Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill Tuesday that will transform how intellectual disability is handled in death penalty cases in Georgia. Now in alignment with 26 other states that still practice capital punishment, Georgia will require a judge to determine during a pretrial hearing whether a defendant is intellectually disabled or not. Prior to the […]
Georgia
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Politics
Why Jason Esteves Puts Georgia’s Housing Crisis at the Center of the Governor’s Race
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jason Esteves recently voiced support for the growing Target boycott, as he and other state Democratic Party leaders continue working to mend fences with Black Georgia voters. “My wife has had a [Target Circle 360] subscription, and she canceled it as a result,” Esteves said during an April phone interview with Capital […]
Posted inElections
How to Keep Your Voter Registration Active Amidst Georgia’s Massive Purge
Voting rights advocates are urging Black Georgians to take appropriate steps this year to ensure they’re not impacted by mass voter registration cancellations and voter eligibility challenges. Nearly half a million people are due to have their Georgia voter registrations canceled no later than July, meaning they won’t be able to cast ballots in key […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘She Should Have Hung in There’: Voters Saddened By Nikema Williams’ Resignation
U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams’ resignation as chair of the Georgia Democratic Party didn’t sit well with some constituents in her district as the party, backed by an overwhelming majority of Black voters, seeks a new direction heading into a pivotal midterm election cycle next year. Williams — who became the first Black woman ever to […]
Posted inMaternal Health, Reproductive Health
Her Daughter Died After a Fatal Delay in Reproductive Care. Now, She’s Fighting for Justice.
When Shanette Williams speaks publicly, she holds the obituary of her 28-year-old daughter, Amber Nicole Thurman, in her hands. She says it gives her comfort and the strength to continue to tell the story of how a Georgia hospital allowed her daughter to die unnecessarily. Williams is a woman who rarely bows her head, unless […]
Posted inHousing, Local Politics, Politics & Policy, State Politics
Atlanta Residents’ Calls for Rent Control Ignored by Lawmakers
Atlanta Housing Justice League Executive Director Alison Johnson expressed anger and regret on Monday after bills backed by her organization failed to advance before the legislature’s Thursday Crossover Day deadline. Failure to pass related bills in the state House or the state Senate by the end of Crossover Day means it’s unlikely Georgia’s legislature will pass […]
Posted inEducation
Republicans Pull the Plug on Senate Bill Banning DEI in Georgia Schools — for Now
Georgia Democrats celebrated late Thursday night after state Senate Republicans tabled a bill that would’ve pulled government funding from public schools and colleges that maintain diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Senate Bill 120 made headlines earlier this week after it advanced out of committee, sparking fears among some that initiatives aimed at increasing and promoting […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, Juvenile Justice
School Safety Bill SB 61 May Send More Black Kids to Adult Court
A school safety bill introduced in response to the Apalachee High School shooting in September got a major change after advocates warned that it would unfairly criminalize children. Senate Bill 61, authored by state Sen. Greg Dolezal, a Republican from Forsyth County, was initially written to add both terroristic acts and terroristic threats against a […]
Posted inLGBTQ, Politics & Policy, State Politics
Black Atlantans Grapple with Political Divide Over Transgender Rights
College Park resident Tori Cooper says Black Georgians who support limiting the rights of transgender people like her are being manipulated by politicians who have little interest in helping any members of the Black community. Her comments came in response to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order scaling back the federal government’s recognition of gender […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
How Georgia’s Black Republicans Are Capitalizing on Trump’s Election Victory
Black Republicans in Georgia are planning to capitalize on the small-but-significant gains that President-elect Donald Trump achieved with Black voters in this year’s election, as their party works to broaden its appeal to Black voters far beyond 2024. Data shows that Black folks who chose not to vote played a decisive role helping Trump win […]
