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… [Read More]
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,… [Read More]
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… [Read More]
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… [Read More]
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:… [Read More]
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… [Read More]
Haters gonna hate
A funny thing happened on Friday. Republicans stalled their own hateful bill by trying to add in a questionable “anti-terrorism” measure. This time of year, legislators have a habit of amending bills on the floor just before a vote, sometimes by adding in whole other bills. In the state Senate, if a long enough “amendment”… [Read More]
Map-rigging bill defeated!
The defeat of map-rigging bill, HB 515 is proof that organized action works. Thanks to everyone who made phone calls, signed the petition, shared information on social media, and took action at the Capitol racial map rigging was defeated for now. The decision to drop map-rigging from HB 515 comes after national attention from the… [Read More]
An accused sexual predator is trying to silence African American voters
Disgraced former judge and current lawmaker Johnnie Caldwell is pushing a bill that would silence thousands of African American voters. Better Georgia and a coalition of progressive groups fighting against Caldwell’s map rigging bill believe the legislation is likely illegal. As egregious as it is for a lawmaker to try to stand in the way of Georgians’ voting… [Read More]
Eric Holder calls new Ga. bill “political map-rigging at its worst”
The map rigging bill that’s pending in the Georgia Senate is so flagrantly unethical that former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder spoke out against it — his first time weighing in on a state redistricting fight since founding National Development and Reform Commission. “Voters should choose their elected representatives, not the other way around,” Holder… [Read More]