WABE's Week In Review: Lawmakers rush to pass bills before Crossover Day and one year on from the spa shootings

Inside the Georgia State Capitol on Crossover Day, the last day for proposed bills to pass at least one chamber of the legislature and remain viable this session.

At the state Capitol, bills need to pass at least one chamber by midnight on Crossover Day, which was Tuesday, to have a chance of making it to the governor’s desk this legislative session.

Scores of bills made the move. Follow Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas who have lived at the Capitol this session.

Among some of the bigger moves is a Republican-backed election bill that allows the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to initiate election fraud investigations. It also restricts county election offices from accepting grants from non-profits to help administer elections. And allows the public to inspect original paper ballots, among other measures. The changes start in July, after the primary but before the general election.

You can also hear more on which education bills are on the move at the Capitol with Martha Dalton and Ty Tagami.

Pump it up down…

Gas prices are seen at a pump at a Sheetz store in Sewickley, Pa., Monday, March 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Governor Brian Kemp signed an immediate suspension of Georgia’s gas tax on Friday. The taxes are paid at the distributor level, not the stations, so it will likely take several days to kick in.

The state fuel tax is $0.29 a gallon for unleaded and $0.33 a gallon for diesel. The suspension runs through May 31st.

Remember those killed and continue the call for change…

One year ago, Wednesday, eight people were killed by a gunman at three spas in Atlanta and Cherokee County.

Lisa Rayam spoke with state Rep. Bee Nguyen on what has changed and what hasn’t.

And Jim Burress spoke with Aparna Bhattacharyya, executive director of the local non-profit, Raksha, which works with South Asian survivors of violence.

WABE’s new podcast Tech Cast!

The WABE Tech Cast looks at Atlanta’s influence on the tech industry and the tech industry’s influence on Atlanta.