Legislative Update – Week Seven

Seventh Legislative Week
Cross Over Day Is This Week

On March 1, the Georgia General Assembly completed their 27th legislative day. Under legislative rules, any bill that has not passed at least one legislative body by the 30th legislative day cannot be considered during the legislative session. (However, legislators can try to amend their legislation onto other bills that are “germane” to the subject matter in their failed legislation if they are unable to pass their legislation by the 30th legislative day.)

Because the thirtieth legislative day will be Thursday, March 7, a large number of bills are expected to be debated this week.

“Fractional Penny” SPLOST Legislation Still in House Ways and Means Committee

If the fractional penny sales tax has a chance of passing in 2013 it has to pass out of the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Rules Committee and the House floor in the next three legislative days. While a few counties are supporting the effort, many counties, cities and school boards remain opposed to its passage.

Inter-basin Water Transfer Bill and Resolution Getting Attention

Rep. Harry Geisinger (R-Roswell) introduced House Resolution 4 which asks the Tennessee legislature to agree to extend a one and a half mile swath of land running from the intersection of the Georgia-Alabama-Tennessee state line northward to the 35th parallel in exchange for dropping Georgia’s claim to all lands in Tennessee south of the 35th parallel. It just so happens that this rectangle of land would intersect with the Tennessee River, potentially providing Georgia with an additional source of water. The resolution, which has no power of law, has passed the House and is ready for a vote by the Senate.

Rep. Geisinger has also introduced HB 515 which would remove the restriction in Georgia law for inter-basin water transfers from all rivers with an annual average flow of 15 billion gallons of water a day and if the county where the river flows agrees to the water withdrawal. Interestingly, the bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Tom McCall (R-Elberton) and Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell), two of the staunchest opponents of inter-basin water transfers in the House.

The only river in or near Georgia that meets this daily flow rate is the Tennessee River, located in both Tennessee and Alabama. Georgia’s largest river, the Altamaha River in south Georgia, only has an average daily flow of about half the Tennessee River. To be considered this year, the bill must pass out of the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee, the House Rules Committee and the House floor in the next three legislative days. No hearings have been scheduled for the bill yet.

Another Water Rate Bill Headed to House Rules Committee

Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs) introduced HB 41 that would require any jurisdiction that sales water to another jurisdiction to charge the same rates for the water as they charge customers in the originating jurisdiction, unless they have a contract that allows different rates. The bill was intended to address a disparity in water rates that Atlanta charges Sandy Springs. According the Rep. Willard, Atlanta doesn’t have the highest water rates in the nation: Sandy Springs does because they pay a “21% premium” to purchase water from Atlanta. HB 41 was amended to allow Sandy Springs to provide a 6 month notice to Atlanta if they are unable to reach a rate agreement with Atlanta and choose to purchase water from another jurisdiction. The legislation passed out of committee and is in the House Rules Committee.

Georgia Reservoir and Water Supply Fund to Include Loans for Monitoring Equipment

Rep. Ed Lindsey (R-Atlanta) introduced HB 199 which allows the Georgia Environment Finance Authority to also make loans to local utilities not only for capital construction but also monitoring equipment that is used in “enhancing water supply” for the water supply system. The legislation has passed out of committee and is in the House Rules Committee.

Legislation introduced to date:

House Bills – 524
House Resolutions – 569
Senate Bills – 243
Senate Resolutions – 423

Total 1,759

Thirteen legislative days remain in the 2013 Legislative Session.

The legislature is scheduled to meet Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (Day 30) this week.