Mental health bill gains unanimous approval in state House committee
Rep. Sharon Cooper, R-Marietta, chairs the state House of Representative's public health committee, which unanimously approved a new mental health bill Tuesday. Cooper was joined by Kim Jones, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Georgia...
Georgia Power seeks $2.1B fuel costs recovery
ATLANTA - The higher fuel costs Georgians have been paying at the gas pumps soon could be reflected in their electric bills. Georgia Power filed a request with the state Public Service Commission (PSC) Tuesday to recover $2.1 billion in additional fuel costs the...
State House panel passes COAM reform bill
ATLANTA - Legislation aimed at reforming Georgia's coin-operated amusement machines (COAM) industry cleared a committee in the state House of Representatives Tuesday. House Bill 353 would award non-cash redemption gift cards to winners that could be redeemed anywhere...
State House approves “Safe Schools Act”
ATLANTA – The state House of Representatives handily passed a bill Monday aimed at bolstering school safety in Georgia. The “Safe Schools Act,” which has the strong support of Gov. Brian Kemp, passed on a 148-20 vote. The bill, sponsored by...
Georgia Senate passes bill exempting rural hospitals from CON
ATLANTA - Legislation exempting most rural hospitals from Georgia's certificate of need law cleared the state Senate Monday. Senators voted 42-13 to no longer require proposed new acute-care hospitals in counties with populations of fewer than 50,000 residents to have...
Mandatory minimum sentences back under the Gold Dome
ATLANTA – Republicans in the General Assembly are making a renewed push for “mandatory minimum” sentences this year in the hopes of reducing crimes in Georgia. Such laws require judges to impose minimum sentences and often prohibit probation or other...
Georgia House panel approves ‘pared back’ bill raising commercial truck weights
ATLANTA - A watered-down version of legislation increasing the weight limit on commercial trucks in Georgia cleared a state House committee this week. The original version of House Bill 189, which the House Transportation Committee approved last week, would have...
New bill aims to create HBCU “prosperity planning districts”
State Sen. Sonya Halpern, D-Atlanta, discusses her new proposal to create HBCU planning districts during a press conference in February. (Photo credit: Rebecca Grapevine) ATLANTA – A new bill with bipartisan support would, if passed, take the first step toward...