Briefs
In acquittal victory speech, Trump predicts Loeffler-Collins friendship
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump took a victory lap on Thursday, the day after the U.S. Senate voted to acquit him on articles of impeachment. After slamming Democrats for engaging in an unfair partisan “witch hunt” against him, Trump welcomed what he called “total acquittal” and singled out his friends in Congress who had his […]
Carrying hemp? You might need to carry a license for that
After Georgia’s 2019 legalization of hemp, the low-THC, no-high cousin of marijuana, some prosecutors stopped pursuing small illegal weed cases because they can’t easily tell the difference between the two. In response, lawmakers in the Georgia House are mulling a requirement that everybody who’s legally carrying a green, leafy substance in the cannabis family better […]
Ga. lawmakers push to end ‘subsidizing’ coal ash imports
Georgia will require local governments to collect more money from coal-fired power producers that are dumping toxic ash in their community, under a bill gaining traction in the state Senate. Lately, it’s cheaper to bury household garbage in Georgia than to bury coal ash, which can contain toxins like boron and arsenic. “In essence, the […]
Kemp backs legislation to reduce high-stakes tests in schools
Gov. Brian Kemp and the state school superintendent said Tuesday they will push for legislation that aims to greatly reduce the test requirements for Georgia’s students. Senate Bill 367 means public school students would take five fewer standardized tests and allow the state to decide if end-of-the-course assessments should be factored into a students’ grades. […]
Georgians might get to vote, in time, on springing forward, falling backward
Every time it’s time for clocks to spring forward or fall back, state Rep. Wes Cantrell knows his constituents will ask him to stop the seasonal schedule shakeup. And he’ll have to explain again that powerful forces – from Congress to businesses to organizers of sports played during summer vacation – are set in their […]
Wednesday vote looms as Senate GOP rejects impeachment witnesses
WASHINGTON — A final vote on whether to remove President Donald Trump from office is set for Wednesday, and Georgia’s senators both seem ready to vote for acquittal. The vote comes after the U.S. Senate voted largely along party lines Friday evening to block additional witnesses and documents from being introduced in the president’s impeachment […]
Ga. freight commission plans more reliance on rail, money yet to roll in
A joint state House-Senate study commission agreed Thursday that Georgia should spend money to try and speed freight trains more effectively around the state. But with Gov. Brian Kemp mandating budget cuts, the money is likely to roll out slowly for projects that deliver things like more efficient railroad crossings and better access to industry. […]
Georgia Senate committee not champing at the bit for race track
Supporters of horse racing and wagering in Georgia for decades have pressed the state Legislature to legalize parimutuel betting and open the gate to horse tracks. Lawmakers from both the state’s legislative chambers pondered the possibilities of expanding legalized gambling during study committee hearings last fall. But now that the 2020 General Assembly is officially […]
Former governor gets sneak peek at new namesake judicial center
The new home for the state’s two highest courts provides more space to breathe than their old perch down the street and adds long-overdue security upgrades, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton said during a tour of the new place Wednesday. The state’s Supreme Court and Court of Appeals will now mete out justice […]
Collins announces U.S. Senate bid after eyebrow-raising Gold Dome visit
Georgia U.S. Rep. Doug Collins visited the Gold Dome Tuesday amid reports that he is preparing to challenge governor-appointed U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler and as lawmakers push through a bill that would require her to survive a primary contest with Collins. But his brief message to reporters Tuesday was this: Stay tuned. Collins, who is […]
Senate finance chairman says he doesn’t ‘see the math’ for tax cut
A key lawmaker has cast further doubt on the prospects of another Georgia income tax cut in a year when serious cuts to mental health, criminal justice and other state services are being considered. “I don’t see the math there right now without some changes to the budget to do it,” state Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, […]
