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Big votes planned on Georgia immigration, spending and transgender bills

Maya T. Prabhu and Mark Niesse, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on

Published in News & Features

ATLANTA — The final, frantic day of lawmaking has arrived in Georgia, bringing crucial decisions on dozens of bills from immigration enforcement to election laws.

It’s a time of chaos and promise at the Georgia Capitol on the day known as Sine Die, the annual culmination of the General Assembly’s 40-day legislative session.

State lawmakers will vote on a $36 billion budget and could take up environmental protections for the Okefenokee Swamp, changes to election rules, restrictions on transgender youths and stricter immigration enforcement. It’s not clear whether legislators will vote on a proposal to allow sports betting in Georgia.

The General Assembly has already passed several major bills, including proposals to ease rules for new hospitals, defining antisemitism under the state’s hate crimes law, and creating an agency to investigate and punish “rogue” prosecutors.

Big money

Georgia’s government is flush with cash, and that means taxpayers and public employees will share the wealth.

 

In addition, legislators are considering a cap on how much home property assessments can increase in a year, limiting them to a 3% annual increase. And state homestead exemptions could also jump from $2,000 to as much as $10,000.

The $36 billion state budget would give pay raises to 300,000 teachers and state workers, and provide more money for police, education and mental health programs.

State employees would receive 4% raises — up to $3,000 — and teachers would get $2,500 more.

The General Assembly already approved a bill that would speed up income tax cuts, reducing the rate from 5.49% to 5.39%. Corporate income tax rates would also drop from 5.75% to 5.39%. Combined, Georgians and companies would save roughly $500 million next year.

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©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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