The Senate today has passed a compromise adoption bill today 53-2, along the lines of an agreement reached last Thursday. The bill can now move to the Governor’s desk for signature, and Georgia’s children can become permanent members of their new families sooner and with less government bureaucracy involved. Representative Bert Reeves of Marietta needs
This week’s Courier Herald column: Five years ago, it wasn’t easy to engage folks at Georgia’s Capitol in a serious conversation about transportation. The sting of loss from 2012’s transportation referendums in most regions of the state – especially congested Atlanta – was still relatively fresh. Money in the state budget was still tight. Teachers
Last year, Georgia Legislators attempted to revise the adoption laws in our state. It got ugly. And the 2017 session ended with no solution to the ever-growing issues and complications related to fostering and adoption in the State of Georgia. However, HB 159 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. On January 18th,
Per press release from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce: Atlanta, GA – Thursday, January 11, 2018 – In commemoration of the 2018 legislative session, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce revealed the organization’s 8 for 18 priorities during their annual Eggs & Issues Breakfast. Created as a 2018 initiative, the Georgia Chamber’s 8 for 18 priorities
We know the Senate will work through Thursday and that’s when they hope to pass an adjournment resolution. The House has their protocol in order with the first 10 days scheduled. If the Senate doesn’t pass a resolution on Thursday each calendar day counts toward the 40 (but I could be wrong on that). Things
The Georgia General Assembly has begun with 39 business days left before candidates can start sending fundraising emails again. The trade off is that candidates who remain in their elective office have a platform and megaphone to generate “earned media” – essentially letting news media distribute their messages for them. Senator Michael Williams started this
State Representative Rich Golick (R-Sminings) has decided to retire at the end of his term, per the Marietta Daily Journal: “… After 20 years of service, I will be retiring from the State House at the end of this term. Over the holidays, I took a hard look at the calendar, and the fact is
This week’s Courier Herald column: It’s fitting that the first day of the 2018 meeting of the Georgia General Assembly falls on the same day as the Georgia Bulldogs play for a National Championship. The last time UGA won a National title was 1980, and Notre Dame was the superpower program that stood in the
Monday starts the 2018 legislative session. It’s a monumental session for multiple reasons, but the biggest one is that it’s Governor Nathan Deal’s final legislative session. That means political posturing by Republicans in both chambers who look to aim for higher office as Governor Deal’s departure from the house in West Paces creates vacancies in
From a press release: Atlanta, GA, January 5, 2018 – Today, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and the Senate Committee on Assignments announced new appointments and standing committee chairs to begin the second session of the 154th Georgia General Assembly. “Georgians should have great confidence that these senators will utilize their leadership roles to positively shape
