ATLANTA (AP) – The Latest on the Georgia General Assembly session as lawmakers rush to meet a legislative deadline (all times local):
1:30 p.m.
House Speaker David Ralston says an effort to legalize casino gambling in Georgia is unlikely to get a vote as lawmakers face a legislative deadline.
The House Regulated Industries Committee canceled a meeting scheduled for Friday afternoon to discuss a bill from Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah. Stephens’ proposal would allow two “resort destinations” that could offer gambling, one in metro Atlanta requiring $2 billion in investment and another requiring $450 million.
Ralston said Friday that “today was probably not the most appropriate time to do that.”
Legislative rules require bills to pass at least one chamber by the end of Friday to stay alive. Though there are ways around the deadline, Ralston said he “wouldn’t bet on it” for casino legislation.
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12:50 p.m.
Georgia senators have approved a bill lifting a yearlong moratorium on new oil pipelines being constructed in the state while establishing a “rigorous” licensing process.
The bill also sets up a process to allow for limited eminent domain, or the involuntary seizure of private land.
The bill was amended on the floor to forbid the construction of any pipeline construction within the Georgia Coastal Zone. Senators said that an oil spill in such an area could be “catastrophic.”
The proposal now goes to the House for review.
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11:30 a.m.
Opponents of legislation allowing casino gambling in Georgia hope to prevent a last-minute vote before a legislative deadline.
The House Regulated Industries Committee plans to discuss a bill sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah, on Friday afternoon. Stephens’ proposal would allow two “resort destinations” that could offer gambling, one in metro Atlanta requiring $2 billion in investment and the second elsewhere in the state requiring $450 million in investment.
Legislative rules require bills to pass at least one chamber by the end of Friday to stay alive. There are ways around the deadline, but lawmakers try to pass as many bills as possible.
Sen. Brandon Beach, R-Alpharetta, introduced a similar bill but said Monday that he didn’t have enough support to get it out of the chamber’s Regulated Industries committee.
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1:47 a.m.
House members plan to decide whether licensed gun owners can bring handguns onto college campuses.
Friday marks a key deadline for Georgia lawmakers. Legislative rules require bills to pass at least one chamber by the end of Friday to stay alive for the year.
There are ways around the deadline, but lawmakers try to pass as many bills as possible.
The GOP-controlled House is expected to again pass the campus gun bill despite Gov. Nathan Deal’s veto of last year’s version. The chamber also may vote on a bill that would label driver’s licenses issued to immigrants with permission to be in the U.S. “ineligible voter.”
The Senate plans to consider more than 30 bills, including requiring schools to test their water for lead by 2019.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.
