Savannah received news of the battle at Lexington on May 10, 1775, leading to a raid of British gunpowder for the colonial effort. On the same day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Second Continental Congress met.
Happy Birthday to Minnesota, which became a state on May 11, 1858. Y’all talk funny.
On May 9, 1862, a Union general, David Hunter, ordered the freedom of all slaves held in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina, but President Lincoln issued a counter-order.
On May 10, 1863, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson died a week after being shot at by his own troops.
He died, as he had wished, on the Sabbath, May 10, 1863, with these last words: “Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.”
In Georgia on May 9, 1864, Union troops under General Sherman took Snake Creek Gap. In Atlanta, a notice was published,
“ATTENTION MILITIA! All persons between the ages of 16 and 60, not in the service of the Confederate States, in the second ward, are hereby notified to be and appear at the City Hall today, at 2 o’clock P.M., for the purpose of being armed and equipped for local defense. Herein fail not under penalty.”
Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded on May 11, 1864 at the Battle of Yellow Tavern, near Richmond.
On May 10, 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured by Union troops near Irwinville, Georgia.
On May 10, 1869, a ceremonial “Golden Spike” was driven in Promontory, Utah, symbolizing completion of a transcontinental railroad line joining the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad.
The first observance of Mother’s Day was May 10, 1908 at St Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first official “Mother’s Day.”
On May 9, 1974, the United States House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary opened hearing on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon.
May 11, 1996 was the deadliest day on Mount Everest. “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer is a fantastic chronicle of the deadliest season on Everest.
On May 10, 2006, Georgia State School Superintendent Linda Schrenko, a Republican, pled guilty to federal charges of fraud and money laundering, beginning a streak of Republican State School Supers to leave office under a cloud.
On May 11, 2011, Newt Gingrich announced via Twitter that he would run for President. Two days later, I caught up with Newt at Fincher’s Barbecue in Macon for a brief interview the day he was scheduled to speak to the Georgia Republican Party State Convention.
On May 9, 2005, Governor Sonny Perdue signed legislation recognizing the Green Tree Frog as the official state amphibian.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
State Senator Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta) resigned his office in order to become Treasurer of the United States, according to a Press Release.
[On May 5, 2025], Sen. Brandon Beach (R–Alpharetta) formally announced his resignation from the Georgia State Senate after 13 years of service, following his appointment by President Donald J. Trump to serve as the 46th Treasurer of the United States. Sen. Beach’s resignation will take effect immediately as he transitions into his new national role.
Sen. Beach, who represented the 21st Senate District, becomes the first Georgian in U.S. history to serve as Treasurer of the United States. In this position, he will oversee the U.S. Mint, Fort Knox, and serve as a key liaison to the Federal Reserve. He will also advise the Treasury Secretary on issues impacting community development and economic infrastructure.
“This is a proud moment not just for my family, but the entire state of Georgia,” said Sen. Beach. “Serving in the State Senate has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I’m deeply thankful for the trust and support of my constituents and colleagues. Together, we’ve worked to make Georgia a national model for economic growth and pro-business leadership. I’m ready to take our Georgia values to Washington and deliver for the people of the United States. President Donald J. Trump has given me the opportunity of a lifetime to help rebuild and secure our economic future as U.S. Treasurer. We are witnessing a bold conservative resurgence, and I’m proud to stand with President Trump as we restore American strength, defend taxpayer dollars and put America First. I will bring that same commitment to the Treasury Department and always remember the people and southern values that brought me here.”
United States Representative Buddy Carter (R-SSI) announced he is running for Governor, according to The Brunswick News.
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-1, announced his candidacy Thursday for the seat held by Georgia’s senior senator.
He announced he will seek the office held by U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, in 2026 with a $2.3 million ad buy.
The ad attacks Ossoff’s record of creating chaos at the nation’s southern border and supporting men in girls’ sports.
“Georgians have a very simple choice in 2026: do you want a MAGA warrior for you, or do you want a trans warrior for they/them?” Carter, a strong ally of President Donald Trump, said.
“I’m with you. You can guess where Jon Ossoff is. Game on.”
Carter recently blasted Ossoff in an op-ed for joining other Democrats and two independents in Senate to block a vote in March that would have codified the executive order issued by the president preventing biological males from playing female sports.
Carter threw his name into the hat following the decision by Gov. Brian Kemp, also a Republican, to withdraw his name from the Senate race. Kemp’s second and, by law, final term ends in 2027.
Other Republicans are said to be potential candidates for the Senate seat, including Reps. Mike Collins, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rich McCormick. Others said to be pondering it are Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both of whom have statewide name recognition.
The winner of the Republican Primary will likely face Ossoff and the incumbent’s $32 million war chest.
Whether Carter fares better than the last two 1st District congressmen in statewide elections remains to be seen. The last two Coastal Georgia congressmen were considered powerful politicians, but both got only as far as the primary runoff.
After serving five terms in the U.S. House, Rep. Bo Ginn, a Democrat, ran for governor but lost to Joe Frank Harris. Harris succeeded Gov. George Busby.
U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, who served in the Georgia legislature before serving 20 years in the U.S. House, ran for the U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss but lost to fellow Republican David Perdue in the runoff.
The most vulnerable Democratic senator heading into next year’s midterm election has drawn his first challenger.
Republicans in the state have worried in particular that Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, the polarizing Trump ally who has said she is considering running, could win a primary race by attracting the most fervent right-wing voters only to lose in the general election by turning off independents and disaffected, more centrist Republicans.
Ms. Greene said in a television interview this week that she was considering a run for either Senate or governor in 2026, and that polling showed she could win either primary. “That’s a choice that I can make, and I’ll give it some thought,” she said.
In Mr. Carter’s announcement, posted on X, he signaled that he would try to make the contest about his support for President Trump and about the sort of cultural issues that Mr. Trump seized on in the 2024 campaign, including transgender rights.
“Georgians will have a very simple choice in 2026: do you want a MAGA warrior for you or do you want a trans warrior for they/them?” Mr. Carter wrote. “I’m with you. You can guess where Jon Ossoff is.”
Mr. Carter also bought TV time for a 30-second spot that will begin airing on Friday, according to the tracking firm AdImpact.
“Senator Ossoff will defeat any challenger,” Mr. Ossoff’s campaign manager wrote in a statement, suggesting that Mr. Ossoff could build an insurmountable advantage while Republicans scrambled “to outmaneuver each other and audition for Donald Trump’s support.”
Mr. Carter, a six-term congressman who represents southeastern Georgia, including Savannah, ran a pharmacy for decades before running for office, where he has advocated the lowering of prescription drug prices.
He has positioned himself as a staunch Trump ally, and introduced a bill this year that would authorize Mr. Trump to purchase Greenland and rename it “Red, White and Blueland.”
From the Savannah Morning News:
A veteran lawmaker, Carter served as the mayor of Pooler and a member of the Georgia General Assembly before running for U.S. Congress. In the House, Carter sits on the newly-created Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus, as well as the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Budget Committee.
As of March 31, he had over $3 million on hand in his congressional campaign committee compared to Ossoff’s $11 million. Carter also recently accepted a $6,600 campaign donation from businessman and White House advisor Elon Musk.
His decision to run for Senate also has downstream effects for his Congressional seat. Kandiss Taylor, a Baxley Republican who also previously ran for Governor under the slogan “Jesus, guns, and babies,” announced her campaign for the District 1 seat back in February.
In the meantime, the Democratic Party of Georgia says they’ll be building momentum for Ossoff’s 2026 campaign.
”On one side, youre gonna have this MAGA competition of who wants to defend these Medicaid cuts and Head Start cuts, and on the other hand you’re gonna have Senator Ossoff, who, you know, polls show has very high favorables and he has those favorable because of the work he’s done for Georgians,” says Charlie Bailey, the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
With Carter running for Senate, his current seat in Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, which he’s held since 2015, will be up for grabs.
On the Republican side, District 1 GOP Chair Kandiss Taylor announced her bid for the seat in February of this year.
Representative Jesse Petrea, who currently represents District 166 in the Georgia House of Representatives, hasn’t ruled out a bid, saying the seat needs someone with conservative values.
”The only reason I would run would be indeed, if we did not find that, or I feel like we don’t have the proper person running for that seat,” Petrea says.
Bryan County Commission Chairman Carter Infinger says he’s also thinking about running, but hasn’t made up his mind yet. Democratic State Senator Derek Mallow, who represents District 2, says the same.
“The voters have elected me to be their State Senator and they’ve done so overwhelmingly, but I don’t want to be presumptuous to believe those same voters want me to be their Congressman until I hear from more of them,” Mallow says.
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson called the vacant seat “a great opportunity” but has not committed to running.
”Haven’t really thought about it. Right now I have the greatest job in the world, being the mayor of the greatest city on earth, and that’s what I’m focused on right now. So what the future holds is what the future holds,” says Johnson.
A handful of other local officials that tell WTOC they will not be running, including Adot Whitely, the Chatham County Commissioner, Representative Anne Allen Westbrook, and Representative Ron Stephens.
From the Associated Press via AccessWDUN:
At least six other Georgia Republicans have said they’re considering a run for Senate. Best known among them is U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Also included are two other Georgia Republicans in Congress — Mike Collins and Rich McCormick. Other potential candidates include Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, state Insurance Commissioner John King and state Sen. Greg Dolezal.
Eric Johnson, who served as the top Republican in the Georgia Senate before making an unsuccessful run for governor in 2010, said he’s backing Carter.
“He’s known for good constituent service, and he’s accessible and visible, some of the things other candidates overlook,” said Johnson, a retired architect who lives in Effingham County west of Savannah.
He said Carter should also have plenty of money, which he’ll need to increase his name-recognition across Georgia’s 159 counties. As of March 31, Carter reported having nearly $3.5 million cash on hand to defend his House seat next fall. He could transfer that money to kickstart a Senate race.
Any Republican primary will not only be a race for voters, but for Trump’s endorsement. Whoever gets the Trump nod would be stamped as the frontrunner, and an early endorsement could push others away from the race.
Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman Charlie Bailey said Carter’s alignment with Trump’s policies puts him at a disadvantage.
“Buddy Carter jumping out of the gate as a self-described ‘MAGA warrior’ only means that over the next eighteen months he will have to own Donald Trump’s tariffs that are increasing costs for Georgia businesses and families, Medicaid cuts, anti-abortion extremism, devastating budget cuts hitting seniors, veterans, and kids, and so much more,” Bailey said in a statement.
“Georgia Republicans are clearly heading towards a messy, chaotic, and disastrous primary,” he said.
Emory University political science professor Andra Gillespie said Carter’s announcement is part of a strategic plan to gain name recognition in a contest that is expected to be highly competitive with no clear front runner.
Gillespie said Carter will look to appeal to Trump supporters without polarizing a segment of voters who like another potential candidate such as Greene.
The Senate election will show where Georgia’s shifting political parties stand after the pandemic-affected 2020 election and the 2022 midterm election in which Republicans regained some control, Gillespie said.
“If we look at 2022 in the other statewide races, it looked like Georgia was coming back to equilibrium with Republicans winning, albeit by single digit margin, even though in many instances it was healthy single digit margins,” Gillespie said. “But when (U.S. Sen.) Raphael Warnock won over Herschel Walker, it reinforced the idea that Georgia has become competitive enough that if the Republican candidate is really problematic Democrats have a shot at winning.”
“The 2024 presidential election also reflected what is probably still the norm of Georgia in that the state probably still leans Republican,” Gillespie added. “Even understanding that those national conditions might be a little bit more favorable for Democrats this year, Georgia still looks like it’s leaning Republican.”
Charles Bullock, a political science professor at the University of Georgia, anticipates that whichever Republican Senate candidate emerges from the primary in 2026 will close some of the gap in polling against Ossoff.
He said the harder part is becoming as popular as Kemp in state politics.
“What Kemp’s term as governor has shown is that people approve of the job he’s done, and therefore he attracts large numbers of independents and even some Democrats,” Bullock said. “So it doesn’t mean that other Republicans couldn’t do that, but they’ve got to work a lot harder to get there.”
So far, the Democratic Party is making the Senate race a referendum on Trump, Bullock said.
“How much of a vulnerability that proves to be in a general election will in part depend upon what the state of the economy is,” he said.
Every executive state office, including the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, will be on the ballot next year, likely with a slate of new campaign hopefuls vying for each. Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff will defend his seat against a Republican challenger.
The statewide shakeup is poised to pit leaders in the General Assembly against each other, setting the stage for a hectic 2026 legislative session as contenders vie for voters with attention-grabbing — and potentially extreme — bills and political maneuvering.
“There may have been a time when this many positions were all open simultaneously,” Charles Bullock, a University of Georgia political science professor who has studied state government and elections for decades, told State Affairs. “But it doesn’t come to mind immediately.”
Term-limited Attorney General Chris Carr was the first to launch a campaign for governor last fall and remains the most senior Republican to do so. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and state Sen. Jason Esteves, D-Atlanta, have announced Democratic campaigns for governor.
All eyes are on Lt. Gov. Burt Jones as the state’s second-most powerful elected official weighs an expected run to replace Kemp.
Insiders and analysts have long said Jones, who defeated former Senate President Pro Tem Butch Miller for lieutenant governor in 2022, is all but certain to run for governor next year.
A representative for Jones pointed to comments he made at a fundraiser earlier this week that he plans to announce his candidacy for governor in the “near future.”
Many higher-office Republican hopefuls in the Legislature — including several top lawmakers in the state Senate — have held off on formally announcing their candidacies until Jones decides.
On the Republican side, only Senate Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, has filed paperwork to run for lieutenant governor. Sen. Josh McLaurin, D-Sandy Springs, launched his Democratic campaign for lieutenant governor earlier this month.
Others expected to run for lieutenant governor — once Jones makes his move — are the highest-ranking Republicans in the Legislature: Senate President Pro Tem John F. Kennedy, R-Macon, and Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega.
Two other top Senate Republicans are poised to square off to replace Carr as attorney general. Sen. Brian Strickland, R-McDonough, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, a nearly 20-year Senate member, have launched bids for attorney general.
The Peach State is in for a wild ride next year, Bullock told State Affairs.
The longtime political analyst and commentator said it’s unusual for so many established leaders in the Legislature to seek open constitutional seats at the same time.
“There will be a lot of changes after next year,” Bullock said. “It’s going to be an entirely new playbook for 2027.”
Bullock expects the political posturing and infighting seen during this year’s session to reach a new level of intensity next year as lawmakers-turned-candidates jockey for media exposure to broaden their name recognition among voters.
The spillover of campaign battles into the legislative arena could rise to even more dramatic heights as Kemp enters his final session, during which he’ll likely have diminished ability to “keep a lid on things” as Georgia’s outgoing head of state.
“There may be some more extreme kinds of positions and bills being articulated,” Bullock said. “It could be a fairly extraordinary and exciting year.”
President Donald Trump endorsed the reelection of Georgia Republican Party Chair Josh McKoon, according to the AJC.
After racking up endorsements over the last few weeks from key activists and elected officials, McKoon landed the biggest fish of them all on Thursday. President Donald Trump said McKoon is doing a “fantastic job” and has his blessing for another term.
McKoon scared off more formidable rivals ahead of the June vote, though he drew a challenge from David Cross, an election conspiracist who is the party’s second vice chair.
The party is still no stranger to internal drama, including recent attempts to rebuke House Speaker Jon Burns and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
But McKoon has managed to tamp down plenty of controversies and help bridge the rift between the establishment and MAGA wings in unexpected ways. Even Gov. Brian Kemp has made amends with the party, something unimaginable just a few years ago.
McKoon is also tasked with bringing in big name speakers for the party’s convention in Dalton. He landed a Trump favorite for the June 6 dinner: Steve Bannon, the intellectual architect of the MAGA movement.
United States Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Extreme Northwest Georgia) passed legislation to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, according to the Savannah Morning News.
The House of Representatives Thursday passed a bill introduced by Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene that codifies President Donald Trump’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
The bill passed 211-206 along party lines, and it requires the head of each federal agency has 180 days to update their documents and maps, and that the Secretary of Interior will oversee the renaming. Only Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska voted with Democrats against the measure.
The bill moves onto the Republican-controlled Senate for consideration.
Greene has taken to X, formerly Twitter, to push her idea, and back Trump’s executive order, to rename the Gulf.
“Some of my Republican colleagues don’t want to vote for my Gulf of America Act which is one of President Trump’s favorite executive orders. They say they would rather vote on ‘more serious EOs.’ Boys are you ready to vote to criminalize sex changes on kids?? Because I have that bill on that EO too,” she said.
She is also using the renaming to raise donations through her website by selling hats that say Gulf of America on them. They’re $42 and are on a page saying “Your contribution will benefit MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE’S PEOPLE OVER POLITICIANS COMMITTEE.”
She has also retweeted a post from NRCC claiming the name change is a “strategic asset for American Security, Commerce and Greatness.”
Camden County and four other counties in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit filed complaints accusing District Attorney Keith Higgins of mismanagement, according to The Brunswick News.
Camden County Commissioner Jim Goodman made the motion to file a complaint against Higgins, which was unanimously approved.
“We are joining the other counties,” Goodman said. “We’re not getting the prosecutions. It’s well deserved criticism. We need to know what’s going on.”
Goodman said commissioners are waiting for an auditor’s report before deciding the next step. But Goodman said he plans on “bird dogging” the issue regarding Higgins, whose office is having major financial problems.
Higgins’ office owes Glynn County nearly $1 million for unreimbursed payroll expenses.
Higgins sued the county last October, accusing county officials of racketeering by conspiring to withhold funding from his office.
County officials denied colluding with other counties to withhold funding, and they said Higgins inappropriately used money intended for victims assistance for salaries, and used money budgeted for county-specific employees in other counties.
Governor Kemp will today sign the FY2026 state budget, according to the AJC.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed nine bills into law on Thursday, bringing his total for the year to 72. Today, he’ll sign the big one: the nearly $38 billion budget.
But even with all that work, there’s still lots left to do before Wednesday’s deadline. The legislature sent 370 bills to the governor’s desk, meaning he still has nearly 300 proposals left to consider.
Governor Brian Kemp traveled to Central Georgia to sign legislation that includes a bill prohibiting state-paid gender affirming care in the prisons, according to 13WMAZ.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation on Thursday in Central Georgia that bans the use of state funds in gender reassignment surgeries, among other treatments, for transgender inmates incarcerated by the Georgia Department of Corrections.
While at the Georgia Public Training Center in Forsyth, the governor signed six pieces of legislation related to law enforcement, including Senate Bill 185, which bans public funds in specific treatments for transgender inmates.
“Taxpayer dollars should not be used for procedures like this, and this legislation codifies that common-sense step,” Kemp said during a press conference before signing the legislation.
Flanked by GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver, Kemp signed the bill. Under the law, the bill bans using state funds for sex assignment surgeries, hormone replacement therapies and cosmetic procedures, or prosthetics intended to change the appearance of one’s sexual characteristics.
There are exceptions to this, however, when the surgeries are for “medically necessary” care, but the condition must not be gender dysphoria — where a person experiences distress over their gender identity — or for the purpose of sex reassignment.
The law goes into effect immediately. The legislation could be challenged in court.
While at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, Kemp also signed four other pieces of legislation related to law enforcement.
He signed a bill that paved the way for the transition to the NextGen 911 system.
Governor Kemp also signed legislation to provide aid for Hurricane Helene victims, according to 13WMAZ:
It’s been over six months since Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Georgia. And on Thursday, Gov. Brian Kemp reassured people that he hasn’t forgotten by signing two Hurricane Helene relief recovery bills.
“35 to 40% of my trees are either laying on the ground or leaning on 45 degree angle, which there would, would be worth no value to those,” Timber farmer John Corbett said.
Corbett is also a state representative from Echols County in South Georgia. He joined other legislators on Thursday as Gov. Kemp signed House Bill 223 into law.
“Will help offset those losses, kind of cushion the blow,” Corbett said.
The governor was joined Thursday by Georgia’s Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper.
“The bill exempts federal crop loss payments and disaster payments from state income tax. It establishes a reforestation tax credit to help timber producers recover from the storm and also encourage them to replant their crop,” Kemp said. “Allows local governments to temporarily suspend collection of the harvest tax on timber producers to assist in cleanup efforts and provides a temporary addition to the Georgia agricultural tax exemption.”
Kemp shared that losses in the farming and agriculture industry from the hurricane came out to about $5.5 billion. He said farmers have very tight profit margins as is – and even before the hurricane, the agriculture economy was not in good shape.
“A tree is a long term investment. You don’t plant it and harvest it the next year, it’s fifteen years before you can harvest. So a lot of people are really hurting,” Corbett said.
While it can’t undo the damage and destruction farmers faced, and are still facing, it’s one more step on a long road to recovery. He said this bill adds to about $1 billion in relief from the state after Hurricane Helene.
“There’s still more work to be done, but I’m proud to sign these bills and deliver on our promise to the men and women who are the backbone of our state,” Kemp said.
The governor also signed House Bill 143, and Senate Bill 201. The Senate Bill increases protection for victims of natural disasters from predatory contractors scamming them for repair costs.
From Governor Kemp’s Press Release:
Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo, constitutional officers, and members of the Georgia General Assembly, signed three pieces of legislation that provides support for Georgia’s agriculture and forestry industry and delivers promised relief to farmers and timber producers impacted by Hurricane Helene.
“Our farmers and foresters are tough people,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Their commitment to moving forward after all they’ve faced is an inspiration to us all. There is still more work to be done, but I’m proud to sign these bills and deliver on our promises to the men and women who are the backbone of our state. I’m also grateful for the dedicated efforts of all of our partners in the General Assembly whose steadfast leadership and determination helped make today possible.”
HB 223, a priority of Governor Brian Kemp, championed by Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, Commissioner Tyler Harper, Representative Chuck Efstration, and Committee Chairmen Shaw Blackmon, Chuck Hufstetler, Matt Hatchett, Blake Tillery, sponsored by Representative James Burchett, carried in the Senate by Senator Russ Goodman, exempts federal crop loss payments and disaster payments from state income tax, establishes a reforestation tax credit to help timber producers recover from the storm and encourage them to replant their crop, allows local governments to temporarily suspend their collection of harvest tax on timber producers to assist them in cleanup efforts, and provides a temporary addition to the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption (GATE) for building materials to repair and rebuild poultry houses, livestock facilities, greenhouses, and other agricultural structures.
In addition to HB 223 Governor Kemp signed the following pieces of legislation:
SB 201, sponsored by Senator Larry Walker and carried in the House by Representative Leesa Hagan, provides increased protection for consumers when entering into contracts with contractors following natural disasters.
HB 143, sponsored by Representative Robert Dickey, carried in the Senate by Senator Sam Watson, and championed by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, shifts the burden of agricultural water metering equipment installation and maintenance from farmers back to the state.
Governor Kemp extends his appreciation to all of those whose diligent work and efforts led to him being able to sign these bills today.
Congress approved more than $21 billion in hurricane relief just a few months after the storm. But that money still hasn’t made its way through the federal bureaucracy to Georgia farmers.
While more than $1 billion in hurricane aid from the state sounds impressive, its impact will be limited. Most of that money goes to cover the state’s own costs of removing debris, rebuilding roads and repairing buildings.
Because the state constitution bans direct payments to farmers, the state can only offer tax breaks and low-interest loans to help.
The federal aid, however, will pay farmers for losing their crops to the storm. It’s the kind of direct relief many are desperate to receive.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website says it plans to open applications for relief in July.
“When we open that portal, hopefully it moves almost immediately,” Rollins said.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, applications for relief are planned to open in July.
On Thursday, Kemp said the aid is still coming faster than it did following Hurricane Michael in 2018.
“I’m very appreciative to President Biden and President Trump and the Congress that has worked on this issue,” Kemp said. “It’s been very important to have that not take over a year like it did last time (and) have a bunch of politics get in the middle of all that.”
On Thursday Kemp signed House Bill 223, which would allow local governments to waive timber taxes on downed trees for the last quarter of 2024 and all of 2025.
The state would reimburse local governments that dipped into their own budgets to grant relief. That’s expected to cost up to $17.3 million.
HB 223 also would allow timber producers to write off Helene-related losses on their state income taxes. It would exempt farmers from having to pay income tax on federal disaster relief payments for Helene. And it would temporarily exempt from sales taxes materials used to rebuild greenhouses, livestock barns and other farm structures.
Those three provisions are expected to cost the state up to $280.6 million in lost revenue through 2029.
State Sen. Russ Goodman, R-Cogdell, who carried HB 223 in the Senate, said nothing will make farmers who were devastated by the storm whole, but it’s “going to give these folks a fighting chance.”
The governor also signed Senate Bill 201, which would increase consumer protections for homeowners entering into contracts for repairs following natural disasters.
“I know these are going to be meaningful steps for our farmers and foresters and all of those who were affected by Hurricane Helene,” Kemp said Thursday.
The City of Waycross presented their Kennedy L. Sanders Outstanding Citizen Achievement Award to Tifton Mayor Julie Smith in appreciation of her support for Hurricane Helene relief, according to the Tifton Gazette.
Waycross city manager Ulysses D. Rayford presented Smith with the Kennedy L. Sanders Outstanding Citizen Achievement Award May 2 for her efforts and those of the city as a whole in aiding in Waycross’s recovery effort after the devastating storm had torn through the city.
In the storm’s aftermath, the City of Tifton lent a generator to the City of Waycross, providing them a power source to keep the vital systems of the city up and running while they continued to work on restoration.
Waycross mayor Dr. Michael-Angelo James also provided Smith a letter thanking her for the aid, commenting on the two cities’ ability to overcome hardship through their cooperation and solidarity.
The State Charter Schools Commission revised their rules governing petitions to open new charter schools, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Moultrie Observer.
Educators who want to open a charter school will have an expedited process under new rules adopted by the state school board Thursday.
The board overhauled its rule that controls the charter school petition process, shifting much of the authority from the Georgia Department of Education to the State Charter Schools Commission.
The commission was established more than a decade ago by a constitutional referendum promoted by lawmakers who were frustrated by local resistance to charter schools and the slow approval pace. It can approve charter schools that have been denied by local school districts, but some complain that local school boards drag out their own process, leading to delays in state approvals.
Lawmakers continue to pass legislation favorable to charter schools, including House Bill 318 last year, which mandated the new rule that was adopted Thursday by a unanimous vote of the Georgia Board of Education.
The rule requires local school boards to approve or deny local charter petitions in less than a year. School districts must publish their petition schedule by Sept. 1, with a petition deadline of Jan. 1 and a board vote by the following June 30.
And it replaces the education department’s authority over most of the process, handing it to the commission’s Office of Charter School Compliance.
That office’s senior director, Allen Mueller, summarized the effect at a state board committee meeting on Wednesday.
The changes amend procedures “so that when folks make local decisions, it creates a path for those petitioners to move to the commission, not have to wait another year or two years as had been happening,” he said.
Brunswick Commissioners discussed a proposed $23.9 million dollar FY 2026 budget, according to The Brunswick News.
The fiscal year 2025-2026 budget proposal comes in at around $23.9 million, a 5% increase over the current year’s budget, City Manager Regina McDuffie says.
The city operates on a fiscal year that runs from July 1 of one year to June 30 of the next. The current fiscal year ends on June 30, 2025.
The higher budget is supported by a projected 10% increase in property values, a $400,000 increase in sales taxes, higher building permit revenue and municipal court fines, she said.
Property taxes make up about 30% of the city’s revenue, while sales taxes account for just under 50%. The remainder is from a variety of other revenue sources.
McDuffie said the plan Wednesday was to have commissioners approve the preliminary budget on May 21 so City Hall can begin the public input process and move on to final approval on June 18.
DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson delivered her first “State of the County” address, according to the AJC.
DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson recapped the achievements of her first 100 days in office and her plan to transform the county of 763,000 residents Thursday in her inaugural State of the County address.
The audience included state legislators, chairpersons from other metro Atlanta counties, and most of the mayors of DeKalb’s 12 cities, including Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. Georgia’s two United States senators made video appearances.
“You are in good hands with Lorraine at the helm,” Sen. Raphael Warnock said.
Cochran-Johnson, the first Black woman elected as DeKalb CEO, promised future policy announcements, including a comprehensive plan to reduce homelessness, in the coming months.
She highlighted the new initiatives in her first budget, including a $2 million real-time crime center, a pilot program using drones as first responders, and assessments of the county’s organization, service delivery costs and employee pay fairness.
She also recognized former DeKalb County CEOs, including Burrell Ellis nine years after his conviction on attempted extortion and perjury charges was thrown out; and her immediate predecessor, Michael Thurmond, who is weighing a run for governor.
“It is upon your shoulders that I proudly stand,” Cochran-Johnson said.
A warrant was issued against Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Andy Allen, according to WRGA News.
Following a three-hour probable cause hearing in the Chattooga County Courthouse Annex, Magistrate Court Judge Griffin (of Whitfield County) issued an arrest warrant for Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Andy Allen on one count of simple battery.
The ruling came after testimony was presented by William Wilson, a livestock hauler and resident of Annville, KY, represented by Attorney Catherine Bernard of Atlanta. Wilson testified that on March 3 of this year, while making an early morning delivery at William Mitchell’s Farm located on Little Sand Mountain Road in the southern section of Chattooga County, Commissioner Allen physically assaulted him, allegedly ripping his shirt, causing visible red marks on his chest, and resulting in a torn muscle in his lower back.
Chattooga County Commissioner Allen took the stand in his own defense and denied any physical contact with Wilson, including the claim of ripping Wilson’s shirt.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Attorney Bernard requested warrants for multiple charges, including Simple Battery, Reckless Conduct, Violation of Oath of Public Office, and Aggravated Battery.
At the close of the warrant hearing, Judge Griffin ruled immediately from the bench to find probable cause to issue a warrant for “at least simple battery,” a misdemeanor under Georgia law.
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