Politics

Sen. Ross Tolleson Attends National Conference on Environment

Submitted by Senate Press on Thursday, May 16th, 2:30 pm

Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry) attended the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Environment 2013 Spring Forum on May 2-4 in Denver, Colo. The forum focused around hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, but also provided policymakers from across the country with the opportunity to exchange ideas on issues regarding the environment.

“As our country continues to explore innovative ways to utilize our natural resources, these forums allow us to meet and discuss what best suits our state’s needs,” said Sen. Tolleson. “Since the price of natural gas continues to rise, we must keep our minds open to new ways of unlocking this precious resource. By learning more about infrastructure, we can preserve our natural resources for the future while also protecting them right now.”

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Town Hall Meeting to Focus on Educational Challenges Facing Rural Georgia

Submitted by Jacqueline Harnevious, 13WMAZ Community Web Producer

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013, 11:14am

Town Hall Meeting to Focus on Educational Challenges Facing Rural Georgia

Two Georgia Senators plan to hold a town hall meeting for Johnson, Laurens and Wheeler counties Saturday.

Senator Jason Carter (D-Decatur) and Senator Freddie Powell (D-Dawson) want residents to come and discuss educational challenges facing rural Georgians, according to a release.

The meeting will be held at the Dublin High School Cafeteria at 1127 Hillcrest Parkway in Dublin at 4 p.m.

The public is invited.

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Senator Tolleson: Report from the State Capitol

Submitted by Senate Press on Monday, April 1st, 4:13 pm

The 2013 session officially came to an end on March 28 as the Senate adjourned Sine Die. The term "Sine Die" is Latin for "without assigning a day for a further meeting or hearing.” Therefore, when the gavel came down on Thursday night, the General Assembly adjourned until January 2014 and wrapped up the 40-day legislative session. Sine Die is filled with time-honored traditions and is a long day for all those involved. Legislators and staff remained busy working until the midnight cut-off time to ensure a fully examined balanced budget and the deliberation of over 60 pieces of legislation.

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Negotiations Break Down on Georgia's Firearms Bill

Submitted by Robin Folsom on Friday, March 29th, 7:43 am

ATLANTA (AP) - Gun laws in Georgia will not change in 2013.

House leaders said they could not come to an agreement with key senators over whether to expand gun possession rights on college campuses in Georgia.

While a conference committee released a compromise plan late Thursday, lawmakers supporting it acknowledged they did not have the support to force a vote before a midnight deadline. Any bills that don't pass by the final adjournment fail.

Both sides had agreed to allow local K-12 school boards to choose whether to arm certain school employees and allow churches to choose whether to allow concealed weapons on their property.

But House members wanted to relax restrictions for college students. Senate leaders sided with college executives who want to keep their existing bans on concealed weapons.

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Ga. House, Senate Leaders Formally Approve Budget

Submitted by Robin Folsom on Thursday, March 28th, 11:31 pm

ATLANTA (AP) - House and Senate leaders have formally approved a roughly $41 billion state operating budget comprised of state and federal money for the next fiscal year.

The next stop is the desk of Governor Nathan Deal. The final version looks a lot like what Deal pitched in January.

The state portion includes $19.9 billion, an increase of around $56 million.

The budget largely spares K-12 education from budget cuts, while many state agencies will see slight cuts. The pre-kindergarten school year will be expanded, as will HOPE grants for technical college students. Some of that money will also go to the Education Center at Robins Air Force Base and to Mercer University, though dollar amounts aren't certain yet.

Deal has called for cutting payment rates to health care providers treating Medicaid patients. Lawmakers rejected that idea.

The budget year begins July 1.

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Laurens County Jobless Rates Above Georgia Average

Submitted by Jacqueline Harnevious, 13WMAZ Community Web Producer

Thursday, March 28th, 2013, 1:36pm

Laurens County Jobless Rates Above Georgia Average

Laurens County jobless rate in February was 10.8 percent compared to Georgia's 8.6 percent and metro Macon's nine percent.

The Georgia Department of Labor says February unemployment declined to nine percent in metro Macon.

According to a release, that's down from February 2012, when unemployment for metro Macon was 10 percent.

Georgia's February unemployment rate is 8.6 percent, not seasonally adjusted.

From January to February, metro Macon gained 500 jobs and fewer people were laid off.

Most jobs were added in the professional, business, education, health care, trade, transportation, warehousing, leisure and hospitality industries as well as in in local government.

Metro Macon includes Bibb, Crawford, Jones, Monroe and Twiggs counties.

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