Georgia Today: IVF and tort reform bills pass House; Savannah rezones for more affordable housing

Orlando Montoya: Hello and welcome to Georgia Today. On this podcast, we feature the latest reports from the GPB News team. On today's episode: Gov. Brian Kemp's tort reform bill clears another hurdle. Savannah revises its zoning code to encourage more affordable housing. And the city of Augusta unveils mailboxes to establish addresses for those without stable housing.

Naomi Stanton: You need a legitimate address to be able to establish your children in school. If you don't have an address, you're unable to do those things.

Orlando Montoya: Today is Friday, March 28. I'm Orlando Montoya.

Story 1:

Orlando Montoya: A bill enshrining into law protections for in vitro fertilization is now headed to the governor's desk. GPB's Sarah Kallis has more on the latest in a multi-year effort.

Sarah Kallis: IVF passed the House and Senate overwhelmingly and is expected to be signed by Gov. Brian Kemp. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Lehman Franklin, introduced the bill after concerns about access to the treatment following the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos can be considered children. Franklin and his wife battled infertility for years and are welcoming a daughter in May with the help of IVF.

Lehman Franklin: I'm gonna be able to share that to my daughter one day and show her that. I don't know how old she has to be, maybe 5 or 10, something, but I get to sit her down and say, "You know, you played a part in this and you were in your mama's belly during this whole process."

Sarah Kallis: The protections will go into effect July 1. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis at the state Capitol.

Story 2:

Orlando Montoya: The second part of Gov. Brian Kemp's top priority for this legislative session, limiting lawsuits, has passed in the state House. Senate Bill 69 would set regulations around third parties financing lawsuits, such as banning foreign entities from being litigation financiers. Rep. James Burchett:

James Burchett: Currently, there are no provisions whatsoever that outline regulations on litigation financing. Nowhere in the code will you find it, so what this bill seeks to do is put some guard rails and regulation on the industry.

Orlando Montoya: The bill passed 98 to 69. It now goes back to the Senate. The other bill limiting lawsuits in Georgia got final approval last week. It puts the brakes on when Georgians can sue businesses for injuries flowing from crimes on business properties, among other limits.

Story 3:

Orlando Montoya: Gov. Brian Kemp soon could be one of the highest-paid governors in the country. State senators agreed to amend a bill that passed in the House giving a pay raise to state Supreme Court judges and other judges. Donna Lowry, host of GPB's Lawmakers, says a salary bump for other state officials was added, including the governor.

Donna Lowry: His yearly salary would increase from $182,000 to $250,000. Other statewide office holders, from the attorney general to the state school superintendent, would also see significant bumps in their salaries. And now the bill must go to the House for action, but it would make him one of the highest-paid governors in the nation.

Orlando Montoya: House Bill 86 gives a pay raise to most of Georgia's statewide elected officials.

Story 4:

Orlando Montoya: The Savannah City Council yesterday voted to revise its zoning code with the goal of greenlighting more affordable housing units, GPB's Benjamin Payne reports.

Benjamin Payne: Zoning can be a confusing topic, but in a nutshell, Savannah's new ordinance is about addition by subtraction. That is, the law removes certain restrictions on where developers can build high-density multifamily housing. In doing so, city leaders hope to add to Savannah's housing supply in the coming years. Passed by council members at their Thursday meeting, the so-called Affordable Housing Overlay District will encompass several neighborhoods beyond downtown, places where single-family homes have long been the norm. Savannah Mayor Van Johnson:

Van Johnson: We can't complain about not having affordable housing if we're not willing to take the big bold moves it's gonna take to get us there. We have to create it, and it happens by density. And density has to be citywide.

Benjamin Payne: Federal data show the median rent in metro Savannah rose by over 55% over the past five years. For GPB News, I'm Benjamin Payne in Savannah.

​​​​​​​Story 5:

Orlando Montoya: Vidalia onions are headed towards shelves starting April 15. The Georgia Agriculture Commissioner and the Vidalia Onion Committee announced the pack date yesterday for the iconic South Georgia sweet onion. The annual pack date is determined based on soil and weather conditions during the growing season. This year's crop withstood a tropical storm, a hurricane, floods, and 6 inches of snow.

​​​​​​​Story 6:

Orlando Montoya: Postal workers in Middle Georgia are raising alarms about potential threats to mail service amid growing concerns the Trump administration could privatize the U.S. Postal Service. Members of the National Association of Letter Carriers held a protest in Macon on Sunday. They say privatization could mean higher prices and fewer deliveries, especially in rural areas. It comes as Postmaster General Louis DeJoy resigned this week amid growing scrutiny. Letter carriers in Warner Robbins say their office alone makes more than 31,000 daily deliveries in rural Georgia.

​​​​​​​Story 7:

Orlando Montoya: Augusta-area residents without homes now at least can have an address. The city's Homeless Task Force in March unveiled a bank of 50 mailboxes that caseworkers can assign to clients without stable housing. Caseworkers can use the mailboxes to get their clients' services to address problems contributing to their homelessness. Task Force Chair Naomi Stanton says an actual address, not just a post office box, is often required for basic needs.

Naomi Stanton: Having an address is one of the things that our clients actually told us would make their lives easier because we know that vital documents is a way for you to get ahead. So that's a birth certificate. That's being able to go to the DMV and get a state-issued ID. If you don't have an address, you're unable to do those things. So there are organizations that will allow you to apply for a birth certificate and it can come to them. That's one thing. But when it comes to a state-issued ID, you need to have an address. Also, if you look at every job application, every application for a home, every application to get your kids registered for school, you need an address. So if you have just left a domestic violence situation and you're in a safe home. you need a legitimate address to be able to establish your children in school. And so the thought behind it was "Bring all of the nonprofits together," everyone that has someone in case management, active case management. This would be a gift.

Orlando Montoya: The mailboxes are located in front of Gap Ministries. Naomi Stanton leads Gap Ministries. That's a volunteer organization serving those in need.

​​​​​​​Story 8:

Orlando Montoya: Delta Air Lines is testing the loyalty of Southwest Airlines customers. The Atlanta-based carrier yesterday announced a limited time offer aimed at Southwest A-List and A-List preferred members. They now can enroll as Delta Gold and Platinum Medallion members for free. It's the latest move among several airlines following the unpopular end of Southwest's longstanding free bag policy earlier this month.

​​​​​​​Story 9:

Orlando Montoya: Savannah's Memorial Health plans to build a $265 million five-story tower to increase bed space at its main hospital campus. The health system says the project is aimed at meeting the region's needs stemming from significant recent growth. In addition to 90 new beds, the expansion also includes more food service, supply chain and parking spaces. Expected construction dates were to be announced in coming weeks.

Caption

Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin joins the panel.

Credit: @ATLShirley

​​​​​​​Story 10:

Orlando Montoya: Atlanta honored former Mayor Shirley Franklin Thursday by renaming part of Central Avenue and the city's Westside Park in her honor. The newly christened Shirley Clark Franklin Boulevard and Shirley Clark-Franklin Park celebrate the legacy of Atlanta's first female mayor and the first Black woman to lead a major Southern city. Franklin served two terms starting in 2002 and is credited with launching the Atlanta Beltline, the city's popular. bike and pedestrian trail, and improving the city's sewer system. The current mayor, Andre Dickens, and former mayor Andrew Young, joined in honoring Franklin's lifelong commitment to public service.

​​​​​​​Story 11:

Orlando Montoya: Atlanta is bracing for a jam-packed sports weekend as fans pour in for March Madness, Atlanta United, and the Savannah Bananas. State Farm Arena hosts the NCAA Men's Southern Regional Sweet 16 and Elite Eight matchup starting tonight. Next door, Atlanta United will take on New York City FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday. And the viral Savannah bananas bring their wild brand of "Banana ball" to Truist Park for two sold-out games on Saturday and Sunday. Officials are urging fans to check the venue's security rules before they go, and plan for heavy traffic and tight parking, or take public transit to arrive car-free.

That's it for today's edition of Georgia Today. If you'd like to learn more about these stories, visit gpb.org/news. We'd like you to hit subscribe on this podcast. That helps us out so that you're always current with us in your feed. And if you have feedback, we'd love to hear it. Send story ideas too, to georgiatoday at gpd.org. I'm Orlando Montoya. I'll talk to you next week.

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For more on these stories and more, go to GPB.org/news