A very busy weekend awaited me as I enjoyed myself at several area events. Relay for Life in Shellman, Mayhaw festival in Colquitt, and the Georgia General Contractors were at Bagby. But the pretty weather and the good times at home give way to the last days of the session as I return to Atlanta to begin the final countdown. The closing days are in sight as the Georgia General Assembly winds down. April 12 was the 34th day of the 2010 session. The General Assembly will be back in session on Tuesday April 20. Thursday, April 29, is the end of the session, we hope which is called Sine Die. This ends the life of all non passed bills for the two year cycle of the General Assembly. The new session will start in 2011 in January.

The House finally passed a budget on Wednesday, and the appropriations bill was sent to the Senate. There were good things and bad things in the budget, but the work is not over yet. The Senate will disagree with the budget, and a conference committee will work out a compromise for the House and Senate. The supplemental bill also came back to the House from the Senate, and it will also be worked out in Committee. The members serving on the conference committee will have long days and nights ahead of them as they work this out for passage by both sides.

Many people have already emailed me concerning the cuts to the Arts Council. This was in the budget and will be addressed by the conference committee. I suspect that some funding will be placed back in the budget for the Arts Council. It deserves to be funded, and it serves the state in bringing in millions of dollars in tourism. Let's hope that I am right on this issue. Hold your breath on other issues as the budget is worked out in conference. Things do happen, and later data can always alter the budget. We will take up the budget again on the 29th of April before midnight.

The transportation bill is back (SB39), and it looks like the House has disagreed, and a conference committee is pending. The legislature has failed to pass a transportation bill for several sessions, but in the end this may be the one that will work it out with all parties involved.

The stakes are high now, and the "dangerous time" is upon us. This is the time in the hurry and chaotic conditions that things get "slipped" into a bill. It is hard to keep up with all the changes. For your health, I would advise you not to come and watch how your laws are made on the last days of the session. Please continue to email and phone. My phone number is 404 656 0314, and the email is gerald.greene@ house.ga.gov God bless this country and state and each of you. Until next time, that is it Under the Gold Dome.