NEWS
LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR
Thursday (3/24), the General Assembly completed the final day of the 40-day legislative calendar for the 2016 session.
BILLS OF INTEREST
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
Chamber Position: Support
Sponsored by Representative Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee) and carried in the Senate by Senator Burt Jones (R-Jackson), House Bill 402 provides for a five percent discount in worker’s compensation insurance premiums for employers that provide work-based learning opportunities for students. Partnering with local businesses and communities to build the nation’s best workforce and ensure employers have access to the talent needed to stay competitive is one of the Georgia Chamber’s primary objectives. HB 402 unanimously passed the Senate on Tuesday (3/22) by a vote of 49-0. The bill now awaits signature by Governor Deal.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TAXATION
HB 922: Revise Taxpayer definition relating to Quality Jobs Tax Credit
Chamber Position: Support
Sponsored by Representative Bruce Williamson (R-Monroe), and carried in the Senate by Senator Bruce Thompson (R-White), House Bill 922 is a legislative fix for an unintended omission in the application of Georgia’s Quality Jobs Tax Credit. HB 922 unanimously passed the Senate Tuesday (3/22) by a vote of 53-0 and now awaits signature by Governor Deal.
Many companies, for varying business reasons, may choose to set up multiple LLCs with separate FEINs (federal employer identification number) under one parent corporation. Those separate legal entities are “disregarded” for tax filing purposes in Georgia. However, current law does not allow an employer with multiple disregarded entities to claim the Quality Jobs Tax Credit unless all 50 jobs were created under the same FEIN. HB 922 strengthens Georgia’s economic development incentives by revising the taxpayer definition so that corporations creating more than 50 jobs in the state, whether under one FEIN or multiple disregarded entities, are eligible to qualify for the tax credit.
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HB 935: Ad valorem tax; properties eligible for a freeport exemption
Chamber Position: Support
Sponsored by Representative Brett Harrell (R-Snellville) in the House and Senator Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) in the Senate, House Bill 935 extends the inventory ad valorem tax exemption, also known as the Freeport exemption, to fulfillment centers. On Thursday HB 935 successfully passed the Senate by a vote of 53-1. The House agreed to the Senate version as amended and the bill now awaits signature by Governor Deal. A priority for the Department of Economic Development, this legislation recognizes, and further promotes, the positive impact of internet commerce in Georgia.
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HB 936: Income tax; wages necessary to qualify for a job tax credit
Chamber Position: Support
Sponsored by Representative Brett Harrell (R-Snellville) in the House and by Senator Hunter Hill (R-Atlanta) in the Senate, House Bill 936 provides clarity to an existing tax credit program designed to entice job creation throughout the state. Thursday the bill was amended to include the language of House Bill 828, Representative Virgil Fludd (D-Tyrone), creating an income tax credit for employers who hire qualified parolees– a bill also supported by the Chamber. The amended version of HB 936 passed the House by a vote of 158-7 and the Senate by a vote of 45-9. It now awaits signature by Governor Deal. The Chamber is supportive of efforts, such as these tax credits, that provide economic incentives intended to encourage growth and increased industry in Georgia.
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EDUCATION
HB 801: HOPE; include certain coursework in computer science as optional rigor requirements
Chamber Position: Support; Scorecard
Speaker Pro-Tempore Jan Jones’ (R- Milton) House Bill 801, which adds an additional .5 rigor score to students’ HOPE grade point average for taking approved STEM classes, unanimously passed the House of Representatives and Senate and now awaits Governor Deal’s signature. Recognizing the importance of filling our high demand career fields, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Council ratified a position of support and score-carded HB 801.
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JUDICIARY
Chamber Position: Support; Scorecard
House Bill 513 is sponsored by Representative Ron Stephens (R-Savannah) in the House and by Senator Charlie Bethel (R-Dalton) in the Senate. The House voted Tuesday (3/22) to agree to the Senate version of HB 513 and it now awaits signature by Governor Deal. HB 513 expands the existing Anti-Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) statute to matters of public interest and is a major deterrent in halting the filing of frivolous lawsuits. Modeled from legislation in other states such as California, HB 513 will be a key component in supporting a large and growing movie, film and TV industry in Georgia. The Chamber views this as common sense civil justice legislation that will reduce frivolous lawsuits and support an important and growing industry in our state.
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Chamber Position: Oppose
While the Chamber has no position on the underlying subject matter of House Bill 1060, sponsored by Representative Rick Jasperse (R-Jasper), the bill was amended in the Senate Judiciary Committee to incorporate the language found in Senate Bill 282. The Senate passed HB 1060 by a vote of 37-18 on Tuesday (3/22) and the House voted to agree as amended on Thursday (3/24); the bill now awaits signature by Governor Deal. Senate Bill 282 is a solution in search of a problem that no longer exists. The legislation seeks to provide a remedy, albeit at the state level, for a program originated at the federal level (and now defunct). As currently configured, it would essentially make firearms dealers a “protected class” in Georgia and create a new cause of action against financial institutions, no doubt leading to more litigation and frivolous lawsuits.
