Day-40 of Georgia lawmakers’ 2023 General Assembly session has wrapped-up. The House closed-out its work at 12:15 a.m. Thursday, with the Senate doing the same less than two minutes later.

A new state budget finally got House approval in the waning minutes of the session. Earlier in the day Wednesday, leaders in both the House and Senate agreed on a new budget framework. The plan of more than $34 billion would include raises for state law enforcement members, state workers, and teachers. The budget would also fully fund Hope scholarship recipients 100% - an item Governor Kemp was pushing for. The budget also makes some cuts to the University System of Georgia, although not as deep as previously planned.

In other state Capitol Day-40 developments:

= A measure to give more need-based financial aid to Georgia college students gets full approval by the General Assembly and now moves to the governor’s desk. House Bill 249 would boost the maximum award students can get from $2,500 to $3,500.

= A bill to offer $6,500 to some public school students opting for private education failed in the House in an 89-85 vote. The defeat of SB 233 in the House was cheered by Democrats.

= A bill to prohibit cities and counties from banning gas-powered leaf blowers got final passage in the House.

= Senate Bill 222 has passed and now goes to Governor Kemp’s desk for his signature. It was a party-line vote for the measure that makes it a felony for local election offices to take in outside money for running elections.

= House members approved a measure that would mandate cash bail for numerous new offenses. That list would include marijuana possession, sex trafficking, unlawful assembly, and property destruction charges.

= State Bill 93 heads to the governor’s desk. The measure expands the ban on TikTok from government devices to other foreign-owned apps. The bill also forbids them on devices used by judicial branches, and state K-12 schools.

= A late night effort to give Georgia’s Agriculture Commissioner authority over the state’s emerging medical marijuana program was narrowly defeated in the Senate.

= A compromise bill was passed by the full Assembly to allow heavier trucks on Georgia highways for two years. This was one of the more hotly-contested issues of the legislative session.

= Efforts to pass a sports betting bill and add anti-semitism to Georgia’s hate crimes laws both ran out of time before the Assembly’s end.

Developing late Wednesday night, Governor Brian Kemp made a personal visit to Senate chambers to address members. He warned the group that he could call for a special legislative session should a bill to provide tax credits for major projects fail to pass the General Assembly.

Kemp was hoping lawmakers would get behind House Bill 408. The measure renews a tax break for projects said to be of “regional significance” that involve large-scale developments with wide impact.

Kemp told lawmakers, “simply put, this is the most effective tool Georgia has to remain the top state for business as we compete with other states for major economic development projects.”

Stay with 95.5 WSB for complete wrap-up coverage of the session.

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