Kentucky House rejects Senate budget proposal

The House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 18 which enables the Technical College System of Georgia to grant academic credit to veterans for training received in the military as long as it's relevant to the degree sought.

There is some evidence, however, that the latest House tweaks may be causing some trouble for the measure now that it is back in front of the Senate.

A bill that would provide death benefits to families of EMS providers who die in the line of duty passed unanimously in the Kentucky House Friday.

The Senate also restores Bevin's cuts to constitutional offices like the Treasurer and Secretary of State that the House had removed from their budget.

Thursday is sine die, the final day of the 2016 session, so there's a lot of bills being argued at the Capitol.

Senate Bill 56 will extend the current law's look-back period for previous DUI offenses from five years to 10. Yet untested rape kits have been found in other jurisdictions, including at the Gwinnett police department, which covers the Buford Republican's home county.

The Senate's long-awaited action comes as a big disappointment nonetheless, because it would restore no one's right to vote.

Macon Republican Rep. Allen Peake hopes the same strategy can help pass his bill expanding the number of people eligible to use a medical marijuana derivative in Georgia.

Fired Texas trooper pleads not guilty to perjury in Sandra Bland case
Encinia is fighting to get his job back and is also named in a federal wrongful death lawsuit brought by Bland's family. He is suspected of making false statements in the arrest report about the reason he removed Bland from her vehicle.

"I am grateful to the members of both parties in both chambers for their efforts to craft a budget in the face of challenging constraints; and their willingness to listen to our story throughout this process", Capilouto wrote in his email.

The spending plan for the financial year starting July 1 now goes to Gov. Nathan Deal.

As it stands, patients with "cancer, HIV/AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathies, Huntington's disease, Crohn's disease, post traumatic stress disorder, intractable seizures, glaucoma, sickle cell anemia, chronic pain, and autism" would be allowed access to full strength cannabis pills, oils and tinctures. The concept already passed the Senate in February. Members also may vote on bills adding two justices to the state Supreme Court and allowing college students to carry stun guns on campus.

Georgia's improving economy has allowed lawmakers to focus on where to spend money, rather than the cuts required during the Great Recession.

Legislative leaders have showed no sign they plan to respond to the governor's concerns before the session ends.

Bills that survive head to Deal for his signature, and opponents and supporters of several bills already approved by lawmakers are now turning their attention to him.

A gun industry trade association is pushing for such laws in a handful of states.