The end is near: Georgia lawmakers wrap up session Thursday
The 2015 Georgia legislative session ends Thursday, and while some of the most pressing issues have already been dealt with, lawmakers have plenty of measures to consider before quitting for the year.
The Legislature must adjourn “sine die” — Latin for “without day” — by midnight, but after a marathon session on Tuesday, it’s possible the House and Senate could finish their work earlier. Still, there are plenty of bills and resolutions to keep them busy.
Among the key measures still awaiting final consideration:
- House Bill 213, which would end the requirement that MARTA spend 50 percent of its revenue on maintenance and 50 percent on operations. It was amended in the Senate late Tuesday to also allow Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties to increase its MARTA tax rate from 1 percent to 1.5 percent. The transit provider is projected to receive about $400 million in the coming fiscal year from the existing 1 percent sales tax in MARTA's jurisdictions — so passage of an additional half percent could bring in an additional $200 million more a year in sales tax receipts.
The change was part of a deal House and Senate leaders made to gain Democratic votes for the massive transportation funding bill that also passed Tuesday. HB 213 must still be approved by the House.
- House Bill 429, which now represents a compromise announced last week to guarantee insurance coverage of young children with autism. Senators have long sought to require some insurance plans to cover treatment for children with autism disorders, but the House has consistently objected. HB 429 has passed the Senate, but the House must still follow through on a deal agreed to last week.
- House Bill 110 would legalize the sale of commercial fireworks, something nearly every state that borders Georgia already allows. It was amended in the Senate, and now the House must sign off on the changes.
- House Bill 520, a cityhood bill for LaVista Hills, and House Bill 515, a cityhood bill for Tucker, have roiled DeKalb County lawmakers and residents. They come to a head Thursday, and that could mean negotiations between the House and Senate.
- House Bill 514, which would allow south Fulton County residents to form a new city, was tabled by the Senate this week. Some lawmakers say it's dead, but supporters of the proposed city say they aren't giving up.
Finally, Senate Bill 129, the "religious liberty" bill that has sparked rallies and protests and hours of debate, remains tabled in the House Judiciary Committee. Supporters have not given up hope of its return this year, but the controversy surrounding a similar Indiana law has made that increasingly unlikely.
