Local Government

As the 2025 Legislative Session enters its final weeks, lawmakers have made significant progress on tax cuts, education reform, and support for Georgia’s workforce.

Georgia’s House Bill 340, which would ban cellphones in all public elementary and middle schools, is moving closer to becoming law after passing a Senate committee.

A Georgia Senate committee has unanimously advanced House Bill 428, which codifies the right to access in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment into state law, ensuring Georgia families can continue using IVF without interruption.

At the March 20, 2025 Brooklet City Council meeting, Mayor Gwinnett swore in Police Chief Michelle Reolegio and full-time officer Hadrian Wolff, while the Council approved the city’s health insurance renewal and addressed resident concerns about speeding on South Cromley Road.

Georgia's Republican-led General Assembly passed Senate Bill 68, a major tort reform measure championed by Governor Brian Kemp, aimed at reducing liability insurance costs and limiting excessive jury awards in civil lawsuits.

House Speaker Jon Burns has reappointed State Representative Butch Parrish to continue serving as vice chairman of the Geo. L. Smith II Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) Overview Committee.

Georgia taxpayers will see some relief after Governor Brian Kemp signs two tax measures, including one-time rebates and a reduction in the state income tax rate from 5.39% to 5.19%, despite heated debate in the state Senate.

Bulloch County Commissioners spent two days in a budget retreat to learn more about county department operations along with current and future needs. This story includes highlights from over 12 hours of presentations from 21 county-funded departments.

Bulloch County Commissioners approved a pay increase for firefighters to improve recruitment and retention while also discussing major infrastructure concerns, including the closed Cypress Lake Road bridge and ongoing Nevils-Denmark Road repairs. The Board also addressed septic system challenges, road improvement projects, and upcoming county manager recruitment efforts.

Marijuana legislation has taken center stage in the Georgia Senate this session, with lawmakers passing three key bills ahead of the Crossover Day deadline—two aimed at tightening regulations on THC products and one expanding access to medical cannabis.