Across Georgia

House passes bill on HOPE book allowance

ATLANTA --- The Georgia House quickly adopted a measure Thursday that could soften the blow of any cuts to the lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship.

The proposal, which passed 159-0, would allow recipients of the scholarship to keep their $300 book allowance unless lottery revenues drop significantly. A similar measure passed last year but was vetoed by Gov. Sonny Perdue.

The measure, which now goes to the Senate, would trigger a $150 reduction in the book allowance if lottery revenue falls 8 percent below the costs of the scholarship and pre-kindergarten programs.

Current guidelines, adopted in 2004, would slash book payments if lottery revenue fell just $1 short of the program's costs.

Officials work to keep aircraft tax exemption

ATLANTA --- Augusta legislators have joined the campaign to preserve a sales-tax exemption for parts used in repairing out-of-state aircraft.

The General Assembly enacted the exemption initially because of fears that Savannah-based Gulfstream Aerospace would take its planned 1,100-job expansion to another state, but exemptions in recent years have a sunset provision. The parts exemption is due to expire in June.

Now Augusta's Standard Aero, known as Garrett Aviation for 30 years, is making the push. Members of the Augusta delegation each volunteered to contact members of the Ways and Means subcommittee considering the extension, sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah. Co-sponsors include Reps. Hardie Davis, D-Augusta, and Ben Harbin, R-Evans.

Bill would aid disabled vets in contract bids

ATLANTA --- A bill pending in the House would give priority to disabled veterans who own small businesses when they are bidding on state contracts.

Under the bill, a qualified veteran who enters a bid with the Department of Transportation will be given priority over other bidders if equally ranked in a comparison of costs and capabilities.

Essentially, the bill is a tie-breaker, said Rep. Lee Anderson, R-Augusta, its sponsor.