ATLANTA, Ga. â The closing bell of the 2021 General Assembly is set to toll on March 31 â Sine Die â giving state lawmakers only a handful of days to debate and act upon legislation before the 40-day session concludes.
The long list of bills under consideration at the start of the session in January was significantly narrowed after Crossover Day on March 8.
The 30th day of the 40-day session is the deadline for bills to pass out of at least one chamber, House or Senate, to be considered in that session.
In a session dominated by debate over voting rights and gambling, education bills still garnered attention. Consensus formed around Gov. Brian Kempâs budget bill which restored previous cuts to funding, but deep divides remain over vouchers for private schools, transgender rights in high school sports, charter school funding and other issues that appear annually.
The time change has become a familiar ax for some to grind savannahnow.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from savannahnow.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
WA Magazine Ban Dies, Open Carry Bill Up for Hearing Ammoland Inc. Posted on
A bill to ban so-called “high capacity magazines” in Washington State has apparently died, disappointing Seattle-based gun prohibitionists.
U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Washington State gun prohibitionists are singing the blues while gun rights activists are cheering because a bill to restrict access to so-called “high-capacity magazines” did not get a vote before a March 9 deadline, effectively killing it for the current legislative session.
In an email blast to supporters, the billionaire-backed Alliance for Gun Responsibility was moping.
“We are sharing some disappointing news,” the Seattle-based gun prohibition lobbying group said. “SB 5078, our bill to restrict access to high-capacity magazines, was not voted on before yesterday’s house of origin cutoff, which means it will not be moving forward this session.
Floor Action
The House took up the following measure today:
SB 4 - Drug Abuse Treatment and Education Programs; patient brokering; prohibit; definitions; exceptions; penalties; provide PASSED 151-0
The Senate took up the following measures today:
SB 274 - Bartow County; homestead exemption; school district ad valorem taxes for educational purposes; provide PASSED 51-0
SB 275 - Bartow County School District Ad Valorem Taxes; homestead exemption; increase exemption amount PASSED 51-0
Committee Reports
Senate Judiciary Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Brian Strickland (R-McDonough), met late Wednesday to consider the following legislation:
HB 112, authored by Representative Trey Kelley (R-Cedartown), amends multiple Code sections to extend COVID-19 liability protections for one year from their current expiration on July 14, 2021, to July 14, 2022.
The 96
th Legislature is nearing its end but how the final days go is still up in the air.
Leadership in both parties agree the final day of the main run of session will occur Thursday as scheduled. Leaders in both chambers say things are looking good for an early to mid afternoon adjournment, but no one wants to jinx it just yet.
HB1100, the Medical Marijuana bill, is expected to take center stage again Wednesday. The bill was heavily amended in the Senate and now goes back to the House floor where it’s expected to receive a lengthy debate. A House/Senate conference committee seems likely as the two chambers work out how to best implement medical marijuana in the state.