In a flurry of activity before Sine Die on Thursday, the Senate took up the business of passing bills, with 82 pieces of legislation on their rules calendar.  

Both chambers of the Georgia legislature took up several bills dealing with immigrants and foreign nationals on Day 38. 

The morning started on a happy note as Lt. Gov. Burt Jones showed off the trophy won by the Senate in last night’s annual inter-chamber kickball game, after two years of House victories. But a visit from Jason Riley, father of slain UGA nursing student Laken Riley, brought a more somber mood to the floor.

Lawmakers are hard at work to pass as many bills as possible before the clock runs out on the session.  

The House kicked off the day with a celebration for the late Speaker David Ralston’s birthday. House leaders unveiled a portrait of Ralston. Gov. Brian Kemp and former governors Nathan Deal and Sonny Perdue also praised Ralston’s legacy. 

A controversial amendment introduced this week by Sen. Ben Watson (R – Savannah) during a committee meeting would ban puberty blockers for transgender minors, including those already receiving the therapy. Critics of the amendment say that it steps on parental rights.

The legislature focused on a range of issues from crime to space. Plus, a local sports celebrity visited the Gold Dome. 

Bills passed the House and the Senate, and two representatives announced their retirements.

Lawmakers in the House fulfilled an important requirement for the session today, and several special visitors came to the Capitol.  

Lawmakers argued about a familiar topic at the Georgia Capitol today as they reached the three-quarter mark in the session.  The House debated an oversight board for district and other prosecuting attorneys — again.  

Lawmakers came back to the Capitol on Monday after a late Crossover Day night. 

Lawmakers in the state House and Senate OK'd several controversial bills on a key day of the 2024 legislative session. 

On the Thursday February 29th edition of Georgia Today: Today is crossover day at the State Capitol we'll look at what that means for pending legislation before lawmakers; A bill to allow an opioid reversing drug in schools is moving forward after passage in the Senate; And a new book promises to shake up our understanding of the founder of Georgia. We'll talk to the author. 

Host of GPB's Lawmakers, Donna Lowry, talks with Morning Edition's Pamela Kirkland about Crossover Day in the Georgia legislature and the bills that Republicans and Democrats hope to push bills through their chambers before this year's deadline. Lawmakers features a special episode tonight at 7 p.m. on GPB-TV.

Both chambers moved through the rules calendar quickly to pass as many bills as possible before Crossover Day. And Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler announced her retirement.