Jan. 23, 2025 Georgia.gov
Staff reports that Gov. Kemp shared a copy of prepared remarks with the Joint Appropriations committee members to provide further context on his budget proposals currently before the legislature. Kemp also asked that Office of Planning and Budget director Rick Dunn be available to answer any questions committee members may have regarding the amended and fiscal year budgets.
Jan. 23, 2025 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Karen Kirkpatrick reports, Jan Lennon was named interim airport general manager at the world’s busiest airport by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens in May 2024. She has worked at Hartsfield-Jackson since 2002, most recently as deputy general manager of operations.
Jan. 23, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Greg Bluestein and Zachary Hansen report, President Donald Trump quickly put his stamp on federal government after his return to the White House this week with wide-ranging executive orders that are reshaping long-standing policies that have governed Georgia for generations. Trump moved immediately to begin dismantling former President Joe Biden’s sweeping climate change law, a multibillion-dollar package of green energy incentives that helped turn Georgia into an emerging electric vehicle manufacturing hub.
Jan. 23, 2025 Capitol Beat News
Dave Williams reports that Georgia’s unemployment rate held steady last month at 3.7%, four-tenths of a point lower than the national jobless rate, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday. The number of jobs rose by 9,900 in December to a record-high 4,994,900, just short of the 5 million mark.
Jan. 23, 2025 Georgia Recorder
Ross Williams reports, that the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia are both seeing significant increases in enrollment, agency heads said at a House budget meeting Thursday. Chancellor Sonny Perdue said last fall saw enrollment increases at all 26 USG institutions over 2023 for a total of 5.9% growth of just over 20,000 students.
Jan. 23, 2025 Gainesville Times
Ben Anderson reports that Hall County Schools has announced that it will open a mental health clinic next month in partnership with Brenau University and the district’s dual enrollment high school, the Howard E. Ivester Early College.
Jan. 23, 2025 Gwinnett Daily Post
Curt Yeomans reports that a new statewide floating homestead exemption is about to go into effect, but Gwinnett County’s school system, as well as several of its cities, don’t want any part of it. Under House Bill 581, which set up the exemption, school systems and local governments have the option of opting out of the exemption.
Jan. 23, 2025 Capitol Beat News
Dave Williams reports that Georgia energy regulators voted Thursday to put some guardrails around the proliferation of power-hungry data centers cropping up across the state. The state Public Service Commission (PSC) unanimously approved a rule that allows new large-load Georgia Power customers using more than 100 megawatts of electricity to be billed based on the risks associated with their projects.
Jan. 23, 2025 Marietta Daily Journal
Annie Mayne reports that Cobb County’s plan to address race bias found in its hiring practices has been shot down by a federal judge, who deemed the corrective measures themselves discriminatory. After launching an investigation in 2019, the federal government found hiring practices previously used to staff the Cobb County Fire Department discriminated against African-American applicants.
Jan. 23, 2025 WABE
Jess Mador reports that last year, state lawmakers loosened requirements for birthing centers. Atlanta Birth Center Cofounder and Midwife Director Anjli Hinmansays she’s cautiously optimistic that more Georgians could eventually see easier access to birthing centers that offer midwife care — care that was also easier to access in Atlanta before Wellstar’s Atlanta Medical Center abruptly shut down in 2022.
Jan. 23, 2025 Capitol Beat News
Dave Williams reports, a lawyer for the state of Georgia Thursday defended congressional and legislative maps the Republican-controlled General Assembly drew in 2023 in a lawsuit charging the new districts violate the Voting Rights Act. Georgians have elected Republican majorities in the state legislature and Georgia’s congressional delegation based on party affiliation rather than race, Georgia Solicitor General Stephen Petrany argued before the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
Jan. 23, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Greg Bluestein and Riley Bunch report, add former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to the list of prominent Georgia Democrats openly considering a run to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp, who cannot seek a third term in office. She told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday she’s seriously weighing a 2026 campaign for Georgia’s top job after serving three years as an adviser to President Joe Biden.
