GA shrimp bill basses House, moves on to Senate
House Bill 117 would require all restaurants in Georgia to disclose, in writing on their menu, if their shrimp is foreign imported.
State Rep. Jesse Petrea, a sponsor of the bill, previously spoke with News 3 about HB 177. He said that in his opinion, the shrimp industry locally is suffering from 'unfair trade' practices.
The vote passed 165-7 and will move on to the Senate.
WSAV will continue to follow this bill. Stick with News 3 for more.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Chicago Tribune
23 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
California Gov. Newsom signs legislation calling for special election on redrawn congressional map
SACRAMENTO, Calif — California voters will decide in November whether to approve a redrawn congressional map designed to help Democrats win five more U.S. House seats next year, after Texas Republicans advanced their own redrawn map to pad their House majority by the same number of seats at President Donald Trump's urging. California lawmakers voted mostly along party lines Thursday to approve legislation calling for the special election. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has led the campaign in favor of the map, then quickly signed it — the latest step in a tit-for-tat gerrymandering battle. 'We don't want this fight and we didn't choose this fight, but with our democracy on the line, we will not run away from this fight,' Democratic Assemblyman Marc Berman said. Republicans, who have filed a lawsuit and called for a federal investigation into the plan, promised to keep fighting it. California Assemblyman James Gallagher, the Republican minority leader, said Trump was 'wrong' to push for new Republican seats elsewhere, contending the president was just responding to Democratic gerrymandering in other states. But he warned that Newsom's approach, which the governor has dubbed 'fight fire with fire,' was dangerous. 'You move forward fighting fire with fire and what happens?' Gallagher asked. 'You burn it all down.' In Texas, the Republican-controlled state Senate was scheduled to vote on a map Thursday night. After that, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's signature will be all that is needed to make the map official. It's part of Trump's effort to stave off an expected loss of the GOP's majority in the U.S. House in the 2026 midterm elections. What states are doing in the battle over congressional maps as Texas pursues plan President Donald Trump soughtOn a national level, the partisan makeup of existing districts puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. The incumbent president's party usually loses congressional seats in the midterms. The president has pushed other Republican-controlled states including Indiana and Missouri to also revise their maps to add more winnable GOP seats. Ohio Republicans were also already scheduled to revise their maps to make them more partisan. The U.S. Supreme Court has said the Constitution does not outlaw partisan gerrymandering, only using race to redraw district lines. Texas Republicans embraced that when their House of Representatives passed its revision Wednesday. 'The underlying goal of this plan is straight forward: improve Republican political performance,' state Rep. Todd Hunter, the Republican who wrote the bill revising Texas' maps, said. On Thursday, California Democrats noted Hunter's comments and said they had to take extreme steps to counter the Republican move. 'What do we do, just sit back and do nothing? Or do we fight back?' Democratic state Sen. Lena Gonzalez said. 'This is how we fight back and protect our democracy.' Republicans and some Democrats championed the 2008 ballot measure that established California's nonpartisan redistricting commission, along with the 2010 one that extended its role to drawing congressional maps. Democrats have sought a national commission that would draw lines for all states but have been unable to pass legislation creating that system. Trump's midterm redistricting ploy has shifted Democrats. That was clear in California, where Newsom was one of the members of his party who backed the initial redistricting commission ballot measures, and where Assemblyman Joshua Lowenthal, whose father, Rep. Alan Lowenthal, was another Democratic champion of a nonpartisan commission, presided over the state Assembly's passage of the redistricting package. Newsom on Thursday contended his state was still setting a model. 'We'll be the first state in U.S. history, in the most democratic way, to submit to the people of our state the ability to determine their own maps,' Newsom said before signing the legislation. Former President Barack Obama, who's also backed a nationwide nonpartisan approach, has also backed Newsom's bid to redraw the California map, saying it was a necessary step to stave off the GOP's Texas move. 'I think that approach is a smart, measured approach,' Obama said Tuesday during a fundraiser for the Democratic Party's main redistricting arm, noting that California voters will still have the final say on the map. Bipartisan group led by ex-Obama officials 'rolling the dice' on new remapping plan for Illinois legislatureThe California map would last only through 2030, after which the state's commission would draw up a new map for the normal, once-a-decade redistricting to adjust district lines after the decennial U.S. Census. Democrats are also mulling reopening Maryland's and New York's maps for mid-decade redraws. However, more Democratic-run states have commission systems like California's or other redistricting limits than Republican ones do, leaving the GOP with a freer hand to swiftly redraw maps. New York, for example, can't draw new maps until 2028, and even then, only with voter approval. In Texas, outnumbered Democrats turned to unusual steps to try to delay passage, leaving the state to delay a vote by 15 days. Upon their return, they were assigned round-the-clock police monitoring. California Republicans didn't take such dramatic steps but complained bitterly about Democrats muscling the package through the Statehouse and harming what GOP State Sen. Tony Strickland called the state's 'gold-standard' nonpartisan approach. 'What you're striving for is predetermined elections,' Strickland said. 'You're taking the voice away from Californians.'
Newsweek
24 minutes ago
- Newsweek
The House Is on Fire and Democrats Are Debating Paint Colors
In less than seven months, we have watched America slip into fascism with zero meaningful resistance. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has become a weapon aimed at anyone who dares dissent. Elected officials who speak out are targeted. Law firms are shaken down into submission. TV networks have been brought to their knees through threats. In Florida, they built what can only be called a concentration camp. Washington D.C., a city where nearly half the population is Black, has been stripped of its autonomy and placed under federal control. This isn't dystopian fiction. This is happening right now, while Democratic leadership stands paralyzed. Fascism isn't coming to America; it is already here, meeting no resistance from those sworn to uphold the Constitution. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speak to reporters alongside other House and Senate Appropriation Democratic committee members in the Ohio Clock Corridor of the U.S. Capitol Building on July... Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speak to reporters alongside other House and Senate Appropriation Democratic committee members in the Ohio Clock Corridor of the U.S. Capitol Building on July 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C. MoreOver the past several weeks, I have had dozens of conversations with sitting members of Congress, donors, organizers, and voters desperate to get involved. The overwhelming sentiment isn't frustration anymore. It's anger. Pure, unbridled anger at Democratic leadership's paralysis. I understand Democrats don't control the House or Senate, but they are not powerless. They can use the bully pulpit to force issues into public consciousness and use every tool to delay harmful legislation. They can coordinate with state attorneys general winning court battles. They can mobilize their base and dominate the narrative. Instead, Hakeem Jeffries admitted at a February press briefing, "I'm trying to figure out what leverage we actually have." The House minority leader is publicly admitting he doesn't know how to fight back. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has weaponized federal agencies, frozen billions in federal grants, and launched attacks on academic freedom. He's using the federal government to crush dissent, while Democrats issue strongly worded letters. We know from 2024 that some Democrats know how to undermine a sitting president. We watched them coordinate a campaign that forced President Joe Biden to step aside. George Clooney wrote an opinion piece asking Biden to end his campaign. Donors threatened to withhold funds. Where is that energy now? Where is Clooney's passionate op-ed about fascism taking root? Where are the donors threatening to withhold funds unless Democrats fight? All the planning and coordination aimed at undermining President Joe Biden has evaporated when facing an actual authoritarian. While Schumer and Jeffries still believe decorum will win the day, the Trump administration has taken a jackhammer to our Constitution. These men, and Democrats overall, have been unable to meet the moment, and millions of Americans looking for leadership feel abandoned. Back in March, CNN polling found that 73 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said the party's caucus in Congress was doing too little to oppose Trump. That's not only a poll result; that's a scream for help from a base watching their representatives sleepwalk through a self-coup. This is a base screaming for someone to stand up and fight back. Waiting, hoping judges will keep Trump in check, or that the 2026 midterms will save us, is dangerously naive. Courts are being stacked. Election systems are being dismantled. By 2026, the damage may be irreversible. Since Democrats only have a concept of a plan, let me offer advice. First, if the Democratic leadership in Congress isn't equipped or unwilling to lead, they need to get out of the way. Memes and social media posts aren't enough to fight a convicted criminal wielding presidential power like a weapon. Second, Ken Martin needs to resign as DNC chair. We don't need someone who thinks the answer to authoritarianism is better fundraising emails. We don't need another X post. We don't need another strongly worded statement. We need leaders who understand that when fascism comes knocking, you don't politely ask it to leave. You bar the door. You sound the alarm. You fight with everything you have. We need someone who has faced voter suppression and won. We need Stacey Abrams. Abrams doesn't just understand voting rights; she knows how to mobilize communities Democrats have taken for granted. She knows how to fight back when the rules are rigged against you. We need someone who has been in the trenches, felt the boot of oppression, and fought back anyway. The world is watching America fail. Our allies are making contingency plans for a post-democratic United States. Authoritarian regimes are taking notes on how quickly democracy can crumble when its defenders refuse to fight. Every day Democrats delay, every moment they prioritize civility over survival, Trump's fascist infrastructure becomes more entrenched. If Democratic leadership cannot find the courage to meet this moment, if they cannot transform their fear into fury, then they are failing millions of Americans who still believe democracy is worth saving. They are failing history itself. The house is on fire, and Democratic leadership is debating what color to paint the kitchen. Either grab a hose or get out of the way because if we lose this fight, there won't be a democracy left to save. Christopher Bouzy is an American tech entrepreneur who founded the non-partisan research firm Bot Sentinel and the social media network Spoutible. His ventures leverage innovative technologies to create safer digital spaces and promote authentic online discourse. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
‘Underdog' Garrity outlines vision for Pennsylvania in Governor's Race
(WHTM) – Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R) says she's 'always been the underdog' and that Gov. Josh Shapiro is 'going to be a formidable candidate' as she enters the 2026 Pennsylvania governor's race. 'What I think is we have an incredible opportunity to turn the state around,' said Garrity, who formally entered the race this week. 'We're at a crossroads, and when you look at the fiscal year we just ended, we spent $3 billion more than what we brought in.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now In an interview with Dennis Owens on Wednesday, Garrity noted having safe communities, parents being a leading voice in education and the unleashing of natural gas 'under our feet' as key issues in her campaign against Shapiro, whom she called a smooth talker and a polished career politician. 'And if you just look at the independent fiscal office's numbers, we would be totally out of the surplus, plus the rainy day fund, in two years,' said Garrity. 'Pennsylvania has the fifth-largest tax burden, and so what would happen after we're out of money?' Garrity said other than leading the repair of a collapsed portion of I-95 in 2023, Shapiro hasn't met his slogan of 'getting stuff done' for Pennsylvania. Instead, she claims, he's focused on potentially running for president in 2028. 'Instead of looking at polls, I look at, you know, Pennsylvanians and, you know, I'm not playing politics. I am working hard every day for Pennsylvanians, and that's what I'll continue to do,' said Garrity. Garrity cited her history of overseeing major state financial programs, such as the 529 college savings program, and returning unclaimed property funds as qualifying factors for her to be governor. Democrats this week, however, have called Garrity extreme, claiming she 'championed policies that would roll back fundamental freedoms and make life harder for hardworking families.' 'The only thing I'm extreme about is serving Pennsylvanians,' Garrity responded. Garrity, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, said she believes Pennsylvanians appreciate several of Trump's policies, such as the 'no tax on tips' provision of the 'Big, Beautiful Bill.' 'And I think,' Garrity added, 'when I talk to Pennsylvanians, they're okay if we have able-bodied people with no dependents working or volunteering 20 hours a week so that we can protect the program for the vulnerable that really rely on it.' Who is running for Governor of Pennsylvania? When asked about the issue of abortion, Garrity said she would not support a ban in Pennsylvania and noted the topic was personal for her, saying she went through several rounds of In Vitro Fertilization, also known as IVF. The Pennsylvania Republican Party is expected to endorse Garrity next month with hopes to clear her path in the spring primary, similar to what Dave McCormick received in his 2024 Senate run. State Senator Doug Mastriano, who was the party's gubernatorial nominee in 2022, said despite Garrity's announcement, he's still considering getting in to the race. Mastriano has been critical of the state party and, in his view, their plan to 'coronate' Garrity as the party's nominee months before the election. '(Republicans are) going to lose the general election because the state party decides they're going to decide and coronate somebody,' Mastriano said hours after Garrity declared on Monday. Garrity responded to Mastriano's concerns saying she'd be honored by the state Republican Party's endorsement and noted it's made up of hundreds of residents, not just a small group of party leaders. She said she's 'not focused on Doug Mastriano right now,' adding she's 'focused on Josh Shapiro.' 'I don't think (Shapiro has) been transparent,' said Garrity. 'I think he's spending his time really running for president. I mean, look, we don't have a budget and he's flying around the country on late-night talk shows talking about his run for president.' When Garrity was sworn in after receiving a record number of votes last year, Shapiro said her re-election was a 'testament to the work she's done over the past four years that the people of Pennsylvania have put their trust in her once more.' 'Through our private conversations and our work together, I've seen just how hard she works,' Shapiro added. 'The miles that she puts in, the hours that she works every day. She is mission-driven.' 'Well, this isn't personal,' Garrity said when asked about Shapiro's popularity in the state. 'I just have a totally different vision for what our Commonwealth could be.' When asked about Garrity entering the race, Shapiro said Tuesday that '(Republicans) are going to have their intramural fight, they'll send someone along to face me next year, we'll be ready.' If elected, Garrity would be Pennsylvania's first female governor; it's a job that has existed since 1790. 'If I was the first female governor, that would be an honor,' said Garrity. Garrity is the only major Republican Party candidate to enter the race after Congressman Dan Meuser, who represents Garrity's home of Bradford County, declined to enter the race earlier this year. Westmoreland County native John Ventre, a perennial Republican candidate, said he plans to run for governor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Play Farm Merge Valley
