2018 Legislative Report 9

March 9, 2018 GEDA Weekly Policy Update: Week 9   Prepared by:  Legislative Update The General Assembly met for days 30-32 this week. As a reminder, the adjournment resolution, which contains the full calendar can be found here. On Wednesday, March 7, GEDA had the opportunity to sponsor the Rural Caucus lunch at the Capitol. The Rural Caucus is comprised of 65 representatives and senators from rural parts of Georgia. In sponsoring the lunch, Kevin Shea, on behalf of GEDA, was able to have time with key legislators to talk about GEDA and engage members of issues of mutual interest. There was a discussion about how GEDA can better engage members and several representatives expressed interest in knowing who their GEDA members were in their district.  Kevin mentioned GEDA’s interest in rural GA and how that aligns with a focus of the General Assembly – both share the goal of growing investment, jobs, and improving quality of life in rural GA. Finally, Kevin mentioned a shared interest in the expansion of broadband to rural areas and the importance of job training through Quick Start, CTAE programs, technical colleges and college and career academies. Noteworthy Items: This week marked qualifying week for candidates to qualify to run for office this year. The House worked on the FY19 budget, with subcommittees meeting and the House Appropriations Committee voting to move the budget to the full House, which will be considering it Friday (3/9). The House Appropriations Committee made some proposed changes to the Governor’s FY19 Budget Request that may be of interest to GEDA:  Department of Community Affairs: §  A reduction in funds for the Atlanta Regional Commission after recent audit revealed some inappropriate expenditures §  $130,000 for a staff attorney position at DCA to help small downtowns that don’t have the staff or capability to know about and write redevelopment grants. This position will focus on that. §  $25,000 for Second Harvest of Southwest Georgia for continued assistance after they were not reimbursed by federal government for their services and food assistance in the aftermath of 2017 tornadoes in Southwest GA. Department of Economic Development:  §  Funds for a deputy commissioner for rural development, a project manager, and operating expenses were included. §  The governor’s budget request eliminated funds for the marker program for the historical society, and the House restored funding to ½ the level of what the governor cut. Governor Deal announced the creation of a new deputy commissioner role at the Department of Economic Development this week. Former Representative Amy Carter will fill the role and lead state efforts to help rural communities become more competitive for economic development projects and identify new strategies for attracting jobs and investment outside the Metro Atlanta region. The change takes effect on March 15.  Governor Deal signed HB683, the amended FY2018 appropriations bill. The bill authorized $25.4 billion in spending for the current fiscal year, based upon a 2.7% growth in general fund revenues over FY2017 collections. The additional funding addresses growth needs in education and human services, and provides additional funding to local government, school systems, and statewide economic development efforts. Highlights include: $101.4 million for a midterm adjustment for K-12 enrollment growth $25.9 million for airport runway extension projects $60.7 million in additional funds for Forestland Protection Act reimbursements $15.7 million for school buses for local school systems $9.6 million for growth in the Dual Enrollment program $2 million to expand marketing efforts to promote educational opportunities available at the technical colleges $10.3 million for technical college equipment replacement statewide $28.2 million for the Indigent Care Trust Fund and Medicaid $1.2 million for hospitals to offset costs due to the high number of flu cases $15.1 million for child welfare services to care for children in state custody $3.5 million for autism services for children under 21 $10 million for grants to local communities for beach renourishment projects $1.6 million for improvements to the Great Dunes South Beach Park and the Ocean View Beach Park at Jekyll Island State Park Bill Tracking: Note: Bills added for the first week are italicized. Movement on bills highlighted in red. HB59 – Historic Tax Credits  Bill Sponsor: Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah) Bill Status: Senate Recommitted on 1/8/18 Summary: The bill provides tax credits against state income taxes for the rehabilitation of historic structures, and provides re-approval of additional tax credits for current recipients of credits. The taxpayer will be allowed a tax credit against the tax imposed at such time as the certified rehabilitation is completed. An applicant seeking to claim a tax credit will submit an application to the GA Dept. of Community Affairs for pre-approval. HB61 – Internet Sales Tax bill Bill Sponsor: Rep. Jay Powell (R-Camilla) Bill Status: Passed House; Passed Senate Finance Summary: This bill was attached to HB329 and passed out of Senate Finance. It would create an economic nexus test to determine whether an online retailer is responsible for collecting and remitting sales tax. If the online retailer either (1) does a certain dollar amount in sales each year ($250,000) or (2) transacts a certain number of sales each year (more than 200), that online retailer will be required to collect and remit sales tax. The goal is to create parity for bring and mortar retailers in communities across GA.  HB118 – Fantasy Contests Act Bill Sponsor: Rep. Trey Kelley (R-Cedartown) Bill Status: Senate Recommitted on 1/8/18; reffered to Ways & Means Committee Summary: Provides for the licensing, registration, regulation, and taxation of fantasy contest operators. The bill creates the Registered Fantasy Contest Operators Act. Fantasy contest operators must register with the Commissioner of the Dept. of Revenue. A fantasy contest operator must pay an annual registration renewal fee and 6% of the fantasy contest operator’s gross fantasy contest revenues for the preceding 12 months. The registration application is exempt from public disclosure unless challenged in the courts. HB205 – Regulation of Exploration & Extraction of Oil and Gas Bill Sponsor: Rep. John Meadows (R-Calhoun) Bill Status: Passed House & Senate; went to conference committee; 1/29 House conference committee adopted  Summary: Provides for regulation of the exploration and extraction of gas and oil; provides the authority to create an Oil and Gas Board; requires development of rules and regulations related to drilling and extraction; amends provisions relating to drilling permits; increases the amount of bond security for drilling operations; provides for the authority of local governments; and to impose a severance tax on the extraction of oil and gas. The bill also defines ‘hydraulic fracturing.’ HB225 – Licensing & Sales Tax Exemption for Ride Share Networks Bill Sponsor: Rep. Jay Powell (R-Camilla) Bill Status: Senate Recommitted 1/8/18 Summary: Repeals an inoperable sales tax exemption related to ride share networks and imposes collection and remittance of sales taxes on certain persons that facilitate or broker and accept or process payment for certain sales. Individuals that utilize ride sharing networks would be required to pay a 4% sales tax for each trip. HB257 – Local Government Authorities Reporting Requirements Bill Sponsor: Rep. Jan Tankersly (R-Brooklet) Bill Status: passed House; favorably reported Senate Government Affairs Committee; Passed the Senate Summary: Consolidates reporting requirements to the Department of Community Affairs for local government authorities. HB329 – Personal Income Tax Bill Sponsor: Rep. Jay Powell (R-Camilla) Bill Status: Passed House & Senate; went to conference committee Summary: Modifies the rate of tax imposed on the Georgia taxable net income of individuals; provides for an inflationary index rate; adjusts the amounts of the personal exemptions and standard deductions based on the inflationary index rate; and provides for a non-refundable earned income tax credit. The current Georgia taxable net income rate of one to 6% of taxable income would be removed from GA Code and replaced with one rate of 5.4%. *Note: This is a potential vehicle for any additional tax policy this session. HB658 – Excise Tax on Rooms, Lodging, & Accommodations Bill Sponsor: Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs) Bill Status: referred to Ways and Means; 1/24 committee hearing; 1/31 passed House; referred to Senate Finance Committee Summary: To remove the sunset date on the collection of excise tax on rooms, lodging, & accommodations. HB735 – Railroad Tax Credit Bill Sponsor: Rep. Patty Bentley Bill Status: House Second Readers; Referred to House Ways & Means; passed Committee by substitute; passed House; referred to Senate Finance Committee Summary: To create an income tax credit for expenditures on the maintenance of railroad track owned or leased by a Class III railroad. HB843 – Military Zone Expansion Bill Sponsor: Jason Shaw (R-Lakeland) Bill Status: passed House; referred to Senate Economic Development; favorably reported out of committee Summary: To allow any publicly owned industrial park in a county with a military base that employs at least 5000 personnel to have census tracts within those industrial parks qualify for military zone status. HB887 – GA Communications Services Tax Act Bill Sponsor: Rep. Jay Powell (R-Camilla) Bill Status: referred to Ways & Means; passed House; referred to Senate Regulated Industries Committee Summary: To create the “Georgia Reverse Auction Broadband Deployment Program”; to allow municipal corporations to provide broadband service; to create “Broadband Ready Communities”; to allow EMCs to provide broadband service; eliminates franchise fees; amends communications services tax; limits pole attachment rates. HB888 – Freeport Exemptions Bill Sponsor: Rep. David Knight (R-Griffin) Bill Status: referred to Ways & Means Committee; passed Committee; passed House; referred to Senate Finance Summary: To create uniform timelines for filing and responding to applications for freeport exemptions. HB918 – Georgia Tax Reform Bill Sponsor: Rep. Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula) Bill Status: Referred to Ways & Means; passed Committee; passed House; passed Senate; Governor signed Summary: To double the standard deduction, lower the income tax rate for individuals and businesses, and eliminate the sales tax on jet fuel.  HB951 – Center for Rural Prosperity & Innovation Bill Sponsor: Rep. Jason Shaw (R-Lakeland) Bill Status: Passed House; referred to Senate Economic Development & Tourism Committee; favorably reported out of committee Summary: To establish the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation, to incorporate the Centers of Innovation Agribusiness in the Department of Economic Development, and to provide for the incorporation and structure of a new Georgia Rural Development Council. The Center for Rural Prosperity will be within a university that is part of the University System of Georgia, outside Atlanta, and that offers BS degrees in rural community development HR1076 – Resolution on Port Funding Bill Sponsor: Rep. Bill Hitchens (R-Rincon) Bill Status: Referred to Economic Development & Tourism Committee; passed House Bill Summary: A resolution urging the federal government to provide port funding.  HR1091 – House Study Committee on Athens-Atlanta Transportation Link Bill Sponsor: Rep. Deborah Gonzales (D-Athens) Bill Status: referred to Transportation Committee Summary: Create a study committee to study an Athens to Atlanta rail line SB2 – The Fairness, Accountability, Simplification, and Transparency – Empowering Our Small Businesses to Succeed (FAST) Act Bill Sponsor: Sen. Mike Dugan Bill Status: House withdrawn; Recommitted; referred to House Small Business Development Committee; passed committee as a substitution 2/15; failed House vote; motion to reconsider; House reconsidered & passed a substitute bill. Summary: The bill would establish a new voluntary certification program at the Department of Community Affairs called “Ready for Partnership Georgia,” governing the permitting process and permitting fees. Communities can voluntarily participate.   SB3 – Creating Opportunities Needed Now to Expand Credentialed Training (CONNECT) Act Bill Sponsor: Sen. Lindsey Tippins Bill Status: Passed House & Senate; went to conference committee Summary: Requires the State Board of Education to prescribe a minimum course of study in career education for students in grades 6-12. The course of study should include career exploration and career-oriented learning experiences that include participation in work-based learning programs like internships, apprenticeships, cooperative education, or employability skill development; and rigorous industry credentialing. SB 6 – Georgia Regional Transit Council Bill Sponsor: Sen. Steve Gooch Bill Status: House withdrawn; recommitted Summary: Creates the Georgia Regional Transit Council that will be attached to the Dept. of Transportation for administrative purposes. The Council is created to develop a state-wide strategic transit plan with the guidance of a recognized industry leader in delivering transit strategy for multijurisdictional entities that emphasizes first-mile and last-mile services, the development of a seamless transportation network with dependable trip times for commuters, the enhancement of limited access highways, road congestion relief, safety enhancements, and plans for a future of transportation innovations. SB17 – The “Brunch Bill”/ The “Mimosa Mandate” Bill Sponsor: Sen. Renee Unterman Bill Status: Passed Senate Regulated Industries Committee as a substitute; passed Senate; referred to House Regulated Industries Committee; favorably reported out of committee Summary: To let local voters decide whether restaurants can serve alcohol and retail stores can serve beer and wine at beginning at 11 am on Sundays. SB191 – Petroleum Pipelines Bill Sponsor: Sen. Rick Jeffares Bill Status: House withdrawn; Recommitted to Natural Resources Committee Summary: Requires that on or after July 1, 2017, any construction of a new petroleum pipeline or an extension in this state requires a permit from the Director of EPD regardless of whether the petroleum pipeline company intends to exercise any power of eminent domain. The Director will conduct hearings to determine whether the location and construction of the portion of the petroleum pipeline for which the permit is sought are consistent with, and not an undue hazard, to the environment and natural resources of this state. SB328 – Repealing Tax Credits Bill Sponsor: Sen. John Albers Bill Status: 1/24/2018 Passed Senate Finance; Passed Senate; referred to House Ways & Means Committee Bill Summary: This legislation is a result of Sen. Albers’ study committee examining the current tax credits in Georgia. This study committee met numerous times in 2017 and issued its final report in December ’17. The report suggested that the General Assembly repeal three tax credits for Federal Qualified Transportation Fringe benefits, private driver education, and diesel particulate emission reduction technology equipment. SB328 aims to repeal all three of these credits. Revenue related bills have to originate in the House but we anticipate the Senate attaching the repeal of these tax credits to another tax bill. SB386 –ATL Commission Bill Sponsor: Sen. Brandon Beach Bill Status: Referred to Transportation Committee; passed Committee; passed Senate; referred to House Transportation Committee; favorably reported out of committee Summary: To provide an exception to the ceiling on local sales and use taxes; to provide for the imposition of a transit special purpose local option sales and use tax within special districts; to create the Atlanta-region Transit Link “ATL” Commission. SB402 – Achieving Connectivity Everywhere (ACE) Act Bill Sponsor: Sen. Steve Gooch Bill Status: Referred to Regulated Industries Committee; passed Senate; referred to House Ways & Means Committee    Bill Summary: Allow GDOT to enter into public-private partnerships to deploy broadband statewide; create a broadband grant program at DCA; create “Broadband Ready Community” designations via DCA; require local governments to incorporate broadband deployment in comprehensive plans and service delivery strategies.  SB426 – Broadband Infrastructure Leads to Development (BILD) Act Bill Sponsor: Sen. Steve Gooch Bill Status: Referred to Regulated Industries Committee; passed Senate; referred to House Energy, Utilities & Telecomm Committee Summary: To streamline the deployment of wireless broadband in public rights of way by limiting the ability of local governments to prohibit, regulate, or charge for use of public rights of way under certain circumstances. SB432 – Georgia Tax Credit Business Case Act Bill Sponsor: Sen. John Albers Bill Status: Referred to Senate Finance Committee; passed Senate; referred to House Ways & Means Summary: To review, starting in 2018, various tax credits and exemptions, through the year 2025 SB460 – Rebrand MARTA as “The ATL” Bill Sponsor: Sen. Brandon Beach Bill Status: Referred to Transportation Committee; passed Committee; passed Senate; referred to House Transportation Committee Summary: Companion bill to SB386 (and will only move forward if SB386 moves forward) that amends the MARTA Act of 1965 to provide for the adoption of a logo and brand of the term “ATL” for all MARTA trains and buses on or after January 1, 2023; and clarifies the responsible parties for debt in relation to the issuance of bonds. SR502 – High Speed Rural Broadband Bill Sponsor: Sen. Steve Gooch Bill Status: referred to Rules Committee; Passed Senate Bill Summary: A resolution encouraging Congress and federal agencies to develop policies and funding sources to help bring high-speed broadband access to Rural America. SR613 – English as Official Language Bill Sponsor: Sen. David Shafer Bill Status: Senate Hopper; Referred to Rules Committee Bill Summary: A resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to declare English as the official language of the State of Georgia. Glossary of Terms: Effective - The bill has been signed into law by the Governor and will go into effect the date stated. Recommitted -  A parliamentary motion to reassign a bill which has been in one committee to the same or a different committee.  Second Read -  In the House, second reading occurs automatically on the legislative day following the bill's introduction. In the Senate, second reading occurs on the legislative day after a bill is reported from standing committee, except that after the 35th day of the session, second reading occurs on the day a bill is reported from committee. Conference Committee -  A special committee consisting of three members from each house appointed by the presiding officers to seek a compromise when the two houses have passed different versions of the same bill and insist on their respective positions. Pre-filed - A bill that is filed before the beginning of the legislative session Withdrawn - A bill is removed from consideration Referred - Placed into committee To find your law makers click here.  To view the GEDA Public Policy Agenda for 2018 click here.