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Week Ten Update
Crossover Day
Part of the new transportation budget has been reliant on eliminating a $5000 tax credit consumers received when purchasing or leasing an electric car. Legislation to eliminate the credit was voted down last week in subcommittee, but was resurrected on Tuesday when it was un-tabled and quickly passed while there were no Democrats present in the meeting. The official state estimate is that between 2016 and 2020, the state will pay $628 million for the $5000 tax credit in total. Some believe that with the resurrection of HB 122, the transportation plan (HB 170) has received a boost in its support. Read more…
Education
Over the 2015 Legislative session about 800 bills have been introduced, and over 500 were at risk of not surviving crossover day. Crossover day is the 30th day of the legislative, and bills must be approved by the house if it originated there by this day. The key bills that came close was the transportation bill HB 170, which was approved by the senate on Thursday. The current bill includes a 29.2 cent per gallon excise tax and a $200 dollar annual fee for electric vehicle drivers. Other key bills that were passed before crossover day were the medical Marijuana bill HB 1, legalizing fireworks HB 110, and the takeover district SB 133 and SR 287. Read more…
Medical Marijuana
Governor Deal’s plan to take over under-performing schools won approval in the Georgia Senate Thursday. There were two key parts of legislation in effort for this plan Senate Resolution 287 and Senate Bill 133. SR 287 proposes amending the Georgia Constitution, and as a result requires a two-thirds support in the chamber. The resolution and companion bill both passed. The bill would give the “Opportunity School District” the authority to take control of failing schools. Some of the powers include the ability to remove principals, transfer teachers, change the curriculum of the classes and control the schools’ budgets. The office of the governor has estimated that 141 schools would be eligible, and more than 60 of those schools are in the metro Atlanta area. The plan would allow four possible outcomes: allow the state to run the school, close the school, partner with the school district, or convert a public school into a charter school. Read more…
Legalizing Fireworks
All states that border Georgia other than North Carolina allow the sale of fireworks. A bill allowing the sale of “consumer fireworks” passed with 119 votes to 49. Jay Roberts, the sponsor of the bill, believes that this will stimulate the state’s economy because residents of Georgia often travel across state lines to buy fireworks. The proposal is now going to the senate for consideration. Read more…