I'm at the Capitol. There are a ton of rumors flying around about the budget. Chris Farris is live-blogging over in the Senate. I'm currently hanging around outside of the Senate Chamber.

Updates on some legislation...
- HB 331, the Stockbridge district bill is dead. Thanks to the spineless Gail Davenport and the Emanuel Jones, who I'm just going to keep my mouth shut about right now.
- SB 5, which would delay implementation of the REAL ID Act, has been gutted.
- The Senate has adopted the substitute of the Presidential primary bill. The major change is that November elections stay at 50% + 1, that is good news for third party and independent candidates. The primary will remain at 45%.

More later...

[UPDATE - 8:45pm] I'm paying a lot of attention to the debate on SB 10, which is currently being debated in the House. Democrats are crying foul. They believe that SB 10 would take away accountability from the system. Of course they are overlooking the fact that the market is the accountability. If a child's needs aren't met, the parents can move their child to another school.

Oh...and check out HB 826, which would create a study committee for transfat alternatives for the Georgia Food Industry.

[UPDATE - 9:15pm] Chris Farris and I are sitting in the House Rules Committee room, which served as the court room for the Georgia Supreme Court from 1845 to 1945, trying to do some updates.

[UPDATE - 9:19pm] SB 10 PASSES!!! Maybe this session wasn't a complete waste.

[UPDATE - 9:25pm] The Speaker had to cast the deciding vote on SB 10 to get the minimum 91 votes.

[UPDATE - 9:39pm] Farris tells me that the Senate has stopped taking up House bills. It has do with the House's lack of action on a couple of education bills...I believe SB 39, the Charter Systems Acts to be of them.

[UPDATE - 9:51pm] I've seen many members that are wearing orange and maroon ribbons in honor of the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre. Very classy.

[UPDATE - 9:54pm] Rep. Davis is on the floor speaking against the private cities bill.

[UPDATE - 10:14pm] SB 39, the Charter Systems Act, will get a vote in the House.

[UPDATE - 10:15pm] One hour and forty-five minutes to go.

[UPDATE - 10:17pm] Rep. Davis made a motion to separate HR 826, the transfat study committee, the Speaker did not object. The Speaker said, "[Davis] and I may agree on something for once."

[UPDATE - 10:20pm] HR 826 passed anyway by voice vote.

[UPDATE - 10:23pm] The private cities package has passed overwhelmingly in the House.

[UPDATE - 10:24pm] Congrats to Senator David Shafer!!! Earlier this evening the Senate agreed to changes made in the House on the Saving the Cure Act.

[UPDATE - 10:32pm] Here comes the FY 2008 budget.

[UPDATE - 10:36pm] The Senate is also taking up the Conference Committee report on HB 95, which is the FY 2008 budget. I'm trying to get a copy of it.

[UPDATE - 10:40pm] Sonny will get his fish pork.

[UPDATE - 10:48pm] The Senate has passed the Conference Committee Report for HB 95 by a vote of 50 to 1.

[UPDATE - 11:00pm] One hour to go.

[UPDATE - 11:09pm] The House has passed the conference report for HB 95. Three members voted in the negative. I assume Davis was one of them.

[UPDATE - 11:15pm] HB 147, the Woman's Right to Know Act, has passed the House by a vote of 110 to 47.

[UPDATE - 11:17pm] The Governor was just booed on the House floor when one of his floor leaders took to the well to present one of his bills.

[UPDATE - 11:36pm] We're almost out of here.

[UPDATE - 12:00am] Both the House and Senate have passed HB 39 and adjourned...Sine Die, folks.