Lawmakers inside the state Capitol ceremoniously threw shreds of paper in the air in celebration after working past midnight to decide the fate of several contentious bills on Sine Die, the last day of this year’s legislative session. Many of the year’s most controversial measures, including one that would create a Georgia school voucher program […]
General Assembly
Posted inHealth
Why a New Law Denying Health Care for Trans Youth Has Local Black Advocates Worried
Black LGBTQIA+ advocates are concerned about legislation in Georgia aimed at restricting medical care for transgender children. On Thursday, Gov. Brian Kemp announced he signed Senate Bill 140, which will prohibit certain gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Doctors who offer the banned care will face serious consequences, including losing their medical license. SB 140 would […]
Posted inHousing, Money
The Rent Control Bill Stalled, but This Activist Isn’t Done Fighting
Margie McLeod spent Tuesday outside the Georgia State Capitol in downtown Atlanta trying to sway lawmakers to support a bill she already knew was unlikely to get signed into law this year. “I’m not the type of person to give up,” the 75-year-old community activist told Capital B Atlanta on Wednesday. “We don’t know what’s […]
Posted inState Politics
Crossover Day Is Over. Here’s What You Might’ve Missed.
Georgia lawmakers were up late Monday night. Why? It was Crossover Day, the General Assembly’s deadline for most bills to be passed by either the House or the Senate before becoming new laws by when the legislative session ends on March 29. Text from bills that weren’t passed by the end of Crossover Day can […]
Posted inState Politics
Bye-Bye Parking Boots? A New Law Could Make Them Illegal. We Explain.
It has happened to all of us. Ask a local and they will probably tell you how they have fallen victim to getting parking boots — devices placed on tires to keep vehicles from moving — on their cars multiple times. The private industry of car booting has been problematic and costly for affected residents […]
Posted inState Politics
Why Black Buckhead Residents Say They’re Against Cityhood Push
Jimmy John moved to Buckhead with his wife about a year ago because he wanted to get away from crime in East Atlanta and enjoy a community with better amenities. Today, as Buckhead finds itself grappling with its own perceived crime issues, John wonders how the city becoming independent will fix the problem. “Buckhead becoming […]
Posted inHealth, Reproductive Health
Pregnant Women in Georgia Could Qualify for Welfare. Here’s What We Know.
Expecting mothers in low-income households might get some relief if new legislation is passed. Under House Bill 129, filed on behalf of Gov. Brian Kemp, pregnant women who qualify can apply for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, also known as welfare. HB 129 is just one part of Kemp’s initiative to solve the state’s maternal […]
Posted inHealth
From Medicaid Expansion to Abortion, Here’s What Georgia Lawmakers Are Discussing
The General Assembly is back in session, and health care is on the minds of lawmakers. It’s the first session in a post-Roe v. Wade Georgia. The assembly’s return comes as the Biden administration seeks to wind down the federal emergency pandemic response, putting the majority of responsibility into the hands of state governments and […]
Posted inState Politics
Five Issues Black State Lawmakers Plan to Tackle in 2023
The Georgia General Assembly’s next legislative session is set to begin on Jan. 9. Some of its highest ranking Black lawmakers, all of whom are Democrats, recently spoke with Capital B Atlanta to explain their policy agenda for next year and how it will impact Black voters. House Minority Leader James Beverly said Democrats’ overall […]
Posted inState Politics
Meet the New Chairman of Georgia’s Legislative Black Caucus
State Rep. Carl Gilliard has a simple message for Black folks as he prepares to take on a critical new leadership role in the Georgia General Assembly. “It’s movement time,” Gilliard said. “We are going to have to be more unified than ever. We need an agenda. We just can’t be reactive.” On Dec. 15, […]
