2004 Legislative Session
Week 7
Days 27-29
Legislators worked in session Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday this week. They
also mutually agreed upon a schedule for the next week i.e. that they would
work in committee on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week, and be ?in
session? on Tuesday and Friday. This will give budget conferees an opportunity
to work on and hopefully pass a budget conference committee report next week.
In addition, this will give House Members time to continue crafting a
redistricting map. This new schedule will put the 32nd Day on Monday,
March15.
As the legislative session continues to march toward the 33rd, crossover day,
there is seemingly less and less new legislation introduced, which is not
unusual. The goal now, is to monitor the committee process as well as look out
for vehicles and any proposed amendments.
Tort Reform:
This week, the House and Senate continued joint meetings on tort reform. A
comprehensive bill that combines provisions from four other tort reform
proposals, HB 1712, was introduced in the House on Thursday by Speaker Pro Tem
DuBose Porter. Porter?s bill consolidates the language of three bills that
passed out of the House Judiciary Committee last week:? ?HB 1396, provides
hospitals with some immunity from civil liability for the actions of emergency
room physicians who aren?t hospital employees; HB 1399, makes some changes in
how the testimony of expert witnesses can be used in medical malpractice
lawsuits; and HB 1400, attempts to discourage the filing of frivolous
lawsuits. HB 1712 also includes a provision that would require medical
malpractice insurance carriers to give doctors and hospitals 60 days notice
before raising their insurance rates. The bill was assigned to the House
Judiciary Committee.
Notables to Columbus Government:
This week, newly introduced legislation included: HB 1646 related to eminent
domain, SB 575 related to homestead exemption applications, SB 573 related to
local five mil share funds, and HB 1665 related to encumbered real property.
The following bills experienced some degree of movement:
HB 984 related to income tax credits for telecommunications passed committee
3/4/04
HB 1200 related to discrimination against private social organizations passed
committee 2/26/04
HB 1396 related to Tort Reform passed Committee
HB 1399 related to Tort Reform passed Committee
HB 1400 related to Tort Reform passed Committee
HB 1510 related to tax allocation districts, redevelopment passed committee
3/4/04
HB 1559 related to community planning and service delivery passed committee
3/2/04
HB 1612 related to special 1% sales tax passed committee 3/4/04
HB 1624 related to land use regulations passed committee 3/4/04
SB 339 related to resettlement of refugees passed committee 3/4/04
SB 453 related to Freeport personal property inventory exemptions passed
committee 3/4/04
SB 495 related to GA Minimum Wage Law passed committee 3/4/04
SB 507 GA Smoke Free Air Act PASSED SENATE 3/4/04