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February 27, 2026

Rep. Lumsden Highlights Data Center Protections, Campus Safety and Foster Care Reforms as Session Passes Midpoint

Local News, Local News Items #AutismScreening, #CampusSafety, #chattoogacounty, #ConsumerProtection, #DataCenters, #eddielumsden, #EnergyPolicy, #FloydCounty, #FosterCare, #georgiahouse, #GeorgiaLegislature, #georgiapolitics, #georgiapower, #HB1063, #Naloxone, #northwestgeorgia, #RoadSafety, #StudentAthleteSafety, #wzqznews 0

State Rep. Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee), who represents all of Chattooga County and part of Floyd County, says the Georgia House has passed the halfway point of the 2026 legislative session after completing Legislative Day 22. Lawmakers returned to the Capitol following the President’s Day holiday and moved several bills forward during a busy week.

Lumsden highlighted passage of House Bill 1063, which would prevent electric utilities from shifting certain costs tied to large data centers onto residential and small business customers, while codifying Public Service Commission cost-allocation rules into state law. He noted Georgia’s rapid data center growth is driving increased energy demand statewide.

The House also approved legislation to increase access to naloxone on college and technical campuses, expand protections for foster placement caregivers, support autism screenings for children in foster care, strengthen student-athlete health requirements, and improve roadside safety during traffic stops as work continues toward Crossover Day.

See Rep. Lumsden’s complete report below:

February 27, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Senate Panel Rewrites Data Center Power Cost Bill as Northwest Georgia Families Worry About High Electric Bills

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A Georgia Senate committee has rewritten legislation meant to protect consumers from higher electricity costs tied to the state’s fast-growing data center industry, advancing a version that supporters say is less explicit about shielding residential customers. The Senate Regulated Industries Committee approved the revamped proposal after rejecting language that would have clearly barred utilities from passing certain data center-related costs onto regular ratepayers.

December 21, 2025

by WZQZ NEWS

PSC Approves Georgia Power Data-Center Expansion, Critics Say Georgians Will Pay the Price

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The Georgia Public Service Commission voted unanimously this past Friday (Dec. 19) to approve Georgia Power’s request to acquire nearly 10 gigawatts of new energy capacity—a major expansion the utility says it needs to meet projected electricity demand from data centers in coming years. The vote was taken before two new Democratic Public Service Commissioners take office next month, a timing critics say is hard to ignore.