ATLANTA (December 23, 2025) — On Tuesday, December 16, educators, literacy advocates and community leaders gathered under the Gold Dome for the first annual “Georgia Literacy Night.” Cohosted by Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives John Burns (R–Newington) and his wife, Dayle Burns; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Youth Sen. Billy Hickman (R–Statesboro) and his wife, Jo Ann Hickman; and Chairman of the House Committee on Education Rep. Chris Erwin (R–Homer) and his wife, Laurie Erwin, in partnership with the Georgia Literacy Council, the evening highlighted the importance of early literacy and the collective efforts underway to improve reading outcomes for Georgia’s youth.
Continue reading “Sen. Billy Hickman Celebrates First Annual Georgia Literacy Night Under the Gold Dome”Sen. Emanuel Jones Responds to Henry County’s Ethics Board Investigation
ATLANTA (December 22, 2025) — Today, Sen. Emanuel Jones (D–Decatur) issued the following statement in response to the Henry County Ethics Board’s decision to investigate Commission Chair Carlotta Harrell for removing subpoenaed county employees from a November ethics hearing:
“The Henry County Ethics Board’s decision to advance an investigation stemming from the November ethics hearing raises serious concerns about its investigatory process and overreach. The Ethics Board was never intended to investigate human resources disputes arising from county employee matters. Its purpose is to hold public officials accountable when there is an allegation of a betrayal of the public’s trust.
This matter centers on a dispute over subpoenas and internal administrative authority involving county employees, an area outside the Ethics Board’s intended scope. After thorough consideration by the Henry County local delegation, and following consultation with both the Henry County Ethics Department and county government officials, Senate Bill 359 was introduced and supported by both the Senate and House Henry County Delegations to clarify this division of authority.
As the sponsor of SB 359, I have been clear that the bill establishes that the Ethics Board does not have purview over county employee matters and reinforces clear, consistent standards for handling ethics complaints involving elected officials. The Ethics Board itself agreed with this framework and supported SB 359. The bill is currently awaiting final passage on the House local consent calendar.
Given the agreement among the Ethics Board, county government and the Henry County Senate and House delegations, I firmly believe the Ethics Board should not have held a hearing that gave rise to the complaint against the commission chair. I am calling on the Henry County Ethics Board to honor the spirit and intent of SB 359 that all parties have already agreed to and allow this matter to be resolved under a clear and consistent framework.”
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Sen. Emanuel Jones represents the 10th Senate District, which includes a portion of DeKalb County. He may be reached at 404-656-0502 or via email at Emanuel.Jones@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte Highlights Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act’s Role in Major Conservation Project
ATLANTA (December 22, 2025) — A major, multi-state conservation project protecting more than 10,000 acres of rare forestland and nearly 45 miles of waterways across the Georgia-Alabama border has been finalized, made possible in large part by Georgia’s continued investment through the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act (GOSA), according to Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas).
The newly completed Stateline Forest project permanently conserves 10,345 acres, including 8,384 acres in Georgia. It safeguards one of the South’s most endangered ecosystems, the longleaf pine forest, while guaranteeing permanent public access for hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation.
“This project is exactly why Republicans led the effort to pass the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act and put it before voters in 2018,” said Sen. Anavitarte. “Georgians approved a conservative, no-new-tax funding model, which now allows us to protect critical conservation corridors, preserve public access to our lands and deliver lasting results.”
Passed by the General Assembly and approved by voters as a constitutional amendment, GOSA created the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program (GOSP), the state’s first dedicated funding source for conservation and outdoor recreation. The program dedicates a portion of existing sales tax on outdoor gear, without raising taxes or creating new fees, and is administered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources through a competitive grant process.
In the 2022 Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program grant cycle, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division received a $5.65 million GOSP grant to help acquire land within the Dugdown Mountain Corridor, one of Georgia’s highest-priority conservation areas. Those state dollars were required to secure a federal match and proved critical in leveraging more than $17 million from the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program.
“This is smart stewardship in action,” Anavitarte said. “Georgia Outdoor Stewardship funds didn’t just protect land, they unlocked federal dollars, stretched taxpayer resources further and ensured these lands will remain publicly accessible forever. This project proves that conservation and conservative principles can go hand in hand. I want to thank Congressman Brian Jack for his leadership and support in helping secure the federal resources that made this project possible. Thanks to GOSA, Georgia is creating a lasting legacy of protecting our forests, our wildlife and the outdoor traditions that matter to families across our state.”
The conserved property connects the Paulding Forest Wildlife Management Area with Alabama’s Talladega National Forest, creating a continuous forested corridor that supports wildlife habitat, protects water quality and enhances wildfire resilience near the rapidly developing Atlanta region.
The Georgia portion of the acquisition will be added to the Treat Mountain Wildlife Management Area and the Tallapoosa River Wildlife Management Area, expanding public recreation opportunities in Haralson and Polk counties. The land will be permanently owned and managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Alabama Forestry Commission, ensuring long-term stewardship and public benefit.
You can find more information about this project here.
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Sen. Jason Anavitarte serves as Senate Majority Leader. He represents the 31st Senate District, which includes Polk County and a portion of Paulding County. He may be reached via email at Jason.Anavitarte@senate.ga.gov.For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
Senate Study Committee on the Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Adopts Final Report
ATLANTA (December 19, 2025) — The Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee, created by Senate Resolution 431 earlier this year and co-chaired by Sen. Sally Harrell (D–Atlanta) and Sen. Shawn Still (R–Suwanee), unanimously adopted its final report on December 10.
Continue readingAnavitarte: A Christmas Reflection on Georgia’s Resilience
By: Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas)
As Christmas approaches, Georgians across our state are arriving at the end of a long, exhausting year. Whether you live in a small town, in the mountains, along the coast, or in the city, you don’t need an economist to tell you that 2025 has tested families in ways Washington still seems unwilling to understand.
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