount of funds we are currently working with in the FY2012 Amended budget. After Governor Deal’s revenue adjustments, the difference between the FY2012 Amended budget and FY2012 Amended budget – as passed by the Senate on Thursday – is an increase of approximately $207 million. Amid a recession, Georgia’s budget has shown a slight increase in recent years. In FY 2010 the Amended Budget was approximately $17.1 billion compared to this year’s amended budget recommendation of$18.5 billion. For the remainder of the 2012 session, the General Assembly will continue to work together toward passing a budget that meets the essential needs of our state.

Weekly Legislative Update:

This week, I had the opportunity to meet with several constituent groups including Union County Leadership, the Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO), the Georgia Association for Career and Technical Education (GACTE), the Future Farmers of America Association (FFA) and the White County High School FFA Chapter and Alumni. It was also a pleasure to spend time with the following students from throughout my district: Katie McDonald, Whitney Clark, Courtney Culpepper, Katie K. Katie Rittenhouse and Courtney Culpepper. In addition, I met briefly with Congressman Graves, who represents the 51st Congressional District, on Wednesday, February 22 for breakfast to discuss issues impacting the citizens of North Georgia. The Pickens County 2012 STAR Banquet was held on February 23rd where I honored the STAR Student and STAR Teacher as well as the nine finalists for each category with a resolution passed by the Senate. The STAR Student for Pickens County is Reuben Burnley and the STAR Teacher is Mr. Patrick Gallagher.

SB 468, which I co-sponsored, passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee on Thursday. This bill would require bicyclists to ride single file on two-lane roads when a motor vehicle is within 300 feet and is traveling in the same direction. This legislation would provide an additional measure of safety not just for bicyclists, but for motorists traveling along one of North Georgia’s many roadways.

Senate Bill Action:

Fiscal Budget Passed Back to House. Sen. Jack Hill (R-Reidsville) presented the amended fiscal budget on Thursday. The Senate passed HB 741, the FY 2012 Amended Budget. The Senate then recommended an amended budget of $18.5 billion in total state funds, slightly more than the $18.3 billion originally passed in the FY 2012 General Budget. Since the House version of the bill includes line items different from the bill passed by the Senate in a 51-1 vote, members from both chambers will now determine a mutually agreed-upon bill.–HB 741

Online Education Legislation:

Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) introduced legislation on the Senate floor that will require high school students, beginning with those who enter the ninth grade in the 2014-2015 school year, to complete at least one online learning course during their high school career. Sen. Rogers said the bill is intended to benefit the taxpayers, the schools, and the students. The bill passed with a vote of 36-15.

SB289 Statue of Limitations Extended for Report of Sexual Abuse.

Under legislation sponsored by Sen. Charlie Bethel (R-Dalton), individuals who were victimized by a sexual crime as a child are given until their 28th birthday to report the crime. For cases involving childhood rape, the individual is given until their 33rd birthday to report the crime. Under current law, some individuals are not given enough time following their maturation to adulthood to report their crime. The bill passed with a vote of 53-0.

SB316 Documentation for Teachers and Administrators Terminated for Financial Reasons Legislation introduced by Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) would require that written documentation be provided to employees of the education system, such as teachers and administrators, detailing the reason for their termination if the termination was due solely to financial reasons. The bill passed with a vote of 51-0.

SB153 Increase in Employees Wages Taxed for Unemployment Insurance.
Sen. Fran Millar (R-Atlanta) sponsored a bill that will increase the amount of employee wages that are taxed for unemployment insurance and reduce the maximum number of weeks a claimant may receive benefits from 26 to 20. The bill passed 34-13.

SB 447 Increase the Transparency of SPLOST Projects.
Sen. Ligon introduced legislation to the Senate on Wednesday which would increase transparency in Special Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) projects. In addition to the current requirement to publicly report expenditures for all projects funded by SPLOST, this bill would require the disclosure of estimates of the maintenance and operation costs for all projects, including a statement of surplus funds, as well as the estimated date and cost of completing these unfinished projects. The bill passed with a vote of 48-6.

SB332 Restructure of Georgia International Commercial Arbitration Code:
Legislation sponsored by Sen. Bill Hamrick (R- Carrolton) would restructure procedural rules for international commercial arbitrations in Georgia. This would repeal current Georgia law and replace it with a more modern version. Sen. Hamrick stated that he believes the bill will stimulate job creation and passed with a vote of 51 to 0.

SB383 Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia Enhanced Investment Authority Act:
Legislation introduced by Sen. Tim Golden (R-Valdosta) permits eligible large retirement systems, excluding the Teachers Retirement System, to invest up to 1 percent of their assets into alternative investments. Each year, they may increment this amount by 1 percent until the 5 percent cap is reached. Participating systems would have to annually report to the House and Senate Retirement Committees. The bill passed 50-4.

SB402 Dentist to Receive Special License:
Under this bill, dentists and dental hygienists who have a license in good standing in any U.S. jurisdiction may receive a special license from the Georgia Board of Dentistry to volunteer their services. The bill passed 55-0 and sponsored by Sen. Greg Goggans (R-Douglas). –

SB 338 Commissioner of Agriculture Allowed to Use Surety Bonds to Collect Debts:
On Tuesday, Sen. John Bulloch (R-Ochlocknee) sponsored a bill that allows the Commissioner of Agriculture to require anyone to obtain a surety bond on the balance of a civil penalty owed. The Commissioner can also suspend a portion of a penalty pursuant to a consent order or final decision when no further review is taken or allowed. The bill passed 49-0.

SB 367 Seed Certification Bill:
Sen. John Bulloch (R-Ochlocknee) sponsored a bill that would give the Dean of the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences the authority to designate any certifying agency in good standing with the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies to provide for seed certification. Current law states that the Dean must designate the Georgia Crop Improvement Association, Inc. as a certifying agency. The bill passed 48-4 on Tuesday.
SB390 Excluding Horseshoeing from the Practice of Veterinary Medicine:
Legislation proposed Wednesday by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) would exclude the practice of fitting and shoeing equines (horses, mules, donkeys, and etc.) from the definition of “practice of veterinary medicine.” The bill passed with a vote of 52-2.

SB324 Tilapia Becomes a Domestic Fish under New Bill:
Under legislation proposed by Sen. John Wilkinson (R-Toccoa), tilapia would be declared a “domestic fish” in the state of Georgia. This would allow tilapia to legally be released into specified private ponds and sold from commercial fish hatcheries if the tilapias are produced by an aquaculturist licensed by the state Department of Natural Resources. This legislation also restricts the use of tilapia as live bait. The bill passed 51-2.

SB360 Changes in Hospital Accreditation References:
This bill deletes references in the Georgia Code to the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals or the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, former names of the organization now known as the Joint Commission. In place of these deleted references, these code sections will now refer to “a nationally recognized health care accreditation body.” The bill passed 56-0 and was sponsored by Sen. Butch Miller (R-Gainesville).

SB 361 Annual Controlled Substances Update:
Sen. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler) presented legislation to update the schedules of controlled substances and list of dangerous drugs. This is the annual drug update bill will add to and revise the different classifications of drugs and adds drugs to the definition of dangerous drugs list. This bill addresses the concerns of the county sheriffs when dealing with synthetic marijuana. We’re happy to work with them to protect the youth in our communities from his dangerous material. This bill passed 53-1.

SB 370 Bill Proposes Name Change for Research Building:
Legislation by Sen. Ronnie Chance (R-Tyrone) will rename the Herty Advanced Materials Development Center to the Georgia Southern Herty Advanced Materials Development Center and will transfer control of the center to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. This bill passed 56-0.

SB 396 Confidentiality of Insurance Commissioner’s Office Analysis:
Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth) sponsored legislation that will secure the confidentiality of analysis performed by the Insurance Commissioner’s office pertaining to the financial condition or market conduct of an insurer. The bill passed with a vote of 53-0.

SB385 Controlled Substances Legislation:
At the request of the Attorney General, Sen. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler) presented legislation to allow Georgia pharmacies to fill out of state prescriptions and make Georgia laws in compliance with federal laws regarding samples. The bill passed 49-0.

SB 378 Redistricting Legislation:
This bill will revise the boundaries of certain state House districts. The bill passed the Senate 36-15 and was transmitted back to the House of Representatives by Reapportionment and Redistricting Chairman, Sen. Charlie Bethel (R-Dalton).

HB 829 Disposition of Veterans’ Cremated Remains Act:
Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford) presented legislation that will require the funeral director in charge of a crematory to make a reasonable effort to determine whether any body submitted for final disposition by cremation is that of a deceased veteran. The bill passed 44-0. SB 372

For additional information regarding a specific piece of legislation, you may access the Georgia General Assembly website at http://www.legis.ga.gov/. As your representative of the 51st Senate District, I look forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to contact my office, and let me know how I can serve you best. # # # # Sen. Steve Gooch represents the 51st Senate District which includes Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Pickens, and Union counties and portions of Forsyth and White counties. He may be reached at 404.656.9221 or via email at [email protected]. .