On January 27, 1785, a charter was approved by the Georgia legislature for the first publicly-supported state university in America.
The Supreme Court of Georgia held its first meeting on January 26, 1846 at Talbotton, Georgia.
John Sammons Bell was born on January 26, 1914 in Macon, Georgia. He would go on to serve as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia, as a Judge on the Georgia Court of Appeals, and as chief judge of the appellate court. He is today best known as the designer of the state flag featuring the Confederate battle flag, which was adopted by the General Assembly in 1956.
On January 27, 1941, Delta Air Lines announced it would move its headquarters from Monroe, Louisiana to Atlanta, Georgia. It was an interesting case of public-money-fueled economic development.
In 1940, the city of Atlanta and Delta had signed an agreement whereby the city agreed to contribute $50,000 for construction of a new hanger and office building for Delta if it would move its headquarters to Atlanta. In turn, Delta agreed to pay the remaining construction costs and then assume a 20-year lease for the new facilities. On Jan. 16, 1941, Delta had secured a $500,000 loan from Atlanta’s Trust Company of Georgia, thus allowing it to make a public announcement of the move.
On January 27, 1965, the Shelby GT 350 was unveiled.
Otis Redding’s “Dock of the Bay” was released on January 27, 1965, seven weeks after his death.
On January 26, 2001, a new state flag, first designed by Atlanta architect Cecil Alexander, passed out of committee in the General Assembly by a 4-3 vote and would be voted on later that week. Click here to view the floor debate from 2001.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
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Governor Brian Kemp suspended State. Rep. Karen Henderson (D-Covington) after her indictment, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.
The Georgia General Assembly will be down another lawmaker during this legislative session after the suspension of a state representative who was indicted last month in federal court.
Gov. Brian Kemp ordered the suspension of state Rep. Sharon Henderson, D-Covington, after a committee of elected officials determined that her indictment “does relate to and adversely affect” her duties as a lawmaker.
The suspension, which Kemp signed on Thursday, is in effect until Henderson’s term ends or her case is closed.
A quick disposition appears unlikely. Henderson has retained a lawyer, and her case in the U.S. District Court in Atlanta is scheduled for a pretrial conference Feb. 19.
Henderson is accused of two counts of theft of government funds and 10 counts of making false statements in connection with claims that she filed for federal unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors alleged she collected $17,811 in unemployment benefits to which she was not entitled.
Another member of the state House quickly resolved charges related to defrauding the same unemployment program.
Former Rep. Karen Bennett, D-Stone Mountain, pleaded guilty in the same federal court to making false statements to fraudulently obtain $13,940 in federal emergency relief funds during the pandemic, Theodore S. Hertzberg, the U.S. District Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, announced Wednesday.
Kemp was required by the Georgia Constitution to assemble the review committee on Henderson’s status.
On Jan. 8, he appointed three members. Two were Republicans: Attorney General Chris Carr and Rep. Jan Jones, R-Milton, the House speaker pro tem. The third was Sen. Harold Jones, II, D-Augusta, the Senate minority leader.
They issued their finding Thursday, the same day Kemp suspended Henderson.
Several other seats in the legislature remain open for a variety of reasons, but Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has been scheduling special elections to fill them, with one for Bennett’s vacated seat on March 10.
A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit U.S. County of Appeals ruled against plaintiffs who sued to overturn some Georgia state election laws, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Augusta Chronicle.
A federal appeals court has upheld parts of Georgia’s 2021 voting law that allow state takeovers of county election management and prohibit ballot photography.
The ruling by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals is the latest decision that supports the election law passed in the wake of the 2020 election, when Democrat Joe Biden narrowly defeated Republican Donald Trump in Georgia.
A unanimous three-judge panel found that the plaintiffs, who include election security advocates, lacked standing to sue because they couldn’t show they suffered an injury or that the defendants, including the State Election Board and Gov. Brian Kemp, were responsible for potential harms. The court didn’t rule on the merits of the lawsuit.
“Thanks to the Georgia Election Integrity Act, our state remains the best, most secure state for voting. This ruling is another win in our battle to protect the integrity of our elections,” said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, one of the defendants. “Rest assured, we will stand firm no matter what group tries to interfere.”
The decision leaves in place the ability for the State Election Board to take over underperforming county election boards. The board declined to take over Fulton County’s election board in 2023, finding it had made significant improvements.
The court also sustained a ban on photographing ballots in polling places while voting was underway.Other federal lawsuits against Georgia’s 2021 voting law remain pending.
The Georgia Senate Ethics Committee voted to recommend passage of Senate Resolution 563 by State Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Cataula), according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.
A Georgia Senate panel approved a resolution Thursday calling on Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to turn over the state’s unredacted voter list to the U.S. Department of Justice — including voters’ Social Security and driver’s license numbers.
The Senate Ethics Committee voted along party lines, with Republicans in support and Democrats opposed, to advance the resolution to a vote by the full Senate.
The resolution doesn’t carry the force of law, but it’s a symbolic effort to support the Trump administration’s nationwide effort to collect voters’ data — and to take aim at Raffensperger, a fellow Republican who is running for governor against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Attorney General Chris Carr.
Democrats objected to Senate Resolution 563, saying it could result in identity theft if the federal government shares voters’ private information with outside organizations in an effort to find noncitizens or double-voters.
“I’m deeply concerned that we are going to spend taxpayer dollars, a lot of them, millions of dollars, if we were to send this data information over and then also compromise the privacy data of our Georgia citizens,” said state Sen. Kim Jackson, D-Stone Mountain.
Republicans on the committee criticized Raffensperger for failing to show up at the hearing and for only providing a public version of Georgia’s voter list to the DOJ.
Senate Majority Whip Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, said Raffensperger is the one wasting taxpayer money by fighting with the federal government.
The DOJ recently sued Georgia for the full voter list, and a hearing is scheduled in federal court later this month.
“While we like to talk about this information being the most hyper-sensitive information in the world, it’s really not, which is why most credit card companies and others use different information now to prevent ID theft,” Robertson said.
Raffensperger’s office has said in court documents that state law prevents disclosure of voters’ Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, full birth dates and email addresses.
Besides Georgia, the DOJ has sued several Democrat-led states that have refused to comply with the request for voter records. Republican-run states such as Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee have agreed to provide full voter registration lists.
For what it’s worth, here’s OCGA § 21-2-225:
§ 21-2-225. Confidentiality of original registration applications; limitations on registration data available for public inspection; datamade available by Secretary of State; membership in nongovernmental entity for purpose of sharing and exchanging information to improve accuracy and efficiency of voter registration systems
(a) Neither the original applications for voter registration nor any copies thereof shall be open for public inspection except upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) Except as provided in Code Section 21-2-225.1, all data collected and maintained on electors whose names appear on the list of electors maintained by the Secretary of State pursuant to this article shall be available for public inspection with the exception of bank statements submitted pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 21-2-220 and subsection (c) of Code Section 21-2-417, the month and day of birth, the social security numbers, e-mail addresses, and driver’s license numbers of the electors, and the locations at which the electors applied to register to vote, which shall remain confidential and shall be used only for voter registration purposes; provided, however, that any and all information relating to the dates of birth, social security numbers, and driver’s license numbers of electors may be made available to other agencies of this state, to agencies of other states and territories of the United States, and to agencies of the federal government if the agency is authorized to maintain such information and the information is used only to identify the elector on the receiving agency’s data base and is not disseminated further and remains confidential. Information regarding an elector’s year of birth shall be available for public inspection.
(c) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to furnish copies of such data as may be collected and maintained on electors whose names appear on the list of electors maintained by the Secretary of State pursuant to this article, within the limitations provided in this article, on electronic media or computer run list or both. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the Secretary of State shall establish the cost to be charged for such data. The Secretary of State may contract with private vendors to make such data available in accordance with this subsection. Such data may not be used by any person for commercial purposes.
Georgia state legislators are working on legislation held over from last session or developed between sessions, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Statesboro Herald.
From school cellphone bans to tax cuts, some of this year’s most consequential proposals for new Georgia laws have been in the works for months.
State legislators laid the groundwork last year for bills that will be considered during the General Assembly’s session that began this month. About 20 study committees held public meetings across Georgia to set an initial agenda of the state’s top issues.
Now that lawmakers reviewed Gov. Brian Kemp’s budget proposals last week, bills will soon be lined up for debates and votes.
Both Republicans and Democrats support limiting student cellphone use in public high schools.
A Senate study committee recommended a “bell-to-bell” personal communication device ban in high schools, along with stronger parental consent laws, AI restrictions and limits on targeted advertising.
“We are putting this report forward knowing that the giant technology companies don’t want this. The Senate will be going into battle together to pass bipartisan legislation,” said state Sen. Shawn Still, R-Suwanee. “There has to be a balance between profit and responsibility to protect our children.”
Lawmakers are also focused on lowering tax burdens on Georgians, highlighted by a Senate committee that sought to eliminate income taxes on the first $50,000 of income for individuals and $100,000 for couples starting in 2027.
“For the average family, eliminating the income tax is the equivalent of a little more than a 5% raise. That’s real money that helps cover necessities today and creates a little breathing room tomorrow,” said state Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia.
Here’s a look at recommendations of several study committees:
Provide funding to college students based on financial need. The Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Affordability said need-based financial aid is essential for students who meet the academic requirements to attend college but lack enough money to pay for it. Kemp subsequently proposed $325 million for a scholarship program for students with limited means.
Upgrade 911 services to accommodate the rise of cellphones and decline of landlines. The House Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 911 recommended creating a statewide fee for 911 services, replacing local fees, to help fund technology that would allow Georgians to contact emergency services using voice, text and data.
Make students ineligible for sports if they miss too many days of school. The Senate Study Committee on Combatting Chronic Absenteeism in Schools also proposed suspending driver’s licenses of students who were chronically absent, meaning they had missed at least 10% of the school year. And the committee recommended less punitive interventions to help students, such as hearing and vision screenings.
Improve the process for biological fathers with limited financial resources to establish a legal relationship with their children. The House Study Committee on Affordability and Accessibility of Georgia’s Legitimation Process suggested several ways to improve the court system by publishing standardized legitimized forms on court websites and clearing backlogs.
These proposals could be introduced as bills that would then be considered by the state House and Senate.
For a bill to become a law, it must be passed by both chambers by the end of this year’s legislative session April 2 and then approved by Kemp.
House Bill 947 by State Reps. Martin Momtahan (R-Dallas), Chas Cannon (R-Moultrie), and others would limit what SNAP recipients may buy, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.
Rep. Chas Cannon, R-Moultrie, who co-sponsored the bill, said, “There was a time when I ate MRE’s for months at time in the Middle East desert. It was taxpayer provided and was a good source of food until we were able to return to civilization and get some hot, prepared food. We are a generous nation and a generous state, but we have to remember that the funds paying for these meals were taken from the taxpayers.”
Therefore, he said, legislators owe it to the taxpayers to ensure there is accountability and proper oversight in the use of their funds.
The legislation, if passed, goes to the USDA for a waiver that authorizes the state to implement the purchasing restrictions outlined in the bill. To date, 18 states have received waivers from the USDA for that purpose. Among them are some of Georgia’s neighbors: Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee.
House Bill 947 states, “It is the intent of the General Assembly to seek federal approval to restrict the purchase of specified ‘junk food’ items with SNAP benefits in order to promote healthier outcomes for Georgia families.”
Specific examples of products that are ineligible for purchase using SNAP benefits are: “No more than four packs or single units of carbonated soft drinks, including diet sodas, per household per calendar month; no more than four beverages or packs of beverages containing artificial sweeteners per household per calendar month; candy, including chocolate, gum, and sugar based confections; energy drinks and stimulant beverages; juices containing less than 50% fruit or vegetable juice; and packaged desserts with more than ten grams of added sugar per serving, including cakes, brownies, pies, and similar items.”
The bill specifically states that an individual cannot use SNAP benefits to purchase made-to-order beverages or foods sold in a retail grocery store by an in-store vendor, kiosk, or concessionaire, “including but not limited to coffee shops, beverage counters, smoothie counters, or similar service areas.” The restriction applies to both national brand vendors and private in-store concession.
“This particular provision reflects existing federal SNAP rules and does not create new restrictions. Items such as made-to-order coffee or beverages from in-store coffee shops (like a Starbucks located inside a grocery store) are already excluded under federal law,” clarified Cannon. “Likewise, hot, prepared meals that are intended for immediate consumption (like a lunch plate from a deli hot bar) are also already prohibited.”
Another key part of HB 947 is that no person may participate in SNAP in Georgia unless they verify their US citizenship and meet all the federal SNAP work requirements for their household category. Also, if the bill passes and becomes effective Jan. 1, 2027, all SNAP recipients have to re-certify their eligibility every 12 months.
House Bill 955 by State Rep. Deborah Silcox (R-Atlanta) would change the official state flower, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
In early 2026, Georgia House Representative Deborah Silcox (R- Sandy Springs) introduced Georgia House Bill 955 to replace the Cherokee rose with native plant, Sweetbay magnolia as the state flower. The proposed change comes as a result of experts who believe the magnolia will go farther to support local landscaping and wildlife.
The Cherokee rose, adopted in 1916, has been designated as “invasive” by the Georgia Invasive Species Council because it spreads aggressively and can harm native ecosystems.
The new bill nominates the Sweetbay magnolia for its fragrant, evergreen qualities, and hosts the Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly and feeds pollinators.
According to Georgia College and State University, Georgia picked the Cherokee Rose as its official state floral emblem in 1916 as a way to symbolize the painful removal of the Cherokee people from the state in 1838 during the Trail of Tears.
However, this myth turned out to be false. Silcox told the Georgia Native Plant Society, “The Cherokee Rose was adopted as the state flower in 1916 under the incorrect assumption that it was native to the state and also a legacy of the Cherokee people — it is neither.”
Georgia State House Minority Leader State Rep. Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus) warned of “chaos” that would result from federal immigration enforcement operations in Georgia, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
Georgia House of Representatives minority leader Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus) issued a statement Monday objecting to federal immigration enforcement activities and a proposed detention center in Social Circle.
“Our nation watched with deep concern as events unfolded in Minnesota, resulting in the tragic deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti,” she said in the news release. “These losses represent a profound failure of policy and humanity, and our hearts go out to their families and communities during this difficult time.”
“Now, we learn that the Trump Administration plans to open a large-scale detention center in Social Circle, Georgia — a move that threatens to bring the same chaos and heartbreak we’ve witnessed in Minnesota to our own communities here in Georgia,” Hugley said.
CBS News reported Friday that U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia) and Social Circle Mayor David Keener oppose this plan.
Hugley said the Trump Administration “refuses to acknowledge: that our local communities simply cannot absorb the strain of massive federal detention operations. These facilities overwhelm local infrastructure, drain community resources, and most importantly, tear apart the fabric of families and neighborhoods.
Hugley urged “Georgia’s entire Congressional delegation to take immediate action to prevent this detention center from moving forward. This is not a partisan issue—this is about protecting Georgia families, supporting our local leaders, and ensuring our communities remain safe and whole.”
Macon-Bibb County will hold a Special Election on March 17, 2026 to fill the District 5 County Commission vacancy, according to the Macon Telegraph.
A special election to fill the vacant Macon-Bibb County District 5 commissioner seat is set for March 17, according to Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections Supervisor Tom Gillon.
Early voting will take place from Feb. 23 to March 13, and those wanting the run for the seat should file paperwork between Feb. 11 and Feb. 13, Gillon said.
The seat came open after former District 5 Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tempore Seth Clark announced his resignation on Jan. 5 to run for Georgia lieutenant governor as a Democrat.
Andrea Cooke, a mental health advocate and longtime resident of the district, announced her bid for the seat on Jan. 13. Clark endorsed Cooke, praising her work through Macon Mental Health Matters to improve outcomes in the community.
Edward C. Foster, a local community advocate, announced his intention to run for the seat in a Monday press release.
Qualifying for most 2026 elections will be held March 2-6, 2026, according to the Statesboro Herald.
In Bulloch County, the State Court judgeship, three seats on the Board of Commissioners and four seats on the Board of Education are up for election at the local level this year. Candidates need to qualify March 2-6 to appear on a ballot for the May 19 party primaries and nonpartisan general election.
It is a gubernatorial election year, so all of Georgia’s elected state executive posts with four-year terms, from governor and lieutenant governor to state school superintendent, are up for election. So are all seats in the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the U.S. House and one of Georgia’s U.S. Senate seats. Those candidates generally qualify in Atlanta.
But 2026 is a midterm year at the county level, where officials qualify locally. The full hours for qualifying are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, March 2 through Thursday, March 5, and then 9 a.m.-noon Friday, March 6, with noon that Friday being the statewide deadline.
Where to qualify
In Bulloch County, exactly where candidates qualify depends on whether they are seeking a partisan office or a nonpartisan office.
Only candidates for nonpartisan offices – in 2026 only those for State Court judge and Board of Education – will complete their paperwork and pay their candidate fees directly with the Board of Elections and Registration office at the County Annex, 113 North Main St., Suite 201, where Elections Supervisor Shontay Jones is in charge.
But the county commissioners identify with political parties – all are currently Democrats or Republicans – and candidates for these seats qualify with the local party committees.
“Our office, specifically, we do all the qualifying for nonpartisan seats, so that’s my only qualifying group, anybody that is nonpartisan,” Jones said last week. “When I came aboard the decision was made that the local parties will qualify their own candidates that are, you know, declaring for a particular party.”
A nice primer on how absentee ballots by mail currently work in Special Elecitons, from the Dalton Daily Citizen:
Q: If I’ve received a mail-in ballot before, do I need to request one again for the District 14 special election?
A: Yes. In most cases, registered voters must request an absentee (mail-in) ballot for each individual election. There are limited exceptions. Seniors (age 65 and older), those who are physcially disabled, and military/overseas voters may request that absentee ballots be sent to them for all elections during a specific election cycle (typically a calendar year), but this option must be selected on the absentee ballot request form and is not automatic.
Special elections are not part of the regular election cycle. As a result, all voters — regardless of past absentee ballot requests — must submit a new request to receive a mail-in ballot for the District 14 special election.
If the special election advances to a runoff, voters should be aware that runoffs are treated as separate elections. In most cases, even those who requested and received an absentee ballot for the initial special election must submit a new request to receive a mail-in ballot for the runoff. Voters who are 65 or older, physically disabled, or UOCAVA (military/overseas) may have different requirements depending on how their initial application was filed. These voters are strongly encouraged to consult with state or local election officials to confirm if a secondary request is necessary for the special election runoff.
Some Georgia groups are raising concerns about the Second Amendment, according to WSAV.
Across the nation, including the Coastal Empire, people are questioning where the Second Amendment stands in response to the two fatal shootings in Minnesota that involved ICE agents.
The Second Amendment reads: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Even though Pretti had a permit for his gun, and Minnesota is an open carry state, some leaders in the Trump Administration have spoken out saying he shouldn’t have had the gun at a protest in the first place.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel said in a statement, “No one who wants to be peaceful shows up at a protest with a firearm loaded with two full magazines.”
Two local organizations with differing political views agree that Pretti’s right to have his firearm was justified.
One of those organizations, Savannah Indivisible, hosts protests across the Coastal Empire, often using their motto, “resist, reclaim, renew.”
Kris Mecholsky said their most recent protest was in response to Renee Good being fatally shot by an immigration officer in Minneapolis earlier this month. He described Pretti’s death as “predictable.”
Georgia and South Carolina are both open carry states, similar to Minnesota.
Mecholsky said he and Savannah Indivisible think Pretti was completely within his rights to bear arms. Read their full statement below:
“It is our understanding of the law that firearms are not welcome at large assemblies, which this moment in Minnesota was not. Alex Pretti carried a licensed firearm on him while he was legally recording the activities of ICE. He was completely within his rights and he was not protesting, nor was he holding the weapon. From what the videos show, he was not a danger to the border patrol officers, yet he was shot 10 times after they attacked him, beat him, and pulled his weapon from his body. Video shows he was only holding his phone. He was trying to protect a woman a border patrol agent violently shoved down onto the ice.”
Georgia 2nd Amendment, an organization that describes itself as “Georgia’s voice for gun owners,” also agrees that Pretti had a right to bear arms.
They said it is concerning that the Trump Administration is suggesting Americans cannot peacefully exercise their right to protest and bear arms at the same time.
They believe both rights can be exercised responsibly. Read their full statement below:
“After the federal agents’ shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, some voices within the Trump administration have suggested that Americans cannot peacefully exercise their right to protest and their right to bear arms at the same time. That claim is deeply concerning to us and to millions of law-abiding citizens who exercise both rights responsibly.”
“People in this country peacefully do both every day. Speaking out and lawfully carrying a firearm does not make someone a criminal. Saying otherwise is wrong and unfair to millions of responsible Americans.”
“Georgia 2nd Amendment (formerly GeorgiaCarry.org) has worked for years to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens. The right to speak freely and the right to keep and bear arms are both part of the Constitution. These rights do not cancel each other out.”
“We are asking for a full and transparent investigation into Mr. Pretti’s death. The public deserves honest answers.”
“We also ask leaders to correct any statements that suggest peaceful Americans are doing something illegal just by using their constitutional rights.”
“GA2A will continue to stand up for the rights of all citizens to exercise their constitutionally protected rights.”
Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter has been vocal on social media about his support for ICE and deportation.
When asked if people should be worried about their Second Amendment Rights, Carter said it’s more about cooperation with law enforcement.
“Just don’t get bogged down in Second Amendment rights,” said Carter. “Let’s understand what the root of the problem here is, and that is Democratic leadership encouraging people not to cooperate with ICE, with public officials, public safety officials here in the United States of America who are trying to perform their duty and trying to keep people safe.”
Carter says he has not seen the bystander video, which may contradict the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s description of the scene.
He said he is sending a letter to the DHS asking for more ICE agents to be deployed in Atlanta.
A primer on weapons carry law in Georgia from the Savannah Morning News:
The contradictions have drawn comments from across the political spectrum, including from former Georgia representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and the Libertarian Party of Georgia.
While every state determines their own concealed carry laws, both Minnesota and Georgia have permits for citizens to carry concealed weapons. The states do not share reciprocity, however many states in the U.S. allow permits from one state to be valid in another.
Here’s what you need to know about carrying firearms in Georgia.
Do you need a permit to carry a weapon in Georgia?
As of April 2022, you no longer need a weapons carry license in Georgia to open carry or carry a concealed weapon if you are a lawful weapons carrier. This means if you are legally allowed to own a weapon in Georgia, you are legally allowed to open carry or concealed carry.
If a Georgia resident would like a weapons carry license that could be honored in another state, you are still able to apply for a license, which could include a background and fingerprint check.
Georgia does not require a firearm safety training course or other firearm competency demonstration in order to open or concealed carry.
No matter if you have a permit or not, you are not allowed to carry a firearm into places like courthouses, government buildings, jails, nuclear facilities, schools, airports, mental health facilities, close to polling locations and some churches and college campuses.
Individual cities and municipalities may also have their own restrictions, for example how firearms are stored, though state legislatures are changing what power these towns have at the state level in Georgia. A bill was passed this legislative session after debate over a gun storage ordinance in Savannah.
Who can legally own a gun in Georgia?
If you are purchasing a gun from a licensed dealer, you will need to be at least 21 years old to buy a handgun or 18 years old to buy long guns, such as rifles or shotguns.
You will need a government issued ID with a name, date of birth and address, and you will need to sign and complete an ATF form. If you do not have a Georgia Weapons Carry License already, you’ll need to complete a background check, but this is not required from permitted owners.
If you are buying a firearm through a private sale, person-to-person, no background check is required, no matter whether you have a permit or not.
To be eligible for a weapons carry license, you must be 21 years or older or be 18 years of age and have completed basic training in the military and are either active duty or have been honorably discharged.
You must also be a Georgia resident, a U.S. citizen or legal resident, have no felony convictions or pending cases, have no prior convictions on drug charges, have no previous domestic violence convictions or convictions for carrying a weapon without a license, have not been in a mental health or drug or alcohol treatment center within the past five years and have not been committed to a mental health treatment program against your will.
Some exceptions can be made to the requirements based on the judgement of a county probate court.
Rome City Commissioners adopted an ordinance to revise regulations on gas stations and convenience stores, according to WRGA News.
A moratorium has been in place since late last year on permits for new stores to give officials time to come up with the standards.
“There are several requirements here,” said Rome-Floyd County Planning Director Brice Wood. “That they be along arterial roads and have access to them–there is an exception there if you are in a multi-tenant retail shopping center of 100,000 square feet or greater. There are 600-foot distance requirements from schools, daycare centers, churches or places of worship, drug and alcohol treatment centers, public parks, or public right-of-way associated with eco-greenway trails. There is an exception to that, again, if you are in a planned multi-unit shopping center.”
There is also a 1,000-foot distance requirement between stores, which is measured from property line to property line, as well as a 300-foot distance requirement from single-family homes or property zoned for single-family homes. Gas stations will also be banned in the historic district, given that most of those were developed before the mass production of the automobile. The new regulations also ban gas stations from within 500 feet of the rivers, and from within the 100 year flood plain. Gas stations are also prohibited within 500 linear feet of a government-operated well.
Attorney Fisher Law, who represents a number of convenience store and gas station owners and developers, asked that there be a transition period of some kind between the end of the moratorium and when the regulations take effect to give his clients an opportunity to see their investments through.
“As you can imagine, when somebody closes on a piece of property that is already zoned community-commercial or light-industrial, and they get their engineer working on it, it’s a crushing defeat to essentially have that project taken away from you with a stroke of a pen, and with very little recourse.”
The commission approved the development standards without any changes.
The Floyd County Commission will also consider the development standards during its meeting on Tuesday.
Waycross Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Dwayne Gillis announced he will retire next month, according to WALB.
Judge Gillis sent a letter to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announcing his retirement effective Feb. 5, 2026, according to the Douglas Now.
Russ Carpenter left office as Mayor of Richmond Hill, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Jan. 8 marked the last day of office for Russ Carpenter, who served as Mayor of Richmond Hill for two terms and eight on council prior to that.
As for the future, Carpenter said the community is well positioned to thrive with newly elected mayor Kristi Cox at the helm.
“I want to see them successful and see their love of the city continue,” said Carpenter. “I think we’re in really good hands with Kristi Cox and the current council.”
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