Highlights

The House passed two bills Monday. Sponsored by House Speaker David Ralston, House Bill 107 called for health coverage to continue for spouses and dependents of public safety employees who are killed during employment. The bill passed with 163 in favor, none opposed.

HB 49 changed the name of the State Board of Technical and Adult Education to the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, which aligns the board name with the agency name. It passed with 161 in favor, none opposed.

In addition, several members introduced HB 175, which would temporarily extend several education provisions related to local control, classroom sizes and teacher contract deadlines.

Senate

Senate Bill 1: Prevent local governments from holding public hearings about millage rate increases on the same day that other local governments hold public hearings about the same properties.
SB 41: Order the installation of an ignition interlock device for people convicted of endangering a child by driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Those who don't install the device will be suspended from driving for three years.
SB 42: Prohibit employers from requesting creditor reports on employees or perspective employees as part of labor and industrial relations.
SB 43: Change the age of mandatory education to 17.
SB 44: Change the age of endangering a child while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs from 14 to 16 years old.
SB 45: Create penalties for businesses that sell alcoholic beverages where repeated violent incidents occur.
SB 46: Under public schools sex education curriculum, create a section on dating violence.
SB 47: Require 12-20 hours of training for magistrate and senior magistrate judges under the Georgia Magistrate Courts Training Council.
SB 48: Allow prisoners to use their last place of residence as "place of residence" or the county where they were indicted.
SB 49: Raise the age of mandatory education to 16.5 years old.
SB 50: Add certain court fees to fund local victim assistance programs.
SB 51: Under the American Laws for Georgia Courts Act, no court can enforce a foreign law if it will violate a right guaranteed by the Constitution.
SB 52: Require court marshals to notify protected persons when protective orders are served.
SB 53: Create the College and University Special District Act of 2011, which would allow colleges to universities to establish special districts and create surcharges on fines to enhance public safety services.
SB 54: For state highway signs, define an "on premise" or "on property" sign as a device that advertises the sale, lease or activities of the property at that site.
Senate Resolution 103: Give nonexclusive easements for properties in Barrow, Butts, Cherokee, Effingham, Fulton, Gordon, Gwinnett, Houston, Thomas and Wheeler counties.
SR 104: Create the Joint Crematoria Study Committee, which would study crematoriums in the state since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency doesn't regulate them and some health and safety concerns have arisen.

House

House Bill 168: Incorporate changes in federal law into Georgia law related to corporate income tax elections. Also define the terms "Internal Revenue Code" and "Internal Revenue Code of 1986."
HB 169: Define a term under excise taxes for motor vehicle rental. A "rental charge" means the value for the rental or lease for 31 or fewer consecutive days of a rental motor vehicle.
HB 170: Allow tax commissioners to issue an execution for the collection of any tax, fee, license, penalty, interest or collection costs due the state, and allow sheriffs to execute.
HB 171: Named the Higher Education Scholarships for High School Students Act, this bill will allow local boards of education to provide scholarships for high school students who graduate early.
HB 173: Under expungement of records by teachers, "expungement" means the records should be destroyed completely when expunged, not just sealed and labeled.
HB 174: Change provisions regarding water or sewer fees, allowing fees to be taken to arbitration if arbitrarily set by the provider. HB 175: Named the Online Clearinghouse Act, create a clearinghouse for local school systems to offer computer-based courses to students of other local school systems.
HB 176: Enact the Credit Articulation Agreements Act, which would create statewide degree transfer agreements between state institutions of higher education.
HB 177: Prevent law enforcement officers from using race, ethnicity or gender to determine whether to stop a driver.
HB 178: Create prepaid state and local consumable taxes, and allow sales taxes to apply to alcoholic beverages, tobacco and certain foods.
HB 179: Change how owners of signs obtain and renew permits for signs.
HB 180: Require drivers to leave a safe distance between cars and bicycles when passing a cyclist.
HB 181: Waive a requirement for the special needs scholarship program. The state board of education can waive the requirement on a case-by-case basis that a student must have spent the prior year in at a Georgia public school.
HB 182: Require health coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility.
HB 183: Allow General Assembly members to become members of the Georgia Legislative Retirement System after July 1, 2012.
HB 184: Create a program to monitor the prescription and dispensing of Schedule I, II, III, IV and V controlled drugs.
HB 185: Enact the Runaway Youth Safety Act, which allows for community-based programs to help children who have run away, are homeless or are at risk for becoming homeless. These programs must report abuse cases.
HB 186: Expand career pathway options for high school students by creating a soft skills certification under the Governor's Office of Workforce Development and Department of Education.
HB 187: Give a single administrator for dental services for Medicaid recipients and PeachCare for Kids participants, and require the Department of Community Health to competitively bid out the single administrator.
HB 188: Enact the Transparency and Accountability in Government Act, which would require additional information to be posted on the Department of Audits and Accounts website.
HB 189: Enact the Noncovered Dental Services Act, which would not allow dental insurers to publish discounts are available for noncovered dental services.
House Resolution 152: Change the composition of the Public Service Commission so it will be composed of seven members representing seven districts elected by electors in their respective districts.
HR 153: Create the House Study Committee on 10th Amendment Enforcement to study what powers belong to state and federal governments, since "many Georgians are concerned by actions taken by the federal government that exceed the power provided to the federal government in the Constitution."