Lawmakers consider harms of artificial intelligence, social media, particularly for children
ATLANTA — Concern about the effects of algorithms and artificial intelligence has been driving an onslaught of legislation at the Georgia General Assembly. Lawmakers have unleashed more than half a dozen bills that would hold companies or individuals to account for...
Alabama and Georgia end decades-long legal conflict
ATLANTA — No blood was shed, but it will go down as one of the longer conflicts in memory. Last week, Alabama finally raised a white flag after nearly four decades of legal battles with Georgia in one front of what came to be known as the "Tri-State Water Wars," which...
Georgia lawmakers seek to reduce insurance costs
ATLANTA — After approving one-time income and property tax rebates for Georgians earlier this week, the state House returned with four more affordability measures, this time aimed at insurance costs. The legislation passed by the House Thursday aims to curb excess...
Students who skip school could face new punishments, including loss of driver’s license
ATLANTA — Students with too many unexcused absences would be barred from playing sports and could lose their driver's license under legislation approved by the state Senate Thursday. "These are privileges," said Sen. Jason Dickerson, R-Canton. "And this bill...
Georgia lawmakers approve midyear budget, restoring major cuts by adding money
ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers reached a compromise on the mid-year budget Wednesday, fulfilling priorities of the three main players with a little help from extra money. To overcome an impasse after the state House and state Senate took money from each other's...
Bill allowing broader sales of craft beer by Georgia breweries falls short
ATLANTA — An attempt to permit Georgia breweries to sell beer to restaurants, bars, and stores failed Tuesday when state senators refused to vote on the bill. The proposal’s demise means that craft brewers can still only provide alcohol to in-person customers, who are...
Georgia House adopts Kemp’s income tax cut
ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp is halfway to getting his income tax rate cut approved by the Legislature after the state House passed it in a mostly party-line vote Wednesday. "It's not the government's money. It's the peoples' money," said Rep. Will Wade, R-Dawsonville,...
Senate panel rewrites bill protecting Georgians from data centers’ power costs
ATLANTA — Georgia senators rejected a proposal Tuesday that would have explicitly prevented power companies from passing on data centers’ costs to customers, instead advancing a bill with fewer consumer protections. The 9-3 vote by the Senate Regulated Industries...
Georgia House passes literacy measure, high school cell phone ban, slew of other education bills
ATLANTA — Lawmakers in the Georgia House embraced a plan to send literacy coaches to elementary schools while also sending a high school cell phone ban to the Senate, as part of a package of eight educational bills approved Tuesday. Georgia lawmakers' years-long focus...