Today’s work, as lawmakers close on the sixth week since the session’s opening, focused on local legislative initiatives in the House while there was more variety of subjects taken up by the Senate. There was also a pause of...more
2/18/2022
/ Apprenticeships ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Charter Schools ,
Congressional Committees ,
Employee Retention ,
Homestead Exemption ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Retirement Funds ,
Solar Energy ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Reform ,
Waste Management
The floors of the House and Senate were busy today as legislators quickly got back to work after the three-day weekend. The Senate took up several weighty measures, including SB 338, which would expand Medicaid coverage for...more
2/8/2022
/ Abortion ,
Cancer ,
Charter Schools ,
Employee Benefits ,
HIV ,
Income Taxes ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Sales & Use Tax ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
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 ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Labor Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mental Health ,
New Legislation ,
Pending Legislation ,
School Districts ,
Sick Leave ,
State and Local Government ,
Students
Just after midnight, the 2021 Legislative Session concluded with many legislative measures sneaking in under the wire—and many others lying dead on the House and Senate floors. The House and Senate compromise on the FY22...more
4/2/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Charter Schools ,
Child Care ,
Community Development ,
Disabilities ,
District Attorneys ,
Educational Institutions ,
Federal Funding ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Judges ,
Juvenile Justice System ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Mental Health ,
New Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Policy ,
Public Safety ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures
Although the General Assembly was in adjournment today, legislators packed the day with committee meetings to consider languishing legislation, new amendments, and hastily drawn substitutes. One of the major points of the day...more
3/25/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
Colleges ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
Mental Health ,
New Legislation ,
Nursing Homes ,
Public Health ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures
As quickly as it appeared, the Senate version of the FY22 State Budget descended into the shadows of a conference committee today, entering the final (and most secretive) phase of negotiations before final passage. Leaders in...more
3/24/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
Colleges ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Hospitals ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
New Legislation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Student Athletes ,
Universities
Seven legislative days remain in the 2021 Legislative Session, but you would not believe it based on House and Senate floor action today. Neither chamber held floor votes on any legislation, with the sole bill on the House...more
3/17/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
College Athletes ,
Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Insurance Industry ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Probation ,
Public Health ,
School Transportation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Tuition ,
Vaccinations
The General Assembly was in adjournment today, but lawmakers and lobbyists were watching attentively the action in Room 341 this morning. There, beginning at 7:30 a.m., House appropriators began slowly revealing their...more
3/5/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
Disabilities ,
Educational Institutions ,
Georgia ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Mental Health ,
Public Health ,
Scholarships ,
Special Needs Adults ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Vaccinations
Both chambers of the General Assembly were busy today in an effort to push forward numerous bills in advance of Crossover Day on March 8. The Senate approved a number of education-related measures, including SB 42 relating to...more
3/4/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
Colleges ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Assembly ,
Georgia ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Lottery ,
New Legislation ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Student Athletes ,
Universities
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
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
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
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
Roadrunners, Hawks, Mariners, and other big-headed mascots flocked to the Capitol atrium today for Georgia State College Day at the Capitol, and House and Senate members also had education on their minds. ...more
Just over a month after first convening on January 13, 2020, the General Assembly took its first major action today as the House signed off on its version of the Amended FY20 Budget. ...more
Well before dawn today, business leaders, lobbyists, and lawmakers from around the state convened in Downtown Atlanta to rub elbows and eat eggs while the State’s political leaders forecast the next few months under the Gold...more
While West Georgia is in recovery mode due to the brutal storms on Sunday, lawmakers returned to a blustery Atlanta to work through several bills on Rules Calendars in the House and Senate....more
With a full legislative day to spare, House and Senate leaders came to agreement on a FY 2019 budget this morning after a long weekend of quiet negotiations. But the reveal was anything but quiet as House Appropriations...more
3/28/2018
/ Charter Schools ,
Georgia ,
Governor Deal ,
Health Care Providers ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mental Health ,
New Legislation ,
Pending Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Schools ,
Sales & Use Tax ,
State and Local Government ,
State Taxes
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
/ Charter Schools ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Georgia ,
Health Care Providers ,
Insurance Industry ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Pending Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Schools ,
Sales & Use Tax ,
State and Local Government ,
State Taxes
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) ,
Georgia ,
Governor Deal ,
Health Care Providers ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Pending Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government ,
State Taxes
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 ,
Georgia ,
Governor Deal ,
Health Care Providers ,
Insurance Industry ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Pending Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
Sales & Use Tax ,
State and Local Government ,
State Taxes
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