Although the House and Senate floors were quiet today, legislators were at work throughout the Capitol with late efforts to get legislation through committees. Desperation is becoming palpable—with only four legislative days...more
3/21/2018
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Legislative Agendas ,
Mental Health ,
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Sales & Use Tax ,
State and Local Government ,
State Taxes
Legislators rounded third and headed for home today under the Gold Dome, completing Legislative Day 36 of 40. But even as the legislative session enters the home stretch, there remains much work to be done. After full...more
3/20/2018
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Governor Deal ,
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Health Insurance ,
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State and Local Government ,
State Taxes
The gutting of bills continued under the Gold Dome today with legislators turning their focus to Georgia’s Certificate of Need statutes. The House Health and Human Services Committee took up two substitute bills impacting...more
3/15/2018
/ Department of Children and Families (DCF) ,
Georgia ,
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After a busy committee workday yesterday with legislators attempting to move last-minute propositions through the legislative gauntlet, lawmakers returned to the Capitol today to consider bills and resolutions on their...more
Just after Governor Deal signed the Amended FY 2018 Budget in Cedartown this morning, the House set to work adopting its proposal for the FY 2019 Budget. Notably included in the over $50 billion spending package ($26 billion...more
3/12/2018
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The clink of champagne flutes was almost audible under the Gold Dome this morning as the House adopted SB 17, commonly known as the “brunch bill”. The bill, authored by Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford), will allow local...more
As dawn broke over the State Capitol this morning, it revealed the long-awaited FY 2019 Budget as amended by the House Appropriations Committee. House budget subcommittees met beginning at 7AM, quickly adopting their...more
Lawmakers returned to the State Capitol today refreshed and renewed after a three-day weekend following Crossover Day last week. As committees began taking up propositions that have passed out of their sister chambers, so...more
After a late night at the State Capitol, the House and Senate convened today with short calendars but weighty issues. The Senate approved HB 918, Governor Deal’s tax reform measure this morning. ...more
When the Senate adjourned at last night at 9PM after considering over 40 propositions, the House was just getting started. When the gavel fell on Crossover Day just after 1AM this morning, the House had voted on over 60...more
2/28/2018
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Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
Sales & Use Tax ,
State and Local Government ,
State Taxes
Completing their last convening before Crossover Day on Wednesday, the House and Senate dispensed with long calendars today. Although the House considered 24 measures and the Senate considered 29, the mood under the Gold Dome...more
2/27/2018
/ Background Checks ,
Georgia ,
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The House and Senate capped off a busy pre-Crossover week with several weighty propositions on their respective floors. In the Senate, members considered the “Keep Faith and Freedom in Adoption and Foster Care Act”, a...more
2/26/2018
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The House worked a full day today, taking up 14 measures on the floor before handling a full slate of committee meetings. Among the bills adopted by the House were provisions allowing QBE funding to follow students being...more
2/23/2018
/ Charter Schools ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
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After breaking for Washington’s Birthday, the General Assembly began its all-out sprint to Crossover Day today with both chambers finishing their work before lunch only to reconvene in a flurry of committee meetings. ...more
Sixteen more days! But, who is counting? Sine Die is quickly approaching, marking an end to Georgia’s 2018 legislative session. Thus, committees in the House and Senate are now meeting in earnest as lawmakers introduce their...more
2/21/2018
/ Charter Schools ,
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Wrapping up their legislative week, the Senate adopted two provisions today closely watched by state agencies and local school districts. First, the Senate adopted its version of HB 683, the Amended FY 2018 Budget, by a vote...more
Happy Valentine’s Day to our readers! While chocolates and flowers poured through the doors of various offices in the State Capitol today, lawmakers were working on a number of important issues, including delving deeper into...more
2/14/2018
/ Charter Schools ,
Gender Identity ,
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Manslaughter ,
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Public Schools ,
Sales & Use Tax ,
Scholarships ,
State and Local Government ,
State Taxes
Tax reform came to Georgia today with Governor Nathan Deal announcing the State’s response to last year’s federal tax reform. HB 918, carried by Deal’s floor leader Rep. Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula), allows Georgia taxpayers...more
2/14/2018
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Opioid ,
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Tax Reform
Lawmakers hit the ground running today with Legislative Day 19, riding on good news on tax revenues that emerged late last week. On Friday, Governor Deal announced that the state’s tax revenues for the month of January were...more
2/13/2018
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Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
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Legislative Day 17 was billed by some as “Health Day” under the Gold Dome. After the Georgia State Senate took up three health-related bills on its Rules Calendar, members of the House Appropriations Committee heard...more
All eyes are on the Amended FY 2018 Budget this week under the Gold Dome. By a vote of 167 to 8, the House adopted its Appropriations Committee’s recommendations for the Amended Budget, sending the funding proposition to the...more
Although all signs this morning pointed to a quiet day under the Gold Dome, the halls quickly became abuzz with news of a compromise on HB 159, the adoption bill authored by Rep. Bert Reeves (R-Marietta). The masses got their...more
2/2/2018
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Parental Rights ,
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Sovereign Immunity ,
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Waivers