Should Lawmakers Aim at Gun Laws in 2014?

The Georgia General Assembly was not able to pass a sweeping firearms bill that would have allowed gun owners to carry in churches, bars and on school campuses. Tell us if you think they should try again next year.

A proposal that would have allowed firearms to be carried in churches, college campuses and in bars died on the vine as the 2013 legislative session ended on Thursday. House Bill 512, which garnered much support across the state, sailed through the Georgia House of Representatives. However, its upper chamber counterpart, Senate Bill 101, could not muster enough support to pass before the close of the session. The issue over whether or not to allow firearms on the state's nearly 50 colleges and university campuses brought down the bill. However, supporters of the bill and the campus carry provision are confident the bill will return in 2014. A Kennesaw legislator was among those who pushed legislation that if enacted would have lifted bans …

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Jon Gargis

8:25 am on Thursday, April 11, 2013

We left the comment stream open a bit longer than promised, but it's now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated in the discussion!   more ›

Should Lawmakers Work More than 40 Days?

The Georgia General Assembly’s 2013 session ended Thursday. Barring special circumstances, state lawmakers won’t reconvene until January. Tell us if you believe legislators should work more days in a year.

Georgia’s lawmakers are officially done for the year. Thursday was the General Assembly’s 40th day—the last day of the 2013 session. So unless a special session is called, legislators won’t reconvene until January. For their three months of work, lawmakers will each take home an annual salary of about $24,262—that includes a base salary of $17,342 plus a $173 per diem for each day of the session (Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures; Website of State Rep. Sharon Cooper, R-Marietta). Though this year’s session is now over, most voters are bound to see their state lawmakers before next year’s session begins, as legislators typically spend part of the year’s remaining nine months in their districts and may hold town hall …

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Gun Bill, HOPE Legislation Among Those Going Forward

Patch has highlighted several pieces of proposed legislation since the Georgia General Assembly convened in January. See which bills state lawmakers will be considering during the session’s final days, and which ones didn’t get House or Senate approval.

Thursday was “Crossover Day,” the 30th day of the Georgia General Assembly’s 40-day session. Crossover Day is the deadline for bills to be passed in at least one of the General Assembly’s two chambers in order to be considered during the current legislative session. In the last few weeks, we’ve taken a look at several pieces of legislation introduced by state lawmakers, and we’ve asked you to give us your takes on them. Below is a roundup of where some of that legislation went during the first 30 days of the session. Charles Gregory, R-Kennesaw, was the primary sponsor of two bills aimed at lifting bans on carrying weapons in specific places within the state. House Bill 28, dubbed the “Restoring Private Property Rights for Places of …

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Observer

1:36 am on Tuesday, March 12, 2013

"No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session." - Mark Twain   more ›

Should Video Poker Profits Support HOPE?

A proposed change to state law would allow the Georgia Lottery Corp. to reap a share of the profits from video poker machines to help fund the HOPE Scholarship program. Tell us what you think of the proposal.

Playing video poker in Georgia could soon benefit the HOPE Scholarship. That would be the effect of a state law change proposed by legislators just this week. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, House Bill 487 if approved would put the control and enforcement of video poker machines to the Georgia Lottery Corporation. A share of the profits from those machines would then go into the HOPE Scholarship program. The bill amends state law by striking language that prohibits video poker machines from rewarding players with tickets or products from the Georgia Lottery Corp. Currently, the machines, if operating under state guidelines, can only award gift certificates or similar type vouchers redeemable for merchandise at the business …

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Should Slow Left-Lane Drivers Be Ticketed?

A proposed state law would prohibit drivers from driving in the left-hand lane of the highway except when passing. Tell us what you think of the proposal.

Drivers later this year may be using the left-hand lanes of Georgia’s highways a little bit less if lawmakers greenlight a bill currently in front of state representatives. House Bill 459 would amend state code by making it a violation to drive in a controlled-access highway’s left-hand lane except when overtaking and passing another vehicle. Driving in the left-hand lane would be OK when no other vehicles are directly behind a vehicle in question. Other cases where left-lane driving would be acceptable would be when traffic and congestion make it impractical to drive in the right lane, when the right lane is obstructed or blocked, or when weather conditions make left-lane driving necessary. The law also would not apply when drivers are …

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Should ‘Photoshop Bill’ Get Lawmakers’ Nod?

Critics say a bill aimed at making Photoshop bullying a crime tramples on citizens’ right to free speech. Tell us what you think of the bill.

Georgia lawmakers are considering a bill that would make it a crime to impose someone’s face onto an obscene depiction. To put that simply: “Photoshopping” or digitally altering an obscene image by putting another person’s face on it would become illegal. Someone did just that after the filing of House Bill 39 in the Georgia General Assembly. Andre Walker of the Georgia Politics Unfiltered blog explained in a Feb. 11 post why he took the photo of the body of a male porn star and pasted onto it the face of State Rep. Earnest Smith, D-Augusta, one of the bill’s sponsors: I would simply remind Representative Smith that he's a public figure, and just like someone had the protected right to depict former President George W. Bush as a monkey, I …

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Should Georgia Officially Acknowledge Slavery?

A proposed Senate resolution aims to “[express] remorse for the state’s past practice of condoning involuntary servitude.” Tell us what you think of State Sen. Barry Loudermilk’s proposed legislation.

A practice that ended in the 19th century is the focus of legislation being put forth in the 21st century. Last week, State Sen. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville, held a press conference to announce his filing of Senate Resolution 28, a resolution that aims to “[express] remorse for the state's past practice of condoning involuntary servitude,” or slavery. A copy of the resolution is attached to this article in PDF form. According to Loudermilk, passage of the resolution would mark the first official acknowledgement of the injustices of slavery and serve as “an official expression of regret and remorse for the condoning of the institution of slavery in Georgia. “The injustices brought on by the institution of slavery in our state's past …

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Should School Admins Be Allowed to Be Armed?

State Rep. Paul Battles, R-Cartersville, has introduced legislation that would give school systems in Georgia the option of arming and training an administrator in each school. Tell us what you think about Battles’ proposal.

As states and communities across the country try to think of ways to prevent another shooting like Sandy Hook in Newtown, Conn., a Bartow County lawmaker has introduced legislation that would allow school administrators to carry a gun. Introduced by State Rep. Paul Battles, R-Cartersville, the proposed amendment to firearms statutes would allow boards of education the option of arming and training administrators for each school in the system. Designated administrators would be allowed to carry firearms within a school safety zone or school building, at a school function, or on school property or on a bus or other transportation furnished by the school. The bill is attached to this article. The 2013 legislative session starts Monday, and …

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What Should The State Legislature Address In 2013?

The Georgia General Assembly will convene on Jan. 14, and Patch wants to know what you think lawmakers should discuss.

Georgia Dems 'Delighted' by Health Care Decision

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the requirement that most Americans buy health insurance or pay a fine is constitutional as a tax.

From the Georgia House Democratic Caucus Georgia House Democrats are delighted about the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold President Obama’s health care law. The Supreme Court ruled Thursday morning that the requirement that most Americans buy health insurance or pay a fine is constitutional as a tax. The health care overhaul was originally signed into law by President Obama in 2010. The decision will improve how Americans receive and pay for their personal medical care. House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams says that she is gratified by the court’s landmark ruling and its willingness to place principle over politics.  “The Supreme Court today issued an extraordinary ruling that will help millions of American families achieve better access …

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