Georgia Today: Kemp tackles tort reform; Guinea worm disease work continues; Warnock on RFK Jr.

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Thursday, Jan. 30. I'm Peter Biello. On this podcast, we feature the latest reports from GPB's news team. You can send feedback or story ideas to GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. On today's episode, Gov. Brian Kemp tackles tort reform. Jimmy Carter's mission to eradicate Guinea worm disease remains on track, and RFK Jr. faces opposition to his confirmation as the head of the largest federal health agency from Sen. Raphael Warnock.

Raphael Warnock: I didn't hear anything in Mr. Kennedy's answer yesterday that would suggest to me that he will be standing up to make sure that we don't increase the health care costs for Georgians.

Peter Biello: These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Caption

Gov. Brian Kemp speaks at a press conference.

Credit: Stephen Fowler | GPB News

Story 1:

Peter Biello: Gov. Brian Kemp says he will call a special legislative session if his top legislative priority, lawsuit reform regulation, is not passed. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports.

Sarah Kallis: Kemp's proposed legislation lays out rules for civil lawsuit proceedings. The goal is to limit lawsuits and curb rising insurance costs and legal fees for businesses and consumers.

Brian Kemp: And our businesses and hardworking Georgians need relief from the increased cost of doing business, having car insurance or getting access to health care.

Sarah Kallis: Specific proposals include allowing a jury to consider whether a plaintiff in an accident was wearing a seatbelt, limiting lawsuits to businesses when injuries happen on their property, and banning outsized jury awards. Several Democrats have already voiced opposition to the proposed legislation, like Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones.

Brian Kemp: Has he really been talking to the average Georgians and not just the insurance companies that are pushing this?

Sarah Kallis: The bill will be carried by Republican Sen. John Kennedy. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis at the state Capitol.

Story 2:

Peter Biello: A crowd gathered in Gainesville this week to protest President Donald Trump's immigration policies. Over the weekend, some of the first people in Georgia without legal citizenship were reported to be detained by federal agents under Trump's expedited removal policy. GPB's Sofi Gratas has more.

Sofi Gratas: On Wednesday night, people showed up for Hall County's large Latino community, because many here now have real worries about deportation, like Elizabeth Aviles.

Elizabeth Aviles: I feel like a lot of people don't know how it feels to have a parent or a fear of someone getting taken away from you.

Sofi Gratas: Her dad has a work permit and her mom has DACA. The Trump administration has threatened to end both programs and they could be sent back to Mexico.

Elizabeth Aviles: They're working towards that. And now it's going to be taken away. So it's the fact that a lot of them are being criminalized and they have done nothing wrong.

Organizer: *Speaking Spanish*

Sofi Gratas: Down the street, an organizer distributes small cards that lay out in English and Spanish how to interact with federal agents. Trump recently rolled back rules barring agents from schools, churches and hospitals. The Hall County sheriff's office is one of the few in Georgia which have agreed to aid in arrests in compliance with state law.

Saul: *Speaking Spanish*

Sofi Gratas: Saul has lived here 20 years and says it hasn't been easy.

Saul: *Speaking Spanish*

Sofi Gratas: But there was always respect, he says. People could send their kids to school without fear.

Saul: *Speaking Spanish*

Sofi Gratas: Not anymore, he says. And all people can do is wait. For GPB News, I'm Sofi Gratas in Gainesville.

Story 3:

Peter Biello: U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock will be voting no on the nomination of Robert F Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Georgia Democrat says President Trump's nominee is unqualified for the job. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has more.

Sarah Kallis: Kennedy is being questioned this week by members of the Senate about his history of anti-vaccine advocacy and belief in conspiracy theories. But Warnock says he's deeply concerned about access to health care. At the end of this year, tax credits that provide affordable health care for Georgians will expire.

Raphael Warnock: And I didn't hear anything in Mr. Kennedy's answer yesterday that would suggest to me that he will be standing up to make sure that we don't increase the health care costs for Georgians by $500 per month.

Sarah Kallis: If confirmed, Kennedy would oversee multiple agencies, including the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FDA and Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

​​​​​​​Story 4:

Peter Biello: The case against a former Southeast Georgia prosecutor accused of interfering with the police investigation into the killing of Ahmaud Arbery has taken a blow in the courtroom. Former Glynn County District Attorney Jackie Johnson is on trial on obstruction charges. She's accused of directing two county police officers not to arrest the man who fatally shot Arbery in 2020 and who was later convicted of murder. One of those officers was Assistant Police Chief Stephanie Oliver. She testified before a jury today that she never spoke with Johnson about the killing and no one in Johnson's office ever discouraged her from making arrests. The state attorney general's office began making its case against Johnson yesterday. The trial could exceed two weeks.

​​​​​​​Story 5:

Peter Biello: The University of Georgia will spend more on security. University President Jere Morehead announced the measure yesterday in his annual State of the University speech.

Jere Morehead: I recently approved more than $1.7 million in additional campus safety projects to install even more emergency call stations and security fencing, as well as new software and technology improvements for the UGA Police Department.

Peter Biello: The announcement comes as last year's on-campus murder of nursing student Laken Riley remains top of mind for many in the UGA community. Even before her death, university officials faced criticism for its security measures. Last year, UGA committed to spending $7 million in security upgrades.

​​​​​​​Story 6:

Peter Biello: The Carter Center says the late President Jimmy Carter's goal to eradicate Guinea worm disease remains on track. The Atlanta-based organization said today that there were 14 human cases reported worldwide last year. And while that number hasn't changed much from the previous two years, nearly 40 years ago, there were an estimated 3.5 million cases annually, mostly in Africa and Asia. In 1986, the Carter Center assumed leadership of the global Guinea worm eradication program. Carter's commitment to disease eradication was one of the many hallmarks of his post-presidency, remembered in tributes following his death in December.

​​​​​​​Story 7:

Peter Biello: Columbus is expanding a program aimed at luring new residents with offers of $5,000 cash, co-working space membership and other perks for remote workers. The incentive program launched last year, welcoming a dozen new families. That's according to the organization running it, Columbus 2025. The group said today it's now accepting applications for this year, hoping to attract two dozen new households to the city. Columbus 2025 says last year's program had a $2 million annual economic impact on the region.

​​​​​​​Story 8:

Peter Biello: UPS says it plans to cut its shipping business with Amazon by more than half. The metro Atlanta-based shipping giant announced the move today, sending its stock price sharply lower. UPS CEO Carol Tomé told investors Amazon was its largest customer, but not its most profitable, characterizing the cut as a move toward greater efficiency.

​​​​​​​Story 9:

Peter Biello: Georgia's fourth and eighth graders are not yet fully caught up on academic progress since the pandemic. That's according to scores released yesterday from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, often called the nation's report card. State School Superintendent Richard Woods said multiple data points in the release suggest progress, but, quote, "more work is needed." Nationally, the assessment is yet another setback for U.S. schools and reflects the myriad challenges that have upended education in recent years.

​​​​​​​Story 10:

Peter Biello: And this final story before we sign off today: The Savannah Bananas announced they've sold out their largest venue to date — the 81,000-seat Memorial Stadium at Clemson University. The Bananas will be taking their unique brand of baseball to both college football and Major League Baseball stadiums this year. This will be the second time "Banana Ball" has made its way to Clemson. In November of this past year, Doug King's Moore Stadium played host to the first-ever Banana Ball All-Star Game as the All-Stars faced off against the Clemson University men's baseball team. The game at Memorial Stadium between the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals will take place Saturday, April 26.

And that's what we've got for this edition of Georgia Today. Thank you so much for tuning in. I've got the day off tomorrow. Orlando Montoya will be here with you with all the day's news. So tune in tomorrow afternoon. Check your podcast feed for any updates from the Georgia Today team. And if you've got feedback, as always, you can send us an email. The address: GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. And don't forget to check GPB.org/news for any news updates. Thanks again for listening. I'm Peter Biello. 

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