Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

But sharp rifts remained over other measures during the do-or-die day. Lawmakers bickered for weeks before deciding against scaling back lucrative Georgia incentives that have made the state a haven for film and TV projects.

Another issue that elicited emotional debate was a measure to ban puberty-delaying medications and hormone therapy for transgender youths. The Senate adopted the restrictions by a 32-19 vote, but it never passed the House.

Republicans muscled through a broad elections bill that would reinforce rules allowing activists to challenge voters’ eligibility, eliminate counting ballots with computer QR codes and strengthen ballot security requirements. But they pulled back on more sweeping changes to voting rules.

Also left on the cutting room floor was a controversial initiative to place a statue of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, a Georgia native, on the grounds of the Statehouse complex. Democrats strenuously opposed honoring the conservative judge, the longest-serving justice on the High Court.

Many of the most divisive measures were passed at the urging of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the Senate, which has become a launching pad for socially conservative measures, but blocked in the more moderate House.

As House Speaker Jon Burns put it shortly after he banged the final gavel of the session at 12:59 a.m. Friday: “Some folks choose politics, the House chooses results.”

Jones, who is appealing to his party’s activist base ahead of a likely 2026 run for governor, had victories as well. That includes a school voucher program championed in the Senate and a push to rollback hospital regulations that caused a rift in last year’s session.

“These issues are a marathon, not a sprint,” Jones said, “and we’ll continue to build on our accomplishments year after year to enact policies that lift up the middle class and fight back against radical Democrats’ insanity.”

Democrats seemed more frustrated than ever after a last-ditch push to extend health care insurance to more Georgians came up short on Thursday. A vote last week on a Medicaid expansion measure that failed to emerge from a gridlocked state Senate committee wound up the closest they got to the long-sought goal. Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler, the chamber’s top Democrat, accused Republicans of reneging on a deal.

”We had an agreement to get it to the committee, vote it out of the committee and at least get it to the floor,” she told the Politically Georgia Podcast. “But that broke down.“

Gov. Brian Kemp, meanwhile, stressed the bipartisan nature of many of the measures that have already reached his desk.

“We will need that same cooperation and teamwork throughout this election year,” he said, “if we are to continue delivering the needs of hardworking Georgians.”

In the run-up to Thursday, Kemp approved measures to combat antisemitism and give a state commission power to punish “rogue” prosecutors. Other measures to loosen hospital regulations, speed up income tax cuts and require cash bail for 30 new crimes passed both chambers before Thursday.

‘Frankenbill’ frenzy

Thursday was a day tinged with emotion. David Cook, who has served as the secretary of the Senate since 2013, announced he was retiring in September. In a tearful farewell, he thanked lawmakers, his friends and relatives for trusting in him.

Elsewhere in the Capitol, there were tears shed for retiring lawmakers and bursts of camaraderie. Republican state Rep. Marcus Wiedower compared Day 40 to the final day of summer camp, with legislators emotional about leaving “family” but eager to return home.

As always, there was a hurry-up-and-wait feeling. Strangely quiet lulls were interspersed with furious bouts of legislating. Lawmakers prepared to vote on stacks of bills they didn’t have time to read. And tempers flared, especially between the House and Senate, as lawmakers again blew past a midnight deadline.

One of the biggest flashpoints revolved around the massive spending bill — the sole piece of legislation that must be passed before the final gavel. Lawmakers waited until just before midnight to vote on the spending plan.

Some of the most contentious measures were glommed together into a “Frankenbill” — a term used to describe a bill that has had other unrelated measures attached to it, most likely because they failed to survive the Crossover Day cutoff.

In its new form, what was a first-term Democrat’s suicide-prevention measure had four unrelated culture war items tacked to it.

The legislation included provisions that would restrict transgender students from using bathrooms or locker rooms that don’t align with their gender identity. Another called for a system to allow parents to be notified every time their child checks a book or item out from a school library.

Those measures, along with other red-meat efforts adopted by the Senate, were blocked in the House, where Burns and his allies have served as a more moderate counterbalance to Jones.

”Look, we know there are some social issues that are important to Georgians,” Burns said. “There are some we embraced, but we also know the timing maybe wasn’t right today for some of those issues.”

It also apparently wasn’t the right time to pass a sports betting bill that cleared the Senate with bipartisan backing. The House didn’t take up the issue Thursday despite the backing of a bipartisan coalition, business boosters and Atlanta sports teams.

Credit: TNS

Credit: TNS

Meanwhile, short-term restrictions on mining near the Okefenokee Swamp failed to pass.

The House overwhelmingly adopted the measure amid outcry over an effort by Twin Pines Minerals to establish a 582-acre mine on the fringes of the swamp that has sparked a national conservation campaign.

Though it wouldn’t prevent the mine from going forward, it would have paused permitting of new mines that use the same sort of “dragline” technique that the Alabama company plans to employ. But it never reached a vote in the Senate amid sharp pushback from GOP leaders.

“Those are decisions that shouldn’t be made by political entities. Those are decisions that should be made by regulatory agencies,” Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch told the “Politically Georgia” podcast on Thursday.

Another major debate revolved around immigration measures that gained traction after the slaying of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student. A Venezuelan national who authorities say entered the U.S. illegally is charged with her killing.

GOP leaders have invoked Riley’s death to push a slate of changes. House Bill 1105, which passed late Thursday, would require law enforcement officers to verify the immigration status of people they arrest and cooperate with federal authorities.

With little power to make or break legislation on their own, Democrats looked for opportunities to make their mark in other ways.

Democratic leaders encouraged their caucus to take up delaying tactics and vote en masse against key proposals to protest a refusal to boost Medicaid. State Rep. Michelle Au, a Johns Creek physician, was among many Democrats who made a final plea for Republicans to back an expansion.

“You ran for office. You chose to lead,” Au said. “Why are you still so afraid? What are you waiting for?”