HEADLINES
Georgia Republicans' long-promised war on property taxes got underway at the state Capitol. House Speaker Glenn Richardson unveiled a new proposal that would slash the school portion of property taxes, as well as the car tax. The Senate passed three bills - two aimed at reining in property taxes by capping the growth in home assessments and the third, Gov. Sonny Perdue's proposal to eliminate the state portion of property taxes worth about $30 a household. Richardson's plan is the most ambitious of the bunch, but it pales in comparison to his first draft, which would have eliminated all property taxes. The watered-down version would slash $422 million worth of taxes over three years. It would make up some of that lost revenue by taxing groceries and lottery tickets. Some consumer services, such as haircuts and yard work, would also be taxed up to a cap of $10,000 a year. Richardson would deliver relief to taxpayers in the form of credits equal to the amount of ad valorem taxes they would pay on their car or home.
ODDS & ENDS
-Georgia's Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears called for a pay raise for judges in her annual State of the Judiciary address. Sears said that with the exception of cost-of-living increases, the state's judges haven't had a pay increase since 1999.
-Georgia took a step toward allowing virtual defensive driving classes, as the state House approved a measure allowing motorists to complete courses online instead of in person. The measure's sponsors say it would help the state better regulate the schools. But critics worry it was too lax on driving offenders and could lead to widespread fraud.
-Parents of children with disabilities lobbied state lawmakers to expand services for people with disabilities so that they could live and work in the community. They also want to increase the pay for disability service providers.
-Animal rights advocates rallied outside the Capitol to lobby for tougher penalties for dog fighting. A bill that would make it a crime to attend a dogfight passed overwhelmingly in the House but is awaiting action in the Senate.
-The state Senate voted to require that local governments set up ethics panels to hear complaints filed by citizens against elected officials. The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Kasim Reed, D-Atlanta, would also put in place new disclosure and training requirements for lobbyists.
-Georgia landowners who open up their property to hunters and so-called agri-tourists would be protected from some lawsuits under legislation being pushed by Gov. Sonny Perdue. Property owners will continue to be held responsible for gross negligence or if they deliberately put people in danger. But they'd be shielded from liability on run-of-the mill accidents.
-A Republican lawmaker wants to boost the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $1. The additional revenue would go to fund health care programs in Georgia, said Rep. Ron Stephens, of Savannah. He announced the legislation flanked by representatives from the American Lung Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"If this bill passes, we're going to have the most educated girlfriends in Georgia," quipped state Rep. Robert Mumford, R-Conyers, about a measure that allows defensive driving courses to be allowed online.
DAYS IN SESSION
22 days remain in the 40-day session.
LOOK AHEAD
-A House committee will hold two days of hearings on the so-called Human Life Amendment, which would define personhood at the point of fertilization.
-The state Senate on Tuesday is set to take up legislation aimed at limiting the use of automated robo-calls, often used as a means of attack in political campaigns.
-The state Senate expects to take up the midyear budget.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/2/207058