Sine Die Edition – Georgia Politics, Campaigns & Elections for March 28, 2013

Georgia General Assembly — Sine Die

Today is the last day of the 2013 Session of the General Assembly. Any bill not passed by both houses before today should be considered on life support – and some of them have DNR orders.

The Senate convenes at 10 AM and the House at 9:30.

Aaron Gould Sheinin and Kristina Torres with the AJC have written a good description of today’s atmosphere and maneuvering:

Conference committees: Teams of negotiators from the House and Senate continue to meet on bills that have passed both chambers but in different forms. Once an agreement is reached, no vote can happen before the compromise is printed and on lawmakers’ desks for at least one hour. That means, while the Legislature must adjourn no later than midnight, conference committee agreements must be reached before 11 p.m.

Bursts of action, periods of ease: Over the course of the day, action will ebb and flow. There could be long periods when one or both chambers stand at ease as they wait for conference committees or for a bill to come back from the other side. Those could be interrupted by mad rushes to meet looming deadlines. There may also be attempts to amend some bills by adding unrelated legislation that never made it to the floor on its own.

In some ways it’s like old-time stock car racing: adrenaline and excitement, bills held together with baling wire trying to make it over the finish line and the constant awareness that a horrible wreck is possible at any moment. The only thing missing is the smell of high octane racing fuel, though I’m told it smells just like napalm. Fear and loathing, resignation and redemption, it’s a heady mix and it’s what we political adrenaline junkies live for. Make of it what you will.

Legislative Committee Meetings

The only legislative standing committee meeting scheduled today is the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, which will meet in Senate Mezz. 1 at 9:30 AM or upon adjournment of the Republican Caucus meeting.

There will be a number of conference committee meetings today, but they tend to be ad hoc meetings more than formal committee meetings.

Senate List of Tabled Bills

Rather than a Rules Calendar, today the Senate will be working from the list of House Bills tabled on Day 39.

HB 21	Adoption; postadoption contact agreements; provide (Substitute)(JUDY-29th) Oliver-82nd
HB 139	Sheriffs; general qualification requirements; revise (Substitute) (ETHICS-27th) Hamilton-24th ENGROSSED
HB 156	Electronic pornography; certain acts amounting to unlawfully seducing or enticing a child through use of computer online service; clarify (Substitute) (JUDYNC-23rd) Neal-2nd
HB 160	Mortgages; vacant and foreclosed real property registries; revise provisions (Substitute) (Floor Amendment) (JUDY-23rd) Jacobs-80th
HB 177	Oconee River Greenway Authority; change the membership(NR&E-25th) Wilkinson-52nd
HB 179	Pharmacies; The Pharmacy Audit Bill of Rights; change certain provisions (I&L-52nd) Welch-110th
HB 182	Juvenile court administration; hearing on the order of an associate court judge; delete provisions (Substitute) (JUDY-23rd) Weldon-3rd
HB 189	Natural Resources, Department of; notify local governing authorities before making certain significant changes in park service; require (NR&E-29th) Buckner-137th
HB 199	Georgia Environmental Finance Authority; expand Georgia Reservoir Fund (NR&E-17th) Lindsey-54th
HB 211	Motor fuel excise tax; public school systems under certain circumstances; exempt (FIN-22nd) Benton-31st ENGROSSED
HB 215	Superior courts; filings in the clerk’s office; change provisions(JUDY-29th) Benton-31st
HB 226	Solid waste management; tire transportation, storage, and disposal; revise certain requirements (Substitute)(Floor Amendment) (NR&E-20th) Nix-69th
HB 238	Public School Employees Retirement System; limitation on maximum level of benefits; clarify certain provisions (RET-12th) Maxwell-17th
HB 250	Local excise tax; sale or use of energy; revise certain provisions(FIN-6th) Rice-95th ENGROSSED
HB 296	Motor vehicles; authorized to receive registration records; add certain persons (Substitute) (JUDY-53rd) Powell-32nd
HB 302	Controlled substances; substances included under Schedule I and III; add (Substitute) (H&HS-1st) Broadrick-4th
HB 320	Solid waste management; currently existing and compliant inert waste landfill operations from regulatory permitting; exempt(Substitute) (NR&E-20th) Harden-148th
HB 323	Motor vehicles; age for operation of certain commercial motor vehicle operators; modify (Substitute) (PUB SAF-7th) Powell-32nd
HB 332	Georgia Board of Nursing; reconstitute; provisions (H&HS-45th) Williamson-115th
HB 337	Elementary and secondary education; public and private schools to stock supply of auto-injectable epinephrine; authorize (ED&Y-52nd) Fleming-121st
HB 338	Georgia Council for the Arts; role of arts in economic development and other vital functions to the state; clarify (ECD-6th)(Floor Amendment) Wilkinson-52nd
HB 365	Safety belts; definition of the term”passenger vehicle” to which the safety belt law applies; modify (PUB SAF-1st) Hitchens-161st
HB 366	Peace officers; disciplining certified officers and requirements for certification; clarify application of provisions (PUB SAF-1st)Hitchens-161st
HB 382	Torts; governing authority of school that enters into recreational joint-use agreement with public or private entity; limit liability (Substitute) (JUDY-29th) Powell-171st
HB 393	Georgia Workforce Investment Board; provide for powers and duties; provisions (I&L-21st) Hamilton-24th
HB 399	Ad valorem tax; types of interests in real property maybe subject to taxation; clarify (FIN-18th) Knight-130th ENGROSSED
HB 434	Liens; mechanics and materialmen; special liens include amount due and interest on such amount; provide (Substitute)(Floor Amendment)(JUDY-27th) Weldon-3rd
HB 446	Guardian and ward; proposed ward who resided in another state prior to submission of guardianship or conservatorship petition for such proposed ward; provide certain additional notice requirements (JUDY-54th) Peake-141st
HB 451	Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit; provide for additional judge(JUDY-29th) Smyre-135th
HB 463	Motor vehicle licenses; registration rates under International Registration Plan for apportioned vehicles; change (Substitute) (FIN-6th) Rice-95th ENGROSSED
HB 480	Crimes and offenses; list of persons who may be present in courtroom when person under age of 16 testifies concerning a sex offense; add victim assistance personnel (JUDYNC-23rd) Ballinger-23rd
HB 482	Corrections, Department of; employees serving as certified peace officers may retain their weapons under certain circumstances; provide(PUB SAF-53rd) Neal-2nd
HB 486	Weight of vehicles; issuance of annual commercial wrecker emergency tow permits; provide qualifications (TRANS-51st) Roberts-155th
HB 497	Georgia Boat Safety Act; numbering and registration of vessels; revise provisions (Substitute) (NR&E-51st) Tanner-9th
HB 499	Torts; payor guidelines and criteria under federal law shall not establish legal basis for negligence or standard of care for medical malpractice; provide (JUDY-29th) Sheldon-104th
HB 506	Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit; provide for selection of chief judge (JUDY-29th) Smyre-135th
HB 511	State employees’ health insurance plan; pilot program toprovide coverage for bariatric surgical procedures for treatment and management of obesity; provide (Substitute) (H&HS-45th) Dempsey-13th
HB 517	Alcohol; local control of distance requirements of grocery stores and other licensees for retail sale of wine and malt beverages near college campuses; provide (Substitute) (RI&U-47th) Williams-119th ENGROSSED
HR 73	Word, Mr. Lathan Rydell; compensate (APPROP-38th) Hugley-136th
HR 411	Trooper Lieutenant Joseph “Joey” Keith Boatright Memorial Bridge; Carroll County; dedicate (TRANS-51st) Hightower-68th
HR 603	Community Health, Department of; collect and report certain data relating to bariatric surgical procedures; direct (H&HS) Dempsey-13th

 

State Budget FY 2014 – the only Constitutional requirement for the General Assembly has been saved for final passage today. Even when it’s not on the floor, it will loom large until it is passed, and could go into the night. Without a final budget, the General Assembly cannot adjourn, but once it’s reached final passage, they’re free to call it a day and flee Atlanta.

Ethics – whether a deal is reached on the Speaker’s ethics bill rests largely on the shoulders of the conference committee members: Shafer, Chance, and Mullis for the Senate; Meadows, Golick, and O’Neal for the House.

Tea Party Patriots, in an attempt to ratchet-up the pressure on conferees, asked the four candidates for Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party for their thoughts on the issue of defining lobbyists. Here’s a sampling of what they said:

B.J. VANGUNDY – I believe, however, that forcing grassroots activists to register as lobbyists is beyond the scope of what ethics reform under the Gold Dome should entail. It is my hope that this provision is removed so that the legislature can move forward with passing ethics reform that doesn’t squelch the voices of concerned citizens that are spending their own time and money to voice their opinions on legislation.

JOHN PADGETT – The grassroots members of the Georgia Republican Party have been crystal clear in their strong support for real ethics reform. Any effort that stalls real ethics reforms or places obstacles in the way of citizens being involved in the governing process is just plain wrong.

ALEX JOHNSON – It is clear what a small number of people in the legislature are doing. Propose an unpalatable ethics bill. Have it amended and argued so it’s still unpalatable. Get down to the very final deadline and offer two choices: vote for a bad bill that hurts grassroots activists and every citizen of the state, or vote against it and thereby look like people don’t care about ethics reform. Either way, ethics and involved citizens of Georgia lose. Wealthy lobbyists and donors win.

SETH HARP – The idea that citizen groups are to be treated as lobbyist is patently unconstitutional. I think the idea of these types of restrictions is intended to kill the bill and thus sink the entire reform movement. It is simply unconscionable to me that any individual citizen would be forced to register with the state to exercise their Constitutional rights to free speech and freedom of assembly to petition their government which their tax dollars fund in the first place.

Concealed Carry – again the issue breaks down to a peeing contest philosophical difference between the Senate, which prefers the NRA-backed Senate Bill 101, and the House, which passed House Bill 512, which is preferred by organizations to the right of the NRA. I don’t think the phrase “organizations to the right of the NRA” has ever been used before in the history of the English language.

Abortion and the State Health Benefits Plan – after the Senate added language to House Bill 246 that would prevent state-funded health insurance from covering abortions, the House has yet to take action. Governor Deal has signaled his support for the measure, and I think the House is unlikely to prevent the Governor from having this added to his list of accomplishments headed into his reelection next year.

Video poker – after a quiet start, House Bill 487 to allow the Lottery board to regulate video gambling became a hot button issue for organized Conservatives and has ping-ponged back and forth between the chambers. It’s currently in conference committee with Senators Renee Unterman, Butch Miller and Charlie Bethel and State Reps. Matt Ramsey, Christian Coomer and Al Williams.

Electoral Musical Chairs

Congressman Phil Gingrey announced his 2014 Senate campaign with stops in Augusta and Atlanta.

You can watch the entire Atlanta announcement here.

At 10:30 this morning, former Congressman Bob Barr will make a political announcement at Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna. While the media advisory doesn’t give any hints as to the nature of the announcement two weeks ago, Barr stated:

“It is certainly my strong intention to run for Congress, but I would not make a formal announcement before my good friend and the current 11th District Congressman, Phil Gingrey, formally announces his intentions.”

Visit the GaPundit.com website at around 10:45 today for video.

Yesterday, State Rep. Edward Lindsey (R-Buckhead), who serves as Republican Whip, emailed that he is still considering a run for Congress in the 11th District.

After the session concludes, my wife Elizabeth and I plan to sit down with our three college age sons and our friends to decide if a campaign for Congress is in our future.

If I decide to run, I will wage a campaign which listens to the needs of the people in the 11th District and fights to insure that their voice is heard in Washington.

Within the two next weeks, I will make my final decision. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated by me, Elizabeth, and our boys.