Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for March 24, 2022

On March 24, 1824, the Marquis de LaFayette visited Augusta, Georgia.

On this date in 1825, LaFayette, a beloved French hero of the American Revolution, stopped in Augusta on his nationwide tour, and thousands turned out to greet him.

Storekeepers displayed all sorts of LaFayette gear – hats, portraits, souvenirs. An arch was constructed over Broad Street. A platform big enough to hold 600 diners was put up in front of the courthouse on Greene Street.

Governor E.D. Rivers signed a resolution on March 24, 1939, calling for the return of “General” locomotive made famous in the Great Train Chase from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Georgia. It currently resides in The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Georgia. The other locomotive involved in the chase, The Texas, is displayed at the Atlanta Center.

Elvis Presley was inducted into the United States Army on March 24, 1958.

On March 24, 1970, Gov. Lester Maddox signed legislation naming the Largemouth Bass the Official State Fish.

On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Under the Gold Dome Today – Committee Work Day

8:00 AM HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE 606 CLOB HYBRID

8:00 AM Senate Ethics Committee 307 CLOB

9:00 AM HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE 341 CAP

9:00 AM HOUSE MOTOR VEHICLES COMMITTEE 506 CLOB HYBRID

9:00 AM Senate Government Oversight Committee 310 CLOB

9:00 AM Senate Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committee 307 CLOB

10:00 AM HOUSE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE 606 CLOB HYBRID

10:00 AM Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee Mezz 1

10:00 AM Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee 450 CAP

11:00 AM HOUSE HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE 506 CLOB HYBRID

11:00 AM Joint House and Senate Georgia Farmers’ Market and Produce Terminal Development Authority 415 CLOB

12:00 PM Senate Finance Committee 450 CAP

12:00 PM Senate Interstate Cooperation Committee 125 CAP

1:00 PM HOUSE STATE PLANNING & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE 506 CLOB HYBRID

1:00 PM HOUSE PUBLIC SAFETY & HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE 406 CLOB

1:00 PM Senate Public Safety Committee Mezz 1

1:00 PM Senate Special Judiciary Committee 307 CLOB

2:00 PM HOUSE Judiciary Non-Civil Setzler Subcommittee 606 CLOB HYBRID

2:00 PM HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 506 CLOB HYBRID

2:00 PM HOUSE GAME, FISH, & PARKS COMMITTEE 406 CLOB HYBRID

2:00 PM Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee – canceled 450 CAP

2:00 PM Senate Judiciary Committee 307 CLOB

3:00 PM HOUSE JUDICIARY NON-CIVIL COMMITTEE 132 CAP HYBRID

3:00 PM Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee 310 CLOB

4:00 PM Senate Transportation Committee 450 CAP

Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1302, to refund more than a billion dollars in state income taxes, according to a press release.

Governor Brian P. Kemp today signed House Bill 1302 providing a tax refund to all eligible Georgia taxpayers.

“When government takes in more than it needs, I believe those dollars should be returned to the taxpayer, because that is your money – not the government’s,” said Governor Kemp. “In Georgia, we are taking swift action to lessen the impact of the federal administration’s disastrous policies that have driven record-high inflation over the last year by putting taxpayer dollars back in the pockets of hardworking Georgians. I appreciate our Office of Planning and Budget and the members of the Georgia General Assembly who worked with us to ensure this important measure was passed, and Commissioner Crittenden and the Department of Revenue for their hard work to get these funds dispersed quickly and efficiently.”

“Georgia’s commitment to fostering economic growth through conservatism has positioned communities to flourish in each corner of the state,” said Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan. “Although our state coffers have seen record-breaking numbers from continuous investment in the Peach State, we must maintain fiscal responsibility by putting dollars back in the hands of Georgians. I applaud Governor Kemp for leading this charge and appreciate my colleagues in the General Assembly for working to prioritize Georgia taxpayers.”

“We are returning more than a billion dollars to Georgia taxpayers as part of our continuing commitment to budget conservatively while meeting the needs of a growing, thriving state,” said Speaker of the House David Ralston. “I appreciate Governor Kemp’s leadership and his willingness to work with the General Assembly on this and other important policy initiatives this session.”

HB 1302 will provide for a one-time tax credit for taxpayers who filed income tax returns for both the 2020 and 2021 taxable years. Once a qualified taxpayer files an individual income tax return for tax year 2021, the Georgia Department of Revenue will automatically credit the taxpayer with a one-time refund amount:

Single, Married Filing Separate – $250.00
Head of Household – $375.00
Married Filing Joint – $500.00

Governor Kemp, in addition to the many members of the House and Senate who voted in favor of this important measure, would like to thank the following bill sponsors of HB 1302:

“I applaud Governor Kemp’s leadership in returning surplus revenue to the deserving, hardworking taxpayers of Georgia,” said Floor Leader Josh Bonner. “Our state, by applying sound, conservative budgeting principles, continues to set an example for others to follow.”

Taxpayers who have already filed their taxes for tax year 2021 will not need to adjust their tax returns. Those eligible taxpayers will receive their refund in the manner they indicated on their tax return (paper check or direct deposit). The Georgia Department of Revenue has more information on their website.

“Georgians are very lucky to have had Governor Kemp’s leadership through these unprecedented times.” said Floor Leader Clint Dixon. “His decision to reopen the economy before any other state during the pandemic led us to a record-low unemployment rate and record-high job creation, and now, we’re fortunate to be able to return over 1 billion dollars in surplus funds back to the pockets of hardworking Georgians. At his direction, Georgia will continue to lead in the Great Recovery.”

Governor Kemp, in addition to the many members of the House and Senate who voted in favor of this important measure, would like to thank the following bill sponsors of HB 1302:

Chairman Shaw Blackmon
Chairman Chuck Hufstetler
Chairman Kasey Carpenter
Floor Leader Jodi Lott
Chairwoman Karen Mathiak
Floor Leader Lauren McDonald
Floor Leader Steven Meeks

From the AJC:

Democrats have said Kemp, a Republican, has glossed over the fact that the surplus was built, in part, on federal aid that went for everything from enhanced unemployment checks and child tax credits to housing, health care and business aid.

“Brian Kemp should be thanking President (Joe) Biden and Democrats in Congress for Georgia’s budget surplus, which made these tax refunds possible,” said Max Flugrath, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Georgia.

“Georgia Democrats are going to make sure every voter knows that while Republicans voted against this boost to Georgia families, President Biden and Democrats delivered,” he said.

Much of the federal aid that helped build the surplus was approved by Congress in 2020, the year before Biden took office and won passage of the American Rescue Plan, which Republicans opposed. The aid approved in 2020 was supported by members of Congress from both parties.

From the Associated Press via AccessWDUN:

Kemp said Wednesday that the gas tax holiday and income tax refunds will help people deal with inflation and high prices, blaming federal policies for the problem.

“We can’t fix all those problems up there, but we could do our part to help people here cope with this, and that’s what we’re doing today,” Kemp said.

The income tax refunds had originally been estimated to cost $1.6 billion, but that amount was revised down to $1.1 billion in a March 9 estimate. The fuel tax holiday, providing relief from taxes including the state’s 29.1 cents per gallon charged on gasoline, began to move forward around the same time and is estimated to cost up to $400 million in foregone revenue. Kemp plans to use additional surplus, including the money left over from the lower refund estimate, to make up for the shortfall that the gas tax holiday will cause in state roadbuilding funds.

From the Capitol Beat News Service via the Gwinnett Daily Post:

The refund is included in the $30.3 billion mid-year budget the governor signed last week.

Democrat Stacey Abrams spoke to the CNHI and the Dalton Daily News.

Suspending state gas taxes at the pumps is the only issue where Stacey Abrams says she and Gov. Brian Kemp agree.

Abrams said one her top priorities, expanding Medicaid, has been opposed by Kemp and other Republicans in the state who instead approved smaller level expansions. They argue the state cannot afford a full expansion, while Abrams said the state has the funds to pay into it.

A full expansion of Medicaid to cover 500,000 more Georgians will cost $347 million, Abrams said.

“We will see a reduction in the uncompensated care numbers in Georgia,” Abrams explained. “Uncompensated care, which is how much we pay for people who get health care but can’t pay their bill, is $2.7 billion a year. And so Georgians are already paying for Medicaid expansion. We’re already paying for people who don’t have health care. I’m simply saying let’s bring our money home and let’s match it with the dollars that we have here.”

Georgia is one of a dozen states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid, despite federal incentives. Abrams said expanding Medicaid could have several benefits including a decrease in health care costs, an increase in health incomes, support for rural hospitals and creating nearly 64,000 new jobs.

“Instead of cherry picking communities that would benefit from economic development, Medicaid expansion would put economic development jobs in every single region in the state,” Abrams said. “There’s neither an economic nor a partisan reason not to expand it. It’s simply bad math from Republicans.”

Abrams argues that Medicaid expansion is a “holistic” solution to driving Georgia’s economy through job creation and expanding health options to rural areas where options are scarce.

“If you’re a small town, if you’re a rural county, you can’t attract a factory to your town,” she said. “… If somebody gets hurt, they can’t go and get help. No one’s going to bring a job to a place where they know their workers can’t live and can’t work, so we need to build a public health infrastructure as an economic development driver.”

“We know that in so many rural communities, we have poverty levels of almost 30%, so it’s not enough to say that we’re going to bring broadband to the community. We also have to make broadband affordable and that’s going to be my focus,” she said. “We have to make certain that we don’t just bring broadband to the places that voted for the governor. My mission is going to be to make sure that we have a transparency plan so that everyone knows where broadband is going and that we’re providing coverage opportunities to every community.”

Senate Bill 504, which would require cash bond for all felony charges, is under fire from some District Attorneys, according to WRDW.

Augusta Circuit District Attorney Jared Williams says the proposal would maroon poor people behind bars and reduce access to pretrial diversion and alternative courts. Joining him in the criticism is DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston.

Republican Sen. Randy Robertson of Cataula is sponsoring Senate Bill 504, which the state Senate passed 30-22 last week on a party-line vote. The measure is now pending in the House.

Robertson argues that cash bail would make more people appear for court and make them less likely to commit a crime while awaiting trial.

Opponents say studies show no proof of those claims.

Williams, DA for Richmond and Burke counties, says even short periods in jail can cost people their jobs and homes, which could actually increase crime. But he says sending people through alternative court programs can provide solutions.

The Chatham County legislative delegation signed off on new Commission and BOE maps, according to WTOC.

Rep. Ron Stephens (R) said he believes Governor Kemp has officially signed off and he’s proud of how the delegation came together.

“We all got into the room, all the [democrats] and the [republicans] and we got in with the people who draw the maps, which is the reapportionment office. Basically, it was just getting in the room and saying ‘what if’ scenarios,” said Rep. Ron Stephens.

“Our local delegation got together and hats off to our democratic colleagues. They took the bull by the horn and drew their own maps,” he said.

“We had a chance to redraw the maps for the greater good and this was probably our third or fourth attempt to actually look at a map that was separate from what the county commission and school board wanted,” said [Democratic] Rep. [Carl] Gilliard.

State Rep. Jasmine Clark (D-Lilburn) will co-host a gun safety class with Gwinett County Police, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.

State Rep. Jasmine Clark, D-Lilburn, announced she and Gwinnett County police will hold a free firearm safety class at 6:30 p.m. on March 30 at the Mountain Park Aquatic Center, which is located at 1063 Rockbridge Road in unincorporated Stone Mountain. There will be a limited capacity of 40 attendees for the class so people must register in advance.

“Rep. Clark invites the public to join her to learn about gun safety and firearm storage at this free event provided by the Gwinnett Police Department,” Clark’s office said in an announcement. “Participants will receive a free firearm lock after completing the class. Participants will not be handling firearms during the class and should not bring firearms to this class.”

Anyone who would like to participate in the class is asked to register by visiting [this website].

Hart County Commissioner Ricky Carter was arrested for allegedly beating a man, according to AccessWDUN.

A Hart County commissioner and his son have been arrested for allegedly beating a man over a property dispute, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday.

Two days after the incident, the sheriff’s office requested the GBI assist with the investigation. The Carters were arrested on Tuesday, the GBI said.

Ricky Carter has been charged with aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and three counts of cruelty to children. At the time of his arrest, Ricky Carter was out on bond for another incident in which he was charged with terroristic threats/acts and pointing a pistol at another.

The Albany City Commission approved a liquor license for a Family Dollar store, according to WALB.

The Family Dollar on Dawson Road just recently got their alcohol license, but not without some disagreement between city commissioners.

Some say if they’re qualified for the license why deny them and others say there’s already too many stores who sell alcohol.

Commissioner Jon Howard said increasing access to alcohol is not bringing growth to Albany, adding recent data showing nearly 8,000 people leaving Dougherty County and the city should show there needs to be a change.

“It’s a shame in Albany, Ga., you have to catch three busses to get a fresh tomato or produce but alcohol is readily available within a short walk,” said [Commissioner Demetrius] Young.

Chatham County Commissioners are considering a new fire fee to cover unincorporated areas, according to the Savannah Morning News.

At a Wednesday morning workshop, Chatham County commissioners revisited the idea of implementing a fire fee instead of a fire tax for residents living in the county’s unincorporated areas.

The Chatham Commission weighed the pros and cons of a tax versus a fee for more than an hour before deciding to consider introducing an ordinance that would allow the collection of a fire fee. This ordinance would replace one passed in December levying a fire tax.

The Rome Board of Education will interview applicants for appointment to fill a vacancy on the Board, according to the Rome News Tribune.

Cognia, the school accrediting agency, will changes how it assesses systems, according to the AJC.

Weeks after reversing a critical review of the Cobb County School District, the head of the state’s largest accrediting agency says it’s changing the way it evaluates schools.

But it may not be enough to appease Republican lawmakers. In the wake of the review of the state’s second-largest school district last fall, they’ve advanced legislation in the Senate that changes accreditation criteria for Georgia’s K-12 schools. The bill now awaits a vote in the House.

“We are embracing the state’s wishes to improve, where appropriate, the accreditation system in Georgia,” Mark Elgart, CEO of the accreditation agency Cognia, said in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We have no problem with that.”

Elgart blamed the Cobb review debacle on the use of volunteers — often current or former educators with decades of experience — to evaluate the school system rather than professional staff. He said their findings were not entirely based in fact.