Latest news with #OpenRecords
Axios
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Sine Die 2025: What passed, what failed
On a Friday night filled with drama, the Georgia General Assembly approved dozens of pieces of legislation about advanced voting, President Trump's legal bills and car booting on the final day of the legislative session. Why it matters: The marathon Sine Die meeting of the state Senate and House of Representatives marks the final day legislation can pass both chambers to possibly become law — until next year, of course. The intrigue: Senators this year broke from long-standing tradition and adjourned at 9:11pm — well before the usual midnight close. Without a chamber to send legislation, the House followed suit an hour or so later. Dozens of measures must wait until next year for consideration. "We feel like everything we wanted to get finished today has been completed," Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) told reporters after the upper chamber called it quits. Fun fact: Georgia lawmakers serve part-time and meet at the Capitol for only 40 days early in the year. That's a holdover from the days when rural representatives and senators could get away from their crops in the winter. What passed 💰 Budget: State lawmakers approved Georgia's roughly $38 billion operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year — actually the one thing they're required to do every year — on the morning of the final day. 🙏 Religious freedom: Earlier Friday, Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a controversial — and long-sought — measure aimed at protecting Georgians' religious beliefs, which opponents said would give people a license to discriminate. 👶 Child care: A measure creating a $250 tax credit to pay for child care expenses and an expanded existing tax credit cleared both chambers and awaits the governor's pen. 🚗 Car booting: Legislation regulating Georgia booting companies cleared both chambers and awaits Kemp's signature. 🍲 State symbols: Cornbread would become Georgia's official state bread and Brunswick Stew the official soup under legislation that became a vessel for language prohibiting state agencies to conduct business with foreign adversaries — mainly China. 🧾 Trump legal fees: President Trump and other defendants in the Fulton County election interference case could recoup legal fees under a measure approved by the House and Senate. What didn't pass 🏎️ School zone cameras: The Senate's surprise decision to end their work early left legislation cracking down on cameras in school zones — some state lawmakers say cities use them to generate revenue — in limbo until next year. 🗳️ Elections: House Bill 397, which requires poll workers to hand count ballots, allows counties to opt out of Saturday advanced voting, and forces Georgia to leave a multi-state voter integrity group, did not receive House approval. 🔎 Transparency: A controversial provision that would have shielded lawmakers' communications with state agencies from Open Records requests was stripped from related legislation approved Friday. 🏳️⚧️ Transgender care: A bill prohibiting transgender minors from receiving puberty-blocking medications was deemed a low Sine Die priority for Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) but remains active when the General Assembly convenes in January.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Drummond seeks legislators support enhancing government transparency, accountability
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is appealing to legislators in a press release this week promoting the increase of government transparency by passing House Bill 2163. According to the AG's office, the push coincides with Sunshine Week, highlighting the significance of public records and open government transparency. Authored by Rep. John Pfeiffer and Sen. Brent Howard, HB 2163 seeks to create the Public Access Counselor unit inside the AG's office. According to Drummond's office, the unitwould review complaints regarding a state department, board, or commission compliance response time. Ethics Commission settlement reached with State Supt. Ryan Walters The measure passed the first hurdle out of the House Government Oversight Committee early this month, Drummond noted. 'Transparency and accountability are critical for a government truly answerable to the people,' said Drummond. 'Citizens have a right to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent and what their elected officials are doing to improve their lives.' Drummond created the public access counselor position shortly after taking office saying, 'It is my hope that legislators will ensure the Open Records and Open Meeting Acts have teeth by approving HB 2163.' The measure is set next week to be considered by the House. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
Speed cameras have generated more than $14 million in Albany; now they're up for debate in the Georgia legislature
ALBANY – Albany school zone speed cameras continue to watch out for speeding drivers as the Georgia legislature debates whether to better regulate or outright ban them. Camera critics say the cameras are a money grab and signal an overdependence on fines and fees to fund city projects. Supporters say the speed cameras have led to better driving habits and safer school zones for pedestrians. State Rep. Dale Washburn, R-Macon, is sponsoring House Bill 225, which aims to reverse 2018 legislation allowing cameras to be placed in school zones. Rep, Alan Powell, R-Hartwell, introduced House Bill 651, which proposes limiting the hours the cameras can be used and mandating that half of the fines collected go toward school safety improvements. Both bills made it through the Georgia House and await decisions in the Senate. Albany first installed RedSpeed cameras in August 2021. In nine enforced school zones, drivers receive a citation for going 11 mph over the school zone speed limit. The first citation costs $80. Subsequent citations are $135. The citations are considered a civil infraction with no points added to drivers licenses and no insurance increases. Since 2021, the cameras have led to more than $14.5 million in fines, according to a report from RedSpeed Georgia. The Albany Herald is awaiting information from an Open Records request that details how much of that money was received by the city and how much went to RedSpeed. Albany Police Chief Michael Persley said some of this money has been used to fund public safety initiatives such as improving safety within school zones, upgrading school zone signage, police training in conjunction with the Albany Fire Department, and youth programs with the Dougherty County Sheriff's Office and the city's Recreation and Parks Department. It also funded new equipment, like cars for community safety officers. Persley said he's not in agreement with banning the cameras outright. 'I think that's taking a step a little too far,' he said. 'We need to look at the whole situation. What are you trying to ban?' A 2024 report showed that there's been a 95% reduction in speed violators since 2021. Traffic studies, before installing the cameras, found hundreds of drivers each day exceeding the posted speed limit in school zones by more than 10 mph. Reducing a motorist's speed by only 5 mph doubles a child's chance of survival if struck by a vehicle, safety officials say. The report also said the cameras led to overall improved driver behavior – with 88% of offenders receiving less than two citations in 2024. 'The whole purpose of the program was to curb driving behavior, which it did,' Persley said. On the flip side, if cameras were banned, Persley said the department would have to put officers in school zones, but getting pulled over for speeding in a school zone means a criminal offense rather than a civil one. The police chief said losing the revenue from the speed cameras also would slow down some program implementation. He said without that revenue, the police department's gunshot detection program and license plate readers wouldn't have been rolled out as quickly. This equipment has resulted in the police department more effectively responding to gun violence situations and finding stolen cars. Staff from the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (GBPI), a nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to expand economic opportunity for Georgians, criticized the speed cameras and said they want lawmakers to look into more ways to increase safety in school zones beyond addressing the cameras Ray Khalfani, a GBPI senior analyst, spoke at a community town hall in Albany on March 4 about multiple pieces of legislation that could 'remove some of the practices in our state that create excessive fines and fees' that create an excessive reliance on these things for cities to fund themselves. Khalfani said practices like citations from school zone cameras hurt residents. 'It doesn't help the economic vitality in their city because … that makes it difficult for people to keep jobs, get jobs, pay their bills and take care of their families,' he said. However, Khalfani said HB225 and HB651 are not the answer. 'You got all these bills to talk about addressing this school zone speeding issue, but who's going to talk about fixing road design … and fixing the child safety and pedestrian safety issue in school zones without robbing communities?' he said. Complaints in Albany have risen about improper signage or lighting to indicate school zones or citations occurring after hours. 'I'm still waiting for someone to bring in a school zone violation that they got on the weekends, that they got at night time,' Persley said. 'There are too many checks and balances in the systems for that to happen.' He said the one school zone location that doesn't have flashing lights is on North Slappey Boulevard. He said the city finally got approval from GDOT to put lights up, and the city is waiting for them to come in. 'I'm not in favor of the ban, but whatever the legislature passes, we will enforce,' Persley said. 'Just slow down. Be mindful of where you're at … of your driving habits.'
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fani Willis ordered to pay $54K for violating open records laws in Trump case
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been ordered to pay more than $54,000 for violating the state's open records laws in relation to the prosecution of President Donald Trump. The county's Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause formalized her ruling Friday and ordered Willis to pay $54,264 in attorneys' fees and litigation costs after "intentionally" failing to provide records requested by Ashleigh Merchant, the attorney who filed the motion to disqualify Willis from prosecuting Trump on charges of allegedly interfering with the 2020 presidential election. Krause stated that Willis' office failed to provide documents related to the employment of Nathan Wade, the former special assistant district attorney forced to resign from the Trump case due to his romantic relationship with Willis. Merchant believed that Willis and Wade may have financially benefited from Wade's appointment as the special prosecutor in the case. Georgia Appeals Court Disqualifies Da Fani Willis And Her Team From Trump Election Interference Case "Defendants — through the Open Records custodian, Dexter Bond — were openly hostile to counsel for Plaintiff, Ms. Merchant, and testified that Ms. Merchant's requests were handled differently than other requests," the court order said. Read On The Fox News App Trump Cheers Disqualification Of 'Corrupt' Fani Willis, Says Case Is 'Entirely Dead' Bond, who testified that his usual practice was to call a requestor to receive additional information to fulfill requests, indicated that he refused to communicate with Merchant by telephone, the court order stated. "While there is no requirement under the ORA for Mr. Bond to call any requestor about a particular request, Mr. Bond's handling of Ms. Merchant's requests in this manner indicates a lack of good faith," the order said. "Defendants' failures were intentional, not done in good faith, and were substantially groundless and vexatious." Georgia Lawmakers Can Subpoena Fani Willis For Information Related To Trump Case, Court Rules Merchant, who reacted to the ruling in a post on X Friday, said she was "proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law!!!!" Fox News Digital reached out to Merchant and Willis' office for additional statements but did not immediately receive a response. The DA's office has 30 days from the court's order to pay the penalty. The plaintiff also received injunctive relief directing Willis to finally provide the requested article source: Fani Willis ordered to pay $54K for violating open records laws in Trump case
Fox News
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Fani Willis ordered to pay $54K for violating open records laws in Trump case
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been ordered to pay more than $54,000 for violating the state's open records laws in relation to the prosecution of President Donald Trump. The county's Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause formalized her ruling Friday and ordered Willis to pay $54,264 in attorneys' fees and litigation costs after "intentionally" failing to provide records requested by Ashleigh Merchant, the attorney who filed the motion to disqualify Willis from prosecuting Trump on charges of allegedly interfering with the 2020 presidential election. Krause stated that Willis' office failed to provide documents related to the employment of Nathan Wade, the former special assistant district attorney forced to resign from the Trump case due to his romantic relationship with Willis. Merchant believed that Willis and Wade may have financially benefited from Wade's appointment as the special prosecutor in the case. "Defendants — through the Open Records custodian, Dexter Bond — were openly hostile to counsel for Plaintiff, Ms. Merchant, and testified that Ms. Merchant's requests were handled differently than other requests," the court order said. Bond, who testified that his usual practice was to call a requestor to receive additional information to fulfill requests, indicated that he refused to communicate with Merchant by telephone, the court order stated. "While there is no requirement under the ORA for Mr. Bond to call any requestor about a particular request, Mr. Bond's handling of Ms. Merchant's requests in this manner indicates a lack of good faith," the order said. "Defendants' failures were intentional, not done in good faith, and were substantially groundless and vexatious." Merchant, who reacted to the ruling in a post on X Friday, said she was "proud that we have judges willing to hold people in power accountable when they ignore the law!!!!" Fox News Digital reached out to Merchant and Willis' office for additional statements but did not immediately receive a response. The DA's office has 30 days from the court's order to pay the penalty. The plaintiff also received injunctive relief directing Willis to finally provide the requested documents.
