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Last Day of 2013 Legislature – Updates from the Gold Dome

March 28th, 2013

Thursday, March 28, is the final day of the 2013 session. One would think that, with so little time before the deadline, there would be frenzied activity in both the House and Senate from morning until midnight. But it’s hasn’t worked out that way so far today.

Until lunchtime, very little happened at all—at least in the chambers. While negotiators were busy in meeting rooms and in hallways, trying to work out compromises on bills from gun rights to ethics, there was not much happening on the House and Senate floors.

That should all change in the afternoon and evening. WABE’s reporters are there, and we’ll be adding bulletins and updates as we get them.

We also wanted to share some photos from the morning, where all appeared to be quiet — on the surface, at least.

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Update 4:30 p.m. — Michelle Wirth reports that the Legislature has given final approval to HB 487, a bill that gives oversight of video gaming machines to the Georgia Lottery Corporation. These previously-unregulated terminals are sometimes found in the back rooms of gas stations. The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.

Update 5:15 p.m. — Watch live video of the Legislature. Both the Senate and the House are streaming their floor action over the Internet.

Update 6:00 p.m. — Michelle Wirth reports that the Senate has unanimously passed the budget.

Update 6:20 p.m. — Jonathan Shapiro has filed a report on the status of two of the most controversial bills of the session: ethics reform and expansion of where concealed weapons can be carried.