As Georgia students prepare to head back to school, new safety measures are top of mind. This episode of Lawmakers Huddle examines SB 17, a law that requires mobile panic buttons and real-time mapping in schools to aid first responders. Host Donna Lowry speaks with Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte about the law’s origins, its impact, and the continued push to protect students and staff across the state.
A new Georgia law now allows trucks to carry up to 88,000 pounds on non-interstate roads, a move aimed at supporting the state's top industry, agriculture, while maintaining a carve-out for metro Atlanta. Representative Leesa Hagan explains the bipartisan effort behind the change and shares how a young hunter helped inspire a new law allowing neon pink safety gear in the field.
A new Georgia law gives the state’s Department of Transportation the power to regulate electric air taxis, positioning Georgia as a national leader in air mobility and autonomous transportation. In this episode of Lawmakers Huddle , Chairman Todd Jones explains how eVTOL aircraft, vertiports, and drone deliveries are quickly turning the Jetsons’ vision into Georgia’s reality.
Georgia Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones II reflects on the rise in political violence following a deadly shooting targeting Minnesota lawmakers. He emphasizes the need for respectful discourse, better security coordination for elected officials, and a cultural shift away from demonizing political opponents.
Georgia lawmakers may only be in session for 40 days, but the work of governing continues year-round. In this episode, we look at how study committees, constituent meetings, and behind-the-scenes research shape the laws that get introduced each January.
This episode features a conversation with two Athens lawmakers who share opposing views on immigration policy and the sanctuary jurisdiction label. They discuss the impact of recent legislation, local law enforcement cooperation with federal authorities, and proposals for immigration reform in Georgia.
This week on Lawmakers Huddle: Immigration laws have come under increased scrutiny with the arrest and detention by ICE of a 19-year-old college student in Dalton. Donna Lowry spoke with Republican State Representative Kasey Carpenter to discuss his interest in immigration reform.
This episode explores how delays in Georgia’s professional licensing system have kept qualified workers from entering the state’s workforce. New laws taking effect on July 1 aim to streamline the process, helping professionals such as nurses, therapists, and accountants get to work more efficiently.
This episode features two bipartisan bills aimed at protecting vulnerable Georgians. Lawmakers passed new legislation to support survivors of domestic violence during sentencing and to crack down on the unregulated roadside sale of pets.
More than 50 policymakers gathered in Atlanta for the New Deal Forum Idea Summit, focusing on effective governance and leadership development. Georgia lawmakers emphasized the importance of collaboration on key issues, such as healthcare, economic security, and housing, to enhance lives across the state.
Donna Lowry explores the history and legacy of Warm Springs, Georgia—a place of healing for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and a catalyst for modern rehabilitative care. Lawmakers discuss recent efforts to restore its therapeutic pools and reflect on the state's role in the fight against polio.
This week on Lawmakers Huddle , host Donna Lowry recaps the end of Georgia’s 2025 legislative session and explores concerns over the state budget and potential federal funding cuts. The episode also features the swearing-in of Barbara Rivera-Holmes as Georgia’s first female labor commissioner.
As Sine Die arrives, legislators face a packed agenda—including the 2026 state budget—after late-night sessions and surprise protests. From a heated debate over gender-affirming care in prisons to election law changes and efforts to ban DEI programs in schools, tensions run high. Plus, the team celebrates a milestone for longtime GPB photojournalist Wesley Nichols.
Georgia’s legislative session is wrapping up, but not without a few surprises. GPB’s Donna Lowry and Pamela Kirkland break down the unexpected last-minute salary raises for top state officials, a revived push to ban DEI policies in schools, and bipartisan support for protecting IVF. Plus, a longtime state senator gets a big new role in Washington.
With just weeks left in Georgia’s legislative session, lawmakers are racing to pass key bills, including Gov. Kemp’s tort reform effort, which faced strong opposition but narrowly advanced. Budget debates continue, with the Senate prioritizing scholarships for private schooling while the House focuses on public school funding, setting up a showdown before the session ends on April 4.
This week GPB’s Pamela Kirkland and Lawmakers host Donna Lowry break down the latest action under the Gold Dome as lawmakers push through key bills in committee, including tort reform, education funding, and prison staffing. With the session winding down, they also highlight a surprising change to hunting gear regulations and preview the debates still to come.
This week GPB’s Pamela Kirkland and Lawmakers host Donna Lowry break down the latest action under the Gold Dome as lawmakers push through key bills in committee, including tort reform, education funding, and prison staffing. With the session winding down, they also highlight a surprising change to hunting gear regulations and preview the debates still to come.
Georgia lawmakers worked late into the night on Crossover Day, passing a record-breaking 75 bills in the House, including income tax cuts and school safety measures, while the Senate approved similar safety bills but failed to pass legislation on sports betting, DEI bans, and firearms safety.
With Crossover Day approaching, Georgia lawmakers are racing to pass key legislation. Lawmakers host Donna Lowry helps to break down where things stand on the state budget, a bill restricting transgender athletes in female sports, and a bipartisan measure expanding access to in vitro fertilization. Plus, a look ahead at what’s still on the table before the deadline.
With Crossover Day fast approaching, Georgia lawmakers are racing to move key legislation forward. From tax relief for farmers to child care tax credits and tort reform, GPB's Pamela Kirkland and Lawmakers host Donna Lowry break down the major bills making their way through the General Assembly.
With the legislative session nearing its midpoint, Georgia lawmakers are moving forward on a range of key issues — from voting legislation to school safety and protections for in vitro fertilization (IVF). GPB’s Pamela Kirkland catches up with Lawmakers host Donna Lowry to get up to speed on the flurry of activity happening under the Gold Dome.
This week, the Georgia General Assembly passed its first bills of the session, including an amended budget to fund hurricane relief, prison upgrades, and school safety measures. Meanwhile, the Senate advanced a controversial ban on transgender athletes, and Democrats pushed to put abortion rights on the ballot.
As the Georgia General Assembly wraps up its third week, lawmakers are tackling a packed agenda — making up for delays caused by wintry weather. In this week's Lawmaker Huddle , GPB's Pamela Kirkland spoke with Lawmakers host Donna Lowry about the latest updates from the Gold Dome.
This week, the Georgia General Assembly was pretty quiet. This is budget week, but even with a light week, we're staying on top of what our legislators have been up to. Donna Lowry, host of GPB's Lawmakers , joins for this week's Lawmaker Huddle.
In our first Lawmakers Huddle, Lawmakers host Donna Lowry joins GPB's Devon Zwald to discuss what happened during the first week of the 2025 legislative session and what lawmakers will prioritize.
A GPB special program looking back at the life and legacy of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, highlighting his accomplishments, relationships, and enduring impact. In this episode, you'll hear about his environmental conservation efforts, close relationship with his wife Rosalynn, lifelong passion for music, and lasting influence on American politics and culture.
A GPB special program looking back at the life and legacy of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, focusing on his work through the Carter Center to promote human rights, conflict resolution, and the eradication of preventable diseases worldwide. Plus, his role in establishing Georgia's film industry and the impact of his presidency and post-presidency on the state and the nation.
LISTEN: Later this month, a courtroom in Atlanta is expected to host the first trial in the Georgia election interference case that includes former President Donald Trump and 18 others who advanced his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential race. But it’s possible that the defendants might take plea deals to avoid a lengthy trial.
LISTEN: Former President Donald Trump’s Georgia indictment has spurred varied responses from Republicans both inside and outside the state. This week, we look at how the indictments are deepening the Republican rift between Trump’s biggest supporters and the rest of the GOP.
LISTEN: On this episode, we talk with Georgia State University law professor Anthony Michael Kreis about Mark Meadows’ federal court hearing and the slew of motions that mark the latest maneuverings within the election interference case.
