Deja vu: Transportation funding may be dead in '09

Two days left to go in the 2009 legislative session and the General Assembly remains at odds over how to fund transportation improvements both in the rural and metro areas of the state. And, with the hours winding down to sine die 2009, it appears a solution to transportation gridlock may not be possible.

The House wants a statewide transportation funding mechanism. The Senate wants a regional approach.

But as time runs out, the opportunity for compromise may soon be lost.

Senator Jeff Mullis chairs the Senate Transportation Committee.

"If we want to pass something out of the General Assembly this year, the House has got to agree with where the Senate is. It's the only way we get something. Tomorrow is the last day that we have a chance to do anything. The 40th day, that is just no way to pass a major bill. You saw what happened last year, it'll be the same scenario."

What happened last year was a transportation funding bill died minutes before midnight when the senate fell three votes short of a consensus.

Late last week, a House Transportation Committee appeared to reach a compromise on funding when it agreed to let voters decide. If voters said no to a statewide tax, neighboring communities could choose a regional Plan.

Georgia Nears English-Only Driver's Tests

The Georgia Legislature could soon require driver's license applicants to take the written portion of the test in English only. The plan, which the House adopted 104-58 Monday, would likely make Georgia the only state to have such a rule. The Senate has already adopted a similar version. It would go to Gov. Sonny Perdue after the chambers hash out minor differences. The exams are now conducted in about a dozen languages, including Spanish, Korean, Polish and Japanese.

Final Stretch For State Lawmakers

It is down the stretch in the 2009 Georgia Legislative session--only three days remain, and it promises to be busy at the State Capitol this week.

Lawmakers must come to agreement on a new state budget topping $18 billion. The House already has passed its version, and the Senate as of now is scheduled to vote on it Wednesday. There's also a pair of transportation bills still on the table for House and Senate conference-committees to delve into.

To give a sense as to how busy these final days will be, the Senate has more than 30 bills up for consideration today, with the House somewhere over 20 to look at.

For all the latest on the General Assembly, be sure to check back with GPB Radio this afternoon during All Things Considered and Georgia Gazette. Also, for news anytime, you can access our Georgia News blog, by logging onto gpb.org.

Crossover Day Arrives

Crunch-time has arrived for state lawmakers in the General Assembly session. Today is 'Crossover Day', the final chance for a bill with a start in one chamber to pass to the other chamber for a vote.

Among the issues and legislation to watch: In the House, a battle is on-tap over the proposal to do-away-with the yearly property tax on cars and trucks. Over in the Senate, it's gearing for a fight over legislation to restrict embryonic stem cell research in Georgia.

To follow the dozens of bills on this frenzied Day-30 of the Session, be sure to check back with state news this afternoon and on tonight’s Georgia Gazette on GPB Radio. You can also check our Georgia News Blog anytime by going to gpb.org.

Grocery Tax Likely Dead For '09

The proposal to tack a four-percent sales tax on groceries in Georgia appears dead for this General Assembly session. House leaders polled many in their chamber and determined late Tuesday that lawmakers would not feel good to back a return to taxes on food--in particular during tough economic times. This reverses the earlier plan for the measure to get debate today in House rules committee and possibly move for a vote Thursday. Under the plan, Georgians who file state income tax returns would have received a credit to make up for paying the grocery tax. Visitors to Georgia and illegal immigrants and others who don’t file state income tax returns would have paid the tax and not received that credit.

This Week's Legislative Preview

Tuesday, February 24, 2009 marks day twenty-two of the Georgia General Assembly’s 2009 legislative session. Here is a preview of some of the legislation coming up for debate in the state House and Senate this week.

• Under a proposal now being considered by the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee, the state would no longer enroll new members in Medicaid and PeachCare. Instead, Senate Bill 92 calls for the state to enroll low income residents in approved private health plans with the state picking up part of the premium costs. The proposal also includes an incentive plan where costs may be reduced for individuals who participate in certain health improvement initiatives.
• Also in the Senate this week … a proposed universal school voucher plan is being considered in the youth education committee. The measure would let parents enroll their children is any public or private school and expands the existing special needs voucher program to all public school students.
  

From the House side …

• H.B. 233 calls for a two year moratorium on increases in ad valorem taxes.
  During the two year period ending in 2011, every parcel of real property in the state will be reassessed at least once. The measure is up for consideration in this Senate this week.
• Finally, with projected 2009 revenue down more than 400 million dollars, the House is expected to approve a pair of budget bills this week. First is Governor Sonny Perdue’s midyear adjustment to the 2009 budget. House Bill 118 goes before the full House later this week and includes more than 400 million dollars to fund the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant to local governments. The second budget bill … HB 119 … for fiscal year 2010 currently still includes the Governor’s recommendations for a one point six percent tax on hospitals.

Transportation Gets Lawmakers' Focus

The issue of how to fund transportation is expected to take the center-lane for state lawmakers early this week. The General Assembly session continues today with the proposal to raise the state sales tax by one-percent to be unveiled by the House Transportation Chairman. A full Senate vote could come Tuesday. The alternative is expected to get a Senate vote tomorrow as well--the proposal to allow individual counties to vote on raising their local taxes for transportation projects.

Other legislation to look for this week at the Capitol—a voucher bill that would give parents a check they can use to pay tuition for their children to attend private schools.

You can get updates on the General Assembly session anytime on this web page. You can also get the latest on GPB Radio every morning and afternoon.

Legislation Targets Strip Clubs

Some state lawmakers are hitting the main stage with a proposal to tax patrons of strip clubs in Georgia. The proposed "pole tax" would be used to help offset steep budget cuts to state programs for sex abuse victims. Lawmakers on Thursday will also propose raising the minimum age for exotic dancers in the state from 18 to 21.

The proposals came from a study committee that looked last year at the growing problem of child prostitution in Georgia. Texas imposed a similar strip club fee in 2008 that a judge declared unconstitutional. Georgia sponsors say they have addressed those concerns in the state bill.

Unity Begins the 2009 Legislative Session

Democrats in the Georgia State Legislature opened the first day of the 2009 session with a sign of unity. With Republicans holding a majority of seats in the House, Republican Speaker Glenn Richardson was re-elected – but not with the usual “yeas” or “nays.” He was elected by process of acclamation, where no formal vote was held.
Minority Leader Dubose Porter says Democrats in Georgia are taking a page from President-elect Barack Obama.

"We, at this important crossroads in Georgia's history, want to show just as our president-elect in Washington is putting the country's welfare ahead of partisan politics, we too, the Democratic caucus in Georgia, put aside the partisan rancor and ask that we move forward with the work of this state."

The gesture did not go unnoticed by Republicans. Majority Leader Jerry Keen says that both sides of the House need to work together as the Democratic-controlled government will soon begin helping the states' ailing budgets.

Lawmakers expect long final day of General Assembly

It is expected to be a long and busy day on this 40th and final day of the Georgia General Assembly session. Under the Gold Dome, lawmakers will try to push through as many of the 300-or-so bills as they can to Governor Sonny Perdue’s desk. The 21.2 billion dollar state budget for fiscal 2009 must get hammered-out. Perdue has already requested lawmakers cut out 245-million dollars in spending. A new challenge for the budget was the news from Thursday that state tax collections were down 1.6 percent, or 19-million dollars in March--from the same time last year.

Stay with GPB for all the latest from the Capitol on this final day. GPB Radio will have news updates this afternoon during All Things Considered at 4pm, and again at 6pm during Georgia Gazette. You can get Capitol updates anytime by clicking our website gpb.org, and going to the Georgia News page.