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 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.

Day 12- February 4, 2010

Tonight on Lawmakers, Governor Sonny Perdue’s proposed “hospital tax” to shore up Medicaid- could it cost healthcare jobs?; House and Senate Democrats propose their own State transportation plan; our leadership series of interviews continues with Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers; and committee action on legislation ranging from school board governance to DNA collection on felony arrests. All that and more tonight on Lawmakers.