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On Thursday, the state Capitol focus will remain on the budget, but there's a chance we could get final passage of the first bill of the year.
The measure would move the date of the state primaries to May 20, the earliest on record, in order to match the dates set for congressional contests ordered by a federal judge.
To fast-track it, the change was tacked onto an existing bill that has already passed the Senate. All the House needs to do is "agree."
Passage would give teeth to the push to finish this 40-day session in (relatively) record time. Here's a measure of how radical change this is: In 1970, when Jimmy Carter defeated Carl Sanders in the Democratic primary, votes were cast in the month of September.
On the budget front, agency heads will talk fast to justify the dollars assigned them by the governor, while lawmakers, lobbyists and reporters will be dissecting Nathan Deal's budget to see what goodies are hidden within.
Meanwhile, the panel once known as the state ethics commission has called a meeting for 11 a.m., but has been rather shy when it comes stating the purpose of the gathering.
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