Georgia NOW!

 
Georgia farmers say surging diesel prices tied to the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran are squeezing already thin margins. At Ellijay Mushroom Farm, growers producing thousands of shiitake mushrooms each week say rising fuel and supply costs are forcing farms to absorb higher expenses or risk raising prices for customers.
At the Capitol, the Georgia House passed Senate Bill 220, the “Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act,” which would rename the state’s low-THC oil program to medical cannabis, allow inhalation options, update dosing rules and expand qualifying conditions such as lupus and severe insomnia.
Meanwhile, the proposed Henry McNeil-Turner Voting Rights Act failed to receive a vote this session. Supporters say the bill would have created a state commission to review election law changes for discrimination, arguing federal voting protections have weakened in recent years.
More than 7,000 Georgians remain on the waitlist for the state’s NOW and COMP waivers, programs that help people with disabilities pay for services like therapy, transportation and employment support. Some families say they have waited more than a decade for assistance.
In DeKalb County, school leaders are reviewing public feedback on a proposal to close 27 schools, with many parents and teachers asking for clearer data on cost savings before decisions are made.
And several Georgia special elections are heading to runoffs, including races for State Senate District 53 and State House districts 94 and 130, after no candidate received a majority of the vote.
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A tornado watch is in effect for parts of central and east-central Georgia as strong storms move across the state. The National Weather Service says communities including Macon, Warner Robins and Milledgeville could see wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour, heavy rain and possible isolated tornadoes. Travelers are also being urged to arrive early at airports as severe weather and a partial federal government shutdown create delays.
In northwest Georgia, the special election for the 14th Congressional District is heading to a runoff on April 7. Democrat Sean Harris will face Trump-endorsed Republican Clay Fuller after neither candidate secured a majority in the crowded race.
Residents in Sandy Springs may soon see a change in their mailing address after the U.S. Postal Service approved listing Sandy Springs instead of Atlanta as the default city name for most local ZIP codes. City leaders say the change could help reduce tax confusion and ensure proper sales tax distribution.
Meanwhile, Henry County declared a local state of emergency over the weekend and imposed a curfew for minors to prevent a planned “teen takeover” organized on social media.
And Georgia craft brewers continue pushing lawmakers to loosen alcohol distribution laws, arguing the state’s three-tier system and limits on direct sales restrict small breweries’ growth compared with other states.
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South Fulton police say they prevented a planned “teen takeover” at Welcome All Park after flyers circulated on social media encouraging teens to gather. Officers increased patrols at the park Monday, and no large groups showed up. Similar events across metro Atlanta have led to more than a dozen arrests in recent months.
In DeKalb County, Tucker City Council has approved a new loitering ordinance aligned with the county’s 2025 code. The measure allows businesses such as convenience stores, gas stations and extended-stay motels to authorize police to enforce loitering rules on their property. Some officials raised concerns the policy could disproportionately affect unhoused residents.
At the Capitol, the Georgia House passed a $38.5 billion fiscal year 2027 budget, about 2% larger than last year. The spending plan includes $60.8 million for early literacy programs, $34.9 million to hire more correctional officers, and $70 million for prison health care.
Advocates were also closely watching Crossover Day, the deadline for bills to pass their chamber of origin. The ACLU of Georgia says community pressure helped stop several proposals it opposed, including a sweeping elections bill that failed by one vote. However, the group says other measures remain alive, including legislation that could criminalize librarians for allowing minors to access certain materials and bills increasing penalties tied to protest-related offenses.
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Georgia’s primary ballots are now set ahead of the May 19 elections. In the open 10th Congressional District, three candidates from each party are competing after Rep. Mike Collins entered the U.S. Senate race. In U.S. House District 1, former Rep. Buddy Carter’s Senate bid has left the seat open, drawing eight Democrats and six Republicans into the primary.
Lawmakers are also advancing Senate Bill 482, which would require people requesting mugshots or police body camera footage to appear in person and sign a notarized statement promising not to misuse the material. Supporters say it protects people whose charges were dropped, while critics warn it could limit public oversight of law enforcement.
Meanwhile, voters in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District are casting ballots in a special election to replace former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. With 17 candidates on the ballot, a runoff is widely expected. President Donald Trump has endorsed district attorney Clay Fuller, while Democrat Sean Harris, a veteran and farmer, is emerging as a leading challenger.
And in Fulton County, a judge ruled District Attorney Fani Willis cannot intervene in the legal fight over attorney fees tied to the dismissed election interference case involving Donald Trump. Trump and several co-defendants are seeking more than $16 million from the county under a state law allowing defendants to recover costs when a case is dropped.
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Georgia ranked among the nation’s top exporting states in 2025. Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Economic Development say the state placed seventh in total trade value and ninth in exports, surpassing $60 billion in exported goods with a 12.7% year-over-year increase, more than double the national average. Civilian aircraft parts led the state’s export categories.
A federal judge has dismissed the $1 billion lawsuit filed by the parents of Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia teen found dead inside a rolled wrestling mat at Lowndes High School in 2013. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation also released its 2026 “Places in Peril” list, with the Boggs Rural Life Center, a historic African American boarding school founded in 1906, topping the list after years of neglect and damage from Hurricane Helene.
Meanwhile, the latest federal jobs report shows the U.S. economy lost about 92,000 jobs in January, with Georgia companies cutting more than 1,700 jobs among firms with at least 100 employees — the worst January for large layoffs in a decade. Rising fuel costs may add pressure as oil prices climb past $100 per barrel, pushing the national average for gas to about $3.45 a gallon.
Georgia lawmakers are also pressing immigration officials to release Rodney Taylor, a Gwinnett County barber detained for more than a year at Stewart Detention Center despite serious medical concerns.
Internationally, Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly taken power in Iran following the death of his father, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. President Donald Trump has criticized the development while the conflict with Iran continues to escalate.
And with qualifying now closed, the ballots are set for Georgia’s midterm primaries. In the race for U.S. House District 1, eight Democrats and six Republicans are competing for the open seat once held by Buddy Carter.
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It’s Crossover Day at the Georgia Capitol, and lawmakers are racing to pass bills before the legislative deadline. Several proposals focus on regulating artificial intelligence and social media. One measure, Senate Bill 398, would make “virtual peeping” — using AI to create or view explicit images without consent — a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Other bills moving this week aim to strengthen online protections for children and hold people accountable for distributing explicit images.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has reassigned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as special envoy for the new “Shield of the Americas” security initiative and nominated Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to lead the department beginning March 31.
At the Capitol, Georgia Democrats are proposing a major change to the state’s tax system. House Resolution 1504 would replace Georgia’s flat income tax with a progressive system that taxes higher earners at higher rates, though the proposal faces long odds in the Republican-led legislature.
Lawmakers have also unanimously passed Senate Bill 406 to curb abuses by homeowners associations, raising the foreclosure threshold for unpaid dues and placing HOAs under oversight from the Secretary of State’s office.
And Wellroot Family Services is expanding behavioral health care programs across Georgia, adding housing and support services for foster youth transitioning into adulthood.
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Georgia’s amended 2026 budget is now law. Gov. Brian Kemp signed the plan this week, highlighting nearly $2 billion in tax refunds, additional income and property tax relief, and pay support for teachers and law enforcement. The budget also includes $1.7 billion to expand I-75 express lanes in Henry County and funding to help build a new mental health hospital. Lawmakers say the spending package also backs Georgia’s first needs-based scholarship program.
At the Capitol, Democratic State Sen. Sonia Halpern is warning about a proposal that would allow property taxes on Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, arguing it could put Georgia at a competitive disadvantage compared with other states.
In Cobb County, the city of Mableton has passed a local version of the CROWN Act, banning discrimination against natural hairstyles such as braids, twists and afros in schools and workplaces.
Security has also increased at Fort Gordon in Augusta as tensions rise overseas, with the base raising its force protection level and warning drivers to expect longer wait times at entry gates.
And in Washington, President Donald Trump has fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following congressional scrutiny over a $220 million immigration ad campaign. Trump says Noem will instead serve as special envoy for the “Shield of the Americas,” a new Latin American security coalition, while Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin has been nominated to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
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Qualifying for Georgia’s 2026 election cycle is underway, with several major candidates filing paperwork this week. Democratic U.S. Sen. John Ossoff officially qualified for reelection, while Republican U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter also entered the Senate race. Ossoff used the moment to criticize President Donald Trump’s military actions in Iran, calling the upcoming midterms a crucial test of checks and balances. In the governor’s race, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and former state Sen. Jason Estevez qualified on the Democratic ticket, while Attorney General Chris Carr filed to run as a Republican. Candidates have until Friday to qualify.
Meanwhile, members of Atlanta’s Iranian community say internet disruptions are making it difficult to reach family amid unrest in Iran. One resident described the moment as both hopeful and frightening as many in the diaspora watch events unfold overseas.
And Georgia lawmakers are pressing federal immigration officials to release Rodney Taylor, a Gwinnett County barber detained for more than a year at Stewart Detention Center despite serious medical concerns. Taylor, who was brought to the United States from Liberia as a child and has never left the country, lost both legs due to medical complications. Lawmakers say conditions at the facility have worsened his health and are demanding federal officials act.
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Two Georgia Supreme Court justices could soon face challengers. Former state Sen. Jen Jordan has launched a campaign against Presiding Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren, focusing on protecting voting rights and privacy. Warren was appointed by former Gov. Nathan Deal in 2018 and won a full term in 2020.
Farmers impacted by Hurricane Helene can apply for relief starting March 16 through Georgia’s $531 million block grant program, covering losses not addressed by federal aid.
At the Capitol, the Georgia Senate failed to vote on a bill meant to shield consumers from costs tied to data center energy infrastructure after key residential protections were removed.
In Gwinnett County, former physician Dr. Candace Richardson is using holistic wellness and a “Sneaker Spirit Squad” attendance program to support students at an alternative school.
A proposed Georgia Senate bill would give the attorney general exclusive authority to file PFAS pollution lawsuits, potentially blocking local governments from pursuing their own cases.
Internationally, Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi says the reported death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could open a path for change, though he says he is not seeking office.
And U.S. Sen. John Ossoff, launching his reelection campaign, criticized President Donald Trump’s military actions in Iran and says he will support a War Powers Resolution requiring congressional approval for further strikes.
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Over the weekend, U.S. and Israeli forces launched major strikes on Iran, targeting Revolutionary Guard sites, missile facilities and air defenses. Iranian state media reports Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, though independent confirmation remains limited. President Donald Trump called the operation historic and urged Iranians to “take over” their government. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones across the region, reportedly striking U.S. military sites, including damage near the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. As Congress prepares possible votes on war powers resolutions, protests have erupted in Georgia, including in Augusta, where demonstrators say lawmakers — not the president alone — should authorize military action.
At the Capitol, Georgia Democrats have introduced legislation to protect public school students from punishment for participating in protests. Senate Bill 479 and House Bill 1239 would allow excused absences for civic engagement, following reports that some students were disciplined for protesting federal immigration enforcement.
In Stone Mountain, one mother says Georgia’s housing crisis has forced her family to move more than two dozen times, highlighting the strain of rising rents. Meanwhile, Fulton County hosted its 19th annual Black History Film Festival, awarding scholarships and spotlighting Black storytelling as both culture and economic driver.
And in energy news, the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $26.5 billion in loans to Georgia Power and Alabama Power — subsidiaries of Atlanta-based Southern Company — to modernize the grid amid growing demand from data centers. Georgia Power is set to receive $22.5 billion, with officials claiming long-term customer savings.
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