Legislation Meets Its Fate On Last Day Of The 2018 Session
Sine Die, the final day of the session, just passed in the Georgia House and Senate.
Dustin Chambers / WABE
Georgia’s 2018 legislative session is in the books. The House and Senate passed a number of bills on Sine Die, the final day of the session, while others died without a vote.
Early in the day, the state legislature approved a $26.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2019.
It includes more money for the state’s financial contribution toward Kindergarten through 12th grade education. The state hasn’t fully funded its share in more than a decade.
Terry England, R-Auburn, chairs the House Appropriations Committee. He became emotional thanking the legislature for passing the budget.
“Thank you all,” England said fighting back tears. “Thank you, Governor. It’s been something that we’ve worked on for a mighty long time and we’re proud to be able do it, and I’m glad that I’m able to stand here and tell you we have.”
The budget includes new money for children’s mental health services and funding for school security in the aftermath of the Parkland shooting. It also includes $100 million for public transit expansion.
Regional Transit Expansion
In the waning moments of Sine Die, lawmakers agreed to expand public transit in the metro-Atlanta region.
MARTA will be rebranded as the ATL and serve as the focal point of that expansion. The 13 counties in the metro-Atlanta region will have a chance to opt-in to the new system.
Cobb County will get special treatment. County officials there would be able to create special transportation districts. Residents in those districts would then vote on whether they want to join in the new transit system.
State Rep. Kevin Tanner, R-Dawsonville, was the main sponsor of the bill. He said Cobb presents a unique situation.
“South Cobb has an interest around the Cumberland area, Braves stadium area,” Tanner said. “They want transit services and they’re willing to pay for it, according to what they’ve told us, so this is an opportunity for that area to look at getting transit services without the rest of Cobb having to pay for it.”
The bill also calls for a referendum if services, like rail or buses, are added to a county that doesn’t already have them.
Tanner call the legislation historic and transformational for metro-Atlanta.
“Because of this legislation, I think you’re going to see Gwinnett expand and come into the MARTA system,” he said. “I think you see that Cobb will have a real chance of providing improved transit services, specifically in South Cobb. I think you’re going to see other communities in the very near future take advantage of it.”
The previous version of this bill would have created a 50 cent per ride fee on rideshare services, like Uber, Lyft and taxis. It also would’ve added a sales tax on goods and services at Atlanta and Savannah’s airports. Both of those measures were stripped from the bill before final passage.
In a statement, the Atlanta Regional Commission applauded the legislation saying it’s a “major milestone” for the region.
Hidden Predator Act Fails
The push to expand the statute of limitations for victims of child sex abuse to file lawsuit died in the Georgia legislature in the closing moments of the session.
The House unanimously passed a version of the bill last month. It included a one-year window for victims of any age to sue perpetrators and their employers.
But the bill had a harder time moving through the Senate and it was watered down.
State Rep. Jason Spencer, R-Woodbine, sponsored the bill and said he was disappointed.
“It seems to be people are more interested in their reputations and the names of their institutions, and their brands, then they are the welfare of children,” Spencer said.
He said the state missed a crucial chance to help fight child sex abuse.
“There will be more terrible, terrible tragic cases to come forward, and it’s just going to get worse,” he said. “This issue is not going to go away for Georgia.”
Spencer said he isn’t sure if he’ll bring back the bill next year.
House Speaker David Ralston also said he was disappointed lawmakers weren’t able to come to an agreement.
Both the Boy Scouts of America and Atlanta’s Catholic Archdiocese publically opposed the bill.
Legislation’s Final Chance
Not all bills had the same fate as transit and the budget. Some of the annual legislative session’s most controversial measures failed to pass.
A bill that would have protected faith-based agencies that deny adoptions to same-sex couples passed the state Senate, but never went anywhere in the House.
On immigration enforcement, a bill died that would have required local officials work with federal authorities. It never got a vote.
A measure limiting weekend voting around the state didn’t get a vote in the state House either.
However, the state House did agree to rename “Runaway Negro Creek” to “Freedom Creek.” The water tributary runs near Savannah.
Georgia’s distracted driving bill also successfully passed. It bans drivers from using hand held devices while driving. State Rep. John Carson, R-Marietta, was the main sponsor of the bill.
Carson said this bill has the potential to save lives but first requires a culture change. He said if it becomes law, there will be a 90-day grace period so people can get acclimated to the changes.
The bills that passed have one more step to go before becoming law. Gov. Nathan Deal has 40 days to sign or veto any legislation. If he doesn’t act, it will then become law.
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