Georgia voters are once again expected to play a pivotal role in the presidential election on Nov. 5, even as many are focusing on recovering and rebuilding from the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene.

If you live in Georgia and are filling up your tank — you may notice a price hike.

Georgia House Speaker David Ralston has died at age 68.

Georgia could have more than $5 billion in surplus revenue after the just-concluded budget year, following another big month for tax collections in June.

Five days of early voting in advance of the June 21 runoff primary begins Monday. There are more unsettled races on the Democratic ballot but two Republican legislative seats will be decided in this election.

Some of the 180 seats in Georgia’s state House and the 56 seats in the state Senate are going to get shifted to fast-growing regions around metro Atlanta and Savannah when a special session starts next week to redraw lines.

Nearly one year after Ahmaud Arbery was shot to death by a former Glynn County cop and his son in a Glynn County neighborhood, Gov. Brian Kemp is asking the Georgia Legislature to repeal a Civil War-era citizen’s arrest law that was initially cited as a reason to not to hold the killers accountable. Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddy" Bryan are each facing a charge of murder in the death of Ahmaud Arbery. “Like the anti-hate crimes legislation (which passed the Legislature last June) reforming the citizen’s arrest statute is first and foremost about who we are as a state,” Kemp said. Kemp asking Georgia lawmakers to overhaul citizen’s arrest statute

House and Senate negotiators signed an agreement Tuesday on a final version of Georgias 2021 budget, for the year beginning Wednesday. The state will spend $25.9 billion of its own revenue, a 10% cut from what was originally expected. Brian Kemp is letting lawmakers spend $250 million out of the states savings account and increased projected tobacco tax revenue by $50 million earlier this week. But none of those measures have passed even one legislative chamber and Republican budget writers said they included none of those plans. Lawmakers are urging school districts to spend savings to avoid cutting teacher pay or instructional days.

ATLANTA – A bill to let local voters decide whether to abolish the scandal-plagued Glynn County Police Department has gone to Gov. Glynn County commissioners oppose both measures, saying two local Republican lawmakers are trying to help their political ally, Sheriff Neal Jump. A Glynn County narcotics officer was found to have been having sex with two confidential informants. Glynn County Chairman Mike Browning and most of his fellow commissioners have stood by the department nevertheless. If voters, in the end, do decide to vote in favor of abolishing the Glynn County Police Department, the transition into a sheriff’s office would begin.

ATLANTA – Onlookers are placing bets on whether Georgia will make a push to expand gambling in the state this year, but the odds for such a wager remain unclear. Georgia could also allow each county’s voters a separate referendum on local gambling. “At some point, I think it is appropriate to let the people of Georgia have the final word,” he said. Local governments say they need to protect local property values and that the state is trying to take away what should be local powers. SEAT BELTSSome lawmakers aim to make Georgia join 30 other states that require back seat passengers to wear seat belts as well as front seat passengers.