Legislative committees gear up for deadline

By Walter C. Jones Morris News Service ATLANTA – Late hours and frantic activity are common whenever any organization rushes to meet a deadline, and the General Assembly is no different. Monday, 18 committees of the House of Representatives held meetings, and 11 in the Senate. The House has another five meetings scheduled for Tuesday.
Committee chairmen are trying to consider as many as possible of the bills they like in order for them to come to the full House or Senate for a vote before Thursday's internal deadline. Known as Crossover Day, Thursday is the last opportunity for a bill to remain viable for the current legislative session as a stand-alone proposal. And Wednesday is a recess day. In some cases, the task is challenging. For example, in Monday morning, the Senate Health & Human Services Committee was considering a bill sponsored by its chairwoman, Sen. Renee Unterman, R-Buford. Senate Bill 202 would change how nursing-home-patient complaints are handled, moving them from lawsuits filed in court to arbitration. Sen. William Ligon, the only lawyer on the committee, argued that her bill would disrupt centuries-old legal policies, and he offered a last-minute alternative. "As a lawyer who deals in contracts, this is dangerous," said Ligon, R-Brunswick. Sen. Buddy Carter, whose pharmacy business works with nursing homes, said he wanted to sort out the best ideas from both versions. "We're supposed to be a deliberative body," said Carter, R-Pooler. "We need to slow down. It's not going to hurt anybody to wait 30 minutes." But Unterman asked, and many of the members said they had other committee meetings to run off to. Carter, who chairs the Senate Public Safety Committee, said deadline pressures mean that some bills just don't make the cut, even if they have little opposition. "I know all legislation is important to somebody," he said. "But when we're talking about this, we have an opportunity to perfect this, make it better, and I think we have an obligation to do that, no matter how inconvenient it may be." Late introductions of bills add another wrinkle, such as HB 465 which would legalize for-profit, debt-settlement companies. "The first time I've seen it is right now," said Phil Baldwin, CEO of CredAbility, a non-profit debt-management organization opposed to the bill. "One of my concerns is the speed because it doesn't allow for a thorough review." On Thursday, the House and Senate will have no scheduled committee meetings and will spend long hours voting on bill after bill. Some will get a one-minute explanation before a quick vote while a few will grind the process to a near halt for an hour or two of debate first. Nothing comes to the floor, though, if the committees don't approve up front.

More Local

Crime Beat

Theft suspects caught later at gas station

Two men were arrested Friday after a counterfeit bill, a tool for commission of a crime, and possible stolen items were found in their vehic ... Read More

Published on Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Two proposals made for Howard Warner School

There are two new proposals for the use of the historic Howard Warner School building on Savannah Street, now owned by the city of Newnan.&n ... Read More

Published on Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Atlanta Radio Hosts Fired For Mocking ALS Patient

ATLANTA (AP) -- The cast of an Atlanta sports radio show has been fired after mocking a former NFL player who has Lou Gehrig's disease, a st ... Read More

Published on Tuesday, June 18, 2013

One resident wounded

1 killed in stabbing at Atlanta senior center

ATLANTA (AP) — Police in Atlanta are investigating a stabbing at a senior care apartment complex that left one resident dead and anoth ... Read More

Published on Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Douglasville man sentenced on sex trafficking charges

ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. Attorney's officials say a metro Atlanta man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on sex trafficking charges. ... Read More

Published on Tuesday, June 18, 2013