Kemp’s tort reform bill moving in state Senate
ATLANTA - Legislation backed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp aimed at reining in huge jury awards supporters say cripple Georgia businesses has cleared a state Senate committee following a five-hour hearing. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 8-3 along party lines...
Lawmakers, mostly but not all Democrats, seek extra funding for impoverished students
ATLANTA - Some legislative Republicans are joining Democrats in seeking to send additional state funding to schools with students in poverty. Supporters of House Bill 245 argue that Georgia is one of six states that has not adjusted educational funding to account for...
Former head of Fish and Wildlife Service goes to bat for Okefenokee
ATLANTA - The former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) recently urged Gov. Brian Kemp to block a proposed mine near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge on her way out the door. In a letter to Kemp dated Jan 15 - five days before leaving office...
Medicaid expansion in Georgia drawing interest from long-opposed Republicans
ATLANTA - Advocates seeking health insurance for more low-income Georgians are encouraged that Medicaid expansion is starting to draw support among what for years has been unified Republican opposition. Although just four GOP state senators joined 17 Democrats when...
State Senate weighing in on growth of data centers
ATLANTA - Georgia Power would not be allowed to pass on the costs of providing electricity to data centers under legislation before the state Senate. "I support data centers coming to Georgia. ... They can be a significant contributor to property taxes," Sen. Chuck...
Sandersville Railroad wins eminent domain ruling
ATLANTA - A Fulton County Superior Court judge has upheld a ruling by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) granting Sandersville Railroad Co. the right to take land from several property owners for a planned rail spur. However, Judge Craig Schwall also issued a...
Georgia Senate votes to ban transgender athletes from school competitions
ATLANTA - The Republican-controlled Georgia Senate moved to purge transgender athletes from female teams Thursday in a near party-line vote. Senate Bill 1 would prohibit public school and state college students from competing on teams that do not match the sex on...
Mid-year state budget sails though Georgia House
ATLANTA - The Georgia House overwhelmingly passed a $40.5 billion mid-year state budget Thursday containing hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending aimed largely at helping victims of Hurricane Helene recover from the devastating storm. The mid-year budget,...