Text Too Small?
Text Too Small?

Search:

Columbia County, GA

Bordering the Savannah River near Augusta, Columbia County has seen suburban growth and offers outdoor recreation. Evans is the de facto county seat.

Local News

Bills related to this county

SB 244

Criminal Proceedings; the award of reasonable attorney’s fees and costs in a criminal case to the defendant upon such defendant making a successful motion to disqualify the prosecuting attorney for misconduct in connection with the case; provide

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding the assessment and payment of costs of criminal proceedings, so as to provide for the award of reasonable attorney’s fees and costs in a criminal case to the defendant upon such defendant making a successful motion to disqualify the prosecuting attorney for misconduct in connection with the case; to provide for procedures for assessing and paying such fees and costs; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Committees

Committees House Committee: Judiciary Non-Civil Senate Committee: Judiciary

Sponsors

Beach, Brandon (21st); Albers, John (56th); Summers, Carden (13th); Robertson, Randy (29th); Tillery, Blake (19th); Setzler, Ed (37th); Anderson, Lee (24th); Hodges, Mike (3rd); Dolezal, Greg (27th); Payne, Chuck (54th); Echols, Drew (49th); Harbin, Marty (16th); Strickland, Brian (42nd); Goodman, Russ (8th); Hatchett, Bo (50th)

Status History

04/10/2025: Senate Sent to Governor; 04/04/2025: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub; 04/02/2025: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute; 04/02/2025: House Third Readers; 03/28/2025: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute; 03/11/2025: House Second Readers; 03/10/2025: House First Readers; 03/06/2025: Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended; 03/06/2025: Senate Third Read; 03/06/2025: Senate Taken from Table; 03/06/2025: Senate Tabled; 03/04/2025: Senate Read Second Time; 03/03/2025: Senate Committee Favorably Reported; 02/26/2025: Senate Read and Referred; 02/24/2025: Senate Hopper

Votes

03/06/2025, Senate Vote #214, 55, 0, 0, 1; 04/02/2025, House Vote #392, 103, 61, 2, 14; 04/04/2025, Senate Vote #471, 35, 18, 0, 3

BONFIRE.news's Position

Yay or Nay

SB 241

Funeral Directors; organic human reduction as a means of disposing of deceased human bodies; provide

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 18 of Title 43 of the O.C.G.A., relating to funeral directors and establishments, embalmers, and crematories, so as to provide for the organic human reduction as a means of disposing of deceased human bodies; to amend Titles 10, 31, and 36 of the O.C.G.A., relating to commerce and trade, health, and local government, respectively, so as to require a disposition permit for the organic human reduction of a dead human body or fetus; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Committees

Committees House Committee: Regulated Industries Senate Committee: Regulated Industries and Utilities

Sponsors

Williams, Rick (25th); Anderson, Lee (24th); Mallow, Derek (2nd); Robertson, Randy (29th); Parent, Elena (44th)

Status History

04/07/2025: Senate Sent to Governor; 03/31/2025: House Passed/Adopted; 03/31/2025: House Third Readers; 03/20/2025: House Committee Favorably Reported; 03/10/2025: House Second Readers; 03/06/2025: House First Readers; 03/04/2025: Senate Passed/Adopted; 03/04/2025: Senate Third Read; 03/03/2025: Senate Read Second Time; 02/28/2025: Senate Committee Favorably Reported; 02/24/2025: Senate Read and Referred; 02/21/2025: Senate Hopper

Votes

03/04/2025, Senate Vote #150, 52, 1, 1, 2; 03/31/2025, House Vote #372, 157, 4, 3, 16

BONFIRE.news's Position

Yay or Nay

SB 220

“Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act”; enact

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend various provisions of the O.C.G.A., so as to rename low THC oil as medical cannabis; to amend Chapter 12 of Title 16, Article 2 of Chapter 13 of Title 16, and Article 1 of Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the O.C.G.A., relating to offenses against the public health and morals, regulation of controlled substances, and general provisions relative to the Department of Public Health, respectively, so as to clarify and revise criminal penalties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Committees

Committees House Committee: Regulated Industries Senate Committee: Health and Human Services

Sponsors

Brass, Matt (6th); Summers, Carden (13th); Hatchett, Bo (50th); Strickland, Brian (42nd); Jackson, Kim (41st); Jones, Emanuel (10th); Sims, Freddie Powell (12th); Lucas, David (26th); Beach, Brandon (21st); Rahman, Sheikh (5th); Hickman, Billy (4th); Hodges, Mike (3rd); Jones II, Harold (22nd); Parent, Elena (44th); Moore, Colton (53rd); Goodman, Russ (8th); McLaurin, Josh (14th); Williams, Rick (25th); Anderson, Lee (24th)

Status History

04/04/2025: House Withdrawn, Recommitted; 03/20/2025: House Committee Favorably Reported; 03/11/2025: House Second Readers; 03/10/2025: House First Readers; 03/06/2025: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute; 03/06/2025: Senate Third Read; 02/28/2025: Senate Read Second Time; 02/27/2025: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute; 02/20/2025: Senate Read and Referred; 02/19/2025: Senate Hopper

Votes

03/06/2025, Senate Vote #172, 12, 44, 0, 0; 03/06/2025, Senate Vote #173, 47, 8, 1, 0; 03/06/2025, Senate Vote #174, 13, 43, 0, 0; 03/06/2025, Senate Vote #175, 12, 43, 1, 0; 03/06/2025, Senate Vote #176, 39, 17, 0, 0

BONFIRE.news's Position

Yay or Nay

SB 205

Insurance; pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders; require coverage for healthcare services

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 24 of Title 33 and Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to insurance and the state employees’ health insurance plan and post-employment health benefit fund, respectively, so as to require coverage for healthcare services for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) and pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) in accordance with nationally recognized clinical practice guidelines; to provide for definitions; to allow for deductibles; to prohibit special deductibles; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Committees

Committees House Committee: N/A Senate Committee: Insurance and Labor

Sponsors

Watson, Sam (11th); Brass, Matt (6th); Hodges, Mike (3rd); Watson, Ben (1st); Kirkpatrick, Kay (32nd); Anderson, Lee (24th); Goodman, Russ (8th)

Status History

02/20/2025: Senate Read and Referred; 02/19/2025: Senate Hopper

Votes

No votes

BONFIRE.news's Position

Yay or Nay

SB 199

State Ethics Commission; shall not accept or reject complaints made against candidates 60 days prior to an election; provide

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to government transparency and campaign finance, so as to provide that the State Ethics Commission shall not accept or reject complaints made against candidates 60 days prior to an election; to revise provisions related to reporting income on personal financial disclosure statements for office holders; to provide that the commission shall not publicly release home address information in its possession; to revise lobbyist reporting requirements to make the reporting dates for such requirements more uniform; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Committees

Committees House Committee: Governmental Affairs Senate Committee: Ethics

Sponsors

Watson, Sam (11th); Gooch, Steve (51st); Burns, Max (23rd); Goodman, Russ (8th); Williams, Rick (25th); Kennedy, John F. (18th); Anderson, Lee (24th); Still, Shawn (48th); Brass, Matt (6th); Anavitarte, Jason (31st); Robertson, Randy (29th)

Status History

04/07/2025: Senate Sent to Governor; 03/31/2025: House Passed/Adopted; 03/31/2025: House Third Readers; 03/20/2025: House Committee Favorably Reported; 03/10/2025: House Second Readers; 03/06/2025: House First Readers; 03/04/2025: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute; 03/04/2025: Senate Third Read; 03/04/2025: Senate Engrossed; 02/27/2025: Senate Read Second Time; 02/26/2025: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute; 02/20/2025: Senate Read and Referred; 02/19/2025: Senate Hopper

Votes

03/04/2025, Senate Vote #136, 29, 17, 4, 6; 03/04/2025, Senate Vote #140, 55, 0, 0, 1; 03/31/2025, House Vote #366, 167, 1, 3, 9

BONFIRE.news's Position

Yay or Nay

SB 201

Consumer Transactions; increased consumer protection for homeowners entering into contracts with contractors following natural disasters; provide

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 10-1-393 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to unfair or deceptive practices in consumer transactions unlawful and examples, so as to provide increased consumer protection for homeowners entering into contracts with contractors following natural disasters; to provide for certain contractual requirements; to provide for notice language; to amend Code Section 33-6-5 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices, so as to prohibit the assignment of benefits in certain circumstances; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for legislative findings; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Committees

Committees House Committee: Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Senate Committee: Insurance and Labor

Sponsors

Walker, III, Larry (20th); Goodman, Russ (8th); Hodges, Mike (3rd); Tillery, Blake (19th); Watson, Sam (11th); Summers, Carden (13th); Hickman, Billy (4th); Payne, Chuck (54th); Strickland, Brian (42nd); Burns, Max (23rd); Setzler, Ed (37th); Brass, Matt (6th); Robertson, Randy (29th); Anderson, Lee (24th); Kirkpatrick, Kay (32nd); Williams, Rick (25th); Ginn, Frank (47th); Echols, Drew (49th); Bearden, Timothy (30th); Harbin, Marty (16th); Still, Shawn (48th); Hatchett, Bo (50th); Beach, Brandon (21st); Kennedy, John F. (18th); Anavitarte, Jason (31st); Gooch, Steve (51st)

Status History

04/10/2025: Senate Sent to Governor; 04/04/2025: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub; 03/31/2025: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute; 03/31/2025: House Third Readers; 03/20/2025: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute; 03/10/2025: House Second Readers; 03/06/2025: House First Readers; 03/04/2025: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute; 03/04/2025: Senate Third Read; 03/03/2025: Senate Read Second Time; 02/28/2025: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute; 02/20/2025: Senate Read and Referred; 02/19/2025: Senate Hopper

Votes

03/04/2025, Senate Vote #157, 53, 1, 0, 2; 03/31/2025, House Vote #368, 163, 1, 5, 11; 04/04/2025, Senate Vote #447, 49, 1, 5, 1

BONFIRE.news's Position

Yay or Nay

SB 189

Department of Community Affairs; to develop and maintain a publicly accessible data base of legal notices; provide

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 8 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions related to the Department of Community Affairs, so as to provide for the department to develop and maintain a publicly accessible data base of legal notices that are otherwise required by law to be published in a newspaper; to provide that such data base shall be an additional, mandatory, manner of posting legal notices; to provide that posting on such data base shall serve as an alternative to other publication requirements in certain circumstances; to provide a definition; to authorize rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Committees

Committees House Committee: N/A Senate Committee: Judiciary

Sponsors

Williams, Rick (25th); Anderson, Lee (24th); Davenport, Gail (17th); Rhett, Michael ‘Doc’ (33rd); Esteves, Jason (35th)

Status History

02/19/2025: Senate Read and Referred; 02/18/2025: Senate Hopper

Votes

No votes

BONFIRE.news's Position

Yay or Nay

SB 185

Correctional Institutions of State and Counties; use of state funds or resources for certain treatments for state inmates; prohibit

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 42 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to correctional institutions of state and counties, so as to prohibit the use of state funds or resources for certain treatments for state inmates; to provide for the adoption of rules and regulations by the Board of Corrections relating to such prohibitions and exceptions; to provide for a definition; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Committees

Committees House Committee: Public and Community Health Senate Committee: Public Safety

Sponsors

Robertson, Randy (29th); Gooch, Steve (51st); Albers, John (56th); Summers, Carden (13th); Burns, Max (23rd); Hufstetler, Chuck (52nd); Payne, Chuck (54th); Williams, Rick (25th); Hodges, Mike (3rd); Ginn, Frank (47th); Goodman, Russ (8th); Tillery, Blake (19th); Echols, Drew (49th); Strickland, Brian (42nd); Harbin, Marty (16th); Anderson, Lee (24th); Hatchett, Bo (50th); Beach, Brandon (21st); Anavitarte, Jason (31st); Brass, Matt (6th); Watson, Ben (1st)

Status History

04/10/2025: Senate Sent to Governor; 04/02/2025: House Passed/Adopted; 04/02/2025: House Third Readers; 04/02/2025: House Committee Favorably Reported; 03/06/2025: House Second Readers; 03/04/2025: House First Readers; 03/03/2025: Senate Passed/Adopted; 03/03/2025: Senate Third Read; 02/27/2025: Senate Read Second Time; 02/26/2025: Senate Committee Favorably Reported; 02/19/2025: Senate Read and Referred; 02/18/2025: Senate Hopper

Votes

03/03/2025, Senate Vote #127, 19, 34, 2, 1; 03/03/2025, Senate Vote #128, 37, 15, 3, 1; 04/02/2025, House Vote #391, 100, 2, 7, 71

BONFIRE.news's Position

Yay or Nay

Coming Soon!

Local Coupons & Discounts

No local coupons available right now. Please check back soon!

No coupons or discounts above? Click the button below to access the Coupons and Discounts page.

[render_coupon_fallback_if_empty]

*This content (including text, artwork, graphics, photography, and video) was provided by the third party(ies) as referenced above. Any rights or other content questions or inquiries should be directed to such third-party provider(s).