Day 23 - Feb. 26, 2008

The Senate passed Senator Jack Hill’s high deductible health plan (SB 383) today by a vote of 36 to 12.
 
The House passed HB 1043, the Childhood Lead Exposure Act, which would require that every reasonable and practicable effort be made to provide written notice of a lead poisoning hazard to the managing agent of the dwelling, dwelling unit, school, or day-care facility, in addition to the required notice to owner of the property and to any residents. The bill also makes the lead abatement law apply to all landlords and owners of residential rental property that accept compensation for the use of residential property by others; current law applies only to owners of more than 12 units.
 
The House also passed HB 1091 which changes the residency requirements for in-state tuition and eligibility for the HOPE scholarship.  Under the provisions of the bill, a student would have to graduate from a high school located in Georgia and that student or the student’s parents must live in the state for 12 consecutive months before the first day of school. The bill also states, “Noncitizen students shall not be classified as in-state for tuition purposes unless the student is legally in this state and there is evidence to warrant consideration of in-state classification as determined by the board of regents.

Lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, or other eligible noncitizens as defined by federal Title IV regulations may be extended the same consideration as citizens of the United States in determining whether they qualify for in-state classification. International students who reside in the United States under nonimmigrant status conditioned at least in part upon intent not to abandon a foreign domicile shall not be eligible for in-state classification."