Georgia Republicans unleash late push to resurrect old fights

Let us count the ways old fights over conservative wish list items are being resurrected leading up to the final week of the legislative session.

A Republican-backed push to pass a long-simmering “religious liberty” bill — which opponents fear would sanction discrimination — seems back on a fast track after a House committee cleared the legislation. The debate over the bill has raged for more than a decade, but GOP sponsors say this is the year it could pass.

Another House committee held a hearing on a bill that would ban all abortions in Georgia and allow prosecutors to charge women who get them with homicide. The bill won’t become law this year, but the hearing mobilized hundreds of supporters and opponents.

The Senate is considering a last-minute GOP effort to enshrine a number of rules changes that allies of Donald Trump on the State Election Board tried to make last year before they were blocked by the courts.

Even a feel-good bill honoring cornbread and Brunswick stew has turned contentious after GOP lawmakers added a provision that would limit state agencies from contracting with Chinese government-owned businesses.

Hunker down, folks. We’re headed toward the final act of a session where nothing — not even cornbread — is sacred.

Things to know

We’re eight days away from Sine Die, the final day of the legislative session. Here are four things to know for today:

Helping Uber

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

State lawmakers appear likely to give Uber and Lyft a break on their insurance premiums.

The Senate Transportation Committee advanced a bill on Wednesday that would exempt ride-hailing companies from certain liability lawsuits.

State Rep. Rob Leverett, R-Elberton, says companies like Uber are already protected from these types of liability lawsuits because under Georgia law drivers are considered independent contractors.

But that hasn’t stopped people from suing. While none of those lawsuits have been successful, Uber says the mere possibility of losing a lawsuit keeps their insurance premiums high, which the company then passes on to its customers.

Michele Blackwell, senior public policy manager for Uber, told lawmakers up to 25% of the cost of a ride in Georgia is because of insurance expenses.

“We’re trying to lower costs here to make rides affordable for Georgians,” she said.

The taxi and limousine industries asked for the same protections, but Leverett rejected a proposed amendment because he said it would topple delicate negotiations from various unnamed parties who have so far stayed neutral.

“It would kill my bill, and I’d like to get it passed,” he said.

Death penalty

Credit: David Goldman/AP

Credit: David Goldman/AP

It looks like a bill that would make it easier for people with intellectual disabilities to avoid the death penalty might make it through the state Senate after some late amendments.

The House unanimously passed the bill earlier this month. There was a danger it could stall in the Senate. But instead of blocking the bill, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday changed it so it would take effect sooner should it become law.

“Everyone seemed to really like this policy,” said state Sen. Brian Strickland, R-McDonough.

The U.S. Supreme Court already bans states from executing people with intellectual disabilities. But Georgia law makes it nearly impossible to prove someone is disabled, as the AJC’s Shaddi Abusaid has reported.

State Rep. Bill Werkheiser, R-Glennville, has been trying to change that law for three years. His bill would lower the standard of proof, putting Georgia in line with 26 other states. It would also let a judge make that decision instead of a jury.

Other amendments on Wednesday included making sure attorneys have access to evidence before a judge makes a decision about a disability. And it gives the option for a sentence of life without parole.

Out of the 90 or so death penalty cases filed in Georgia in the past decade, 10 of the defendants claimed an intellectual disability, according to Michael Admirand, senior attorney for the Southern Center for Human Rights.

EV bullishness

Credit: Mike Stewart/AP

Credit: Mike Stewart/AP

Hyundai announced Wednesday it will increase production at its electric vehicle factory near Savannah, pledging to produce 500,000 EVs a year instead of 300,000 and add 5,500 more jobs.

The announcement from the South Korean automaker comes as President Donald Trump has threatened to renege on a $7,500 EV tax credit and impose tariffs on foreign-sourced goods and automobiles.

But as our Savannah bureau chief Adam Van Brimmer notes, company executives had nothing but praise for the Trump administration during Wednesday’s ceremonial grand opening of its Georgia factory in Ellabell. So did Cho Hyun-dong, South Korea’s ambassador to the United States.

“As American manufacturing continues to evolve under President Trump’s leadership, Korean investments are going to be a vital and transformative part of America’s industrial future,” the ambassador said.

Wednesday’s celebration focused on Hyundai’s new plant, located along I-16 about 20 miles west of Savannah, but company executives emphasized Hyundai’s long-standing relationship with Georgia, which dates to the 2009 opening of a Kia factory in West Point.

The governor who led the effort to land that auto plant, Sonny Perdue, attended the event in his capacity as chancellor of the University System of Georgia and received a standing ovation. Several other Georgia leaders, including Gov. Brian Kemp, were also on hand.

Under the Gold Dome

Credit: Adam Beam/AJC

Credit: Adam Beam/AJC

It’s the 36th day of the legislative session. Some of today’s happenings:

Listen up

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Today on “Politically Georgia,” AJC contributor Geoff Duncan weighs in on the Trump administration’s Signal scandal and Gov. Brian Kemp’s litigation overhaul. Duncan is a former lieutenant governor of Georgia.

You can listen and subscribe to the show for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Overdraft cap

Credit: Mike Stewart/AP

Credit: Mike Stewart/AP

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote today on whether to overturn rules that limit bank overdraft fees to $5.

The rule, approved during former Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration, is set to take effect later this year. The banking industry opposes it, the AJC’s Mirtha Donastorg writes. But consumer groups and Georgia Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, who championed the effort, are sounding the alarm.

Warnock has long argued that overdraft fees are financially lucrative for banks while keeping the poorest customers saddled in debt.

Bank advocates told Donastorg that if overdraft fees are capped, some banks might discontinue overdraft protections. That could cause customers to turn to costly payday loans or check-cashing services to make ends meet, they said.

Today in Washington

DeJoy out

Credit: Jose Luis Magana/AP

Credit: Jose Luis Magana/AP

Roughly a month after notifying the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors that it should begin searching for his successor, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has resigned from the job. He announced on Monday that it would be his last day.

DeJoy’s resignation statement said that the board has started a hiring search. The interim postmaster general is Doug Tulino, whom DeJoy made deputy postmaster in 2021. Prior to that, Tulino was vice president of labor relations and chief human resources officer for the agency.

DeJoy did not say why he decided to leave so abruptly and after indicating in his original announcement that he would stick around to help his successor.

Ambassadors-in-waiting

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Former Georgia U.S. Sen. David Perdue is still waiting to be confirmed by the Senate after President Donald Trump nominated him as ambassador to China.

Perdue was among a group of 20 ambassadors and ambassadors-in-waiting who met with Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

The Senate has focused on confirming Cabinet and other top government officials, meaning most ambassador nominees have not even received committee hearings. Another Georgian, Herschel Walker, is waiting to be confirmed as ambassador to the Bahamas.

Shoutouts

Credit: Bob Andres/AJC

Credit: Bob Andres/AJC

Today’s birthday:

Want a birthday shoutout in the Politically Georgia newsletter? There’s a form for that! Click here to submit the shoutouts. It’s not just birthdays. We’re also interested in new jobs, engagements, birth announcements, etc.

One more thing

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

The South Fulton City Council voted to garnish the wages of Mayor khalid kamau, who does not capitalize his first or last name, after he spent more than $5,000 of public money to install a vinyl map of the world in the mayoral suite at City Hall.

That’ll do it for us today. As always, you can send your best scoops, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.