Day 3- Budget Briefings Schedule

2009 Budget Briefings Wrap up under the gold dome on Friday, January 23 with the following speakers scheduled:

9:00 AM
Opening Remarks
Human Resources (90 min)
B.J. Walker, Commissioner
Community Health (90 min)
Dr. Rhonda Meadows, Commissioner

12:00 PM Lunch

1:30 PM
Office of Planning & Budget (30 min)
Trey Childress, Director

2:00 PM
FY2010 Block Grant Hearings

Watch live online by clicking here and following the link for House Rules Committee (when meeting).

Day 2- Budget Briefings Schedule

BUDGET BRIEFINGS FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2009:

9:00 AM
Opening Remarks
Corrections (60 min)
James Donald, Commissioner
Juvenile Justice
Albert Murray, Commissioner

10:30 AM
Transportation (60 min)
Gena Evans, Commissioner
Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (15 min)
Dick Anderson, Executive Director
State Road & Tollway Authority (15 min)
Terri Slack, Chief Operating Officer

12:00 PM Lunch

2:00 PM
Public Safety (30 min)
Colonel Bill Hutchins, Commissioner

2:30 PM
Economic Development (30 min)
Ken Stewart, Commissioner

3:00 PM
University System of Georgia (75 min)
Dr. Erroll Davis, Chancellor
Technical College System of Georgia (45 nrin)
Ron Jackson, Commissioner

Watch live online by clicking here and following the link for House Rules Committee (when meeting).

Today's Budget Briefings Schedule

BUDGET BRIEFINGS FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2009:

l:00PM
Opening Remarks (25 min)
Governor -thc Honorable Sonny Perdue
Economic Outlook & Revenuc Estimating (30 mìn)
Dr Kenneth Heaghney, State Fiscal Economist
Revenue, Department of ( l5 min)
Bart Graham, Commissioner
Georgia State Financing & Investment Commission (15 min)
Susan Hart-Ridley, Director

2:30 PM
Education (60 min)
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Early Care and Learning ( 15 min)
Holly Robinson, Director

3:45 PM
Natural Resources (60 min)
Noel Holcomb, Commissioner
Dr. Carol Couch, Director, EPD
Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority ( l5 min)
Chris Clark, Commissioner

5:00 PM
Superior Courts (15 min)
Judge Steve Cross
President, Council of Superior Court Judges
District Àttorneys ( 15 rnin)
Tommy Floyd, DA, Flint Judicial Circuit
President, Prosecuting Attorneys' Council
Public Defenders ( l5 min)
Mack Crawford, Director

Watch live online by clicking here and following the link for House Rules Committee (when meeting).

Lawmakers Returns Monday, January 26, 2009 at 7 PM

During the week of January 19-23, the Georgia General Assembly is in recess. The Joint House-Senate Appropriations Committee will meet Wednesday-Friday for Budget Briefings. You can watch the briefings online by clicking here and following the link for House Rules (when meeting). Lawmakers returns on Monday, January 26 at 7 PM for legislative day 6.

Day 5- January 16, 2009

Tonight on Lawmakers, details of a statewide plan from House Transportation Chair Vance Smith, a proposed tax to help fill Medicaid coffers and Coca-Cola Enterprises is recognized for environmental leadership. Plus, we’ll take a look back at the first week under the gold dome in 2009.

House Transportation Committee Chair Vance Smith spoke with Lawmakers’ Nwandi Lawson today about his plans to introduce a statewide transportation plan. Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson alluded to this forthcoming plan in his remarks at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs and Issues breakfast on Tuesday. Representative Smith says the resolution will call for a referendum on a statewide transportation sales tax in November 2010.

Lawmakers’ David Zelski sat down with GPB Radio’s John Sepulvado this afternoon to discuss a proposal that would levy a tax on health insurers and hospitals of 1.6% in an effort to fill a hole in the Medicaid budget that is over $2 million. Sepulvado discusses the legislature’s options and what role the federal government may play in future.

Representative Ron Stephens took the well in the House this morning to urge adoption of his proposal to add an additional $1 tax on tobacco in Georgia. He says the move would eliminate the need for property tax increases and the proposed tax on hospitals and insurance companies. The legislation, House Bill 39 is part of the Georgia Tobacco Alliance’s “Pass the Buck” campaign.

Representative Roger Bruce has again filed legislation that would allow parents 24 hours of unpaid, job-protected leave to attend to the needs of their children or elderly parents. Bruce says the Parent Protection Act, House Bill 37, is designed to allow parents to participate in school events or treat an illness without fear of losing their jobs.

Coca-Cola Enterprises was honored with an environmental leadership award by the Southeastern Diesel Collaborative this morning. Governor Sonny Perdue spoke at the event. Lawmakers’ Minoo Hosseini reports.

Minority auto dealers in Georgia, including Senator Emanuel Jones, say if they don’t receive financial help, the already dwindling number of minority-owned dealerships in the country will continue to decline. The National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers is asking President-Elect Barack Obama to issue an executive order to create loans through the Small Business Administration. Lawmakers’ Emily Banks has that story.

Most legislators were sworn in Monday when the 2009 session began. One notable exception was Gainesville Representative Doug Collins who was wrapping up an air force tour of duty in Iraq. Back in country just 48 hours today, he was sworn in and spoke to his colleagues in the House.

Plus, we take a look back at the first week under the gold dome for the 2009 session. We’ll have highlights from Tuesday’s Eggs and Issues breakfast as well as Wednesday’s State of the State Address.

All that and more tonight on Lawmakers at 7 PM.

Lawmakers repeats on GPB Radio at 8 PM tonight and on GPB television at 5:30 AM Monday morning. You can also catch a repeat of Lawmakers on GPB Knowledge at 7 AM tomorrow. GPB Knowledge is available to those with digital television receivers at .3 of your local GPB transmitter, for example 20.3 in Augusta, or 8.3 in Atlanta.

Day 4- January 15, 2009

Tonight on Lawmakers, concern over the budget is expressed by Senate Appropriations Chair Jack Hill, State School Superintendent Kathy Cox speaks to a joint House-Senate Education Committee about education proposals and a special tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the State Capitol.

Speaking this morning in the Senate, Appropriations Chair Jack Hill said he believed that Governor Sonny Perdue’s revenue estimates are too optimistic. He used graphs and charts to illustrate that the legislature may have a lot of work ahead if the downward economic trend continues.

Despite the current budget deficit, State School Superintendent Kathy Cox assured legislators at a joint House-Senate Education Committee that education in the State would not suffer. Lawmakers Minoo Hosseini has more.

Healing the State's Trauma Care Network could take up to five years and tens of millions of dollars. That's the conclusion of experts hired by the State's Trauma Network Commission. But behind the bad news, there may be a bit of good news. Lawmakers Valarie Edwards reports.

Senator Steve Thompson took the well this morning on a point of personal privilege to express concern about the Rules approved Monday that maintain “Crossover Day” as legislative day 30. Crossover Day, the deadline by which legislation must be approved by the chamber in which it originates, was changed to Day 30 from Day 33 four years ago. Senator Don Balfour, Chair of the Senate Rules Committee responded that he understands the concern, but that those extra three days are useful for the Senate to consider House Bills before Sine Die.

The 24^th annual Georgia State Capitol tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. took place this morning. Governor Sonny Perdue presented a proclamation on behalf of the State to Christine King Ferris, the late Dr. King’s sister. We’ll have highlights from speeches by the Honorable Michael Steele, former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, Senator Emanuel Jones and Representative Melvin Everson.

The rules and penalties for using cell phones while driving could get tighter for Georgia drivers if any of three proposed bills pass this session. Lawmakers’ Emily Banks has the details.

Legislators were briefed about the television digital transition this week. It's only 33 days away. Are you prepared? Lawmakers’ Brittany Evans shares what legislators have learned.

And Lawmakers’ Evan Seitz explores the presence of wildlife under the gold dome today. We’ll have all that and more on Lawmakers at 7 PM.

Lawmakers repeats on GPB Radio at 8 PM tonight and on GPB television at 5 AM the tomorrow morning. You can also catch a repeat of Lawmakers on GPB Knowledge at 7 AM tomorrow. GPB Knowledge is available to those with digital television receivers at .3 of your local GPB transmitter, for example 20.3 in Augusta, or 8.3 in Atlanta.

Day 3- January 14, 2009: State of the State

Tonight on Lawmakers, Governor Sonny Perdue delivers his seventh State of the State Address, House Democratic Leader DuBose Porter delivers the House Democratic Response and legislators and special interest groups react to the Governor’s agenda.

Governor Sonny Perdue revealed his legislative agenda and outlined his spending priorities in his seventh State of the State Address this morning before a special joint session of the Georgia General Assembly. Top priorities are education and healthcare, including a significant restructuring of the Department of Human Resources.

House Democratic Leader DuBose Porter delivered the official House Democratic Response to the State of the State this afternoon. Porter spoke out about not having a special session last summer which he says would have allowed legislators ample time to address the State’s budget woes. The Democrats went on to say that they believe the Governor is balancing the budget on the backs of Georgia’s middle class.

We’ll have reactions to Governor Perdue’s speech and priorities from legislators, educators and special interest groups. Some of those Lawmakers spoke with are intrigued and encouraged by the initiatives outlined by the Governor, but many wonder where the money will come from. Lawmakers’ Valarie Edwards and Minoo Hosseini have more on reaction to the speech.

Lawmakers’ Nwandi Lawson speaks with Voices for Georgia’s Children and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) about the Governor’s plans to restructure the Department of Human Resources. Governor Perdue’s plan is considered the largest shakeup of the State’s health and human services agencies since Governor Jimmy Carter’s 1972 Governmental Reorganization Act. The new organization will consist of three departments: Department of Behavioral Health, Department of Health and Department of Human Services.

And we’ll bring you some highlights of our post-address analysis with Chuck Clay, former State Senator, current partner at Brock Clay and President of Insider Advantage. Mr. Clay joined the Lawmakers special live broadcast of the State of the State this morning.

All that and more, tonight on Lawmakers at 7 PM.

Lawmakers repeats on GPB Radio at 8 PM tonight and on GPB television at 5 AM the tomorrow morning. You can also catch a repeat of Lawmakers on GPB Knowledge at 7 AM tomorrow. GPB Knowledge is available to those with digital television receivers at .3 of your local GPB transmitter, for example 20.3 in Augusta, or 8.3 in Atlanta.