Skip to content
2017 Legislative Session

Two unfortunate vetoes from Veto Day 2017

On Monday, the last day of signing the signing period, Deal signed more than 50 pieces of legislation and vetoed nine. Here are two vetoes that would’ve helped Georgia move in the right direction. House Bill 359, known as the Supporting and Strengthening Families Act HB 359 would have allowed parents to transfer power of attorney of their children to someone else for a year without involving the courts. Considering how overwhelmed and underfunded the

2017 Legislative Session

Gov. Deal signs ‘Campus Carry’

There have been phone calls and petitions, die-ins and impassioned pleas from leaders on college campuses — but Gov. Nathan Deal decided on May 4 to sign the “Campus Carry” bill into law. After the NRA’s recent visit to Atlanta — which stirred quite a bit of protest — gun extremists have been sure to push the issue, telling their base that it’s about “being able to protect themselves on college and university campuses.” But the facts just

2017 Legislative Session

Where did the American Dream go?

Middle class incomes are disappearing in Georgia, rapidly being replaced by even greater income inequality, according to a new report from GSU’s Center for State and Local Finance. And not only are middle-income jobs disappearing, but the median income in Georgia has fallen since 2000. This means that the middle class jobs that are around pay less, even as costs of living in this state have skyrocketed. Factor in cuts to benefits — like employer-funded

2017 Legislative Session

Three new reasons Gov. Deal needs to veto campus carry

Gov. Deal has yet to sign or veto campus carry. However, in the past two weeks, since the bill was approved during the 2017 Legislative Session, a few details have surface that may make Deal less likely to sign. Some of the changes the governor wanted to see in this year’s version of the campus carry bill included the blocking guns on certain areas of campus. Deal wanted to see administrative offices, areas used by students

2017 Legislative Session

Wrapping up the 2017 legislative session

Georgia’s Legislature adjourned for good last week, just in time for the Masters Tournament (as always). While the at-times tumultuous session was set to end on Thursday, the gavels didn’t come down officially until early Friday morning, capping off 40 days of the most intriguing political theater in recent memory. Here’s what happened: Rigged Maps: House Bill 515, sponsored by disgraced former judge Johnnie Caldwell (WATCH Samantha Bee’s piece on Caldwell here), went down in

2017 Legislative Session

Deal to “explore” health care changes

Governor Deal said Monday that Georgia will start exploring health care changes. Deal, who did not support the Republican alternative to Obamacare, appears to be interested in making changes specifically to Medicaid. Deal said there are limits to what Georgia can request, “as long as mandates under the basic Obamacare legislation stand in place.” But he said the state would review options including changes to “mandated minimum coverage.” “Those are areas that some would like