GEORGIA SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE – 2018
Day Forty, March 29, 2018
Well, the 2018 Legislative Session is over. The session ended very late into the evening on March 29th. Bills were dropped, heard, amended, voted on, heard again, voted on again, and either made it all the way through the process, or ended on the chamber floor. We have tried our best to keep track of all of the education related bills and their various versions.
We now change our efforts to finding out what bills actually passed in the last minutes of the 2018 session and if those bills have morphed into some other creature. At the end of this document you will find the GSSA preliminary report of the 2018 Legislative session. Please remember that this is a preliminary report and that bills may be added or deleted as we continue our review of the bills. You can also find the PASSED bills listed at the GSSA website or the GSSA APP. We will update those sites as changes occur.
The spotlight will also turn to the Governor’s actions. The Governor has forty business days to sign or veto bills. If a bill is not signed or vetoed on day forty, the bill will become law. So far, the Governor has signed five bills that we have been following. You can follow the Governor’s actions on bills at his press release website. Bills only become law upon the Governor’s signature or if they are allowed to sit on his desk with no action for the required forty days.
Please take a few minutes to contact your legislative delegation to thank them for all of their work during this legislative session. Remember that these relationships are very important in transforming the future of education in Georgia.
Be on the lookout for John Zauner’s weekly reports as well as his Twitter feeds.
We will have a presentation covering the legislative session at the GSSA Bootstrap Conference later this month.
Thanks to each of you for all of your hard work in making the education of students our most important purpose.
Your efforts really do make a difference.
If I can be of assistance to you with any of the activities of the 2018 Legislative Session, please contact me.
Michael Surma
Legislative Liaison
Georgia School Superintendents Association
404-909-1639
Georgia School Superintendents Preliminary Report of Bills Passed – April 2, 2018
Subject to Change
| Bill# | Title | Sponsor | Status Date | Status
Description |
Short Note |
| HB 0061 | Sales and use tax; certain retailers to either collect and remit or notify purchaser and state; require | Jay Powell | 3/29/2018 | House – House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub | PASSED HB 405 Attached to the bill on House Floor |
| HB 0085 | Ad valorem tax; methodology used to establish forest land fair market value; revise | Jay Powell | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub | PASSED HR 51 Constitutional Amendments |
| HB 0159 | Domestic relations; adoption; substantially revise general provisions | Albert Reeves | 3/3/2018 | Act 285 | PASSED |
| HB 0217 | Income tax credit; certain scholarship organizations; increase amount of the aggregate cap on contributions | John Carson | 3/29/2018 | House – House Conference Committee Report Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0329 | TAVT Bill conference compromise | Jay Powell | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Conference Committee Report Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0432 | Tuition grants; certain institutions that lack accreditation be approved for tuition equalization purposes; provide | Matt Dubnik | 3/9/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0489 | Local government; use Georgia Procurement Registry in addition to official legal organ to advertise certain bid opportunities; provide | Tom McCall | 3/29/2018 | House – House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub | PASSED SHALL post on Ga Procurement Registry. |
| HB 0494 | Early care and learning; safety of children in early care and education programs; revise certain provisions | Katie Dempsey | 3/29/2018 | House – House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub | PASSED |
| HB 0538 | Fulton County; Board of Education; pension and retirement pay to teachers and employees; create system | Wendell Willard | 3/27/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0673 | Motor vehicles; prohibit actions which distract a driver while operating a motor vehicle; provisions | John Carson | 3/29/2018 | House – House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub | PASSED Allows CD Radios, CD Hybrids, 2 way communication, and emergencies |
| HB 0683 | Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018 | David Ralston | 3/9/2018 | Act 286 | PASSED |
| HB 0684 | General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019 | David Ralston | 3/29/2018 | House – House Conference Committee Report Adopted | PASSED Austerity Funding Restored |
| HB 0700 | Georgia Student Finance Authority; service cancelable educational loans; include graduate degree programs | Dave Belton | 3/21/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0701 | State employment; drug testing; allow testing for all forms of opioids | Kevin Tanner | 3/21/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0713 | Postsecondary education; HOPE and Zell Miller eligibility requirements relative to students who graduated from an ineligible high school; provide | Joyce Chandler | 3/29/2018 | House – House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended | PASSED SB 5 Attached on Senate Floor |
| HB 0718 | Education; certain absences of students with parents in service of the armed forces of the United States; excuse | Sandra Scott | 3/21/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0739 | Tracy Rainey Act; enact | Al Williams | 3/21/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED – Provide Expedited Certification to Spouses of Military |
| HB 0740 | Education; local school system to conduct certain screenings, assessments, and reviews prior to expelling a student; require | Randy Nix | 3/29/2018 | House – House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub | PASSED |
| HB 0762 | Quality Basic Education Act; sexual abuse and assault awareness education in kindergarten through grade 9; provide | Wesley Cantrell | 2/15/2018 | House – House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute | PASSED amended to SB 401. SB 401 passed. |
| HB 0763 | Education; student attendance protocol committees to school climate; expand | Randy Nix | 3/29/2018 | House – House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub | PASSED School Safety Plans and Grants included |
| HB 0771 | Heard County; Board of Education; provide new method of compensating members | Randy Nix | 2/12/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0787 | Education; certain provisions relative to charter schools; revise | Scott Hilton | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub | PASSED Version like House Version. Senate Version stripped |
| HB 0792 | Waste management; sunset date for certain solid waste surcharges and hazardous waste fees; extend | Terry Rogers | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub | PASSED adds coal ash and modified fee structures |
| HB 0822 | School District of Social Circle; create | Hugh Williamson | 3/23/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0829 | Quitman County; Board of Education; change compensation of chairperson and members | Gerald Greene | 2/14/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED Local legislation for Quitman County |
| HB 0836 | Dougherty County School System; change compensation of members of the board of education | Winfred Dukes | 2/14/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED Will only affect Dougherty County |
| HB 0843 | Revenue and taxation; tax credits; include any census tract in a county that contains a federal military installation and industrial park | James Shaw | 3/21/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED Very Specific as Defined in Bill – Large Military Base |
| HB 0844 | Georgia Commission on Hearing Impaired and Deaf Persons; revise provisions | Penny Houston | 3/15/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0852 | Quality Basic Education Act; student’s continued enrollment in a public school under certain circumstances; provide | Michael Smith | 3/19/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED Continued enrollment within local school district |
| HB 0853 | Quality Basic Education Act; children placed in psychiatric residential treatment facilities may not be charged tuition; provide | Katie Dempsey | 3/29/2018 | House – House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub | PASSED |
| HB 0871 | Sales and use tax; 50 percent of the sales price of manufactured homes; create exemption | Dominic Lariccia | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub | PASSED Permanent Location Width 16′ 1″ 650 sq. ft. |
| HB 0886 | Sales and use tax; exemption for agricultural machinery and equipment; provisions | Sam Watson | 3/21/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0899 | Contracts; limitation on disqualification of bidders; change | Dominic Lariccia | 3/23/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| HB 0918 | Revenue and taxation; Internal Revenue Code; provisions | Chuck Efstration | 3/2/2018 | Act 284 | PASSED |
| HB 0946 | Houston County; Board of Education; modify compensation of members | Heath Clark | 3/23/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED Specific Legislation for Houston County Board of Ed |
| HB 0951 | Education; establish Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation; provisions | James Shaw | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended | PASSED |
| HB 0978 | Motor vehicles; automated traffic enforcement safety devices in school zones; provisions | Chad Nimmer | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute | PASSED |
| HB 0990 | Rockdale County; Board of Education; modify compensation of members | Pam Dickerson | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED Specific to Rockdale County |
| HB 0995 | Local government; certain disclosures from consultants who enter into contracts to prepare requirements for bids; provide | Mark Newton | 3/29/2018 | House – House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub | PASSED |
| HB 1058 | Miller County; Board of Education; revise districts for election of members | Winfred Dukes | 3/27/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED Specific to Miller County Board of Education |
| HR 0051 | Forest land fair market value; prescribed methodology; remove – CA | Jay Powell | 3/29/2018 | House – House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub | PASSED Constitutional Amendment HB 85 Enabling Legislation |
| HR 0898 | Joint Study Committee on the Establishment of a State Accreditation Process; create | Brooks Coleman | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED Will look at State Accreditation Process |
| HR 1016 | Diabetes; necessity for education; recognize | Karen Bennett | 2/26/2018 | House – House Passed/Adopted | PASSED Encouraging Resolution |
| HR 1017 | State and local educational agencies and schools; dyslexia has a profound educational impact that must be addressed; recognize | John Corbett | 3/9/2018 | House – House Passed/Adopted | PASSED Encouraging Resolution |
| HR 1036 | State of Georgia; fund public awareness campaign in support of computer science education; urge | Dar’shun Kendrick | 3/29/2018 | House – House Passed/Adopted | PASSED Urging Resolution |
| HR 1162 | House Study Committee on the Establishment of a State Accreditation Process; create | Brooks Coleman | 3/9/2018 | House – House Passed/Adopted | PASSED HOUSE HR 898 Is a Joint Study Committee for Accreditation |
| HR 1309 | Barker, Dr. Steve; Georgia’s 2018 School Superintendent of the Year; commend | Lynn Smith | 2/22/2018 | House – House Read and Adopted | Congratulations! |
| HR 1317 | House Study Committee on Reforming Real Property Taxation; create | Andrew Welch | 3/27/2018 | House – House Passed/Adopted | PASSED Watch this Study Committee – May be the start of Tax Reform |
| HR 1414 | House Study Committee on School Security; create | Rick Jasperse | 3/19/2018 | House – House Passed/Adopted | PASSED Speaker of the House will determine which ones are funded |
| SB 0003 | “Creating Opportunities Needed Now to Expand Credentialed Training (CONNECT) Act”; enact | Lindsey Tippins | 3/14/2018 | Senate – Senate Conference Committee Report Adopted | PASSED Comprehensive bill including grants for Non Performing High Schools |
| SB 0005 | Lottery for Education; net proceeds transferred to the state treasury for credit to the Lottery for Education Account; establish the percentage | Bill Cowsert | 3/30/2017 23:05 | House Withdrawn, Recommitted | PASSED Attached to HB 713 on Senate Floor |
| SB 0082 | HOPE; need based HOPE scholarship and grant; create | Lester Jackson | 3/15/2018 | House – House Passed/Adopted | PASSED for Georgia National Guard and Reservist |
| SB 0118 | Autism; age limit for coverage for autism spectrum disorders for an individual covered under a policy or contract; change | Renee Unterman | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub | PASSED changes age for insurance coverage from 6 to 20 |
| SB 0315 | Computer Crimes; create a new crime of unauthorized computer access; penalties; provide | Bruce Thompson | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub | PASSED |
| SB 0317 | Homestead Exemption; Fulton County school district; ad valorem taxes for educational purposes; provide | John Albers | 3/7/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub | PASSED |
| SB 0328 | Income Tax; expiration of certain income tax credits; provide | John Albers | 3/26/2018 | Act 292 | PASSED |
| SB 0330 | “Green Agricultural Education Act”; three-component model; provide | John Wilkinson | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub | PASSED Pilot Sites 2019 – 20 Certificate for K -5 Ag Ed 2019 |
| SB 0338 | Administrative Procedure; agency rule making; modify requirements | William Ligon | 3/29/2018 | House – House Receded from Amend or Sub | PASSED Would affect rules developed by SBOE |
| SB 0355 | Nuclear Generating Plant; recovery of the costs of financing the construction; provisions; change | Chuck Hufstetler | 3/21/2018 | House – House Passed/Adopted | PASSED Amended bill will have little impact on tax rates |
| SB 0362 | Education; establishment of an innovative assessment pilot program; provide | Lindsey Tippins | 3/29/2018 | House – House Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| SB 0377 | State Workforce Development Board; transfer to Technical College System of Georgia; duties and obligations; revise | Brian Strickland | 3/21/2018 | Act 289 | PASSED Associated with CTAE changes |
| SB 0398 | Board of Education of Talbot County; compensation of the members; provide | Ed Harbison | 3/14/2018 | House – House Passed/Adopted | PASSED Specific to Talbot County School Board |
| SB 0401 | Individual Graduation Plans; guidance in career oriented aptitudes and career interests; provide | Lindsey Tippins | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended | PASSED Amended with HB 762 |
| SB 0402 | “Achieving Connectivity Everywhere (ACE) Act” | Steve Gooch | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Conference Committee Report Adopted | PASSED Georgia Wideband Connectivity Bill – Funding is an issue |
| SB 0458 | Ad Valorem Taxation; conditions; family owned farmed entities; discontinue a qualifying use of bona fide conservation use property; provide | John Wilkinson | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub | PASSED |
| SB 0485 | City of Atlanta; independent school district; homestead exemption; $50,000; applicability; referendum; provide | Jennifer Jordan | 3/29/2018 | Senate – Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub | PASSED Specific to the City of Atlanta School District |
| SR 0935 | Senate School Safety Study Committee; create | John Albers | 3/27/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| SR 1064 | Senate Study Committee on Continual Audit Exceptions on Local School Systems; create | Freddie Sims | 3/27/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
| SR 1067 | Senate Study Committee on the Financial Impact of Atlanta Annexation on Schools; create | Emanuel Jones | 3/27/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute | PASSED Atlanta School District Specific |
| SR 1068 | Senate Study Committee on Evaluating the School Year Calendar of Georgia Public Schools; create | Steve Gooch | 3/27/2018 | Senate – Senate Passed/Adopted | PASSED |
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