UPDATED: Crossover Day Open Thread
It's crossover day at the Georgia General Assembly. Legislation has to clear one of the two chambers before the end of the day or it is dead until next year, local legislation is exempted.
Rep. Steve Davis is going to provide periodic updates today as time permits. He also provides the link to the House Rules calendar with the legislation that they will be taking up today. Also, here is the link for the Senate Rules calendar. The committees must clear any legislation before it can be taken up on the floor of their respective bodies.
It's going to be a long day for our legislators.
[UPDATE - 11:58am] The State House has sent the 2007 supplemental budget to the Senate. It cleared the House 162 to 0. State Rep. Ben Harbin (R) says, “This House has not passed an irresponsible budget. This House has passed a budget that the people of Georgia can be proud of.” If he believes that, he shouldn't be holding elected office.
[UPDATE - 12:00pm] Payday lending fails again.
[UPDATE - 12:03pm] I'll be live-blogging the session after 4pm today...after work.
[UPDATE - 12:25pm] The AJC has a run down of morning happenings in the Senate.
[UPDATE - 4:08pm] The State House has passed legislation that would reduce the PeachCare eligibility level from 235% of the poverty level to 200%. It passed 101-63.
[UPDATE - 4:59pm] The State House seems to be running through the calendar with some quickness. I hear the Senate is planning for a long night.
[UPDATE - 5:09pm] I'm doing most of my live-blogging over on Georgia Legislative Watch.
[UPDATE - 5:14pm] The Lt. Governor speaks on the budget issue, "The Senate will have our version of the budget publicly available in less than 24 hours. I look forward to working closely and cooperatively with the House to resolve our different positions on state spending."
[UPDATE - 5:37pm] HB 332, which is a classroom size reduction bill, is now being presented. This can only hurt Henry County.
[UPDATE - 6:04pm] Speaker Richardson just said, "We oughta reduce the class size here, we'd get a lot more done." Only if we can start with you, Mr. Speaker.
[UPDATE - 6:13pm] The Coleman Amendment for HB 332 passed 100-68. Allows for schools to exceed maximum class sizes set by the state board by 40%, which I believe is 32 students per classroom. But the funding remains for lower class sizes. This amendment is huge for Henry County. It could save the county millions of dollars.
[UPDATE - 6:13pm] The amended version of HB 332 has passed 104-64.
[UPDATE - 6:54pm] Leftover spaghetti, a cold Pepsi and Johnny Cash on Winamp. That makes for a good break.
[UPDATE - 7:21pm] Again...I'm doing more extensive live-blogging over at Georgia Legislative Watch.
[UPDATE - 7:46pm] "If there's any speakers, Mr. Question..." - State Rep. Jeff Lewis, after presenting HB 451.
[UPDATE - 7:50pm] Rep. Davis has posted an update with this note on HB 332:
We had some excitement with HB 332 dealing with Class Size reductions. The bill would have forced more than 800 more high school students from Henry County into trailers. In addition by lowering the class sizes it would have forced our county to hire 60 additional teachers at a cost of approx $3.5 million plus the cost of the trailer or new buildings that would come along with the bill. The amendment that was attached gave the local school board the ability and flexibility to go above the state maximum without the funding from the state.[UPDATE - 8:07pm] SR 309, the "private cities" legislation has passed the State Senate. It had failed earlier in the day.
[UPDATE - 8:21pm] A State Representative just said, "annexation really isn't an issue here in Georgia" during discussion on HB 2. Ha! Clearly she has never been in Henry County.
[UPDATE - 8:47pm] The AJC has a post up on HB 332, which was passed as amended earlier in the evening.
[UPDATE - 9:05pm] The State House has adjourned.
[UPDATE - 10:50pm] SB 43 is dead. The Senate never brought it to the floor for a vote.
Comments
Have you heard anything about HB 6?
Posted by: Paul Shuford | March 27, 2007 03:37 PM
Paul,
For all intents and purposes HB 6 is dead. You can thank Earl Ehrhart for that.
Posted by: Jason | March 27, 2007 04:25 PM
Yeah, that's what I figured. This is how Georgia's Republicans repay the voters for giving them control of the House - by killing a bill preventing the State from enacting a New Orleans-style gun confiscation plan?
This, and the lack of fiscal responsibility out of the House makes me wonder what the Republicans there are thinking? Do they feel they are so cemented in their positions in the House that they can do whatever they please and still keep them?
Posted by: Paul Shuford | March 27, 2007 05:01 PM
If you dont think what we do matters or that people are watching, I had a call earlier from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel. They wanted to know what we did on payday loans. When I told them it was defeated, they were happy and satisfied. The military pumps millions of dollars into Georgia every year. This was a good move on the part of the legislature.
Posted by: Sen John Douglas | March 27, 2007 05:59 PM
Wait, were giving these young men and women access to high power military hardware and we don't trust them to make a decision about a short-term loan?
Posted by: Chris Farris | March 27, 2007 06:06 PM
Loan Sharks, Bookies and Numbers Racketeers should not be condoned or sanctioned by state law.
I agree with you, John. Good work!
Posted by: Larry Stanley | March 27, 2007 09:38 PM
Jason,
Great Job yesterday blogging and letting everyone know whats happening at their Capitol.
Steve Davis
Posted by: Rep Davis | March 28, 2007 08:06 AM
Wait, were giving these young men and women access to high power military hardware and we don't trust them to make a decision about a short-term loan?
Perfect response.
What it comes down to is more nanny-statism from our supposedly "conservative" Republican Legislature. Congratulations, guys. You've once again verified you are all economically ignorant.
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Posted by: Michael J Long | December 23, 2009 05:51 AM