Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 22

A daily recap of the Georgia Public Broadcasting show "Lawmakers". The show airs weekdays at 7:00pm with a replay at 5:30am the following weekday.

Day 22

* Shall we talk about the budget? No, it will be too bloody. But we must, we must.

* House approves making it a felony to knowingly send out tainted food. Just as I said last year, how is this not already a law! The whole thing is due to the bad nuts down in Early County which made their way into some salmonella flavored peanut butter.

* Something about water. We can't water our lawns or something. I don't know. It's a bunch of parliamentary mess that even I can't figure out. It'll probably come up later.

* They expanded the definition of vaccine to include oral mists. Yes, this type of minutiae actually has to be done. Methinks Lawmakers is struggling to find interesting stories.

* Privatization of Rest Areas. Like I said. Struggling. They could be turned into faux convenience stores. Slushies for everyone! If they have those delicious taquitos, I'm all for it.

* Both transportation committees met today. Of course this means Valarie at Hogwarts. I bet we get to see the Downtown Connector! Rep. Jim Cole, the Guv's floor leader, is laying down the law. County opt-out will mean a veto. Regions still can. Now, we get into constitutionality. Should it be an amendment? Might we have an equal protection issue here? This is going to get complicated.

* Downtown Connector! They also want to shorten the terms of the DOT board members but they aren't sure what the limit should be.

* Oh my goodness. Valarie says the TSPLOST may not pass again! That would be three years in a row, I think.

* Budget time. Get out the knives. Jerry Keen wants to extend the schedule by shortening the legislative work week. Reps are concerned about getting home to their families or what not. Oh, and campaigning as they can't raise money while in session.

* Scowling House clerks! The streak continues!

* Leadership series. Dubose Porter. His wife is running for Lite Guv. Don'tcha know. Oh, and he's running for something too. Governor, I believe. He's pimping his "share the data" tax plan again. He seems to think it is holy water that will wash away the budget blood.

* Tom Crawford needs to take fashion tips from Dubose. That's one sharp tie.

* Susan is desperately trying to get him to talk about something else and he keeps going back to finding the "cheats".

* When Dubose gets wonky, he starts to lose me. I'm sure I'm not alone.

* Accountants only have to go to training for half the current time. Or something. They continue to clean the house while the sludge of the budget looms on the horizon.

* Protest of the day! It's the Americans For Prosperity. That''s Grover Norquist's fanatics. Read Tom Crawford snarky recap here.

* Tom Graves sounds like a preacher. I suppose that plays well in his part of the state.

* Won't someone think of the children! It's the Youth and Children committee. Of course they are in the room that looks like it used to be the living room of a double wide. It's a great wad of liberals! People going hungry! Can't get healthcare! It's all going to hell!

* Lawmaker flashback! Young Dubose Porter in 1987! God bless him, he'd already lost all his hair. This is about burn permits. I know something about this as I have to burn my farm each year. Reminds me. I haven't done that yet. Lord, one of the gentleman farmer reps just said "forestry man".

* A bill to go after street gangs and their "tags". I fear we are about to get on trepidous ground. It allows prosecutors to go after people who recruit. Can't wait to see how that's defined.

* Keocia!

* A bill is in committee to allow people on the sex offender lists to petition for their removal. It's basically for those that are dying or ones who are "level one" and haven't shown a propensity to do it again. I wonder if that would cover that poor lady in Augusta who was put on the list for giving her high school boy friend an "oral test".

* Keocia talked to Bobby Franklin! Of course, he was the only member who was against the bill. But in true Franklin fashion, it ain't what you think. He's agin the registry altogether because he believes if they've served the time, the state should be done with them. Of course, this probably means he also believes they shouldn't have been released in the first place.

* Another protest! Against Meth! The anti-meth people have a big screen teevee! There's some money behind this sucker. Thurbert Baker and his "hair" was there.

* Ricky Bevington and her BOOK OF DOOM! Four members of the assisted suicide group Final Exit were indicted in Forsyth County. Gwinnett County's DA says the public defender system may violate the Constitution. A gun went of in a Dublin Middle School. It's the third incident in that school this year?! What's up with that?

* Tomorrow, we get the bill to appoint Constitutional officers. What fun! Just once I wish Susan would give me a sly wink. But for now, that's a wrap!