Monday, March 25, is the 38th legislative day of the 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly. We will also be in session Tuesday, March 26, for Day 39 and Thursday, March 28, for the 40^th and final day of the session.

Please contact me whenever I can be of service, and for more information, please visit www.PatGardner.org.

Warmly,

Pat Gardner

House OKs changes to gun legislation as session enters final days

On March 22, House members voted to approve consolidated legislation that would expand the rights of persons with licenses to carry guns in public places. The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee had combined provisions of HB 512, passed earlier by the House, and SB 101, passed earlier by the Senate into a new version of SB 101.

Under the new legislation, license holders could bring firearms to college campuses, except to dormitories or athletic events. Guns would also be allowed in unsecured government buildings and K-12 schools, although not into areas designated as school safety zones, where only authorized school administrators could carry weapons. Churches would be able to “opt in” to allow guns but would not be required to allow people to bring in firearms.

The SB 101 substitute would prohibit people who have been involuntarily hospitalized or treated for mental illness to obtain a gun license but would allow those who were voluntarily treated to do so. The bill would also prohibit the creation of a database that includes information about persons who have firearms licenses. Those between 18 and 21 years old, who have completed basic military training, would be allowed to apply for a gun licenses as long as they were honorably discharged from the military.

Provisions that were dropped from the previous legislation include those allowing guns in courthouses and public housing projects. The current law empowering bar owners to decide whether to allow firearms on the premises would remain in effect as well.

SB 101 now goes back to the Senate for consideration of the House changes.

Foreclosure assistance funds failing to reach Georgians in need

According to the latest state reports, the HomeSafe Georgia foreclosure avoidance program is doing a less than adequate job in processing applications and distributing available federal funds. Georgia families facing foreclosure are barred from receiving assistance because of the overly restrictive regulations of the Department of Community Affairs.

Of the more than $339 million in Hardest Hit Funds obligated to Georgia, only $21.6 million has been provided in assistance to borrowers, a performance of only 6.4 percent in getting the money to homeowners who need it. A total of 2,267 Georgia borrowers have received assistance, representing only 19 percent of the applications made. The median days from application to granting of assistance in Georgia is 155.

Out of the 19 Hardest Hit Fund programs, Georgia ranks 19^th – dead last – in the percentage of submitted applications that are approved, 17^th in the percentage of allocated funding spent on homeowner assistance and 14^th in how quickly applications are approved.

Georgia can and should do better than this. This week, I introduced HR 757 to call on Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Mike Beatty to develop and execute a plan for improvement as soon as possible.

House approves boating safety legislation

The House voted March 20 to approve an amended version of legislation that would lower the blood alcohol level to .08 for the offense of boating under the influence. SB 136 responds to the growing number of boating and jet-ski accidents that occur each year on the state’s lakes, too often resulting in serious injuries and/or fatalities.

Georgia is currently one of only eight states that allow a higher blood alcohol content limit for boating under the influence (.10) than driving under the influence (.08). This inconsistency has led to dangerous conditions on Georgia’s waterways, which grow more crowded each year. In fact, the U.S. Coast Guard estimates that alcohol is a contributing factor in over half of the boating fatalities each year.

SB 136 also includes increased safety and education measures for younger boat operators and passengers. Under the proposal, children between the ages of 12-15 may not operate a boat larger than 16 feet in length, but may drive smaller personal water craft if accompanied by an adult or if the child has successfully completed a boating education course approved by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Children under 12 would be able to operate a boat or other personal water craft only if it has a motor with less than 30 Horse Power, and is smaller than 16 feet in length. SB 136 would also require anyone under the age of 15, as well as anyone renting a boat or personal water craft with more than 10 Horse Power, to watch a free 12-minute boating safety video offered on the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website.

In addition, SB 136 would raise the age requirement from 10 to 12 for wearing life jackets while a boat or personal water craft is in motion. Finally, SB 136 would update the regulations for navigation lights to meet current industry standards and allow navigation lights to be placed on the sides of boats.

The bill now goes back to the Senate for consideration of House changes.

Final passage of legislation

Last week, House members voted to approve the following Senate legislation and accept Senate amendments to the House legislation, sending these bills to the governor’s desk:

• SB 14, which would create a task force on Alzheimer’s and other diseases that cause dementia.
• SB 76, which would establish the Returning Veterans Task Force to assist Georgia veterans returning from active military duty.
• SB 170, which would add medical fraud to the state’s identity fraud laws.
• SB 179, which would set aside the requirement for a bid bond in public contracts if a sealed competitive proposal is requested and price or project cost is not a selection factor.
• SB 212, which would require schools to provide training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• HB 234, which would require businesses that sell service contracts to give consumers 30 to 60 days’ notice before any service agreement is automatically renewed.
• SB 236, which would require insurers to disclose the amount of any premium increase attributed to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
• HB 255, which would transfer administrative responsibilities related to motor carriers from the Department of Revenue to the Department of Public Safety.

Monday, March 11, is the 31st legislative day of the 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly. In the final 10 legislative days of the session, the main focus for the House of Representatives will be finalizing the annual state budget for fiscal year 2014 and considering legislation approved earlier in the session by the Senate.

Please contact me whenever I can be of service, and for more information, please visit www.PatGardner.org.

Warmly,

Pat Gardner

House majority approves broad expansion of gun carry laws

A majority of the House of Representatives voted March 7 to approve legislation that would allow gun owners to carry weapons in many areas where they are now prohibited.

Under HB 512, guns could legally be carried into churches, bars, non-security areas of airports, some government buildings and college campuses, although not into dormitories or athletic events. The proposal would also allow designated administrators in Georgia’s K-12 school systems to carry weapons on campus.

The proposal would retain the right of private property owners to exclude or eject those possessing guns.

Also, the bill would allow mental health patients who had voluntarily sought treatment to obtain gun carry licenses. Those involuntarily hospitalized or treated for mental illness would still be prohibited from carrying weapons.

I voted against this legislation because it does not require universal background checks or training and really does nothing to address the real problem of gun violence: keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, terrorists and other dangerous individuals who have inflicted so much tragedy on our nation in recent years.

HB 512 now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

House votes to end diversion of fee revenues

The House of Representatives voted unanimously March 4 to approve to end the practice of diverting fee revenues from specially designated funds to other state programs.

HB 127 would require that revenues generated by fees such as the $1 per tire that consumers pay for the cleanup of tire dumps, and other fees intended for programs including hazardous waste site cleanups, indigent defense, law enforcement training and driver’s education would be spent only on those intended purposes.

The proposal now goes to the Senate, where similar legislation approved by the House last year stalled at the end of the session.

House votes to assist HOPE Grant recipients

The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly March 7 to approve legislation that would lower the grade point average requirement for the HOPE Grant in Georgia’s technical colleges from a 3.0 to a 2.0.  HB 372 would put the requirement back to where it was prior to sweeping changes to HOPE made in 2011.

It was estimated that about one-quarter of all technical college students had left school after the HOPE Grant requirement was raised. The state’s economy needs technical college graduates to build a skilled workforce, and lawmakers came together in a bipartisan manner to address the problem.

HB 372 now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

Other House Action: Also last week, House members approved and sent to the Senate the following legislation:

• HB 123, which would require local school boards to consider a petition for converting a traditional public school to a charter school when a majority of the school’s student households or a majority of teachers and staff request it. I voted against this legislation because of its potential to damage our existing K-12 schools.
• HB 125, which would allow individuals to renew business and professional licenses by submitting citizenship documentation only one time, instead of annually. I voted against the bill because it also would require all homeowners to prove their citizenship before qualifying for a homestead exemption on their local property taxes.
• HB 164, which would extend for two years the sales tax exemption on equipment purchased for the repair and maintenance or aircraft, to protect the jobs of employees at Savannah-based Gulfstream Aerospace.  I voted for this bill because it reinstated tax exemptions for food banks and federally qualified health centers.
• HB 188, which would help military veterans obtain state licenses in fields where they have training, including plumbing, electrical work and heating and air conditioning.
• HB 189, which would protect rural tourism by requiring mandatory advance notice to local governments before the closing of state parks or historical sites in their communities.
• HB 199, which would enable the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority to use its funding for water conservation efforts in addition to developing reservoirs.
• HB 276, which would reauthorize the trust fund fee to clean up hazardous waste sites for another five years. The bill would finally stop the practice of diverting environmental fee revenues to be spent on other areas of the state budget.
• HB 287, which would transfer the state archives from the Secretary of State’s Office to the University System of Georgia.
• HB 361, which would authorize Georgia as a right-to-work state where union membership is not compulsory for workers. I voted against this partisan action against Georgia unions, along with
• HB 362, which would prohibit state and local government agencies from requiring that a bidder for a public contract use union labor.

Final approval for amended 2013 budget, car tax legislation

The House and Senate both voted unanimously March 5 to give final approval to an amended $19.3 billion state budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2013, which ends June 30, as well as legislation to clarify the state’s new automobile title tax law.

Under HB 105, the supplemental budget includes $167 million for local school systems to account for student enrollment increases, as well as funding to address a shortfall in revenue for the Medicaid program. Minor differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget were worked out by a conference committee.

The amended budget now goes to Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature. Lawmakers are still working on the proposed $19.8 billion annual budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1.

The House and Senate also approved a final version of HB 266, which corrects some errors in the automobile title tax law approved last year, specifically addressing problematic language that would have caused double taxation of leased vehicles. The law, which took effect March 1, phases out the annual ad valorem “birthday tax” on car tags and replaces it with a one-time title fee of 6.5 percent. The governor has already signed HB 266 into law.

Revenue collections increase 4% in February

Georgia’s total tax collections increased by $31 million, or 4 percent, in February, on the strength of rising sales tax proceeds and corporate income tax revenues and despite a drop in individual income tax collections. Through the first eight months of the current fiscal year, state revenues are up by 5.6 percent.

Jobless rate remains at 8.7% in January

Georgia’s unemployment rate remained at 8.7 percent in January, the same as December but significantly lower than the 9.3 percent rate of joblessness recorded in January 2012.

According to state Labor Commissioner Mark Butler, “we lost the fewest jobs in January since 1987. And we start the year with 79,600 more jobs in January than we had in the same period a year ago.”

Georgia’s unemployment rate was higher than the national average, which is now 7.9 percent, for the 66^th consecutive month in January.

Thursday, March 7, will be the 30^th legislative day of the 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly, which is the “cross-over” deadline for legislation to pass the House of Representatives in time to be considered by the Senate, or vice versa, this year. As a result, this has been a busy past week at the committee level.

Please contact me whenever I can be of service, and for more information, please visit www.PatGardner.org.

Warmly,

Pat Gardner

House majority approves new Fulton County Commission districts

A narrow majority of the House of Representatives voted March 1 to approve legislation that would change the makeup of Fulton County’s commission districts. HB 171 is a partisan proposal that attempts to add Republican strength to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

On a strict party-line vote, the measure was approved by a margin of 99-54, only eight votes over the necessary majority of 91. The Fulton County redistrict plan now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

The same day, the House approved HB 346, which would make the elected office of tax commissioner an appointed department head answering to the county commission; HB 347, which would transfer the authority to choose the county elections board chairperson from the county commission to state legislators; and HB 441 and HB 442, which would give control of the Superior Court and State Court budgets to court administrators.

All of these bills now go to the Senate for its consideration.

Health navigator legislation advances in Senate

An amended version of legislation I co-sponsored to provide for the licensing of health insurance navigators under the health insurance exchange provisions of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was favorably reported March 1 by the Senate Insurance & Labor Committee.

Navigators are individuals who are authorized to provide insurance advice and guidance to uninsured individuals and groups seeking health care insurance coverage. HB 198, which was approved by the House earlier in the session, would establish training and licensing procedures, including a requirement for 35 hours of training.

HB 198 now awaits action by the full Senate, after which it would need to come back to the House for consideration of changes made in the Senate committee.

House approves ethics legislation to ban lobbyists’ gifts

The House of Representatives voted Feb. 25 to approve ethics legislation that would impose a complete ban on lobbyists’ gifts to individual legislators and expand the definition of lobbyists.

If HB 142 and HB 143 become law, the lobbyist expenditure ban for gifts, meals and other independent would take effect with exceptions for events to which all legislators or caucus members are invited. “Legislative Days” on football Saturdays at college campuses would still be allowed.

Individuals who represent organizations and visit the Capitol more than five days per legislative session to discuss legislation would be required to register as lobbyists under the proposed package. The lobbyist registration fee would be reduced from $300 to $25.

The ethics proposal would also restore the rulemaking authority that was stripped from the State Ethics Commission in 2009. HB 142 and HB 143 now go to the Senate for its consideration.

Justice Revisions: House members voted unanimously Feb. 28 to approve a comprehensive revision of the state’s juvenile justice system. HB 242 calls for greater use of community-based programs for non-violent youth offenders rather than high-security youth detention centers. Aimed at addressing the $91,000 per year it cost to house each juvenile offender in a state facility, the plan is expected to save taxpayers $88 million over the next five years and reduce the criminal recidivism rate among juveniles. This is the first significant revision of the juvenile justice code in 42 years.

On March 1, House members unanimously approved HB 349, which would implement a special criminal justice reform council’s recommended changes to Georgia’s mandatory-minimum sentencing laws. Under the proposal, if the prosecutor and defense attorney agree, a sentence could be imposed that is below the mandatory minimum in some felony cases. A judge could also impose a sentence less than the mandatory minimum in drug trafficking cases if the defendant was not the crime leader, did not use a weapon while committing the offense and had no prior felony conviction.

HB 242 and HB 349 now go to the Senate for its consideration.

Other House Action: Also last week, House members approved and sent to the Senate the following legislation:

• HB 70, which would allow the State Board of Education to waive a requirement for the special needs student scholarship program on a case-by-case basis.
• HB 141, which would require transportation facilities, adult entertainment businesses, bars, hotels and hospital emergency rooms to post notices that offer help and services to potential victims of human trafficking.
• HB 155, which would revise the game and fish laws related to the licensing and operation of shooting preserves.
• HB 156, which would strengthen the state law against seducing or enticing a child through the use of a computer online service.
• HB 210, which would ratify the governor’s executive order temporarily suspending the collection of state taxes on gasoline and aviation fuel.
• HB 226, which would increase the solid waste management requirements for the transportation, storage and disposal of tires.
• HB 244, which would make changes to the annual performance evaluations for teachers and administrators in Georgia’s public schools.
• HB 284, the Return to Play Act, which would require schools and public recreation leagues to provide information to parents on the risks of concussions and head injuries and to establish concussion management and return to play policies.
• HB 293, which would change the Tuition Equalization Grant eligibility requirements for private colleges and universities that offer nursing programs.
• HB 298, which would create the Agricultural Commodity Commission for Georgia Grown Products.
• HB 302, which would add to the list of controlled substances identified as dangerous drugs.
• HB 315, which would provide for continuing competency requirements for registered nurses’ license renewal.
• HB 320, which would exempt currently existing and compliant inert waste landfill operations from regulatory permitting.
• HB 327, the Flexibility and Accountability Act for Student Achievement, which would categorize each school system to focus the state’s efforts on supporting struggling schools while allowing successful schools the flexibility to continue their efforts with less state oversight.
• HB 336, which would provide for certain pre-suit settlement offers for tort claims arising out of the use of motor vehicles.
• HB 338, which would reduce the number of board members on the Georgia Council for the Arts from 34 to 11 and clarify the council’s role in promoting economic development.
• HB 384, which would modify laws related to streets designated by local governments for the combined use of motorized cards and regular vehicle traffic.
• HR 274, which requests that the Department of the Army consider the socioeconomic impact the Programming Environmental Assessment for Army 2020 Force Restructuring will have on Fort Benning.

Monday, Feb. 25, will be the 23rd legislative day of the 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly, meaning we are now past the halfway point.

The next week will be very busy as we get closer to the 30th day of the session, which is also known as “Cross-Over Day.” That is the deadline for most legislation to pass either the House or the Senate in time for it to be considered by the other body this year.

Please contact me whenever I can be of service, and for more information, please visit www.PatGardner.org.

Warmly,

Pat Gardner

City of Atlanta Delegation discusses local legislation and issues

The first meeting of the City of Atlanta Delegation was held this week, and state legislators hosted the Atlanta City Council for a roundtable discussion on issues of concern to both legislative bodies.

As Chair of the Delegation, Rep. Pat Gardner was proud to welcome City Council President Caesar Mitchell and other Council members to the Capitol, where ideas were exchanged on proposed changes in Fulton County, MARTA, and the Georgia Dome.  Next Wednesday, the delegation will host Mayor Kasim Reed.

Local legislation (HB 241), sponsored by Rep. Gardner, to redistrict the Atlanta Public Schools Board passed as local legislation.   All the members of the Atlanta delegation signed the bill that will now go to the Senate where it will receive a small tweak as requested by the City to ensure compliance with both charters.

Medicaid expansion would be a healthy decision for Georgia

According to the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute (GBPI), a decision to expand the state’s Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act in 2014 would create tens of thousands of new jobs, while extending healthcare coverage to hundreds of thousands of currently uninsured Georgians.

Timothy Sweeney, director of Health Policy for GBPI, states, “A modest state investment of about 1 percent of the state budget ($2.1 billion over the next 10 years) to bring in new federal funding will help create more than $65 billion in new economic activity in Georgia over 10 years, which will support more than 56,000 new jobs throughout the state.

A recent study, “The Economic Impact of Medicaid Expansion in Georgia” by Dr. William S. Custer of Georgia State University estimates that 25,926 of these jobs would be created within the 11-county State Service Delivery Area 3, which includes Fulton County.

Sweeney added, “This new economic activity and subsequent job creation will increase state and local tax collections by more than $2.2 billion over the next 10 years. Along with $750 million in state revenue from the insurance premium tax the state has already projected, nearly $3 billion in new revenue will come to Georgia and its cities, counties and school districts.”

Legislation tightens state control of MARTA operations

A majority of House members approved two proposals Feb. 21 dealing with the ongoing financial troubles of MARTA. HB 264 would tighten state control of MARTA’s internal operation and employee benefits, and HB 265 would suspend for three years the requirement that MARTA spend at least 50 percent of its local sales tax revenues on capital outlays rather than operating expenses.

On the House floor, I rose in opposition to HB 264, which would force MARTA to privatize most of its internal administrative functions within five years and shut off MARTA’s defined pension fund to future employees. The bill could endanger MARTA’s future federal funding if it curtails employees’ collective bargaining rights.

Additionally, while the state provides no funding for MARTA, while this proposal would tighten the state’s control over how the Atlanta transit system is managed. Both bills now go the Senate for its consideration.

Criminal justice measures clear committee

The House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee has approved two significant criminal justice reform proposals. HB 242 would rewrite Georgia’s juvenile justice code, which has not been updated in 42 years. The bill calls for greater use of community-based programs for non-violent youth offenders rather than high-security youth detention centers. The plan is expected to save taxpayers $88 million over the next five years and reduce the criminal recidivism rate among juveniles.

HB 349 would implement a special criminal justice reform council’s recommended changes to Georgia’s mandatory-minimum sentencing laws. Under the proposal, if the prosecutor and defense attorney agree, a sentence could be imposed that is below the mandatory minimum in some felony cases. A judge could also impose a sentence less than the mandatory minimum in drug trafficking cases if the defendant was not the crime leader, did not use a weapon while committing the offense and had no prior felony conviction. Both proposals await action on the House floor.

Other House Action: Also last week, the House voted to approve and send to the Senate:

• HB 68, which would require continuing education for licensed orthotists and prosthetists, whose practices involve orthopedic braces, appliances and prosthetic devices.
• HB 126, which would prohibit anyone from obstructing or hindering a park ranger in the lawful discharge of the ranger’s duties.
• HB 160, which would prohibit the imposition of a recording fee on the transfer of vacant or foreclosed property. The fee has been banned in more than 40 other states.
• HB 178, which would require pain management clinics, also known as “pill mills,” to be licensed under the oversight of the Georgia Composite Medical Board. Under the proposal, only licensed physicians would be authorized to own pain management clinics established after June 30 of this year.
• HB 208, which would require nursing homes to offer flu shots to their employees, who would be allowed to opt out of taking the vaccination.
• HB 209, would revise the definition of security paper required to be used by physicians when writing prescriptions.
• HB 234, which would require service contract providers to give consumers 30 to 60 days of advance notification prior to any automatic renewals of the contract.
• HB 235, which would authorize optometrists to administer hydrocodone and oral steroids and remove the current exemption from continuing education requirements for optometrists who are 65 and older.
• HB 254, which would allow law enforcement officers to accept electronic proof of automobile insurance coverage by motorists.

House ready to vote on ethics package

The House Rules Committee has approved ethics legislation that would impose a complete ban on lobbyists’ gifts to individual legislators and expand the definition of lobbyists, and the proposals are scheduled for a vote on the House of Representatives floor on Monday, Feb. 25.

If HB 142 and HB 143 become law, the lobbyist expenditure ban for gifts, meals and other entertainment would take effect with exceptions for events to which all legislators or caucus members are invited. “Legislative Days” on football Saturdays at college campuses would still be allowed.

Individuals who represent organizations and visit the Capitol more than five days per legislative session to discuss legislation would be required to register as lobbyists under the proposed package. The lobbyist registration fee would be reduced from $300 to $25.

The ethics proposal would also restore the rulemaking authority that was stripped from the State Ethics Commission in 2009.

Attached is an article describing the action.  House passes MARTA bill

Last week, the House Democratic Caucus held a public hearing on our Shared Responsibility agenda. This includes the Gun Safety Act (HB 303), which I am sponsoring and is now under consideration in the House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee.

Tuesday, Feb. 19, will be the 19th legislative day of the 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly. House Democrats will hold a public hearing Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 2:30 p.m. in Room 230 of the State Capitol to discuss the state budget proposal for fiscal year 2014.

Please contact me whenever I can be of service, and for more information, please visit www.PatGardner.org.

Warmly,

Pat Gardner

Healthcare legislation receives House approval

The House of Representatives voted Feb. 13 to approve two healthcare-related proposals. HB 198, which I co-sponsored, would provide for the licensing of health insurance navigators under the health insurance exchange provisions of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Navigators are individuals who are authorized to provide insurance advice and guidance to uninsured individuals and groups seeking health care insurance coverage. The legislation would establish training and licensing procedures, including a requirement for 35 hours of training.

HB 50 would require nurses to report to the state Board of Nursing any suspected violations of Georgia nurses’ licensing regulations, including, for example, substance abuse or practicing with a false license. Both HB 198 and HB 50 now go to the Senate for its consideration.

Firearms Expansion: On Feb. 13, the House approved legislation that would expand the current law that exempts active and retired state and federal judges from state restrictions on the possession and carrying of firearms. HB 60, which now goes to the Senate for its consideration, would extend the exemption to retired judges from local jurisdictions as well.

In addition, legislation that would allow local school boards to authorize administrators and staff to carry weapons on campuses was favorably reported by the House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee. The proposal includes some training criteria as well as undergoing a background check and other requirements. No school system or employee would be required to participate. HB 35 now awaits action on the House floor.

Dividing Fulton County: House Republicans have renewed their effort to divide Fulton County by creating a new Milton County from what is now North Fulton. HR 275 and four other similarly worded resolutions would change the Georgia constitution by nullifying the current limit of 159 counties and allow the reinstatement of Milton County as the state’s 160^th county. As a constitutional amendment, the proposal requires two-thirds majority approval by both the House and Senate and majority approval by Georgia voters in the 2014 general election. The proposals were referred to the House Governmental Affairs Committee for its consideration.

Other House Action: Also last week, the House approved and sent to the Senate the following legislation:

• HB 59, which would require alarm monitoring services to utilize alarm verification in an effort to preserve law enforcement and firefighter resources.
• HB 101, which would authorize nonprofit organizations to sell food for a short-term periods without a food service permit.
• HB 103, which would remove a participation requirement before the extension of group life insurance coverage to dependents of employees or members of certain groups as approved by the state Insurance Commissioner.
• HB 115, which would make changes to the law governing the suspension and removal of local board of education members when school systems lose their accreditation.
• HB 154, which would make revisions to the law related to workers’ compensation payments for medical, disability and other benefits.
• HR 4, which seeks to settle a longstanding border dispute between Georgia and Tennessee and gain access to the Tennessee River as a source of water for Georgia.

Public meeting Wednesday on local legislation

Three pieces of local legislation that would affect residents of Fulton County have been introduced and are under consideration in the House Intragovernmental Coordination Committee.

HB 170 would increase Fulton County’s ad valorem tax homestead exemption amount from $15,000 to $60,000 after a two-year phase-in period. HB 171 would change the district boundaries for members of the Fulton County Commission. HB 172 would provide that all future county employees shall be unclassified by the Fulton County Personnel Board and Fulton County Merit System of Personnel Administration.

A meeting to discuss all three bills will be held Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 4:30 p.m. in Room 341 of the State Capitol. The public is invited to attend.

Medicaid provider fee signed into law

On Feb. 13, Gov. Nathan Deal signed legislation that would renew Georgia’s hospital provider fee for Medicaid funding. The provider fee, also known as the “bed tax,” represents 1.45 percent of a hospital’s net revenues.

SB 24 is expected bring in approximately $700 million per year in direct payments and federal matching funds for Medicaid reimbursement expenses. The fee has been in effect since 2010 and is said to be necessary to avoid a 20 percent cut in Medicaid reimbursement payments, which could force a number of rural hospitals to shut down.

‘Invest Georgia’ venture capital plan proposed

Legislation has been introduced that would create an “Invest Georgia Fund” to make investments in Georgia-based, start-up businesses with fewer than 20 employees and gross annual revenues of less than $1 million.

HB 285 calls for the state to put $100 million into a venture capital fund for the investments, through the sale of state insurance premium tax credits to insurance companies or from the OneGeorgia Authority, which provides economic development grants to rural counties and cities.

Under the legislation, the fund would be administered by a five-member board appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House. HB 285 was referred to the House Ways & Means Committee for its consideration.

State revenues increase 10.4% in January

Georgia’s revenue collections increased sharply by $164 million, or 10.4 percent, in January, bringing the overall growth rate for the first seven months of fiscal year 2013 to 5.7 percent.

According to the Department of Revenue, individual and corporate income tax collections nearly doubled last month over January 2012 figures, while sales and use tax revenues were essentially flat from the previous year.

Dear Friend,

On Feb. 8, I was honored to have been appointed by House Speaker David Ralston to serve on the Health Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) for the 2013-2014 legislative term. Among the four Georgia House of Representatives members receiving this appointment, I am the only Democrat.

The purposes of the Health Committee are to educate Congress and federal agencies about state concerns regarding developments in federal health initiatives and programs and grants to states and to serve as a forum for legislators and legislative staff to learn about and share information regarding health programs and health policy initiatives in other states.

Recently, the committee has addressed the following issues: Medicare prescription drug coverage, Medicaid, health care cost containment, health care access and public health and prevention.

Tuesday, Feb. 12, will be the 16^th legislative day of the 2013 session of the Georgia General Assembly. Please contact me whenever I can be of service, and for more information, please visit www.PatGardner.org.

Warmly,

Pat Gardner

Rep. Gardner co-sponsors major health care legislation

In the past week, I co-sponsored the Psychiatric Advance Directive Act (HB 205), which would provide an opportunity for a competent adult to express his or her mental health care treatment preferences and desires directly through instructions written in advance and indirectly through appointing an agent to make mental health are decisions on behalf of that person.

HB 205 was referred to the House Health & Human Services Committee for its consideration.

I also co-sponsored HB 198, which would provide for the licensing of health insurance navigators under the health insurance exchange provisions of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Navigators are individuals who are authorized to provide insurance advice and guidance to uninsured individuals and groups seeking health care insurance coverage.

HB 198 was referred to the House Insurance Committee for its consideration.

Both of these measures have strong bipartisan support.

Georgia Aerospace Industry Invite Resolution    (HR 81)

The resolution recognizes and commends the Georgia Aerospace Industry for its significant beneficial impact to the people and economy of the State of Georgia; and for other purposes. Georgia is a world leader in aerospace as the state is home to more than 500 companies employing more than 84,000 Georgians.

Pictured here are Rep. Ron Stephens, Donald Mitchell, Chance McCall, Rep. Gardner, and Speaker David Ralston.

House approves amended budget for remainder of FY 2013

The House of Representatives voted Feb. 8 to approve an amended $19.3 billion state budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2013, which ends June 30.

Also known as the supplemental budget, the plan includes no new programs but would add $245 million in needed Medicaid funding and $172 million to local school systems to address costs associated with enrollment growth in Georgia’s K-12 public schools.

The overall amended budget reflects a 3.9 percent growth in state revenues over the previous year, which is less than the increase of 5.2 percent anticipated when the General Assembly passed the original FY 2013 budget last year. As a result, numerous spending cuts by state agencies are accounted for in the budget adjustment.

The proposal, HB 105, goes to the Senate for its consideration. The House Appropriations Committee will now turn its full attention to the annual state budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1.

State of the Judiciary: On Feb. 7, Chief Justice Carol W. Hunstein of the Supreme Court of Georgia delivered the annual State of the Judiciary address to a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives. The chief justice called on lawmakers to approve a comprehensive revision of the state’s juvenile justice code, legislation for which is expected to be introduced soon, with the support of Gov. Nathan Deal.

It costs Georgia taxpayers $91,000 per year to house an inmate in one of the state’s youth prisons, and the criminal recidivism rate for those who leave the system is an unacceptable 65 percent, Chief Justice Hunstein said. Proposed changes to the 42-year-old code include alternative sentences to handle non-violent offenders more effectively and efficiently – emphasizing community-based programs that offer mental health and substance abuse treatment, anger management programs, family counseling, education and employment programs and probation supervision.

Similar measures approved as part of last year’s criminal justice reform legislation dealing with adult offenders has already had a positive impact, according to the chief justice, who cited statistics that Georgia’s prison population has begun to level off, saving millions of tax dollars every year.

Adequate funding for the judicial branch of state government is necessary, Chief Justice Hunstein added, noting that the justice system presently accounts for less than 1 percent of the state budget.

Economic Security Agenda: The  Economic Security legislation initiative of the House Democratic Caucus, introduced this week, includes the Georgia Buy American Act, which would reduce sales taxes on products made in the U.S.; the Georgia Jobs Matter Act, which would require all procurement bids to include a Georgia jobs impact statement; the Rural Tourism Protection Act, which would require mandatory notice to local communities of park and historical site closures; the Small Business Protection Act, which would suspend the E-Verify requirement for businesses with fewer than 50 employees until 2016; the Citizen Protection Act, which would eliminate the need for an annual citizenship evaluation when renewing certain business licenses; and the Georgia Fair Pay Act, which would require prompt payment on all state contracts. The House Democrats’ Economic Security agenda is intended to create good jobs and a strong economy, promote rural recovery and help small businesses.

HOPE Grant Change: House Democratic-sponsored legislation to help students in Georgia’s technical colleges complete their education picked up support this week from Gov. Deal, who agreed to back a proposal that would restore the grade point average required for a technical student to keep his or her HOPE grant from 3.0 to 2.0. Overall enrollment in the state’s technical colleges had dropped by a net of nearly 25,000 students after raising the required grade point average had cost some 43,000 students their HOPE grants. House Democrats had proposed changing the standard back to 2.0 in order to, as the governor said this week, help Georgia families trying to get ahead and also boost the state’s ability to attract and fill high-skilled jobs.

DOT Board Election: Congratulations to local business executive Stacey Key, who was elected Feb. 7 to the State Transportation Board, where she will represent the 5^th Congressional District. The 14-member board governs the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT), designating which public roads are encompassed within the state highway system, approving long-range transportation plans, overseeing the administration of construction contracts, authorizing lease agreements and naming the DOT Commissioner. Board members are elected to five-year terms by a majority of a General Assembly caucus from each of Georgia’s congressional districts. I also want to thank outgoing 5^th District DOT Board member Emory McClinton for his 20 years on the board and particularly his work to create a multimodal station for the center of Atlanta. I have introduced a House resolution recognizing his outstanding service to the state.

The Page Program for the Georgia House of Representatives

Pictured here are Rep. Gardner, Jordan Arogetti, Speaker Pro-Tem Jan Jones.