Senate Bills and Resolutions

SB 125, “Super Speeder” Surcharge for Statewide Trauma Care Network
Sponsors: Sens. Chance, Staton, Whitehead, Reed, Heath and Carter
STATUS: Approved by the full Senate, approved by the House Public Safety and Homeland Security subcommittee, waiting for full House vote.

SB 361 - The “Georgia Credit Protection Act”
Sponsor: Sen. Chip Rogers
This bill would allow a consumer who places a written request to a credit-reporting agency to place a security freeze on his or her credit report.  SB 361 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions.
STATUS: House & Senate bills reconciled in conference committee. Reconciled bill passed by full Senate, awaiting full House vote.

SB 383, Georgia Affordable HSA Eligible High Deductible Health Plan
Sponsor: Sens. Judson Hill, Chance, Hudgens, D. Thomas, Rogers and Carter
The legislation will insure more Georgia citizens by expanding the availability and affordability of High Deductible Health Plans and Health Care Savings Accounts in Georgia. A High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) is a health insurance plan that offers consumers lower premiums and higher deductibles than a traditional health plan. A Health Savings Account (HSA) allows consumers to set aside funds for future qualified medical health expenses on a tax-free basis. The health insurance reform legislation announced recently has several provisions to make HDHPs paired with HSAs more affordable and available in the Georgia insurance market. The legislation will provide incentives for small businesses to provide HDHPs with HSAs. According to the Center for Health Transformation, approximately 500,000 Georgians could become insured if the reform legislation if passed through the 2008 Georgia General Assembly.
STATUS:Passed by the full Senate and referred to House Insurance Committee

SB 404, “The Georgia Health Marketplace Act”
Sponsors: Sens. Williams, Goggans, Hudgens, Rogers, Seabaugh and Hawkins
This bill would create “The Georgia Health Marketplace” in an attempt to broaden access to health insurance.
STATUS:Passed by the full Senate and referred to House committee on Insurance

SB 433, State Health Planning for Cancer Hospitals (commonly referred to as CTCA)
Sponsors: Sens. Williams, Rogers, Johnson, Mullis, Moody and Jack Hill
STATUS:Passed by the full Senate and referred to House special subcommittee on Certificate of Need

SB 461, School Bullying
Sponsors: Sens. Rogers, Hill
This measure requires school districts to come up with specific policies to combat bullies and to provide immunity to those who report them.
STATUS: Passed full Senate, crossed over to House

SB 506, SHAPE Act
Sponsors: Sens. Carter, Thomas, Saey, Rodgers, Hill, Moody
Would require local school systems to conduct physical fitness testing of students; state physical education instruction requirements.
STATUS: Passed in full Senate and referred to House Committee on Health and Human Services

SR 845, Transportation Funding
Sponsors: Sens. Mullis, Stoner, Williams, Reed, Wiles and Judson Hill
A proposed Constitutional amendment for a penny sales tax for transportation that would be collected locally or regionally. Individual regions would control most of the money raised and have the final say in selecting most projects. Ninety percent of the revenue collected in each region would be spent only on projects within that region, while the remaining 10 percent would be spent on projects of statewide priority. 
STATUS: Passed Full House and Senate, sent to conference committee.

 

House Bills and Resolutions

HB 130, Identity Theft
Sponsor: Rep. Calvin Hill
Relating to identity theft, security freezes, definitions and provisions, this bill would allow consumers to freeze their credit report and mandates that a file be unfrozen within 15 minutes if needed.
STATUS: HB 130 was amended to reduce the fees from $10 to $3 per transaction, passing 167-2 before being sent to the Senate committee on Banking & Financial Institutions

HB 535, Mental Health Ombudsman
Sponsor: Rep. Butler
Establishes a Patient Advocate General investigate fatalities and allegations of abuse, neglect, or improper treatment occurring in facilities operated by, subjection to certification by, or under contact with the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases.
STATUS: Passed full House and referred to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

HB 881, Georgia Charter Schools Commission
Sponsor: Rep. Jan Jones
This bill discusses the establishment of a Georgia Charter Schools Commission.  The House voted to create a state commission that would recommend new charter schools, opening the door for more of the tuition-free schools throughout Georgia. The bill passed 119-48 and was sent to the Senate Committee on Education & Youth.
STATUS: Passed Full House. Passed favorably out of Senate Committees. Awaiting full Senate vote.

HB 905,  BRIDGE- Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia’s Economy Act
Sponsors: Rep. Millar, Richardson, Lindsey, Holmes, Everson, Pruett
An initiative to implement programs to improve graduation rates and to improve the preparedness of students for postsecondary education and careers by combining regular high school coursework with technical education classes.
STATUS: Passed full House and referred to the Senate Education and Youth committee.

HB 908, Sexual Offenders
Sponsor:  Rep. David Ralston
This bill addresses certain sexual offenders, residency and employment restrictions. The bill also repeals certain provisions currently in the state's sex offender law - banning sex offenders from living, working or loitering within 1,000 feet of just about anywhere children gather including schools, churches, parks, gyms, swimming pools or one of the state's 150,000 school bus stops. HB 908 passed 141-29 and was sent to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary
STATUS: Passed full House and referred to Senate Judiciary committee

HB 948, Sales Tax Holiday for school supplies and energy efficient products
Sponsors:  Reps. Smith, Jones, Houston, Tumlin, Ramsey and Coleman
This bill sets the state sales tax holiday on school supplies for July 31-August 3, 2008 and for energy efficient products for October 2-5, 2008.
STATUS: Passed full House and referred to Senate Finance Committee

HB 1158, Tag Fee for Statewide Trauma Care Network
Sponsors: Reps. Stephens, A. Scott, Cooper, Channell, Oliver and O’Neal
This bill would place a new $10 fee on automobile license tags to fund a new trauma network across Georgia. 
STATUS: Approved by the full House and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

HR 1246, Property Tax Reform Amendment (car tax)
Sponsors: Reps. Richardson, O’Neil, Ehrhart
Constitutional amendment to abolish Georgia’s car tax and the state portion of property taxes.
STATUS: Passed full House referred to Senate Finance Committee.