Floor Amendment AM 39 0523 to HB 979

ADOPTED Representative Bonner of the 73rd offers the following amendment: Amend the substitute to HB 979 (HB 979/SCSFA) by replacing line 1 through the end with the following: To amend Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, so as to provide procedures for the partial retrocession of jurisdiction over military installations owned by the United States; to authorize reciprocal agreements for purposes of concurrent jurisdiction at military installations in certain instances; to create the Georgia-Ireland Trade Commission; to provide for members and purpose of the commission; to provide for annual reporting; to create a fund for commission expenses; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, is amended by revising Code Section 50-2-27, relating to retrocession of jurisdiction over lands owned by the United States, as follows: "50-2-27. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, the The consent of this state is given to the retrocession of jurisdiction, either partially or wholly, by the United States over land owned by the United States within the boundaries of this state; and the Governor is authorized to accept for the state such retrocession of jurisdiction. (b) Retrocession of jurisdiction shall be effected upon written notice Upon written request to the Governor by the principal officer of the agency of the United States having supervision and control over the land to the Governor, such notice describing the land by metes and bounds and specifying the nature of the jurisdiction therein to be retroceded to the state and the entry of acceptance upon the written notice by, the Governor shall be authorized to execute appropriate documents to accomplish the retrocession authorized by this Code section. (b)(1) A request for partial retrocession of jurisdiction at a military installation, as such term is defined in Code Section 2-1-7, to provide for concurrent jurisdiction between the United States and the state at such installation shall be made in writing to the Governor and shall include: (A) The name, position, and legal authority of the requesting individual; (B) A description of the subject matter for which concurrent jurisdiction is sought; (C) A specific metes and bounds description of the property for which concurrent jurisdiction is sought; and (D) Whether the request includes any contemplation of future expansion of the property described in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph. (2) Upon agreement to a request for partial retrocession of jurisdiction pursuant to this subsection accepted by the Governor, the Governor shall: (A) Memorialize in writing each element of the request that has been accepted; and (B) Submit copies of the following documents to the individual who made the request for concurrent jurisdiction: (i) The original request for partial retrocession of jurisdiction to provide for concurrent jurisdiction; (ii) The acceptance of the request for partial retrocession of jurisdiction to provide for concurrent jurisdiction; and (iii) The metes and bounds description of the property for which concurrent jurisdiction has been agreed to through the acceptance of the partial retrocession. (3) Upon agreement by the Governor to a request for partial retrocession of jurisdiction pursuant to this subsection, the state or any political subdivision thereof or a district attorney shall be authorized to enter into a reciprocal agreement with legal authority for the military installation which designates duties related to the concurrent jurisdiction that has been granted; provided, however, that the duties authorized in such reciprocal agreement shall be limited to when alleged acts have been committed by persons less than 17 years of age upon the military installation subject to concurrent jurisdiction." SECTION 2. Said title is further amended in Chapter 12, relating to commissions and other agencies, by adding a new article to read as follows: "ARTICLE 9 50-12-140. (a) There is established the Georgia-Ireland Trade Commission which is created to advance bilateral trade and investment between Georgia and Ireland. The trade commission shall consist of 15 members to be appointed as follows: (1) Four members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, two of whom must be members of the House of Representatives; (2) Four members shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, two of whom must be members of the Senate; and (3) Seven members shall be appointed by the Governor as follows: (A) The commissioner of economic development or his or her designee; (B) The Commissioner of Agriculture or his or her designee; (C) Two representatives of state institutions of higher education; (D) Two members representing Irish Americans or Irish American communities in Georgia; and (E) One representative of a Georgia business organization or a trade organization. (b) The members of the commission shall be appointed for terms of four years each and until their successors are appointed and qualified, except that the seven members appointed by the Governor shall serve initial terms of two years each, the four members appointed by the President of the Senate shall serve initial terms of three years each, and the four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall serve initial terms of four years each. Members may be reappointed and shall include: (1) The commissioner of economic development or his or her designee; (2) The Commissioner of Agriculture or his or her designee; (3) One representative of a state institution of higher education; (4) At least two members representing Irish Americans or Irish American communities in Georgia; and (5) One representative of a Georgia business organization or a trade organization. (c) All appointments shall be made no later than 90 days following the date of enactment of this article. A vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made. (d) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties, within the limit of funds appropriated to the commission or otherwise made available to such commission for its purposes. (e) The commission shall meet and hold hearings at the places and times it designates throughout the state. (f) The Governor shall designate a chairperson or cochairpersons from among the members of the commission, who shall serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the Governor. The chairperson or cochairpersons, as appropriate, may appoint from among the commission members subcommittees or subcommittee chairpersons at their discretion. A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the commission. (g)(1) The purpose of the Georgia-Ireland Trade Commission shall be to: (A) Advance bilateral trade and investment between Georgia and Ireland; (B) Initiate joint action on policy issues of mutual interest to Georgia and Ireland; (C) Promote business and academic exchanges between Georgia and Ireland; (D) Encourage mutual economic support between Georgia and Ireland; (E) Encourage mutual investment in the infrastructure of Georgia and Ireland; and (F) Address such other issues as determined by the commission. (2) The commission shall report its findings, results, and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly pursuant to this article within one year of its initial organizational meeting and by February 1 of each succeeding year for the activities of the preceding calendar year. The report shall be in writing and include recommendations as are considered appropriate by the commission to effectuate its purpose, as provided by this Code section. (h)(1) The state treasurer shall establish a separate trust fund in the state treasury that shall be known as the Georgia-Ireland Trade Commission Fund, consisting of annual appropriations by the General Assembly; public or private grants, gifts, donations, or contributions; and moneys from any other source, including local, state, or federal program funds dedicated to the fund. (2) The state treasurer shall invest the moneys held in the fund in the same manner in which state funds are invested as authorized by the State Depository Board pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 17 of this title. Interest earned by the moneys held in the fund shall be accounted for separately and shall be credited to the fund to be disbursed as other moneys in the fund. (3) Moneys held in the fund shall be expended solely as provided in this article." SECTION 3. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.