Gov. Brian Kemp and GOP state leaders made it clear at the beginning of this year’s legislative session that they want to focus on mostly noncontroversial economic, public safety and education issues. But events in the Capitol Tuesday showed some Republican lawmakers have other ideas.
First, the state Senate voted to honor U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with a statue on the statehouse grounds over fierce Democratic objections.
The chamber then formally praised ex-U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s Greater Georgia GOP conservative voter mobilization group, which brought earlier objections from Democrats, too.
And late in the day, a GOP-backed bill resurfaced the contentious “religious liberty” debate that shaped so many past legislative sessions, including a veto from then-Gov. Nathan Deal.
Republicans have also introduced measures to block schools from requiring coronavirus vaccines, restrict surgeries for transgender youth, impose mandatory minimum prison sentences, and ban homeless camps.
Other proposals aim to limit some foreign nationals from buying agricultural land and make it easier to depose local district attorneys who aren’t prosecuting laws passed by the General Assembly.
And a new effort to prohibit classroom discussions about sex and gender could roil the Legislature.
Credit: Steve Schaefer/AJC
Credit: Steve Schaefer/AJC
Conservatives frame the flood of proposals — some of which will not get a committee vote, let alone reach Kemp’s desk — as a reaction to liberal policies in Washington.
“Nothing has been muted about the left’s culture war,” said Cole Muzio, the head of the conservative Frontline Policy Council.
“They’ve gone after freedom, imposed their will on businesses, attacked faith and indoctrinated our children. No more. Conservatives are pressing the unmute button on our side. It’s time to stand up for what’s right.”
Despite Kemp and other Republican leaders’ pledges to pursue more consensus-driven legislation, we’ll soon find out if the session takes a different course.
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LISTEN UP. The midweek edition of the Politically Georgia podcast is ready in your feeds. We’re looking at those controversial measures under the Gold Dome and the latest on the 2024 race for president, complete with Greg calling in from his car in Charleston ahead of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s campaign kickoff there today.
Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher.
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Credit: Taylor Glascock/The New York Times
Credit: Taylor Glascock/The New York Times
OFF TO THE RACES. Speaking of Nikki Haley, the 2024 presidential race became a real contest Tuesday with her announcement she’ll run for the GOP nomination for the White House.
Haley is a two-term South Carolina governor, but her path to the nomination runs directly through Georgia. She’s been a frequent surrogate for Georgia Republicans for years.
“I always keep one eye on Georgia as I want to make sure things are going well,” she told voters at a rally for Herschel Walker in September.
Greg is on the ground in Charleston today for Haley’s campaign launch, so check back on AJC.com for updates.
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
UNDER THE GOLD DOME, Legislative Day 19:
- 8 a.m.: Committee hearings begin;
- 10 a.m.: The House gavels in;
- 10 a.m.: The Senate convenes.
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Credit: Alyssa Pointer/AJC
Credit: Alyssa Pointer/AJC
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES:
- House Speaker Jon Burns put his support behind a measure establishing minimum standards for rental properties, including a requirement they be “fit for human habitation.” State Rep. Kasey Carpenter introduced the Safe at Home Act after the AJC’s 18-month ”Dangerous Dwellings” investigation.
- The state Senate passed Senate Bill 65 to allow the state of Georgia to takeover the federally operated HealthCare.gov health insurance exchange created by the Affordable Care Act. The bill was a part of Gov. Brian Kemp’s priorities and passed 32 to 19.
- State Sen. Ed Setzler, R-Acworth, introduced the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to limit the state’s ability to pass or enforce laws that conflict with a person’s religious beliefs. The bill mirrors federal language, so has a better chance of passing given Kemp’s objections to previous RFRA bills.
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
STATUE STANDOFF. The measure to install a statue of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on state Capitol grounds was approved again by the state Senate Tuesday by a party-line vote of 32-20, but not after some internal drama.
The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Ben Watson, the Savannah Republican who includes Justice Thomas’ mother as a patient in his physician practice. Thomas grew up in nearby Pin Point.
Although Watson said Justice Thomas is more than worthy of the honor for his accomplishments so far, state Sen. Nikki Merritt, D-Grayson, said history has not yet judged Thomas. And his wife, Ginni Thomas’ connection to election deniers in 2020 does not bode well for the couple’s legacy.
“This is not the kind of shame that should be enshrined on Capitol grounds,” she said.
Democrats originally proposed an amendment that would also require a statue of the late civil rights icon John Lewis on the statehouse grounds — and, to some surprise, Republicans signaled they were willing to go along with the idea.
After some discussion, Democrats abruptly withdrew the amendment before it could be voted on.
Why? Had it been approved, as seemed likely, Democrats would have had to choose between two tough options: Vote against the Lewis monument or for the Thomas statue.
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PARTY RE-BUILDING. The competition to succeed outgoing Georgia GOP chair David Shafer is entering a new phase, as one of the top contenders released a detailed blueprint to rebuild trust in the institution now that the incumbent is stepping aside.
Rebecca Yardley, the 9th District GOP chair, put out a 100-day plan Wednesday that includes a pledge to send out weekly newsletters and monthly calls with county leaders.
She plans to hold votes on key financial decisions, including moves to audit the party’s finances, raise expenses or slash costs. And she vowed to raise about $500,000 to help fund the group’s operations.
Yardley said she’d build out the party’s staff to hire a political director, a communications expert and a county chair liaison to engage voters of color, organize more counties and develop a clearer message. She also called for a rebranding to deliver a more unified message.
“We’ve got to build relationships across the board,” said Yardley. “It’s not just with our elected officials. It’s with our donor base. It’s with our grassroots. We’ve got to bridge the gap to unite our party so that it can move forward.”
Yardley faces at least one rival to succeed Shafer, who announced last week he won’t seek a third term amid a spree of issues. State Sen. Josh McKoon, who was endorsed by Shafer, is also in the running.
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WHAT ELSE WE’RE READING.
- Rome News Tribune: After months of questions, Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s office in Rome quietly closes.
- Trouble in God’s Country: Charlie Hayslett’s details his astonishing finding that 3.2 million Georgians live in the bottom quartile of national per capita income, the most of any state besides Texas.
- Marietta Daily Journal: A local activist calls a home rule bill from state Sen. Ed Setzler, R-Acworth, “like using a chainsaw for brain surgery.” It’s part of an ongoing battle in Cobb over local district lines and who should draw them.
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Credit: Brittainy Newman/The New York Times
Credit: Brittainy Newman/The New York Times
PLENTY OF PLUG-INS. The Biden administration today will announce new domestic manufacturing standards for federally-funded electric vehicle chargers. It’s part of a package of measures to expand the country’s network of charging stations.
The AJC’s Drew Kann and Zachary Hansen report that the ultimate goal is to encourage more consumers to buy electric vehicles, including EVs soon to be made in Georgia.
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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden speaks on his plan to reduce the federal deficit.
- The U.S. Senate is voting on more judicial nominees.
- The House is out for two weeks.
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VIP VISIT. Look for Wally Adeyemo, the deputy secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department, to travel to Atlanta later this week to highlight the Biden Administration’s economic agenda, including community development and COVID recovery initiatives.
His stops, timed to coincide with Black History Month, will also highlight various federal investments being put to use in Black communities.
Adeyemo and Isabella Casillas Guzman, the head of the Small Business Administration, will visit Spelman College and the APEX Museum, the oldest Black History Museum in Atlanta and recipient of an SBA Shuttered Venue grant. He’ll also tour local affordable housing developments and participate in a roundtable discussion on investment in Black communities, sponsored by the Black Economic Alliance.
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Credit: Dreamstime/TNS
Credit: Dreamstime/TNS
CALLING ALL DOGS. Jolt Nation, we’re excited to tell you about a new daily feature in the newsletter that we need your help with.
Starting next week, we’ll be bringing you the Jolt Dog of the Day, the pooch belonging to any politically adjacent Georgian, including Jolt readers, to include each morning. Send us your pups of any political persuasion (and cats on a case-by-case basis) to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us on Twitter @MurphyAJC.
We’ve loved meeting your grand old pooches, ruff-ertarians, and a progressive pup named “Ruth Bassett Ginsburg.”
Keep them coming! You’ll start meeting your fellow Jolt readers’ politi-pups next week.
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AS ALWAYS, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.
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