Gov. Nathan Deal isn't getting much of a victory lap this legislative session in his final year in office.
His push for a jet fuel tax break that would benefit Delta is in jeopardy. The final package of his criminal justice overhaul won't likely be a cakewalk. And he could be once again forced to decide whether to nix contentious "religious liberty" legislation.
Not so long ago, the most divisive issue under the Gold Dome was a now-settled fight to update Georgia's outdated adoption code. Now, with a key legislative deadline looming, the Deal administration must tackle simmering debates on a range of new fronts.
Let's start with the tiff that erupted over the weekend. Delta's decision to sever marketing ties with the National Rifle Association has complicated the Atlanta-based airline's push to restore a lucrative jet fuel tax exemption.
The break is tied to a broader tax-cut measure that has already passed the House and Deal has publicly vouched for it. But outrage over Delta's break with the NRA may have ignited a GOP revolt in the Senate. Several candidates for higher office – including three GOP contenders for governor – oppose it.
Delta's lobbyists tried to stanch the outrage and Deal's administration has signaled it still supports the measure. But that doesn't mean it's secure. Several Republican senators said over the weekend they expect to see an effort to strip the tax break this week.
The governor easily cleared his first hurdle on Monday when the Senate unanimously voted for his final criminal justice push. That initiative would loosen requirements for cash bail and give local authorities more discretion to issue citations for some low-level offenses.
That measure has run into fervent opposition from some local law enforcement officials, and several substitute measures have sought to address their concerns.
But the biggest wild card may involve a bill that would allow some adoption agencies to reject gay couples. Amid fierce opposition from Democrats and corporate boosters, it easily cleared the Georgia Senate last week with a push from Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.
At first, it seemed destined to have little chance across the hall, where House Speaker David Ralston has for the last year firmly opposed other bills flavored with religious liberty provisions.
But Ralston didn’t slam the door shut on the proposal, saying through a spokesman it would be given “due consideration.” Several House Republicans said privately they are pressuring Ralston to allow it to a floor vote.
That would set up another dicey scenario for Deal, who vetoed a broader religious liberty measure in 2016.
He has not yet outlined his views on this adoption bill, but he seems likely to oppose it. Georgia's bid for Amazon's second headquarters – the tech giant wants a "cultural community fit" – makes a veto seem even more certain.
That doesn’t mean Deal relishes the chance to cap his final legislative session with another divisive veto that bucks his own party. He’d presumably rather hash out an alternative with lawmakers or avoid the debate altogether.
Which means he has his work cut out for him over the next month.
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