ATLANTA — Georgia House and Senate members are battling it out over a number of issues as a tension-filled legislative session comes to an end this week.
The issues include the $38 billion state budget for 2027.
Channel 2’s Richard Elliot reported live from the state capitol on Channel 2 Action News at 6:00 p.m. on the latest movement Monday.
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Approving the state budget is the only thing the Georgia General Assembly is bound by the state constitution to do. And it’s often the hardest.
Both chambers have been at an impasse. Gov. Brian Kemp says this process is normal, but added that it appears both sides are talking again.
“You normally don’t pass the budget until the last day of the session. That’ll be this Thursday,” Kemp said Monday. “I know the House and Senate were working on that all weekend. We’ll be engaged when they get ready for us.”
There appears to be more movement on other bills caught under the Gold Dome.
The powerful Senate rules committee passed out nearly 100 bills for the final two days. The list includes bills that will reduce the income tax rate, require weapon detectors in public schools and one that would ban foreign nationals from contributing to political campaigns.
And then there’s a bill that is very close to House Speaker Jon Burns.
“I would say it’s my No. 1 issue and that’s literacy,” Burns said.
The speaker’s much-debated bill to increase literacy in Georgia can now get a vote in the Senate. Burns remains confident it will get that vote before Sine Die on Thursday because he says it’s too important not to.
“Only one out of three of our students read on a proficient level by the time they leave the third grade. I don’t think, and I know you don’t either, that’s where we should be. And I think we can all agree we can do better,” Burns said.
There has been disagreement over how to increase literacy and how to pay for it.
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