State Sen. Josh McKoon | Atlanta Progressive News

Category Archives: State Sen. Josh McKoon

Sen. McKoon Takes On Lack of Transparency in Legislature with New Bills

January 24, 2016 APN NEWS Leave a comment

(APN) ATLANTA — State Sen. Josh McKoon (R – Columbus) is currently championing legislation focused on increasing transparency at the Capitol, something that is greatly needed. McKoon–perhaps best known for his staunch support of the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)–has previously taken the lead on transparency and government reform issues. As a freshman during the 2011-2012 Legislative […]

APN Legislative Wrap-Up: Georgia General Assembly 2015

April 9, 2015 GLORIA TATUM 2 comments

With additional reporting by Anna Simonton and Matthew Charles Cardinale. Photograph by Steve Eberhardt. (APN) ATLANTA — The Georgia General Assembly wrapped up the 2015 legislative session on Thursday, April 02, 2015. There were a few progressive highlights in the majority-Republican Legislature, including a solar power lease agreement bill; a limited medical cannabis bill; and more flexibility for MARTA […]

Georgia House Committee Amends Religious Freedom Bill

March 27, 2015 GLORIA TATUM Leave a comment

(APN) ATLANTA — Yesterday, Thursday, March 26, 2015, the House Judiciary Civil Committee voted to amend SB 129, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) bill, to expressly state that eradicating discrimination is a compelling government interest, thus prohibiting religious freedom being used as a justification for discrimination. LGBTQI equality advocates celebrated the amendment, introduced by State Rep. Mike Jacobs […]

ANALYSIS: Religious Freedom Wasn’t about Discrimination; It is Now

March 10, 2015 MATTHEW CHARLES Leave a comment

(APN) ATLANTA — When HB 29 and SB 129 were introduced in the Georgia House and Senate this year, respectively, advocates of LGBTQI equality immediately waxed hyperbolic, calling it the Hate the Gays bill. Atlanta Progressive News ran a lengthy analysis in early January 2015 explaining that the bill was more broadly encompassing and more substantively complex than its […]

Sen. McKoon Rushes Religious Freedom Bill without Notice, Transparency

March 5, 2015 GLORIA TATUM Leave a comment

(APN) ATLANTA — On Monday, March 02, 2015, the Senate Judiciary Civil Committee passed an amended version of SB 129, the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The amended version states in the legislative findings but not in the operative text of the bill that courts “have consistently held that government has a fundamental, overriding interest in eradicating discrimination.” […]

State Senate Committee Tables Religious Freedom Bill

February 21, 2015 GLORIA TATUM One comment

(APN) ATLANTA — SB 129, the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, was on a fast track until, on Thursday, February 19, 2015, the Senate Judiciary Committee tabled the bill with a 5 to 3 vote. State Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus) is the author of SB 129 and was also the author of last year’s SB 377 that did not […]

Georgia’s Religious Freedom Bill: A Legal Primer for Progressives

January 3, 2015 MATTHEW CHARLES 4 comments

(APN) ATLANTA — State Rep. Sam Teasley (R-Marietta) has pre-filed HB 29, the Preventing Government Overreach on Religious Expression Act, for the 2015-2016 Georgia Legislative Session. The bill–which would seek to change the court standard for cases involving claims for religious freedom–is likely to spark controversy, uproar, and impassioned lobbying both for and against the legislation. Last year, […]

Sen. McKoon Introduces Medical Marijuana Study Committee

January 18, 2014 MATTHEW CHARLES Leave a comment

(APN) ATLANTA — Yesterday, Friday, January 17, 2014, State Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus) introduced a resolution, SR 756, Senate Prescription of Medicinal Marijuana for Serious Medical Conditions Study Committee. The resolution goes on to state: “WHEREAS, there have been significant scientific and medical studies, reports, clinical trials,and other analyses regarding the use of marijuana for prescriptive […]

Cannabis Count: 7 Georgia Legislators Open to Medical Marijuana

January 15, 2014 GLORIA TATUM Leave a comment

(APN) ATLANTA — Atlanta Progressive News is keeping track of the fast progress of medical cannabis policy reform in the Georgia Legislature. To date, at least seven (7) State Legislators have indicated their openness or support for legalized medical cannabis in Georgia. Medical marijuana is a hot topic for discussion and study at the State Capitol this year during their […]

Tide May be Turning on Medical Cannabis in Georgia Legislature (UPDATE 1)

January 11, 2014 MATTHEW CHARLES Leave a comment

(APN) ATLANTA — The tide appears to be turning in Georgia with regard to the issue of medical cannabis, or marijuana, after two leading Republican lawmakers in the State Legislature expressed their openness to the idea of legalizing cannabis for medical purposes in Georgia. As first reported by WSB-TV Channel 2, on January 07, 2014, Republican State Sen. […]

State Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus) Calls for Medical Marijuana Hearings

January 8, 2014 MATTHEW CHARLES Leave a comment

I did not think it would happen in my lifetime. I thought Georgia would be one of the last states to consider medical cannabis (marijuana). Maybe I was wrong. Yesterday, January 07, 2014, Republican State Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus) called for hearings on medical marijuana. No hearings as of yet have been scheduled, but we hope to learn more when […]