Today is both Crossover Day in the General Assembly – the 30th legislative day, by the end of which any bill that has not passed at least one house of the legislature will be officially dead – and the beginning of qualifying for the 2014 Primary and General Elections.
Either of those occurrences on its own would make today a red letter day for Georgia politicos, but both on one day is like having dual eclipses of the sun and the moon in a single 24-hour period. But we also may see some surprises originating with either of those events.
Crossover Day is notorious for both a frenzied rush through the legislative calendar and for surprises on the floor. Today is likely to see a vote in the State House on HB 885 by Rep. Allen Peake, which would legalize the use and production of certain medications derived from cannabis. If you’d told me before the session began that a medical marijuana bill – even one that contains major safeguard like Peake’s bill – would be introduced, much less passed, I wouldn’t have believed it.
The state Senate has a full calendar today that includes Senate Bill 98, the “Federal Abortion Mandate Opt-out Act,” which promises a full-fledged floor fight.
Additional drama could come in the form of floor amendments offered to otherwise-routine legislation, or additional bills added to supplemental Rules calendars. And the potential for legislative legerdemain always exists when the action gets fast and furious.
Qualifying week often brings surprises in the form of previously unknown challenges to incumbents, or current officeholders who decide against running for reelection and either pave the way for a favored candidate to be the only one qualifying, or creating a rush to qualify.
Already, we have read that Senator Tim Golden will not be running for reelection, via Aaron Gould Sheinin of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This appears to be legitimate.
Over the weekend, a website reported that Senator Jack Murphy would also retire from the Senate and not seek reelection, but emails I received directly from Sen. Murphy said that his current intention is to qualify and run for reelection. He will, however, be challenged by three other candidates, the most recent to announce being Lauren W. McDonald, III, formerly elected Coroner of Forsyth County and son of Public Service Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald.
We may not know the full extent of legislative and local retirements until after qualifying, but earlier announcements by Senate Majority Leader Ronnie Chance, Senate Majority Whip Cecil Staton and Ethics Committee Chair Sen. John Crosby, already ensure significant turnover in at least one chamber.
