The General Assembly is scheduled to be in session this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, which is expected to be the final legislative day barring a budget confrontation between the House and Senate.

Budget
   The Senate will report this week on its version of the Fiscal Year 2010 state budget. The House version included $18.6 billion in spending, $1.4 billion of which were federal stimulus funds.

Transportation
   On Friday the House Transportation Committee passed an Agency Reorganization plan that is a compromise between the Governor and Speaker and may lead to approval of a funding measure. The bill is not readily available, but Political Insider has a good report on the measure. The DOT would continue in its current role but some of its leadership and road money would be decided and appropriated by the Governor and Legislature. The legislatively-elected Board would continue and that Board would still appoint the commissioner. Other executive staff would be selected by the Governor, such as the Director of Planning, and a portion of road dollars would be appropriated on a project basis by the General Assembly.

Property Taxes
   The House and Senate have passed measures agreeing to property tax assessment freezes for the next few years. Differences will be worked out in a conference committee.
   Another measure, SB 83, that would raise the minimum homestead exemption from $2,000 to $4,000, was unable to garner the necessary two-thirds super majority and is most likely dead for the session.

Auto Taxes
   On Thursday the Senate Finance Committee passed legislation in HB 480 that would eliminate ad valorem and sales taxes on cars and trucks beginning with new purchases next year. A title fee of seven percent would be paid at purchase up to a cap of $1,500. The birthday tax would continue on currently owned vehicles. Although used car purchases between individuals are currently not assessed sales taxes, the same title fee will apply to future sales. As much as $150 million of the proceeds will go to the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund to pay for enhancing trauma services throughout the state. In examining the fiscal impact County-wide, Cobb County Government along with the two school systems and the six cities estimates that in the first five years of the program a decrease in combined property and sales taxes of over $60 million would be realized. Over 10 years that cumulative loss reaches over $186 million. If passed by the Senate, the measure will return to the House to be agreed upon or it will go to conference committee.

Water
   HB 406, which would exempt water reservoir construction from local service delivery strategies, passed the House and may be considered on the Senate floor in this final week.
   The General Assembly passed SB 155, which codifies what has been EPD practice regarding the treatment of ephemeral streams. Such drainage areas only carry water flow during, and for a short duration after, rain events and do not require a 25 foot buffer. Some called it the “A ditch is a ditch and a stream is a stream” bill.

Outdoor Advertising
   After sailing through the Senate and being heavily debated in House Transportation Committee, advertisers are closer to being able to maintain the trees and vegetation within a 1.5 acre area of billboards after paying a vegetation fee and submitting a beautification plan. SB 164 may make it to the House floor before sine die.

Economic Development
   The General Assembly passed several economic development measures designed to recruit and expand Georgia based businesses and grow jobs. HB 481 known as the “Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2009,” passed by the Senate Finance Committee would gradually repeal the corporate income tax and provide tax credits for new employee hires. The measure also gives tax breaks to companies that hire jobless workers.
   The Senate Finance Committee also made changes to two separate measures that would enhance the Business Expansion and Support Act. HB 438 and HB 439 would provide tax credits for higher paying jobs, research and development, imports and exports through Georgia ports, and offers a mega tax credit for major investments in the state.
   The above measures return to the House for agreement or to be sent to a conference committee.

Track business legislation by category through the GA Chamber: http://www.gachamber.com/Track-Business-Legislation.65.0.html