ACCG Legislative Update page 2
Legislative Update is published by the Association County Commissioners of
Georgia
50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 1000 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 404.522.5022 FAX 404.525.2477
Legislative Update
Volume 16, Number 7 March 2, 2006
Critical Time for Commissioners? Input
There are only four legislative days left to pass legislation out of the
chamber where it originated and the stakes are high. It is more important than
ever for county commissioners to contact their legislators immediately on
legislation capping property assessments
(HR 162), funding for courthouse security (SB 462 and HB 1000), and eminent
domain (HB 1313 and HR 1306). These bills are moving toward passage and will
have a monumental impact on county government and the taxpayers within your
county. Remember, what the ?folks? back home think is what ultimately shapes a
legislator?s vote on a bill.
IMMEDIATE ATTENTION NEEDED!
HR 162 Constitutional Amendment to Cap Property Assessment Increases (Rep.
Edward Lindsey, R-54)
This resolution would authorize a state referendum asking the voters if they
would like to cap property assessment increases. Obviously, this proposal is
likely to pass if it gets to a state referendum. If it does, the state,
counties, cities and schools could not increase the assessed value of any real
properties (e.g. commercial, industrial, residential etc.) beyond 3% or the CPI
whichever is less on an annual basis. If a county does not reevaluate all
property value annually, they could capture the unrealized increases for up to
three years. If the county goes for more than three years before doing a
countywide revaluation, they lose the opportunity to capture some of the
allowable inflationary increases. Newly purchased property and additions to
existing property would be placed on the digest at their fair market value at
the time of purchase or construction and would be capped for future
inflationary increases. This legislation is a major shift in the way ad valorem
taxes are assessed and would apply to every county, city and school district in
the state. Our system of taxation would no longer be based upon fair market
value. Over time, property tax burden would be shifted to owners of property
recently acquired.
Status: Passed House Ways and Means Committee; pending in House Rules Committee
ACCG Position: Oppose
Action Alert: Please review this legislation immediately and contact your
legislative delegation and House Rules Committee members to express your
concerns.
SB 462/HB 1000 Sheriffs Responsibility for Courthouse Security (Sen. Joseph
Carter, R-13/Rep. Burke Day, R-163)
These bills make the sheriff legally responsible for creating and implementing
a comprehensive plan for security at all county courthouses. The sheriff must
present the plan to the superior court for review and approval, and the court
may ensure implementation of the plan by entering an order to that effect.
Neither author has been persuaded to date that county commissioners needed to
be included in the crafting of the security plan for the buildings it owns and,
in many cases, occupies. Without amendment, this bill could completely leave
funding for courthouse security at the mercy of the sheriff and superior court
without any oversight or consideration of the cost by the county fiscal
authority or commissioners.
Status: SB 462 - Passed by the Senate and pending in House Judiciary
(Non-Civil); HB1000 - Pending in the House Public Safety Committee
ACCG Position: Oppose
Action Alert: Please contact your Representatives and impress upon them the
need for county governing authority input on the security of our courthouses.
Also, make your legislators aware of the potential fiscal impact of this bill.
In its current form, it offers sheriffs a blank check to create ?cadillac?
security plans and allows the courts to mandate implementation of the plan
despite cost. Although the Senate has set aside $500,000 for the entire state
to help fund training and assistance in providing courthouse security, this
amount will not go very far, nor is it a guaranteed, continuing source of
funds.
HB 1313 and HR 1306 Eminent Domain Legislation
(Rep. Rich Golick, R-34)
The eminent domain legislation, as currently drafted, goes far beyond simply
addressing concerns raised by the United States Supreme Court decision in Kelo
v. City of New London. That decision highlighted the need to revise Georgia
eminent domain laws to prevent the taking of private property for someone
else?s private gain ? reform supported strongly by ACCG. However, these bills
change long established condemnation law that is not at the center of the
debate over taking private property for economic development purposes. Instead
of targeting changes to the rare use and potential abuse of eminent domain for
third party benefit, the bills impact every condemnation that will be performed
in the state. The legislation, as proposed, will spawn litigation and increase
the cost of government with little benefit to the taxpayer.
Status: Passed House Judiciary (Civil) Committee; pending in House Rules
ACCG Position: ACCG supports reforming the law to prohibit the taking of
private property for someone else?s private gain but urge the General Assembly
to avoid unnecessary changes to long-standing condemnation law. Instead, the
legislature should focus attention only on enacting safeguards to prevent a
Kelo-type situation from happening here in Georgia.
Action Alert: Please share these concerns with your legislators.
PROGRESSING LEGISLATION
HB 294 Authorizing the Use of Speed Measuring Cameras for Traffic Enforcement
in School Zones
(Rep. Phyllis Miller, R-106)
This bill authorizes local governments to use speed measuring cameras, in the
same fashion as red light cameras, for traffic enforcement in school zones. It
provides for the same means of enforcement as has been shown to be effective in
the operation of red light cameras.
Status: Passed House; passed Senate Transportation Committee; pending in
Senate Rules Committee
ACCG Position: Support
HB 304 Building Inspections: Regulatory Fees (Rep. Ron Dodson, I-75)
As introduced last session, HB 304 would have required that fees for inspection
services be calculated on an individualized job basis taking into account
actual time spent on each job and other expenses related to the specific
inspections. ACCG strongly opposed the original version of the bill. This week,
however, a substantially improved substitute bill was debated in committee. As
amended, the bill establishes several methods for calculating regulatory fees
including flat fees according to occupation, flat fees according to type of
permit or inspection, fees based on hourly rates, fees based on hourly rates
plus administrative expenses; and fees based on number of square feet of
construction in conjunction with building valuation data published by the
International Code Council. This bill also amends existing law which allows
regulatory fees to be paid within two days after commencing the services being
provided when the services are necessary for the health or safety of the
individuals seeking the service. The new language allows the deferred fees when
commencing service is necessary for the ?comfort? of the individuals seeking
the service. The revised bill is a product of deliberations between the
building inspectors? professional organization (BOAG), ACCG, GMA, utility
contractors and the author.
Status: Favorably reported by House Ways and Means Committee
ACCG Position: Support
HB 363 Make Government License Plates Permanent (Rep. Jack Murphy, R-23)
This bill removes the five year renewal requirements for license plates on
government vehicles. It raises the initial tag fee to $3.00 per vehicle but
allows that tag to remain valid for the life of the vehicle in government
service.
Status: Passed House; Pending in Senate Public Safety and Homeland Security
ACCG Position: Support
HB 510 Sewer and Water Service to Satellite Areas
(Rep. Bob Smith, R-113)
House Bill 510 prohibits cities and counties from requiring a water connection,
or charging an availability fee, to any existing single family residence or
farm that is already on a private well unless that well?s water is demonstrably
unfit for human consumption. Nothing in the bill precludes a local
government?s ability from requiring connections for new residencies or
subdivisions.
Status: Favorably reported by House Government Affairs; pending in House Rules
Committee
ACCG Position: No Position
HB 833 Procurement Registry (Rep. John Lunsford, R-110)
Under HB 833, each ?bid opportunity? of a county, city or school board valued
at $40,000 or more for goods and services or at $100,000 or more for
construction projects will have to be advertised on the Georgia Procurement
Registry maintained by the state. As amended on the floor of the House, local
notices will no longer be required to be published in the legal organ of the
county when the notice appears in the procurement registry. Notices in the
registry are published at no cost to the county.
Status: Passed House; pending in Senate State and Local Government Operations
Committee
ACCG Position: Under Evaluation
HB 850 Additional Fees for Local Indigent Defense Funding (Rep. David Ralston,
R-7)
This bill creates an additional $10 filing fee for all records of secured
transactions that must be filed with the clerk of superior court. All such
funds would be remitted to the county governing authority to be used for
funding indigent defense. This filing fee is not addressed in current
financing scheme for indigent defense, and was left untouched in the passage of
HB1EX. Its inclusion would increase the funds available for the program, and
its dedication to county use would provide specific comfort to counties in
addressing their portion of the program?s financial burden.
Status: Pending in House Judiciary (Civil) Committee
ACCG Position: Support
HB 962 Fair Annexation Act (Rep. Doug Holt, R-112)
This bipartisan legislation would enact the Fair Annexation Act. The bill is a
reaction to cities? abuse of their annexation powers. The Fair Annexation Act
recognizes that while service provision is a legitimate motive for municipal
annexation, simply generating more tax dollars is not. Cities, under current
law, have essentially unilateral power to annex property and need not consider
the impact of annexation on the county, schools or surrounding property owners.
The Fair Annexation Act would correct that imbalance by vesting counties that
are providing urban services or are exercising zoning powers with a key role in
the annexation process. In those counties, annexation would have to be approved
by the county governing authority.
Status: Pending in House State Planning and Community Affairs
ACCG Position: Support
Action Alert: Please continue to contact your legislators and urge them to
support this legislation. Remind them that it provides an opportunity to level
the playing field and protect citizens and property owners from the negative
impacts of annexation.
HB 1090 Stop Transportation Contractors from Bidding if Behind Schedule (Rep.
Ben Harbin, R-118)
This bill prohibits contractors that are more than 25% behind schedule on state
public works or transportation projects from bidding on additional state work
until the delinquent job is brought current or is completed. The delinquency
must be the fault of the contractor and shall be determined by the state agency
that let the contract.
Status: Passed House Transportation; pending in House Rules
ACCG Position: No Position
HB 1100/HB 1369 Whistleblower Suits Against Public Employers (Rep. Mike Jacobs,
D-80/
Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-83)
HB 1100 and HB 1369 propose ?whistleblower? protections that are highly
problematic for counties. A county employee would be able to file a lawsuit
against the county if he or she is fired, suspended, demoted or not hired
because of what he or she believes to be the person?s whistleblowing activity.
ACCG believes that this legislation will likely stimulate unnecessary
litigation throughout the state since the perception of retaliation would be
sufficient to initiate a lawsuit against a county even if the person was fired
for job performance reasons.
Status: HB 1369 is pending in House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee; HB 1100 was
favorably reported by the House Governmental Affairs Committee and is pending
in House Rules Committee
ACCG Position: Oppose
HB 1101 Limit Additional Annexation to Areas of a City in Adjoining Counties
(Rep. Doug Holt, R-112)
This bill would prevent a city from annexing to the existing corporate limits
of such municipality any unincorporated area located in a county in which less
than 10% of the area of the adjoining county is included within the existing
corporate limits of such municipality unless the county governing authority
consents to the annexation.
Status: Pending in House State Planning and Community Affairs
ACCG Position: Support
HB 1223 Provisions for Community Service Boards
(Rep. Jeff Brown, R-69)
This bill reconstitutes the community service boards, however governing
authorities would still make the appointments to the community service boards
ensuring that the members reflect the cultural and social characteristics of
the community service board area. The bill further revises certain provisions
relating to allocation of available funds for services and includes new
language relating to the emergency powers of the DHR Commissioner if a board
fails to provide programs and services.
Status: Pending in House Rules Committee
ACCG Position: No Position
HB 1306 Limit SPLOST Referendum Dates
(Rep. Jeff May, R-111)
Local governments can currently call for local sales tax referendums on four
specified dates each year. This bill would limit these referendums to the
November election in any year and the June election in odd numbered years.
Most of the county SPLOST referendums are currently held in March or
September. Eliminating these dates would restrict SPLOST elections to dates
when many issues are before the voters and a greater likelihood that SPLOST
will not receive proper attention from the media and the public.
Status: Passed House Governmental Affairs Committee; pending in House Rules
Committee
ACCG Position: Oppose
HB 1320 Litter Prevention and Abatement Act
(Rep. Lynn Smith, R-70)
As recommended by the Governor's Litter Prevention and Abatement Team of which
ACCG played a central role,
HB 1320 consolidates 25 different references to litter in the existing code
into one comprehensive Litter Prevention and Abatement Act. ACCG strongly
supports this bill as it will enhance enforcement and conviction capabilities
of local government in prosecuting litter offenders.
Status: Favorably reported by House Judiciary; pending in House Rules Committee
ACCG Position: Strongly Support
Action Alert: Please contact your House delegation and urge their support of
HB 1320
HB 1340 Creating the Position of Indigent Defense Coordinator (Rep. Mack
Crawford, R-127)
This bill would establish in counties within a judicial circuit, a position of
indigent defense coordinator. This coordinator would be independent of the
circuit public defender?s office and would determine a defendant?s indigency
for the court. The cost for this position would be borne solely by the county
or counties in the circuit and establishes a legal definition for indigency,
capping eligibility for indigent defense services at 150% of the federal
poverty guideline. While the intent of this bill is provided for an impartial
application of the standard for determining indigency, it is not clear that the
potential cost savings will outweigh the expense of the additional position(s).
It is possible that data currently collected by other agencies could be used to
make such a determination.
Status: Pending in the House Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee
ACCG Position: Under Evaluation.
HB 1385 Private Employment of Professional Engineers and Architects for Plan
Review (Rep. John Heard, R-104)
If a county that manages a building code inspection department is unable to
provide plan review within 21 days of receiving a request for review, the
builder, at its own expense, may retain the services of a professional engineer
or architect to undertake the review. The review by the outside party would
have to meet at least the same standards as the review performed in-house, and
all fees will still be due the county. ACCG, GMA, DCA, the state insurance
department and the building inspectors? professional association (BOAG) have
been working with the general contractors? association and others in ensuring
that the public?s interest will be protected.
Status: Favorably reported by the House Regulated Industries Committee; pending
in House Rules Committee
ACCG Position: Support
HB 1412 Require Purchase of Biodiesel Fuel
(Rep. Tommy Smith, R-168)
This legislation requires every county, city, school and state vehicle to use
clean renewable fuel if such fuel is compatible with the technology of the
vehicle, is reasonably available and is similar to the cost of conventional
fuel. It also mandates that counties begin purchasing only compatible vehicles
and equipment. The requirements become effective
January 1, 2007. ACCG supports converting county fleets to alternative,
renewable fuels. However, ACCG believes each county should be able to exercise
its own judgment in determining when it is appropriate to convert and pursue an
alternative fuel policy. Therefore, ACCG opposes this legislation as it is a
state mandate on local governments.
Status: Passed House State Planning and Community Affairs Committee; pending in
House Rules
ACCG Position: Oppose
HB 1431 Additional Requirements for Public Defenders (Rep. John Lunsford, R-110)
This bill clarifies the nature of the duties and authority of public defenders
as it relates to counties and their budget. The bill specifies that a judge
may not ignore the statutory scheme for providing indigent defense by
appointing additional attorneys at county expense; further, should a circuit
public defender refuse to assume representation in a case as required by law,
the office shall be vacated by law. The bill would require the Public Defender
Standards Council to make a full accounting of the funds committed to its
support by county governments when requesting its annual appropriations from
the General Assembly, so that legislators are reminded of the financial burden
carried by counties. Finally, the bill specifies that no county is under a
duty to provide additional resources or personnel to the circuit public
defender. This bill was requested by ACCG to address specific areas of concern
expressed by our membership.
Status: Pending in House Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee
ACCG Position: Support
HR 1094 Appropriate Aviation Fuel Tax Revenues to Airports (Rep. Chuck Scheid,
R-22)
This bill amends the Georgia Constitution to appropriate state sales taxes
collected on aviation fuel sales to the GDOT regional public-use airports
improvement fund. The revenues are currently put into the State?s General
Fund. The funding will be used to meet safety-related, preventative pavement
maintenance, rehabilitation and capital needs at Georgia?s regional airports.
Status: Passed House Appropriations; pending in House Rules
ACCG Position: Support
HR 1464 Comprehensive Study of the Georgia Tax Code (Rep. Larry O?Neal, R-146)
This resolution creates a House Study Committee composed of seven legislators
to conduct a comprehensive study of the Georgia Tax Code and make
recommendations for revisions.
Status: Pending in House Ways and Means Committee
ACCG Position: Support
SB 414 Create Infrastructure Financing Districts
(Sen. Cecil Staton, R-18)
This bill allows local governments to approve the creation of infrastructure
financing districts. Special assessments will be levied upon properties within
the district to repay tax-exempt bonds issued to finance infrastructure
development. This allows property owners that benefit from the infrastructure
improvements to pay for that infrastructure. The districts are created at the
request of a petitioner, typically a developer. If approved, an independent
board is established to oversee the financial management and infrastructure
development within the district. The board assumes liability for any debt
incurred and has limited taxing authority. The districts have no land use or
zoning powers and must conform to the existing local government comprehensive
plan. The bill was amended to provide for consumer-friendly protections,
including full disclosure of financial obligations.
Status: Passed Senate Economic Development Committee; pending in Senate Rules
Committee
ACCG Position: Support
SB 431 Require Timely Utility Relocation in Transportation Projects (Sen. Jim
Whitehead, R-24)
This bill enables Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to hold utilities
accountable when relocating utility facilities as part of transportation
projects. GDOT reports 20% of all project delays are due to utility
relocation. The bill requires utilities to submit work plans and allows GDOT
and its contractors to seek damages caused due to any delays that result from
the utility not complying with the submitted work plans.
Status: Passed Senate Transportation Committee
ACCG Position: No Position
SB 503 Updates to the Indigent Defense Act
(Sen. Bill Hamrick, R-30)
This bill provides for several administrative changes to the Indigent Defense
Act, as requested by the Public Defender Standards Council. The changes going
forward in the legislation include staggered terms for members of the council,
and authorization for the application fee to be collected as a condition of
probation, in addition to previously authorized means. Further, by new
language in the bill, eligibility for indigent defense is capped for persons
charged with a felony at an income level of 150% of the federal poverty level
and for persons charged with misdemeanors at 125% of the federal poverty
level. The author of the bill has made several amendments requested by ACCG to
protect county interests.
Status: Favorably Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
ACCG Position: Support
SB 510 Stream Buffer Variances
(Senator Chip Pearson, R-51)
This bill allows local governments that are impacted by state-required 150?
stream buffers to adopt stormwater management ordinances in affected
water-supply watersheds and forgo buffer requirements beyond the state?s 25?
feet and 50? minimums so long as water quality is not impaired. In lieu of the
stormwater ordinance, the state may grant variances within the 150? buffer so
long as any variance does not negatively impact water quality. Single family
dwellings on a minimum two-acre lot are exempted from the 150? buffer. In all
cases, the state variance procedure for land disturbing activities within the
25? and 50? buffers remains in place.
Status: Favorably Reported by Senate Natural Resources and Environment; pending
in Senate Rules Committee
ACCG Position: Support
SB 529 Georgia Security and Immigrations Compliance Act (Sen. Chip Rogers, R-21)
This bill contains a number of provisions relating to undocumented persons.
The bill denies some state benefits to undocumented adults and uses the tax
code to penalize employers with illegals on their payrolls. The bill requires
law enforcement personnel to verify the people they arrest are in the country
legally, sets up ?human trafficking: penalties that mirror federal law and
toughen penalties for people who sell false documents to illegal immigrants.
The substitute bill eliminates provisions that would have denied services to
children of illegal immigrants and barred those children from attending Georgia
colleges and universities.
Status: Pending in Senate Rules Committee
ACCG Position: Should be addressed at the Federal level
SB 450 Compensation Adjustments for County Officers and Commissioners (Sen.
Brian Kemp, R-46)
This bill adjusts compensation of sheriffs, probate judges, tax commissioners,
and clerks of superior court including a 2 1/2 % increase in the minimum
salary. County commissioners would be entitled to a 5% longevity increases
every four years upon being reelected just like the longevity raises county
officers and magistrates get upon being reelected.
Status: Passed Senate; pending in House Governmental Affairs Committee
ACCG Position: Support
SB 581 Training for Emergency Medical Personnel
(Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-53)
This bill authorizes the Georgia Public Safety Training Center to provide
training to emergency medical personnel, as funds are available.
Status: Pending in Senate Rules Committee
ACCG Position: Support
SR 785 Joint Comprehensive State Trauma Service Study Committee (Sen. Eric
Johnson, R-1)
This resolution creates a joint comprehensive trauma service study committee to
determine how to improve the state trauma network. The committee would be
composed of five members of the House of Representatives and five members of
the State Senate. A report of the committee will be made by December 31, 2006.
Status: Passed Senate, pending in House Health and Human Services Committee
ACCG Position: Support
SR 793 Public Defenders Initial Standard for Removal from Office (Sen. Hamrick,
R-30)
SR 954 Public Defenders Initial Standard for Performance in Adult Cases (Sen.
Hamrick, R-30)
SR 955 Public Defenders Initial Standard for Performance in Juvenile Cases
(Sen. Hamrick, R-30)
These resolutions present to the General Assembly the first of many standards
promulgated by the Public Defender Standards Council which must be ratified
before they have any legal effect. Having these standards ratified would
empower the Council to take action against a circuit public defender for
failing to perform his duties.
Status: Favorably Reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee
ACCG Position: Support
WHAT?S NEW
HB 715 Require Review and Upgrade of RR Crossings (Rep. Sheila Jones, D-44)
This bill requires the state, counties and cities to review and identify
railroad crossings without active protective devices that are used by school
buses. Active protective devices include flashing light signals, bells, and
automated gates. At such crossings, the government is required to order the
installation and upgrading of protective devices or arrange the rerouting of
school buses so as not to use the crossing.
Status: Pending in House Transportation Subcommittee on Rail
ACCG Position: Under Evaluation
HB 1453 Allowing Yard Trimmings to be Dumped in Municipal Waste Landfills
(Rep. Tom McCall, R-30)
This bill allows yard trimmings to be mixed with regular household trash and be
deposited in municipal solid waste landfills provided. Local governments that
can prove that they are sending yard trimmings to compost facilities are
exempted. ACCG opposes this bill as we believe that any ?temporary? plan will
be permanent; this will shorten the lives of current landfills, causing more
landfills to come on line; and that this will hinder biomass energy and
composting efforts.
Status: Assigned to House Natural Resources and Environment Committee
ACCG Position: Oppose
HR 1537 Establish Study Committee on Rail Crossing Safety (Rep. Sheila Jones,
D-44)
This bill establishes a House Study Committee to examine all issues related to
rail crossing safety.
Status: Pending in House Transportation Subcommittee
ACCG Position: No Position
SR 1040 Inverse Condemnation/Regulatory Takings: Compensation to Property
Owners
(Sen. Chip Pearson, R-51)
SR 1040 calls for a constitutional amendment that would authorize the General
Assembly to provide by general law for additional methods for the payment of
just and adequate compensation with respect to the taking of private property
which results from ?unreasonably burdensome? governmental actions.
ACCG Position: Strongly Oppose
Action Alert: This proposal calls for a constitutional amendment that would
expand the concept of inverse condemnation to include regulatory takings. If
ratified by the voters, it would authorize the General Assembly to require
counties and cities to compensate property owners for any reduced value or
expectation of profit that may result from zoning or other land use
regulations.
ATTENTION COUNTIES:
ACCG frequently sends counties important information via email, to each
county?s designated contact person. Often, counties? spam blockers and security
features on their computer systems prevent the emails from being received. To
ensure delivery of these time-sensitive notices, including our weekly
electronic version of the Legislative Update, there are several steps you can
take to allow ACCG?s emails to reach your county:
1. Please add alerts@accg.org to your contacts list or address book to allow
your system to recognize ACCG as the sender, and avoid having the emails
delivery rejected as a result of spam blockers.
2. Send an e-mail to alerts@accg.org with ?Allow ACCG Access? in the subject
line. Sending an email from your system to ACCG?s account first, will enable
your system to recognize ACCG as a legitimate contact.
3. Contact your system?s administrator about having the settings on your system
adjusted to allow delivery of any correspondence from ACCG?s domain ? accg.org.
If you have any questions regarding the process for ensuring delivery of ACCG?s
emails to your county, please contact Efrain Rodriguez at ACCG (404) 522-5022
ext.113, or if you would like to receive the Legislative Update by e-mail,
please contact Charlotte Copelan at ccopelan@accg.org The Legislative Update is
also available on ACCG?s website at www.accg.org
Contact ACCG Legislative Staff:
Economic Development and Transportation: Matthew Hicks ? mhicks@accg.org
General County Government: Jim Grubiak ? jgrubiak@accg.org
Health and Human Services: Suzanne Nieman ? snieman@accg.org
Natural Resources and Environment: Todd Edwards ? tedwards@accg.org
Public Safety and Courts: Kem Kimbrough?kkimbrough@accg.org
Revenue and Finance: Clint Mueller ? cmueller@accg.org
Association County Commissioners of Georgia
50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 1000
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 522-5022 phone
(404) 525-2477 fax
www.accg.org
Legislative Update
Legis
Attachments
No attachments for this document.