Legislative Updates From the 2010 Session

ENERGY, UTILITIES, AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
HB 168 – Rep. Cox (Dist. 102)
Amends Georgia Code on telecommunications services and would make changes to the state’s Universal Access Fund. It retains the ability of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to receive customer complaints relating to AT&T and its land-line market, but PSC would be prohibited from acting on those complaints. AT&T’s land-line business is one of the few voice competitors still bound at least partially by state regulation. It also remains obligated to serve all customers and receives public financial support for doing that. Status: House Agree Senate Amend or Sub

INSURANCE
HB 1184 – Sen. Ramsey (Dist. 72)
Would allow insurers to purchase individual insurance in other states. Out-of-state insurance companies would have to meet actuarial standards of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and must be approved by the state Insurance Commissioner. Also, the bill requires insurers to be made aware that the benefits of their out-of-state insurance policy are regulated by the state in which it was purchased, and so they may differ from Georgia’s health mandates. Status: Senate Read Second Time
HB 1101- Rep. Coan (Dist. 101)
Makes several provisions for the Self-insurers Guaranty Trust fund in an attempt to make it more difficult to commit fraud. Status: Senate Passed/Adopted

WAYS AND MEANS
SB 346 – Sen. Rogers (Dist. 21)
Revises the state’s property tax assessment and appeals process so that every property owner would get an annual assessment notice regardless of whether their property has changed in value. The Board of Equalization would also be required to have updated training every five years. Moreover, it would allow for the creation of regional Boards of Equalization and would reduce the time period that property owners could appeal their property tax assessment from one year to 45 days. Status: House Committee Favorably Reported

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HB 1040 – Rep. Pruett (Dist. 144)
Amends Georgia Code relating to the Georgia Registered Professional Nurse Practice Act and grants unlicensed caretakers the ability to perform certain health maintenance activities in the home. Status: Senate Read Second Time

EDUCATION
SB 239 – Sen. Ramsey (Dist. 43)
Revises certain provisions relating to the school system’s mandatory attendance policy. This bill requires new residents in a local school system to enroll a child within 15 days. Any parent, guardian who fails to enroll a child is guilty of a misdemeanor and could be fined up to $500, face jail time for 10 days, and other penalties at the discretion of the court having jurisdiction. This bill also mandates schools to turn over the student to the solicitor if the child has 30 unexcused absences. Status: House Committee Favorably Reported

Governmental Affairs
HB 1322 – Rep. Chambers (Dist. 81)
Enacts the Meredith Emerson Privacy Act, which prohibits the disclosure of crime scene photographs and audio or video recordings that depict or describe a deceased person in a state of dismemberment, decapitation, or similar mutilation where the deceased person’s genitalia are exposed. Exemptions would be made for police video footage or 9-1-1 audio recordings of a person in physical pain or in distress. Status: Senate Transmits House

Cigarette Tax

HB 39 Rep. Stephens (Dist. 164) has proposed a tax increase of $1 dollar on every pack of cigarettes sold in the state. It’s estimated that this tax would generate up to $350 million dollars of additional revenue and would bridge the gap in the state budget. However, HB 39 fails to consider that many Georgia smokers would elect to cross state lines to avoid the tax increase; in affect Georgia would lose out on that projected revenue altogether.

Hospital Tax in Georgia

On Wednesday, February 17th, HB 307 Rep. Cole (Dist. 125) had the Gold Dome buzzing from a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee’s Special Subcommittee. The bill proposes to raise taxes on hospitals and insurance companies by 1.6%. The bill, a priority of Gov. Perdue, was created to help fund a $300 million shortfall in Georgia’s Medicaid funding for FY 2011. The proposal would also raise insurance premiums charged by managed-care networks. Several speakers rose to address the committee and voice opposition to the hospital tax.