Capitol Beat

Georgia. Politics.

Savannah Harbor dredging project completed

Savannah Harbor ATLANTA - The deepening of Savannah Harbor has been completed seven years after the $1 billion project began, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Wednesday. The harbor has been deepened from 42 feet to 47 feet to accommodate the giant...

Teacher raises highlight Georgia House budget

ATLANTA - Georgia House budget writers Thursday approved Gov. Brian Kemp's record $30.2 billion fiscal 2023 state budget, including the long-awaited second and final installment of a $5,000 teacher pay raise. The spending plan, which takes effect July 1, would...

Georgia unemployment rate drops again in January

Georgia Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler ATLANTA - Georgia’s unemployment rate fell for the 21st consecutive month in January to 3.2%, down slightly from the 3.3% jobless rate posted in December. At the same time, the number of jobs in the Peach State climbed to an...

General Assembly puts final touches on mid-year budget

ATLANTA - The Georgia House and Senate reached agreement Wednesday on a mid-year budget that provides pay raises and bonuses to state and University System of Georgia employees as well as school workers. Budget negotiators added nearly $450 million to the spending...

State poised to temporarily suspend gasoline sales tax

ATLANTA - Gov. Brian Kemp and legislative leaders moved Wednesday to temporarily suspend the state sales tax on gasoline amid record-high prices at the pump. Fuel prices that already had increased significantly in recent weeks with inflation have soared since the...

Georgia lawmakers condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine

Flag of Ukraine ATLANTA - The General Assembly weighed in Wednesday on the Russian invasion of Ukraine with condemnation and a determination not to do business with the government that brought on the war. The Georgia Senate unanimously passed legislation prohibiting...

Georgia House approves $1B state income tax cut

Georgia Rep. Shaw Blackmon ATLANTA - The Republican-controlled Georgia House of Representatives passed a $1 billion state income tax cut Wednesday over objections from Democrats that most benefits would go to upper-income taxpayers while some Georgians would pay more....