by Dave Williams | Jan 23, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – A lawyer for the state of Georgia Thursday defended congressional and legislative maps the Republican-controlled General Assembly drew in 2023 in a lawsuit charging the new districts violate the Voting Rights Act.
Georgians have elected Republican majorities in the state legislature and Georgia’s congressional delegation based on party affiliation rather than race, Georgia Solicitor General Stephen Petrany argued before the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. GOP candidates have been winning their elections whether they are Black or white, Petrany said.
“That’s just partisan politics,” he said. “(The plaintiffs) have to show the majority is voting differently somehow connected to race.”
Five Georgia voters are appealing a ruling by U.S. District Judge Steve Jones in December 2023 that upheld new legislative and congressional maps Georgia lawmakers had drawn during a special session a few weeks earlier.
The special session was called following a decision Jones handed down in October 2023 ordering the General Assembly in October 2023 to redraw congressional and legislative district lines after voting rights and civil rights groups filed lawsuits claiming the maps violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
While the maps created a new Black-majority district in western portions of metro Atlanta and some new Black-majority districts in the Georgia House and Senate, lawyers for the plaintiffs argued Thursday that the maps didn’t go far enough.
“Racial polarization is leading to dilution of minority voting strength,” said Sophia Lin Lakin, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Voting Rights Project. “There is less opportunity for minority voters.”
Petrany pointed to the two election victories by U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., in 2021 and 2022 as evidence that Black candidates can win statewide in Georgia.
But Abha Khanna, another lawyer for the plaintiffs, said Warnock’s statewide victories were an anomaly and that few Blacks have won statewide elections in Georgia. She noted that of the five Black members of the state’s congressional delegation, four represent Black-majority districts.
“Secretary (of State Brad Raffensperger) says Black voters have done enough winning in Georgia,” she said. “That’s wrong.”
by Dave Williams | Jan 23, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Georgia’s unemployment rate held steady last month at 3.7%, four-tenths of a point lower than the national jobless rate, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.
The number of jobs rose by 9,900 in December to a record-high 4,994,900, just short of the 5 million mark.
“Georgia is just 5,100 jobs away from making history,” said Louis DeBroux, the state’s interim labor commissioner. “This historic milestone is undeniable proof of the strength of our economy.”
Job sectors with the most month-over-month gains included health care and social assistance, which created 5,500 more jobs; information – which includes the motion picture and sound recording industries – with a gain of 3,300 jobs; and retail trade, which gained 2,900 jobs.
On the down side, jobs in durable goods manufacturing fell by 1,800 last month; followed by the local government sector, which lost 1,500 jobs; and non-durable goods manufacturing, which was down by 1,400 jobs in December.
Georgia’s labor force declined last month for the first time in 12 months, falling by 4,875 jobs to 5.4 million.
The number of employed Georgians also fell by 4,973 to 5.2 million, while the number of unemployed increased by 108 to 198,492.
Initial jobless claims rose by 11,727 in December to 31,046.
by Dave Williams | Jan 22, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Agriculture has detected a positive case of bird flu in a second commercial poultry flock in Elbert County.
The discovery of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has prompted the agency to suspend poultry activities in Georgia. However, retail sales of poultry products including meat and eggs have not been affected.
“HPAI remains a serious threat to our state’s economy, Georgia’s No.-1 industry, and the health and safety of poultry in our state,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said Wednesday. “Our team at the Georgia Department of Agriculture responded immediately to start depopulation, disposal, and cleaning and disinfecting operations.”
Harper said the close proximity of the two cases of bird flu – including the first case discovered late last week – allowed the his agency and law enforcement officials to set up a secure perimeter to prevent further spread of the disease.
All commercial poultry operations within 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) of where the two cases occurred remain under quarantine and will continue to undergo increased surveillance testing for at least two weeks.
The suspension of poultry activities including auctions, flea markets, shows, and exhibitions involving live birds will remain in effect until further notice.
by Dave Williams | Jan 22, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – This week’s winter storm in Georgia has forced the cancellation of three days of legislative hearings on Gov. Brian Kemp’s budget requests for the remainder of this fiscal year and fiscal 2026.
But when lawmakers reconvene under the Gold Dome next week, they will begin examining an ambitious list of building projects fueled by the huge budget surplus the state has been built up during the last several years.
Here are highlights of the capital spending proposals across the state:
- Design and construct research building on Augusta University’s Health Sciences campus – $99.8 million
- Additional design and construction of 80-bed expansion, Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Macon – $82.7 million
- Remove QR code from paper ballots – $47.2 million
- Furniture, fixtures, and equipment for Washington State Prison, Washington County – $46.5 million
- Construction and equipment to complete renovation of the Agriculture Building in the state Capitol complex – $44.5 million
- Construction of Central Medical Examiner Building, Bibb County – $43 million
- Design new state prison – $40 million
- Renovations and repairs to Atlanta Farmers Market, Clayton County – $37.4 million
- Design, construct, and equip recovery center for adult victims of human trafficking – $35.8 million
- Renovate and expand Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron Academic Complex, Atlanta Technical College – $23.4 million
- Poultry Science Building renovation at University of Georgia, Athens – $23 million
- Design, construct, and equip for Skiles Classroom Building, Georgia Tech campus – $20 million
The General Assembly will reconvene on Monday for Day 6 of the 40-day legislative session.
by Dave Williams | Jan 22, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – The winter storm that hit large parts of Georgia Tuesday is over, but state Department of Transportation crews were continuing to treat and plow roads Wednesday in areas that haven’t seen significant snow in decades.
Travel conditions Wednesday morning south of Interstate 20 and south and east of I-85 were hazardous to very dangerous.
“Georgia DOT asks for the public’s patience right now,” state Commissioner of Transportation Russell McMurry said. “This is a highly unusual winter weather event impacting nearly three-quarters of the state, and our crews cannot be everywhere at once. Georgia DOT will need time, ability to access the roads to treat and plow, and warmer temperatures working in our favor to help restore and maintain passable conditions.”
While snow in Georgia typically occurs in the northern mountains south into metro Atlanta, Tuesday’s storm stretched from portions of the metro region south into Middle, South, and Coastal Georgia. Numerous vehicle crashes were reported in those areas, particularly on sections of I-75 south of Atlanta and around the I-16/I-95 interchange in Chatham County.
Schools were closed in the affected areas Wednesday, and the state Capitol complex in downtown Atlanta was closed for the second day in a row.
Motorists were advised to drive with extreme caution and to stay off the roads if possible. Those who do drive were advised to stay at least 100 feet behind DOT trucks treating and plowing the roads.
Temperatures aren’t expected to warm up enough to begin melting the snow and ice until Thursday.
