Latest news with #CarolynHugley
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia House Democrats launch statewide town hall tour Tuesday
The Brief Georgia House Democrats launched a statewide town hall tour Tuesday in LaGrange to connect with voters ahead of the 2026 midterms. Lawmakers plan to address key issues including health care access, housing affordability, education, and economic opportunity. Despite Troup County's Republican lean, Democrats hope to engage new communities and emphasized that the event is nonpartisan and open to all residents. LAGRANGE, Ga. - Georgia House Democrats are launching a statewide town hall listening tour Tuesday night in Troup County, with the goal of connecting directly with residents and outlining their priorities ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. What we know Democratic House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley and other members of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus will gather in LaGrange to kick off the tour. Lawmakers say the event offers a chance to hear directly from their constituents and to share their legislative agenda. What they're saying "We're excited about this opportunity," Hugley said. "It's an opportunity for residents to hear how Democratic House members say they are working to expand health care coverage, address housing affordability, education and other pressing issues. Because our whole thing is about making Georgia the best place to live, to learn and to earn. And we think that people should be able to live their best lives here in Georgia and earn without limit." Despite rainy weather throughout the day, organizers hope turnout will be strong. They noted that the session is open to the public and emphasized that it is a nonpartisan event. "I have great expectations that if we can get Troup County on board, we can turn this state blue," Inetha Hatton, Troup County Democratic Party, said. Although former President Donald Trump carried Troup County by a wide margin in 2024, Democratic leaders say they are focused on building momentum in areas traditionally dominated by Republicans. "I do expect the good turnout. And I expect a big buzz that if you missed it tonight, you are missing a good thing," Hatton added. What's next The session is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in LaGrange.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House Democrats stage walkout to protest GOP focus on transgender Georgians
House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley of Columbus characterized the bill as part of a Republican fixation on a small population of transgender Georgians and a waste of time. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder A bill aimed at banning gender-affirming care for inmates housed in Georgia prisons passed the state House Wednesday 100-2 after nearly all House Democrats walked out on the vote. House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley of Columbus characterized the bill as part of a Republican fixation on a small population of transgender Georgians and a waste of time. Friday is the final day of the annual 40-day legislative session. 'This is day 39, day 39 and we don't have a budget, and many of our members' bills have not been heard,' Hugley said. 'We came here to focus on the opportunity for Georgians to live, learn and earn. And what do we get? Political theater. What do we get? Bills that want to legalize discrimination. What do we get? A whole lot of nothing. And our citizens deserve better than this. They deserve better than this. I've been in these halls over 30 years, and I know that we can be better than what we're seeing today.' As far as either side can tell, there are five people incarcerated in Georgia attempting to seek gender-affirming care. Gender-affirming care can range from hormone pills to surgeries, and it's not clear what the five are seeking. Republican lawmakers have said the Georgia Department of Corrections requested the bill. The ban on gender-affirming care in Georgia's prisons is one of five GOP bills focused on transgender Georgians this legislative session, including a pair of dueling measures banning transgender athletes from girls' sports in K-12 and college that were melded into one proposal that now sits on Gov. Brian Kemp's desk. Democrats said the walkout was less about the specific bill before them Wednesday and more about what they called an all-out attack on LGBTQ Georgians. 'We have so many bills with so little data on the reason why we're even drafting these bills, and it's a step that had to be taken,' said Rep. Imani Barnes, a Democrat from Tucker. 'There's too many trans bills. They're attacking the LGBTQ community for no reason. I'm a part of that community, and it means a lot to me.' Duluth Democratic Rep. Ruwa Romman called the prison bill 'strike three' after the House passed the two bills aimed at eliminating transgender participation in school sports. 'We have had no bills on raising the minimum wage,' she said. 'We have had one bill pass about housing. We have had no bills on Medicaid expansion. I don't even know what's going on with the budget. And you're telling me that we are going to spend more time on another bill to discriminate?' The Democrats walked out after Rep. Tanya Miller, an Atlanta Democrat who serves as House minority caucus chair, delivered a searing speech on Republicans' focus on transgender Georgians and what she called a manufactured crisis. 'We could be solving and tackling the big problems that we are sent here, this body of 180 members, with the learned speaker, collectively representing the state, solving as best we can the big problems, but yet we waste time,' Miller said in her speech. Critics of the ban on gender-affirming care in prisons argue it is unconstitutional and will invite legal challenges. Republicans blasted the Democrats for walking out instead of staying to debate the merits of the bill and representing their constituents through a vote. Several Republicans could be seen taking photos of the vote board on the wall that showed dozens of Democrats absent. They continued the one-sided debate as a sea of seats were left empty. While lawmakers from both parties commonly 'take a walk' on hot issues, including on some of the transgender-focused bills this year, a coordinated walkout is rare. Several Democrats walked out during a bitter debate over abortion restrictions in 2019. House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, a Republican from Mulberry, said the Democrats who participated in Wednesday's walkout should be punished at the ballot box. 'Rather than support a common sense measure to ensure that Georgia taxpayer dollars don't fund sex changes for criminal prisoners, Democrats left,' Efstration said. 'That's tantamount to saying they're not going to represent their district, they're unwilling to put a vote up on the board. And I think that their actions should be considered accordingly.' The bill's author, Cataula Republican Sen. Randy Robertson, framed the issue similarly. 'While I appreciate the fact that we're not always going to agree on everything that goes on up here, I think we have to have the stamina, the backbone, and the gumption to stay in the fight, to push for those who send us up here, and to never surrender and turn our backs and walk out on our constituents,' Robertson said. Not all Democrats participated in the walkout. Three Democratic representatives – Lynn Heffner of Augusta, Tangie Herring of Macon and Dexter Sharper of Valdosta – stayed and voted for the bill. Two others – Albany Democratic Rep. David Sampson and McDonough Democratic Rep. Regina Lewis Ward – voted against it. Those who stayed were applauded by Republican lawmakers. 'I will be supporting this bill because I support an individual's choice but I support the people's decision on whether or not they pay for those elective procedures,' Heffner said. Opponents of the bill counter that gender-affirming care encompasses more than surgeries and can be necessary for a person's wellbeing. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia House Minority leader speaks out on DEI ban bill that did not advance on Crossover Day
COLUMBUS,Ga (WRBL) — Senate Bill 120 did not advance on Crossover Day. Georgia House of Representatives Minority leader Carolyn Hugley says whenever they're able to stop a bill that would adversely affect the community, it is considered a win. Senate Bill 120 was a bill that would have banned all public schools, colleges, and universities from engaging and operating DEI programs. This bill did not advance on Crossover Day. Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley says she is happy her colleagues in the Senate decided not to put the bill forward. Hugley says, 'It was really going to be a step back. And I continue to say that we cannot embrace hare and put hate into our laws because we know what that looks like and we've already been there before, and Georgia deserves better than that.' Though the bill did not advance on Crossover Day, it is still alive and could be revisited later in the year. The revisiting would require the author finding a similar code section in a House bill, script it out, and send it back for the house to agree or disagree on. Hugley says revisiting legislation is usually difficult as more legislation is introduced. 'Anything can happen, and a bill can say it's about mom and apple pie in the subject, but it could be totally different,' Hugley explains 'We are in a moment where things can change drastically, if not for ourselves, for those who are coming along after us,' Hugley says. 'And so, it is our…moment to be involved or be engaged, to be alert to request or I should say, to demand of those who represent us to look out for the best interests of the communities that they have when we look at it.' WRBL has reached out to Republican lawmakers and are still awaiting responses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Civil litigation reform takes center stage in Georgia General Assembly
ATLANTA () — The Georgia General Assembly concluded its 13th legislative day on Thursday. That means there are 27 workdays remaining. And many of those days will be consumed with civil litigation reform – commonly called tort reform. It's being driven by Governor Brian Kemp and the state's business community. It came up last year, but was punted into the 2025 session. And now the ball is in the General Assembly's hands. In his State of the State address, last month, Gov. Kemp threw down the gauntlet and made Civil Litigation reform a top priority. Even to the point of threatening a special session if the lawmakers don't address the issue. Senate Bill 68 has just started its path through the General Assembly. The governor's Senate allies dropped the bill last week. On the House side of the General Assembly, it's a waiting game to see what the legislation looks like when it is voted out of the Senate. The hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee has not scheduled a hearing. 'I have scanned through but not studied the bills,' said Rep. Vance Smith, R-Pine Mountain. 'The bills are starting in the Senate, so once they go through the process of the Senate, we don't know if that bill will look the same. What changes will be made? So instead of putting a lot of effort into it right now, I need to know what's in this bill. But I'm anxious to see what they pass out and what comes to our Judiciary Committee.' Rep. Carolyn Hugley, D-Columbus, is the chair of the House Minority Caucus. She is carefully watching what the Senate does to the original bill. 'We need to look for those things that we can agree on,' Hugley said. 'I think that people are interested in what we're going to do on premises liability, for example,' Democratic Rep. Carolyn Hugley said. 'But there's a lot of work yet to be done, and there's no guarantee that if we pass the bills as they are today, your insurance rates will go down tomorrow. So, we've got a long way to go, and I think this is probably going to be one of the last things that we resolve this year.' Not only is this bill front and center for lawmakers, but it has also drawn the intense interest of lobbyists and Georgia trial lawyers. State Sen. Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, is in a Senate Republican leadership position as the WHIP. 'Well, I will tell you, there's an equal amount of lobbyists up here working on both sides,' Robertson said. 'But the reality of it is, is our system is broken and there needs to be an adjustment. How much of an adjustment is going to be decided by the experts around the table, which are the legislators, the trial attorneys, the insurance companies, the hospitals, and the chambers of commerce. And so what we have to do as legislators is listen to what everybody says.' Columbus Trial Lawyer Brandon Peak has been under the Gold Dome this week talking to lawmakers about this legislation and it's impact. 'We represent everyday Georgians, and everyday Georgians don't have lobbyists,' said Peak. 'And so it's important for us to be able to educate members of the General Assembly who are very busy about the implications that this so-called tort reform bill has for the people who they represent, their constituents.' This legislation comes as Georgia has been named the best state in the nation to do business. But there are other groups that claim the state is a judicial 'hellhole' for these businesses because of large jury verdicts. 'We have businesses throughout the states that are having to go out of the state to find insurance,' Robertson said. 'What we what we cannot make this is a tug of war between trial attorneys and the business community.' And Robertson said there is one way to make that happen. 'What we have to do is sit down together, find reasonable legislation that accomplishes what both sides need to accomplish with the bottom line being let's continue to be the best state to do business and then let's pull ourselves out of that lawsuit hellhole that we're in,' Robertson said. Georgia Trial Lawyers Association President Jason Branch says it's hard to reconcile two seemingly inconsistent facts. 'But we have remained the No. 1 state to do business for the last 11 years,' Branch said. 'And Gov. Kemp's done a tremendous job in leading this state in allowing us to be the No. 1 state to do business for the last 11 years. When you look at reports such as judicial hellholes that are put out by self-serving interest groups to try to garner support for an agenda, that's where the disconnect becomes a difference between looking at objective data and what the true condition of the state versus working with cherry picked data points or exceptions to the rule and try to suggest that it's otherwise?' The next step for Senate Bill 68 is a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. That hearing is not scheduled. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
