State lawmakers have returned from their week-long spring break, but House Speaker Glenn Richardson says he wants the part-time legislature to go home for good.
"I see no reason to continue to perpetuate this session," Richardson told the Georgia House. "It’s time to get our work done and adopt the budgets and go back to our families and businesses."
Richardson says he wants to wrap up the session on Friday, April 20, even if the House and Senate cannot agree on the budget. The chambers are at odds discretionary spending in the 2007 amended budget, which contains millions of dollars in emergency funds for the bankrupt Peachcare child health plan and tornado-stricken central Georgia. The Senate has accused the House of padding the document. Meanwhile, neither chamber has voted on the budget for the 2008 fiscal year, which begins on June 1.
As they wait to address the big-ticket items, House members are voting on little. The chamber passed just one item Tuesday: a resolution sponsored by Rep. Mike Cheokas (D-Americus) urging Turkey to recognize the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians.
"This resolution is a small way that we can promote our values and our faith in God in other countries," Cheokas explained.
"I see no reason to continue to perpetuate this session," Richardson told the Georgia House. "It’s time to get our work done and adopt the budgets and go back to our families and businesses."
Richardson says he wants to wrap up the session on Friday, April 20, even if the House and Senate cannot agree on the budget. The chambers are at odds discretionary spending in the 2007 amended budget, which contains millions of dollars in emergency funds for the bankrupt Peachcare child health plan and tornado-stricken central Georgia. The Senate has accused the House of padding the document. Meanwhile, neither chamber has voted on the budget for the 2008 fiscal year, which begins on June 1.
As they wait to address the big-ticket items, House members are voting on little. The chamber passed just one item Tuesday: a resolution sponsored by Rep. Mike Cheokas (D-Americus) urging Turkey to recognize the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians.
"This resolution is a small way that we can promote our values and our faith in God in other countries," Cheokas explained.
