Georgia Government Finance Officers Association

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Georgia Government Finance Officers Association GEORGIA GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION GOVERNMENT RELATIONS/STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE 2019 GEORGIA LEGISLATIVE REPORT APRIL 5, 2019 2019 – 2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION Prepared by: Peter K. Floyd, Esq. Partner (Development Incentives, Energy, Infrastructure & Public Finance) Alston & Bird LLP One Atlantic Center 1201 W. Peachtree Street Atlanta, Georgia 30309 404.881.4510 [email protected] HOUSE BILLS HB 34 – Local government; taxpaying business owners to be appointed to development authorities; provide Representatives: Rhonda Burnough (D), 77th District Valencia Stovall (D), 74th District Debra Bazemore (D,) 63rd District Mike Glanton (D), 75th District Kim Schofield (D), 60th District House Committee: Governmental Affairs Senate Committee: First Reader A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 36-62-5 of the Official Code Summary: of Georgia Annotated, relating to development authorities directors, officers, compensation, adoption of bylaws, delegation of powers and duties, conflicts of interest, and audits, so as to provide for taxpaying business owners to be appointed to development authorities; to provide for removal of directors from development authorities; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Current Status: March 5, 2019 – House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute HB 65 – County special purpose local option sales tax; add that certain payments to cloud based software services may be funded Representatives: Eddie Lumsden (R), 12th District Brett Harrell (R), 106th District Trey Kelley (R), 16th District Barry Fleming (R), 121st District Robert Trammell (D), 132nd District House Committee: Ways & Means Senate Committee: First Reader BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 3 of Chapter 8 of Title 48 Summary: of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to county special purpose local option sales tax, so as to add that certain payments to cloud based software services may be funded; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Current Status: January 30, 2019 – House Second Readers LEGAL02/38722912v1 HB 184* – Streamlining Wireless Facilities and Antennas Act; enact Representatives: Brett Harrell (R), 106th District Jay Powell (R), 171st District Terry England (R), 116th District Bruce Williamson (R), 115th District House Committee: Economic Development & Tourism Senate Committee: Regulated Industries and Utilities First Reader A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 36 of the O.C.G.A., relating to local Summary: government, so as to enact the "Streamlining Wireless Facilities and Antennas Act"; to streamline the deployment of wireless broadband in the public rights of way; to address any perceived conflicts between this Act and Chapter 66B of Title 36; to provide that nothing in this Act relieves any person of any duties provided for in Chapter 9 of Title 25; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Current Status: February 15, 2019 - Senate Read and Referred February 14, 2019 - House Passed/Adopted By Substitute HB 208* – Local government; contracts for utility services; change the terms Representatives: Tom McCall (R), 33rd District Randy Nix (R), 69th District Robert Trammell (D), 132nd District Vance Smith (R), 133rd District Teri Anulewicz (D), 42nd District Barry Fleming (R), 121st District House Committee: Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Senate Committee: Regulated Industries and Utilities First Reader A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Summary: relating to local government, so as to change the terms for contracts for utility services; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Current Status: March 14, 2019 – Senate Read Second Time February 25, 2019 - House Passed/Adopted 2 LEGAL02/38722912v1 HB 243 – Public utilities and public transportation; limitations on fees that may be charged for installation of telephone facilities; provide Representatives: Lee Hawkins (R), 27th District Don Parsons (R), 44th District Ron Stephens (R), 164th District Emory Dunahoo (R), 30th District Jimmy Pruett (R), 149th District House Committee: Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Senate Committee: First Reader A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Summary: relating to public utilities and public transportation, so as to provide limitations on fees that may be charged for installation of telephone facilities; to provide for the due compensation to be paid to municipal authorities by telephone companies that do not have certain end user customers; to revise terminology for purposes of conformity; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Current Status: February 13, 2019 - House Second Readers HB 244 – Electric membership corporations; comply with certain requirements in determining the rates for attachments to utility poles by communications service providers; require Representatives: Ron Stephens (R),164th District Brett Harrell (R), 106th District Calvin Smyre (D), 135th District Don Parsons (R), 44th District Matt Hatchett (R), 150th District Rick Jasperse (R), 11th District House Committee: Economic Development & Tourism Senate Committee: First Reader A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 2 of Article 4 of Chapter 3 of Title 46 of the Summary: Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to corporate purposes and powers of electric membership corporations, so as to require electric membership corporations to comply with certain requirements in determining the rates for attachments to utility poles by communications service providers; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Current Status: February 21, 2019 - House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute 3 LEGAL02/38722912v1 HB 334 – Courts; compensation of various local government officials; modify Representatives: David Knight (R), 130th District J. Collins (R), 68th District Gerald Greene (R), 151st District Noel Williams, Jr. (R), 148th District Don Hogan (R), 179th District House Committee: Governmental Affairs Senate Committee: First Reader A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 15, Chapter 2 of Title 21, and Chapter 5 of Summary: Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to courts, primaries and elections generally, and ad valorem taxation of property, respectively, so as to modify the compensation of various local government officials; to provide a salary increase for various local government officials; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Current Status: February 20, 2019 - House Second Readers HB 411 – Ad valorem tax; property tax bills shall not include any nontax related fees or assessments; provide Representatives: Brett Harrell (R), 106th District Jay Powell (R), 171st District Terry England (R), 116th District House Committee: Ways & Means Senate Committee: First Reader A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 48 of the Official Summary: Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding ad valorem taxation of property, so as to provide that property tax bills shall not include any nontax related fees or assessments; to provide for applicability; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Current Status: February 25, 2019 - House Second Readers 4 LEGAL02/38722912v1 HB 428 – Georgia Communications Services Tax Act; enact Representatives: Bill Werkheiser (R), 157th District Jay Powell (R), 171st District Terry England (R), 116th District Sam Watson (R), 172nd District Mack Jackson (D), 128th District Patty Bentley (D), 139th District House Committee: Ways & Means Senate Committee: First Reader A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Titles 36 and 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Summary: Annotated, relating to local government and revenue and taxation, respectively, so as to provide for state and local excise taxes on communications services and to eliminate certain other state or local taxes, charges, or fees related to such services; to provide for procedures, conditions, and limitations; to exempt certain broadband equipment from sales and use tax; to provide for powers, duties, and authority of the Department of Revenue and the state revenue commissioner; to provide for definitions; to provide for legislative findings and intent; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Current Status: February 25, 2019 - House Seconds Readers HB 556 – Private Permitting Review and Inspection Act; enact Representatives: Lee Hawkins (R), 27th District Don Parsons (R), 44th District Matt Dollar (R), 45th District Bruce Williamson (R), 115th District House Committee: Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Senate Committee: First Reader A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Summary: relating to public utilities and public transportation, so as to provide limitations on fees that may be charged for installation of telephone facilities; to provide for the due compensation to be paid to municipal authorities by telephone
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