Georgia lawmakers take this week off

The ajc reports:

Lawmakers take this week off --- a legislative tradition --- so the budget committees can pore over the $18.6 billion budget bill proposed last week by Gov. Sonny Perdue in his State of the State address.

Legislative leaders have predicted a smooth, and likely short-lived, 2006 General Assembly as lawmakers rush to get back to their home districts to raise campaign funds. All legislative seats are up for election this year, and lawmakers cannot raise money while the Legislature is in session.

They will, however, soon confront several major issues, including a high-profile, and possibly divisive, push to crack down on illegal immigrants.