Some of the most important legislative debates at the Georgia Capitol don’t take place under the Gold Dome, but are instead hashed out across Mitchell Street, where committee rooms are often packed with lobbyists and concerned members of the public.

The landscape at the Georgia Capitol is changing as more women have been elected to the Legislature and as the work of caregiving is increasingly shared among spouses.

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

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.