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Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes to Hold Community Hearing Highlighting Current Immigration Actions

ATLANTA (February 13, 2025) — On Friday, Feb. 14, at 12:00 p.m., Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes (D–Duluth), will hold a community hearing to highlight current immigration actions in Georgia. The hearing will also inform community members of their rights and discuss alternative paths forward for immigration policy.

EVENT DETAILS:                      

  • Date: Friday, Feb. 14, 2025
  • Time: 12:00 p.m.
  • Location: Georgia State Capitol, Room 450, 206 Washington St, Atlanta, GA 30334
  • This event is open to the public.

ABOUT THE MEETING:
During the hearing, Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes will meet with attorneys and representatives from various civil rights groups and community groups to discuss the issue.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:
We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting Jantz Womack at SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

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Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes represents the 7th Senate District, which includes a portion of Gwinnett County. She may be reached by phone at 404.463.5263 or by email at NabilahIslamParkes@senate.ga.gov.

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President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy Introduces Legislation to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools

ATLANTA (February 12, 2025) — Senate President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy (R–Macon) recently introduced Senate Bill (SB) 123, legislation that directly addresses chronic absenteeism in Georgia schools. Chronic absenteeism is a growing issue across the state that places students at an extreme disadvantage, and SB 123 will ensure they have the resources necessary for future success inside and outside of the classroom.

“For far too long, absenteeism has affected our communities and inhibited Georgia students from reaching their full potential,” said Sen. Kennedy. “This legislation will enable local school districts to identify and implement protocols that directly address this issue, get our chronically absent students back in the classroom and ensure they have the necessary resources to build a foundation for future success.”

The number of students chronically absent in Georgia doubled between 2019 and 2023 – a clear indicator of a growing crisis across our state. In 2024, 21.7 percent of students – or nearly 360,000 young people – missed 10 percent or more school days. Georgia law addressing chronic absenteeism has not been updated in 18 years, and we must take action to give our kids a chance at a brighter future. 

SB 123 will address this growing crisis head on by prohibiting schools from expelling students solely on absenteeism, requiring local school districts to adopt policies and strategies that provide targeted support, and mandating schools to create attendance review teams that report their progress to the General Assembly. School attendance is crucial to student success, and these solutions will create a best approach forward that combats this pressing issue and puts all Georgia students, no matter their zip code, first.

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Sen. John F. Kennedy serves as the President Pro Tempore of the Georgia State Senate. He represents the 18th Senate District, which includes Crawford, Monroe, Peach and Upson counties, as well as portions of Bibb and Houston counties. He may be reached at (404) 656-6578 or by email at John.Kennedy@senate.ga.gov.

For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

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Sen. Mangham: A Warm Welcome to the 2025 Legislative Session 

We’re now a quarter of the way through the 2025 Legislative Session, and every day under the Gold Dome, I am reminded why I fight for the people of the 55th Senate District. We began the legislative session on Monday, January 13, and we have hit the ground running with committee meetings, bill hearings and debates. This week marked a major turning point as committees met to take up some of our state’s most pressing issues, from education to healthcare to economic opportunity.

Continue reading “Sen. Mangham: A Warm Welcome to the 2025 Legislative Session “
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Sen. Jason Anavitarte Named 2024 Legislator of the Year by Georgia Firefighters Associations

ATLANTA (February 10, 2025) —Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas) was recently named the “2024 Legislator of the Year” by the Georgia State Firefighters’ Association (GSFA) and the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs (GAFC). The award is given yearly to the legislator who shows an exceptional commitment to the Georgia fire service.

“I am honored to have been named 2024 Legislator of the Year by such prestigious organizations,” said Sen. Anavitarte. “Firefighters are some of the most courageous and heroic people that I have ever had the privilege to know. I want to thank the GSFA and the GAFC for all they do to educate and advocate for the selfless men and women in their industry. I am proud to do all I can to support firefighters at the State Capitol.”

“Sen. Anavitarte has worked tirelessly to ensure the families of firefighters who died in the line of duty are taken care of, and firefighters all across Georgia thank him for that,” said GFSA President Mike Byrd.

“Sen. Anavitarte has been a strong supporter of the fire service throughout his career,” added Terry Smith, President of the GAFC. “This award is recognition of that dedication and hard work.”

The GSFA offers firefighters a communication network and advocates for them on the state and national levels. At the same time, the GAFC aims to better the fire service and the safety of first responders through the combined knowledge of fire chiefs. For additional information, please visit the website of the GSFA and the GAFC.

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Sen. Jason Anavitarte serves as Majority Caucus Chair. He represents the 31st Senate District, which includes Polk County and a portion of Paulding County. He may be reached at (404) 656-0085 or by email at Jason.Anavitarte@senate.ga.gov.

For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.