On May 12, 1740, Georgia forces under James Oglethorpe took Fort Diego in Florida from the Spanish and mocked the defenders’ jean shorts.
The worst American defeat of the Revolutionary War occurred at Charleston, South Carolina on May 12, 1780. American Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who surrendered that day would later accept the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia.
On May 12, 1789, the Society of St. Tammany was founded in New York and would grow to a dominant home for political bosses. Plunkitt of Tammany Hall: A Series of Very Plain Talks on Very Practical Politics
George Washington visited Georgia on May 12, 1791. From Purysburg, South Carolina, Georgia officials escorted Washington on a barge twenty-five miles down the Savannah River to Savannah, where he would stay four days.
On May 12, 1864, Confederate General Joseph Johnston pulled his Army of Tennessee and Georgia back to Resaca, Georgia. In Virginia, Major General John B. Gordon saved the life, or prevented the capture of, General Robert E. Lee at Spotsylvania. After the war, Gordon would serve as Governor of Georgia and United States Senator.
On May 12, 1864, the Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets awoke in Staunton, where they had marched from Lexington 18 miles the previous day; after another 19 miles headed north up the Shenandoah Valley, the would make camp at Mt. Crawford, near Harrisonburg. The cadets ranged in age from fifteen to twenty-five years.
On May 12, 1970, Georgia National Guard troops were mobilized to end race riots that had broken out the night before in Augusta. On that same day, Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs, my father’s favorite player as a youth, hit his 500th home run.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Error note: I wrote that U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-SSI) is running for Governor, when he’s actually running for United States Senate. My bad.
Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King (R) is also running for United States Senate, according to Atlanta News First via WTOC.
The first Latino ever elected to a statewide Georgia office now wants to be its first U.S. senator.
On Monday, John King, who was elected Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner in 2022, announced he is running for the GOP Senate nomination with the ultimate goal of unseating one-term Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff.
King and U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter are so far the only two announced candidates for the GOP Senate nomination. Last week, both Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene declined to enter the race.
King is a retired major general and former police chief.
“President Trump needs reinforcements and Georgia needs a new senator,” King said. “Jon Ossoff voted against securing our border, against supporting Israel, and for letting men play women’s sports. He’s California’s third senator, not Georgia’s senior senator. It’s time for a change.
“I’ve led troops in combat, been blown up by an IED in Iraq, and been shot and stabbed in the line of duty as a cop. A tough campaign doesn’t scare me; giving Jon Ossoff six more years in the Senate does.”
King was born in Mexico and came to America when he was 17 years old. He enlisted in the Army National Guard as a private and retired in 2023 as a major general.
King served around the world, including in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Africa. He also deployed to the southern border in 2017 during President Trump’s first term.
King spent four decades in law enforcement, joining the Atlanta Police Department as a beat cop and becoming Doraville’s police chief. He was shot and stabbed in the line of duty and is a graduate of the Georgia Israeli Law Enforcement Exchange.
King co-chaired President Trump’s 2020 campaign in Georgia and, in 2042, spoke at multiple Trump/Vance rallies.
King was appointed to his current position by Governor Kemp in 2019 and elected to the position in 2022. King is a native of Mexico and is Georgia’s first Hispanic statewide elected official.
King announced his intention to run via his newly made campaign website.
King, the first Hispanic elected to statewide political office on Georgia, is aiming to bridge the divide between the party’s more establishment wing and the President Donald Trump loyalists who dominate the GOP base.
Like Carter, King’s opening message focused on his loyalty to Trump, a dominant force in state GOP politics despite lagging approval ratings. And he leveled scathing attacks against Ossoff, one of the top Republican targets on the 2026 ballot.
A native of Mexico, King is a fluent Spanish speaker who has become one of the state’s most prominent Latino leaders. His announcement video was in both English and Spanish.
He rose from the ranks of Atlanta police officers to Doraville police chief before Kemp appointed him as insurance commissioner in 2019. He was tapped to succeed Jim Beck, who was convicted of charges he swindled his former employer.
King was elected to a full term in 2022,demolishing a Trump-backed primary challenger — one of four defeated by GOP incumbents that cycle.
It was unclear if the president had a reason to target King in that race beyond his close ties to Kemp, who at the time was a top target of Trump and his allies.
He also doesn’t have the same financial firepower as Carter, a wealthy pharmacist who already booked more than $2 million in ad buys to promote his run and, officials say, intends to spend at least $10 million to partly self-finance his campaign.
King’s allies say he brings other advantages, starting with his military credentials and close ties to Kemp. He’s also looking to more aggressively court Trump as other MAGA favorites, including U.S. Rep. Mike Collins of Jackson, weigh a run.
He also pointed to a team with deep Georgia ties, including Dan McLagan, a veteran of past Republican Senate campaigns and a longtime fixture in state GOP politics.
“It will be a contest between a tested leader who got stabbed, shot and blown up as a cop who is a proven combat commander against a lefty bro like Ossoff who looks like he travels with a personal manicurist,” McLagan said.
Ossoff, who has built an $11 million war chest and beefed up his political infrastructure, has said he’s ready for whoever emerges from the messy GOP contest.
“While GOP candidates bicker and audition for Trump’s endorsement,” he told the AJC last week, “they will be made to answer for his failures and abuses.”
Not running for Senate: U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Extreme NW GA), according to Atlanta News First via WTOC.
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will not run for the U.S. Senate in 2026, the congresswoman announced in a post on X Friday.
Greene had been considered a frontrunner for the Republican nomination after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced he would not run in the election.
In the post, Greene slammed the Republican establishment, saying “I won’t fight for a team that refuses to win, that protects its weakest players, and that undermines the very people it’s supposed to serve.”
However, Greene said nothing about a possible gubernatorial run next year in Georgia’s wide open governor’s race.
Greene, one of the most controversial figures in American politics, is a staunch and unapologetic supporter of President Donald Trump. On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill authored by Greene to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, an idea espoused by Trump in his inaugural address.
Georgia Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is up for reelection in 2026; so far, only U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter from the state’s 1st congressional district is the only Republican to enter the race.
Kemp had been rumored to be a possible Republican challenger to Ossoff, the one-term senator who made his reelection campaign official in March.
Last month, two prominent GOP US senators – Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota and Tim Scott of South Carolina – flew to Atlanta to meet Kemp for lunch. Scott is chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
With Kemp and Greene now out of consideration, other GOP contenders rumored to be mulling a Senate run are U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and Rich McCormick; Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger; Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John King; and Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper.
Governor Kemp said he wants to work with President Trump to support a Republican candidate who can win in November 2026, according to the AJC.
In his first public remarks since passing on a challenge against the first-term Democrat, the governor said he decided against a bid because he wants to “stay focused on what the people elected me to do.”
“I’ve got the best job in politics, and a lot of times you can get more done in a year and a half being governor than you can in two terms in the U.S. Senate,” said Kemp.
“I know it’s very important, but I’ve just gotten so much done as governor,” said Kemp. “And I really feel like I still have a lot left to do. And I just want to stay focused on the job that people elected me to do. And then after that, we’ll see what happens.”
The latest Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll, released last week, showed Kemp’s approval ratings hovering around 60%. He was the only Republican of four tested in the AJC poll within striking distance of Ossoff in a hypothetical matchup.
Insurance Commissioner John King and U.S. Rep. Mike Collins of Jackson have already laid the groundwork for campaigns. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has openly mused about a potential run. Many others could jump in.
Kemp disclosed Thursday that he discussed with Trump the potential of coalescing behind one GOP contender. But although their nasty feud has faded, the two have clashed over picks for the Senate in the past.
In this cycle, Kemp’s allies say he’s hoping to steer the conversation toward a candidate who can win crossover voters, as he did when he twice defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams.
For now, Kemp said he’s taking a “wait-and-see attitude” over who could emerge.
“I had a good conversation with President Trump about my decision. I’m going to continue talking to him about the races in Georgia,” Kemp said.
“I think, if it’s possible, it would be great if we could line up on things. That’s hard to do sometimes in primaries. But it’s really too early to tell on how that’s going to shake out.”
Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 68, the FY 2026 state budget, according to a Press Release.
Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, House Appropriations Chairman Hatchett, constitutional officers, and members of the Georgia General Assembly, and state leaders today signed the budget for Fiscal Year 2026.
Excerpt of Governor Kemp’s Remarks
I’m proud to be here with the nation’s best First Lady, Marty Kemp!
And we’re both thankful for the great legislative partners you see behind us and next to me, including Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Chairman Matt Hatchett, and the members of the General Assembly from both chambers and parties who overwhelmingly voted for this commonsense and balanced budget.
Speaker Jon Burns and Chairman Blake Tillery couldn’t join us today, but they also worked very hard on this budget and I know they send their regards.
We’re also glad to be joined by the Constitutional Officers here with us who serve as great partners in safeguarding taxpayer money and keeping government lean and efficient.
I want to thank OPB Director Rick Dunn and his team, as well, for all the time and hard work they put into the budget process each year alongside our partners in the House and Senate Budget offices. That hefty document on that table that represents our state’s priorities is the result of their hard work and dedication.
Today, I’ll sign the budget for Fiscal Year 2026 – a budget that makes important investments to meet the needs of our growing state without growing government or adding to our long-term liabilities.
It represents an impact across so many different areas of our state – including investments in education, public safety, healthcare, infrastructure, and much more.
Through this budget, we’re again fully funding our schools. We’re also committing:
• Over 300 million additional dollars for enrollment and expense growth for K-12 education…
• 49.7 million dollars to promote our students’ mental health and wellbeing…
• 13 million dollars in new funding to improve literacy for our elementary students…
• 267 million dollars to fund higher education growth at the University and Technical College Systems, furthering their ability to provide the workforce we need to meet demand…
• 20 million dollars to replace 227 school buses…
• And over 141 million dollars to fund the Promise Scholarship Program, delivering on the promise we made last year to students and their families who deserve an education that is right for them.We’re also working to promote the health and wellbeing of all Georgians, with:
• 257 million additional dollars in support for Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids expense and enrollment growth… just in case someone tries to tell you we don’t spend more each year on Medicaid…
• 10 million dollars for significant capital repairs at state hospitals…
• Over 5 million dollars for salary enhancements for social services eligibility caseworkers, building on previous pay raises for these critical employees…
• And over 4.5 million dollars to improve maternal health.In Fiscal Year 2026, we’re also building on our past work to make Georgia safer, to keep our communities and businesses secure, and to take criminals off our streets.
This budget includes 200 million dollars for the Department of Corrections to increase Corrections Officer salaries and number of positions… to increase salaries for non-security staff… and to meet other operational needs that will make our prison facilities safer.
This was a priority for both my administration and leaders in the legislature, and I’m proud we worked together to deliver these investments.
Other key investments in public safety within this budget include:
• Over 1.7 million dollars for additional positions and technology at the GBI’s Crime Labs across the state…
• Over 1 million dollars for two crime scene technical leaders and three digital forensic investigators…
• 1 million dollars for a gang case management system and gang enforcement efforts statewide…
• Over 268,000 dollars for Attorney General Chris Carr to expand the Gang Prosecution Unit in the Savannah region… and over 748,000 dollars to expand the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit to the Macon and Augusta regions…
• And over 421,000 dollars to improve operations of the 24/7 hotline to report human trafficking and serve victims through the CJCC… a measure championed by the first lady.Last but not least, this budget makes considerable investments in infrastructure statewide… an important factor in keeping us the best place for business and opportunity.
With 290 million dollars in additional funding going toward transportation projects… and 715 million dollars going to capital projects, including some for K-12 school systems… we are using the funds we have from years of growth to build stronger communities and encourage further investment and success.
I’m especially proud we’re doing so – for the second straight year – with cash, meaning for two straight years we have not added any new debt.
That brings our state’s debt service-to-revenue ratio to the lowest level in Georgia history!
And it ultimately means we’ll save taxpayers 150 million dollars per year for the next 20 years in future debt service costs we won’t have to pay… on top of the billions saved in tax refunds and tax cuts we’ve implemented over the past several years.
We’re able to take these steps because of our conservative approach to budgeting.
We don’t follow the path that states like California, New York, Illinois, and others do… They’re growing government and raising taxes to cover budget deficits.
But here in Georgia, we’re keeping government in check, cutting taxes, and returning taxpayer money where it belongs – back to hardworking Georgians!
We balance our budgets and encourage economic growth statewide without growing government.
That’s thanks to this team you see up here that is committed to being good stewards of what Georgians entrust us with.
So, thank you all, again, for helping us keep Georgia the best place to live, work, and raise a family through budgets like this.
“This budget is a result of deliberate and effective work by Senate Appropriations Chairman Tillery, the subcommittee Chairs and all members of the Senate Appropriations Committee,” said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. “Governor Brian Kemp’s recommendations at the beginning of session provided a great foundation for our work to begin and for us to ultimately pass a budget focused on Georgia’s children, families and future, while reducing unnecessary or redundant government spending. In Georgia, we are continuing to keep government spending in check, while giving money back to taxpayers – where it belongs. I want to thank everyone for their hard work to ensure our state remains fiscally sound, our reserves remain healthy and our citizens get back their hard-earned money with a reduction in the state income tax. I look forward to continuing to prioritize a fiscally conservative philosophy as we look at budgets next session.”
“This year’s budget reflects the unwavering commitment of the General Assembly to championing strategic investments that will keep our state the best place to live, work, and raise a family for generations to come—all while putting more money back in the pockets of hardworking Georgia taxpayers,” said Speaker Jon Burns. “Thank you to Governor Kemp, Chairman Hatchett, and each member of the House who worked tirelessly to get this budget across the finish line, securing the current and future success of our great state.”
From Atlanta News First via WTVM:
Georgia’s new $37.7 billion state budget increases funding for key programs such as education, prisons, and Medicaid.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed the fiscal year 2026 budget this week, calling it a continuation of Georgia’s conservative approach to spending. The plan includes $257 million in additional funding for Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids, the joint state and federal health insurance program for low-income residents.
“Just in case anyone out there continues to try to tell people we are not spending more on Medicaid—we are, every single year,” said Kemp.
The state’s expansion comes amid growing concerns about cuts to the program.
Congressional Republicans are proposing sweeping federal budget cuts that could reduce funding for Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and early childhood education initiatives like Head Start.
“If the plans they have pass, we’re here to discuss how this will impact the people,” said U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) at his town hall on Friday.
The meeting brought together several nonprofits at Johnson’s office in DeKalb County, including leaders working in food security, education, and public health. Many expressed alarm at the potential consequences of federal rollbacks.
David Venable, a Georgia father, shared his family’s story. When his young son was diagnosed with leukemia, private insurance wasn’t enough to cover his care.
“Last year, we were living in the hospital,” Venable said. “So many of these [support programs] were there for us, and I don’t know how we would’ve provided everything he needed without Medicaid.”
Johnson echoed those concerns, criticizing what he called a disconnect between millionaire lawmakers and everyday Americans.
“It boils down to ignorance by the people given the most power,” Johnson said, referring to House Republicans pushing the cuts.
Congress has not finalized the legislation. House Speaker Mike Johnson has set a goal to pass the spending bill by Memorial Day, but negotiations remain ongoing.
In the meantime, state officials and community advocates alike say Georgia’s most vulnerable residents could be caught in the crossfire.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the budget for fiscal year 2026 Friday morning, and it includes hundreds of thousands to fight human trafficking in the Augusta region.
Some other priorities include community mental health services, child care and development, maternal health services, and low-income home energy assistance.
The $37.7 billion budget also drastically decreases the number of available school vouchers and includes extra money to educate poor public school students.
During a news conference on the north wing steps of the state Capitol, the governor said the budget “represents our state’s priorities.”
From the Capitol Beat News Service via the Gwinnett Daily Post:
For the second year in a row, the state will fund building projects with cash instead of borrowing the money. The capital projects package includes $290 million for transportation improvements and $715 million for a host of building projects with an emphasis on K-12 school systems, universities, and technical colleges.
Kemp said the pay-as-you-go approach on capital projects will save Georgia taxpayers $150 million a year on debt service costs for the next 20 years.
In a separate letter to Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, Kemp identified nine spending items in the budget as “non-binding” and instructed lawmakers to disregard them.
The largest of those line items would have provided just more than $600,000 to the secretary of state’s office to cover additional operating expenses incurred by the State Election Board. Kemp ordered the agency not to spend any money on new positions for the board.
“Additional personnel should not be hired by the board until the impact of the positions added in the fiscal 2025 budget has been assessed and new funds have been appropriated specifically for such purpose,” the governor wrote.
The fiscal 2026 budget will take effect July 1.
“From education and health care to infrastructure and economic development and public safety, this budget uplifts every Georgian in every community across our state,” said Rep. Matt Hatchett, R-Dublin, who oversaw the budget’s creation as chair of the House Appropriations Committee.
The bulk of reductions came from a roughly 14% decrease in federal dollars between the 2025 and 2026 budgets, more than a third of which relies on funding from the federal government. That drop came largely due to the expiration of last-remaining relief funds from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to State Affairs’ analysis of budget data.
Georgia’s share of federal dollars is poised to diminish even further amid a push by President Donald Trump’s administration to slash the federal budget by $163 billion in the 2026 fiscal year, including tens of billions of dollars for Medicaid, education, housing assistance and public health.
Though some analysts have sounded the alarm over federal cuts, Hatchett said Friday it’s too early to tell what the impacts on Georgia’s budget may be. He noted lawmakers can amend the budget in next year’s session to resolve any federal funding gaps, but he told State Affairs that budget drafters likely would not backfill federal losses with additional state dollars.
“If we have to come back and do something, we’ll come back and do something,” Hatchett said. “But we can’t act on what we don’t know.”
That confidence is not shared by Senate Democratic lawmakers who sent a letter to Kemp on Friday calling for the governor to convene a special session aimed at revising the state budget to absorb the federal funding cuts and revenue impacts from recent White House tariffs.
“Our call today is to put this state in front of saving Georgia’s families, farmers, and small business owners,” Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones II, D-Augusta, said in a written statement. “There is no point in waiting for the tariffs to hit, or the shock to our budget to occur before we actually start to act.”
Gov. Kemp also signed Senate Bill 96 by State Sen. Drew Echols (R-Gainesville) and House Bill 113 by State Rep. Lauren McDonald, III (R-Cumming), streamlining some state procedures, according to AccessWDUN.
The governor signed Senate Bill 96 and House Bill 113, two legislative priorities focused on streamlining government operations and improving cybersecurity in state procurement.
“Every day we serve the people of Georgia, it’s important for us to remember that we work for them,” Kemp said. “It’s our job to help streamline their experiences with the government, make it easier for them to access opportunity, and limit as best we can the challenges they may face in accessing new skills and good careers.”
SB 96, sponsored by Sen. Drew Echols and carried in the House by Rep. Matthew Gambill, reduces the administrative burden on state agencies by eliminating inactive or redundant boards.
HB 113, sponsored by Rep. Lauren McDonald and carried in the Senate by Sen. Bo Hatchett, requires the Georgia Technology Authority to maintain a list of products and companies linked to foreign adversaries, as designated by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. The Department of Administrative Services and other agencies will use the list to guide purchasing decisions and enhance state security.
Kemp also signed several additional bills aimed at reforming professional licensing and simplifying government operations:
HB 148, sponsored by Rep. John Carson, adds two new pathways to CPA licensure while maintaining current standards. It also clarifies reciprocity for out-of-state CPAs.
HB 322, sponsored by Rep. Lee Hawkins, permits the Georgia Board of Dentistry to issue teaching licenses to out-of-state practitioners employed at accredited institutions.
HB 579, sponsored by Rep. Matt Reeves, gives the Professional Licensing Board Division Director authority to administratively approve licenses, expediting the process.
HB 630, sponsored by Rep. Marcus Wiedower, streamlines requirements for licensing used motor vehicle dealers and parts dealers.
HB 635, also sponsored by Wiedower, standardizes licensing requirements for contractors by reducing subjectivity and consolidating licensure pathways.
SB 125, sponsored by Sen. Larry Walker, separates licensure pathways for engineers and land surveyors, allowing them to take licensing exams before completing experiential requirements. It also authorizes a third-party database to monitor continuing education compliance and modernizes regulatory language for several trades.
“Thanks to the diligent work of our partners in the General Assembly, I’m proud to say that the bills I’ve signed today will help us accomplish that,” Kemp said.
More on House Bill 113 from the Capitol Beat News Service:
Gov. Brian Kemp and his allies in the General Assembly say they’re determined to prevent foreign adversaries from doing business with state agencies.
Toward that end, Kemp signed legislation Friday requiring the Georgia Technology Authority to establish and maintain a list of companies and products produced and/or sold by citizens or governments the U.S. Commerce Department has designated as foreign adversaries. State agencies will use the list to govern purchasing decisions.
House Bill 113 was part of Kemp’s legislative agenda for this year. It cleared the Georgia Senate unanimously and passed the state House of Representatives with only a smattering of “no” votes.
“We will keep our state government free from interference,” Kemp vowed Friday during a bill signing ceremony at the Georgia Capitol.
More comprehensive legislation known as the “red tape rollback” introduced into the state Senate on behalf of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones didn’t make it through the General Assembly this year. Senate Bill 28 would have required the state to produce an analysis of any proposed rule that could cost the public or local governments at least $1 million to comply with during its first five years and prohibited state agencies from implementing such rules without legislative approval.
Governor Kemp also signed House Bill 331, which prohibits parking lot pet sales, according to Atlanta News First and WTOC.
Georgia Governor Kemp signed into law the ban of transient outdoor sales of pets.
Atlanta News First, our sister station in Atlanta reports this comes after a recent increase in unorganized puppy sales in the area. Many of the animals may not have proper vaccinations or they could have unknown health issues.
This groundbreaking bill makes it illegal to sell dogs, cats, or rabbits at any public or commercial spaces, including roadsides, parking lots, sidewalks, parks, recreational areas, and more.
According to a release from Best Friends Animal Society, “House Bill 331 marks a significant victory in the effort to combat illicit pet sales across Georgia, helping to safeguard both pets and people looking to acquire pets. By eliminating these roadside and parking lot sales locations, the legislation will ultimately reduce the exploitation of animals, particularly those bred and sold through unethical practices. Many of these pets face dire outcomes due to buyers’ lack of preparedness, leading to overcrowded shelters and unnecessary suffering for the pets involved.”
The organization issued the following statement:
“Puppy mills frequently sell on roadsides and parking lots to prevent the public from seeing the oftentimes cruel and dire conditions these pets are bred in,” said Laura Donahue, Senior Director of Advocacy and Network Partners, Best Friends Animal Society. “I’m extremely grateful to Governor Kemp for taking a stand for Georgia’s pets.” said Laura Donahue, Senior Director of Advocacy and Network Partners, Best Friends Animal Society.
To date, 11 jurisdictions in Georgia have enacted ordinances that fully prohibit pet sales at flea markets, regardless of whether they are licensed or not.
Gov. Kemp signed House Bill 371 by State Rep. John Corbett (R-Lake Park), to require more-inclusive playgrounds in public schools, according to AccessWDUN.
State House District 29 Representative Matt Dubnik (R-Gainesville) spoke on WDUN’s “Mornings on Maine Street” about HB 371 Friday, sharing that Hall County-based non-profit Hope for Hall inspired the new policy.
“This is going to change the way that we build playgrounds for the children of the state of Georgia at elementary schools moving forward, so that they are more inclusive and all inclusive,” Dubnik said. “As I like to say, so that children of all abilities are able to get on those playgrounds and play with one another.”
Hope for Hall fundraises to build playgrounds in Hall County’s elementary schools that not only meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, but are designed to include equipment that accommodate various disabilities. HB 371 outlines that all new elementary schools built after July 2027 will have a minimum standard its playground must meet in order to be inclusive.
The bill was co-authored by Dubnik along with District 32 representative Chris Erwin (R- Homer) and others.
Founder of Hope For Hall Caroline Filchack said some requirements specified in the bill include that 80% of the playground be a unitary surface, such as poured in place rubber, or bonded rubber. Another mandatory component includes metal roller slides to accommodate children with cochlear implants.
So far, Hope For Hall has collaborated with the Hall County School District to build inclusive playgrounds at Wauka Mountain and Sandra Dunagan Deal elementary schools. The non-profit is current;y fundraising to build a similar playground at Lyman Hall Elementary school.
The Eleventh Circuit United States Court of Appeals will hear arguments on redistricting, according to Georgia Recorder.
On Thursday, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments about whether or not to enact new maps. The dispute stems from a claim that the state Legislature drew up maps that violate the Voting Rights Act and dilute the votes of Black Georgians.
In late 2023, the district court struck down those Congressional and legislative maps, and lawmakers returned to the Capitol for another stab at them.
Marina Jenkins, executive director of the National Redistricting Foundation and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said Georgia’s population growth in the 2020 Census came from minority populations, especially Black Georgians, but she said the General Assembly’s maps didn’t reflect that and that lawmakers engaged in dirty tricks by eliminating majority-minority districts to draw new ones.
“The state of Georgia robbed Peter in order to pay Paul by enacting these maps,” she said. “These maps eliminated existing opportunity districts in order to draw so-called new opportunity districts, zeroing out black opportunity statewide. Black Georgia voters who were previously denied their right to equal representation continue to be denied that right, and others had that right revoked altogether on these new maps.”
Much of the debate over the maps came down to the state’s 7th Congressional District, previously represented by Democratic Congresswoman Lucy McBath, which was redrawn to favor a Republican. Republican Rich McCormick now represents the 7th District, while McBath was elected to the 6th District after defeating fellow incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Bourdeaux.
The old 7th’s population was not majority Black – the plurality of the population was white, but a combination of minority groups made up the majority. Of the district’s voting age population 27% were Black, 21% Hispanic, 15% Asian and about 33% white.
In a court document filed last year, attorneys for Georgia argued that the state was obligated to protect majority Black districts, not districts where a coalition of minorities make up the majority, and that efforts to overturn the maps are political sour grapes.
“Their argument proves only one thing: Plaintiffs are upset that the General Assembly eliminated a safe congressional district for Democrats when it created the required new majority-Black district. But the Voting Rights Act ‘is a balm for racial minorities, not political ones.’ It cannot be hijacked to settle partisan disputes that are fairly decided at the polls,” the state’s attorneys wrote.
The 11th Circuit will also hear arguments on voter qualification challenges, according to Georgia Recorder.
A federal appellate court is set to hear a case Tuesday centered on a five-year debate over whether the national right-leaning group True the Vote used mass voter challenges to intimidate minority voters.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit will hear arguments in a case in which plaintiffs, including a voting rights group founded by Stacey Abrams, contend that the case has national implications. Attorneys from both sides will have 15 minutes to present their cases during Tuesday’s hearing.
Mass voter challenges have been a mainstay in Georgia since the 2020 presidential election, when Democrat Joe Biden narrowly defeated Republican Donald Trump by about 12,000 votes in the state.
According to the Abrams-founded Fair Fight Action and others who filed suit, True the Vote’s actions likely violated the Voting Rights Act by using inaccurate voter registration information and voter intimidation tactics such as posting citizen watchdogs to monitor people casting ballots.
This case stems from True the Vote’s efforts to challenge the voter eligibility of about 385,000 Georgia voters prior to the January 5, 2021 runoff election, when Democrats would take control of the U.S. Senate following historic wins by Georgia Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
In January 2024, Gainesville U.S. District Court Judge Steve C. Jones concluded last year that Fair Fight did not prove True the Vote’s actions constituted voter intimidation prior to the dual Senate runoffs.
However, Jones criticized the conservative group’s “reckless” methods in compiling a list of voters.
Opponents of mass challenges claim that groups targeting Democratic-leaning counties are misusing the election law to challenge large numbers of voters as ineligible.
Many conservatives have argued that voter registration lists need to be purged of ineligible voters, while Democrats and progressive activists have alleged that mass voter challenges aim to intimidate and remove voters who should remain eligible.
Fair Fight alleges that True the Vote’s list in the 2021 runoff included a disproportionate number of Black, brown, and first-time voters who helped secure the 2020 presidential race for Biden.
“The 385,000 mass challenge in the lead up to the January 5, 2021 runoff was the largest mass challenge ever filed in this way in the country,” Fair Fight CEO Lauren Groh-Wargo said.
There’s been a debate over whether some new voting rules would improve voter confidence or if they are just attempts to appease Trump supporters who say he lost because of unfounded claims of widespread election fraud.
Georgia was at the center of the push to overturn the election results after Trump lost to Biden, becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to lose in Georgia in three decades. Trump’s narrow loss was reaffirmed through three counts, including one recount that was done by hand. Multiple recounts and audits after the 2020 election confirmed it was not tainted by widespread fraud.
According to state law, county election boards must find sufficient probable cause to move forward with an investigation when a voter does not appear to reside at their registered address, lists a non-residential address on their registration, or has other reasons that could disqualify them.
True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrecht said her group will argue that their tactics promote fair elections when they return to Georgia court Tuesday.
“This isn’t just about one hearing — it’s about holding the line for election integrity and defending the voice of we the people,” she said in a statement. “Our legal team is locked in, sharpening every detail of our strategy. Our fight is to expose truth, uphold principle, and bring transparency to a process.”
Marc Elias, an attorney with Elias Law Firm and founder of left-leaning Democracy Docket, argues that the mass voter challenges in the True the Vote case are an egregious violation of Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act, which guarantees that voters will not face intimidation during the voting process.
“Now, courts have been chipping away against lots of the federal voting rights protections. I’m not going to sugarcoat that,” Elias said. “That has been true at the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s been true at the lower levels. But the fact is attempts to intimidate voters is still illegal, and 11 B is still goo valid law throughout the country.”
State Rep. Carl Gilliard (D-Savannah) spoke about the 2025 legislative session with WTOC.
Gilliard told WTOC although sports betting didn’t pass this time, he’s confident about how it’s positioned for the 2026 session.
He also was overjoyed to share that the Original 33 Memorial Act and Savannah Music Commission Act were signed into law.
Rep. Gilliard was first elected in 2016.
Chatham County and local municipalities are considering a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) renewal for the November ballot, according to the Savannah Morning News.
While Election Day in November seems far away, municipalities in Chatham County are already developing a list of potential projects for SPLOST 8.
The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax has been supported by Chatham County voters for decades. It adds a 1% sales tax to any purchase made within the county.
This year, locals may have the chance to vote on the tax’s eighth round, but a lot needs to be done before then.
Right now, municipalities like the City of Savannah are working to develop of list of potential projects.
After county and city leaders met last week, Savannah’s city manager, Jay Melder, presented an update to city council members on Thursday.
Based on those discussions, he told council that if locals vote yes in November, the county could get about $650-$700 million. Melder said Savannah would get about $261 million of that.
From the Savannah Morning News:
While recent planning for Chatham County’s eighth SPLOST was done behind closed doors, the city of Savannah’s presentation Thursday shed light on the outcome of the closed meeting.
Key outcomes include a potential increase to the revenue projection, how the Intergovernmental Agreement between county and municipalities will be structured, and what metric will be used for pro-rata splits of SPLOST allocations.
City Manager Jay Melder estimated new projected revenues could be in the $650 million to $700 million range after discussion at last Friday’s meeting. The county’s initial projection was $625 million, but the recent Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax approved by Chatham voters had a $700 million projection.
The county and municipalities also appeared to agree that metrics for determining cost splits should be based on the 2020 census and the 2030 census. Melder said there were also a set of “priority projects” with countywide significance discussed at the meeting, which would receive the first distribution of SPLOST revenues.
Lowndes County Commissioners canceled public meetings scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.
Glynn County Board of Education members heard a presentation on the proposed FY 2026 budget, according to The Brunswick News.
The draft of the fiscal year 2026 budget, which begins July 1, shows an increase from $184.1 million to $197.1 million.
As presented Thursday to the school board, the preliminary budget does not call for a property tax hike. An anticipated 8% increase in property values will give the school system enough revenue to cover the $13 million, said Avery Coty, executive director for finance.
A federal action that’s likely to put more of a burden on the school system’s own budget is an overhaul or dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, an objective of the administration of President Donald Trump.
Coty said she doesn’t anticipate the school system’s Title I funding to change, but others will likely shrink or dry up entirely.
“While we haven’t received any specific guidance regarding our federal funding, I know that’s been a hot topic, we are anticipating significant changes to our title funds,” Coty said.
She doesn’t expect Title I funding to change much, but funding provided under Title II and IV could be consolidated and Title III program funding may be eliminated entirely.
According to the Department of Education’s website, Title I funding goes towards “low-achieving children, especially in high-poverty schools;” Title II “focuses on improving the quality of teachers and school leaders;” Title III “assists with language instruction for English learners;” and Title IV “aims to provide students with a well-rounded education and improve school safety.”
Spending on items that were formerly paid for under Title III accounts for the majority of an increase in the budgets of the school system’s various departments, which amounts to $1.96 million more than fiscal year 2025.
“I can tell you that about 65% is an increase in electrical (utility bills), an increase in insurance, and we felt like it was really important to pick up a lot of the Title 3 expenditures in our general fund budget,” Coty said.
The remainder of the departmental budget spike is a variety of smaller mostly inflationary costs like custodial supplies and travel expenses.
The budget will show a deficit, she said, because SPLOST revenue that was collected in past years is now being spent, so it appears as an expense without an associated revenue stream in the next fiscal year’s budget.
Coty said the school system has around $25 million in reserves.
Coweta County Commissioners enacted a 180-day moratorium on consideration of new data center zonings, according to the Newnan Times-Herald.
“I believe we need this ordinance to protect us as a county and to protect our citizens,” [Commission Chair] McKenzie said at the work session. “We need to pass a moratorium on rezonings for data centers … I’d like us to slow up a bit and take a hard look at what we need to say as to data centers.”
The moratorium will prevent future land use amendments, zonings, special-use applications, variance applications and public hearings for computer infrastructure providers, data center processing and web hosting related to data centers until Nov. 3 or until the county adopts an amendment to its land-use regulations or the commissioners vote to end the moratorium.
Because of the timeline of other data center developments, Commissioner John Reidelbach told county staff to make the new ordinance a priority.
“We’re being inundated with these data centers and don’t have our ducks in a row,” he said at the work session. “We know more about data centers and surrounding areas and impacts than I ever thought I’d know.”
Bibb County Sheriff David Davis says they need more jail space, according to the Macon Telegraph.
After advocating repeatedly for a new Bibb County Jail, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis proposed Thursday an idea to instead expand the current local jail to better accommodate for disruptive inmates and those with mental health issues.
Some detainees who fall under these categories share close quarters and interact with neurotypical and well-behaved ones in the general population areas, rather than in separate cell blocks at the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center at 688 Oglethorpe Street in Macon. This overlap has recently caused safety issues, Davis said at a town hall meeting hosted by Macon’s NAACP Thursday evening.
“We try to isolate them, those that have what we call acute mental health issues,” he said. “I’m talking about they’re destabilized, they’re being violent, they’re being physically aggressive.”
About 30% of incarcerated people at the jail have acute mental illnesses, according to Davis. But the jail’s infirmary unit and designated cell blocks do not have enough room to fit all of them, he said. He was unsure how many of these people do not fit.
“We don’t have as many as I’d like, that’s why I’d like to build a little bit bigger space,” Davis said.
The jail capacity is 966 detainees, and the jail held 980 as of Thursday, Davis confirmed.
At least six people have died by homicide or suicide at the jail since 2020, The Telegraph previously reported.
When the jail is over capacity, detainees are put in a more open space, rather than holding one person per cell. Several people sleep near each other in the open space, rather than in individual cells.
The Freedom To Read Coalition of Columbia County protested guidelines adopted last year, according to WJBF.
The Freedom To Read Coalition of Columbia County was outside the Columbia County Library this morning protesting guidelines that were put in place in September.
These guidelines would move books in the county’s public libraries based on content which has many Columbia County citizens frustrated.
The county’s new plan is to withdraw from the Greater Clark’s Hill Library Region and become its own single county region within the state library system.
Officials with the county say this move is for the library to be more independent so they can address the citizens’ needs.
Many feel this change is an excuse to move and remove books from the libraries.
“Moving the book from where it’s supposed to be is a form of censorship and is essentially book banning. Taking it from where it was supposed to be and you’re making it harder to find, in a sense you’re hiding it, you’re trying to hide it in the library from the audience that it was intended to be written for,” said Karin Parham, CEO of Freedom to Read Coalition Columbia County.
Clarke County Board of Education named Jennifer Scott as interim superintendent ahead of the current superintendent’s impending retirement, according to the Athens Banner Herald.
The Clarke County Board of Education this week appointed Jennifer Scott as interim school superintendent as it prepares to find a replacement for Robbie Hooker, who announced his retirement recently.
Hooker’s retirement is effective June 30, the day that Scott will assume the position for the 2025-26 school year.
“The board is confident that Dr. Scott is the person to lead the district during this transition period and we look forward to seeing continued growth from our students and schools under her leadership,” Board President Mumbi Anderson said in a statement released by the district.
Democrat Lexy Doherty said she will run again for the Congressional seat held by U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R-Butts County), according to the Walton Tribune.
Doherty was the Democratic nominee in 2024 and has now announced she will run again next year. Doherty gained 37% of the vote in the heavily Republican district and feels like she can do even better in a potential rematch. She earned 25% of the vote in Walton County.
Gwinnett County Police will use a $50,000 grant from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) to buy new emergency equipment, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.
County commissioners gave police the OK to accept a $50,000 Local Emergency Management Performance grant from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. Gwinnett Police Chief J.D. McClure said the money will help pay for new equipment to be used during emergencies.
“Supplies will be purchase in accordance with FEMA’s authorized equipment list,” McClure told commissioners. “Many of the items have been identified to improve our ability to facilitate outdoor operations for Gwinnett County and our stakeholders.”
Gwinnett County will have to provide a $50,000 local funding match for the grant. County documents show the police department will meet that matching requirement through employee salaries.
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