Georgia lawmakers put final stamp on midyear budget
ATLANTA - The General Assembly gave final passage Monday to a $37.9 billion midyear budget loaded with $5.5 billion in new spending. The midyear budget, which covers state spending through June 30, provided an additional $5 billion in spending when it emerged from the...
State Senate passes anti-cyberbullying bill
ATLANTA - The state Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation Monday aimed at protecting teenagers from cyberbullying and other negative effects of social media. The "Protecting Georgia's Children on Social Media Act" was a top priority of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who...
Georgia House passes fishing rights bill
ATLANTA - Legislation guaranteeing Georgians the right to hunt and fish in the state's navigable rivers and streams cleared the Georgia House Monday. House Bill 1172, which passed 107-60, is a follow-up to a bill the General Assembly passed on the final day of last...
Murder of Georgia college student touches off debate over illegal immigration
ATLANTA - State Senate Republicans attacked President Joe Biden Monday for failing to enforce the nation's immigration laws following the murder of an Augusta University nursing student on the campus of the University of Georgia. Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan...
PSC to resume hearings on Georgia Power request for more generating capacity
ATLANTA - Georgia Power executives gave state energy regulators chapter and verse last month on why the company needs a huge increase in electrical generating capacity to serve its 2.7 million customers. Soon, environmental and consumer advocates will get their turn....
CareSource donates $1 million to help youths aging out of foster care
ATLANTA - The nonprofit health-care organization CareSource is donating $1 million to a program that helps young people aging out of Georgia's foster care system. The General Assembly passed legislation unanimously in 2022 creating a tax credit to help fund wraparound...
Georgia Senate panel approves referendum on sports betting, casinos
ATLANTA - Casinos are back on the table in the General Assembly. The state Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee approved a proposed constitutional amendment late Thursday calling for Georgia voters to decide whether to legalize not only sports betting but...
Georgia House targets ‘deepfakes’ in political ads
ATLANTA - Legislation that criminalizes the use of "deepfakes" generated by artificial intelligence to impersonate candidates in political campaign ads cleared the Georgia House of Representatives Thursday. House Bill 986, which passed 148-22, creates the crime of...