by Mark Niesse | Jan 13, 2026 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA — The Georgia Senate voted along party lines Tuesday to ban cities from requiring gun owners to lock up their guns in cars, the first bill approved in this year’s legislative session.
The bill is a response to a Savannah ordinance that outlawed leaving handguns, rifles or shotguns in unattended vehicles unless they’re securely stored. A Chatham County judge ruled in November that the ordinance is unconstitutional.
The legislation now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto. The Senate approved the bill 32-21 on Tuesday after it passed the state House on the final day of last year’s legislative session.
State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican from Trenton, said the bill would protect the rights of gun owners. In Savannah, 41 people received citations under the city’s ordinance, which comes with a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and 30 days in jail.
“You can travel the state freely knowing you’re not going to be a victim of a crime and then be made a criminal as we’ve seen in Savannah,” Moore said during the Senate debate on Senate Bill 204. “We’re putting freedom back into the hands of the citizenry.”
Savannah’s ordinance required guns left in vehicles to be securely stored in a glove compartment, console, locked trunk, or behind the last upright seat of a vehicle without a trunk. The ordinance also mandated that unoccupied vehicles must be kept locked when there’s a gun inside.
State Sen. Derek Mallow, a Democrat from Savannah, said the ordinance reduced gun thefts in Savannah by 30% in the year since the city enacted it in 2024.
“The city overwhelmingly supports the Second Amendment, but they also believe that public safety is at risk when guns are stolen from unlocked cars,” Mallow said. “They can fall into the wrong hands very easily.”
The bill also allows weapons carriers who receive citations to sue local governments for $25,000 plus attorney fees.
by Mark Niesse | Jan 13, 2026 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA — Lawmaking in Georgia this year could come with a healthy dose of campaigning.
At least 16 Georgia legislators say they’re running for higher office during elections later this year, making this session of the General Assembly their last chance to burnish their credentials before facing voters.
Senators and representatives can use the legislative session that began Monday as an opportunity to pass bills and attract attention ahead of elections for Congress, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and insurance commissioner.
“I’m hoping for a session where we’re actually going to put the people of Georgia first instead of politics,” said state Rep. Jasmine Clark, a Democrat from Lilburn who is running for Congress. “I dread that, with it being an election year, there will be a little bit of trickery and people posturing in order to make for great campaign mailers, even if it’s not great for Georgia.”
Nine out of 56 state senators have said they’ll campaign for higher office, along with Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for governor and presides over the Senate.
Two former state senators — Republican John F. Kennedy and Democrat Jason Esteves — resigned to run for lieutenant governor and governor. Georgia law prohibits state legislators and statewide officeholders from raising money during the legislative session.
“There’s going to be a tendency to see some of that competitiveness in the Senate chamber,” said state Sen. Steve Gooch, a Republican from Dahlonega who is running for lieutenant governor. “I don’t intend to be playing any of those games that you may expect, or you may have heard from other people. I just think everything’s going to work. There may be some bumps in the road from time to time, but it’s not going to interfere with the priorities of the Senate.”
In the 180-member state House, seven representatives say they intend to seek statewide offices or seats in the U.S. House.
More lawmakers could join the fray — or decide not to run — before the state’s candidate qualifying deadline on March 6. Every seat for state House and state Senate will also be on the ballot this year.
Here’s a look at the Georgia legislators planning to run for higher office:
U.S. House: Rep. Jasmine Clark, a Democrat from Lilburn; Rep. Houston Gaines, a Republican from Athens; Sen. Emanuel Jones, a Democrat from Decatur; Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican from Trenton.
Governor: Rep. Derrick Jackson, a Democrat from Tyrone; Rep. Ruwa Romman, a Democrat from Duluth.
Lieutenant Governor: Rep. David Clark, a Republican from Buford; Sen. Greg Dolezal, a Republican from Cumming; Sen. Steve Gooch, a Republican from Dahlonega; Sen. Josh McLaurin, a Democrat from Sandy Springs; Sen. Blake Tillery, a Republican from Vidalia.
Attorney General: Sen. Bill Cowsert, a Republican from Athens; Rep. Tanya Miller, a Democrat from Atlanta; Sen. Brian Strickland, a Republican from McDonough.
Secretary of State: Rep. Tim Fleming, a Republican from Covington.
Insurance Commissioner: Sen. Nabilah Parkes, a Democrat from Duluth.
by Mark Niesse | Jan 12, 2026 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA — Lawmakers, lobbyists and protesters swarmed to the Georgia Capitol on Monday, the first day of the annual legislative session in a crucial election year.
State senators and representatives — several of whom are running for higher office — pitched ambitious agendas for tax cuts, a cellphone ban in high schools and affordability before voters weigh in during elections later this year.
By the end of the three-month legislative session, the General Assembly will have passed hundreds of bills, including the state’s next budget. Last year, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a $37.7 billion budget into law along with 350 bills.
“We’re going to focus on things that matter to hard-working Georgians, which is cost of living, public safety and education,” said new Senate President Pro Tempore Larry Walker III, a Republican from Perry.
Dueling tax cut plans could dominate much of lawmakers’ debate.
Republicans in the Senate, led by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, are promoting efforts to eventually eliminate Georgia’s income tax, while Republican House Speaker Jon Burns and his allies prefer property tax relief.
Democrats said they’re focused on making Georgia a more affordable place to live.
“Everything we do, every bill that we endorse, is going to all fall back on affordability because we want Georgians to be able to thrive,” said Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, a Democrat from Columbus. “My greatest hope is that we will pass a balanced budget and go home, but what I expect to happen is we’re going to have a lot of twists and turns in between.”
Besides taxes, legislators will also grapple with many other hot-button issues, including perennial efforts to legalize sports gambling, proposals to replace Georgia’s touchscreen voting machines and attempts to improve health care access in rural areas.
“I’m looking forward to this session. It’s going to be good. We’re going to get a lot done,” House Speaker Jon Burns, a Republican from Newington, said during a press conference last week.
Protestors showed up at the Capitol to wave signs and make their voices heard in support of civil rights, marijuana access and gun safety. Meanwhile, lobbyists packed the hallways inside to bend the ear of key legislators.
Republicans hold majorities in both the state House and Senate, but Democrats have narrowed the gap in recent years and won two seats on the five-member Public Service Commission in November.
In the House, Republicans control 99 of 180 seats, with vacancies in two Democratic-leaning districts that will be filled by special elections. The GOP has a 32-23 seat advantage in the Senate, with one Republican seat empty following the resignation of Sen. John F. Kennedy, who is running for lieutenant governor.
Which bills pass or fail won’t be known until lawmakers throw confetti to celebrate the end of the 40-business day legislative session when it concludes April 2.
Then Kemp will decide which bills to sign or veto ahead of primary elections in May and the general election in November, when every seat in the General Assembly and every statewide office is on the ballot.
