Georgia Legislative Watch

The Georgia Senate has a YouTube page. Here a couple of videos from the first day of the session.

Chip Rogers:

George Hooks:

[UPDATE]: Lt. Governor Casey Cagle’s office just released the following statement:

The Constitution clearly sets up the Senate as the deliberative chamber of the legislature, and we have an obligation to the voters who put their trust in us to act with care on all issues, but particularly constitutional matters. The Rules Committee will fully examine these votes by the House and recommend a course of action to the Senate.

“At this time, no schedule has been set for a floor vote, although that is also a matter to which we will devote some attention. The bottom line is that these bills have broad statutory and budgetary impact, and we need to fully weigh the perspectives of the Governor and the House prior to a floor vote,” said Lt. Governor Casey Cagle.

The Lt. Governor’s office also stated that “The Constitution provides that veto overrides originating in one house ’shall be immediately considered’ by the other house. The Senate Rules set Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure as the authoritative source on procedural matters. According to Mason’s, ‘consideration’ in the context of an executive veto can include an immediate vote, or the matter may be “returned to committee or laid on the table.”

In what seemed to be a resumption of the 2007 legislative session difficulties between House Speaker Glenn Richardson, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, and Gov. Sonny Perdue, the Georgia House over-rode at least nine vetoes including House Bills 549, 229, 451, and 218. (more…)

I got a call last night that the Republican caucus in the state legislature changed its meeting from after the session to before the session. This could mean that we’ll see some veto overrides this morning.

Erick at Peach Pundit says that some legislators have privately told him that the tax cut that the Governor vetoed is a candidate for an override. Jim Wooten mentions HB 91 as a likely candidate for an override.

Both were mentioned in my preview of the session as bills that could be targeted. Insider Advantage has a look at what some legislators are thinking about vetoes and other legislation. And I as I posted in my preview, the NRA’s gun bill will come to the Senate floor for a vote.

Things got unofficially kicked off last night at the Wild Hog Supper. Members from both parties and lobbyists get together at the Depot for food and conversation before the session.

The session begins at 10am. Live-blogging begins at that time.

[9:56am] The link for the broadcast of the State Senate is already running. The House broadcast has nothing right now.

[10:00am] The broadcast is finally working. The House is calling the role.

[10:03pm] 158 members are present. The two newest representatives are being introduced. Next is the daily devotion and then the pledge.

[10:21pm] The House is observing a moment of silence for the late State Rep. Dan Lakly.

[10:28am] I got word that the House is preparing to override ten or eleven bills, including HB 91 (which passed both both houses without opposition). There will be no overrides of budget vetoes.

[10:36am] State Rep. Martin Scott is giving a morning order on the Human Life Amendment, calling for an end to the “culture of death.”
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