On Monday, a group of Democrats formed the Voting Rights Caucus and elected the nascent group’s leadership. The press release announcing the caucus came from Fair Fight Action–the continuation of Stacey Abrams unsuccessful bid for governor. Fair Fight Action focuses on…well, voting rights. “This past election cycle showed us that the rights of our voters
In December, the Senate Study Committee released its findings regarding a potential takeover of the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The Senators supported a state takeover, citing management structural issues with a city managed airport, a federal bribery scandal engulfing Atlanta and a Federal Aviation Authority probe into Atlanta’s misuse of airport funds. Now, those Senators are gearing
One of the items that the Georgia General Assembly will deliberate upon is how Georgia voters will cast their ballots in 2020. At this point, there will be some sort of paper trail. The question is, will the voter use a pen or a machine to mark their ballot? I’ve had the privilege to serve
Three Georgia Democrats have filed legislation to regulate personal assistive mobility devices under the Georgia Motor Vehicle code. Democrat Senators Donzella James, Michael Rhett, and Harold Jones filed Senate Bill 24 on the devices last week. Electric personal assistive mobility devices are power-assisted devices for mobility such as wheelchairs, scooters, and more recent innovations such as
One Georgia lawmaker has dropped a bill to alter the criminality and punishment of misdemeanor marijuana possession in Georgia. Democrat Senator Harold Jones of Augusta filed Senate Bill 10, though the bill has not been assigned to a committee. Current state law sets possession of marijuana in the amount of “one ounce or less” as
This week’s Courier Herald column: A new era has begun in Atlanta for all of Georgia. Monday officially brought us a new Governor, Brian Kemp. The Georgia General Assembly also has many fresh faces as the legislature begins their annual meeting. Chief among them is the new Lieutenant Governor, Geoff Duncan, who will guide the
So, you want to keep up with the General Assembly, but you don’t want to drive to Atlanta, fight parking, and/or you have an aversion to metal detectors? The General Assembly has your back. Legislators convene this morning at 10am. They’ll do a bit of pageantry, swear in new members, officially elect leaders and rules,
State Representative Michael Caldwell (R – Woodstock) pre-filed legislation for the 2019 session that would allow citizens to vote for or against legislative term limits. HB6 would limit members of the General Assembly to eight consecutive years of service by allowing four separate two-year terms. Under the legislation, General Assembly members must take off one
James Salzer of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported on a debate about Georgia’s private and state prisons. The article details an audit conducted by a study committee in the Georgia General Assembly. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Terry England’s study committee will explore the impact of Governor Deal’s criminal justice reform policies on Georgia. This
In a press release this morning, Governor-elect Brian Kemp announced his floor leaders in the Georgia General Assembly. In the State House: Rep. Jodi Lott (R-Evans) Rep. Terry Rogers (R-Clarksville) Rep. Bert Reeves (R-Marietta) Rep. Dominic LaRicca (R-Douglas) In the State Senate: Sen. Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) Sen. Brian Strickland (R-McDonough) Governor-elect Kemp also announced that
