U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff says a bipartisan housing bill approved by Congress includes provisions designed to crack down on large corporations buying up single-family homes and driving up housing costs for families in Georgia.
The Georgia General Assembly adjourned its 2026 special session on Tuesday, June 23, after completing legislative work outlined in Governor Brian Kemp’s special session proclamation.
Candidate Holly Chaney recently spoke at a meeting of the Chattooga County Democratic Party, where she answered questions from members and outlined her objectives as a representative for Georgia House District 12.
Georgia lawmakers returned to the State Capitol last week for a special legislative session called by Governor Brian Kemp to address election law implementation, local homestead tax exemptions, and ratification of a temporary suspension of state motor fuel taxes.
According to State Representative Eddie Lumsden, who represents Chattooga County and a portion of Floyd County, legislators opted not to take up congressional and state legislative redistricting during the special session, despite redistricting being included in the governor’s original proclamation.
One of the first measures approved by lawmakers was House Resolution 3EX, which ratifies Governor Kemp’s executive order extending the temporary suspension of Georgia’s motor fuel and diesel fuel taxes. The extension continued tax relief for motorists through the Memorial Day travel period.
Lawmakers are also reviewing Senate Bill 3EX, which would make adjustments to Georgia election laws and address implementation deadlines established under previous legislation. The measure deals with election equipment requirements and the use of human-readable ballot text in vote tabulation.
Another major topic under consideration involves local homestead tax exemptions. Following passage of legislation earlier this year authorizing a Local Homestead Option Sales Tax, lawmakers are considering local bills that would allow communities to place homestead exemption measures before voters during the November 2026 General Election.
The General Assembly resumed work Monday as legislators continue debating the measures included in the governor’s special session agenda.
You can read Representative Lumsden’s complete legislative report below.
Georgia Senate Republicans have approved legislation that would delay a state law banning the use of QR codes to count votes, keeping the state’s touchscreen voting system in place through the 2026 midterm elections. The measure passed the Senate by a 33-19 vote and now heads to the Georgia House for consideration.
The legislation would postpone the QR code ban until January 2028 and create a committee to recommend specifications for Georgia’s next voting system. Lawmakers say the move is necessary to avoid confusion and potential legal challenges because the state has not yet developed or implemented a replacement system.
Gov. Brian Kemp called lawmakers into a special session in part to address the looming July 1 deadline established by a 2024 law that would prohibit counting votes through QR codes. Election officials have warned that making a major change before this fall’s elections could create logistical problems for counties and voters.
Georgia’s current voting system uses touchscreen machines that print paper ballots containing both a human-readable summary and a QR code that is scanned to tabulate votes. Critics have argued for years that voters cannot independently verify the information contained in the QR code, while supporters say changing systems too close to an election could create significant disruptions.
The Senate proposal would also require full hand recounts of the top two races on the ballot, a provision that has generated debate among lawmakers over the time and resources required to conduct such counts.
Democrats generally support delaying the QR code ban but criticized the bill’s process, arguing that the committee tasked with designing a future voting system lacks adequate bipartisan representation.
If approved by the House and signed into law, the measure would keep Georgia’s touchscreen voting system in place through at least the 2026 election cycle while state leaders work toward selecting a long-term replacement.
Georgia lawmakers have taken the first major step toward resolving a voting system issue that threatened to complicate the state’s upcoming elections.
Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns has informed Governor Brian Kemp that the Georgia House will not take up congressional or legislative redistricting during the state’s upcoming special legislative session.
Chattooga County voters headed to the polls Tuesday for Georgia’s Primary Runoff Election, with unofficial and incomplete results showing turnout of 13.02 percent among the county’s 15,410 registered voters. A total of 2,007 ballots were cast across the county’s five precincts.
The Chattooga County Democratic Party will hold its next meeting today at 6 p.m. at the Chattooga County Agricultural Center, located at 33 Middle School Road in Summerville.
The meeting will feature a public forum with Holly Chaney, a candidate for Georgia House District 12. According to organizers, Chaney’s campaign is focused on issues including the cost of living, healthcare access, and support for public education.
In a statement provided by the campaign, Chaney said she believes the best solutions come from listening to the people who live and work in the district and hearing directly about the challenges they face.
Local Democrats are encouraging residents to attend, learn more about the campaign, and participate in discussions about issues affecting the community.
The meeting is open to the public and begins at 6 p.m. today at the Chattooga County Agricultural Center in Summerville.
The Chattooga County Democratic Party will host its next monthly meeting on Monday, June 15, featuring a public forum with Georgia House District 12 candidate Holly Chaney.