Here Are The Georgia Bills To Watch In 2014

ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers now have their sights set firmly on March 20 when the 40-day 2014 legislative session will end, and they are sprinting to the finish. The legislature engaged in a bill-passing marathon Monday, and now each chamber is taking a look at the other chamber’s bills.

Georgia lawmakers are sprinting to the end of the 2014 legislative session.

The legislature engaged in a bill-passing marathon Monday, and now each chamber is taking a look at the other chamber’s bills.

Among the hundreds of measures that have a chance at passage into law this year, one proposal would place a monument to the Ten Commandments in a prominent spot at the Capitol. Another would bar the state from levying ad valorem taxes. There’s also a bill adding a high deductible option to the state employee healthcare plan.

But which ones are the biggies?

Lots Of Bills But Only A Few Count

And here’s a list of important bills that passed Monday:

*Medical Marijuana: On the House side, lawmakers passed a bill that would legalize medical marijuana for treatment of a rare and disabling seizure disorder. Some lawmakers have voiced opposition because the cannabis oil in question is an untested drug that’s not approved for this use by the Food and Drug Administration.

*The Federal Abortion Mandate Opt-Out: the Senate passed a bill that would nix coverage of abortion under the state employee healthcare plan or any plan purchased through a state healthcare exchange under the Affordable Care Act.

*Medicaid Expansion: the House passed a measure that would strip the Governor’s office of the power to expand Medicaid rolls.

*The Georgia Health Care Freedom and ACA Noncompliance: the House passed a bill that would block the local implementation of the Affordable Healthcare Act. That means no state agency could use its resources to carry out any of the mandates in the federal healthcare reform law.

*Welfare recipient drug-testing: the House passed a bill that would require applicants for welfare to take a drug test to receive the benefits. A similar law is already on the books in Georgia, but has been held up by the courts. This bill will tempt a constitutional challenge if it passes and that makes it important with a capital I.