Highlights

The Georgia House of Representatives Monday expressed interest in starting fresh with zero-based budgeting rather than following the Senate's approach of overriding former Gov. Sonny Perdue's veto of the process.

After the Senate voted to override Perdue's veto, the matter went to the House for consideration.

House Speaker David Ralston referred the matter to a committee, rather than calling for a vote.

House Majority Leader Larry O'Neal told representatives that a new bill on zero-based budgeting had a high chance of success, making overriding the veto of a bill unnecessary.

"This is old business from and old governor," O'Neal said.

Zero-based budgeting is a process that would require some state agencies to justify their expenditures each year. Under the current system, department heads only need to explain why they need to increase their budgets.

Senate

Senate Bill 28: A bill relating to estates that would provide for a tenancy in the entirety.
SB 29: Allow insurance companies to opt out of funding certain abortions through certain qualified health plans.
SB 30: Require municipal court judges to be attorneys.
SB 31: Extend the attorney-client privilege to third parties under certain circumstances, correct cross-references and amend Georgia code relating to the disclosure required by the prosecuting attorney and defendant.
SR 68: Create the Science and Technology Strategic Initiative Joint Study Commission.

House

House Bill 90: Authorize the state of Georgia to transfer its interests in heritage preserve properties to a county or local government.
HB 91: Demarcate convicted felons' offense on their driver's license for the length of the sentence.
HB 92: Limit when in-person absentee balloting may be conducted and provide for a period of advance voting.
HB 93: Change "code inspectors" to "code enforcement officers" in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.
HB 94: Prohibit law enforcement officers from using race or ethnicity in determining whether to stop a motorist. Require annual training of law enforcement officers on impermissible uses of race and ethnicity in stopping vehicles and require law enforcement officers to document the race, ethnicity, and gender of a motorist and passengers.
HB 95: Revise and change certain provisions regarding taxation of forest land conservation use property.
HB 96: Approve sale of distilled spirits in a county or municipality.
HB 97: Increase in the minimum wage. Provide annual minimum wage increases to match the rising cost of living, a credit toward the minimum wage for employers of tipped workers and eliminate various eligibility exemptions.
HB 98: Unify the governments of Macon and Bibb County.
HB 99: Require fingerprint record checks for people applying to be licensed practical nurses.
HB 100: Create the Georgia Tax Court
HB 101: Provide safer bicycle riding for bicyclists and the motoring public, including changes to parking a motor vehicle and traffic laws being applicable to bicycles.
HB 102: Provide a limitation period to actions for title by prescription or private way by prescription to real property that is subject to a recorded conservation easement.
HB 103: Provide an exception from local sales and use taxes for food and food ingredients.
HR 72: Amend the Constitution to provide people convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude the ability to register to vote and vote upon release from confinement or while serving a period of probation or parole.
HR 81: Amend the Constitution to make the sale or use of food and food ingredients exempt from the state sales and use tax or any local sales and use tax.

Both chambers also passed various resolutions to recognize special days and people.