ATLANTA (November 17, 2025) —On Friday, November 21, the Senate Study Committee on Recovery Residences, chaired by Sen. Randy Robertson (R–Cataula), will hold its final meeting and confirm the official report of the study committee.
Continue readingSen. Nikki Merritt Holds GLBC Press Conference on Impacts of Federal Government Shutdown
ATLANTA (October 29, 2025) — This week, Sen. Nikki Merritt (D–Grayson), Chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC), held a press conference with fellow caucus members and legislative colleagues to discuss impacts of the government shutdown on the state of Georgia.
“The federal government shutdown continues to force dire consequences on our marginalized communities,” said Sen. Merritt. “As Chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, I will continue to advocate for Georgia’s minority populations and lobby Congress to act with urgency. Behind every budget line item is a human being impacted by decisions made in Washington. SNAP benefits are set to expire, and Georgia’s K-12 meal program hangs in the balance, leaving our most vulnerable citizens hanging in the balance.
I want to thank the members of Georgia’s congressional delegation for standing by my side to bring attention to this situation. Georgia Democrats stand ready to act and call on Governor Brian Kemp to call a special session. Until that time comes, however, I want to remind Georgians that the power belongs to the people. Call your members of Congress to push for an end to this government shutdown.”
Congressional representatives Hank Johnson (GA-4) and Lucy McBath (GA-6) also attended the event. The federal government has remained shut down since October 1. The United States Department of Agriculture announced last week that no federal SNAP benefits will be issued after October 31, due to the ongoing shutdown.
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Sen. Nikki Merritt represents the 9th Senate District which includes portions of Gwinnett County. She may be reached at (404) 463-2260 or via email at nikki.merritt@senate.ga.gov
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
Senate Committee on Public Safety’s Subcommittee on NextGen911 to Hold Second Meeting
ATLANTA (October 24, 2025) —On Thursday, October 30, the Senate Committee on Public Safety’s Subcommittee on NextGen911, chaired by Sen. Tim Bearden (R–Carrollton), will hold its second hearing.
MEETING DETAILS:
- Date: October 30, 2025
- Time: 10:00 a.m.
- Where: 450 State Capitol, 206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334
- Open to the Public: The event is open to the public. The committee meeting will be live-streamed on the Senate website here.
ABOUT THE MEETING:
The Senate Committee on Public Safety’s Subcommittee on NextGen 911 will analyze the impact of NextGen 911 on public safety in the State of Georgia.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:
We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting the Senate Press Office at SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
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Sen. Tim Bearden represents the 30th Senate District which includes Carroll, Douglas, Haralson, and Paulding counties. He can be reached at (404) 463-5257 or by email at Tim.Bearden@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
Senate Study Committee on Recovery Residences to Hold Fourth Hearing
ATLANTA (October 10, 2025) —On Friday, October 17, the Senate Study Committee on Recovery Residences, chaired by Sen. Randy Robertson (R–Cataula), will hold its fourth hearing.
EVENT DETAILS:
- Date: October 17, 2025
- Time: 9:00 a.m.
- Where: 450 State Capitol, 206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334
- Open to the Public: The event is open to the public. The committee meeting will be live-streamed on the Senate website here.
ABOUT THE MEETING:
The Senate Study Committee on Recovery Residences, created through Senate Resolution 311, will examine the current conditions, needs and challenges related to recovery residences in Georgia. This bipartisan committee will hear from residents, policy experts and representatives from state agencies and private organizations to explore ways to improve safety and enhance the quality of services these residences provide.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:
We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
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Sen. Randy Robertson serves as Majority Whip of the Senate Majority Caucus. He represents Senate District 29, which includes Harris, Meriwether, and Troup Counties and a portion of Muscogee County. He can be reached at 404.656.0045 or at randy.robertson@senate.ga.gov
Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee to Hold Third Hearing
ATLANTA (October 2, 2025)—On Wednesday, October 8, the Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee, co-chaired by Sen. Sally Harrell (D–Atlanta) and Sen. Shawn Still (R–Johns Creek), will hold its third hearing which will focus on the potential harms of Artificial Intelligence and its use in AI-driven chatbots.
EVENT DETAILS:
- Date: October 8, 2025
- Time: 10:00 a.m.
- Where: 450 State Capitol, 206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334
- Open to the Public: The event is open to the public. The committee meeting will be live-streamed on the Senate website here.
ABOUT THE MEETING:
The bipartisan Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee, created through Senate Resolution 431, will evaluate online platforms’ (i.e., social media, gaming, AI, etc.) impact on children. The study committee will also make formal recommendations for state action at its final meeting. The study committee will partner with parents, policy experts, representatives from state agencies and private organizations to determine how online protections may be improved and strengthened to ensure safer online experiences.
The study committee’s first two meetings examined how online platforms can be addictive and harmful to young people, as well as specific state policies that can result in safer online experiences. The third meeting will take a deeper dive into the potential dangers of the use of AI-driven chatbots in online platforms used by minors.
You can watch the replay of the study committee’s meetings on the Georgia State Senate YouTube page here.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:
We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
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Sen. Sally Harrell represents the 40th Senate District which includes portions of DeKalb and Gwinnett County. She may be reached by phone at (404) 463-2260 via email at sally.harrell@senate.ga.gov.
Sen. Shawn Still represents the 48th Senate District, which includes portions of Fulton, Forsyth and Gwinnett counties. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-7127 or by email at Shawn.Still@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.