2022 Legislative Summary

In the 2022 Legislative Session, the Georgia Senate Democratic Caucus faced an onslaught of bills aimed at placating far-right voters. Rather than solving problems faced by ordinary Georgians, many bills seemed tailored to satisfy conspiracy theorists and internet culture warriors. Democratic efforts to expand Medicaid, raise the minimum wage, and uplift teachers and students who are suffering from pandemic fatigue and learning loss were once again stymied by GOP intransigence.… Read more

2021 Legislative Summary

In 2021 the Georgia General Assembly faced the uphill challenge of legislating during a pandemic. Limits on public access to the Capitol meant transparency was at an all time low, and this obstruction found its way into all levels of lawmaking in 2021. Early morning committee meetings, last minute bill changes, rushed hearings, and ultimately the Governor’s signing of bills in secret, all contributed to the sense that Democrats, and the people they represent, were not welcome to participate.… Read more

GA Senate and House Caucuses File Legal Brief Opposing Kemp’s Motion to Overturn Atlanta Face Mask Order

The Georgia Senate and House Democratic Caucuses filed an amici curiae brief in Fulton County Superior Court today, opposing Governor Brian Kemp’s legal action to overturn the City of Atlanta’s requirement to wear face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. (CIVIL ACTION No. 2020CV338387)

The legal brief, filed at 10:43 a.m., Monday, seeks both to support the city in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of Georgia residents and to understand and limit the scope of the Governor’s emergency powers the state legislature granted him in March of this year.… Read more

2020 Legislative Summary

The 2020 Georgia Legislative Session may well go down as one of the longest and strangest in the state’s history. Facing across-the-board budgetary cutbacks, legislators began the session in January looking for ways to balance the state budget, and that was before COVID-19 (otherwise known as the Coronavirus) was a thought in anyone’s mind. Poor policy decisions over the past decade meant the state budget had been placed at risk.… Read more