Legislation would make the driver’s license on a smartphone official for Georgia police
ATLANTA - Drivers in Georgia would be able to leave home without their wallet, so long as they bring their smartphone, if legislation that seeks to require police to accept a digital version of drivers' licenses becomes law. House Bill 296 passed the Georgia...
Fiscal ’26 state budget clears House committee
ATLANTA - Georgia House budget writers approved Gov. Brian Kemp's $37.7 billion fiscal 2026 budget Monday, a spending plan that emphasizes the needs of the state prison system. The budget, which takes effect July 1, builds on the mid-year budget the General Assembly...
Marijuana inspires debate in Georgia Senate, with three bills passing before this year’s deadline
Marijuana has been a major topic in the Georgia Senate this legislative session, with three bills passing the chamber just ahead of the deadline Thursday to keep them in play this year. Two of the measures, Senate Bill 33 and Senate Bill 254, seek to restrict what's...
Republicans in Georgia Senate beat legislative deadline to send school safety measures to state House
ATLANTA - Georgia Republicans managed to push three school safety measures through the GOP-led Senate just before the Crossover Day deadline to keep bills alive in this year's legislative session. The only controversial measure was Senate Bill 61, which would let...
Crossover Day casualties include sports betting, DEI
ATLANTA - Sports betting struck out again this year in the General Assembly. The state House of Representatives passed 75 bills Thursday in the daylong flurry of activity known as Crossover Day, the annual deadline for legislation to clear either the House or Senate...
Georgia Senate moves to enhance criminal penalties for teens who threaten schools
ATLANTA - Legislation that would enhance criminal penalties for students who threaten their school passed the Georgia Senate Thursday. Senate Bill 61 was pushed by Republicans and passed 33-22 in a party-line vote. It would allow children aged 13 to 17 to be tried as...
Georgia Senate seeks to ban drinks with THC
ATLANTA - The Georgia Senate adopted a measure Thursday that would ban drinks containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Senate Bill 254, which passed 42-14, originally intended to limit the amount of Delta-9 (a form of THC) per serving in gummies, tinctures...
Georgia House passes two tax relief measures
ATLANTA - The Georgia House of Representatives passed two tax relief bills Thursday, one unanimously and another that proved controversial. House Bill 112, which cleared the chamber 175-0, would provide $1 billion in one-time income tax rebates to Georgia taxpayers....