April 30, 2010
The longest Georgia legislative session in at least 120 years reached final adjournment late Thursday night. One of the final actions of the session, which began Jan. 11, was approval of a $17.9 billion state budget for fiscal year 2011.
Senate and House of Representatives budget conferees came to agreement on a spending plan that is reduced by more than $3 billion from just two years ago. The cuts include another $527 million reduction in Quality Basic Education funding that the state provides to local school systems. But the budget does restore funding to the Georgia Council for the Arts, which had been eliminated in the House budget, and cuts to the University System of Georgia were not as severe as feared earlier in the session.
I am particularly pleased that we were able to secure bond funding allocations of $6.4 million for infrastructure expansion at Kennesaw State University, $2 million to fund 20 percent of the cost to rebuild Clarkdale Elementary School in Cobb County as a result of flood damage and $1 million to equip the Engineering Technology Center at Southern Polytechnic State University.
The budget legislation, HB 948, now goes to the governor for his consideration. He has the authority to sign or veto the budget, as well as veto specific line-item appropriations. Fiscal year 2011 begins July 1, 2010.
Trauma Care Funding: Lawmakers approved legislation that will provide a reliable funding mechanism for the state's trauma care network. SR 277 is a constitutional amendment that would implement a $10 fee on auto license tags, raising about $80 million each year for a trauma care trust fund. This funding will enable the state to expand that network. SR 277 still must be approved by a majority of Georgia voters in a referendum this November.
Property Tax Assessments: Comprehensive property tax reform legislation received final passage Thursday. SB 346 is aimed at protecting taxpayers from unfair assessments and guaranteeing the right to appeal. The bill requires that every property owner receive an annual Notice of Assessment that includes the estimated property tax and expands the appeal time from 30 to 45 days. All relevant sales, including distress sales, must be included when determining Fair Market Value.
Zero-Tolerance Reform: Legislation to address problems with so-called "zero tolerance" school disciplinary laws received final approval from the Senate and House of Representatives. SB 299, which goes to the governor for his signature, would prevent the immediate jailing of a student without a hearing and give judges more discretion as to how they handle cases. The zero tolerance laws were intended to crack down on serious charges of having weapons in school but have instead often resulted in students being criminalized for minor and insignificant infractions.
In other action on legislation during the session's final two days, the Senate:
· Gave final approval to SB 308, which expands the number of public areas where persons with firearms licenses can legally carry guns. The bill awaits the governor's signature.
· Approved SB 360, which bans motorists in Georgia from texting while driving, and HB 23, which bans teenagers from talking on cell phones while driving. A violation of either law, if signed by the governor, would result in a fine of up to $150 and one point on the driver's license of the offender.
· Approved an amended version of HB 323, retaining the proportionality review for death-penalty cases after the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said its removal would make Georgia's capital punishment law vulnerable to a legal challenge.
· Approved HB 936, which would allow local school systems to use state funds to refurbish existing buses. The bill goes to the governor for his signature.
· Approved an amended version of HB 1005 to allow Georgians to purchase "In God We Trust" labels to affix to their automobile license tags. The House agreed to Senate amendments, and the bill goes to the governor for his signature.
· Approved an amended version of HB 1272, which would allow Georgians to make contributions to the fight against lupus and kidney disease on their state income tax returns. As amended, the bill would also allow taxpayers to write in an additional amount to the state for general services. The House agreed to the Senate amendments, and the bill goes to the governor for his signature.
Transportation sales tax bill falls short of meeting needs
April 23, 2010
After three years of trying to reach agreement on a solution to the state's transportation funding problems, a majority of the House of Representatives and the Senate gave final approval April 21 to HB 277, which is better than nothing, but not much. The Republican majority finalized the legislation in a strictly partisan manner, including no Democrats on the conference committee.
Under the legislation, Georgia will be divided into 12 regions, each of which will hold a referendum in 2012 for a special 1 percent sales tax to be used for transportation improvements within that region.
Individual counties cannot opt out of the funding plan, but a "roundtable" of local elected officials can decide not to hold a tax referendum in their regions, whose boundaries mirror those of Georgia's regional commissions, including the 10-county Atlanta Regional Commission.
I voted against the legislation because it fails to meet the state's immediate needs for transportation funding. Putting these votes off until 2012 means it will be at least 2013 before any revenue comes in from the special sales tax to fund the transportation improvements needed in our area. Holding the referendums during the 2010 election cycle would have been preferable.
I also feel the legislation does not do enough to assist MARTA with its budget problems. To deal with future growth, supporting mass transit is as important, if not more important, than building more roads.
HB 277 now goes to the governor for his signature.
Senate approves $17.8 billion state budget plan
April 22, 2010
The Senate voted April 21 to approve a $17.8 billion annual state budget for fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1.
The plan is now in the hands of a conference committee, which will reconcile differences between the Senate budget and the version approved by the House of Representatives. The budget is typically one of the last pieces of legislation to be finalized on the 40th day of the legislative session.
The Senate's version of HB 948 restores $25 million in bonds for water and sewer projects across the state and nearly $900,000 in funding for the Georgia Arts Council, which had been cut by the House. The plan also includes $790 million in new budget cuts identified by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Because of the economy and declining state revenues, the state budget has been reduced by approximately $3.4 billion over the past two years. To help balance the 2011 budget, lawmakers are relying on an additional $250 million in revenues from a 1.45 percent hospital tax and increases in more than 80 state licensing, registration and user fees.
On April 20, the Senate gave final approval to the supplemental budget for the remainder of the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. HB 947, the amended version of the FY 2010 budget, reduces overall spending by $1.5 billion from the budget's original form passed last year. The House put its final stamp on the supplemental budget April 21, sending it to the governor for his signature.
Ethics Legislation: The Senate and House also sent new ethics legislation to the governor's desk for his signature on April 21. SB 17 doubles the fines for late reporting and other violations of campaign disclosure rules, demands more timely reporting of expenditures by lobbyists, makes sexual harassment by legislators a punishable offense and bans lobbyists from communicating with legislators by Blackberry or other electronic devices while the legislature is in session. An amendment also brings the members of the State Transportation Board under ethics law provisions regarding personal financial disclosure and lobbyist spending. A downside to SB 17 is that it would require a citizen filing a complaint to pay the official's attorney fees if the Ethics Commission determines the complaint is frivolous. That could cost Georgia residents tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees and deter citizens from filing complaints.
Other Senate Action: The Senate approved a number of other legislative measures last week, including the following:
SB 374, which would establish a legislative oversight committee to monitor the state's economic development activities. The Senate approved of House amendments to the measure, sending it to the governor.
HB 571, which would correct certain provisions of the state's sex offender law that have been found to be unconstitutional and clarify the law to prohibit all sex between students and teachers, even if the student is of age and consents.
HB 788, which would prohibit the use of gas chambers to euthanize cats and dogs, requiring lethal injections instead.
HB 1016, which would change the definition of identity fraud to apply to businesses as well as individuals.
HB 1198, which would eliminate a $26- to-$52 tax credit for low-income Georgians. I voted against this legislation. While the state continues to award tax breaks in the hundreds of millions of dollars to corporate interests, I cannot support taking away a modest tax break from those who need the help the most.
HB 1405, which would create a "tax reform council" to review and recommend changes to the state's tax code. The recommendations would go straight to the Senate and House for an up-or-down vote, without being reviewed by legislative committees. I voted against this legislation because these are issues that should be debated thoroughly by the elected representatives of the citizens, rather than a hand-picked council.
Senate combines bed tax, fee increases with tax cuts
April 16, 2010
A majority of Senators voted this week to approve compromise legislation that in one bill adjusts more than 80 user fees, imposes a 1.45 percent hospital bed tax and phases out both the state income tax on retirement income for seniors and the state's share of property taxes.
HB 1055 was originally a proposal to increase registration, licensing and user fees on more than services provided by the state, bringing in approximately $96 million. The increased costs to citizens affect a broad range of fees, including civil court filings, business registrations, specialty car tags and numerous annual license fees charged by the Department of Agriculture.
Some of these fees had not been changed for more than 30 years and even after this increase will still be among the lowest in the Southeast. I understand the need to bring in more revenue to balance the budget and voted for the legislation in its original form.
But as passed Wednesday, HB 1055 also includes a 1.45 percent tax increase on hospitals and their patients, which will generate approximately $169 million. The infamous "sick tax" was actually approved earlier in the session, but differences between the House and Senate versions led to a compromise under which it would be rolled into HB 1055. I still contend a $1 per pack tax increase on tobacco products would be a more appropriate means of generating revenue to make up the state's Medicaid deficit.
Senate and House of Representatives leaders attempted to make the measure more politically palatable with the addition of two minor tax cuts. One would phase out the state's 0.25-mill property tax over time, an almost insignificant gesture considering how much of the tax burden the state has shifted to local property owners over the past eight years. This tax cut will save the average homeowner only $31, compared to the $260 average tax increase they absorbed when the governor and the legislative majority eliminated the Homeowner Tax Relief Grant a year ago.
The other tax cut would gradually eliminate the income tax on retirement income for Georgians 65 and older between now and 2016. Because retirement income of up to $35,000 for individuals and $70,000 for couples is already exempt, this action would actually help only a few people.
The tax cuts in HB 1055, if signed into law by the governor, will hardly offset the hospital tax increase and the fee increases. There is an additional concern over whether the legislation is even legal because it combines tax code changes with fee increases.
Sadly, those in power have chosen once again to balance the state budget on those already suffering: sick hospital patients, underfunded public schools and overburdened property tax payers.
GEFA Loan Sell-Off: Also this week, a slim majority of Senators voted to approve the governor's proposal to sell a portion of the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) loans on Wall Street in order to raise some $290 million to help balance the budget. I voted against HB 244 because the loans are valued at $676 million. It makes no sense to sell off these assets at less than 50 cents on the dollar for a one- time budget fix. GEFA loans are made by the state to local governments at low interest rates to finance infrastructure projects across the state. Selling off this revolving revenue source will likely destroy the program, ruin Georgia's AAA bond rating and force more expensive borrowing by local governments.
In other action this week, the Senate approved the following legislation:
HB 361, which would authorize hospital pharmacists to collaborate with members of the medical staff on drug therapy management.
HB 665, which would create a pilot program for the electronic transmission of absentee ballots by military personnel and other citizens who are overseas.
HB 1015, which addresses gang-related crime and would create new offenses for those who recruit gang members or retaliate against witnesses. The bill also encourages the creation of the Georgia Criminal Street Gang Database.
HB 1179, which would require hospitals to provide annual flu shots to employees who come in contact with patients, although it would not be mandatory for the employees to take the shots.
HB 1322, which would prohibit the public release of graphic crime scene photos that depict a dead person in a state of nudity, dismemberment or decapitation.
Economic Update: Gov. Perdue announced last week that for the first time since November 2008, the monthly collection of state revenues reflected an increase in March. Net revenue collections grew by $10.5 million last month, to $998.2 million from $987.9 million in March 2009. While representing only a 1 percent increase, it was the first positive piece of economic news in well over a year for Georgia lawmakers and is hopefully the sign the downturn in state revenues is beginning to level off. Less encouraging was the unemployment report for March, which showed Georgia's jobless rate increased slightly to a record 10.6 percent.
Senate action deals with guns, seat belts, HOPE, much more
March 30, 2010
With less than 10 legislative days remaining in this year's session, the Senate dealt with a lengthy agenda last week. The following measures were among those approved and sent to the House of Representatives for its consideration:
SB 161, which would create a statewide autism task force to study autism spectrum disorders.
SB 291 and SB 308, which would allow persons with permits to carry firearms into athletic events, political rallies, parts of college campuses, bars, churches, airports, public transit systems and other public gatherings. Guns would still be prohibited in jails, prisons, government buildings, K-12 schools and mental institutions.
SB 385, which would provide increased monetary compensation to local law enforcement agencies for turning criminal illegal immigrants over to federal authorities.
SB 409, which would require that any tax break or exemption granted to a business that uses "raw forest products," such as a biomass energy plant, must also be granted to the owner of the property where that product is harvested.
SB 418, which would create a state database to help monitor the prescription and dispensing of controlled drugs.
SB 423, which would designate so- called "smash and grab" burglaries as a felony, with a penalty of two to 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine. Currently, property damage and burglary are two separate crimes with less severe enforcement and penalties for juvenile offenders.
SB 458, which would end the exception to the state's seat belt laws for drivers and passengers in pickup trucks. The bill would exempt pickup trucks' off-road use and involvement in agricultural operations.
SB 496, which would expand the HOPE Scholarship to include a need-based category for low-income students.
SB 498, which would add products that are commonly known as "synthetic marijuana" or "K2" to the Schedule I controlled substances list, prohibiting their sale or possession in our state.
SB 505, which would provide for a process to recall members of the state Transportation Board. The bill originally called for a single, five-year term limit for board members.
SR 821, which would amend the Constitution to authorize the Department of Transportation to sign multi-year contracts for highway construction projects. The measure needs to win a two-thirds majority in the House and then be approved by the voters in November in order to become law.
Hospital Tax: In the past week, several Georgia hospital organizations announced their decision to support Gov. Perdue's proposal for a provider tax to offset the state's Medicaid deficit. For two years, the health care community and most legislators have opposed the governor's "bed tax" proposal. The hospital leaders who have changed their positions apparently decided the tax was the lesser of two evils when compared to the governor's other recommendation of a 10.25 percent decrease in Medicaid reimbursements and reinstatement of the sales tax on nonprofit hospitals. The House passed a 1.45 percent provider tax in HB 307 on March 26; the proposal is now under consideration in the Senate.
Busy week in Senate before cross-over day
March 25, 2010
Friday, March 26, will be the 30th legislative day of the 2010 session of the General Assembly. This is known as "cross-over day" because it is the final day for the Senate to pass legislation in time for it to be considered by the House of Representatives during this session, and vice versa. Because this is the second session of a two-year term, legislation that has not been approved by either house by Friday will be considered dead.
In the past week, the Senate approved several legislative measures and sent them to the House of Representatives for its consideration, including:
SB 299, which would overhaul the "zero tolerance" policies and give principals and school systems more discretion in how they handle disciplinary cases.
SB 321, which would enable private developers to build reservoirs.
SB 360, which would make texting while driving illegal and impose a $150 fine.
SB 364, which would increase enforcement and penalties on criminal offenses occurring at massage parlors and spas.
SB 397, which would create a statewide "Blue Alert" system to help track down criminals who have killed or assaulted a law enforcement officer.
SB 427, which would establish the Georgia Foundation for Public Education, which would solicit and accept financial contribution to support educational excellence in Georgia schools.
SR 821, which would amend the Constitution to give the Department of Transportation legal authority to sign multi-year contracts for highway construction projects.
State of the Judiciary: Chief Justice Carol Hunstein of the Supreme Court of Georgia addressed a joint legislative session on March 16, reminding lawmakers of the serious consequences that deep funding cuts in the court system are having on public safety and business in our state. The chief justice said judicial budget cuts have contributed to a considerable backlog of criminal and civil cases in Superior Courts around the state. She quoted the Wall Street Journal as recently reporting, "The wheels of justice in Georgia are grinding more slowly each day."
Sen. Stoner co-sponsors legislation to protect small businesses
March 19, 2010
This week, I co-sponsored legislation that would establish a state commission to review the health insurance benefit and provider mandates that Georgia's small businesses are required to offer their employees. SB 509 would provide a process for taking a closer look at these mandate proposals in the future and the impact they would have on Georgia businesses and their employees and advising the governor and General Assembly as to their findings.
Under this proposal, a 15-member Special Advisory Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits would include representatives from the medical, business and insurance communities and the general public. The commission would work with the Department of Insurance to collect data and assess the impact of mandated benefits and providers, including costs to employers and insurers, effectiveness of treatment, costs savings in the health care system and other factors.
Thirty states have similar commissions, and this proposal is based on a Virginia law which has worked successfully. The legislation calls for the commission to evaluate existing mandated benefits and providers and report its findings to the General Assembly by Dec. 31, 2011, and conduct a similar assessment of all health insurance mandates proposed in the future.
Members of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) have listed health insurance as their No. 1 problem every year since 1986. On average, small businesses pay 18 percent more for health insurance coverage than large businesses. The insurance mandate proposals regularly considered by Georgia lawmakers, applying only to small group and individual plans, further increases the costs that small businesses must pay to provide insurance. Many individuals and small businesses simply cannot obtain affordable coverage, which results in increased costs to Georgia taxpayers under the Medicaid or Peach Care for Kids programs.
Georgia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO George Israel said of the situation, "Even a 1 percent increase in health care costs can impact an employer's decision to offer this important benefit to their employees and drive even more Georgians onto the rolls of the uninsured. Insurance mandates add costs that our state's businesses simply cannot afford." The legislation has the support of a wide range of business groups including the NFIB and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, among others.
SB 509, which has bipartisan support, was referred to the Senate Insurance & Labor Committee for its consideration.
Stoner legislation aims to bring efficiency to state government
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March 12, 2010
The legislature is faced with an unprecedented drop in revenues and challenged with balancing the budget with very little money. This could force a major shift in state government where consolidation and increased efficiency are top priorities. The Senate is already taking steps toward this goal, passing several bills on Tuesday to eliminate government waste and utilize creative solutions to help balance our state budget.
My legislation to increase efficiency in rural and human services transportation received broad support across the aisle, consolidating a system that is currently broken up between six different agencies.
SB 22 establishes the Georgia Coordinating Council for Rural and Human Services Transportation, which will be charged with finding efficiencies in providing and funding transportation services for rural citizens, the elderly and disabled.
In presenting the legislation, I used a chart (accompanying this article, which you can click to enlarge) depicting the tangled web of bureaucracy in Georgia that funding for rural transportation assistance must pass through to reach the citizens who need it most. This bill doesn't create another bureaucratic organization, but rather brings together affected agencies to find efficiencies. The council will be made up of representatives from the state school superintendent and the commissioners of the Department of Transportation, Department of Human Resources, Department of Community Health and the Department of Labor.
Governor's plan threatens Georgia hospitals
March 11, 2010
In a threatening move toward Georgia's financially struggling hospitals, Gov. Sonny Perdue announced Thursday his plan to cut Medicaid reimbursement rates by 10.25 percent and eliminate a sales tax exemption for non-profit hospitals. These actions will cost hospitals a total of $274 million during fiscal year 2011.
It is unfortunate that the governor would consider a proposal so damaging to our health care system without first supporting a concept that would bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue - without raising taxes. A number of Georgia cities participated in a pilot program for the local collection of sales taxes and showed the state was failing to collect sales tax revenue that consumers were paying but was going unreported.
The state is losing up to $1 billion per year because the Department of Revenue in this administration has been unsuccessful in cracking down on sales tax cheating. Legislation that would authorize local governments to collect sales taxes and help make up for these losses has been stuck in committee since last year because of partisanship by the Republican majority.
The governor's new plan to slash Medicaid reimbursements and charge a sales tax on non-profit hospitals is apparently an angry response to the health care community's strong opposition to his previous proposal to impose a 1.6 percent tax increase on all hospitals. This proposal will likely draw similar opposition because of the devastating effect it would have on health care facilities across the state, including many hospitals already on the verge of financial collapse.
Also Thursday, the governor announced he is shifting $342 million in federal stimulus funding from the FY 2011 budget to the current year's budget, in the wake of February's revenue report that showed a 9.9 percent decline from the previous year. Georgia's tax collections have now fallen for 15 consecutive months.
Property Tax Reform: There was some good news for taxpayers in the Senate this week. SB 346, a property tax reform measure that would assure that all property owners receive an annual tax assessment notice, was approved unanimously Thursday. Taxpayers would also receive information on when to file an appeal and have 45 days to do so. SB 346 now goes to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
Water Conservation: Legislation calling for increased water conservation measures cleared the Senate unanimously Wednesday. SB 370 would establish new rules for public water systems, stronger efforts to plug leaks and new standards to require high-efficiency plumbing fixtures. The measure is intended to help Georgia resolve its water dispute with Florida and Alabama, in response to a federal judge's ruling that threatens the cutoff of water withdrawals for metro Atlanta from Lake Lanier. However, the proposal does not address the controversial issue of inter-basin transfers, which threatens the water supply in communities up and down the Savannah River. The House passed similar legislation the same day.
Paperwork Reduction: On Thursday, the Senate voted unanimously in favor of legislation that mandates the electronic distribution and publication of state government reports, unless printing is legally required. The sponsor of SB 388 said this measure helps create a culture of efficiency and cost savings within state government, which is necessitated by the economic recession. The bill is now under consideration in the House.
Fee Assessments: The Senate voted Monday to approve legislation that would assess the current level of fees charged by state agencies and commissions and determine which ones should be adjusted. SB 381, which now goes to the House for its consideration, would require the governor's Office of Planning and Budget to prepare a comprehensive report on the fees that are assessed and collected by the state, along with the amount of revenues raised by each fee. Some of the fees charged for state services have not been raised or lowered since 1955.
First Aid Training: On Monday, the Senate passed SB 298, which would make first aid a standard part of secondary health education, alongside health, drug prevention and sex education. The measure is aimed at creating a generation of Georgians with basic first aid skills. The House will now consider the proposal.
Proposed cuts to higher education a major concern
March 9, 2010
The Appropriations Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives just completed two weeks of hearings on the annual state budget for fiscal year 2011, for the purpose of considering more cuts to the $18.2 billion spending plan proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue.
The governor is forecasting a 4.2 percent growth in revenue for next year, despite the fact that state tax collections have declined for 15 consecutive months and are now down by 12.7 percent through the first eight months of fiscal year 2010. It has been estimated that the amended budget for this year will have to be cut by at least another $200 million, and the 2011 budget is facing an overall shortfall of at least $1.5 billion.
Legislative budget writers are considering drastic actions in order to balance the budget. More personnel cuts will probably be necessary. Department heads are being asked for lists of employees who are fully vested in state pension benefits and could be encouraged to retire early.
The most controversial budget proposal is a recommendation to slash another $300 million from Georgia's public colleges and universities. Having already cut $380 million from the University System budget since 2008, further deep reductions would be painful for college students, faculty and staff and the state's economy.
Under the proposal, Kennesaw State University would stand to lose $14.1 million in funding and 224 staff positions. The number of freshmen and transfer students would be reduced by 10 percent, while the elimination some degree programs would force other students to transfer to another institution. Statewide, a 35 percent student tuition increase is on the table, and elimination of the Georgia 4-H program has been suggested.
These proposals have resulted in a public outcry that is expected to increase as long as these catastrophic cuts to higher education are considered. Our University System has made great strides over the past 20 years in expanding opportunities for students all over the state to get a college education. No one I know wishes to see that progress reversed.
February Revenue Decline: Gov. Perdue announced Monday that net revenue collections for the month of February 2010 (FY 2010) totaled $567,251,000 compared to $629,448,000 for February 2009 (FY09), a decrease of $62,197,000 or 9.9 percent. The percentage decrease year-to-date for FY10 compared to FY09 is 12.7 percent.
Transportation Funding: Legislation proposed by Gov. Perdue, calling for a referendum on a 1 percent sales tax for transportation projects in each of 12 special districts across the state, is under consideration in the House Transportation Committee. While there is support for the regional approach to increased funding for transportation, there is also concern about several provisions in HB 1218. Some lawmakers object to its top-down policy, with the state dictating the makeup of the regions rather than counties voluntarily coming together to form their own regions and having more local control. Also, the governor's bill would not call for the referendum until 2012, meaning Georgia's transportation needs would have to wait an additional two years for a long-overdue funding solution. A Transportation subcommittee has already made several changes to the legislation, whose sponsor said the governor would likely veto any version of the bill that allows counties or regions to opt out of putting the sales tax referendum before the voters. The governor and legislative leaders have failed to agree on transportation funding legislation in the previous two sessions of the General Assembly.
'Zero Tolerance' Reform: The Senate Education & Youth Committee has approved legislation aimed at bringing common sense to Georgia's so-called "zero tolerance" school disciplinary laws, which were intended to crack down on serious charges of having weapons in school but have too often resulted in students being criminalized for minor and insignificant infractions. SB 299 would prevent the immediate jailing of a student without a hearing and give judges more discretion into how they handle cases. The legislation, along with SB 332, which would require schools to include on their annual discipline reports the number of zero tolerance cases, will now be considered by the full Senate.
Property Tax Revisions: The Senate Finance Committee has approved SB 346, which would revise and streamline the procedures for appealing property tax valuations. This measure would standardize the process by which property owners can appeal the value assigned by tax assessors to their property and would require counties to mail valuation notices to property owners every year, along with information on how they can file an appeal. SB 346 now awaits a vote on the Senate floor.
District 6
P.O. Box 1781
Smyrna, GA 30081
Phone: 770.436.0699
Fax: 770.436.0699
Email: doug.stoner@senate.ga.gov
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