Religious freedom, education, gambling bills top 2016 agenda
ATLANTA (AP) – Georgia lawmakers return to the Capitol in Atlanta on Monday, kicking off the 2016 legislative session.
State Sen. Greg Kirk plans to introduce a bill protecting government employees who object to same-sex marriage, called the First Amendment Defense Act and modeled on a federal bill.
Casino and horse-racing backers are promoting gambling as a solution to Georgia’s higher education scholarship’s funding gap. Demand for the merit-based HOPE scholarship program has outpaced lottery funding in recent years.
Meanwhile, Gov. Nathan Deal, entering the second year of his final term in office, plans to focus on overhauling the state’s education system.
