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  • Georgia lawmakers propose bills to protect people with disabilities during police encounters

    Georgia lawmakers propose bills to protect people with disabilities during police encounters

    Georgia lawmakers propose bills to protect people with disabilities during police encounters

    Georgia lawmakers held a news conference Wednesday to introduce two pieces of legislation that aim to protect people with mental or physical disabilities.

    State Sen. Donzella James, D-Atlanta, introduced Senate Bill 419, or “Eric’s ID Law,” which would allow people with physical or mental disabilities that are not immediately obvious or visible to request a symbol to go on the front of their driver’s licenses to alert law enforcement during an encounter.

    Linda Carpenter-Grantham said she was explaining to her son, Eric, how to interact with the police because he is on the autism spectrum. He started crying.

    “He said, ‘Mom, I could do that, but the police might shoot my friends that have autism and other disabilities because we’re all different on the spectrum,’” she said.

    Linda and Eric came up with Eric’s Law in Maryland in 2023 to address issues surrounding hidden disabilities and the police. The law was passed in Maryland last year and drafts of the bill have also been introduced in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

    The symbol on the driver’s license aims to help alert police officers that the person they are dealing with has a hidden disability and might respond differently to stressful situations.

    At a joint appropriations committee hearing on Jan. 22, Sen. James asked Department of Public Safety Commissioner Billy Hitchens if the legislation would help them do their job.

    “Anytime we have more information going up there would help us understand why a person may be acting the way they are,” he said. “In our situation, more information is usually better.”

    Although Hitchens acknowledged that sometimes people do not want to hand over their license, he said any attempt to give the officers more information about the individual they are pulling over would help them better assess the situation.

    Another piece of legislation that was highlighted on Wednesday was House Bill 465, or the Autism Missing Person Alert System Act. The bill would establish a rapid alert system for missing individuals with autism. It was passed in the House in the 2025 Legislative Session and is awaiting consideration in the Senate.

  • Advocates rally at Capitol for bill to curb high-speed police chases

    Advocates rally at Capitol for bill to curb high-speed police chases

    Advocates rally at Capitol for bill to curb high-speed police chases

    A suspect ran from law enforcement officers. After a police pursuit, the suspect crashed his vehicle. David Johnson’s uncle was an innocent bystander who suffered injuries due to the crash.

    “I don’t want that to happen to anybody else’s family because that’s truly traumatizing and just really painful,” Johnson said.

    Johnson, a student at Savannah State University, stood with other students and advocates of the Daren Lewis Saving Lives Act on the South Wing steps at the Georgia Capitol Wednesday to promote the legislation.

    The legislation is named after a 60-year-old man who was killed when a person fleeing the police crashed into his vehicle.

    “My husband was simply going to a dentist appointment,” Kathy Lewis, Lewis’s wife, said at the news conference. “I’ve lost my husband, but we can save other lives.”

    State Rep. Carl Gilliard, D-Savannah, and state Sen. Donzella James, D-Atlanta, held the press conference Wednesday to introduce the legislation along with other public safety measures.

    The bill, also known as House Bill 1011, will need to pass a committee hearing before heading to the General Assembly. The law aims to reduce fatalities and injuries from high-speed pursuits in residential areas through written policies and training for law officers.

    The Atlanta Journal-Constitution did an extensive investigation in 2024 into the police pursuit policies of the Georgia State Patrol and found that bystanders or passengers were the most often harmed during pursuits by GSP.

    “I think this is truly important because we see everyday police pursuits, we hear about it, and we might not be affected by it directly, but we know somebody who has been affected by it, whether it’s an innocent civilian, a bystander, anything in that nature,” Johnson said.

  • Home Depot to lay off nearly 800 employees at Atlanta support center

    Home Depot to lay off nearly 800 employees at Atlanta support center

    Home Depot to lay off nearly 800 employees at Atlanta support center

    Home Depot says it will lay off roughly 800 employees who work at its Atlanta store support center as part of a broader effort to streamline corporate operations.

    The Atlanta-based retailer confirmed the layoffs this week, saying the move is intended to simplify its internal structure and better support stores and customers. As part of the change, Home Depot will also require corporate employees to work in the office five days a week, ending more flexible remote and hybrid arrangements.

    A company spokesperson said the shift is aimed at improving collaboration and strengthening connections between corporate staff and frontline store associates.

    “This was a difficult decision,” the spokesperson said, adding that affected employees will receive separation packages, transitional benefits and job placement assistance.

    The layoffs follow a challenging stretch for the company. In November, Home Depot reported missing profit expectations for a third straight quarter, citing weaker demand tied to fewer major storms and ongoing consumer uncertainty.

    Chief Executive Officer Ted Decker said at the time that an anticipated seasonal boost in home improvement spending did not materialize, with pressure from housing market conditions weighing on consumer demand. Still, the company noted that sales at stores open at least a year posted modest gains.

    Home Depot is the second major metro Atlanta-based company to announce significant workforce reductions this week. On Tuesday, United Parcel Service said it plans to cut up to 30,000 jobs nationwide in 2026 as part of its own cost-cutting strategy.

  • Speaker Burns proposes major overhaul of Georgia property taxes

    Speaker Burns proposes major overhaul of Georgia property taxes

    Speaker Burns proposes major overhaul of Georgia property taxes

    Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns made an impromptu announcement Wednesday to introduce a bill that would eliminate property taxes for Georgia homesteads.

    “Property tax rates have skyrocketed far beyond what most Georgians can reasonably afford or be expected to pay, placing an unfair and unsustainable financial burden on countless homeowners throughout the state,” Burns said.

    If passed, the Georgia Home Ownership and Market Equalization, or HOME, Act would eliminate property taxes on homesteads by 2032 and maintain current property tax exemptions.

    “We look forward to giving Georgians stability in their own homes, and keeping this bedrock of the American Dream within reach for generations to come,” Burns said.

    The move would eliminate more than $5 billion in annual revenue for schools and local governments across the state, according to the Association County Commissioners of Georgia.

    Georgia voters approved a statewide homestead tax exemption in 2024, but many school districts and local governments opted out of the exemption over concerns of a loss in revenue.

    The Georgia HOME Act would require a constitutional amendment and a two-thirds majority vote of the Legislature, which means some Democrats would have to get on board.

    “Always my main concern when talking about property tax relief is how do schools submit their funding. As a teacher, we know that our schools are already underfunded,” state Rep. Bryce Berry, D-Atlanta, told Georgia Public Broadcasting. “They’re historically underfunded because we have yet to update our QBE formula taken for account poverty weights that our state needs. And so I know APS, Fulton County, those are larger systems that will probably have the money — likely have the money, maybe. But our rural districts that would get absolutely decimated by things like sometimes.”

  • FBI searches Fulton County elections hub for records tied to 2020 election

    FBI searches Fulton County elections hub for records tied to 2020 election

    FBI searches Fulton County elections hub for records tied to 2020 election

    Federal agents executed a court-authorized search Tuesday at the Fulton County Elections Hub & Operations Center. The elections hub opened in 2023 and serves as a central storage site for voting equipment, records,and county office spaces.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed agents were carrying out a lawful enforcement action at the facility on Campbellton Fairburn Road in Union City. Agents wearing tactical vests were seen entering and exiting the building throughout the day. The FBI declined to provide details, saying only that the investigation is ongoing. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it is not involved.

    County officials and local lawmakers criticized the search during a press conference later in the day. Fulton County Councilwoman Mo Ivory called the action a “scare tactic” and an “assault on voters.” Councilman Marvin S. Arrington said a judge had previously ordered the ballots sealed and that earlier efforts to unseal them through civil litigation had failed. He said the FBI is now using a criminal search warrant to access the records.

    Arrington called the raid a “full-frontal attack on democracy” and “retribution” by President Trump.

    State Rep. Saira Draper said multiple audits and independent reviews have found no evidence of voter fraud in Fulton County’s handling of the 2020 election.

    “Fulton County is being targeted because it is the largest county in Georgia and it is the home of Atlanta,” Draper said. “So, this doesn’t pass the smell test.”

    The search comes amid continued national scrutiny of Georgia’s 2020 election results. Donald Trump has repeatedly challenged the outcome in Georgia, a state he narrowly lost. Federal litigation over access to Fulton County election records remains ongoing.

    U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff criticized the search in a statement.

    “After losing Georgia in 2020, Donald Trump demanded state officials ‘find’ votes to change the outcome, tried to use DOJ to overturn it, and spread conspiracy theories that led to the Jan. 6 sacking of the U.S. Capitol,” Ossoff said. “I suspect today’s raid is a continuation of this sore loser’s crusade, despite repeated audits and independent reviews confirming that Donald Trump was indeed defeated.”

    Fulton County officials said they are consulting with legal counsel to determine their next steps as the investigation continues.

  • UPS plans to cut up to 30,000 jobs amid cost-cutting push involving Amazon

    UPS plans to cut up to 30,000 jobs amid cost-cutting push involving Amazon

    UPS plans to cut up to 30,000 jobs amid cost-cutting push involving Amazon

    United Parcel Service says it plans to reduce its workforce by as many as 30,000 jobs this year as part of a broader effort to cut costs and streamline operations.

    During a company earnings call Tuesday, UPS Chief Financial Officer Brian Dykes said the reductions will focus on operational roles and are expected to be carried out primarily through attrition. He added the company plans to offer a second voluntary separation program for full-time drivers.

    Dykes also outlined additional cost-saving measures, including plans to close about two dozen facilities in the first half of 2026 and expand the use of automation across UPS’s delivery network.

    The Atlanta-based company employs about 490,000 workers worldwide.

    The job cuts accelerate UPS’s ongoing consolidation strategy, which has been driven in part by its decision to scale back deliveries for Amazon. In 2025, UPS announced a goal of reducing Amazon-related package volume by 50% by the second half of 2026.

    UPS Chief Executive Officer Carol Tomé said the company saved $3.5 billion last year through consolidation and efficiency efforts. The company had previously announced plans to cut 20,000 jobs in April 2025 as it handled fewer Amazon orders.

    Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

  • An ‘anxious generation’ & screen time: Sen. Rashaun Kemp comes to the table

    An ‘anxious generation’ & screen time: Sen. Rashaun Kemp comes to the table

    Hosts Caroline Welles and Debra Shigley welcome State Senator (and father of two) Rashaun Kemp to their virtual kitchen table for a conversation on a topic on most parents’ minds: phones, tablets .. SCREEN TIME.

    Hear how the Georgia legislature and school officials are combatting devices to win the attention and minds of ‘The Anxious Generation.’

  • Georgia State Patrol recruitment strained as ICE lures candidates, official says

    Georgia State Patrol recruitment strained as ICE lures candidates, official says

    Georgia State Patrol recruitment strained as ICE lures candidates, official says

    A top public safety official told state lawmakers last week that recruitment in law enforcement faces challenges from local and federal competitors.

    Department of Public Safety Commissioner Billy Hitchens told lawmakers that the Georgia State Patrol’s goal of employing 1,000 troopers has partially been impacted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement poaching potential candidates. 

    ICE promises a $50,000 signing bonus while Georgia state troopers make a starting salary of $63,684 once they graduate from Trooper School.

    “It is important to point out that DPS is recruiting out of the same, shrinking employment pool as our local and federal partners. Some agencies like ICE pay a $50,000 signing bonus, and we have lost a few employees to ICE because of that,” Hitchens said.

    Hitchens highlighted pay increases as a reason the Georgia State Patrol has been able to recruit and retain troopers.

    The Georgia State Patrol has 864 troopers with an additional 80 in training.

    “We continue to have stringent standards to ensure we have the most qualified candidates. If you don’t meet those standards, our agency doesn’t want you in our ranks,” he said. “The reality is that our troopers and officers miss countless family gatherings, birthday celebrations and children’s events because they understand the magnitude of the oath they took to ensure public safety.”

  • Few Georgia schools opt in to EPA-funded lead testing for water pipes

    Few Georgia schools opt in to EPA-funded lead testing for water pipes

    Few Georgia schools opt in to EPA-funded lead testing for water pipes

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has offered to pay for schools and childcare facilities to test for lead in their pipes, but many schools in Georgia have been slow to accept the offer.

    Around 17% of public schools in Georgia have opted in for testing and about 3% of childcare facilities, according to RTI International. Compare that to North Carolina, which has had 78% of schools and 74% of childcare centers tested for lead.

    The difference: State law requires the testing in North Carolina.

    Despite low percentages of schools willing to complete lead tests, some districts in Georgia have jumped on board.

    Gwinnett County Public Schools, the largest school system in Georgia with nearly 180,000 students, decided to test every school with more than 14,000 individual fixtures, according to WABE.

    Patrick Burke, interim chief operations officer at the district, told WABE that the testing was logistically challenging, but they achieved the goal.

    “We had people coming in two, three in the morning sometimes, because we had to be here before our cafeteria started doing their work,” Burke said. “And it took quite a while to test a building, as you might imagine.”

    Some of the hesitation around conducting the testing comes from concerns about costs to replace infrastructure and potential outcry from the public if lead is found, according to WABE.

    “Not knowing whether there’s lead in your drinking water or not does not mean that it’s not actually there,” said Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, who leads the environmental health and water quality team at RTI International. “I think our data have shown that it is pretty commonly found.”

  • Ossoff probes plan to convert Social Circle warehouse into ICE detention center

    Ossoff probes plan to convert Social Circle warehouse into ICE detention center

    Ossoff probes plan to convert Social Circle warehouse into ICE detention center

    U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff launched an inquiry last week into alleged plans to convert a warehouse in Social Circle into an immigration detention center.

    Ossoff sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stating that local residents and officials have expressed strong opposition to the reported proposal.

    “A proposed ICE detention facility is not right for Social Circle, and the City of Social Circle does not support it. We are urging the Administration to abandon this plan, which risks overwhelming the City’s resources and more than tripling its population,”Ossoff and Social Circle Mayor David Keener said in a joint statement.

    Social Circle has a population of about 5,000 people, and the reported warehouses would hold between 5,000 to 10,000 immigrant detainees, according to the statement.

    Social Circle City Manager Eric Taylor told Georgia Public Broadcasting the opposition to the warehouse is not political with around 75% of residents voting for Trump in 2024.

    “The frustration here is that they’re looking at a building that was not built for human habitation. This is not something, hands down, that the city can support,” he said.

    Ossoff said in his statement that city and county officials have received any clarification from ICE about the facility.

    “I urge the Department to carefully consider the significant concerns raised by Social Circle’s leaders and citizens regarding the proposed ICE facility. I further urge the Department to promptly engage the City’s leadership to ensure that its citizens receive critical information regarding the proposed facility and its potential impacts on their community,” Ossoff said in the statement.