ATLANTA (February 2, 2021) | In response to news of former Georgia gubernatorial candidate and house minority leader Stacey Abrams being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC) Chairwoman State Senator Tonya P. Anderson (D – Lithonia) issues the following statement:
“The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus is proud to hear one of our own, former house minority leader, 2018 gubernatorial candidate, and GLBC member Stacey Abrams has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Her effort to protect the Constitutional voting rights of all Americans has become a movement towards greater justice and equity, especially for communities whose voices continue to be attacked by pernicious policies committed to voter suppression and disenfranchisement.
Statement by the Chairwoman of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Sen. Tonya Anderson, on Anti-Voting Legislation Package Introduced in the Georgia Senate
ATLANTA (February 2, 2021) | In response to several voting bills introduced by members of the Georgia Senate, the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC) Chairwoman State Senator Tonya P. Anderson issues the following statement:
Continue reading “Statement by the Chairwoman of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Sen. Tonya Anderson, on Anti-Voting Legislation Package Introduced in the Georgia Senate”Update from the Capitol: The Start of Committee Meetings
By: Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry)
Last week, we began the monumental task of working to pass an amended FY ‘21 budget and a balanced budget for the 2022 fiscal term; a task that while routinely requires careful and meticulous deliberation, has taken on even more significance in the wake of COVID-19. The painstaking work we have ahead of ourselves, in terms of subcommittee meetings and prioritizing resources, will undoubtedly offer its challenges but we are eager to fulfil our constitutional duty in an as expeditious yet thoughtful approach as possible, in order to get it done before a possible a COVID-19 outbreak here at the Capitol shuts us down. During the first week of the legislative session, my colleagues and I took an oath to represent the people of this great state and to advocate for the needs of our constituents, in all that we do, and funding state government in a fiscally responsible manner is a duty that we take very seriously. I feel blessed to be able to serve as a voice for District 20 and to demonstrate my commitment to that responsibility in the days and weeks before us.
Continue reading “Update from the Capitol: The Start of Committee Meetings”Sen. Jeff Mullis Introduces Elections Reform Legislation
ATLANTA (February 2, 2021) | Sen. Jeff Mullis (R – Chickamauga) has introduced a number of bills to propose reforms to Georgia’s election system.
“Our recent General Election this past November highlighted a few areas of our state’s election system that require urgent attention,” said Sen. Mullis. “Our right to vote is one of the most sacred and cherished practices of our democratic republic. When Georgians do not trust that their voices are properly being heard, we owe it to them to address their concerns and find the proper solutions to restore their confidence in the process. As legislators, we must do all we can to secure the right to vote and ensure that the will of the people is properly reflected in our election results. I hope that these bills will serve as a starting point to begin the conversation on how we can improve elections in our state.”
The bills Sen. Mullis has introduced include the following:
- Senate Bill 68 – Clarifying where and how absentee ballots may be delivered, including prohibiting the use of ballot drop boxes
- Senate Bill 69 – Requiring an applicant for a driver’s license to explicitly indicate their desire to register to vote on their driver’s license application
- Senate Bill 70 – Clarifying that an individual who has voted for U.S. Senator or U.S. Representative in another state will be prohibited from moving to Georgia to participate in a runoff election for U.S. Senate or U.S. Representative during the same election cycle
- Senate Bill 71 – Requiring that a voter provide an authorized reason to vote by absentee ballot
- Senate Bill 72 – Enhancing the process of discovering and removing deceased voters from voter registration records.
- Senate Bill 73 – Limiting the number of entities authorized to distribute absentee ballot forms
- Senate Bill 74 – Allowing poll watchers to have access to tabulation centers
In addition to the bills he will personally introduce, Sen. Mullis plans to advocate for and support bills filed by his colleagues to require ID verification when sending in an absentee ballot request. You can track the status of each bill on the General Assembly website here: https://www.legis.ga.gov/search?s=1029&m=31&p=1
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For Immediate Release:
Feb. 2, 2021
Andrew Allison, Director
404.656.0028
Senator Sheikh Rahman Elected Chair of Gwinnett Senate Delegation
ATLANTA (February 1, 2021) | Sen. Sheikh Rahman (D – Lawrenceville) was recently elected to serve as the new Chair of the Gwinnett Senate Delegation, on which he will serve a two-year term.
Continue reading “Senator Sheikh Rahman Elected Chair of Gwinnett Senate Delegation”