2012 Legislative Agenda
January 24, 2012
2012 Legislative Agenda
•Create good jobs and a stronger economy
Economic •Promote rural recovery
Security •Help small businesses grow
•Support successful students
Educational •Promote empowered parents
Opportunity •Secure stronger schools
•Fix government so it works
Shared •Protect taxpayer investments
Responsibility •Promote democracy and civic engagement
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Economic Security
Create Good
Promote Rural Help Small
Jobs and a
Recovery Businesses
Strong Economy
Small Business
Protection Act: Suspend
Georgia Buy American Rural Recovery Act requirement of E-Verify
Act: Reduce sales taxes for businesses under 50
on Made in USA
of 2012: Repeal HB
87 in its entirety employees until 2015
products
Georgia Fair Pay Act:
Require prompt payment
on all state contracts
Georgia Jobs Matter Rural Tourism
Act: Require all Protection Act:
Georgia Healthcare Relief
procurement bids to Requires mandatory Act: Require the
include Georgia Jobs notice of park establishment of Small
Impact statement closures Business Healthcare
Exchanges
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Economic Security
Georgia Buy American Act: Reduce sales taxes on Sponsor: Rep. Virgil Fludd (Tyrone)
Made in USA products Co-Sponsor: Rep. Sistie Hudson (Sparta)
Georgia Jobs Matter Act: Require all procurement bids Sponsor: Rep. Quincy Murphy (Augusta)
to include Georgia Jobs Impact statement Co-Sponsor: Rep. Yasmin Neal (Jonesboro)
Rural Recovery Act of 2012: Repeal HB87 in its entirety Sponsor: Rep. Pedro Marin (Duluth)
Co-Sponsor: Rep. Lynmore James (Montezuma)
Rural Tourism Protection Act: Require mandatory Sponsor: Rep. Debbie Buckner (Junction City)
notice of park closures Co-Sponsor: Rep. Sharon Beasley Teague (Red Oak)
Co-Sponsor: Rep. Bob Bryant (Garden City)
Small Business Protection Act: Suspend Sponsor: Rep. Glenn Baker (Jonesboro)
requirement of E-Verify for businesses under 50 Co-Sponsor: Rep. Mack Jackson (Sandersville)
employees
Georgia Fair Pay Act: Requires prompt payment on Sponsor: Rep. Al Williams (Midway)
all state contracts Co-Sponsor: Rep. Elena Parent (Chamblee)
Co-Sponsor: Rep. Mickey Stephens (Savannah)
Georgia Healthcare Relief Act: Requires the Sponsor: Rep. Pat Gardner (Atlanta)
establishment of Small Business Healthcare Co-Sponsor: Rep. James Beverly (Macon)
Exchanges Co-Sponsor: Rep. Elly Dobbs (Atlanta)
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Educational Opportunity
Support Promote Secure
Successful Empowered Stronger
Students Parents Schools
Restore and Build HOPE Parent Protection Act End Cyberbullying Act
Act: Amend the HOPE Act (HB 311): Guarantee leave (HB 310): Expand anti-
to lower technical college for employees to attend bullying legislation to
GPA to 2.5 school conferences and protect our children
medical appointments on
behalf of dependents
Opportunity Act of 2012: Whistleblower
Amend the Constitution to Protections Act (HB 206):
allow for needs-based Improve protections for
scholarships in USG whistleblowers in education
Anti-Truancy Act:
Bright Futures Act: Strengthen obligations of
Mandate full school year for parents and guardians for Farm to Table Act:
Pre-K; Create 3-yr old pilot truancy Improve access to healthy
program; Require standards options
for Pre-K programs
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Educational Opportunity
Restore and Build HOPE Act: Amend the HOPE Act to Sponsor: Rep. Stacey Evans (Marietta)
lower technical college GPA to 2.5 Co-Sponsor: Rep. Craig Gordon (Savannah)
Opportunity Act of 2012: Amend the Constitution to allow Sponsor: Rep. Keith Heard (Athens)
for needs-based scholarships in the University System of Co-Sponsor: Rep. Terry Johnson (Marietta)
Georgia
Bright Futures Act: Create study committee to evaluate Sponsor: Rep. Kathy Ashe (Atlanta)
Pre-K programming, including school year, age of Co-Sponsor: Rep. Wayne Howard (Augusta)
admission and guidelines
Parent Protection Act (HB 311): Guarantee leave for Sponsor: Rep. Roger Bruce (Atlanta)
employees to attend school conferences and medical Co-Sponsor: Rep. Carol Fullerton (Albany)
appointments on behalf of dependents Co-Sponsor: Rep. Sandra Scott
Anti-Truancy Act: Strengthen obligations of parents and Sponsor: Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (Decatur)
guardians for truancy Co-Sponsor: Rep. Rahn Mayo (Decatur)
Co-Sponsor: Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler (Lithonia)
End Cyberbullying Act (HB 310): Expand anti-bullying Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn Hugley (Columbus)
legislation to protect our children Co-Sponsor: Rep. Pam Dickerson (Conyers)
Whistleblower Protections Act (HB 206): Improve Sponsor: Rep. Ralph Long (Atlanta)
protections for whistleblowers in education Co-Sponsor: Rep. Earnest Smith (Augusta)
Farm to Table Act: Improve access to healthy options Sponsor: Rep. Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield (Decatur)
Co-Sponsor: Rep. Gloria Frazier (Augusta)
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Shared Responsibility
Promote
Fix Government, Democracy and Protect Taxpayer
So It Works Civic Investments
Engagement
Metal Theft (HB 643): Tax Accountability
Require fingerprints for Act: Create an
metal salvage independent panel to
Youth Civic review the cost
Engagement Act benefit analysis of tax
subsidies
(HB 707): Permit
Foreclosure Reform :
Homeowner Fairness use of college
Act: Change the identification as
judicial process for qualified Family Energy
foreclosures; Right to documents Credit: Provide
Cure Act (HB 204): income tax credit for
Aid homeowners with home energy costs
remedying foreclosures
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Shared Responsibility
Metal Theft (HB 643): Require fingerprints for metal salvage Sponsor: Rep. Sheila Jones (Atlanta)
Co-Sponsor: Rep. Barbara Reese (Menlo)
Foreclosure Reform (HB XXX/HB 204): Change the Sponsor: Rep. Dar’Shun Kendrick (Lithonia)
judicial process for foreclosures; Aid homeowners with Co-Sponsor: Rep. Scott Holcomb (Atlanta)
remedying foreclosures
Sponsor: Rep. Billy Mitchell (Stone Mountain)
Co-Sponsor: Rep. Darryl Jordan (Riverdale)
Youth Civic Engagement Act (HB 707): Permit use of Sponsor: Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan (Marietta)
college identification as qualified documents Co-Sponsor: Rep. Tyrone Brooks (Atlanta)
Co-Sponsor: Rep. Rick Crawford (Cedartown)
Tax Accountability: Create an independent panel to review Sponsor: Rep. Margaret Kaiser (Atlanta)
the cost benefit analysis of tax subsidies Co-Sponsor: Rep. David Wilkerson (Austell)
Family Energy Credit: Provide income tax credit for Sponsor: Rep. Simone Bell (Atlanta)
home energy costs Co-Sponsor: Rep. Carl Von Epps (LaGrange)
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Legislative Hearing Schedule
Date Topic Moderators Time Location
1/26/12 Repeal of HB87 Rep. Rashad Taylor 2:30 pm – CAP 216
Rep. Joe Heckstall 4 pm
1/30/12 The Restore HOPE & Rep. Karla Drenner 9 am – 11 CAP 230
Opportunity Acts Rep. Coach Williams am
2/2/12 Jobs & Economic Rep. Winfred Dukes 3 pm – CAP 230
Security Bills Rep. Michelle Henson 4:30 pm
Rep. Pam Stephenson
2/6/12 Budget Review & Rep. Calvin Smyre 2:30 pm – CAP 230
Update Rep. Howard Mosby 4 pm
2/9/12 Educational Rep. Nikki Randall 8:30 am – CAP 230
Opportunity Bills Rep. Hugh Floyd 10 am
2/15/12 Shared Responsibility Rep. Brian Thomas 9 am – 11 CAP 230
Bills Rep. Roberta Abdul- am
Salaam
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