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Hot Button Issues Dominate Last Day
The 2013 General Assembly debated several pieces of high profile legislation, some of which now moves to the Governor for his signature. Issues surrounding labor unions, guns, ethics, and abortion dominated discussion under the Gold Dome today.
HB 361, regulating payroll dues deduction for labor unions, passed without a Senate amendment limiting the ability of some school workers (lunchroom and bus drivers) to draw unemployment over the summer. In addition to police and firefighter organizations, education organizations like PAGE were carved out of the payroll deduction limitations earlier in the session. The legislation is on its way to the Governor.
An omnibus gun bill allowing school systems to arm k-12 employees failed after the House and Senate reached a stalemate on training for those licensed to carry firearms on college campuses.
The House and Senate reached a compromise on an ethics bill governing their behavior and regulating state lobbyists. The legislation is long-overdue and is a step in the right direction, but there is more work to be done in subsequent legislative sessions to tighten up several provisions including lobbyist spending/gift limitations. The bill is on its way to the Governor’s desk.
A bill regarding the State Health Benefit Plan and Georgia World Congress Center employees failed to pass after the Senate added a controversial amendment limiting SHBP abortion coverage. Governor Deal apparently negotiated a truce between the chambers, and the issue will be studied over the summer.
FY 2014 Budget Passes
The FY 2014 Budget passed both legislative chambers with no surprises. Sparcity grants, which had been removed in earlier versions of the budget, were spared. Several recommendations of the Ed Finance Commission increasing funding for school nurses, counselors, and professional development were funded. Additional funding for Georgia’s popular four-year-old pre-k program also remained in the final version of the budget.
Though the 2014 education budget contains does not contain any new austerity cuts to Georgia’s Quality Basic Education funding formula, it’s important to remember that large cuts from previous years roll forward and continue to impact public schools at the local level. Class size increases, shorter school years, and teacher furloughs and layoffs result from these cuts. For more information, check out the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute’s analysis.
Education Christmas Tree Passes
“Christmas Tree” bills are bills successfully moving through the legislative process onto which unsuccessful legislation is hung as the Session progresses. HB 283, referred to as the “Title 20 Rewrite Bill,” became this year's Christmas Tree. It went back and forth between the House and Senate several times tonight as the House and Senate disagreed on amendments to the bill. In the end language from the Parent Trigger bill was not successfully added to HB 283, but the cap on Georgia’s tuition tax credit was increased from around $51 million/year to $58 million/year. Though the House wanted to expand this voucher program to a larger degree, the Senate held firm at the smaller cap expansion.
Final Legislative Report Soon
Look out for PAGE’S 2013 Legislative Summary in the next week for more detailed information about what passed and what legislation failed during the 2013 General Assembly. We’ll also send out our Week in Review podcast summarizing the events of the 2013 Session.
Thank You! Please Let Us Know How We’re Doing
Thanks for reading the 2013 Reports from the Capitol and for tuning in to Week in Review. Please don’t hesitate to let us know how we’re doing in the PAGE Legislative Department. We look forward to returning next year with our member surveys, reports, podcasts, tweets, and Facebook updates.
WATCH “Legislative Week in Review” for more on education-related issues at the Capitol
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