LISTEN: A flurry of action on election bills in closing days of Georgia Legislature
With just a few days remaining under the Gold Dome, Republicans are looking to advance several election bills.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution colleague Mark Niesse says he counts nine election bills that are still active in the waning days of the legislative session. One of those measures is House Bill 976, which would allow mass voter challenges, but not within 45 days of an election.
“I mean, really, at this point, all of these things are alive ... supporting voter challenges ... I could see that moving forward,” Niesse says.
“(There) are so many items they are considering, none of them are dramatic (changes), but it is broad,” he adds. “We’re talking about many, many changes to election administration in Georgia.”
Then, we have a conversation about the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. University of Georgia professor Eli Sperling joins us to discuss the controversy U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer stirred up in a speech when he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ”an obstacle to peace” and urged him to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza.
Both of Georgia’s Democratic U.S. senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, have spoken out against the toll the war is taking on civilians in Gaza.
Meanwhile, many Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, rebuke any criticism of Israel.
Sperling says the crisis is complex and shouldn’t be partisan. “I think it is a dangerous binary,” he says, “and the situation is so much more nuanced.”
And, late-breaking news from our AJC colleagues Tamar Hallerman, David Wickert and Bill Rankin. The trio reports that Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee granted permission for Trump and others to appeal his decision to keep District Attorney Fani Willis on the election interference case against them.
Thursday on ”Politically Georgia:” Kendra Davenport Cotton from the New Georgia Project joins the show.
The 2024 legislative session
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the Georgia’s largest team covering the Legislature during the session that ends Thursday, March 28. Readers can follow news of the House and Senate on all of our platforms, ajc.com, the AJC app and our print and ePaper editions.
- The Georgia Bill Tracker offers bills to watch from Crossover Day to Final Adjournment
- A citizen’s guide to the Georgia’s General Assembly
- Key players to watch: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, key legislators
- Track bills and lawmakers: Georgia Legislative Navigator
- FAQ: What do legislators do, how does it work?
- Legislative Lingo: How to speak like a Georgia legislator
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About the Author
Natalie Mendenhall is an award-winning producer for the "Politically Georgia" podcast. She also steps in front of the mic, creating compelling segments for the show. Before joining the AJC, the Chicago native worked as a senior producer at Georgia Public Broadcasting.
