Thursday night, March 28, just before midnight, the gavel came down and brought the 2013 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly to a close.

As always, the challenges were many, but it turned out to be a very productive session. I wanted to write a column and mention a couple of the more high profile items that were adopted this year and will write a subsequent column with a list of many of the bills that passed that did not receive as much media coverage.

I hope this will be helpful as residents seek information on what the General Assembly worked on during this session. Read More»

Last Thursday as the clock struck midnight the General Assembly concluded its 40th and final day of the 2012 legislative session. It was a busy session and I believe our continued focus on jobs and the state economy led to some important measures being sent to the Governor’s desk in the final days of the session.

I thought I would quickly summarize a few of the measures that received final passage in the last week of the session.



FY 2013 Budget Act, HB 742
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On Monday, March 19th, we returned to the Gold Dome to begin our 34th legislative day of the 2012 session.

As the end of session draws near, we worked long hours this week to ensure the passage of several important pieces of legislation, including a measure aimed at providing needed tax relief to Georgians and reforming some antiquated provisions in our tax code. Read More»

Wednesday, March 8th, marked the 30th legislative day of the 2012 session.

Known as “Crossover Day,” this critical point in the session marks the last chance for most bills to pass the legislative chamber where they are introduced.

This is because by the end of Crossover Day, all legislation passed by the House must “cross-over” to the Senate, and vice versa.

As a result, any House bill that has not passed the House by the end of Crossover Day will have little chance of becoming law this year. Read More»

The Georgia General Assembly convened on Tuesday, Feb. 21 for day 22 of the 2012 session after learning some exciting news for the future of Georgia’s economy.

On Friday, Feb. 17, Governor Deal announced that Caterpillar Inc. will bring over 1,400 jobs to Georgia with the construction of a new manufacturing plant in Athens.

In addition to these jobs at the new plant, Caterpillar’s suppliers and increased retail sales are expected to create another 2,800 jobs. Perhaps the best part of this news was that the jobs were actually coming back on-shore from Japan. Read More»

The Georgia General Assembly convened on Jan. 9, 2012 for the first day of the 2012 legislative session. As I have done in years past, it is my intention to write periodic update columns while the legislature is in session in the weeks ahead to help ensure the citizens of Fayette County are up to date on the important issues that are pending before the General Assembly.

Before I turn to 2012 I did want to provide an update on the recently concluded redistricting process, which dominated much of 2011. Read More»

State government to maintain focus on jobs and the economy and so must Fayette County.

With the Georgia General Assembly less than two months away from convening for the 2012 session, it is the time of year when there is much discussion about possible legislative agenda items.

As has been the case the past several years, one of our primary focuses will be on building upon efforts to create an environment in Georgia that is conducive to job creation and economic recovery. Read More»

The Georgia General Assembly concluded the 2011 Special Session last week, completing the most transparent and inclusive redrawing of Georgia’s political boundaries in modern history. This session was also the shortest special session in Georgia’s history. The work of crafting House, Senate and Congressional maps was completed in half the time it took a decade ago, saving taxpayers considerable money. Read More»

Last Thursday night, just before midnight, the gavel came down and brought the 2011 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly to a close. It was a tough, but in many ways, a very productive session.

Earlier in the session, the legislature again passed a balanced budget without raising taxes on Georgians that will ensure Georgia will remain a leader among states in terms of fiscally conservative and responsible budgeting practices. Read More»

Wednesday, March 16, marked the 30th legislative day of the 2011 session. Known as “Crossover Day,” this critical day marks the last chance that most House bills will have to pass the House and make their way to the Senate.

If a House bill has not passed the House or a Senate bill has not passed the Senate by the end of Crossover Day, it has little chance of becoming law this year, as this is the deadline for getting bills across to the other chamber for it to be considered this session. Read More»