Georgia House passes bill to provide TANF benefits to pregnant women
ATLANTA - Legislation extending aid to pregnant women in Georgia through the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program sailed through the state House of Representatives Monday. House Bill 129, which passed 173-1, is sponsored by freshman Rep. Soo...
Georgia’s education funding formula: It’s complicated
ATLANTA – The General Assembly is unlikely to change Georgia’s education funding formula this session, legislators have told Capitol Beat. A state Senate study committee chaired by Sen. Mike Dugan, R-Carrollton, met several times last fall to consider changes to the...
CON reform bill looks to exempt rural hospitals
ATLANTA - The first certificate of need (CON) reform bill to surface in the General Assembly this year was prompted by a specific hospital project but would have statewide implications. Senate Bill 99 would exempt parties wishing to build an acute-care hospital in a...
Rising sales, corporate taxes in Georgia mask drop in income taxes
ATLANTA - Georgia tax collections rose slightly last month, as a decline in individual income tax receipts was offset by gains in sales and corporate income tax revenue. The state Department of Revenue brought in nearly $3 billion in January, up 1.1% over January of...
New bill takes aim at gender-affirming care for transgender youth
ATLANTA — A new bill would prohibit transgender Georgians under 18 from receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy or surgery. “The state has a compelling interest to protect all young Georgians from harm,” said Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Gwinnett, the bill’s...
Legislative committee approves raising truck weights in Georgia after lengthy hearing
ATLANTA - Legislation to increase the limit on commercial truck weights in Georgia cleared a state House committee Thursday over the objections of local government officials, traffic safety advocates, and the Georgia Department of Transportation. The House...
Senate passes bill to evaluate whether job requirements match needed skills
ATLANTA – The Georgia Senate approved legislation Thursday that would require the state to assess whether educational requirements for many state jobs are necessary. The “Reducing Barriers to State Employment” bill also encourages the Georgia Department of...
Georgia revenue commissioner drops ‘interim’ from title
ATLANTA - The interim commissioner at the Georgia Department of Revenue will take over the position on a permanent basis. Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday. Kemp appointed Frank O'Connell interim commissioner of the revenue agency last November when then-Commissioner...