GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
ROOM 505, LOB 30334
404-656-5082     1-800-282-5800

Daily Report Number 12
February 5, 2004

Back to PIO

House lawmakers passed legislation this morning designed to put the brakes on the unauthorized use of MIRT devices. A Mobile Infrared Transmitter (MIRT) device is a piece of electronic equipment which enables the operator to change a traffic light signal from red to green in just a couple of seconds by sending an infrared beam to signal receivers. The device is used by police, fire, and emergency vehicles to clear intersections and halt opposing traffic on emergency runs.

Unfortunately, manufacturers of the device have recently begun to offer their product for sale to the general public on the internet. These devices and their knock-offs have shown up for sale on the internet for $300. Some of the pitches used to sell them read: “Never wait for a red light again!” or “Tired of waiting for red lights?” and “Changes stop lights from red to green in seconds.” This has the potential to become an extremely dangerous situation, should the use of these devices become widespread. Furthermore, the frequent and unchecked interruptions in the flow of traffic could create a gridlock nightmare on Georgia’s roadways.

Enter HB 1113 which would make it unlawful for any person other than law enforcement, fire department or emergency personnel to buy, sell, or posses with the ability to use a MIRT device. The measure overwhelmingly passed the House by a vote of 167-1.

Boy Scouts will be able to breathe a little easier if HB 1083, which passed 171-0, becomes Georgia law. The legislation is designed to deal with a specific instance in middle Georgia where a private landfill company is seeking to locate a landfill within 100 yards of a long standing Boy Scout summer campsite. Aside from the unpleasant smell, the authors of this measure point to the health risks associated with locating a trash dumping facility so close to young children. Therefore, HB 1083 would place a ban on issuing a permit to allow for the creation of a landfill within one mile of any private recreational camp which has been operational for at least 25 years, and is operated primarily for use of children under age 18.

House members also voted to give local sheriffs an extra tool to motivate their inmates to work toward an early release. HB 239 would allow local sheriffs to convey earned credit time at a rate of 4 to 1 for every day a jail inmate spends on a local jail work crew. Currently, inmates are given a 2 for 1 time served credit for good behavior, but this does nothing to encourage the prisoner to participate in authorized work details. The provision would not apply to inmates which have been convicted of misdemeanors of a high and aggravated nature. Persons who are serving time for their second or subsequent DUI charge would also be ineligible for the work credit.

The authors of HB 239 see it as an incentive to encourage the inmate to contribute, rather than simply being a drain on Georgia’s jail systems. Furthermore, with more than 33,000 inmates serving time in Georgia’s jails, members hope this legislation will provide a means by which sheriffs can responsibly reduce their inmate population by decreasing the sentences for good inmates with a willingness to work. HB 239 passed by a vote of 165-0.

HB 1159, which passed the House 159-1, seeks to decrease the filing widow given to local courts in reporting traffic violation convictions. Currently, local courts are given ten business days to report traffic violation convictions to the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety. The new legislation would reduce that deadline to three days. It also encourages local courts to file those documents electronically by paying the local system 40 cents for each violation filed via the internet, as opposed to 10 cents for reports which are mailed conventionally.

Finally, HB 229 seeks to reorganize and rewrite Georgia code applying to legal guardianships. The previous code was somewhat confusing since various types of guardianship were addressed within the same code section or chapter, lending a vagueness to whether certain provisions applied in one specific area, or across the board. Trying to combat this, the Georgia Bar Association conducted a series of hearings, workshops, and intense study groups to rewrite the code and present it in a clearer and more organized manner. HB 229 represents the culmination of those efforts. A number of amendments to the legislation were offered, but a majority of House members felt it would be unwise to imperil this important legislation with last minute changes. The amendments were therefore defeated, and HB 229 passed by a vote of 170-2.

Georgia House of Representatives
Public Information Office

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