By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Under the Gold Dome: Day 33
Full coverage of the 2011 legislative session
Placeholder Image
Updated: Mar 24, 2011, 4:09 AM
Published: Mar 24, 2011, 4:19 AM

Highlights
Both chambers continued to assign bills to committees that they swapped last week on Day 30 of the legislative session.
Committees began talks on hot topics such as Sunday alcohol sales and taxes.
Inside the Capitol, Gov. Nathan Deal spoke Wednesday on the one-year anniversary of the health law.
Deal, who opposes the Democratic-backed plan, said Georgia is spending tens of millions of dollars to expand its state health benefit plan to conform with the law.
Georgia has spent almost $18 million to expand health coverage to dependents up to age 26, he said. The state also had to expand preventative care at a price tag of almost $15 million over two years.
Deal was joined Wednesday by U.S. Reps. Phil Gingrey, Tom Price and Rob Woodall, who all said they are working to overturn the law and think it should be de-funded.

Senate

Senate Bill 265: Change the corporate limits for Lilburn.
SB 266: Provide membership to the South Cobb Development Authority and change the geographical area of its operations.
SB 267: Create a new charter for Coolidge to include the elections of a mayor and council members.

House

House Bill 587: Levy an excise tax in Snellville.
HB 588: Create community improvement districts in Hall County.
HB 589: Create a Public Facilities Authority in Peachtree City.
HB 590: Annex territory and change the city limits for Woodstock.
HB 591: Allow citizens to address Waycross city commissioners during a meeting.
HB 592: Repeal provisions relating to public dissemination of amounts expended by Gwinnett County for professional services.
House Resolution 643: Create the House Study Committee on the Equine Industry to investigate the financial and other implications of expanding Georgia's breeding, raising and quartering of horses.
Both chambers also passed various resolutions to recognize special days and people.

Carolyn Crist
Key bills still on table as Georgia legislature session winds down
Budget, medical marijuana among major issues
Placeholder Image
Associated Press
Updated: Mar 21, 2016, 3:16 AM
Published: Mar 21, 2016, 3:18 AM

ATLANTA — This year’s legislative session will come to an end Thursday, and the future of several key pieces of legislation remains uncertain under the Gold Dome.

Both chambers have already given the greenlight to send many hotly contested bills to the desk of Gov. Nathan Deal, including a measure allowing college students to carry concealed handguns on campus.

Looking ahead into the final two days of the session, here are some of the issues that could still see movement in the legislature:

STATE BUDGET

Lawmakers still must pass a final state budget for the financial year starting July 1.

Approving a budget is the only constitutionally required measure that must be passed before the close of the session, and negotiations are expected to include debate over a spending plan that would increase salaries for thousands of state employees and teachers and give state retirees a one-time boost.

Both chambers have voiced support for Deal’s recommendation to allocate $300 million to local school districts. These funds are intended to end furloughs and lengthen school years after cuts during the recession.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Rep. Allen Peake, a Macon Republican, said he will continue pushing for an expansion of people allowed medical marijuana in Georgia. The proposal hit a major roadblock when it recently failed to get a Senate committee hearing.

Peake’s bill would allow patients diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome, autism and post-traumatic stress disorder, among other afflictions, to possess cannabis oil.

Peake said he still hopes the bill can get a Senate floor vote.

“You never want to give up on an issue like this until midnight on the last day of the legislative session,” he said.

RAPE KIT TESTING

A bill recently stalled in the Georgia Senate would require law enforcement officers and agencies to expedite the processing of rape kits for sexual assault victims.

The bill would require law enforcement officials to retrieve the findings of a forensic medical examination no later than 96 hours of being notified.

Rep. Scott Holcomb, an Atlanta Democrat, said supporters might try to attach the bill to another piece of legislation in order to get it passed. Republican Sen. Renee Unterman of Buford opposes the bill, saying the backlog on rape kits has been taken care of.

ENGLISH AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

A constitutional amendment setting English as the “official” language of Georgia has failed to make it out of House committee. Sponsoring Sen. Josh McKoon said the hope was to get a floor vote in the House after receiving 39 votes in the Senate. The legislation needs two-thirds support to pass the House.

TAX CUTS

A bill to set a flat state income tax rate of 5.4 percent requires House agreement to become law. The Senate has passed the measure. Critics argue that the adjustment in tax rates would only serve to help those in higher tax brackets. The decrease would lower the state’s maximum income tax rate down from 6 percent.

Deal and his staff have remained wary of any tax cut proposal, concerned about harming the state’s bond rating and ability to borrow money. Deal also has made it a priority to build up the state’s “rainy day” fund before his final term in office ends.