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Week Five-Six of the 2010 Session
Under the Gold Dome
House Bills Passed This Week
Proposed MARTA Changes.. What Routes Will Go
Summary of House Bill 1218
Fulton County Delegation Meeting
Fulton & Douglas County Announcements
Tax Cuts Package
Students who evoke Change
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This e-mail is sent directly to 2000 recipients each week. I want this to be of use to you as well. If you have a business or service in House District 64 that you would like mentioned in this newsletter, send me the name address and a brief description. I will mention it at no cost to you.
If you are having a community event let me know and I will also mention that in this newsletter.
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I really want to keep District 64 informed. If you have a friend or neighbor in District 64 who is not getting this newsletter, forward it to them by clicking "Forward Mail" at the bottom and encourage them to send us their email address so that we can include them.
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HOW TO CONTACT
REP. ROGER BRUCE
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rbruce5347@aol.com
404/656-0314
404/344-8051
Visit our Web site
rogerbruce.net
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| Representative Bruce's Legislation!!!
Click here to review 2009-10 legislation sponsored or co-sponsored by Rep. Roger Bruce.
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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
STATE CAPITOL
TOURS
I look forward to hosting students, teachers and parents from Lithia Springs Elementary, Turner Middle School, over the next weeks!!!!
Please contact my office if you or a group is interested in scheduling a Tour of the State Capitol.
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Let us know about your community meetings and events.
Rep. Bruce will attend as his schedule permits.
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| MOTIVATIONAL MINUTE |
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"Be the change you want to see in the world."
~Mahatma Gandhi
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Representative Bruce Committees
Motor Vehicles
Small Business Development and Job Creation
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| FOLLOW ME!!!!!!
Did you join our discussion on about the Juvenile Point System and Transportation on Facebook? Are you on the look out for tweets???
The Fulton County House Delegation is your connection to legislative news - and in addition to our legislative updates pertaining to Fulton County. We also have Facebook and Twitter to keep our members informed! Facebook: Add as a friend and become a fan of the Fulton County House Delegation on Facebook! Our Facebook page features pictures from recent events and news about upcoming events!
Twitter: Follow @fchdelegation
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Legislators Introduce a Tax Cut Package
Provided By Georgia Budget and Policy Institute
On Monday, February 8, 2010 legislators introduced House Bill 1023, almost identical legislation to the so-called JOBS Act the governor vetoed last session. Rather than going to the House Ways and Means Committee, as is typical for tax bills, it was assigned to the Special Committee on Small Business Development and Job Creation.
The bill would provide a tax credit for hiring unemployed workers, give a holiday for business filing fees, eliminate the corporate net worth tax, create a $10 million angel investor tax credit, and reduce the tax on capital gains 50 percent, among other cuts.
The main changes are the angel investor tax credit and a trigger mechanism for the capital gains tax cut (the rainy day funds would have to return to $500 million for the cut to take place).
Additional legislation was introduced with individual components of the tax cut package, such as HB 998, which would repeal the corporate net worth tax. These bills were assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee.
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Greetings!
We are in the second week of a two week recess. the time is being used to focus on completing the 2011 budget. Needless to say this is a difficult task in that we are dealing with record revenue shortfalls. Given that a significant portion of the budget is education that is an area that is potentially impacted by the cuts. Transportation continues to be a problem. We have included the governors proposal in this report and I hope you will contact me with your thoughts.
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Under the Gold Dome
 Session has been suspended for full-time to work on the FY11 budget. The House of Representatives and the state Senate voted Thursday to adjourn the current legislative session until March 8 to allow Appropriations Committee members to work full-time during this period on the budget proposal for FY11.
State revenues have declined for 14 consecutive months and are down 13 percent from this time last year and approximately 23 percent from two years ago. Lawmakers are seriously concerned that Gov. Sonny Perdues forecast for 4.2 percent revenue growth next year is unrealistic and are preparing to take extreme actions in the difficult process of balancing the FY11 budget.
While the General Assembly is in official recess, Speaker David Ralston also announced he was suspending the work of all but a few House committees to give full attention to the appropriations process.
Hospital Tax: Gov. Perdue's proposal for a 1.6 percent tax increase on Georgia hospitals was not well received in the Health Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. Representatives from the medical and business communities spoke against the tax increase, which they feared would be passed along to patients who are already dealing with sharply rising health care costs. Hospital officials recommended that lawmakers instead consider a $1 per pack cigarette tax to deal with the states Medicaid deficit. The committee chairman said no action on the proposal is imminent.
Health Insurance: On Tuesday, the Governor proposed legislation that would allow Georgians to buy health insurance across state lines. Current state law allows only health plans that have been specifically approved for Georgia to be sold in the state because they incorporate all of the states coverage mandates. HB 1184 would allow individuals and families to buy insurance plans that have been approved for sale in other states. The governor said opening access across state lines would lower costs for consumers and help uninsured Georgians find a plan they can afford. The legislation was referred to the House Insurance Committee for its consideration.
Superintendents Raises: The House voted Thursday to make it more difficult for local school superintendents to receive salary increases in years when classroom teachers forced to take unpaid furlough days.HB 977, approved unanimously, would prohibit the use of state funds by a school board to give its superintendent a raise in years when teachers are furloughed. If the school board uses local or private funds for a superintendents raise, a public hearing would have to be held. HB 977 now goes to the Senate for its consideration. |
Wednesday February 10, 2010 was Douglas County Day at the Capitol!!!!
The Douglas County Delegation briefed local business and government leaders on the status of legislation effecting the County. Also, The Delegation and local leaders discussed how they could work collectively for the best interest of Douglas County.
Highlights:
- Transportation: expansion in Douglas County to create more revenue and jobs
- How should the 1 cent sales tax and Hotel tax be used
- Creating New Milton County would affect ALL the Metro Counties.
- Speaker Ralston formed a new committee Small Business,Development, and Job Creation, which Representative Bruce sits on. Therefore, Representative Bruce will advocate for economic development in the county.
- The old GOP leadership has been replaced and the HAWK system no longer exist. The House Democrats and Republican can now work together to enhance a better Georgia.
- Tier system should be reevaluated so counties surrounding economically booming counties can also develop and prosper without unfavorable comparison.
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MARTA Proposed Changes Which Routes Will Go!!!
On Saturday February 20, 2010, MARTA held a community meeting to inform the public of the dire changes that had to be made. These changes will go into effect on August 2010.The final community meeting will be held tonight, Tuesday March 2, 6pm-8pm Adamsville Recreation Center, 3201 Martin Luther King Drive Atlanta, GA 30311
Highlights:
- MARTA operates on 130 routes it will be reduced by 66, that is a 48% reduction of routes
- During peak hours MARTA rail service will operate every 15 minutes
- The GREEN LINE will only go to King Memorial station instead of Candler station Saturday-Sunday starting at 7am
- Transfer to North Springs and Bankhead Station rail service will end at 7pm instead of the present time 12 midnight
- Inman Park routes are being eliminated
- The Prices of Weekly and Monthly Fare will increase
- There will be an Elimination of FREE Transfer Fees between stations and bus stops, there will be an extra fee for this amenity
- There will be a surcharge fee on all special events
BUS Routes that will be Discontinued or Modified
- Route 1: Marietta Boulevard/Centennial Olympic Park
- Route 3: Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
- Route 6: Emory
- Route 11: English Avenue/Atlanta University Center
- Route 12: Howell Mill/Cumberland
- Rotue 13: Fair Street
- Route 15: South Dekalb
- Route 16: Noble
- Route 17: Hank Aaron Drive/Grady Hospital
- Route 18: South Decatur
- Route 21: Memorial Drive
- Route 22: Second Avenue
- Route 24: Belvedere
- Route 25: Peachtree Industrial Blvd
- Route 26: Perry Boulevard/West Highlands
- Route 27: Monore Drive/Chershire Bridge Road
- Route 28: Village at East Lake
- Route 30: Eastland/Bouldercrest
- Route 33: Briarcliff Road
- Route 34: Gresham Park
- Route 36: North Decatur Road
- Route 37: Defoors Ferry Road
- Route 38: Chastain Park
- Route 42: Pryor Road
- Route 44: Northside Drive
- Route 45: Virginia Highlands
- Route 47: I-85 Access Road
- Route 49: Thomasville
- Route 50: Donald L. Hollowell
- Route 51: Simpson Road/Mozley Park
- Route 52: Knight Park
- Route 53: Grove Park
- Route 54: Empire Boulevard/Polar Rock
- Route 55: Cleveland Avenue/Lakewood Heights
- Route 56: Adamsville
- Route 57: Collier Heights
- Route 58: Bolton Road
- Route 59: Skipper Drive
- Route 60: Hightower/Moores Mill
- Route 66: Lynhurst/Barge Road Park & Ride
- Route 67: West End
- Route 68: Donnelly
- Route 69: Dixie Hills
- Route 72: Virginia Avenue/Tradeport Blvd.
- Route 73: Fulton Industrial
- Route 74: Flat Shoals/South Dekalb
- Route 77: Willingham Dr./Hapeville
- Route 78: Cleveland Avenue/Lakewood Heights
- Route 81: Venetian
- Route 82: Camp Creek/Barge Road Park & Ride
- Route 83: Campbellton/Greenbriar
- Route 84: East Point/ Camp Creek
- Route 85: Roswell/Mansell Road
- Route 87: Fairington Road/ Lithonia
- Route 88: Welcome All/Camp Creek
- Route 89: Old National Highway/ Flat Shoals Road
- Route 93: Norman Berry Drive/Forest Hills Drive
- Route 95: Metropolitan Parkway/hapeville
- Route 97: Georgia Aquarium/Zoo
- Route 99: North Avenue/Boulevard
- Route 105: Barfield Road/Glenridge Drive
- Route 110: Peachtree Street 'The Peach"
- Route 113: Atlantic Station/Auburn Avenue
- Route 123: Church St./N. Dekalb
- Route 132: Tilly Mill Rd.
- Route 137: Collier Road
- Route 139: Lenox/Chamblee
- Route 140: North Point/Mansell Park & Ride
- Route 148: Medical Center/Powers Landing Ferry
- Route 150: Perimeter Center/Dunwoody Village
- Route 151: Perimeter Center/Chamblee
- Route 153: H.E. Holmes Drive/Browntown
- Route 155: McDaniel Street/Lakewood
- Route 160: Boulder Park
- Route 162: Delowe Drive/Alison Court
- Route 165: Fairburn Road
- Route 170: Ben Hill/ Barge Road Park & Ride
- Route 172: Sylvan Road/hapeville
- Route 178: Cleveland Avenue/ Southside Industrial Park
- Route 180: Fairburn Road/Palmetto
- Route 181: South Fulton Park & Ride/Fairburn
- Route 183: Barge Road Park & Ride/Lakewood
- Route 185: Alpharetta/Holcomb Bridge Road
- Route 186: Rainbow Drive/Wesley Union Station
- Route 189: Old National Highway/Union Station
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 Last month we had many visitors to the Capitol. The greatest joy of Politics is when you see the youth become engaged and recognize how they can influence legislation without having the right to vote!!! We had three pages visit us Gabri Mays, Jazmine Handy, and Amanda Jackson who has paged for six years. They all thoroughly enjoyed their first hand experience on how the Georgia legislative process works. The Boy Scouts of America recently celebrated their 100th anniversary. Troop 220 from A. Philip Randolph Elementary School joined us at the Capitol for the commemorative proceedings.
Jeffery Jackson, a Douglas County High School Senior, visited the Capitol for Georgia Career Student Association Day at the Capitol. He serves as the Secretary of the organization. This was his first time visiting the Capitol and he is eager to become an active servant for the community. He promotes the organization's mission of focusing on helping students reach their full potential by learning employment skills, leadership skills, and other life skills necessary for a successful future. I am positive with his enthusiasm he will some day take office in Douglas County!!!
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Summary of House Bill 1218: Governor Perdue's Transportation Resource Package
Sales Tax
- Propose one-percent regional sales and use tax to fund all modes of transportation for a period of eight years. The bill establishes 12 special tax districts based on existing regional commission boundaries. Counties may not opt out or switch regions.
- This creates within each special district a new "Regional Transportation Roundtable". If more than 50% of the total county population resides in the cities, the county will have an extra mayor on the roundtable.
- The GDOT Director of Planning (DP), who is appointed by the Governor, controls the planning process within each region, which consist of three stages:
- STAGE ONE (Criteria): By August 15, 2010, the DP will provide the local governments and any MPO within each region with draft regional project assessment criteria that will be used to select projects for funding. Counties, cities and MPOs have until September 30th to provide comments. By November 15th, the DP provides final criteria to the regions.
- STAGE TWO (Project List): Counties, cities, and MPOs must solicit project recommendations form legislators in their jurisdiction. Afterwards, they may submit recommended projects that conform to the criteria of the DP. The executive committee of each roundtable may also submit potential projects. After receiving proposed projects, the DP will compile and deliver a draft of list to the region for additional comments. The DP will call a final meting of the roundtable to get approval of the project list. The final project list must be completed by October 15, 2011
- STAGE THREE (Referendum): A Referendum will be held in every region on February 7, 2012. If the majority of the voters in the region approve of the sales tax in a region-wide referendum, the tax will be levied. If the tax fails, the process may begin again if approved by local legislation and adoption of resolutions by majority of the counties within the region.
- Ten percent of the revenues in each region will be distributed directly to counties and cities based on the LARP formula. The funds may be used for any transportation purpose, including as match.
- The State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) controls projects delivery in each region. SRTA is charged with "managing the execution, schedule, and delivery of projects" and may select any public entity to design and construct projects.
- A five-member Citizens Review Panel is appointed by the Chair of each Regional Commission to investigate complaints about the tax and regularly the progress of projects.
- Current state sale tax exemptions in law apply, except on building and construction materials, groceries, and motor fuel
- 100 percent of funds stay within the region in which collected
- Exempts the regional transportation tax from the 2% cap on local sales and uses tax
Congressional Balancing
- Redraws balancing districts based on regional commission boundaries
- Distributes capacity-adding funds to districts based on population
- Distributes maintenance funds to districts based on lane miles
- Exempts GO bind proceeds and congressional earmarks from balancing the formula
MARTA: 50/50 Capital/Operations Expenditures
- Suspends the 50/50 restriction on MARTA's expenditures for a 3-year period.
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 Invitation to Weekly Meeting of the Fulton County Delegation
Meetings are held at the Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg Room#506, Friday, at noon. Call Rep Bruce's office to confirm your attendance.
At last weeks meeting Fulton County Commissioners and City of Atlanta spoke with the Delegation. Highlights:
Fulton County Commisssioner John Eaves & respective guest discussed priorities of the Joint Commission on Transportation. It is a collaborative and uniformed effort to keep MARTA running. The Governors' Transportation Bill, which will come to a vote in 2012, creates difficulties for Fulton County Residents. The Board would like to engaging lobbying teams and presented proposals to gain respective bodies support for the needs of Fulton County. Therefore, the Board has various principles that they would like for the county to adopt:
- Governors' Bill would give total control of Fulton County transportation to State, Road, and Tolling board, and transportation will no longer be in the hands of citizens
- The Board supports voters making the determination for the 1 cent sales tax increase to support transportation
- The new Project List developed through the Governors Bill would dissolve the existing structure of the ARC which advocates transportation development for Fulton Count
- Weighted voting should be considered to comprise the Governors Transportation Roundtable and Planning Board
- There should be a commitment to regional Plans where they exist
- MARTA restrictions such as the 50/50 funding and 3 year provision should be revoked
- Transportation should be expanded Regionally and feed out of our existing system of MARTA
- Opt out clause should be an option for the 10 county region as it pertains to Transportation so counties can vote and choose it they want to be included in the Regional Project List
- Constitutionality of the legislation should be addressed
The City of Atlanta Lobbying team introduced legislative goals to give cities the right to amend their charters in order to raise taxes on consumption of beverages and wholesale prepproduction.
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The House of Representatives Passed these Bills/Resolutions
These two weeks in the Georgia House of Representatives. The following is a list of legislation that passed out of the House this week.
House Bill 908 will allow school systems to have flexibility in allocating financial resources to areas where they see most fit. This Bill sparked the most controvery on the Floordue to a malfunctioning of the Buzzer and the Minority Chairman DuBose Porter yeileding the well without taking questions.
HB 908 - Quality Basic Education Act; expenditures, class size, additional days, salary;
temporarily suspend
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill gives local systems total flexibility through waivers that:Eliminate Expenditure Controls - media center, direct instruction,and staff development costs. Eliminate Funding for Additional Instruction Days. With this bill, waivers will be available for request by school systems through July 1, 2013.
- Previous provisions regarding maximum class sizes and salary schedules were struck out from the original bill with this committee substitute.
- Authored By: Rep. David Casas of the 103rd
- House Committee: Education
- Rule: Modified-Structured
- Yeas: 137; Nays: 34
House Bill 896 grants continuances in a speedy trial for witnesses that are active duty members of the National Guard or other part of the armed forces.
HB 896 - Continuances; witness on active duty; change provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: When a defendant demands a speedy trial a continuance tolls the running of that demand if a necessary witness is unavailable for trial because of deployment. The current Code requires a request to the proper military authority, pursuant to the United States Code and other regulations. The bill strikes the current provisions and only requires a party to provide testimony via affidavits or other documents
that the witness has been activated to military duty
- Authored By: Rep. Doug Collins of the 27th
- House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil
- Rule: Modified-Open
- Yeas: 149; Nays: 1
House Bill 898 eliminates the requirement that the street address of someone with multiple DUI convictions be printed in their local paper.
HB 898 - Driving under the influence; notice of conviction publication; change provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: Currently, if a person is convicted of a second or subsequent DUI within 5 years, then the notice of conviction is published in the local paper. The publication includes, among other information, the photograph, name, and address of that person.
The bill strikes the provision that the convicted person's address will be published.
- Authored By: Rep. Doug Collins of the 27th
- House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil
- Rule: Modified-Structured
- Yeas: 152; Nays: 8
Judiciary Non-Civil Committee
HB 1015 - Street gang terrorism and prevention; expand and change provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill strengthens and clarifies the Georgia Street Gang and Terrorism Prevention Act. Some of the changes are a result of the Georgia Supreme Court decision Rodriguez v. State. Others are to clean up the language to make it consistent, to conform to the definitions, and to remove unclear provisions that could be subject to challenge. It also adds new offenses for, among other things, initiation, encouragement, and retaliation against those who perform acts to gain membership, attempt to recruit new members, or who threaten with retaliation those who refuse to join a gang or testify against a gang. It will also, should funding become available, authorize the GBI to create and manage a Georgia Criminal Street Gang Database.
- Authored By: Rep. Rich Golick of the 34th
- Committee Action: Do Pass by Committee Substitute
HB 122 - Counties and municipalities; budget excess; searchable website; provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill requires counties and municipalities with an annual budget exceeding $1 million to post on a single searchable website, accessible by the public, their annual budget and annual audit report. - Authored By: Rep. Edward Lindsey of the 54th - House Committee: Governmental Affairs - Rule: Modified-Open - Yeas: 166; Nays: 0 HB 991 - Sales and use tax; county and municipal; distribution of proceeds; revise
- BILL SUMMARY: Changes provisions applicable to the renegotiations of distribution of joint county and municipal sales tax collections. Currently, should an agreement not be reached by the second year following a decennial census, the distribution certificate expires and the local governing authorities do not receive the tax proceeds until the distribution certificate is renegotiated. Provides for judicial proceedings should the parties involved not be able to reach an agreement after sixty days of non- binding arbitration or mediation. After sixty days, any party may file a petition in superior court of the county seeking resolution of the dispute. The petition will be assigned to a judge who is not a judge in the circuit in which the county is located. The judge's decision as to the allocation of tax proceeds shall adopt the best and final offer of one of the parties and shall also include findings of fact. The judge enters a final order which contains a new distribution certificate, and appeals will be allowed only for the judge's disregard of the law, for partiality of the judges, or for corruption, fraud, or misconduct by the judge or a party. - Authored By: Rep. Wendell Willard of the 49th - House Committee: Ways & Means - Rule: Modified-Structured - Yeas: 148; Nays: 17
HB 665 - Elections; 2010 pilot program; electronic transmission of absentee ballots; provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: House Bill 665 provides for a pilot program for the 2012 general primary and general election for the electronic transmission of absentee ballots by military and overseas citizens. Implementation of its provisions is subject to the availability of funding.
- Authored By: Rep. Mark Hamilton of the 23rd
- House Committee: Governmental Affairs
- Rule: Structured
- Yeas: 165; Nays: 1
HB 867 - Commission on Regional Planning; create; provide for membership and duties
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill creates a Commission on Regional Planning, which will: � Coordinate state contracts and planning of resource allocation as well as state service delivery. � Identify appropriate funding for commissions pursuing shared service delivery goals as well as issues requiring state, regional or local action. This bill also establishes this Commission's governing board composition with the Governor serving as a chairperson.
- Authored By: Rep. Ron Stephens of the 164th
- House Committee: Economic Development & Tourism
- Rule: Open
- Yeas: 135; Nays: 24
HB 901 - Repeat offenders; fourth felony offense punishment; change provisions
- BILL SUMMARY: This bill would remove an exception for capital felons and require them to serve the maximum sentence upon conviction of a fourth or subsequent felony. Currently, the code includes the phrase "other than a capital felony". This bill removes that language. -
Authored By: Rep. Kevin Levitas of the 82nd
- House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil
- Rule: Modified-Structured
- Yeas: 151; Nays: 10
HB 977 - Quality Basic Education Act; state funds for salary increase; prohibit
- BILL SUMMARY: House Bill 977 relates to employment under the "Quality Basic Education Act" and to prohibit the use of state funds to provide salary increases for local school superintendents or administrators during a school year that the local board of education has furloughed teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, support staff or other non-administrative positions. If the local school board intends to do so they must provide notice of a public hearing for full discussion and public input. However, this does not apply to any step increases on the state salary schedule for superintendents or administrators.
- Authored By: Rep. Ed Rynders of the 152nd
- House Committee: Education
- Rule: Modified-Structured
- Yeas: 162; Nays: 0
HB 981 - Law enforcement vehicles; painted solid color; authorize
- BILL SUMMARY: This legislation amends Code Section 40-8-91 to allow the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety to have State Patrol cars painted a solid color instead of a two toned scheme. The current regulations regarding two toned color schemes remain unchanged. HB 981 just offers another option when considering painting of patrol cars.
- Authored By: Rep. Jill Chambers of the 81st
- House Committee: Public Safety and Homeland Security
- Rule: Modified-Structured
- Yeas: 159; Nays: 3
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