Like air out of a balloon, the Georgia General Assembly concluded its 2025 Legislative Session on Friday with an exasperated but exhausted "PFFFFffffT." While many lawmakers and lobbyists floated through the halls during the...more
4/7/2025
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Strike up the band! The penultimate day of the 2025 Legislative Session has come! Legislative Day 39 continues as this Gold Dome Report goes online, and Sine Die Eve has already proven to be a spectacle. From a marching band...more
4/3/2025
/ Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
Healthcare ,
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Reproductive Healthcare Issues ,
State and Local Government ,
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State Legislatures
As the end of the 2025 Legislative Session draws near, those who still harbor hope for the legislative process look ahead to next year — with study committees. Everyone’s favorite way to see lawmakers and lobbyists in...more
3/31/2025
/ Diversity ,
Education Reform ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Healthcare ,
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Senate Committees ,
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Unusually heavy traffic that stalled commutes to the Georgia State Capitol for many on Thursday morning may prove to be symbolic of the waning days of the 2025 Legislative Session. With many bills and resolutions still...more
3/28/2025
/ Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
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Regulatory Oversight ,
Senate Committees ,
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State Legislatures ,
Tax Credits
Much like construction happening with the legislative offices, gutting and stuffing began in earnest today — the 35th day of the legislative session. But we aren’t talking about the Georgia Capitol renovations that are...more
3/26/2025
/ Data Privacy ,
Economic Development ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
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New Legislation ,
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Students ,
Teachers ,
Tourism
While many lawmakers and lobbyists crawled into the Georgia State Capitol on Monday after the double-whammy of Crossover Day and the return of Daylight Savings Time (to Senator Ben Watson’s chagrin), a few select legislators...more
3/11/2025
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The Georgia General Assembly wrapped up its work week on Thursday and vacated the State Capitol for a four-day weekend flanked by Valentine’s Day and the holiday commonly known as President’s Day. But President’s Day is...more
2/14/2025
/ Data Privacy ,
Department of Education ,
FERPA ,
Gender Identity ,
Georgia ,
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The Georgia General Assembly got off to a fast start on Monday with the State Senate taking up its first substantive measures of the session before both bodies filled the afternoon with committee hearings. But before...more
2/4/2025
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Department of Education ,
Education Reform ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
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Risk Management ,
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Students
Lawmakers and lobbyists trudged through fog and rain to the Georgia State Capitol on Monday for the convening of Legislative Day 6. Recovering gingerly from the debilitating dusting of snow in Atlanta last week, senators and...more
As the world reacted to the shove heard round the world, the General Assembly kept a low profile on Friday. Convening an hour earlier than the Senate, the House gaveled in and out before senators even made it to their desks....more
1/20/2025
/ Agricultural Sector ,
Disabilities ,
Economic Development ,
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Medicaid ,
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Tax Credits ,
Tax Reform
Business and community leaders from across the state made their annual pilgrimage to Atlanta on Tuesday morning for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs & Issues breakfast at the Georgia World Congress Center. Although the...more
1/16/2025
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Educational Institutions ,
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Thursday carried several distinctions under the Gold Dome. It was Leap Day, the quadrennial opportunity to celebrate those born on Feb. 29. It was Crossover Day, the day we all have to explain to our significant others each...more
3/1/2024
/ Education Reform ,
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Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
State Agencies ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Credits ,
Veterans
No time for fun and games today — the Georgia House and Senate were all business on the final legislative day before Crossover. Each chamber took up numerous weighty issues with vigorous debate but, fortunately, no broken...more
2/28/2024
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Georgia ,
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Immigrants ,
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State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Veterans
Take a deep breath — this week is going to be a doozy. With Crossover Day looming just nine days away, committees shifted into high gear on Tuesday as legislators scrape and claw to get their bills and resolutions on track...more
2/21/2024
/ Domestic Violence ,
Georgia ,
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The General Assembly took a half day on Friday after a full week of floor debates and committee proceedings. Although the House and Senate addressed a collective six measures on their floors, legislators made quick work of...more
2/15/2022
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Opioid ,
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State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Credits ,
Tax Reform
The General Assembly got back to work on Tuesday with a slate full of committee meetings to advance bills and resolutions through the legislative gauntlet. But before legislators receded into the meeting rooms in the State...more
2/2/2022
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Tort
Although Wednesday was Mental Health Day at the State Capitol, legislators and lobbyists appeared much more checked out on Thursday. Both chambers convened, and the House debated and passed HB 841 (putting forth a referendum...more
1/28/2022
/ Foster Children ,
Grants ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Income Taxes ,
Inmates ,
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Mental Health Parity Rule ,
Minimum Wage ,
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Rural Health Care Providers ,
Sales & Use Tax ,
State and Local Government ,
Tax Credits ,
Tax Reform ,
Wage and Hour
It was Mental Health Day under the Gold Dome, headlined by the unveiling of Speaker David Ralston’s (R-Blue Ridge) much discussed, and anticipated, mental health parity bill. House lawmakers, members of the Behavioral Health...more
1/27/2022
/ Charter Schools ,
Clinical Trials ,
Complaint Procedures ,
Credit Repair Services ,
Expert Witness ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Labor Reform ,
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New Legislation ,
Pending Legislation ,
School Districts ,
Sick Leave ,
State and Local Government ,
Students
There was a great deal of action under the Gold Dome on Tuesday, including the biennial “class” portrait in the House where they had their panoramic photo taken. Other notable news of the day included the Senate Republican...more
1/26/2022
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Organ Donation ,
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Regulatory Reform ,
Social Media ,
State and Local Government ,
Substance Abuse
Week one of the 2022 Legislative Session is in the books. The halls were relatively quiet on Friday as legislators filed in to receive copies of the budgets before sprinting home. ...more
1/17/2022
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Legislators and lobbyists alike faced a new reality under the Gold Dome in 2021 as the legislative session began amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. After the second half of last year’s bifurcated session provided a framework...more
7/1/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
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Vaccinations
Just after midnight, the 2021 Legislative Session concluded with many legislative measures sneaking in under the wire—and many others lying dead on the House and Senate floors. The House and Senate compromise on the FY22...more
4/2/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
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State Legislatures
Although the General Assembly was in adjournment today, legislators packed the day with committee meetings to consider languishing legislation, new amendments, and hastily drawn substitutes. One of the major points of the day...more
3/25/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
Colleges ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
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Long Term Care Facilities ,
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Nursing Homes ,
Public Health ,
State and Local Government ,
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The General Assembly kicked off the penultimate week of the 2021 Legislative Session early this morning with a number of committee meetings preceding early afternoon convenings of both chambers. Perhaps the most watched of...more
3/23/2021
/ Child Care ,
Disabilities ,
Educational Institutions ,
Federal Funding ,
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Georgia ,
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Medicaid ,
Mental Health ,
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Public Health ,
Scholarships ,
State and Local Government ,
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Telehealth
The General Assembly was in adjournment today, but lawmakers and lobbyists were watching attentively the action in Room 341 this morning. There, beginning at 7:30 a.m., House appropriators began slowly revealing their...more
3/5/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
Disabilities ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
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Medicaid ,
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Public Health ,
Scholarships ,
Special Needs Adults ,
State and Local Government ,
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State Legislatures ,
Vaccinations