End of public health emergency won’t affect COVID vaccines, testing for now

COVID-19 tests and vaccines will continue to be offered for free in Georgia despite the ending of the federal public health emergency later this week, Dr. Kathleen Toomey, commissioner of the state Department of Public Health, said Tuesday.

General Assembly session the usual combo of triumphs, defeats

ATLANTA – The General Assembly passed much of Gov. Brian Kemp’s legislative agenda for 2023 during the 40-day session that ended shortly after midnight Thursday morning.

Capitol Beat: State House bans private funds to local elections offices

Local elections offices in Georgia would not be allowed to accept donations from private sources to help run their operations under a Republican-backed bill that has passed the state House of Representatives.

Capitol Beat: Sports betting falls short of two-thirds required vote

This year’s bid to legalize sports betting is dead in the General Assembly. The Georgia Senate defeated a proposed constitutional amendment Monday that would have put online sports betting before Georgia voters in a statewide referendum next year.

‘Tripledemic’ on decline in Georgia

Georgia’s “tripledemic” — the simultaneous outbreaks of flu, COVID, and respiratory synctical virus (RSV) — is on the decline, state epidemiologist Cherie Drenzek said Wednesday.