Senate votes to increase prison time for possessing or trafficking fentanyl

People caught with a quarter gram of fentanyl would face one to five years in prison if a measure that passed the Georgia Senate Wednesday goes on to become law. It’s a tiny amount, but it’s enough to kill 120 people, said Sen. Russ Goodman, R-Cogdell, in explaining why he sponsored Senate Bill 79.

House OKs bill easing burden of proof of intellectual disability in capital cases

ATLANTA - The state House of Representatives voted unanimously Tuesday to make it easier for defendants in death penalty cases to establish intellectual disability as a defense.

Tort reform 2.0 clears Georgia Senate

ATLANTA - The state Senate unanimously passed a narrowly tailored tort reform bill Thursday, a week after approving broader, more controversial legislation encompassing most of a civil justice system overhaul Gov. Brian Kemp has made his top priority for 2025.

Georgia lawmakers adopt record mid-year budget

ATLANTA - The General Assembly gave final passage March 3 to a record $40.5 billion mid-year budget that prioritizes hurricane relief and prisons.

CNI’s Spring Lake Living photo contest open through April 4

Temperatures are rising and spring is in the air. It’s time to take your boat out of storage and make plans to visit one of Northeast Georgia’s beautiful lakes. Lake Living magazine is looking for photos that represent this scenic time of year at the lake.

New Georgia Public Service Commission elections set for June

ATLANTA - For the first time since 2020, Georgia voters, including those in Hart County, will elect members of the state Public Service Commission (PSC) this year. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger issued a call Wednesday for special elections on Nov. 4 to fill two seats on the PSC.

CASA of Northern Judicial Circuit to now serve Hart County

The Northeast Georgia Court Appointed Special Advocates (NEGA CASA) program is pleased to announce a critical junction in their agency’s history with a change in service area and the establishment of a new CASA program effective March 1.

State House OKs overhaul of judges’ salaries

ATLANTA - Legislation reforming the salary structure for superior court and statewide judges in Georgia overwhelmingly cleared the state House of Representatives Feb. 20.

Republican-controlled state Senate passes tort reform

ATLANTA - A sharply divided Georgia Senate passed a comprehensive tort reform bill Feb. 21 that is Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s top priority for the 2025 General Assembly session.