Resource Center
Legislative Update – Week Eight
Cross Over Day – Some Bills Made It, Some Didn’t
On Thursday, March 7, the Georgia General Assembly completed its 30th legislative day. Legislation had to pass either legislative body by that date or the bill died. However, legislative language can always be amended onto other legislation that is germane to the subject matter.
Legislation of significance to the RBC that passed either the House or Senate and could pass this legislative session included:
Legislation to remove investments in interstate highways and freight corridors from the congressional balancing formula passed the House. This legislation, while helping fund interstates, will dramatically reduce the highway funds available for each congressional district’s transportation projects.
Legislation to amend the MARTA act to provide more operations flexibility to the MARTA board and change the makeup of the board passed the House.
Legislation allowing water utility expansion funding to include investing in technologies that improve the operations of water utilities passed the House.
Legislation to regulate the disposal of used tires passed the House.
Legislation to exempt school buses from paying motor fuel taxes passed the House.
Legislation to allow a fractional penny sales tax passed the Senate.
Legislation to allow funding for venture capital passed the Senate.
Legislation of significance to the RBC that DID NOT pass either the House or Senate included:
Legislation to require the removal of trees that could fall on interstate highways failed to pass the House.
Legislation to access water from the Tennessee River failed to pass the House.
Legislation to designate municipal downtown areas for special tax breaks failed to pass the House.
Legislation to allow a fractional penny sales tax failed to pass the House.
Legislation to limit the use of tax bills to jointly bill for government services failed to pass the House.
Legislation to change or abolish the tier system for jobs tax credits failed to pass the House.
Legislation to allow a multi-county sales tax to fund infrastructure improvements failed to pass the House.
Legislation to remove the local match penalty requirement from the regional TSPLOST law failed to pass the Senate.
RBC to Meet with Potential Legislative Sponsors for Rainwater Harvesting Legislation
The RBC and a coalition of rainwater harvesting advocates will be meeting with potential sponsors of rainwater harvesting legislation. The RBC is partnering with multiple business, agri-business and conservation organizations in an effort to pass legislation in 2014 to encourage more investments in rainwater harvesting technologies to improve the metro region’s water resources.
Legislation introduced to date:
House Bills – 567
House Resolutions – 701
Senate Bills – 248
Senate Resolutions – 451
Total 1,967
Ten legislative days remain in the 2013 Legislative Session.
The legislature is scheduled to meet Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week.
Related