Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for March 4, 2025

On March 4, 1762, legislation was passed by the Georgia General Assembly requiring church attendance on Sundays.

The first Session of the United States Congress was held on March 4, 1789 at Federal Hall in New York City. Congress would not have a quorum for another month.

On March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as President of the United States.

In his inaugural address, Lincoln promised not to interfere with the institution of slavery where it existed, and pledged to suspend the activities of the federal government temporarily in areas of hostility. However, he also took a firm stance against secession and the seizure of federal property. The government, insisted Lincoln, would “hold, occupy, and possess” its property and collect its taxes. He closed his remarks with an eloquent reminder of the nation’s common heritage:

“In your hand, my fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to preserve, protect, and defend it… We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

Also on March 4, 1861, the Confederate Congress adopted a first national flag.

This flag is depicted with varying numbers of stars – originally adopted with seven stars, by December 1861, a version with thirteen stars was flying.

Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis were married on March 4, 1952 in Los Angeles, California.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Macon-Bibb County voters continue early voting in the March 18, 2025 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum, according to 13WMAZ.

Voters across Central Georgia are casting their ballots this week in early voting for local elections.

Macon-Bibb leaders are counting on voters to decide whether to renew a penny sales tax totaling $450 million, which would fund projects over the next 10 years. The penny-per-dollar sales tax has been in effect since 2012. It was last renewed in 2016, two years before it took effect.

According to the Board of Elections, the first week of early voting brought in 707 voters so far. Supervisor Tom Gillon says it’s been “slow and steady,” which is a similar trend to years past.

“For SPLOST elections, we anticipate about a 10% turnout, which isn’t great,” Gillon said. “We’d love to have people come in to vote for this one just like they would a presidential election.”

Gillon says he expects history to repeat itself. The county’s last special election for the OLOST saw a 10% voter turnout in 2021.

“If you are a registered voter, we encourage you to vote at every election, whether it’s a small one like this or the biggest one. So, we still have this week and next week for early voting,” Gillon said.

Miller has listed a variety of priorities the SPLOST would fund in Macon-Bibb County.

“It’s the most reasonable way to pay for large capital improvements and economic development in our community,” Miller told 13WMAZ in January. “We couldn’t begin to purchase all of the firetrucks we needed, the Sheriff’s deputy cars, the 911 system. We couldn’t do that in a tax base on property owners. It would be an unduly burden.”

While the county says one cent can go a long way, they’re looking to keep the momentum going on major projects across the area.

Early voting will continue at the Macon Mall and the Elaine Lucas Center through March 14.

The polls are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the week. Voters can also cast their vote this weekend on March 8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Voters have until Friday at 5:30 p.m. to request an absentee ballot.

Under the Gold Dome Today

Tuesday, March 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .convene for legislative day 27
Wednesday, March 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .committee work day
Thursday, March 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Crossover) convene for legislative day 28

8:00 AM CANCELED: HOUSE INSURANCE 406 CLOB
8:00 AM HOUSE SMALL BUS DEV 506 CLOB
8:00 AM HOUSE JUDICIARY 132 CAP
8:00 AM HOUSE ECON DEV & TOURISM 415 CLOB
8:00 AM HOUSE HUMAN REL & AGING 515 CLOB
8:00 AM CANCELED: HOUSE MOTOR VEH 606 CLOB
8:00 AM HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS 341 CAP
9:00 AM HOUSE RULES 341 CAP
10:00 AM HOUSE FLOOR SESSION (LD27) House Chamber
10:00 AM Senate Floor Session (LD 27) Senate Chamber
1:00 PM HOUSE TRANSPORTATION 506 CLOB
1:00 PM HOUSE HIGHER EDUCATION 606 CLOB
1:00 PM Cancelled – Senate Children & Families 307 CLOB
1:30 PM HOUSE W&M Sub Tax Reform 403 CAP
2:00 PM HOUSE PUBLIC & COMM HEALTH 606 CLOB
2:00 PM HOUSE JUDICIARY JUVENILE 415 CLOB
2:00 PM Cancelled- Senate Retirement  307 CLOB
2:00 PM Senate Education & Youth  450 CAP
3:00 PM HOUSE ENERGY, UTLITIES & TELE 403 CAP
3:00 PM HOUSE Hong Sub Judiciary Non-Civil 132 CAP
3:00 PM HOUSE GOVTAL AFF 506 CLOB
3:00 PM Cancelled- Senate Higher Education  307 CLOB
3:00 PM Cancelled- Senate Insurance & Labor  MEZZ 1
4:00 PM Cancelled- Senate Reg Ind & Utilities  450 CAP

House Bill 561 and HB 562, by State Rep. Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville) would protect the Okefenokee Swamp and were heard in a subcommittee of the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.

Environmental activists asked Georgia House lawmakers Monday to enact a moratorium on mining adjacent to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

But opponents of a proposed mining ban defended Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals’ plan to mine titanium dioxide along Trail Ridge as an important source of jobs in a high-poverty area of southeastern Georgia.

Two bills sponsored by state Rep. Darlene Taylor, R-Thomasville, include different versions of a ban on mining. One would place a five-year moratorium on mining, while the other would prohibit future mining altogether.

Taylor told members of a House subcommittee that the largest blackwater wetland in North America deserves and needs protection from mining, which would ruin a natural resource that draws 800,000 visitors each year and pumps more than $90 million into the region’s economy.

She has introduced legislation during the last several years to prohibit mining adjacent to the Okefenokee. Thus far, none of those measures has reached the House floor for a vote despite dozens of lawmakers signing on as cosponsors.

“I have been there,” Taylor said of the swamp at the start of a hearing on her bills. “Some of my fondest memories as a child involve visiting and enjoying the beauty. I want that for my grandchildren and your grandchildren.”

Rhett Jackson, a professor of water resources at the University of Georgia, said the planned titanium dioxide mine would lower water levels in the Okefenokee, increasing the chance of damaging wildfires.

“The largest wildfires in the state’s history have started in the swamp during drought periods,” he said

Environmental lawyer Josh Marks, president of the nonprofit Georgians for the Okefenokee, complained that the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, which is considering permit applications for the mine, has not used “sound science” in evaluating the project.

“Georgia EPD has show it is incapable of protecting the swamp,” he said.

But the mine’s supporters argued Taylor’s bills would essentially let the General Assembly decide whether to approve the project, usurping the EPD’s authority.

“The legislature lacks the expertise to make mining decisions,” said Joe Hopkins, owner of Toledo Manufacturing Co. in Folkston.

Lewis Jones, a lawyer representing Twin Pines, said the form of titanium dioxide found along Trail Ridge is both rare and critical to national security. Lighter than steel, titanium is used in the manufacture of bombers and fighter jets.

Jones also disputed arguments that the mine would harm the Okefenokee.

“We’re not going to lower the water levels,” he said. “We’re not going to pollute the swamp. If that were to happen, EPD wouldn’t approve the permit.”

Charlton County Commissioner Drew Jones said the mine would provide an economic boost in a county that can’t afford to provide adequate social services or roads.

“We are in desperate need for high-paying jobs in our community,” he said.

The bills’ opponents also said banning mining along Trail Ridge would amount to an unconstitutional taking of private property, an assertion the measures’ supporters disputed.

The subcommittee did not act on either bill. Crossover Day in the General Assembly – the deadline for bills to pass either the House or Senate to remain alive for the year – falls later this week, leaving little time for the bills to make it to the House floor for votes.

From Georgia Recorder:

The House Natural Resource and Environment Subcommittee heard Monday from the opponents and supporters of two House bills that ranged from creating five-year moratorium on mining permits along the Okefenokee Swamp’s Trail Ridge to an outright ban on the state issuing permits along the property that serves as the hydrological divide between the swamp and refuge that straddles the Georgia-Florida border.

One of the two bipartisan Okefenokee bills discussed Monday, House Bill 562, proposes a five-year moratorium on the state issuing surface mining permits along the Okefenokee Swamp’s Trail Ridge while experts evaluate the potential to lower water levels.

The moratorium bill is sponsored by Thomasville Republican Rep. Darlene Taylor, who also presented arguments Monday. House Bill 561, the so-called Okefenokee Protection Act, would place a permanent ban of future mining along Trail Ridge.

The opposition to the measures came from representatives for Twin Pines, a local county commissioner, state legislator and the owner of a local timber company.

They argued that the moratorium infringes on property rights and undermines the Georgia Environmental Protection Department’s expertise and cited the economic benefits of mining and the potential for safe mining while digging for heavy minerals.

Taylor urged the legislative committee members to pass her bill intended to block the EPD from approving permits to strip mine along the natural treasure that serves as a natural dam to the swamp and was once the home where the Muscogee Creek Nation thrived. The Okefenokee Swamp, a 440,000-acre Blackwater wetland in Georgia, is home to more than 1,000 species and is a significant tourist attraction, contributing $90 million annually to the economy.

“I’m just a little old lady from south Georgia, not an engineer or any ecologist, not a forester, but I have been there,” Taylor said. “Some of my fondest memories as a child involve visiting, enjoying the beauty, and I want that for my grandchildren and for your grandchildren. I also have unhappy memories of what happened to the Everglades. I grew up in Miami and witnessed the devastation and the world that was lost to us forever.”

The fight over surface mining near the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge has intensified since 2019 when an Alabama-based company, Twin Pines Minerals, went public with its plan to mine for titanium oxide and zirconium just outside the current refuge’s boundaries. Neither bill would directly impede Twin Pines plans for a demonstration mine that is currently in the final permitting review stages under the EPD.

State lawmakers have debated legislation intended to protect the swamp from strip mining the past few years, but the legislation failed to gain traction.

If either bill is passed, it could hinder Twin Pines’ ability to receive permits to mine beyond its initial 584 acres of Trail Ridge and also prevent future companies from surface mining along the ridge.

Charlton County Commissioner Drew Jones, who represents an area that is home to the swamp, defended the economic boost that good paying mining jobs would bring to a region that struggles economically. He cited Charlton’s public school system providing every student free lunch and a county’s $13 million annual budget relying on $3 million in taxes from a landfill, $600,000 from a prison and $200,000 from a mine that’s been around a decade.

The mines employ machine operators, truck drivers, chemists, engineers and other types of trade jobs, Jones said. The supporters of banning or placing a moratorium on future Trial Ridge mining are making overblown claims about the dangers of Twin Pines plan to perform surface mining along the ridge, said Jones, who is a forest land manager for Toledo Manufacturing Co. Toledo Manufacturing controls about 50,000 acres near the swamp.

He urged legislators to ignore speculation and allow the EPD to make a determination.

Rhett Jackson, a professor of water resources at the University of Georgia, referenced a a letter from several prominent scientists who cited problems with the testing conducted by the state EPD and with the claims from Twin Pines that the mining would not place a shallow swamp at further risk, Jackson said.

Josh Marks, president of Georgians for the Okefenokee and an environmental lawyer, also argued that the EPD’s analysis is flawed while imploring the Legislature to pass both bills.

“I’ve been involved with Okefenokee protection and mining for 28 years starting in 1997,” Marks said. “When the DuPont Chemical Company came down to the Okefenokee and wanted to mine the entirety of Trail Ridge, there were enormous amounts of scientific discussions back then indicating that mining the dam that helped create and maintain the swamp was a terrible idea.”

State Rep. Robert Dickey, a Musella Republican, questioned Marks about why the Legislature should potentially override the EPD’s authority to decide if a mining permit should be granted along Trail Ridge.

“I just don’t think the Legislature has the expertise to evaluate each one, one-by-one on the facts of each site and the different types of economic development,” he said.

Joe Hopkins, owner of timber company Toledo Manufacturing, recommended that the state EPD’s scientists and other experts be allowed to properly review mining permit applications.

Hopkins said he would support an intensive study on the effects of various types of mining along the ridge, but is opposed to both HB 561 or HB 562.

“We need to base a decision on science, not emotions or the economic and political power of environmental nongovernmental organizations and their massive letter writing campaigns, which are very effective,” Hopkins said. “They have done a great job on this and the media campaigns that they have put forth, even to the point of character assassination tactics on me.”

Barbara Borque, a past president of the Garden Club of Georgia, said that the scientific consensus is that mining will lower the swamp’s water level.

“The question is just how much the mining company has experts that will say, ‘Don’t worry, trust us, it’ll be OK,’” she said. “However, you have heard other experts warn of serious dangers. We cannot count on Mother Nature to always be kind.”

Both chambers passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Amended Budget, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.

The General Assembly gave final passage Monday to a record $40.5 billion mid-year budget that prioritizes hurricane relief and prisons.

The mid-year budget, which covers state spending through June 30, sailed through the Georgia House of Representatives 168-5 before passing the state Senate 55-1.

It increases state spending by $4.4 billion over the fiscal 2025 budget lawmakers adopted last spring, including a disaster relief package of $862 million for victims of Hurricane Helene, up from $615 million Gov. Brian Kemp requested in January.

“We know there’s pent-up demand for these funds,” House Appropriations Committee Chairman Matt Hatchett, R-Dublin, told his House colleagues before Monday’s vote. “People are still hurting.”

Another big-ticket item is $345 million for additional staffing for Georgia prisons as well as safety and security improvements. Of that amount, $50.9 million will go toward hiring additional correctional officers.

After reducing Kemp’s request for four new modular units to temporarily house inmates while crumbling infrastructure inside existing prisons is replaced, the House and Senate went back to the governor’s original recommendation of $80 million. Each of the units holds 126 inmates.

The mid-year budget also includes $18 million for body cameras, tasers, and surveillance technology upgrades and $17 million for drone detection equipment. Drones smuggling cellphones and other contraband into state prisons has become a major concern for prison officials.

The various funding increases follow the release last fall of a federal audit that criticized the state’s prison system for failing to protect inmates from widespread violence.

The House and Senate supported Kemp’s request for $501 million to increase surface water supplies in Coastal Georgia to supply the Hyundai electric-vehicle manufacturing plant now being built along Interstate 16 west of Savannah. Another $266 million is earmarked for water and sewer improvement projects elsewhere in the state.

Another $500 million is earmarked for the state Department of Transportation’s Freight and Logistics program, a series of highway improvements aimed at speeding up the movement of freight.

Lawmakers also backed the governor’s recommendation for an additional $50 million in school-safety grants, enough to provide every school in Georgia with nearly $70,000.

The House and Senate added $21.5 million to expand the state’s medical residency offerings, an initiative aimed at addressing a shortage of physicians, particularly in rural South Georgia. Another $38.5 million will go toward the growing demand for foster care.

The mid-year budget now goes to Kemp’s desk for his signature.

House Bill 612 by State Rep. Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) aims to address continuing concern about access to mental healthcare, according to Georgia Recorder.

State leaders celebrated three years ago when they passed a bipartisan measure designed to step up enforcement of a federal law that requires health insurers treat mental health and substance abuse services the same as physical care.

But more than two years after that law took effect, lawmakers and advocates are voicing frustration with the state of enforcement of behavioral health parity rules passed in 2022 that were intended to improve access to care in Georgia.

“It’s fine to pass legislation, but if the legislation just stays on the books and is not implemented, we don’t help anybody,” Eve Byrd, director of the mental health program at the Carter Center, said at a recent press conference at the state Capitol.

So far, the state is receiving few complaints about suspected parity violations, but advocates say that may have more to do with low awareness about the care patients are entitled to, an online complaint portal that can be difficult to navigate, and the state’s slow ramp up of enforcement provisions.

How to enforce parity rules in Georgia was the focus of the final negotiations over the landmark bill three years ago, says Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, a Decatur Democrat who was a co-sponsor. She’s among the lawmakers pushing this year for more “enforcement muscle.”

Oliver said even with the scant data there is evidence of insurance barriers in place for behavioral health treatment in Georgia that are not in place for physical care, such as unequal rules for requiring providers to get approval from an insurer before prescribing medication.

“This is a measure to actually strengthen the oversight of mental health insurance coverage in Georgia by holding insurers accountable for parity compliance,” said Rome Republican state Rep. Katie Dempsey, who is sponsoring the bill and who chairs the House budget subcommittee for human services.

“This bill is a significant step forward, ensuring that mental health care is treated equally to physical health care with the insurance system in Georgia,” she said.

The bill would create a formal mechanism to review and address complaints through a proposed parity compliance review panel, and it would require health care providers to report suspected violations by health insurers.

“This mandatory reporting of mental health parity violations is so very important for us to get the data that we need to understand what we are meeting, how close we are to that threshold, and then how to get there as well,” she said.

Kevin Tanner, who is the commissioner of the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, said Wednesday that he thinks leaning on providers to help report violations – rather than waiting on the patient to submit a complaint – will help the state get a better handle on enforcement.

“I think part of the challenge is individuals may not even know that there may be a parity violation, they may not know that they’ve not received a service that under the law they should be receiving,” Tanner said. “So I think that’s a part of the challenge, because there’s not been a lot of violations reported.”

If violations are found, the panel will recommend punitive actions to King, who is elected, and the appointed commissioner of community health, Russel Carlson.

The panel would be able to receive and evaluate complaints reported by the providers, and it would also be empowered to analyze reports from health insurers and to request information regarding potential parity violations, including determinations of “medical necessity.”

And the panel would also be tasked with creating and reviewing “culturally and linguistically sensitive” educational materials about behavioral health parity for consumers and health care providers.

If funding is made available later, the panel would be assisted by staffers.

The panel would be attached to the existing Behavioral Health Coordinating Council within the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. The bill would also add the insurance commissioner to the council.

Dempsey’s bill includes recommendations that were included in the latest report from the Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission, which was a big driver behind the 2022 law.

“We support this bill very much, but we should not have to be here for this bill,” Jeff Breedlove with the Georgia Council for Recovery said to lawmakers Thursday.

“Families across Georgia, working class families who do not have the time or the money, are encountering roadblock after roadblock, hurdle after hurdle to save a life,” he said. “So, every day we delay, every other meeting we have to go to, in the world we understand we get it, but for working class families, it’s Russian roulette with the life of their loved one.”

Dempsey’s bill was voted out of committee last week. It has until this Thursday, which is Crossover Day, to pass the full House to have the smoothest path to the governor’s desk. The legislative session ends April 4.

Senate Bill 30 by State Senator Ben Watson (R-Isle of Hope) passed the Senate and would ban puberty blockers for minors, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.

The Georgia Senate passed legislation Monday that would ban puberty blockers, which would affect children who want to change their gender.

Senate Bill 30 was adopted 34-19 Monday in a near party-line vote. It’s among several GOP-led bills this year addressing transgender issues.

Puberty blockers are medicines that suppress natural hormones in children, postponing puberty. Were SB 30 to become law, doctors and hospitals could lose their medical licenses for administering puberty blockers in minors.

Senate Republicans said the prohibition was needed for the safety of patients too young to consent.

Some other countries have banned puberty blockers in minors, said Sen. Ben Watson, R-Savannah, the chief sponsor of the bill. A medical doctor, Watson added that laws prohibit minors from smoking and other activities because their brains are not fully developed.

“We don’t allow minors to do a lot of things,” he said.

Watson said puberty blockers can cause long-term health impacts — to bone density, for instance.

“We’re asking them to make changes that will affect them for the rest of their lives,” he said.

Democrats said puberty blockers are reversible and that prohibiting them would expose a marginalized group to an even higher risk of suicide. They accused Republicans of pandering to a “far right” base that wishes transgender people didn’t exist.

Sen. Kim Jackson, D-Stone Mountain, who is gay, called the measure “the othering of a minority group for political gain.”

Democrats tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill to let medical providers continue providing puberty blockers to children who are already using them.

All the votes against SB 30 were by Democrats except one. Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, D-Dawson, crossed the aisle to vote for the measure. It now moves to the state House of Representatives.

From the Associated Press via WRDW:

Georgia’s Senate passed two bills Monday that would ban most gender-affirming care for minors and people incarcerated in state prisons, mirroring moves by Republicans across states and a handful of executive orders by President Donald Trump targeting transgender people.

The chamber voted 34-19 for a bill that would ban puberty blockers and most gender-affirming care for people under 18, including those already undergoing treatment. Georgia lawmakers in 2023 banned most gender-affirming surgeries and hormone replacement therapies for transgender minors unless they were already receiving treatment. The law lets doctors prescribe puberty blockers.

“You’re asking (minors) to make changes that will have changes to the rest of their lives,” bill sponsor Republican Sen. Ben Watson, of Savannah, said Monday. “It is not a fair decision to them. It is not a fair decision to the parents.”

A second bill sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Randy Robertson passed 37-15 and would ban most gender-affirming care for people incarcerated in state prisons.

Last month, the chamber passed bills to ban transgender people from playing in school sports and cut off public funding for gender-affirming care for adults. The four bills will now head to the House for debate.

Opponents said Republicans are playing politics by targeting transgender people and that lawmakers should focus on helping Georgians with more pressing issues such as housing and healthcare. They say both bills infringe on the rights of transgender people and their families to make decisions about gender-affirming care.

“This body has promulgated bill after bill attacking trans people with the ultimate goal of making trans disappear. We’ve been here before,” said Senate Minority Whip Kim Jackson, a Stone Mountain Democrat who is openly lesbian.

At least 26 states have adopted laws restricting gender-affirming care for minors, and most are facing lawsuits. A study released in January found that fewer than 1 in 1,000 adolescents with commercial insurance during a five-year period received gender-affirming medications such as puberty blockers or hormones.Jackson and other Democrats proposed a failed amendment to Watson’s bill that would let minors receiving treatment keep going to avoid the medical and emotional ramifications of stopping midway.

Sens. Elena Parent and Sonya Halpern, both Atlanta Democrats, reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the rights of transgender people but broke with their party to vote for Robertson’s bill because they said they do not think taxpayers should pay for gender-affirming care for people in prison. Parent proposed an amendment to make an exception for incarcerated people already undergoing hormone replacement therapy that failed.

“I will not let my party be dragged into an argument that makes us look out of touch with the very people we claim to represent,” Halpern said.

Sen. Sally Harrell, an Atlanta Democrat who has two transgender children, took the stand toward the end of the evening.

“It felt like we were debating a political football instead of people,” Harrell said of a debate on the school sports bill. “And so I came to this well to remind people that we are talking about very real people — parents, children, families.”

Dawson Democrat Sen. Freddie Powell Sims voted for both bills. Four Democrats for the bill banning gender-affirming care for people in prison.

Senate Bill 55 by State Sen. Billy Hickman (R-Statesbor), the “Dignity and Pay Act” would require that people with intellectual or developmental disabilities be paid at least the minimum wage, according to WSB Radio.

A new bill has passed in Georgia that would require people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities to be paid minimum wage.

The new law will apply to eight organizations that have a federal waiver to pay workers less money, according to Georgia officials.

According to Senate Bill 55, the Dignity and Pay Act, businesses would be required to phase out payment of subminimum wages to those with disabilities.

Georgia officials say any employer issued a 14(c) certificate before July 1 of this year would be able to use the certificate’s provisions for subminimum wage until, though there will be a time limit, according to WSBTV.

The legislation is set to move to the house.

Senate Resolution 292 by State Senator Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) would expand the scope of the current Special Committee on Investigations to include Stacey Abrams and the New Georgia Project, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.

The Republican chairman of a special committee of the Georgia Senate that has been investigating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has introduced legislation that would expand the committee’s scope to include former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

“I think we ought to get to the bottom of these allegations,” Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, said Friday, explaining why he had introduced Senate Resolution 292 the day before.

Cowsert was referring to a settlement agreement in January between the Georgia Ethics Commission and groups founded by Abrams.

The New Georgia Project and a separate fundraising arm, the New Georgia Action Fund, agreed  to pay $300,000 for failing to disclose $4.2 million in contributions and $3.2 million in spending during the 2018 election cycle on behalf of Abrams’ unsuccessful bid for governor.

It was the largest fine ever assessed by the Ethics Commission.

Cowsert’s Special Committee on Investigations was created last year in the wake of Republican anger over Willis’ criminal case against President Donald Trump and others who helped his effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Willis has refused the Cowsert committee’s summons to testify, fighting it in court.

If the Senate passes SR 292, the committee will have the authority to expand its inquiry to the Abrams-related groups and determine if “existing state laws, including those establishing processes related to campaign finance and the operation of nonprofit organizations, are inadequate.”

Cowsert said he plans to call Abrams to testify after the legislative session ends on April 4.

His committee has no punitive powers, but Cowsert said prosecutors would likely be watching its work.

“We need to learn what’s going on out there, what’s permitted, and see if those guardrails are sufficient or not,” he said.

Democrats say it’s just a political stunt.

Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones II, D-Augusta, slammed his fellow Republicans, saying they took no action in the Trump case, which briefly ensnared the Senate’s top Republican.

In 2022, a Fulton County judge disqualified Willis from prosecuting Lt Gov. Burt Jones, then a state senator, because she had hosted a fundraiser for his Democratic opponent in the lieutenant governor’s race. The case was subsequently moved to a special prosecutor, who cleared Jones of wrongdoing last fall.

The GOP senators’ proposed investigation of Abrams is just “mud and dirt,” Harold Jones said. It’s a distraction from “real issues,” such as the housing crisis, he said.

Bryan County is considering building a new jail, according to the Savannah Morning News.

According to Sheriff Mark Crowe, Bryan County’s jail has the smallest bed-to-inmate ratio per capita in Georgia. With the growth that is coming, that is a problem he believes should be addressed sooner than later.

The current facility in Pembroke has just 68 beds and the new facility would need to have enough space to hold 470 beds, according to Nicholas Beard, public information officer for Bryan County. Conversations have already begun between the county government and Sheriff looking into the feasibility of building a new combination jail and sheriff’s office to accommodate the growing population and the crime that is expected to come with it.

“We have some ideas on what we need and what the Sheriff’s Association says we should have,” said Crowe. “As far as bed space goes, we’ve been in talks with the commissioner’s office and with some other people that build jails. It will not work here [at the current location]. There’s no way to add on to it. It’s outdated and we’ve outgrown it. There are 3,000 houses going up here and a 10,000-home subdivision in Richmond Hill. We’re looking at exponential growth over the next few years and it’s going to impact us really bad.”

Crowe said another reason more beds are necessary is because of the need to keep certain individuals separated, such as inmates from rival gangs or those who have committed lesser offenses from more violent individuals.

The Sheriff added that The Georgia Sheriff’s Association, through data collection, determined the new facility will need more than 400 beds.

According to Beard, the cost of the new facility would range between $75-$100 million dollars and would be solely funded by the taxpayer. A new location for the 470-bed facility has not been determined yet.

Effingham County announced plans for metal detectors at all county high schools, and eventually expand that to all county public schools, according to the Savannah Morning News.

The Effingham County School District is implementing metal detectors at all three high schools.

Effective March 3, students and visitors will be required to pass through the detectors at South Effingham High School, Effingham County High School and Effingham College & Career Academy. A press release issued by the school district said the move is to ensure the school’s learning environment is secure and that safety is their No. 1 priority.

Metal detectors will be implemented in the middle and elementary schools throughout the county in the future.

Effingham County Schools has seen a number of incidents involving students bringing a weapon onto school property.

“The safety and well-being of our students and staff are our top priorities,” said Effingham County Superintendent Yancy Ford. “The immediate implementation of metal detectors at our high schools is a proactive step to enhance security and ensure a safe learning environment for everyone. We appreciate the support and cooperation of our community as we work together to protect our schools.”

Pooler City Council adopted a Short Term Vacation Rental ordinance, according to WTOC.

City council in Pooler voted Monday night on their new rules for short term rentals. The vote was three yes and three no, forcing Mayor Karen Williams to cast the tie-breaking vote.

The mayor voted in favor of the ordinance.

This all comes as the culmination of Pooler’s year-long effort to put some kind of regulation on short term rentals – or STRs – within the city, for the very first time.

With Monday night’s vote in the books, the city of Pooler will officially have an STR ordinance starting March 18th… Just three days after the city’s second pause on these rentals ends.

Aaron Henry, the city’s Mayor Pro Tem, said, “We’re trying to find something that balances everybody’s needs and let me tell you it’s hard. That’s why it’s taken a year to get to this point.”

The mayor said before her deciding vote in favor of the ordinance, that the city can be sued for anything at any time and felt it was necessary to get something on the books now that can be altered as needed.

There were also two amendments made to this ordinance during Monday night’s council meeting, before it passed. Mayor Pro Tem Henry, saying the amendments were in response to concerns raised during the meeting’s public comment period.

The first extends the grandfather period to 90 days – meaning folks have three months to bring their already existing short term rental to the city and get it approved. Council says these STRs will not be shut down due to the new regulations, like the 500 feet rule.

The other change is to the window of time an STR had to be active before the moratorium, in order to be eligible for the grandfather benefits. Council extended that window to 12 months, meaning as long as an STR was active the year before the moratorium, it qualifies.

Warner Robins Mayor LaRhonda Patrick announced she will run for a second term, according to 13WMAZ.

Warner Robins mayor LaRhonda Patrick is running for a second term as mayor, she announced in a video on Monday.

Patrick says her life changed three years ago when she was first sworn in as mayor of Warner Robins.

“Together with a dedicated team, six council members, and over 700 passionate staff members, we’ve worked towards one common mission: to improve the lives of those who call Warner Robins home,” Patrick said.

In her video, Patrick outlined her accomplishments during her first term in office.

No one else has yet thrown their hat into the ring for the next Warner Robins mayoral race.

The official qualifying period begins Aug. 18 and ends Aug. 22. Warner Robins residents will then go to the polls on Nov. 5, 2025, to decide on the next mayor of Warner Robins.

With over 7 months before the election, Patrick is asking voters to entrust her with another term.

The federal government changed the name of Fort Moore back to Fort Benning, according to WTVM.

Fort Moore is once again named Fort Benning following a memorandum signed Monday by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The change is effective immediately.

The army post, which is the sixth-largest in the United States, was originally founded as Camp Benning in 1918. The installation was named for Confederate General Henry Benning and was upgraded to a post in 1922.

The installation is home to the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, the United States Army Armor School, the United States Army Infantry School, the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment and multiple other tenant units.

The name was changed more than 100 years after its founding following a directive from Department of Defense to rename nine Army installations.

The post was renamed in honor of Lt. General Harold “Hal” and Julia Moore on May 11, 2023. An estimated $5 million was spent on signage costs for the initial name change.

Secretary Hegseth stated Monday the 2025 renaming is in reference to a different Benning:

“The new name pays tribute to Corporal (CPL) Fred G. Benning, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his extraordinary heroism in action during World War I with the U.S. Army in France in 1918. This change underscores the installation’s storied history of service to the United States of America, honors the warfighter ethos, and recognizes the heroes who have trained at the installation for decades and will continue to train on its storied ranges.” [wrote] U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

A native of Norfolk, Nebraska, Cpl. Benning enlisted in the Army in April 1917 at the age of 17. After completing basic training, Benning deployed to Europe and “served with distinction with the 16th Infantry Regiment,” according to a memo from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Monday’s statement from the U.S. Department of Defense comes three weeks after a similar decision was made to rename a special operations base in North Carolina back to Fort Bragg. Similarly, the the installation was named in reference to a 20th century soldier rather than the original Confederate namesake. Fort Bragg is now named in tribute to WWII Army Pfc. Roland L. Bragg who received the Silver Star and a Purple Heart.

A statement published by Fort Benning on Monday afternoon states “the renaming process will include updating all official documentation, signage, and digital platforms in a deliberate and phased manner.”

Additionally, an official renaming ceremony will be held. A date for the ceremony has not yet been determined.

From WTVM:

Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson spoke with News Leader 9 on Monday afternoon regarding the name change:

“I said the same thing when they were considering changing it from Benning to Moore. That is, here in Columbus, we support the soldiers and their families. It doesn’t matter in my mind what name is on the sign. What’s important is the DNA of Columbus and the military base, the Maneuver Center of Excellence, is so closely intertwined… and we just want to do whatever we can do support them,” said Mayor Henderson.

“What it will require is some funding,” Henderson added. “There’s going to be a lot of money put in at the Maneuver Center of Excellence to get the name changed. We had just changed the name of the bridge. An anonymous donor had helped with that. And of course DOT has a lot of signs on the interstate that says Fort Moore. I think that will be one of the more significant challenges for the Army to complete that transition all over again and we will do whatever we can to try and assist them in that endeavor,” finished Henderson.

“The Trump Administration is attempting by sleight of hand to restore a name that honors the Confederacy. Georgians do not wish to honor those who fought to preserve slavery. We want to move forward. This is a cynical attempt to take us backwards and to stoke division.” [said] U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff

“This has always been an emotional issue, particularly for people who have lived, trained, and worked around the post. While good people may have different thoughts about the post’s name, a commission was established by the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to address this matter and remove the names of enemies of the United States from U.S. military installations. The bill had overwhelming bipartisan support and became law.”[said Congressman Sanford Bishop Jr.]

“Pursuant to that law, and after considerable deliberation and widespread community and veteran input, the post was named after Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia.”[said Congressman Sanford Bishop Jr.]

“Hal Moore was a hero of the Vietnam War, and together with his wife, Julia, they were instrumental in establishing how the military notifies and cares for spouses of fallen servicemembers. Moore had extensive ties to the post while on active duty, in retirement, and is buried there. The Moores embodied the Army’s values of loyalty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, personal courage, and duty. To have the Moores’ name adorn this post, through which an overwhelming number of Soldiers pass during their Army careers, was well-deserved and symbolized our country’s commitment to the servicemembers and their families who are the backbone of our national defense.”[said Congressman Sanford Bishop Jr.]

“To have the new Secretary of Defense unilaterally reject the Moores’ combined service to the Army, our military families, and our nation, after being recommended by the naming commission and implemented by the Defense Department, is disrespectful, at best, and spiteful, at worst. It is a rejection of the values and symbolism that Hal and Julia Moore embodied.” [said Congressman Sanford Bishop Jr.]