Monthly Archives: March 2014

2014 Election Qualifying Wrap-Up Part 1: Statewide, Congressional (UPDATE 1)

  With additional reporting by Matthew Charles Cardinale (APN) ATLANTA — Candidate qualifying for Primary Elections and Nonpartisan Elections [such as judicial races] was held on March 03 through March 07, 2014.  Many candidates qualified for a variety of seats.   In addition, the first of two periods of candidate qualifying was held for independent and political body [minor political […]

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Urban Institute Sees Deplorable Affordable Housing Crisis in Atlanta

  (APN) ATLANTA — The Urban Institute has released an interactive map showing where the nation’s affordable housing crisis is most acute.  Not surprisingly, Fulton and DeKalb Counties are among the worst, in terms of the availability of housing that actual people can afford.   The Urban Institute states:   “Many Americans struggle to afford a decent, safe place to […]

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Moral Monday Movement Takes on Anti-worker Legislation

  (APN) ATLANTA — More than one hundred activists, labor leaders, workers, and community advocates turned out in frigid temperatures on March 04, 2014 at the Georgia State Capitol as part of the Moral Monday movement in a rally to “stand up, fight back” for worker’s rights.     The group advocated against anti-worker bills that had been working their […]

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Gov. Deal Wants to Restrict Emergency Room Care for Low-Income People

  (APN) ATLANTA — It is no secret that there is an element in the Republican Party that has callous disdain for poor people and blames them for being poor.     On Monday, March 03, 2014, Georgia’s Gov. Nathan Deal, a Republican, made that element blatantly obvious, with his bold new idea that uninsured people should be turned away […]

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City of Lakeside Proposal Passes State Senate, Heads to House

  (APN) ATLANTA — On February 26, 2014, the proposal for a City of Lakeside in parts of DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties, SB 270, passed the State Senate, after a heated debate. The vote was 32 yeas, and seventeen nays.   The nays included State Sens. Gloria Butler (D-Atlanta), Gail Davenport (D-Jonesboro), Hardie Davis (D-Augusta), Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta), Steve Henson […]

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Georgia Legislature Crossover Day Overview

  (APN) ATLANTA — Monday, March 03, 2014, was Crossover Day for the Georgia Legislature.  This is the day by which any bills had to have passed either the State House or State Senate in order to still be alive for consideration in the other respective chamber this year.   The following is a summary of the current status of […]

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City of South Fulton Referendum Passes Georgia House

  (APN) ATLANTA — On February 20, 2014, the City of South Fulton, HB 704, passed the House and is moving on to the Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee. This vote was almost unanimous, with 163 yeas and two nays.  The only two nays were State Reps. Sharon Beasley Teague (D-Red Oak) and B.J. Pak (R-Lilburn). While the […]

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Municipal Early Voting Reduction Bill Amended, Passes House

  (APN) ATLANTA — On February 26, 2014, the full House of Representatives passed and adopted, as amended, HB 891, which allows over 500 municipalities of different sizes, across the State of Georgia, to decide whether to reduce their early voting period from seventeen days to six.     The bill passed 146 to 25.   As previously reported by […]

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Georgia Medical Cannabis Bill Amended, Heads to House Floor

  With additional reporting by Matthew Charles Cardinale. (APN) ATLANTA — On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, the Health and Human Services Committee of the Georgia House of Representatives unanimously passed HB 885, the medical cannabidiol oil bill, called Haleigh’s Hope.  Cannabidiol oil is derived from cannabis, or marijuana. The bill now heads to the full House floor for a vote. […]

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Sixth Moral Monday Focuses on Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights

  Photograph by Gloria Tatum (APN) ATLANTA — The sixth Moral Monday Georgia came on a Tuesday last week, when on February 25, 2014, about one hundred Georgians representing some thirty-five organizations rallied at the State Capitol for women’s health and reproductive rights.     The event, called “Walk in My Shoes, Hear Our Voice,” protested proposed bills that activists […]

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