March came in like a lion with 40 mile per hour wind gusts this morning and weighty rules calendars and committee agendas acknowledging the nearness of Crossover Day. In the House, all eyes were on the omnibus election reform...more
3/2/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Nursing Homes ,
Public Schools ,
Small Business ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
Legislators closed out a long week at the State Capitol on Friday with a flurry of activity on the respective chambers’ floors. The House approved 16 measures, including bills enacting the Professional Counselors Licensure...more
Whew! The pace is becoming fever pitched as lawmakers push toward crossover day! Sports betting remains a hot topic - both on the Floor and in committee. We report more on that below. Yet, Georgia’s management of the pandemic...more
2/26/2021
/ Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Governor Kemp ,
Juvenile Justice System ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Probation ,
Public Schools ,
Scholarships ,
School Transportation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
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
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Georgia ,
Health Insurance ,
Insurance Industry ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
New Legislation ,
Nursing Homes ,
School Transportation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
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 ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Health Insurance ,
Insurance Industry ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Life Insurance ,
New Legislation ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Universities
Monday marked the nominal halfway point of the 2021 Legislative Session, but there is a keen awareness among lawmakers and lobbyists that more than half of the legislature’s work for the year lies in the legislative days to...more
2/23/2021
/ Budgets ,
Charter Schools ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
School Districts ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
Legislative Day 19 felt particularly cold, wet, and sleepy as legislators wrapped up a short week that was filled to the brim with committee meetings and actions. But before most members headed for the exits, the chambers did...more
2/19/2021
/ Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
Lottery ,
New Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
Sports Betting ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Universities ,
Vaccinations
Education was the theme on the floors of the Georgia House and Senate today as each body approved measures impacting K-12 teachers and students around the state. The Senate signed off on two such bills, including Governor...more
2/18/2021
/ Discipline ,
Educational Institutions ,
Foster Children ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Governor Kemp ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Public Health ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Teachers
Freezing temperatures and the threat of icy roads couldn’t keep legislators away from the Gold Dome as they kicked off yet another week of the Session. Both chambers OK’d a small slate of bills followed by a packed afternoon...more
2/17/2021
/ Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Disabilities ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
School Districts ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Universities ,
Vaccinations
The early morning began with Subcommittees of the House Appropriations Committee looking in earnest at the development of a spending plan for the state’s FY 2022. This work follows the news from earlier in the week of the...more
The Georgia General Assembly is over halfway to Crossover Day, and new legislation continues to fill the hoppers each day. In these first 15 days of the 2021 Legislative Session, lawmakers have introduced 746 propositions —...more
2/11/2021
/ General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Governor Kemp ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Nursing Homes ,
Public Health ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Credits ,
Teachers
Legislative Day 14 was a bit like Christmas for lawmakers and lobbyists under the Gold Dome. Everyone got something — a Senate vote on the Amended FY21 Budget (which now proceeds to the House for reconciliation), a House vote...more
2/10/2021
/ Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Insurance Industry ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Public Health ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Universities ,
Vaccinations
The Super Bowl festivities of yesterday seemed like a decade ago as the General Assembly got down to business today with a large number of new bills entering the legislative process. Convening for Legislative Day 13, however,...more
The big news today was the movement on the FY 2021 Amended Budget as the Senate Appropriations Committee moved its version on HB 80 forward this morning. This spending plan for the state includes much of what was proposed by...more
2/5/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Vaccinations
While the House and Senate floors remain quiet, the afternoons under the Gold Dome most decidedly are not. Committee meetings abound, and lawmakers and lobbyists alike are confounded by the complexities of trying to attend...more
Today, one needed to have his or her skates on (or the ability to click a mouse quickly) to catch all the action as House and Senate committees began hearing bills and resolutions. Gaming was in particular focus today, with...more
2/3/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Gambling ,
Gaming ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Governor Kemp ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Public Schools ,
Small Business ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Teachers
After a marathon of Senate budget subcommittee meetings to close last week, the General Assembly reconvened with a bit of lethargy. Although the Senate did take up three propositions that each earned easy passage, the House...more
Before the crack of the dawn, legislators were under the Gold Dome to continue their work for the people of Georgia. The Senate Appropriations Human Development Subcommittee kicked off discussions with a hearing at 6:30 a.m....more
2/1/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Disabilities ,
Foster Children ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mental Health ,
New Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Vaccinations
Topics of conversation today under the Gold Dome covered a variety of policies from vaccine availability and distribution, to the FY 2021 Amended Budget, and casinos and horse racing. Georgia schools are pressing for vaccines...more
Lawmakers returned to the Capitol despite the downpour of rain and quickly got down to work for the people of Georgia. The first task tackled was the House Appropriations Committee taking action on its complete...more
After a week of public budget hearings (and almost certainly a weekend of budget negotiations behind closed doors), the General Assembly reconvened today and pushed the Amended FY21 spending plan a bit further along its fast...more
The General Assembly’s Appropriations Committees resumed today on their work around the Governor’s recommendations for FY 2021 Amended and FY 2022 budgets. Today’s focal points were the state’s health and human services’...more
1/22/2021
/ Appropriation ,
Budgets ,
Child Care ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Disabilities ,
General Assembly ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Legislative Committees ,
Medicaid ,
Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Vaccinations
Amidst a transition of power in our nation's Capital, the Georgia General Assembly continued its review of Governor Kemp’s budget recommendations for FY 2021 Amended and FY 2022. The focus for much of the day was on safety...more
1/21/2021
/ Appropriation ,
Budgets ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
General Assembly ,
Governor Kemp ,
Juvenile Justice System ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Public Health Emergency ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees convened jointly to begin their review of Governor Kemp’s proposals for the Amended FY21 and FY22 State Budgets revealed last week. With most members participating remotely via...more
The General Assembly closed the first week of its 2021 Legislative Session with a look ahead at Governor Kemp’s plans for the State’s budgets and his expected legislative initiatives. Before a joint session of the House and...more
1/15/2021
/ Budgets ,
Disabilities ,
Elder Care ,
General Assembly ,
Governor Kemp ,
Grants ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Mental Health ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Policy ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government