ATLANTA --- Now that House bills have crossed to the Senate and vice versa, legislators are getting their first look at measures introduced on the other side of the Capitol.
This week, time on the floor will be replaced by time in committee.
In the House, two pieces of unfinished business remain, the only bills not subject to last Thursday's crossover deadline:
- The budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, which had been delayed until passage of the federal stimulus package
- Local bills affecting cities or counties, which are often held back until after Crossover Day
Senators are eager to take on two issues originated in the House, according to Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, R-Woodstock.
- The JOBS Act package of tax breaks and relaxed regulations aimed at spurring job creation in small businesses
- Replacing the annual car tax with a lump-sum $2,000 tax due when purchasing a new or used car
He speculated senators would add their own ideas for job incentives.
Mr. Rogers said the Senate would vote this week on its version of a House bill to raise a 1-percent sales tax for transportation. The Senate version is very different, and its passage would set the stage for a conference committee to work out the differences.
KEY BILLS
Here's a status report about the major pieces of legislation pending or expected to be filed during the 2009 session of the Georgia General Assembly. Bills with an * are essentially dead until next year after Thursday's deadline, unless they are tacked onto another similar bill:
- HOUSE BILL 39*: Cigarette tax increase of $1 per pack STATUS: House Ways and Means Committee
- HB 67*: Sales tax on food STATUS: House Rules Committee
- HB 118: The midyear adjustment to the current year's budget, including providing for the $428 million Homeowners Tax Relief Grants to local government STATUS: Signed by governor
- HB 119: Fiscal-year 2010 budget, including Gov. Sonny Perdue's recommendation for a 1.6 percent tax on hospitals, 10 percent spending cuts and a $1.2 billion stimulus package STATUS: House Appropriations Committee
- HB 160: Bill to boost fines $200 for drivers exceeding 85 mph on Interstate highways and 75 on other roads STATUS: Passed the House, awaiting committee assignment in the Senate
- HB 233: Caps local property-tax assessments for two years at the current level or lower STATUS: Conference committee
- HB 277: House bill to levy a 1 percent sales tax statewide for specified transportation projects over 10 years STATUS: Passed House, Senate Finance Committee
- HB 597*: Extending the moratorium against storing treated surface water in the Floridan Aquifer STATUS: House Natural Resources Committee
- HB 480: Replaces annual car tax with a lump-sum, $2,000 tax due at purchase STATUS: Passed House, awaiting committee assignment in the Senate
- HB 605*: House version of bill to transfer state transportation construction from the Department of Transportation to the new State Transportation Authority STATUS: House Transportation Committee
- HOUSE RESOLUTION 1*: Capping local assessments on property at 3 percent for residential, 4 percent commercial STATUS: Won majority, but is awaiting a second House vote to see if it gains the two-thirds majority needed as a constitutional amendment
- SENATE BILL 16*: Permit local voters to approve the sale of packaged alcohol on Sundays STATUS: Withdrawn by sponsor
- SB 17: Reports legislators who fail to file income-tax returns STATUS: Passed Senate, awaiting committee assignment in House
- SB 31: Allowing Georgia Power Co. to charge for financing nuclear plants before they begin operation STATUS: Awaiting governor's signature
- SB 39: Constitutional amendment to allow counties to levy a 1 percent sales tax for transportation for projects, gutted in the House STATUS: Passed Senate and House, in conference
- SB 83: Allowing voters to decide to double the statewide homestead property tax exemption for residences from $2,000 to $4,000 STATUS: Passed the Senate, failed in the House but awaiting second vote
- SB 90*: Establishing vouchers to use taxpayer funds for families to pay private-school tuition STATUS: Senate Rules Committee
- SB 101*: Mr. Perdue's proposal to exempt the makers of drugs and medical devices from liability suits STATUS: Defeated in Senate Special Judiciary Committee
- SB 108: Mr. Perdue's tort-reform bill to charge attorney fees to plaintiffs when a judge grants a defendant's motion to dismiss. Gutted by the Senate Special Judiciary Committee. STATUS: Passed Senate, House Judiciary Committee
- SB 200: Transfer state transportation construction from the Department of Transportation to the new State Transportation Authority STATUS: Passed the Senate, House Transportation Committee
- SENATE RESOLUTION 44: Constitutional amendment to create a 1 percent special-purpose, local-option sales tax for transportation STATUS: Passed Senate, House Transportation Committee
- SB 169: Restricts in-vitro fertilization to producing babies, not for research STATUS: Passed Senate, awaiting committee assignment in House
Source: Georgia General Assembly
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