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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This Political Breakfast, the gang dives into a recent New York Times article about Georgia U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff -- the state's first Jewish Senator -- losing Jewish support. 

The Times wrote some Democratic donors and Jewish leaders are unhappy with Ossoff's position and criticism of the Israel-Hamas war. A bipartisan group of Jewish leaders even urged Georgia GOP Governor Brian Kemp to run against Ossoff in next year's Senate race. 

Republican Strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson tell host Lisa Rayam that Ossoff may be in a pretty tight spot.

Plus, Atlanta Public Schools literacy rates hit a successful milestone post-COVID. 

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On this week's first Political Breakfast, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp responds to Donald Trump's administration firing roughly 13-hundred workers at Atlanta's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Employees told NPR they wish to remain anonymous, and reported the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency cut about 10 percent of the workforce. 

Meanwhile, is Kemp setting the stage to announce a U.S. Senate run next year? 

Republican strategist Brian Robinson, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam discuss all that, plus Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman announcing he will not run for re-election.

He recently made the announcement on social media, saying he has to focus his time and effort on serious medical challenges within his family.

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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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New candidates are hinting they'll run to replace Georgia Governor Brian Kemp in 2026. 

On this epidose of Political Breakfast, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam discuss two in particular:

GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Democratic State Senator Jason Esteves. 

The team re-visits former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms interest in a possible gubernatorial run, and Governor Kemp possibly running for U.S. Senate. 

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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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On this week's second edition of Political Breakfast, we focus on Governor Brian Kemp's highest legislative priority this session: Tort reform. 

Kemp has been pushing the issue for years, and believes that the laws on our books make it too easy to bring "frivolous lawsuits against Georgia business owners." He's said excessive civil litigation drives up the price of insurance, and stops job growth in communities that need them the most. 

Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson are paying close attention, to an issue that host Lisa Rayam asks, is the average Georgian aware of? 

Plus, school safety is another priority being taken-up under the Gold Dome. That's following the deadly mass shooting last year at Apalachee High School.

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On this week's Political Breakfast, we reflect on Black History Month amid attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives in the workplace from President Donald Trump's administration. 

Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam touch on Trump blaming the recent horrific Philadelphia plane and helicopter crash on DEI. 

Plus, tariffs. Trump is threatening to impose 25 percent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, but those are now held on a 30-day pause. A 10 percent U.S. tariff on imports from China already took effect. 

All three are some of Georgia's biggest trading partners. 

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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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On this episode of Political Breakfast, host Lisa Rayam, the Atlanta Civic Circle's Saba Long and Republican strategist Brian Robinson focus on Georgia's 2026 gubernatorial race.

Democrat and Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is considering running. That's after serving as an international trade advisor to President Joe Biden. 

But that's as candidates on both sides are starting to make bids.

Georgia GOP Attorney General Chris Carr has already raised roughly 2.2 million in the first 40 days of his campaign for governor. He launched his campaign this past November. 

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