They say March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, but “they” have never been in the Georgia State Capitol in the run-up to adjournment Sine Die. Monday morning’s meeting of the standing Senate Rules Committee was a...more
4/1/2025
/ Appeals ,
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Student Athletes
The Georgia House of Representatives achieved the trifecta on Thursday, combining three favorite legislative traditions in one moment on the floor: recognition of a local novelty with an invite resolution, the appearance of a...more
3/21/2025
/ Drug Pricing ,
Education Reform ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
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Healthcare Reform ,
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Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
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State Legislatures
While we spend much of our time watching bills and budgets under the Gold Dome, lawmakers and elected officials spend much of their time honoring constituents and other notable figures....more
3/19/2025
/ Controlled Substances ,
Department of Veterans Affairs ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
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State Budgets ,
State Legislatures
Blood rolled in the streets at the Georgia State Capitol on Thursday — the LifeSouth Bloodmobile, to be exact. While some lawmakers and lobbyists chose to voluntarily give the gift of life, for others, it was a painful...more
3/14/2025
/ Agribusiness ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
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Healthcare ,
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Medicaid ,
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Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Committees ,
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State Budgets ,
State Legislatures
Legislative days are better with dogs, even if they are the oversized mascot variety. Tuesday’s tail-wagger was CALi, the “spokespuppy” for Bright from the Start: Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning, who scampered...more
3/12/2025
/ Department of Insurance ,
Education Reform ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Insurance Industry ,
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State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures
As lawmakers and lobbyists shake out the cobwebs from a Crossover Day that ran late into Thursday night, we’re pouring back over what was done and left undone. This special #GoldDomeReport provides a Crossover Day wrap-up of...more
3/10/2025
/ Criminal Procedure ,
Department of Education ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Education Reform ,
Georgia ,
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Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
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Public Schools ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Credits ,
Tax Reform
Amidst the usual suits and blazers, white dresses and tuxedos have been appearing with increasing frequency around the Georgia State Capitol this spring. Apparently word is out amongst the city’s photographers that the...more
3/3/2025
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Georgia ,
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Transparency
With one week to go until Crossover Day, lawmakers and lobbyists are already feeling the exhaustion and exasperation captured in the face of James Oglethorpe’s bust on the North Steps. As committees convene constantly to...more
3/3/2025
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Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
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Lawmakers and lobbyists watching the Georgia State Senate on Monday saw a lot of green and red, but it wasn’t exactly Christmas. While some state agencies and contractors stand to see a few extra greenbacks in the Senate...more
2/25/2025
/ Education Reform ,
Employee Benefits ,
Georgia ,
Government Agencies ,
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Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
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Tax Reform
While many lawmakers and lobbyists are characters themselves, the Gold Dome was filled with a number of other caricatures on Wednesday. Eagle-eyed onlookers spotted Scrappy the Owl as the early bird in the halls celebrating...more
2/20/2025
/ Colleges ,
Data Privacy ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
Health Insurance ,
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Medical Marijuana ,
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Students ,
Universities
Children and other fans of heavy machinery were delighted on Tuesday as landowners and representatives of forest industries descended on the Georgia State Capitol for Forestry Day at the Capitol. With them, they brought two...more
2/12/2025
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Georgia ,
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Healthcare ,
Infrastructure ,
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Many of the skirmishes fought under the Gold Dome each year are turf wars, sometimes literally. A perennial favorite is the dispute over Georgia’s northern border, which Representative Martin Momtahan (R-Dallas) is seeking to...more
2/5/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Department of Education ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Health Insurance ,
Insurance Regulations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Open Records ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Transgender
Visitors to the Georgia State Capitol were delighted by the rhythm and artistry of a lion dance in the South Wing on Wednesday as the Asian American Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus hosted its second annual Lunar New Year...more
1/30/2025
/ Bostock v Clayton County Georgia ,
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State Legislatures
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
Legislative Day 40 is a roller coaster, full of ups, downs, and zero gravity turns (also known as conference committee reports). One goes from celebrating a bill achieving final passage to lamenting a measure being gutted...more
3/29/2024
/ Educational Institutions ,
Elder Care ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Health Care Providers ,
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Legislative Committees ,
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Property Owners ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Policy ,
Public Schools ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Rural Areas ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Credits
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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Farms ,
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Opioid ,
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State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Credits ,
Tax Reform
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 ,
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Healthcare Reform ,
Labor Reform ,
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Mental Health ,
New Legislation ,
Pending Legislation ,
School Districts ,
Sick Leave ,
State and Local Government ,
Students
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 ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
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Medicaid ,
Mental Health ,
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Public Health ,
Scholarships ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Telehealth
Legislators and lobbyists braved an early morning downpour as action began early under the Gold Dome today. Committees began meeting at 7:30 a.m., and both chambers took to the floor at 10 a.m. The House completed their Rules...more
3/19/2021
/ Educational Institutions ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
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Georgia ,
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Health Insurance ,
Juvenile Justice System ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Lottery ,
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Public Safety ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Tuition
After a late-adjourning Crossover Day, legislators and lobbyists largely slept late today, with one notable exception — those appearing before the Human Development Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which...more
3/10/2021
/ Georgia ,
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Vaccinations
Wednesday marked a widely welcomed halfway point to a full legislative week under the Gold Dome. Legislators gave approval to two measures of education interest — Representative Tim Barr’s alternative student transportation...more
2/25/2021
/ General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
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The Georgia State Senate kicked off the second half of the 2021 Legislative Session on Tuesday by considering four measures on the hot topic of the year — Georgia’s election laws. Each bill passed, although three of four were...more
2/24/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Election Laws ,
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Georgia ,
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Life Insurance ,
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State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Universities
Stars aligned in the Capitol today as the House and Senate reached agreement on the most closely watched issue during the reconvening of the 2020 Legislative Session. After announcement late yesterday of a compromise to HB...more
With midnight and adjournment Sine Die quickly approaching, legislators and lobbyists continue to work this evening to get propositions across the finish line. ...more
4/3/2019
/ Georgia ,
Health Care Providers ,
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Mental Health ,
New Legislation ,
Public Health ,
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School Districts ,
State and Local Government ,
State Taxes
After four action-packed days under the Gold Dome this week, today’s convening of the Georgia General Assembly proved more subdued. Although the House took up and passed three health measures, most legislators wrapped up...more