FOP Legislative Update Week #4
2/13/09
Tuesday, February 10, the Georgia General Assembly convened at 10 am, officially beginning the 16th day of the session. With the Fiscal Year '09 Budget under the microscope, the legislators have been giving extra effort to pass legislation benefiting all Georgia constituents.
The Senate has spent this week diligently working to pass legislation on many different issues. Senators voted to pass Senate Bill 31, allowing Georgia Power to collect, in advance, an estimated $1.6 billion in financing costs from its customers to build a Nuclear Power Plant outside of Augusta. With food safety and regulation under strict scrutiny in the press, Senators passed Senate Bill 80, requiring Georgia food-manufacturing plants to regularly test for contamination. This will help to throw up red flags when contaminants, such as salmonella, are found by the Department of Agriculture. Senators also found a way to receive $4.6 million in federal highway safety department funding if Senate Bill 5 becomes a law. This bill requires operators of pickup trucks to buckle up when they are on public roads. An estimated 105 deaths a year could be prevented if this bill becomes law; however, the bill faces opposition from agricultural interests.
There was a long
heated debate over House Resolution 1 this
Thursday, to see whether or not there should be a cap placed
on the assessments of property values. If the resolution passed,
next year the voters would vote on whether or not they would
implement the assessment cap in their respective
local governments. Ultimately, the
resolution did not gain the 2/3rd's support that it needed to pass
in the House. The vote was 105 yeas to 67 nays, the majority of the
support coming from the Republican Representatives. Even though
this bill was not passed, Representative May assured the House that
there would be another bill to provide the same effect, House Bill
233, that Representatives, later that day, passed with a
simple majority vote.
On Wednesday of last week, there was a House Public
Safety Appropriations Subcommittee meeting held. The meeting was
for public discussion so that parties could plead their cases to the
committee stating that they needed certain funds. While the FY ’09
budget is still in the preliminary stages and nothing is set in
stone yet, we are working hard with legislators to keep certain
funds in the budget for you. We are working around the clock to
better serve you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have
any concerns at all.
Below you will find a list of bills and resolutions that are most important to the Fraternal Order of Police. If you would like to retrieve a complete copy of a bill or resolution you can access the information from the links below. If you have any questions, comments or anything at all, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Bills of Concern:
HB 14: Aims to provide nonpartisan elections of sheriffs, district attorneys and solicitor generals along with qualifications to hold one of the aforementioned positions.
Status: House Governmental Affairs Second Read 1/16/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb14.htm
HB 31: Aims to repeal provisions relating to traffic-control signal monitoring devices.
Status: House Judicial Non-Civil Second Read 1/29/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb31.htm
HB 36: Aims to create a “Blue Alert” alert system which speeds the apprehension of criminals who kill or seriously injure local, state, or federal law enforcement officers. It also will provide immunity from civil damages for dissemination of alert information.
Status: House Second Read 1/14/2009
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb36.htm
HB 53: Aims to require policies that prohibit law enforcement officers from impermissibly using race or ethnicity in determining whether to stop a motorist and for law enforcement officers to document race, ethnicity, and gender of a motorist and passengers. This bill will also require officers to attend annual training of law enforcement officers on unlawfully using race and ethnicity in stopping vehicles.
Status: House Judiciary Non-Civil Second Read 1/15/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb53.htm
HB 88: Aims to provide nonpartisan elections of clerks of the superior court, sheriffs, tax receivers, tax collectors, and tax commissioners along with the qualifications to hold one of the aforementioned positions.
Status: House Governmental Affairs Second Read 1/16/2009
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb88.htm
HB 110: Aims to require policies that prohibit law enforcement officers from impermissibly using race or ethnicity in determining whether to stop a motorist and for law enforcement officers to document race, ethnicity, and gender of a motorist and passengers. This bill will also require officers to attend annual training of law enforcement officers on unlawfully using race and ethnicity in stopping vehicles.
Status: House Judiciary Non-Civil Second Read 1/26/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb110.htm
HB 256: Aims to provide that evidence relating to the failure to use safety belts in passenger vehicles may be used by state and local authorities to recover costs incurred from a person’s failure to use a safety belt.
Status: House Judiciary Second Read 2/04/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb256.htm
HB 259: Aims to provide for training for certain persons licensed to carry a pistol or a revolver.
Status: House Judiciary Non-Civil Second Read 2/04/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb259.htm
HB 260: Aims to provide that licenses to carry a pistol or revolver and temporary renewal permit shall include a photograph and current address of the holder.
Status: House Judiciary Non-Civil Second Read 2/04/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb260.htm
HB 286: Aims provide that persons applying for a license to carry a pistol or revolver and temporary renewal permit shall complete a handgun safety course.
Status: House Judiciary Non-Civil Second Read 2/05/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb286.htm
HB 287: Aims to provide that certain restrictions on the use of speed detection devices in traffic law enforcement shall not apply with respect to the use of speed detection devices in school zones.
Status: House Judiciary Non-Civil Second Read 2/05/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/hb287.htm
SB 9: Aims to repeal the requirement that a concealed weapon must be kept in a holster.
Status: Senate Read and Referred to Senate Judiciary 1/12/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/sb9.htm
SB 12: Aims to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and possession in this state of handgun ammunition that does not contain a unique code; the creation of the coding system database is to be established by the Department of Public Safety and will require the registration of manufacturers and vendors.
Status: Senate Read and Referred to Senate Judiciary 1/12/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/sb12.htm
SB 32: Aims to give authorization to the Department of Transportation to establish rules and regulations for the prevention or reduction of occurrences of dangerous traffic congestion caused by a high volume of vehicles exiting the interstate highway at certain locations during peak traffic times.
Status: Senate Read and Referred to Senate Transportation 1/26/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/sb32.htm
SB 129: Aims to expand the definition of the term "large retirement system"; to provide that such investments may be made up to a certain amount and to shield information related to such investment from public scrutiny.
Status: Senate Read and Referred to Senate Retirement 2/10/2009.
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/sb129.htm
SR 174: Aims to provide that the General Assembly shall be authorized to enact legislation and appropriate funds necessary to provide for retirement credit for retired members of the Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund for service rendered prior to January 1, 1976 but who are not members of the fund on July 1, 2009.
Status: Senate Read and Referred to Senate Retirement 2/10/2009
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/sum/sr174.htm
Mo Thrash Steven T. Gaynor
Our Voice at the
Capital Legislative
Chairman
If you have any questions or concerns please email Brother Gaynor stgaynor@fop.net .