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
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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
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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
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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
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Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Gambling ,
Gaming ,
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Georgia ,
Governor Kemp ,
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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
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Disabilities ,
Foster Children ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
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Mental Health ,
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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
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Budgets ,
Child Care ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Disabilities ,
General Assembly ,
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Legislative Committees ,
Medicaid ,
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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
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Budgets ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
General Assembly ,
Governor Kemp ,
Juvenile Justice System ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Public Health Emergency ,
State and Local Government ,
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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
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
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Budgets ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
General Assembly ,
Governor Kemp ,
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Liability ,
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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
Following last week’s virtual meeting to hear presentations from Georgia’s State Fiscal Economist and Director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, the Joint Appropriations Committee met again today for those...more
Today was all about the numbers - State spending and revenue as well as the increasing count of Georgians diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. The House Appropriations Committee voted out its version of HB 793, the state’s...more
3/11/2020
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Mental Health ,
New Legislation ,
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Policies and Procedures ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Taxes ,
Tax Credits ,
Teachers
While the weather outside is merely drizzly, March came in like a lion through the halls of the State Capitol today. The Senate Appropriations Committee brought the building to life this morning by unveiling its take on the...more
Although the General Assembly is in adjournment this week, the third floor of the Capitol was still abuzz today as legislators began hearing from Governor Brian Kemp and other leaders from the Executive Branch on their budget...more