Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for March 14, 2025

On March 15, 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated at a meeting of the Senate.

On March 15, 40 BC, Octavian executed 300 Senators and knights in vengeance for Caesar’s death.

On March 13, 1736, the Spanish Governor of Florida complained to Georgia’s James Oglethorpe about English settlements and forts in areas claimed by Spain.

On March 15, 1758, Georgia’s Royal Governor Henry Ellis signed legislation dividing the colony into eight parishes, primarily for religious administration, but with some parishes having secondary government functions.

On March 13, 1868, the first impeachment trial of a United States President began in the Senate. President Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House for allegations based on his Reconstruction policies that allegedly violated federal law.

Sworn in as president after Lincoln’s assassination in April 1865, President Johnson enacted a lenient Reconstruction policy for the defeated South, including almost total amnesty to ex-Confederates, a program of rapid restoration of U.S.-state status for the seceded states, and the approval of new, local Southern governments, which were able to legislate “black codes” that preserved the system of slavery in all but name. The Republican-dominated Congress greatly opposed Johnson’s Reconstruction program and passed the “Radical Reconstruction” by repeatedly overriding the president’s vetoes. Under the Radical Reconstruction, local Southern governments gave way to federal military rule, and African-American men in the South were granted the constitutional right to vote.

In March 1867, in order further to weaken Johnson’s authority, Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act over his veto. The act prohibited the president from removing federal office holders, including Cabinet members, who had been confirmed by the Senate, without the consent of the Senate.

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879.

S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, was born on March 14, 1921.

On March 15, 1933, Governor Eugene Talmadge negotiated bank loans totalling $2 million dollars to keep the state’s public schools open.

On March 15, 1943, Sea Island was officially named as Governor Ellis Arnall signed legislation designating the island that had informally been given several different names.

Elvis Presley played the Fox Theater in Atlanta on March 14, 1956.

On March 13, 1957, Governor Marvin Griffin signed a joint resolution by the Georgia General Assembly purporting to impeach United State Chief Justice Earl Warren and associate justices Hugo Black, William O. Douglas, Thomas Clark, Felix Frankfurter, and Stanley Reed, and calling on Congress to impeach the Justices.

On March 13, 1992, 33 years ago, “My Cousin Vinny” was released.

The largest traffic accident in Georgia history occurred on March 14, 2001 on I-75 in Catoosa County, involving 125 cars, injuring 39 people and killing 5.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

ZZ Top will play in Tifton on March 26, 2025, according to the Tifton Gazette.

The iconic “little ol’ band from Texas” will be performing live at the John Hunt Auditorium at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center March 26, dazzling fans with their signature sound and showmanship as they’ve been doing for over 50 years.

Formed in 1969 from the merging of two other bands by Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, and the late Dusty Hill, ZZ Top has been among the biggest names of rock and roll since, earning one of the first Diamond albums of the music industry with 1983’s Eliminator, selling millions of records over the band’s long career, and being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Even those unfamiliar with the band may recognize some of their most iconic songs like “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs” from their popularity and prominence in pop culture.

The Georgia Supreme Court will hear arguments at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, according to a Press Release.

The Supreme Court of Georgia will hold its second day of March oral arguments at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Ga., on Wednesday, March 19.

It is tradition for the Supreme Court to hold at least one special session of oral arguments annually outside of its courtroom in the Nathan Deal Judicial Center in Atlanta so that the work of the Court may be more accessible to residents all across Georgia.

Cartersville is also the hometown of former Chief Justice Robert Benham, who served on the Supreme Court from 1989 until 2020; prior to that he served for five years on the Court of Appeals, the state’s intermediate appellate court.

“My fellow Justices and I are especially grateful to be able to hear oral arguments in Cartersville, the hometown of the Honorable Robert Benham, who is an important figure in the history of our Court and of this state,” said Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs. “Former Justice Benham served for more than 30 years on the Supreme Court and was the first African American to serve on our bench. In addition to being a legal trailblazer, he steadfastly worked to uphold the rule of law all while embodying principles of kindness and professionalism.”

The special session will be hosted by former State Bar President and Cartersville attorney, S. Lester Tate, III, of Akin & Tate.

“The Court has a long and historically significant connection to Bartow County,” Tate said. “In 1846, Warren Akin, the founder of our law firm argued the very first reported case before the Court as it sat here in Cassville. We are also especially proud of former Chief Justice Benham, and our community looks forward to hosting the Court, members of the State Bar, students from this area, and the public in this real-life tribute to the rule of law.”

During this special session, the Court will hear appeals in three cases, two of which are related and will be argued together—Republican National Committee, et al. v. Eternal Vigilance Action, Inc. et al., S25A0362, and State of Georgia v. Eternal Vigilance Action, Inc. et al., S25A0490; and The State v. Wierson, S24G1299. Oral arguments will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern, following a brief attorney admission ceremony.

The event will be live-streamed on the Court’s website at gasupreme.us.

Any media—print, digital, or broadcast—should submit a request form no later than 4 p.m. Eastern on Friday, March 14. Any media or public inquiries about the Court or its proceedings may be directed to Public Information Officer Kathleen Joyner at joynerk@gasupreme.us.

Today is the last day of early voting in Tuesday’s Bryan County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum (E-SPLOST). From the Savannah Morning News:

Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax is up for vote March 18 and the decision to approve or deny has become a hot topic amongst Bryan County residents.

On social media, some say the school board’s decision to opt out of House Bill 581 has swayed them to check “no” on the ballot. Bob Hastings said he voted against the one cent tax that supports local schools.

Hastings is a retired veteran and although he does not have children in the school system, he was unhappy with the school’s decision to opt out of HB 581 and feels some residents have tax fatigue.

The Bryan County Chamber of Commerce said on their Facebook page that they “proudly support” ESPLOST, saying it helps fund improvements at local schools and infrastructure.

“Every penny from ESPLOST stays right here in our district, ensuring our schools continue to thrive and our students have the tools they need to succeed,” the post reads.

The General Obligation Bond and Reimposition of 1% Educational Sales Tax is the only item up for vote. ESPLOST is a penny tax charged on goods and services in Bryan County that is used to help fund certain projects or items needed within the school district. It cannot be used to pay for administration or teacher salaries. The bond will not exceed $200,000,000.

ESPLOST can be used to pay for the construction of new schools to include athletic facilities, technology for administration, new operation centers, safety and security upgrades and more.

The penny tax has helped pay for the new Richmond Hill High School, which will cost $97 million. In addition, ESPLOST has supported renovations to the softball and baseball fields at Bryan County Middle High School, the construction of Frances Meeks Elementary School and renovations to George Washington Carver Elementary School.

“The Bryan County Board of Education is not responsive to the needs of Bryan County residents,” said Bryan County resident Betsy DeBry, who is helping to lead a grassroots effort against ESPLOST. “They refused to opt in to property tax relief for us back in February. This board does not need any more money.”

According to Bryan County Schools’ website, school enrollment has increased 36% since 2012 and is expected to see 4,000 more students by 2036. Non-Bryan County residents will share the cost in helping fund ESPLOST as anyone who makes a purchase in the county would be contributing to the fund.

Under the Gold Dome

Friday – March 14, 2025

10 AM Cancelled- Senate Reg Ind & Utilities 450 CAP

Governor Brian Kemp announced the appointment of Chris Green as President of the Student Finance Commission Board, according to a Press Release.

Governor Brian P. Kemp [] announced the Georgia Student Finance Commission Board has voted to approve his recommendation of Chris Green as the next president of the state agency. Green will fill the role at the beginning of April, following the retirement of current president Lynne Riley who shared her plans with the governor at the beginning of this year.

“I’m honored to congratulate Chris as he prepares for this new leadership role at an agency that has opened doors to educational opportunities for generations of Georgians,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “With his extensive background working in higher education, I look forward to Chris’ continued service helping students get the education they need to unlock economic prosperity and make Georgia the top state for talent. My entire team is wishing him continued success as he steps into this new chapter for GSFC and his career.”

Governor Kemp continued, “Marty, the girls, and I also want to thank Lynne Riley for her many years of service to the state and for all she has done in recent years to help groundbreaking programs like Georgia MATCH be a success. From her time as a member of the General Assembly and head of the Department of Revenue and the State Treasury to her current post leading GSFC, Lynne has been an instrumental and valued partner in our state’s success. We wish her nothing but the best as she looks forward to spending time with her children and grandchildren.”

Chris Green is the Senior Vice President of External Affairs at the Georgia Student Finance Commission. He has extensive experience working in higher education and state government, having previously served as Director of Government and Community Affairs at Georgia State University, the Director of Economic Development for the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, Director of External Affairs at the Georgia Student Finance Commission, and Deputy Policy Director at the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Green holds a Masters of Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia.

Governor Brian Kemp’s Tort Reform legislative package (Senate Bill 68 and SB 69) is all the talk under the Gold Dome, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.

Both sides of the controversial tort reform issue got their say at the Georgia Capitol Thursday, not on either the state House or Senate floors but in the hallways under the Gold Dome.

A group of business owners held a news conference Thursday morning to endorse legislation Gov. Brian Kemp has singled out as his top priority for the 2025 General Assembly session.

The comprehensive bill, which the Republican-controlled Senate passed last month mostly along party lines, is intended to reduce “runaway” jury awards in civil lawsuits that business owners complain are threatening to put them out of business.

“Our industry is under attack … by frivolous lawsuits,” said Haley Bower-Frank, chief marketing officer for Flowery Branch-based Clipper Petroleum, which operates convenience stores across North Georgia. “The current situation is absolutely crushing small businesses.”

Later Thursday, victims of human trafficking and lawyers who represent victims and their families in lawsuits against businesses where trafficking takes place, held a news conference of their own to criticize Senate Bill 68. Their opposition focused mainly on a provision in the bill that establishes “premises liability” guidelines for when plaintiffs can sue business owners for negligence due to injuries suffered from criminal acts committed by a third party outside of the defendant’s control.

“This bill will give total immunity to bad actors … no matter how many safety measures they fail to take,” said Natanya Brooks, a trial lawyer with an office in Peachtree Corners. “This bill is not good for Georgians. It will cost lives.”

Survivors of human trafficking aimed most of their complaints at hotels they said are aware that human trafficking is going on inside their premises but fail to act.

At the earlier news conference, a hotel executive defended the industry’s practices when it comes to preventing human trafficking.

“Safety and security of our properties is always at the forefront,” said Frank Phair, vice president of hotel operations for Legacy Ventures Hospitality, which operates several hotels in metro Atlanta.

The bill’s opponents also criticized a provision in Senate Bill 68 that would require liability in a civil suit to be determined before the jury considers damages if either the plaintiff or defendant requests such “bifurcation” of trials. They said such bifurcation would force victims already traumatized by trafficking to testify multiple times in court.

After years of failing to push significant tort reform through the General Assembly, Republicans have built strong momentum this year, thanks in large part to Kemp’s pledge to call a special session of the legislature if lawmakers don’t act on the issue. Tort reform also is being heavily lobbied, with two business groups launching statewide ad campaigns in favor of the bill this week.

“Small businesses are the backbone of Georgia’s economy, but many local businesses are struggling under the weight of excessive litigation costs,” said Hunter Loggins, director of the state chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business. “Senate Bill 68 would help Main Street businesses focus on growth, job creation, and serving their communities instead of wasting time and money fighting unfair lawsuits.”

Meanwhile, an Atlanta personal injury law firm headed by former Democratic state Rep. Ronnie Mabra posted a billboard along the Downtown Connector in Atlanta urging a “no” vote on the bill.

The Senate bill now sits in the House Rules Committee, which formed a special subcommittee that has heard hours of testimony from both sides. It’s expected to reach the House floor for a vote next week..

Opponents said Thursday they plan to propose an amendment to the legislation to carve out human trafficking from the premises liability provision.

From State Affairs:

Progress on passing legislation to curb large jury awards and shield businesses from crippling lawsuits slowed to a crawl following two five-hour hearings in the House — but backing from the state’s top leaders has not waned.

“Georgia’s job creators and consumers need the commonsense changes [tort reform] implements,” Kemp said in a March 7 letter to a House panel considering the measures.

“It is my hope that our work together will continue to be guided by thoughtful deliberation, free from emotional exploitation and mindful of the financial motivations present on both sides of this important debate,” Kemp said.

Even more so now than in years past, Kemp has made it known he plans to wield his political and fundraising might to shoulder through passage of tort reform measures outlined in Senate Bill 68, sponsored by President Pro Tem John F. Kennedy.

Kemp declined a request for an interview with State Affairs, but his office released a statement highlighting support “to balance the scales in our civil litigation environment and bring Georgia in line with other states.”

“Business owners and hardworking Georgians have been asking for meaningful action on tort reform for years; this session is the culmination of years of conversations with parties on all sides of the issues and thorough research, which will ultimately result in passing meaningful tort reform,” the statement said.

Political observers say Kemp means business: Not only has the governor pledged to call a special session if tort reform does not pass this month, but also his aides have signaled he would deploy his $3.2 million fundraising arm to back primary challengers against members of his own Republican Party who vote “no” on the reform measures.

Long road to SB 68

In January, Kemp unveiled his tort reform package while flanked by Georgia’s most powerful political leaders, including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, House Speaker Jon Burns and the highest-ranking members of the House and Senate Republican caucuses.

It sent a clear message: Anyone opposing reform measures this year has a tough fight ahead.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to get something done now,” Kemp said at the Jan. 30 news conference. “The people around me now, the people above me, we cannot afford even another year of this.”

The dramatic show of force did not come together overnight. Legislation on lawsuits simmered for more than a decade after the Georgia Supreme Court struck down a cap on jury awards that the Republican-controlled General Assembly passed in 2005.

In the years following, efforts to pass broad lawsuit reform met with stiff resistance from well-funded opponents, particularly trial lawyers representing clients in large injury cases.

Last year alone, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association donated $100,000 to the campaign arm of the powerful Georgia House Republican Caucus, figuring among the largest contributions received that year, according to state campaign finance records.

The group also gave $50,000 to the Georgia House Democratic Caucus, plus smaller $3,000 donations to dozens of state lawmakers from both parties. That type of financial influence has helped stall past stabs at lawsuit reform, said Brian Robinson, a political consultant and former deputy chief for former Gov. Nathan Deal.

“Part of why you don’t see it year in and year out is because it’s such a hard fight,” Robinson said. “Now what you’re seeing is the governor putting the force of his resources and capital behind it.”

“This fits with the governor’s notion of being the best state in the nation to do business,” said Charles Bullock, a political science professor at the University of Georgia. “I think he’s assessing this as being his last really good chance to get the Legislature’s attention since he wouldn’t have much hold over them next year.”

The Quick and the (Mostly) Dead

Senate Bill 52 by State Sen. Russ Goodman (R-Homersville) is on the operating table for a transplant. From the AJC:

A bill intended to grant relief for Hurricane Helene timber losses could morph into a $60 million-a-year tax credit for the Georgia film industry.

Senate Bill 52 was intended to give property tax breaks for the sale of timber lost during the storm last September. It passed the Senate unanimously last month.

But a House Ways and Means subcommittee on Wednesday discussed stripping the bill of its contents and replacing it with a postproduction credit for film, television and similar productions. Georgia previously offered the film credit, but it expired in 2022.

“During its tenure (the film credit) produced hundreds of jobs, Georgia jobs,” Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, who supports the film credit, told the subcommittee. “It was very successful.”

SB 52 would authorize local governments to not collect timber taxes for the last quarter of 2024 and all of 2025. The state would reimburse the local governments for the lost taxes, which would cost up to $17.3 million.

That tax break has already been incorporated into a separate bill that has cleared the House and a Senate committee, meaning the timber industry relief is likely not in danger.

But the move illustrates how, as lawmakers fight for their favorite causes, it’s not uncommon for bills intended for one purpose get hijacked for another in the closing days of the legislative session. The timber bill is a case in point.

Meanwhile, State Rep. Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta) is seeking a warm body into which he can transplant House Bill 419. From the AJC:

A bill requiring colleges and universities to keep medicine available to treat opioid overdoses failed to pass before last week’s crossover deadline.

But the bill might not be dead yet. State Rep. Chuck Martin, the Republican chair of the House Higher Education Committee, said he is looking for a suitable Senate bill that could be amended to revive the proposal.

It’s a reminder that nothing is ever truly dead in the state Legislature — as long as you have the right recipe of public opinion and political will.

House Bill 419 fits both categories. Opioid overdose deaths have been steadily increasing in Georgia and across the country, prompting a slew of responses from public policymakers.

Last year, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a law requiring government agencies to keep medicine available in some public buildings. But lawmakers agreed to exempt colleges and universities at the request of former Gov. Sonny Perdue, who is now the chancellor of the University System of Georgia.

This year’s bill offers liability protections to the schools if someone snatches an opioid-overdose antidote from a dispenser. And it requires the schools to stock the medicine only if funding is available from community sources.

“Nobody was trying to kill the bill,” said Martin, saying lawmakers ran out of time to get the bill passed before the deadline. “It just happens like that sometimes.”

State Senator Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) discussed Senate Bill 57 and debanking, according to the Savannah Morning News.

According to a Georgia Senate press release, a Georgia Senate bill aiming to protect against unjustified bank account closures was recently defeated.

According to Wikipedia, debanking, “also known within the banking industry as de-risking, is the closure of people’s or organizations’ bank accounts by banks that perceive the account holders to pose a financial, legal, regulatory, or reputational risk to the bank.”

Shortly after the defeat in Georgia of Senate Bill 57, the Freedom of Speech and Belief Act, the Trump Organization sued Capital One in Miami-Dade County, Florida, alleging the bank unjustly closed over 300 of its accounts.

Sen. Tillery argued in support of Trump on Monday. He claimed that this lawsuit contradicts claims that such closures are rare, highlighting the need for stronger protections against politically motivated debanking.

“I hope no one is accusing The Trump Organization of filing a frivolous lawsuit here,” said Sen. Tillery in his speech on the Senate floor. “You were told that debanking was a rare occurrence, yet this lawsuit alone details more than 300 instances of it happening in a single case.”

According to the lawsuit, “Capital One did not provide the plaintiffs any recourse, remedy, or alternative – its decision was final.” The filing further alleges that:

“Plaintiffs have reason to believe that Capital One’s unilateral decision came about as a result of political and social motivations and Capital One’s unsubstantiated, ‘woke’ beliefs that it needed to distance itself from President Trump and his conservative political views.”

Tillery led and was one of 13 Republican sponsors of the Georgia bill. It was defeated on March 6.

A Republican senator from Vidalia, Tillery represents the 19th Senate District, which includes Appling, Bacon, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Wayne and Wheeler counties, as well as a portion of Coffee County.

House Bill 161 by State Rep. Clint Crowe (R-Jackson) would expand the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s subpoena power, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Valdosta Daily Times.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigations would have expanded authority to compel telecommunications and internet companies to divulge subscriber information under legislation moving through the state legislature.

House Bill 161 could soon get the nod for a vote by the Senate, after the House of Representatives approved it by a wide bipartisan margin last week and after a Senate committee moved it forward this week.

The GBI, which requested the legislation, can already demand subscriber information from electronic service providers without going through the courts, if the attorney general agrees. But that authority only covers certain cases involving children, such as sexual exploitation.

HB 161, sponsored by Rep. Clint Crowe, R-Jackson, would expand the agency’s authority to include terroristic threats, identity theft, computer-related crimes, false reports to law enforcement, and harassing communications.

An action colloquially known as “swatting” would be covered. It became a big problem for the GBI a couple of years ago when false reports scrambled police to the addresses of public officials, with potentially dangerous consequences.

“We were requested back in 2023 and 2024 to conduct multiple investigations into swatting incidents across the state,” said Sara Lue, special agent in charge of cybercrime at GBI. She told the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday that the incidents included “cyber-enabled” threats.

“They pose a serious risk to public safety,” she said.

Lue said services such as Facebook and Instagram would be among those subject to demands for subscriber names, addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses and associated bank and credit account numbers. The agency would also be able to subpoena telephone records containing connections made, times they were made, and duration of conversations — but not the content of those conversations.

Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, an attorney who serves on the state Board of Homeland Security, said he was “sensitive” to granting subpoena power without judicial review. But his concerns about the proposed changes, including minor amendments to the version that passed the House, were ultimately allayed. Cowsert motioned to pass HB 161, and the Judiciary Committee then sent it to the Senate’s Rules Committee by a unanimous vote.

If the Rules Committee sends the legislation to the full Senate and the Senate approves it, the bill would have to return to the House for final approval of the latest changes.

SB 161 has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

United States Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Atlanta) will kickoff his reelection campaign on March 22, 2025, according to the AJC.

Ossoff’s campaign is mobilizing voters for his March 22 “Rally for Our Republic” in Atlanta by urging Democrats to fight Trump and other Republicans who are “determined to consolidate power, sow chaos and entrench unprecedented corruption.”

“As citizens, it is our obligation to be visible and outspoken at this pivotal moment in American history,” read the announcement for the rally, which will also feature Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock.

For Ossoff, the call to action is a return to his political roots. He first ran for a U.S. House seat in 2017 with a “make Trump furious” mantra and he’s once again trying to galvanize voters around the Republican’s policies.

Like other Democrats, he also wants to harness voter fury over Trump adviser Elon Musk’s ongoing effort to gut the federal workforce through the Department of Government Efficiency initiative.

He has his work cut out for him. The first-term lawmaker is considered the most vulnerable Senate Democratic incumbent on the ballot next year, and Republicans are already maneuvering to challenge him if Gov. Brian Kemp passes on a run.

Among the other potential contenders are U.S. Reps. Buddy Carter of St. Simons Island, Mike Collins of Jackson, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Rome, and Rich McCormick of Suwanee, as well as Insurance Commissioner John King and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

Ossoff, of course, has beaten steep odds before. He and Warnock won doubleheader runoffs in 2021 over GOP incumbents to flip control of the U.S. Senate. His rally announcement invokes those upset victories.

“Those historic victories shocked and inspired the nation,” it read. “Now Georgia must once again light the path out of darkness.”

Savannah Chatham County Public School System’s superintendent spoke about the impact of federal changes in the Department of Education, according to WTOC.

Tuesday night, the department announced that about 1,300 staff members were being cut, as President Donald Trump proposes eliminating the agency altogether.

As people start clearing their desks in Washington D.C., local schools systems are wondering what this means for them.

“It really is a puzzle that we’re trying to put together with many of the pieces unknown,” said Dr. Denise Watts, Savannah Chatham County Public School System’s superintendent.

Right now, about 12% of the district’s budget comes from federal funding, which comes out to be nearly $107 million. Some of the areas receiving the most funding include Title I schools and special education.

Title I schools receive roughly $18 million each year, while special education gets about $9 million per year.

“There is no way possible for our district to make up if federal funds were cut in all of those areas, or even significantly in any one of those areas,” said Dr. Watts.

With the possibility of things like free and reduced lunch in jeopardy, she see’s a real risk for local families.

“If funding goes away and we can’t figure out an internal strategy, it could shift to the pocketbooks of many of our families,” said the superintendent.

Wednesday, Georgia leaders like Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff react to the layoffs.

“This abolition of the Department of Education by the Trump administration, has the potential to be hugely disruptive to public education in Georgia, and to the lives of students, and teachers and families” said Sen. Ossoff.

This as Republican Congressman Buddy Carter says these cuts are a step in the right direction, telling WTOC in a statement, “For too long, our education policies have empowered Washington bureaucrats over student outcomes.

From WALB:

More than 170 Georgia employees of the U.S. Department of Education are employed in Georgia and could be among those who lose their jobs as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the department and shrink the size of the federal workforce.

The divisions with the most employees are the Federal Student Aid office, with 97 employees, and the Office for Civil Rights, where there are 46 employees.

In Georgia, schools get an average of 15% of their funding from the federal government.

Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Association of Educators, is worried that funding cuts will follow the personnel cuts, and Georgia taxpayers will have to make up the difference.

“Either local taxpayers or the state are going to have to fill those gaps,” said Morgan. “For more of our rural districts, it’s not 15%, it’s 25, 30, or even 35% of their funding comes from the federal government, and many of these rural districts don’t have the tax base.”

Georgia public schools educate 90% of students in the state, and 95% of Georgia students with disabilities.

From the AJC:

Hours after the federal agency announced plans to fire half of its roughly 2,600 employees, a Georgia House panel advanced legislation by Republican state Sen. Bo Hatchett to help the state grapple with the aftermath.

Senate Bill 154, which cleared the Senate by a 37-17 vote last week, adds three words to each mention of the federal agency in Georgia law: “Or its successor.”

But Hatchett, a lawyer from Cornelia, said those three words could leave Georgia better prepared for the agency’s demise. That’s because state law now requires dentists, nurses, optometrists and other high-skilled workers to be licensed by schools that have been accredited by the department.

“Obviously if the Department of Education is disbanded,” he said, “then this summer when these professionals start graduating, technically we would not recognize them for being accredited and eligible for license.”

Hatchett received some pushback from state Rep. David Wilkerson, D-Powder Springs, who worried the proposal amounts to “encouraging behavior” to prod Trump into abolishing the decades-old department that was started by the late President Jimmy Carter. Trump has repeatedly called for the elimination of the department, calling it a “con job.”

Wilkerson persuaded Hatchett to agree to changes in a House Education subcommittee that make clear the law wouldn’t take effect unless the federal agency is formally eliminated.

“Do we want Georgia to be prepared or not?” Hatchett said before his bill passed unanimously. “This will help Georgia to be prepared if and when the U.S. Department of Education is disbanded.”

United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins pledged that federal aid for Hurricane Helene relief will begin to be disbursed, according to the Associated Press.

Tens of billions in aid for victims of Hurricane Helene should start flowing later this month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins pledged Wednesday, but delays are already making it hard this year for some farmers to plant crops.

Congress set a deadline of March 21 to hand out the money when it passed a $100 billion disaster relief package on Dec. 21. The late September storm cut a swath from Florida’s Big Bend across eastern Georgia and upstate South Carolina before causing historic flooding in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

At a news conference in Atlanta on Wednesday, Rollins pledged the aid would begin to be disbursed before the deadline.

“That money will begin to move in the next few weeks,” she said.

Most but not all of the disaster relief bill is earmarked for Helene. It includes $21 billion to help farmers, $8 billion to rebuild damaged roads and highways, $12 billion in grants to help communities and individuals recover and $2.2 billion in low-interest loans for businesses, nonprofits and homeowners.

Officials have estimated that Helene caused property and economic damage to the agriculture sector totaling $5.5 billion in Georgia and $4.9 billion in North Carolina.

Beyond the cotton crop, the storm toppled pecan trees and flattened chicken houses in Georgia. Farming in western North Carolina is dominated by specialty crops including Christmas trees and nursery plants, with fewer growers covered by crop insurance.

State governments have been moving to expand their aid packages. Georgia has earmarked $285 million for low-interest loans for farmers and removing downed timber from private land in an amended budget that Gov. Brian Kemp signed last week, part of $862 million in Helene-related spending.

From Georgia Recorder:

Rollins, who was confirmed last month, told reporters Wednesday during a visit to the state Capitol that her agency would beat the March 21 deadline set by Congress to distribute aid packed into a $100 billion disaster relief package passed late last year.

Helene ripped a path through the Southeast, devastating communities and farms along the eastern side of Georgia. The storm killed 34 people in Georgia and left a lasting mark on the state’s top industry, causing an estimated $5.5 billion in damage to agricultural producers and timber growers.

“That money will begin to move in the next few weeks,” Rollins told reporters. “We were given a deadline by Congress, which isn’t often met, but for me, it was very important we meet it, of March 21. We will actually beat that deadline, so you’ll be hearing more about that in the coming days.”

House Speaker Jon Burns, who was part of a group of state leaders who met with Rollins Wednesday, said the assurance that the funds will soon start flowing is important to both farmers and their lenders as a new planting season gets under way.

Dispatching additional relief has also been a top priority for lawmakers this session.

“The problems from Hurricane Helene have slowed down the marketing process. The low prices have impacted the ability to repay loans and get ready to go again another year,” Burns told reporters Wednesday.

“So, the certainty coming from the state and from the federal government on some of those disaster dollars is critically important right now. The timing of it is to make sure it gets out so we can get this crop in the ground,” he added.

Defending funding cuts, tariffs

Rollins also defended President Donald Trump’s tariff strategy and the administration’s recent cuts to a food aid program during a press conference Wednesday.

Under Rollins, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently cancelled the rest of a $1 billion program that schools and food banks were using to buy food from nearby farms. An agency spokesperson said Monday that the programs “no longer effectuate the goals of the agency.”

It was a cut that Georgia U.S. Jon Ossoff, who is a Democrat, has called on the Trump administration to undo.

“This will hurt Georgia kids and Georgia farmers,” Ossoff said in a statement Tuesday. “We should support our schools providing kids with fresh, nutritious food grown locally by Georgia farmers. It’s a win-win for childhood nutrition and Georgia agriculture.”

Rollins told reporters Wednesday that the funding was cut because it was for a COVID-era program that she said was specific to the pandemic.

“As we are re-imagining and reconfiguring and restructuring the federal government that includes looking very hard at programs that on their face may sound really, really good, but are they actually reaching the intended recipients?” Collins said. “Are they actually doing what the taxpayers have asked us to do, which is to use their tax dollars as smartly and efficiently as possible?”

Rollins also acknowledged the worries of the agricultural community over tariffs and suggested that assistance would likely be offered to farmers who are caught in the middle.

“This community has been very patient, but they’re hurting, and we understand that,” she said.

From WALB:

Tens of thousands of dollars… That’s how much one South Georgia food bank is expecting to lose out on after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced funding cuts on Wednesday.

The USDA cutting two programs will suspend $1 billion in federal spending. Those programs provided money to schools and food banks to buy food from local farmers.

Frank Sheppard, president and CEO of Feeding the Valley Food Bank in Albany, said while they don’t expect a significant reduction in food commodities, he estimates that they will miss out on tens of thousands of dollars for the entire coverage area.

“That is compared to food donations for an entire year at our food bank being valued at over $30 million,” he said. While a reduction in funding is always regretful, it will not stop us from distributing food products and meals at a high level throughout our coverage area.”

The local food bank relies on the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which was first issued two years ago. The contract is $500 million for all food banks across the country.

Eliza McCall, a spokesperson for Second Harvest Food Bank in Valdosta, says the funding cuts are concerning.

“We don’t know yet exactly how this will affect Second Harvest’s operations, but reductions in any USDA nutrition programs are obviously concerning,” she said. We hope this is not an indication of future cuts to other key programs like the Emergency Food Assistance Program.”

But who’s bearing the brunt of the cuts more than food banks are Local Farmers.

“It’s nerve-wracking because these programs provide us an opportunity to help grow the next generation of small, socially disadvantaged farmers by connecting us to institutions to buy our products, said Fredando ‘Farmer Fredo’ Jackson, executive director of Flint River Fresh. “It allowed us to sell our products to a bigger market than ever before,” he said.

The U.S. Small Business Administration will close six offices in Atlanta, according to the AJC.

[Business owner Felipe] Arroyave said it saddened him last week when new SBA Administrator and Atlanta resident Kelly Loeffler announced the agency would be relocating regional offices out of six cities it has deemed sanctuary cities, including Atlanta.

It’s not clear why the Trump administration considers Atlanta a sanctuary city. There is no single definition of a sanctuary city, rather it is a broad term applied to jurisdictions that have policies aimed at limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement actions.

Georgia law has banned cities and counties from adopting a sanctuary policy for about 15 years and the SBA did not respond to questions about what policies make it consider Atlanta a sanctuary city.

“While Atlanta remains a welcoming city, it is well known that Georgia state law has prohibited ‘sanctuary cities’ since 2009,” Michael Smith, a spokesman for Mayor Andre Dickens, said in a statement.

“Moving the offices out of Atlanta is even more odd given Black Enterprise and LinkedIn named our city the best place to start a business, and Money Magazine said we were the best place to live,” Smith said. “It would seem the SBA would want to remain where the action is.”

The other regional offices slated to be relocated are Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York and Seattle. In a release, the SBA said the offices will “be moved to less costly, more accessible locations that better serve the small business community and comply with federal immigration law.”

The agency will also be instituting a policy requiring citizenship verification for SBA loan applications.

The Georgia Department of Transportation took comments on changes to the Talmadge Bridge in Savannah, according to WSAV.

ity and state leaders asked for the public’s input about the future of one of Savannah’s landmarks, the Talmadge Bridge Thursday night.

Georgia Department of Transportation leaders said they wanted to hear what the public thinks about the two options they are considering. One option is to demolish the current bridge and replacing it with a taller one, the other would be taking it down all together and building a tunnel.

Both options were proposed with a replacement that would allow larger cargo ships to be able to dock at the Georgia ports just upriver.

Comments about the proposed project will be accepted until Thursday, March 27.

The Houston County School Board spent more than $2 million to implement “panic buttons,” according to 13WMAZ.

Houston County schools are using an advanced panic alert system called Centegix to enhance safety on campus.

This system, implemented three years ago in the district, equips every adult in the school with a wearable panic button to put beside their ID badge. The technology allows staff to quickly alert administrators in case of emergencies.

Depending on the number of times the button is pressed, it can signal a medical emergency or a potential threat in or outside of the school. Strobe lights in the building flash blue for medical alerts, yellow or red for lockdown situations. These alerts are then transmitted to school administrators and law enforcement through plug-in hubs around the school that track the location of the activation.

Stephens said the Houston County School District invested nearly $2 million to integrate Centegix into all 38 schools.

“It just gives that additional layer of security, gives that additional layer of safety. It doesn’t replace what we already do,” Stephens said.

He added that a key consideration for the district was ensuring emergency communication between schools and first responders.

“That was probably one of the driving factors,” he said. “How do we communicate an emergency in our building with a lot of the key actors here in Houston County so that they can respond and provide support?”

Cain said teachers and staff received training on the system before the school year began. Occasionally, throughout the school year, they do a lockdown drill for practice and to test the systems.

Columbus City Council announced the naming of two buildings, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.

Columbus Council has approved naming the future judicial center and the current public safety building after two men who left their mark on the city.

During the meeting Tuesday, the council unanimously voted to name the buildings after a former judge and a former police chief and mayor.

The council approved the naming of the judicial center after the late Judge John D. Allen and the public safety building after the late mayor and police chief Jim Wetherington.

This comes after the Columbus Board of Honor approved the recommendations Thursday to name the buildings after Allen and Wetherington.

After that meeting,Superior Court Judge Bobby Peters, the former mayor who recommended Allen’s name for the judicial center, said he was, “very proud of the board for doing this.”

Less pleasing to some was the appointment of John Anker to a vacancy on Council, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.

Columbus clergy and civil rights leaders condemned the quick appointment of John Anker to the Columbus Council and demanded a recall of the vote during a news conference Wednesday at the City Services Center.

The coalition, which includes representatives from the Columbus branch of the NAACP and the Columbus Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, argued that the move to appoint Anker was premeditated and part of a larger strategy to remove city manager Isaiah Hugley, who is Black, from his position.

In a split vote, the council appointed Anker the same day former Councilor Judy Thomas of citywide District 9 sent her resignation letter. During the public agenda portion of the council meeting, Anker and three other residents criticized Hugley’s job performance as city manager and called for the mayor to terminate him.

Columbus Courier Eco Latino publisher and former NAACP Columbus branch president Wane Hailes and the Rev. Johnny Flakes III of Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church spoke in support of Hugley during the meeting’s public agenda.

The council’s action of appointing someone “from the audience” to fill Thomas’ seat without giving the community a chance to make recommendations was disrespectful, former District 7 Councilor Mimi Woodson said at the news conference before insisting the council recall the vote.

“Last night’s appointment can be reversed with only six votes,” Woodson said.

City Councilors responded, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.

Members of the group also expressed their disappointment in Black city councilors, Toyia Tucker of District 4 and Byron Hickey of District 1, taking part in a move they felt was part of a larger plan to terminate city manager Isaiah Hugley, who is Black.

“My decision to support John Anker’s appointment was based on my commitment to ensuring effective leadership and forward progress for our community,” Tucker wrote in a text message to the Ledger-Enquirer. “I believe in making decisions that serve the best interests of all residents, regardless of political or personal pressures.”

Elected officials make decisions based on what they believe is right for the people they serve, Hickey wrote in a text message to the Ledger-Enquirer. During a Wednesday news conference, the Rev. Johnny Flakes III of Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church said it was “hurtful” and “painful” that African American members of the council participated in what he described as a “public lynching” against Hugley.

Flakes referred to Black councilors who supported the move to appoint Anker without input from other members of the public as “in-house Negroes.”

This rhetoric was “disappointing and counterproductive,” Hickey said in his statement. “We may not always agree, but disagreement should never turn into disrespect,” he said. “My commitment remains to serve with integrity, fairness and a heart for the entire Columbus community.”

From WTVM:

“Hands off City Manager Isaiah Hugley, hands off! ” the crowd also shouted.

Member of the NAACP National Board of Directors, Elder Edward DuBose expressed his frustration and anger over the pick of newly appointed District 9 Councilor, John Anker.

Former District 7 Councilwoman, Mimi Woodson says she knows former councilors would disagree with what’s happening now in council chambers.

“The lack of disrespect is visible. Our government is at war. I believe my formal council members are turning over in their graves. I wonder how both councilors John House and Judy Thomas feel today knowing how both councilors, Thomas and House, felt about procedures and consistency,” said Woodson.

Pastor of Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church, Reverend Johnny H. Flakes Jr., says he and others disagree with the process of how Anker was nominated and voted in.

“They chose to ignore the Mayor, they chose to ignore Bruce Huff, a sitting counselor, they chose to ignore Travis Chambers, they chose to ignore the Mayor Pro-tem, Gary Allen, a sitting councilor, they chose to go along with a new council member who actually offered the motion,” said Flakes, “It was obvious that this was conspired, had already been planned, and it had already been scripted.”

Flakes says the frustration isn’t with all councilors, just some.

“Two in particular they’re in-house Negroes. They carry the buckets of the water and they have sold their souls,” said Flakes.

Members of the NAACP say their efforts will go beyond this news conference and they promise to attend the next city council meeting urging a recall of the vote.

Hall County is considering building a new courthouse, according to AccessWDUN.

The topic was discussed at the end of a meeting of the county’s board of commissioners on February 27. District 3 Commissioner Gregg Poole says while the discussions are preliminary, it is something that is being looked at seriously by county officials.

“The talks are serious for us to be talking about it in a meeting, so you know they’re serious,” Poole recently told WDUN. “As everyone knows in Hall County, we’re a growing county, so that means we’re going to have more cases, more case logs and all that. That’s what’s driving it.”

Hall County Courts Administrator Jason Stephenson agreed with Poole that space is the primary concern as the current courthouse on Green Street in downtown Gainesville.

“We’re out of space,” Stephenson said. “I started as court administrator five years ago, and that was really when we kicked off the conversation to say ‘we’re growing, Hall County is growing and we need to start proactively planning.'”

Poole said he has discussed the potential new courthouse with Hall County judicial officials to get feedback on what they would want to see included in a new facility. He also said the county has paid for a judicial study to determine some of the ways the facility should be designed.

“It would tell an architectural firm how to draw the building. It would tell you what is needed to separate the inmates from the judges so (the judges) can not have to be around people that they’ve just sent to the worst case scenario,” Poole said.

District 2 Commissioner Billy Powell said that the project would be funded by Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds, which will be up for a vote in about a year and a half.

“We had that space study done, and the space study determined that we needed about 600,000-square-feet,” Powell said. “Much much larger than what we have now.”