Crossover Day: Here are what bills have made it through so far

ATLANTA — It’s crossover day at the State Capitol. It’s the day bills live or die, depending on the state legislature’s votes.

And in the middle of it all, the governor happened to sign the amended budget.

With a prayer for shorter than expected crossover day, lawmakers laughed and then went right to work Thursday morning.

Crossover day is often busier than Sine Die, the final day of the session. If a bill doesn’t get a vote or fails when it gets one, chances are, it’s dead for the session.

Channel 2′s Richard Elliot will remain at the capitol throughout the night to see which bills will continue on and which ones are likely dead. He’ll have a LIVE update on WSB Tonight at 11 p.m.

Among those making it through, the bill called the Georgia Squatters’ Reform Act, a bill that makes it easier for homeowners to remove squatters from their homes and easier for law enforcement to arrest and charge them.

“There are no more free homes available in Georgia, and if you are currently in a home you don’t belong, leave now,” state Rep. Devin Seabaugh said.

In the middle of the rush to pass bills, Gov. Brian Kemp and others paused to sign the amended budget…, which helps get the state through the end of the fiscal year.

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“This is a very, very good budget,” House Speaker John Burns said.

Kemp praised the budget and used the occasion to criticize Washington, DC.

“I want to stress that much of the investments made in this budget are one-time spends, but they will pay long-lasting dividends,” Kemp said.

One bill passed Thursday helps take fines from criminal offenses and uses them to create the Victims of Human Trafficking Fund, a project supported by First Lady Marty Kemp.

“It shows that this administration is just committed to helping these individuals get their lives back. It just charges the safe harbor commission with knowing where the money is needed,” Marty Kemp said.

So still out there waiting for votes: A controversial religious freedom bill, and immigration-related bills.

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