The Georgia General Assembly at a glance for Wednesday, Day 28 of the 2018 legislative session — crossover day:
Many, many bills: If you're planning to spend the day in the statehouse, pack snacks. On Monday, we told you about the long days ahead this week. Wednesday will be the longest day this week. The Legislature will start the day with 67 bills eligible for debate — 43 in the Senate and at least 24 in the House. The House Rules Committee will likely meet some time during the day to consider placing additional bills on the calendar. Lawmakers are working to get proposed legislation through at least one chamber by Wednesday, the administrative "deadline" for bills to move forward and still have a chance of becoming law this year. However, there is always a possibility that lawmakers can amend a bill that has "crossed over" to include something that didn't meet the deadline.
Bill tracker: Keep track of the status of the major bills making their way through the Georgia Legislature with our bill tracker. The spreadsheet of bills being monitored by Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporters will be updated in real time.
Gone to the dogs: State Sen. Renee Unterman, R-Buford, is known as an animal lover. Clad in a sweatshirt with an image of a dog in the center, Unterman handed her colleague, state Sen. John Wilkinson, R-Toccoa, a stuffed puppy during Tuesday's Rules Committee meeting. Wilkinson is sponsoring Senate Bill 418, which would prohibit local governments from banning things like the sale of dogs. Animal rights activists urge pet owners to adopt from shelters instead of purchasing them from stores, which many times get the animals from "puppy mills." Several Georgia cities already have banned pet sales.
On the record: "Every bill you boys and girls put on the books takes someone's freedom away."
—Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle after Monday’s Senate floor session where lawmakers approved 28 bills
Business days remaining in the 2018 legislative session: 12
About the Author
