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Georgia Today: Ahmaud Arbery killers appeal; Banning foreign land owners; Transgender bathroom bill
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On the Wednesday, March 27 edition of Georgia Today: Ahmaud Arbery's killings have filed an appeal; Lawmakers want to prevent foreign governments from buying farmland in Georgia; Peter Biello talks with the mother of a transgender student about a proposed bill that focuses on transgender kids and the bathrooms they should use.
Orlando Montoya: Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Wednesday, March 27. I'm Orlando Montoya. On today's episode, the three men convicted of murder and hate crimes in Ahmad Arbery's killing have asked a federal court to throw out portions of their convictions. Lawmakers want to prevent foreign governments from buying farmland in Georgia. And tomorrow is the last day the state House can take action on a bill that focuses on transgender kids and the bathrooms should use. GPB's Peter Biello sat down with the mother of a trans student to discuss how this bill would impact her child. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.
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Orlando Montoya: The three white men convicted of murder and hate crimes in Ahmaud Arbery's killing asked a federal appeals court today to throw out their hate crimes convictions. Travis and Greg McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan chased Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, in pickup trucks, and fatally shot him in the streets of a Brunswick subdivision in 2020. A jury concluded the three men targeted Arbery because of his race, finding them guilty of hate crimes. Their lawyers told a three-judge panel of the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that past racist comments didn't prove a racist intent.
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Orlando Montoya: The State Senate has given final passage to a bill that would ban what it calls foreign adversaries from buying certain pieces of property. Senate Bill 420 targets those acting on behalf of a foreign government from buying farmland or land within 10 miles of a military base. Dallas state senator [and] Republican Jason Anavitarte says the measure originally targeted the Chinese government, but it was expanded to include other countries. He said the bill doesn't prevent Chinese Americans from buying land, but some Democrats pushed back, saying it could lead to discrimination. The bill passed 44 to 11 yesterday and now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature.
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Orlando Montoya: Georgia Senate Republicans have passed a bill that requires transgender kids to use the bathroom that is consistent with their sex at birth, not their gender identity. Proponents say it's meant to keep kids safe. But opponents say it makes trans kids less safe. Kim Siders of Atlanta has been testifying against the bill. Her daughter is trans. Tomorrow is the last day for the House to take action on this bill. And as lawmakers consider the next moves, Siders joined GPB's Peter Biello to discuss how this would impact her child.
Peter Biello: You testified against this bill when it was being debated in the House. Why did you decide to go to the Capitol and speak about it?
Kim Siders: Well, I'm a parent, and first and foremost, I am, you know, worried about my child's safety and their mental health. And I'm trying to do everything I can to protect them.
Peter Biello: If this bill about the use of bathrooms becomes law, how will this change your daughter's experience in her school?
Kim Siders: It's so hard. You know, right now my child lives as a girl. She has girlfriends. And so for her to not be able to go to the bathroom where the other girls are, where she is safe — can you imagine somebody who looks like a girl and who uses female pronouns and who, in all other ways, is living as a girl at school were to go into the boys' bathroom? And that's really, you know, an uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situation. And it excludes her being able to just go to the bathroom in between classes when you have three minutes. She wouldn't be able to get to some single-use teacher bathroom on another hallway on a big campus. Like, it would be very logistically challenging and painful, but also just alienating from the other girls.
Peter Biello: In arguing against this bill, Democrat Sen. Josh McLaurin said the bill, as written, would encourage other young people to stigmatize trans children, that they'll see what their lawmakers are doing and they'll — they'll feel emboldened to, to act out. Do you agree with that sentiment?
Kim Siders: Absolutely. You know, there was a high school student in Oklahoma, who was severely beaten after being bullied for months because they were using the girls' bathroom, which is — they were forced to use. The girls in the bathroom were not accepting, and they bullied this kid and they beat this kid. And the next day she killed herself.
Peter Biello: Are you referring to Nix Benedict?
Kim Siders: Yeah. Nix Benedict. Othering children. Stigmatizing them. Separating them from their friends because of this identity certainly sends a message that there's something wrong with them. What I — you know, what I tried to tell the legislators when we were at that committee meeting is that, you know, my child feels themselves to be a girl. They are not a boy dressing up as a girl to get into the girls' bathroom. That's not what they're doing. And there's no evidence that transgender people are doing anything in bathrooms that they shouldn't be doing. Just the fact that these bills are out in the public domain, it creates a very hostile environment where kids are more likely to be targeted.
Peter Biello: Well, Kim Siders, I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me and share your story and that of your daughter. Thank you very much.
Kim Siders: Thank you, Peter. I appreciate the opportunity.
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Orlando Montoya: Savannah has suspended a popular glass recycling program. For about 15 months, residents have been bringing glass bottles, jars to drop off sites around the city. Well, that program abruptly shut down last week. Mayor Van Johnson said in a press conference that the contractor stopped providing the service. Savannah did not lose any money with the abrupt end of the program. And Mayor Johnson has vowed to find a long-term solution for glass recycling.
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Orlando Montoya: Georgia Power and state regulators have reached a tentative deal on the company's request for a new integrated resources plan, or IRP. Georgia Power wants to ramp up energy production in the face of new demand, in part from new data centers and electric vehicle manufacturers. GPB's Grant Blankenship has more.
Grant Blankenship: In the agreement, Georgia's Public Service Commission will allow Georgia Power to add more fossil fuel-generated electricity. That's at new natural gas turbines at the company's Plant Yates, another gas unit in Florida and from sister company Mississippi Power at their coal-fired Plant Daniel. Decision on the request to put off sunsetting coal-fired units at Georgia Power's Plant Scherer and Plant Bowen will wait another year. The plan met with skepticism during public comment from those concerned with climate change, like 85-year-old Dan May.
Dan May: You know, my my four grandkids. I fully expect them to ask someone, someday, to ask why we didn't do enough to keep the climate from getting worse.
Grant Blankenship: Plan will not be fully approved until April 16. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.
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Orlando Montoya: A controversial bill that would eliminate the required state licenses for those who want to style hair and apply makeup narrowly passed the House on Tuesday. Senate Bill 354 would open access for those who want to run hair care and makeup businesses without a license. The bill is limited, meaning that those who use chemical products or extensive heat still would need a proper cosmetology license. But future beauticians now could skip onerous and time-consuming training to start their practices. Cosmetologists have been split on the measure. Protesters gathered outside the Capitol earlier in the 2024 legislative session, chanting phrases like "don't call us when your hair falls out." Other cosmetologists were supportive of the measure.
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Orlando Montoya: In Georgia sports. The Atlanta Braves have sent reliever Jaxon Stephens to Triple-A Gwinnett, clearing a spot on the Opening Day roster for fan favorite Jesse Chavez. The 40-year-old Chavez was signed by the Braves a day earlier after being released by the Chicago White Sox. This will be Chavez's fifth stint with Atlanta. The right-hander was one of the team's most effective relievers last season, posting a 1.56 ERA with one save in 36 games. The Braves were set to open their regular season tomorrow in Philadelphia, but it appears like, this afternoon, that that game has been rained out and they'll begin on Friday.
And that's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. If you'd like to find out more about these stories, visit our website gpb.org/news. That's where many of the stories that you hear on this podcast live in a different digital format. And you can check back at that website for all the latest from around Georgia, the nation and the world. If you haven't yet hit subscribe on this podcast, do that now. Hitting subscribe will help you keep us current in your feed. If you have feedback for us, send that to GeorgiaToday@gpb.org. And I'm Orlando Montoya. That's it. Hope you have a good evening and I will talk to you again tomorrow.
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