Weekly Legislative Update – Week 5

The Georgia General Assembly completed its fifth week of the 2015 session on Thursday, February 12. The legislature has now exhausted 15 legislative days of the 40-day session. An adjournment resolution was passed by both Chambers last week, which sets the final day of session for April 2. With 15 days of the session gone, the race now turns to efforts to pass legislation before Legislative Day 30, “Crossover Day”. Any legislation that does not pass from one chamber to the other by Day 30 cannot be enacted into law this year. Day 30 is expected to fall on Friday, March 13 and it is likely that the General Assembly will be in session until midnight that evening.

Last week saw a flurry of legislative activity, including:

• Representative Jay Roberts presented a new version of the transportation funding bill to the House Transportation Committee last Thursday. The bill would fund nearly $1 billion a year in statewide transportation projects. It is critical that this bill continue to move forward in the legislative process. Legislators need to hear from the business community to applaud them for their willingness to address this important issue.
• The House began hearings on the FY16 Budget. Various sub-committees took testimony on funding requests from state agencies and departments, as well as from private entities and citizens.

• SB 85 was introduced by Senator Brandon Beach changing the definition of projects for development authorities. You can read the bill here – http://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20152016/SB/85 .
• Passage by the Senate of its version of the amended FY15 Budget. A conference committee will now be appointed so that differences between the House and Senate versions can be reconciled.