Capitol Beat

Georgia. Politics.

Atlanta ready to handle diseases if World Cup crowds bring them

ATLANTA — As Ebola rages in the Democratic Republic of Congo, that country's national team will play a World Cup match in Georgia Saturday. The odds of the disease reaching Atlanta are remote given international travel restrictions, but if it did, few other places...

Feds bust ring that allegedly flew drugs, weapons into prisons

ATLANTA -- They were allegedly flying to help prisoners get high and to maybe escape, but now nine people, all but one from Macon, are behind bars themselves after federal agents arrested them in connection with delivering drugs, phones and weapons into prisons from...

Lawmakers go home with more campaign fodder, few results

The 2026 special session of the Georgia General Assembly may be remembered more for what did not happen than for what did. Gov. Brian Kemp called lawmakers back to the Capitol mainly to complete work they had left unfinished during their regular session last winter...

Lawmakers go home after postponing changes to election system

ATLANTA — Georgians should continue voting with the same machines they have been using for years until a new system can be acquired in 2028, lawmakers decided before ending their special session Tuesday. In largely partisan votes by the state House and Senate,...

Legislature kills sales tax for property tax swap

ATLANTA — Democrats in the Legislature on Monday closed the door on Republican proposals to implement new local sales taxes to offset homeowner property tax bills. On the fourth day of their special session, Republicans got a redo of a vote Saturday that nixed the tax...

Radio host Martha Zoller dies

ATLANTA — Georgia radio host and state school board member Martha Zoller died Monday, House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, said in a speech on the House floor. "We lost a great Georgian today: Someone who was a great conservative, but she was also a friend to all...