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Another busy and late day in the books under the Gold Dome.
Wednesday started off on a high note, as lawmakers were treated to grilled PB&J sandwiches this morning in honor of Georgia peanut day. You can see more of PB&J Day under the Gold Dome by adding AJCnews on Snapchat.
Both the House and Senate were in session past 6 p.m. today with a full load of bills on their agendas.
Now onto some major things that happened at the Georgia Capitol today that you should know:
1. The Georgia House voted 104-65 to approve an amended "religious liberty" bill along party lines. [It's a culmination of two years of debate, attacks, counter-attacks and emotional rhetoric, and the fears of corporate leaders and gay rights advocates that it could legalize discrimination in Georgia.]
2. A major MARTA expansion proposal that was crippled just weeks ago took a giant leap forward today. [The bill carves Fulton County into two districts, thus allowing the city of Atlanta to levy a half-percent sales tax if voters approve the idea in a referendum.]
3. Georgia Senate leaders found a way around their colleagues' initial squeamishness about passing a controversial minimum commission bill. [The move came two days after the same committee stalled House Bill 838 when four members recused themselves because they work in the insurance industry.]
4. State Sen. Rene Unterman doubled down on her opposition to a bill that would require untested DNA evidence in sexual assault cases to be sent to state forensic labs today. [Even as Georgia House Speaker David Ralston ratcheted up pressure by weighing in to support the stalled bill.]
5. The Senate approved a 10 percent cut in top state income tax rates Wednesday, the second tax cut bill the chamber has approved in recent weeks. [The Senate earlier approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would lower the top rate if the state meets certain revenue projections and builds up reserves.]
6. Georgia's House has for the second time advanced a bill that would bar immigrants without legal status from serving on local commissions, councils and boards. [Critics of the bill point out that proponents have not been able to cite examples where immigrants without papers have been appointed to local boards in Georgia.]
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