Monday, January 12, 2004

The second session of the 147th General Assembly began with the usual pomp and circumstance this morning at 10:00 a.m.

Lawmakers dispensed with the usual housekeeping and schedule setting in short order.

Most notable on the day's calendar was HR 942 inviting President George W. Bush to speak before a Joint Session of the Georgia General Assembly. Members voted unanimously (176-0) to extend an open invitation to the president. Should President Bush be able to attend, the date would be scheduled by agreement of House Speaker Terry Coleman, and Senator Eric Johnson, President Pro Tempore of the Georgia Senate.

Members also voted 178-0 to pass SR 567, inviting Governor Sonny Perdue to appear on Wednesday, January 14th, at 8:00 p.m. before a joint session of both the House and Senate to deliver his annual State of the State address. This year's State of the State will also incorporate the budget address, in which the Governor outlines his spending recommendations for the upcoming fiscal year.

The State of the State and budget speeches are usually good indicators of the mood of the upcoming session, and members will be listening attentively.

Finally, in an attempt to impose an orderly and efficient legislative session, members voted 166-2 in favor of HR 944. The resolution sets a legislative schedule through the eighteenth day. The tentative schedule would call for the session to be in adjournment each Wednesday to allow representatives to meet with constituents and do committee work. It also provides for adjournment from January 17 through January 25 in order to allow the House and Senate to hold joint budget hearings. Baring any unforseen events or problems, HR 944 sets the schedule through February 16th, 2004, which would be the 18th legislative day.

While the general consensus seems to hope for a quick and uncomplicated forty legislative days- which will allow members to get back to their families, communities, and campaigns- issues such as tort reform, utility company eminent domain, and changes to the HOPE Scholarship are ever present in hallway conversations. Any one of these has the potential to slow things down considerably.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Georgia House of Representatives
Public Information Office

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------