2016 Criminal Justice Reform Report Released; Senate Finalizing Amended FY16 Budget

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Legislators continued working at a fast pace last week, completing 16 out of 40 legislative days.

The Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform released its 2016 report, and legislation to implement some of the Council’s recommendations is expected to be introduced as early as this week. Recommendations regarding the adult correctional and juvenile justice systems were included in the report, as well as recommendations on the Georgia Prisoner Reentry Initiative, including:

  • updating the First Offender Act to strengthen protections against employment discrimination,
  • lifting the food stamps ban for felony drug offenders to help with reentry,
  • updating the juvenile code to address an unintended consequence of “the juvenile courts’ expanded use of secure detention for a younger population than such facilities are equipped to serve,” and
  • requiring “the use of educational approaches to address a student’s problematic behavior in school and improving the fairness of school disciplinary proceedings.”

Budget News

The Senate held appropriations subcommittee hearings last week and is close to finalizing its version of the Amended FY16 budget. The House began appropriations subcommittee hearings on the FY17 budget and will continue this week.


Schedule

The House and Senate previously passed an adjournment resolution establishing the legislative calendar through the end of session. Legislators are scheduled to be in session Monday through Thursday this week.


Legislation

HB 649 (Rep. Sharon Cooper, 43rd), the Georgia Lactation Consultant Practice Act, creates a process for licensure of lactation consultants and an advisory committee under the authority of the Georgia Composite Medical Board.
Status: The House Health and Human Services Committee passed the bill on Jan. 27, and it was scheduled for a vote on the House floor on Feb. 8.

HB 722 (Rep. Allen Peake, 141st) legalizes additional forms of medical marijuana in addition to cannabis oil and broadens the list of qualifying conditions that can be treated by cannabis. The bill also allows for up to six in-state manufacturers of medical cannabis.
Status: The bill is assigned to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. Rep. Peake was scheduled to present a substitute version of the bill for a hearing on Feb. 8, but no vote was expected.

HB 727 (Rep. Paul Battles, 15th) amends legislation passed last year allowing the sale and use of fireworks in Georgia by limiting the hours of use from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Exceptions provided for in the bill include New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July, when fireworks can be used until 1 a.m. and midnight, respectively. Under the current law that went into effect in 2015, fireworks can be used until 2 a.m. throughout the year. HB 774 (Rep. Alex Atwood, 179th) is a similar bill providing for local government regulation of the use of fireworks.
Status of HB 727: The bill is assigned to the House Regulated Industries Committee and was scheduled for discussion in the Regulations Subcommittee on Feb. 8.
Status of HB 774: HB 774 is assigned to the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.

HB 873 (Rep. David Clark, 98th), the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act, requires the Department of Education to develop guidelines and other relevant materials to inform students participating in athletic activities and their parents of the risks and warning signs of cardiac arrest.
Status: The bill is assigned to the House Education Committee.

HB 907 (Rep. Paulette Rakestraw, 19th) amends current law to include electronic cigarettes, vapor pens, and e-liquids used in vapor pens to the list of tobacco-related items that cannot be sold or distributed to minors.
Status: The bill is assigned to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee.

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HB 614 (Rep. Valencia Stovall, 74th), the Landon Dunson Act, creates a pilot program for placing monitoring cameras in school classrooms that provide special education services.
Status: The House Education Committee passed the bill by substitute on Feb. 4, and it is now assigned to the House Rules Committee.

HB 739 (Rep. Kevin Tanner, 9th) requires the state Board of Education and local boards of education to establish procedures that provide an opportunity for public comment and parental input prior to the adoption of any proposed instructional materials and content.
Status: The House Education Committee passed the bill by substitute on Feb. 4, and it is now assigned to the House Rules Committee.

SB 310 (Sen. William Ligon, 3rd) prohibits the implementation of any competitive grant over $20 million pertaining to or affecting Pre-K–12th grade education until ratified by the Georgia legislature.
Status: The bill is assigned to the Senate Education and Youth Committee.

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HB 710 (Rep. Scot Turner, 21st) and HB 768 (Rep. Lee Hawkins, 27th) establish a qualified Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program in Georgia, allowing eligible individuals to contribute to tax exempt accounts to pay for qualified expenses related to disabilities.
Status of HB 710: The bill is assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee and was scheduled for a hearing in the Income Tax Subcommittee on Feb. 1.
Status of HB 768: The House Ways and Means Income Tax Subcommittee passed the bill on Feb. 1.

HB 746 (Rep. Tommy Benton, 31st), the Family Care Act, allows workers in businesses with 10 or more employees to use up to five days of earned and accrued sick leave to care for immediate family members. The bill is an amended version of HB 92 (Rep. Tommy Benton, 31st) that was introduced last session and incorporates changes recommended by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. SB 242 (Sen. Michael Williams, 27th) is a similar bill in the Senate.
Status of HB 746: The bill is assigned to the House Industry and Labor Committee.
Status of SB 242: The bill was scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Feb. 8.

HB 881 (Rep. Bert Reeves, 34th) revises and updates current law regarding domestic and foreign adoptions.
Status: The bill is assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.

HB 887 (Rep. Chuck Efstration, 104th) prioritizes placing children with relatives following a termination of parental rights and requires efforts to place siblings together.
Status: The bill is assigned to the House Juvenile Justice Committee.

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HB 770 (Rep. Chuck Efstration, 104th) expands the current definition of sexual servitude to include sexually explicit conduct induced or obtained from individuals with developmental disabilities.
Status: The Setzler Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee passed the bill on Feb. 4.

HB 874 (Rep. Bert Reeves, 34th) amends the juvenile code to prohibit recruitment of street gang members and increases mandatory minimum sentences for criminal street gang activity.
Status: The bill is assigned to the Pak Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, and it was scheduled for a hearing on Feb. 8.

HB 905 (Rep. Mandi Ballinger, 23rd) updates guidelines and requirements for local child abuse protocol committees and requires the establishment and maintenance of a central child abuse registry.
Status: The bill is assigned to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee.