2013 Legislative Preview

Thank you to the RBC (Regional Business Coalition) for providing!

Significant Number of New Legislators Headed to State Capitol

With the constitutional requirement that all legislative districts be reapportioned every 10 years, both House and Senate legislative districts had significant turnover in 2012.

About 15% of Georgia senators are newly elected and about 20% of House members are new.  One senate seat in South Georgia and one house seat in North Georgia are still open and will be filled in an upcoming special election.

The first week of the legislature will be primarily taken up with official organization activities.  All members must be sworn into office, committee assignments must be made, leadership positions must be elected, committee rules must be adopted and the governor will make his “State of the State” address.

Following the first legislative week, the legislature will take a recess for one or two weeks to review the governor’s amended budget for fiscal year 2013, which ends in June, and review his newly proposed budget for fiscal year 2014.  While the word “recess” implies no legislative activity, legislative committees will be meeting almost daily.  However, the days won’t count towards the 40 day limit in Georgia law.

Legislation to Look for in 2013

Legislation to limit inter-basin transfers of water is expected to be reintroduced in 2013.  The RBC will continue to vigorously oppose this legislation as every metro Atlanta county has some level of inter-basin transfer of water.

Legislation to address Georgia’s tiered Jobs Tax Credit is also expected to be introduced.  The RBC will continue to support efforts to amend the state law to give local communities the ability to appeal their tier designation when a business wants to dramatically expand or relocate to their community.

Legislation to exempt the cost of acquisition of rights-of-way from the states “Congressional Balancing” requirement is also expected to be introduced.  State motor fuel taxes are divided equally among all of Georgia’s 14 congressional districts.  However, there is a disproportionate amount of these funds used to purchase rights-of-way in the metro Atlanta region due to the higher value of property in the region.  Because of their unique circumstances, rural areas of the state have their costs for regional four-lane highways exempted from the balancing formula.  The RBC will be working with other metropolitan county Chambers of Commerce to have purchases of rights-of-way exempted to address our unique circumstances.

The RBC will be introducing legislation to address a portion of the metro regions anticipated water shortfall.  Additionally, legislation making Georgia’s water planning districts permanent policy making organizations is also expected to be introduced.

Either legislation or a resolution addressing enforcement of abandoned or dumped old tires is also expected to be introduced.  Every year, thousands of tires are dumped on vacant property throughout the metropolitan region. These old tires are an environmental, as well as a public health issue.  West Nile virus carrying misquotes are known to breed in standing water in dumped tires.

While the RBC’s primary focus remains on economic development, transportation and air and water quality issues, there will be other issues the RBC will be watching for its member Chambers.  Some of those issues will be:

• Charter school legislation
• Immigration reform legislation
• Hospital “Bed Tax” legislation
• Ethics reform legislation
• Gun control legislation
• “Fractional penny” sales tax legislation
• Public/private partnerships for transit legislation
• Budget issues impacting transportation and natural resource regulations

The Regional Business Coalition of Metropolitan Atlanta (RBC) is an organization of over a dozen of the largest and most active Chambers of Commerce throughout the metro Atlanta region.  RBC member chambers represent over 15,000 member companies who employ millions of metro Atlanta residents.  The RBC’s primary goal is to represent the interests of RBC Chamber members on regional public policy issues impacting our transportation, water and air quality and to advocate for solutions that improve metro Atlanta’s quality of life and economic vitality.  This weekly update is prepared for RBC member Chambers by Terry Lawler, RBC Executive Director, who can be contacted at tlawler@atlregionalbusiness.org or 770-310-1864.