Latest news with #JasonAnavitarte
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Doraville awarded $400,000 to build new public library as part of downtown redevelopment
A new public library is on its way to Doraville after the city was awarded $400,000 from the Georgia Public Library Service According to Doraville officials, the new library will be part of the city's downtown redevelopment project. As Channel 2 Action News previously reported, Doraville is set to bulldoze their current city center, including the police headquarters and city hall, to build a new one. The $400,000 comes from a Capital Outlay Grant funded by the Georgia General Assembly to support new library construction, full facility renovations and other additions to library infrastructure across Georgia, officials said. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: 'This is political punishment:' South Fulton mayor reacts to criminal trespassing charges Metro Atlanta mother says insurance will only cover fraction of son's international ATV accident Insurance Commissioner's office plans to hire more elevator inspectors after $4M budget shift State Sen. Jason Anavitarte said he was proud of the funding being secured, especially as a previous Doraville resident and member of the city council. City officials said the new library, once completed, will be "a modern library with a dedicated creator space," to accompany the other changes coming to downtown Doraville. 'Doraville is deeply grateful to the Georgia Public Library Service and to our legislative champions for securing this support for our city. This grant, combined with the $10 million bond Doraville has already secured, brings us one step closer to realizing our vision for a vibrant new city center—where public space, education, and creativity intersect," Doraville Mayor Joseph Geierman said in a statement. 'Our new library will be more than a building; it will be a cornerstone of opportunity, connection, and community for generations to come.' More details on the downtown redevelopment plans can be found online here. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A ban on cell phones in Georgia Schools heads to the governor's desk
A statewide ban on cell phones in the classroom for Georgia students will now head to the governor's desk for final approval. On Tuesday, House Bill 340 passed the Senate with overwhelming support. Sen. Jason Anavitarte, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, spoke with Channel 2's Richard Elliot just moments after the bill was passed. 'Simply put - phones need to put away and we must be sensitive to what parents and teachers want,' Anavitarte said. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Marietta Schools Superintendent Grant Rivera, who helped spearhead the statewide effort after implementing a similar ban in the district's two middle schools, told Channel 2′s Brittany Kleinpeter that the positive impact was undeniable. 'For us we've got children telling us even though they don't like it, they need it,' Rivera said. RELATED STORIES: A bill banning cell phones in school for kids in K-8 is one step closer to becoming law Georgia student phone, tablet ban passes House vote, heads to state Senate Ban on student phones in Georgia public schools back up for review in House Education Committee Schools participating in cellphone lock-up pilot program says discipline issues are down The school superintendent adding that over the last year, 68% of the teachers at Marietta Middle School reported being less stressed and 22% of 8th grade students reported an increase in their ability to learn. 'The teacher could teach better, and they could learn better as a result of a phone-free classroom,' Rivera added. Marietta Middle School parents like Kayla Sargent told Channel 2 Action News that they've seen the positive impacts of a cell ban. 'My middle school's functioning academically and socially has improved greatly since the ban,' Sargent said. 'I know teachers really appreciate it as well, so I've been very enthusiastic about the tech progress the district has made.' However, some parents like Bryan Williams say they're apprehensive about the ban due to security concerns. 'I would want my kid to have their cell phone in school for those dangerous moments and those moments where they need me,' Williams said. The Distraction-Free Education Act prohibits public school students in grades kindergarten through eight from accessing personal electronic devices during the school day. That includes smartphones, headphones, tablets and smartwatches. School-issued electronic devices can still be used, and school districts also would have come up with policies on storing devices and consequences for violations. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
More states move to ban cellphones in school as Georgia is latest to act
ATLANTA (AP) — More states are moving to ban or restrict cellphones in school, a trend that continues to win bipartisan support in legislatures. Senators in Georgia voted 54-2 on Tuesday to give final approval to a bill that would bans students in grades K-8 from using phones or other personal electronic devices during the school day. The measure goes to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto. Currently, nine states ban phones in school, but that number will likely soon rise. Similar bills this year have passed by wide margins in New Mexico, Tennessee and Utah and await action by those states' governors. Measures are also progressing rapidly in other states. The push for cellphone bans has been driven by concerns about the impact screen time has on children's mental health and complaints from teachers that cellphones have become a constant distraction in the classroom. 'This bill isn't just about academics, it's about students' well-being,' Republican Georgia state Sen. Jason Anavitarte of Dallas said during debate Tuesday on House Bill 340. 'Studies link excessive phone use to mental health issues, decreasing social skills, and an increase in bullying. We want students engaged in school, socializing with friends during lunch and focusing in the classroom.' Nationally, 77% of U.S. schools say they prohibit cellphones at school for nonacademic use, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But that number is misleading. It does not mean students are following those bans or all those schools are enforcing them. Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia have enacted measures banning or restricting students' use of cellphones in schools. The specifics of the measures vary widely. Georgia's bill says students can't access their personal devices at any time during the school day, but enforcement is up to local school districts. Some Georgia districts are already using locking pouches, but schools could also just tell students to leave their phones in their locker, to turn them in to a teacher, or disable them using an online application. Students who need devices to monitor medical conditions or to help overcome intellectual disabilities would still be able to use them. Some other states would still allow phones or other devices to be used in some situations. For example, the Utah bill lets schools permit classroom use under local policies. Georgia isn't providing any extra funding, although supporters suggested districts might be able to use yearly school safety grants if they need to buy pouches or other equipment. New Mexico's bill sets aside $10 million in aid for local schools to help fund adoption Objections to the proposal often center around concerns that students and parents won't be able to contact each other in case of emergency. In September, when a student killed two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School northeast of Atlanta, many students communicated with their parents and with emergency services using their phones. Sen. Rashaun Kemp, an Atlanta Democrat, said he was voting for the bill. But he pleaded with Republican colleagues to restrict guns to stop school shootings. 'What if that phone could save lives in an active-shooter situation?' Kemp asked 'These are true concerns as a parent that all of us will typically think about. What if that phone is the last opportunity for my child to communicate with me?' But supporters of the bans have noted that students' phones could pose additional dangers during an emergency by distracting students or by revealing their location during an active-shooter situation. Republican Sen. Randy Robertson of Cataula said a parent's job is to 'sit down, be responsible and trust the school to follow their emergency action plan. Their calls will go unanswered because their children's phones will be locked away.' For others, though, the bill doesn't go far enough. They want to see the ban extended to high school. Republican Rep. Scott Hilton of Peachtree Corners, the bill's sponsor, said that was likely in a future session. 'This bill is a step in the right direction, but let it be the beginning and not the end,' said Democratic Sen. Jason Esteves of Atlanta. 'Let's ensure that every student from kindergarten to 12th grade has the opportunity to learn free from unnecessary distractions.'
Associated Press
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
More states move to ban cellphones in school as Georgia is latest to act
ATLANTA (AP) — More states are moving to ban or restrict cellphones in school, a trend that continues to win bipartisan support in legislatures. Senators in Georgia voted 54-2 on Tuesday to give final approval to a bill that would bans students in grades K-8 from using phones or other personal electronic devices during the school day. The measure goes to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto. Currently, nine states ban phones in school, but that number will likely soon rise. Similar bills this year have passed by wide margins in New Mexico, Tennessee and Utah and await action by those states' governors. Measures are also progressing rapidly in other states. The push for cellphone bans has been driven by concerns about the impact screen time has on children's mental health and complaints from teachers that cellphones have become a constant distraction in the classroom. 'This bill isn't just about academics, it's about students' well-being,' Republican Georgia state Sen. Jason Anavitarte of Dallas said during debate Tuesday on House Bill 340. 'Studies link excessive phone use to mental health issues, decreasing social skills, and an increase in bullying. We want students engaged in school, socializing with friends during lunch and focusing in the classroom.' Nationally, 77% of U.S. schools say they prohibit cellphones at school for nonacademic use, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But that number is misleading. It does not mean students are following those bans or all those schools are enforcing them. Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia have enacted measures banning or restricting students' use of cellphones in schools. The specifics of the measures vary widely. Georgia's bill says students can't access their personal devices at any time during the school day, but enforcement is up to local school districts. Some Georgia districts are already using locking pouches, but schools could also just tell students to leave their phones in their locker, to turn them in to a teacher, or disable them using an online application. Students who need devices to monitor medical conditions or to help overcome intellectual disabilities would still be able to use them. Some other states would still allow phones or other devices to be used in some situations. For example, the Utah bill lets schools permit classroom use under local policies. Georgia isn't providing any extra funding, although supporters suggested districts might be able to use yearly school safety grants if they need to buy pouches or other equipment. New Mexico's bill sets aside $10 million in aid for local schools to help fund adoption Objections to the proposal often center around concerns that students and parents won't be able to contact each other in case of emergency. In September, when a student killed two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School northeast of Atlanta, many students communicated with their parents and with emergency services using their phones. Sen. Rashaun Kemp, an Atlanta Democrat, said he was voting for the bill. But he pleaded with Republican colleagues to restrict guns to stop school shootings. 'What if that phone could save lives in an active-shooter situation?' Kemp asked 'These are true concerns as a parent that all of us will typically think about. What if that phone is the last opportunity for my child to communicate with me?' But supporters of the bans have noted that students' phones could pose additional dangers during an emergency by distracting students or by revealing their location during an active-shooter situation. Republican Sen. Randy Robertson of Cataula said a parent's job is to 'sit down, be responsible and trust the school to follow their emergency action plan. Their calls will go unanswered because their children's phones will be locked away.' For others, though, the bill doesn't go far enough. They want to see the ban extended to high school. Republican Rep. Scott Hilton of Peachtree Corners, the bill's sponsor, said that was likely in a future session. 'This bill is a step in the right direction, but let it be the beginning and not the end,' said Democratic Sen. Jason Esteves of Atlanta. 'Let's ensure that every student from kindergarten to 12th grade has the opportunity to learn free from unnecessary distractions.'
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Senate OKs tax holiday for guns, bill to require safe storage faces GOP headwinds
Sen. Jason Anavitarte presents a bill to create a tax holiday for guns, amunition and gun accessories, including safes and trigger locks. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Georgia senators passed a bill Wednesday that could make it cheaper to buy guns, ammunition and accessories like scopes, stocks and gun safes on a party line vote, and behind the scenes, lawmakers and lobbyists are tussling over a Democrat-sponsored plan to encourage gun owners to lock up their weapons. Senate Bill 47 would be in effect for 11 days each year, starting on the second Friday in October, set to coincide with the start of deer hunting season. The bill's author, Republican Caucus Chair Sen. Jason Anavitarte said it will help get Georgians out into nature. 'This bill is promoting outdoorsmanship,' the Dallas Republican said. 'In Georgia, hunting is the primary means of keeping the deer population in check as well as preventing the destruction of crops or accidents with motorists caused by deer.' Republicans including Sen. Timothy Bearden praised the plan. 'The Second Amendment is there to protect us, the citizens, the ones that we represent,' he said. 'If someone wants to go out because it's their first time buying a firearm, as former law enforcement, I hope they go get the training they need to use that firearm proficiently. If it's a sales tax holiday that allows them to do it, or to go out and buy that shotgun for their kid so they can take them into the woods and teach them how to hunt, how to respect nature, and just understand the beauty of that partnership between a father and a child or a mother and a child or the family going out hunting together, and this allows them to do it, then let's do it.' But Senate Democrats were skeptical that the bill was really about deer hunting. They suggested it was in poor taste to promote the bill following September's deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County and suggested a tax holiday for necessities like school supplies, sporting goods not related to guns or menstrual products. 'We have for years in finance committee, begged and pleaded, could women and girls feminine products enjoy a sales tax relief?' asked Atlanta Democratic Sen. Nan Orrock. 'The answer is always no. The bill's never quite ready. But when the chairman of the Senate GOP caucus brings this bill in the very shadow of this horrendous school shooting that tore at the hearts and the minds of Georgians all across, we mourned with this community that was hit by this school shooting. And we want to stand up and send this bill, which is nothing but a message saying 'Hoorah for guns.'' Democrats expressed support for the tax credit on gun safety devices. Anavitarte said he stores his guns in a safe and encourages others to do the same, but he indicated he wouldn't want to mandate it. 'I don't know that Georgia or even the federal government needs to get into the practice of having to legislate basically education and our Second Amendment and infringing on that or common sense,' he said. But Johns Creek Democratic state Rep. Michelle Au is continuing her push for a bill that would implement punishments for people who do not store loaded guns properly and a child gains access to it. Failing to comply would be a high and aggravated misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $5,000. Atlanta Democratic Sen. Elena Parent has a nearly identical bill in the Senate. Au, who is a physician, said guns are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S., and House Bill 1 would keep more kids safe. 'What this bill aims to do is to create a culture and expectation of what safe storage looks like,' she said. 'And when I say that, what I mean is that there are some people who understand that you do need to prevent children and teenagers from accessing guns, but maybe they don't know that putting it on the top shelf of your kitchen pantry is not actually safe storage. They think they're doing the right thing, but they're not.' Au sponsored an identical bill in 2023, which received a committee hearing, but no vote. This year, she's hoping it will go further. Among the bill's sponsors is Marietta Republican Rep. Sharon Cooper, chair of the House Committee on Public and Community Health. Alex Dorr, political director for Georgia Gun Owners, a pro-gun group, is hoping to kill the bill. Dorr's name was on a text message addressed to Cooper's constituents urging them to call into her office and demand she withdraw her support of the bill. 'Sharon is the ONLY Republican to co-sponsor HB-1, the Radical Left's primary gun control bill that will force you to lock up your firearms 24/7, or face legal consequences,' the text reads. 'This gives criminals the advantage!' In a phone call, Dorr requested that questions be emailed to him, but he did not respond to the emailed questions. Cooper responded with a statement. 'I have always been a defender of the Second Amendment, and believe that protecting our rights goes hand in hand with preventing tragedies. While HB1 is not scheduled to move forward, I put my name on it because gun owners should lead the way in keeping firearms out of the hands of children. This bill isn't about restrictions—it's about accountability.' Au called Cooper brave for signing onto the bill and said other Republicans privately agree. 'They recognize that extremely aggressive and well-financed groups like the pro-gun lobby, like the NRA, like Georgia Gun Owners, make a lot of problems for them electorally,' she said. 'They will threaten them publicly. They will mount social media campaigns, trying to gin up their base, to act aggressively against these legislators. They will threaten to primary them. They will threaten to pour money into elections to get them out of office, and that political pressure, they feel, clearly works.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
