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 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.

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.