Session Review 2010

The 2010 session of the Georgia General Assembly has drawn to a close. Wondering how the actions of the legislature might affect you and your family? Be sure and tune in for “Lawmakers: Session Review 2010” at 7 PM tonight. Hosted by Lawmakers’ co-anchor Susan Hoffman, this special journalists’ roundtable features Tom Crawford of The Georgia Report, Sandra Parrish of WSB-Radio and Jim Galloway, the AJC’s Political Insider. Only on GPB.

Day 40- April 29, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, the FY 2011 budget conference committee report gains final passage; two bills restricting the use of cell phones while driving- texting for adults and all use for those under 18- receive final passage; and we’ll check in live with Tom Crawford of The Georgia Report for the latest from under the gold dome. All that and more tonight.

Lawmakers Day 40 Programs Tonight!

It's the 40th and final day of the Georgia General Assembly. Be sure and watch GPB's Lawmakers program tonight at 7 PM for all the latest from under the gold dome. If the legislature adjourns Sine Die after 7 PM, Lawmakers will also also broadcast LIVE at 11 PM for a Sine Die 2010 special!

Day 39- April 27, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, a bill requiring the use of seatbelts in all vehicles- including pickup trucks- gains final passage; two bills restricting the use of cell phones while driving pass the House and Senate; and a measure requiring state documents to be issued only in English generates debate in the House. All that and more tonight.

Day 38- April 21, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, the Senate passes the FY 2011 Budget; developments continue in the challenge by House Democratic leaders over the legality of last week’s passage of the Fees bill; and conferees reportedly reach a compromise on a transportation funding plan. All that and more tonight.

Day 37- April 20, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, the FY 2011 Budget passes out of the Senate Appropriations Committee; House Democratic leaders challenge the legality of last week’s passage of the Fees bill; and a conference committee meets to work on a transportation funding plan. All that and more tonight.

Day 36- April 14, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, final passage to a bill that would increase fees for business with the State, the measure is amended to phase out the State portion of ad valorem property taxes over a period of 5 years; the House passes the FY 2011 Budget; and the Senate expands tax exemptions for CMOs servicing Medicaid contracts. All that and more tonight.

Day 35- April 13, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, the FY 2011 Budget passes out of House committee- it’s expected on the House Floor tomorrow; a hotel/motel tax to fund a replacement for the Georgia Dome passes the Senate; and Governor Sonny Perdue appoints a special Attorney General to pursue the State’s federal healthcare lawsuit. All that and more tonight.

Day 34- April 12, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, retribution over “no” votes on the hospital provider fee as several Senators are stripped of committee chairmanships and leadership roles; Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine says he will not implement the first phase of the new federal healthcare legislation; a bill that would require the use of seatbelts in pickup trucks clears a House committee hurdle; and we’ll talk with Tom Crawford of The Georgia Report to get us up to speed after the week-long recess. All that and more tonight.

Day 33- April 1, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, Governor Sonny Perdue's proposed hospital provider tax fuels long and heated debate in the Senate; an update on Ethics reform legislation; the Senate passes a measure that would allow local school systems to increase class sizes in an effort to save money in a lean budget year; legislation that would prevent so-called "double dipping" by State retirees working on contract passes the Senate; ant it's the end of another legislative week, we'll check in with Tom Crawford of The Georgia Report.

Day 32- March 31, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, differences between both chambers and both parties cause budget hang-ups; so-called common sense provisions are added to zero tolerance legislation in committee; the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, or GALEO, holds a rally at the Capitol to encourage the adoption of Cesar Chavez Day; and our leadership series of interviews continues with House Democratic Whip Representative Carolyn Hughley. All that and more tonight.

Day 31- March 30, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, Republicans and Democrats try to work out their differences over Governor Sonny Perdue's hospital provider tax proposal, touching off a slow down in the FY 2011 budget process; the regional transportation funding proposal hangs on in conference committee; Representative Mark Hatfield files legislation to begin impeachment proceedings against Attorney General Thurbert Baker; and Tom Crawford of The Georgia Report catches us up on the last of the Crossover day action. All that and more tonight.

Day 30- March 26, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, it's the crucial 30th legislative day, also known as Crossover Day, this is the deadline for legislation to pass out of its chamber of origination, we'll have the latest; the House passes Governor Sonny Perdue's hospital provider tax; House Speaker David Ralston's ethics reform bill is expected to come for a vote; the Senate passes a measure making it a crime to coerce abortion for any reason; and it's the end of another legislative week, which means it's time to check in with Tom Crawford of The Georgia Report. All that and more tonight.

Day 29- March 24, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, Governor Sonny Perdue plans to pursue legal action against the federal government- without the help of the Attorney General; concerns are raised over the House Appropriations Committee’s passage of the hospital provider tax; the Senate debates the “Common Sense Carry Act” to clarify the places licensed gun owners can carry their weapons; legislation that would require the use of seat belts in pickup trucks passes the Senate; and our leadership series of interviews continues with House Majority Whip Edward Lindsey; All that and more tonight.

Day 28- March 22, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, the House fails to pass a Constitutional Amendment in opposition to federal healthcare legislation; the Georgia Hospital Association announces it now supports Governor Sonny Perdue’s plan to implement a 1.6% hospital provider tax to help shore up the Medicaid budget; a bill that would allow the Governor to delay implementation of national cap and trade regulations passes the Senate; and the Georgia State Supreme Court declares tort reform caps enacted in 2005 unconstitutional. All that and more tonight.

New Legislative Schedule

The Georgia General Assembly today voted to adopt a new adjournment resolution. Senate Resolution 1322 sets the following schedule for the legislature in the coming weeks:

Monday, March 22 LEGISLATIVE DAY 28
Tuesday, March 23 IN RECESS
Wednesday, March 24 LEGISLATIVE DAY 29
Thursday, March 25 IN RECESS
Friday, March 26 LEGISLATIVE DAY 30 (Crossover Day)

Monday, March 29 IN RECESS
Tuesday, March 30 LEGISLATIVE DAY 31
Wednesday, March 31 LEGISLATIVE DAY 32
Thursday, April 1 LEGISLATIVE DAY 33
Friday, April 2 IN RECESS

Monday, April 5 IN RECESS
Tuesday, April 6 IN RECESS
Wednesday, April 7 IN RECESS
Thursday, April 8 IN RECESS
Friday, April 9 IN RECESS

Monday, April 12 LEGISLATIVE DAY 34

Be sure and tune in to Lawmakers on GPB every night that the General Assembly is in session for Lawmakers at 7 PM.

Day 27- March 18, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, the Senate passes a measure making it illegal to text while driving; a bill that supporters say puts common sense into zero tolerance laws clears the Senate; regional transportation funding in the form of transportation special local option sales taxes, or T-SPLOSTs, takes an important step as it clears House committee; and it’s the end of another legislative week- that means it’s time to check in with Tom Crawford of The Georgia Report. All that and more tonight.

Day 26- March 17, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, a bill that would allow Georgia’s Governor to appoint the Commissioners of Labor, Insurance and Agriculture as well as the State School Superintendent passes out of committee; an amendment aimed to thwart federal healthcare legislation fails to pass the Senate; a bill that intends to capture unreported taxes at point of sale from business owners passes the House; and our leadership series of interviews continues with Senate President Pro Tem Tommie Williams. All that and more tonight.

Special Broadcast Times TONIGHT

Lawmakers will not be seen on GPB tonight, Wednesday, March 17, at 7 pm due to special coverage of the Georgia Tech Inventure prize. You can watch Lawmakers live at 7 pm on GPB Knowledge, which is available to most cable customers and on digital tuners at point 3 of your dial. For example, 8.3 in Atlanta or 20.3 in Augusta. Or, you can watch Lawmakers on GPB at 10:30 pm. Those are special airtimes for tonight only. 7 pm on GPB Knowledge and 10:30 pm on GPB.

Day 25- March 16, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Carol Hunstein delivers her first State of the Judiciary Address and warns that further budget cuts could cause the State to lose the rule of law; the Senate passes a bill to allow local government-sanctioned racing on closed roads and the House bans euthanasia for animals administered by gas chamber. All that and more tonight.