ATLANTA— State Representative Andy Welch (R-Locust Grove) announced today the final passage of House Bills 361, 567, 252, 379, and House Resolution 276 during the 2015 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly. These pieces of legislation were among the 18 bills and resolutions sponsored, or co-sponsored by Rep. Welch during this year’s legislative session.
“After a busy and productive legislative session, I am pleased to announce the final passage of these very important bills,” said Rep. Welch. “These pieces of legislation increase, government efficiency, strengthen justice, and improve the lives of Georgians. Some of the legislation I sponsored is still pending and will be taken up in the 2016 legislative session.”
HB 361, sponsored by Rep. Welch, provides Superior court judges with explicit factors to consider for transferring cases to juvenile court. The bill also clarifies that 17-year olds, who are treated as adults for all other criminal offenses, will also be treated the same way for traffic offenses. Also, the bill amends Georgia Code to clarify that district attorneys and general counsels for police departments are authorized to file petitions in juvenile court for children in need of services. HB 361 unanimously passed the House on March 11 and Senate on April 2. It will now receive consideration from Governor Nathan Deal.
HR 502, sponsored by Rep. Welch, is a constitutional amendment which, if approved next session and by the voters, will allow the General Assembly the constitutional means to dedicate revenues from fees and taxes for particular purposes. Our State Constitution forces all revenues into the state general fund unless the revenue is specifically dedicated by a specific constitutional amendment. For example the $1 tire fee winds up in the general fund and may be spent on a variety programs rather than exclusively on actual tire disposal and clean-up. This resolution would allow the General Assembly the ability to dedicate the fee for its intended purpose without having to ask for a specific constitutional amendment.
HB 252, also known as the “J. Calvin Hill, Jr., Act” is the first bill in recent history to comprehensively repeal and update obsolete, outdated and unconstitutional provisions and terminology in the Georgia code. Welch introduced this legislation in the 2014 session, but the Senate failed to take action. But this session HB 252 was unanimously passed the House on March 3 and Senate on March 26. It will now receive consideration from Governor Nathan Deal.
HB 699 was also authored by Rep. Welch and would prohibit an elected county governing body from incurring debt, executing contracts, or disposing of assets in the event that a quorum of the body is not re-elected to serve the next term of office. This legislation is intended to prevent last minute political deals made by lame duck governing bodies just before the newly elected representatives take office. Welch introduced this legislation after crossover; so HB 696 will be considered next session.
HB 379, co-sponsored by Rep. Welch, authorizes the city of Porterdale to exercise all redevelopment powers as permitted under the State Constitution and the Redevelopment Powers Law pending a local referendum to approve the authorization. HB 379 unanimously passed the House on February 20 and Senate on March 2. It will now receive consideration from Governor Nathan Deal.
HR 276 commends Jennifer Maddox for being chosen as part of Team USA to compete in the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games. HR 276 was read and adopted by the House of Representatives on February 9.
Other pieces of legislation sponsored, or co-sponsored by Rep. Welch were House Bills 120, 161, 175, 218, 244, 358, 381, 578, 696 , and House Resolutions 223, and 900.
HB 120, also co-sponsored by Rep. Welch, would allow special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) funds to be used to support a capital project that is, or will be owned, either partially or wholly, by an entity of the. Language from HB 120 was incorporated into Senate Bill 122, which passed the House unanimously on March 31 and Senate on April 2. SB 122 will now receive consideration from Governor Nathan Deal.
Rep. Welch also co-authored HB 175, which would remove a jet fuel tax credit exemption given to commercial airlines in an effort to generate more revenue for Georgia’s crucial transportation needs. Language from HB 175 was incorporated into House Bill 170, the Transportation Funding Act of 2015. HB 170 received final passage from the House and Senate on March 31. It will now receive consideration from Governor Nathan Deal.
HB 244, also known as the Safe Harbor Act or Rachel’s Law, was co-sponsored by Rep. Welch and would boost efforts to prevent child sex trafficking and provide treatment for victims. The bill, along with its companion legislation, HR 223, will enhance criminal and civil penalties for offenders who are charged with pimping, pandering and keeping a place of prostitution. The legislation will also propose a constitutional amendment to address the connection between the adult live entertainment industry and the illicit sex trafficking of minors. If approved by Georgia voters, the “Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund” would also be established to provide for rehabilitation and prevention for child victims of sexual exploitation. Language from HB 233 and HR 223 was incorporated into Senate Bill 8 and Senate Resolution 7, which passed the House on March 31 and Senate on April 2. SB 8 and SR 7 will now receive consideration from Governor Nathan Deal.
House Bill 218, also known as the Preventing Government Overreach on Religious Expression Act, would prevent state and local governments within Georgia from burdening religious exercise without a compelling justification. HB 218, also co-sponsored by Rep. Welch, did not reach the House floor for a vote in the 2015 legislative session.
Another measure co-sponsored by Rep. Welch was HB 358. HB 358 would establish the Legislative Oversight Committee for State Contracts. The six person bi-partisan committee would review state contracts over $100,000 upon request from the Governor, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, or a majority vote from members of the Oversight Committee. HB 358 will be considered by the House during the next legislative session.
HB 381, the ‘Revised Georgia Law on Notarial Acts of 2015’ (the Act), updates provisions on notary qualifications, electronic recording, and interstate recognition, to adapt the prior law to accommodate societal and technological changes. HB 381, authored by Rep. Welch, did not reach the House floor for a vote in the 2015 legislative session.
HB 578 would revise the Georgia statute prohibiting harassing phone calls to include harassing or threatening electronic communications. A person commits this offense by repeatedly telephoning or communicating with another person via electronic communication for the purposes of harassing, molesting, threatening or intimidating. The crime will be considered to have been committed where a phone call or electronic communication was sent or where such communication was received. Rep. Welch co-sponsored HB 578, which will be considered next session.
Authored by Rep. Welch, HB 696 would require the Department of Human Resources to conduct criminal background investigations as required by the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. This bill is one of several that implements recommendations from Welch’s study committee on regulating and licensing of child welfare providers. HB 696 works to eliminate duplicative regulatory oversight and reduce expenses for child welfare providers. Welch introduced this legislation after “crossover day”; so HB 696 will be considered next session.
HB 161 would create a tax credit for donations to childcare institutions, which treat children within the care of the Department of Children and Families. The credit created would be capped at $2,000 per donor and $2.5 million per year. Co-sponsored by Rep. Welch, HB 161 will be considered in the 2016 legislative session.
HB 567, co-sponsored by Rep. Welch, allows a contempt proceeding for enforcement of a child support order to be brought in a court other than the court that issued the order. This measure will specifically allow child support orders to be brought to court in the county where the person owing the duty of support may be found or is employed. HB 567 unanimously passed the House on March 13 and Senate on April 2. It will now receive consideration from Governor Nathan Deal.
HR 900 would have nominated delegates from the Georgia General Assembly for the Assembly of State Legislatures. The Assembly of State Legislators is a bipartisan group of currently serving state legislators from across the country. Co-sponsored by Rep. Welch, HR 900 is legislation that will also be considered next session.
Any legislation that that did not receive a floor vote by the House and Senate during the 2015 legislative session will be eligible for reconsideration during the 2016 legislative session.
For more information on the legislation sponsored by Rep. Welch, please click here.
Representative Andrew Welch represents the citizens of District 110, which includes portions of Butts, Henry, and Newton Counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2010, and currently serves as the Vice Chairman on the Code Revisions Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development. He also serves on the Judiciary, Juvenile Justice, and Regulated Industries committees.
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