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
It’s become tradition for lawmakers and lobbyists that the first Wednesday of each new legislative session start with an early morning surrounded by hundreds of their closest friends at the Georgia World Congress Center...more
1/14/2021
/ Board of Education ,
Board of Elections ,
Budgets ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Elections ,
Governor Kemp ,
Legislative Agendas ,
School Districts ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Substance Abuse
Tuesday marked the second day of the new legislative session and the opening day for first reading of legislation and assignment to committee. Among the ten bills and resolutions read and referred, the first of the thousands...more
It’s the second Monday in January, and the Georgia General Assembly opened its 2021 Session today with socially distanced ceremony, saliva testing, and other start-of-session housekeeping. Akin to “syllabus day” at the...more
In the longest legislative session in Georgia history – caused by the long COVID pause from mid-March to mid-June – lawmakers handled a number of thorny and difficult issues, including the passage of a...more
8/21/2020
/ Appropriation ,
Budgets ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
General Assembly ,
Governor Kemp ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Liability ,
Public Health Emergency ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures
Legislative Day 40 (Sine Die) - After weeks of rumors of an abbreviated conclusion to the 2020 Legislative Session and a final several days with rumblings that adjournment sine die was imminent, the General Assembly defaulted...more
Legislative Day 39 - With one legislative day remaining, the General Assembly kicked in high gear today to wrap up consideration of legislation for the 2020 Legislative Session. ...more
Legislative Day 38 — June 24, 2020 - With only two legislative days remaining in the 2020 Legislative Session, floor activity in the House and Senate hit a fever pitch as legislators jockeyed to get their measures amended,...more
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
Although the House and Senate each had robust Rules and committee calendars for Legislative Day 36, all eyes were looking towards signals to a compromise on the FY 2021 State Budget....more
It may have been Saturday and the first day of summer, but it was also Legislative Day 35 under the Gold Dome. In a rare weekend convening that was the result of the House and Senate failing to agree on an adjournment...more
While families around the state prepare to celebrate Father’s Day weekend, members of the Georgia General Assembly continue to work into the evening and are slated for a rare Saturday session day tomorrow. Because the House...more
What a day under the Gold Dome! The budget, hate crimes legislation, tobacco tax increase efforts, CON amendments, etc. All of these issues are enormous decisions to be made by lawmakers. The day kicked off early as...more
The Senate dominated the news today as they unveiled both their take on the state’s FY 2021 budget (which was laden with cuts to align with decimated state revenues resulting from the COVID-19 shutdown) and the first public...more
Today, the General Assembly reconvened for its 31st Legislative Day (the second legislative day of the COVID era), and the environment remains both strange and amusing. While the people watching is supreme (and included one...more
Lawmakers began early, and in earnest, this morning in an effort to complete the 2020 Legislative Session, primarily to write a FY 2021 budget as constitutionally required. While many lawmakers and lobbyists donned masks to...more