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Georgia lawmakers on Monday face their first serious deadline of the 2016 legislative session as the House and Senate convene for the daylong crush known as Crossover Day. Among high-profile proposals on the bubble: casinos, tax cuts and an expansion of the state's medical marijuana law.
What is Crossover Day, anyway?
The 30th day of the 40-day legislative session is the last day for bills to move from one chamber to the other — that is, to cross over — and still have a clear path to becoming law this year. It’s created by a Senate rule. While parliamentary maneuvering can keep a bill alive past Crossover Day, making it from one side of the Capitol to the other by the end of Monday makes final passage in 2016 much more likely.
Issues to watch
Casinos: High-stakes gambling is banned in Georgia, but a full-court press by proponents has two measures on the cusp. House Bill 677 would create up to four "destination" casinos in Georgia. A companion piece, House Resolution 807, proposes a constitutional amendment to allow casino gaming in Georgia if voters approve the plan in November. Both are up for a vote Monday in the House, but they would still need sign-off by the Senate.
Tax cut: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Judson Hill, R-Marietta, has what he thinks is just the ticket for Georgians: Senate Resolution 756 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would make a small reduction in the state's 6 percent maximum income tax rate if the state has relatively full reserves and revenue collections continue to rise. It's up for a vote Monday in the Senate.
Medical marijuana: A committee change last week crushed supporters of expanding the state's new law when language to allow in-state cultivation got cut from House Bill 722. But the bill would still expand the list of medical conditions that can be treated with cannabis oil in Georgia, including HIV/AIDS, epidermolysis bullosa, post-traumatic stress disorder and Tourette's syndrome. It's on the House calendar for Monday.
What to expect
The action starts in the House and Senate at 10 a.m. The Senate has at least 23 bills that could see floor debate. The House? At least 27, although the House almost certainly will add more as the day goes on. You can catch live broadcasts of the action on the Legislature's website at www.legis.ga.gov/en-US/default.aspx.
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