Private operation of dorms clears Legislature

The state Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would extend a property tax exemption to private companies when they take over operations of University System of Georgia dorms and parking areas.

The 44-7 vote met the two-thirds requirement for final passage of House Bill 788.

The tax exemption is a key part of the University System’s privatization plan that could help wipe almost $4 billion in debt off its books. Under the plan, the system would retain ownership of the buildings and land, but the selected companies would operate and maintain the facilities according to leases that could run as long as 65 years.

A few senators questioned how the tax exemption would work. “As long as its state property and used for the stated purposes, it would be exempt” from property taxes, said Sen. Charlie Bethel, R-Dalton. Bethel, who’s a floor leader in the Senate for Gov. Nathan Deal, said the governor supported the measure.

State voters will get to weigh in later this year on whether to amend the law to allow developers to receive the exemption.

— Janel Davis, Kristina Torres

MLK, Ten Commandments bills pass

Legislation to allow a privately funded statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the Capitol grounds is on its way to Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk.

House Bill 1080 received final approval in the House on Tuesday by a vote of 171-2. Rep. Charles Gregory, R-Kennesaw, and Rep. Sam Moore, R-Macedonia, were the lone votes against it.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus, would create a special committee to plan the monument and to approve the design.

The Legislature earlier gave final approval to HB 702, which would allow a Ten Commandments monument at the Capitol.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

Home school HOPE bill on way to governor

Home school students could see lower test score requirements for receiving Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship under a bill given final passage Tuesday by the state Senate.

House Bill 810 would drop the standardized college admissions tests score requirement for these students from scoring in the 85th percentile to the 80th percentile. That would mean an SAT score of 1780 instead of 1850 (out of a possible 2400), according to the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Joyce Chandler, R-Grayson. The ACT score requirement would drop from a 26 to a 25 (out of a possible 36).

The revision would make HOPE requirements for home school students more equitable with those for public school students, who have to graduate with a B average, Chandler has said. Senate Democrats, however, objected to how she wants to accomplish that. “Why in the world would we lower the standards?” asked Sen. David Lucas, D-Macon.

The measure passed on a 41-11 vote. HB 810 now goes to Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature.

— Kristina Torres

Mug shot abuse bill gains final approval

The Georgia Legislature on Tuesday gave final approval to a measure that would keep mug shots secret in most cases until a defendant’s case is settled.

House Bill 845, by Rep. Brian Strickland, R-McDonough, passed the Senate unanimously, 48-0. Because of changes made in a Senate committee, the bill was sent back to the House for final approval, which it gave late Tuesday.

The bill is designed to prevent websites that collect mug shots from police agencies from demanding money from individuals who have been found not guilty before removing the photos from the site.

As originally proposed, no one would be able to get a copy of a mug shot unless the person pictured was found guilty or pleaded guilty to a crime.

After concerns were raised by media outlets and others, the bill was changed to say anyone who wants a copy of the photo must request it in writing and agree to be held criminally liable if the photo ends up on such a website.

The General Assembly last year adopted legislation that requires those websites to take a photo down upon request. But, Strickland said, many are refusing to comply or have moved out of state, making it difficult to enforce the law.

— Kristina Torres, Aaron Gould Sheinin

House approves ‘Merry Christmas’ bill

The House voted 119-52 Tuesday to approve Senate Bill 283, which would let teachers offer traditional holiday greetings and allow schools to create holiday displays as long as at least two traditions are included.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Mike Dugan, R-Carrollton, would allow local school systems to educate students about the history of “traditional winter celebrations” and let students and staff offer “traditional greetings” such as “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Hanukkah.”

Displays involving such symbols as a menorah, Christmas tree or Nativity scene would be protected as long as they included more than one religion or one religion and at least one secular scene or symbol. The bill, however, does not define what it means by secular symbol, leaving open debate about whether it allows the promotion of a particular religious belief over others.

The House, however, made changes to the bill, so it must go back to the Senate for consideration. The House added much of House Bill 897 to SB 283. The House bill is a major rewrite of the state’s elementary and secondary education laws. HB 897 passed the House previously but has not received a vote of the full Senate.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

Lawmakers block gassing of rattlesnakes

Georgia’s rattlesnakes will be safe from being gassed under legislation given final approval Tuesday.

The House voted 152-15 to send Senate Bill 322 to Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk.

If signed into law, the bill would make it illegal to use “explosives, chemicals, electrical or mechanical devices, or smokers” to drive snakes out of a hole in order to catch them.

In practice, Rep. Jay Roberts, R-Ocilla, said, the bill would protect the state’s gopher tortoises, which often share burrows with the snakes. It’s a common pastime in South Georgia, Roberts said, to try to catch rattlesnakes, but hunters often use gasoline or other noxious gases to drive snakes out of the holes. The practice threatens the turtles, which are close to receiving federal endangered species status.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin