Georgia state lawmakers are now halfway through the 40-day legislative session.

Between former President Jimmy Carter's funeral, the presidential inauguration and a snow storm, the session got of to a slow start. But now some big ticket items are on the move.

On this week's episode of "Plugged In," hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali take a closer look at some of those bills, including one that would compel local governments to help with immigration enforcement and a school safety package responding to the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School.

Plus, we take a look at some lower-profile bills and check in on how President Donald Trump's moves to reshape the federal government are continuing to play out here in Georgia.

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Georgia state lawmakers this week started digging into Governor Brian Kemp’s signature policy push this session – overhauling the state’s civil litigation rules, often referred to as tort or lawsuit reform.

On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali bring listeners into the first committee hearing on the issue, where lawmakers and a packed room of observers got to hear from people on different sides of the debate.

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Lawmakers are wrapping up a busy week at the State Capitol as they take their first votes on the budget and banning transgender girls from playing on girls school sports teams.

On this week's episode of "Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast," hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali discuss these and other new legislative proposals including on school safety.

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Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has outlined his top legislative priority – reigning in civil litigation, often referred to as tort reform.

Also on this week's episode of "Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast," hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali take a closer look at Democrats' effort to expand Medicaid in Georgia, and their proposal's difficult path ahead.

Plus, President Donald Trump's moves to reshape the government are already starting to play out in Georgia.

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As temperatures plunged, Georgia and Washington, D.C. prepared for the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.

On this week’s “Plugged In,” WABE Politics Reporters Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali discuss the first week of the new administration, the ongoing court fight over Georgia’s redistricting maps and the state’s response to bird flu in two commercial flocks.

We also hear from one of the January 6th defendants from Georgia who received a pardon – and a prosecutor who worked on many of the cases.

The legislature returns to session on Monday.

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Georgia Governor Brian Kemp delivered his seventh State of the State address at the State Capitol on Thursday. In it he applauded the state’s resilience through natural disasters, the pandemic, economic upheaval and a deadly school shooting and cast Georgia’s approach to health, budgeting and public safety as a model for other states to emulate, declaring “the Georgia Way is indeed the better way.”

On this week’s episode of “Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali discuss some of their big takeaways from the speech as Kemp kicks off his second to last year in office.

Plus, the legislative session gets underway as lawmakers bring up transgender student athletes and push to further investigate Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis.

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Georgia’s only president, Jimmy Carter, was laid to rest this week in the rural corner of Southwest Georgia where he was born a century ago.

On this week’s episode of "Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast," hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali share what they saw and heard as Carter’s life and accomplishments were celebrated throughout Georgia. Plus, a preview of the 2025 legislative session, which kicks off next week.

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Former President Jimmy Carter died Sunday at 100. On this encore episode, WABE's Sam Gringlas looks at how two tiny towns in South Georgia shaped two U.S. presidents. We also preview six days of tributes planned to celebrate the life of the 39th president.

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On this week's episode of "Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast," we take stock of the year in Georgia politics, including a recent court decision removing Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis from the Georgia election interference case, which represents the last remaining criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump.

Plus we look ahead to 2025 and test our editors' knowledge of the news in 2024 with a "Plugged In" game show.

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Twenty-two new state lawmakers will take their seats at the State Capitol when the Georgia General Assembly reconvenes on January 13th. Among them is Bryce Berry, who at just 23 is one of the youngest state lawmakers in Georgia history.

On this week’s episode of “Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali speak with reporter Jasmine Robinson, who recentlytalked with the freshman lawmaker. Plus, a look inside the Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators, which provides information and training to help prepare both freshmen and veteran lawmakers for the General Assembly.

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