Mar 14, 2019Under the Gold Dome: Day 32 mid day updatesProtections for confederate statues and the super controversial elections bill are on the move, while the hate crimes bill is rumored to face delays in the Senate. …Politics2 min readPolitics2 min read
Mar 14, 2019Under the Gold Dome: Crossover EditionUpdates from Crossover Day, with a promise to do more videos now that I’m not sick! Transcript: Hello everyone. This is Ari Bee, getting y’all back up to date with the state legislative session. Thanks for your patience as I battled off a nasty cold and a broken phone…Abortion5 min readAbortion5 min read
Mar 12, 2019House Committee Hearing on Abortion Ban, HB 481Update: This bill passed by a vote of 93 to 73 shortly before 11 PM on Thursday, March 7, crossover day. One day before a critical legislative deadline, HB 481 — which is effectively a total abortion ban — passed out of the Georgia House Health and Human Services committee…Abortion6 min readAbortion6 min read
Feb 28, 2019Under the Gold Dome: Day 23A review of new bills as of Wednesday, February 27, plus a few small items that moved (or didn’t). SB 15, Keeping Georgia’s Schools Safe Act passes in the Senate 47–8. The nays were all dems, but represents less than half of the Democratic caucus in the Senate. There were…Politics5 min readPolitics5 min read
Feb 27, 2019Under the Gold Dome: Day 22The big news: near party line votes on the Governor’s alternative to Medicaid Expansion in the Senate and the omnibus elections bill (including new voting tech) in the House. Advocacy groups are starting to rally their bases around issues spanning tenant protections, step therapy, and anti-abortion bills. I’ll touch on…Politics6 min readPolitics6 min read
Feb 26, 2019Under the Gold Dome: Day 21So much to process in one little ol’ day. Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) took to the well to defend his honor. Two committee chairs cut debate short on controversial issues (although only one took it to a vote, the other promised more hearings). …Politics9 min readPolitics9 min read
Feb 25, 2019Under the Gold Dome: Day 20Halfway done! A look ahead at the coming week, including some bills of interest getting hearings and upcoming lobby days, plus a bit of unfolding drama. A look at Day 20 — Friday, February, 22, 2019 — quiet as it was, and what the upcoming week has in store. As…Politics4 min readPolitics4 min read
Feb 22, 2019Under the Gold Dome: Day 19Omnibus election bill — which includes provisions for controversial new voting machines — passed out of subcommittee and full committee all in one day! It’s time to get caught up on new bills and resolutions. Plus, some other news for you radar. I’m not sure what more there is to…Politics8 min readPolitics8 min read
Feb 21, 2019Under the Gold Dome: Day 18I’m going to cheat a little today and include how the hearing on the omnibus voting bill — HB 316 — resolved from this morning’s (Day 19) subcommittee meeting. It’s also time to lift up bills that deserve more attention than they are getting and bills to not let slip…Politics9 min readPolitics9 min read
Feb 20, 2019Under the Gold Dome: Day 17Wow, okay where to start? The Medicaid expansion alternative bill was passed out of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee by a party line vote of nine to four. The election & voting reform beast of a bill had a hearing that went longer than my cold medicines could…Georgia6 min readGeorgia6 min read