2014 Legislative Session Wrap-Up

2014 Session Ends With Mixed Reviews

The 2014 legislative session saw almost 2,200 bills and resolutions introduced by both the House and Senate.  That compares to over 2,700 bills and resolutions introduced during the 2013 legislative session.  One reason for the drop could be the quick pace of this year’s session, which ended on March 20 compared to March 28 in 2013.

Unlike the first year of the General Assembly when all unpassed legislation is carried over to the second legislative year, any bills or resolutions that did not pass in 2014 are officially dead.  House and Senate bills and resolutions will start with number 1 on January 12, 2015, the first day of the 2015-16 session of the Georgia General Assembly.

Unresolved legislative initiatives impacting social issues related to education, health and immigration are expected to be re-introduced during the 2015 legislative session.  Many of these issues will be debated in legislative study committee’s and political campaigns during the interim.

Plenty of Study Committee Activities and Rule Making Impacting Businesses Over the Interim

The Joint House and Senate Study Committee on Critical Transportation Infrastructure Funding will meet up to eight times during the interim.  The Study Committee is expected to consider a fractional penny SPLOST, which died during the final hours of the 2014 legislative session after both legislative bodies passed differing versions of the legislation. Transportation committee members have voiced support for considering excise taxes, as well as adjustments to the state motor fuel tax, as possible new revenue sources.  Watch for future RBC Legislative Updates for potential changes to Georgia tax laws in an effort to address Georgia’s transportation funding challenges.

The Joint Study Committee on the Property Tax Digest Impact on Education Funding will be meeting four times during the interim.  This study committee will seek input from local economic development authorities and Chambers of Commerce on the appropriate manner to report economic development tax incentives that impact state and local education funding.

With the Primary Elections scheduled for late May, no study committees are expected to meet prior to this summer.

The Board of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources may be holding hearings during the interim to address augmenting stream flows and water conservation practices that could potentially impact metro Atlanta.  The RBC will be present to represent metro Atlanta businesses during any such hearings.

RBC Bringing Army Corps of Engineers Commander and Senator Isakson Together to Talk Water

The RBC is co-sponsoring a luncheon featuring US Senator Johnny Isakson and US Army Corps of Engineers District Commander Colonel Jon Chytka on May 19.  Colonel Chytka is commander of the unit of the Army Corps responsible for managing metro Atlanta’s water use from Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona, as well as the Chattahoochee, Etowah and Flint Rivers.  Colonel Chytka will be speaking and answering questions about the recent federal court rulings, the Corps responsibilities outlined in the courts decisions, and the opportunities available to metro Atlanta businesses and individuals to provide input into the Corps decision making process.  The Corps final product, expected to be completed in 2015 or 2016, will have tremendous and long range impacts on metro Atlanta’s future access to water from Lake Lanier, the regions primary water source. The luncheon is open to the public but there will be very limited seating.  Contact Kali Boatright at boatright@douglascountygeorgia.com.php73-40.lan3-1.websitetestlink.com  for ticket information.