As expected, this fifth day of the 2009 session of the Georgia General Assembly started early and finished early, with little business of consequence conducted in either chamber.  As it is very early in the first week of the first year of a new, two-year session, that is not surprising.  New members of the General Assembly are still trying to locate offices!  But (and, for this we should be thankful!), this day counts as one of the forty, also!

The only "stir" created on this day surrounded a press release from Governor Perdue's newsroom announcing the inclusion of a number of school construction projects as part of the his overall recommended bond package for the FY2010 budget.  It turns out that the list (Click here to view the press release containing the list.) consists primarily of the school capital outlay projects that are to be approved based on duly-submitted facilities plans by systems requesting the funds for said projects.  Adding to the confusion is that the numbers on the Governor's office press release don't exactly match the numbers in the requests by local systems, and DOE is working to resolve those differences.

Legislators (and, those who watch them) gladly headed for home soon after adjournment on this cold Friday, and many will return during next week's recess to participate in and observe budget hearings.  The K-12 education budget will be presented to the joint House and Senate Appropriations Committee members by Superintendent Cox at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 21, in Room 341 of the Capitol.