Politics

Bills Stall As Georgia Legislative Session Nears End

March 31st, 2015

There are several state bills that appear dead for this year, because they didn’t make it onto the list of bills that could be voted on by the Georgia Senate.

The legislation widely known as the Sunday brunch bill is one of those that appears unlikely to pass this year. The legislation would have allowed local governments to decide whether restaurants could sell alcohol starting at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. That’s two hours earlier than what’s allowed under state law now.

Bill sponsor Rep. Brett Harrell, R-Snellville, says he thinks the bill stalled because he got a late start on the legislation and because of some opposition in the religious community.

“It’s probably a combination of both,” says Harrell. “I certainly respect those that have religious objections to Sunday sales, but we have people in this state that worship on days other than Sunday.”

The bill could still get attached to other legislation, but if it doesn’t Harrell is hopeful it will pass next year. He says the bill could bring in an additional $1 million in taxable sales to the restaurant industry.

Another alcohol-related bill that stalled this year would have protected those drinking on inflatable rafts and inner tubes from being charged with boating under the influence.

A resolution that would have led to a portrait of Coretta Scott King being hung in the Georgia Capitol also didn’t get placed on the Senate’s calendar. King is a civil rights leader and the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. That disappointed Sen. Donzella James, D-Atlanta.

“It would have put a powerful woman who is great Georgian on the Capitol premises,” says James.

But if the bills don’t get a final vote this year, they don’t have to be reintroduced during the next legislative session. That’s because this is the first year of a two-year legislative session.