Georgia's 2024 Legislative Session is underway!

The Watcher

News from Georgia Watch

January 2024

Today is Day 6 of the 2024 Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Watch will remain active at the Capitol throughout the 40-day legislative session to stand up for Georgia consumers. In particular, we are working to support passage of:

House Bill 342 to require regulation of car title lenders and make them subject to small-dollar lending protections.
A state certification process for Community Health Workers.
Reforms to ensure statewide health system accountability to keep providers where they are needed and reduce disparities in access to care.
An Equity Impact Tool (EIT) to analyze potential impacts of proposed legislation on certain demographic populations.

Download our full 2023 - 2024 Policy Priorities and keep up-to-date on all the bills we're following on our Take Action page.

Please be on the lookout for action alerts from us throughout the session as we call on you to contact your legislators to amplify consumer concerns on the issues that matter most to you. Our success depends on your voice!

Liz Coyle,

Executive Director

Georgia Watch Files Brief in Support of LaGrange Residents and Small Businesses

On January 2, former Governor Roy Barnes of Barnes Law Group filed an amicus, or friend of the court, brief on behalf of Georgia Watch in support of plaintiffs in the Hollis v. LaGrange case. In the class action complaint filed January 10, 2023, plaintiffs Lonnie Hollie and Mason’s World Bar & Grill allege that the City of LaGrange has acted outside of its limited legal authority to assess taxes, instead imposing an illegal tax on residents and businesses which rely on its public utilities for water, sewer, electric, and natural gas services. According to the complaint, the City of LaGrange has intentionally generated municipal utility profits in excess of 17% over costs for the purpose of transfer to the City’s general fund in lieu of assessing property taxes. In the Georgia Watch brief, we argue that this taxation scheme, “is in the nature of a regressive tax which falls hardest on lower income residents, small businesses, and other organizations least able to afford them.”

Welcome to Our New Board Member, Dr. Keisha Callins

Georgia Watch proudly announces our newly elected board member, Dr. Keisha Reneé Callins. Dr. Callins is a Georgia-trained Obstetrician/Gynecologist with Community Health Care Systems, Inc (CHCS), a federally qualified health center (FQHC) network in central Georgia, and is committed to providing healthcare services to rural and underserved areas of Georgia. She is also a Clinical Professor and Joy McCann Endowed Professor at Mercer University School of Medicine. Dr. Callins is the immediate past chair of the National Advisory Council for the National Health Service Corps and a former National Health Service Corps Scholar. She has participated in several leadership opportunities, such as Leadership Georgia, Georgia Physicians Leadership Academy, and the C.H.A.M.P.S. Transformational Healthcare Leadership Fellowship at Morehouse School of Medicine. She has co-authored numerous publications and has presented to various audiences ranging from rural churches to congressional caucuses. Her awards include the 2023 recipient of the Inaugural Sandra Dunagan Deal Rural Service Fellow Award, Alpha Omega Honor Society, Humanism in Medicine and Excellence Teaching Award, and the Dr. George A. Johnston Community Service Award. She actively participates in pathway mentorship, translational research, legislative advocacy, and community engagement.

Welcome to our New Intern!

Georgia Watch is pleased to have Alexandra Joseph join us as a graduate student intern from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University.

Alexandra is pursuing a Master's in Public Policy, specializing in nonprofit management, policy analysis, and advocacy. Her background has equipped her with a robust policy implementation and evaluation foundation. She is excited about contributing her skills and passion for social change at Georgia Watch.

Join the Georgia Watch Team!

We seek an experienced professional with a background or interest in advocacy to serve as our Communications and Engagement Manager. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in enhancing our organization's visibility, building community engagement, and fostering communication strategies that amplify our advocacy efforts. Learn more and apply today!

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Georgia Watch

55 Marietta Street NW

Atlanta, Georgia 30303