Political Rewind: Vaccines arrived in Ga. a year ago; Eliminating ballot drop boxes; Rivian factory

Caption

December 14th marks one year since the first vaccine shipments arrived in Georgia

The Panelists: 

Tamar Hallerman — Senior reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Riley Bunch — Policy reporter, GPB News

Rene Alegria — CEO, Mundo Hispanico Digital

1. Today marks one year since the first COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Georgia. 

• The Georgia Department of Health says the first vaccines arrived on Dec. 14, 2020. 
• At this time, 52% of Georgia's eligible population is fully vaccinated. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has a look at those numbers. 
• Child tax credits are helping families across the Peach State stay afloat through an economy hobbled by the pandemic. GPB's Riley Bunch spoke to parents who rely on that tax credit.

• The last scheduled payment from the credit will hit bank accounts tomorrow. Continuation of the provision will require a vote from Congress to pass President Joe Biden’s sweeping Build Back Better package.

2. GOP state Senate leader Butch Miller moves to eliminate ballot drop boxes he helped create.

• The Senate President Pro Tempore pre-filled a bill on the measure Monday.
• Democrats oppose the measure. They say the move is politically motivated as Miller runs for lieutenant governor.
• Miller sponsored legislation earlier in the year in support of the ballot boxes. 

3. Ahmaud Arbery's murderers to be sentenced Jan. 7, 2022. 

• Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan were convicted last month in the shooting death of the Black jogger in Brunswick, Ga. 
• Judge Timothy Walmsley scheduled the hearing. He will decide whether or not their mandatory life sentences will carry the possibility of parole after 30 years.
• All three men also face federal hate crime charges. That trial starts in February. 

4. New electric vehicle factory could come to Rutledge, Ga.

• The Amazon-linked manufacturer wants to set up shop an hour east of downtown Atlanta.
• The plant would be one of Georgia's largest economic partnerships. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Tamar Hallerman talks more about how that could help Gov. Brian Kemp in the GOP primary. 

5. Hispanic voters in the state of Georgia.

• Mundo Hispanico Digital's Rene Alegria talks about how a small percentage of the voting bloc could shift the results of the 2022 election. 

Tomorrow on Political Rewind: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Greg Bluestein joins us on Wednesday.