July 1 marks the first day that several new state laws take effect. Several bill focus on public schools:
- HB 1084 bans the teaching of certain racial concepts, commonly referred to as Critical Race Theory from being taught in Georgia schools;
- HB 1178 consolidates a number of parental rights into a single law including the right for parents to review classroom material, access their child’s records, and the ability to prevent the creation of photos, videos and voice recordings of their children except for security purposes. It also institutes a requirement for daily recess for all children in grades K - 5.
Other new laws touch on lawmaker pensions, COVID vaccines, and free speech on college campuses.
- HB 824 increases pensions for state lawmakers by about 40 percent.
- SB 345 prevents state agencies and local governments from requiring COVID-19 vaccines.
- SB 441 gives jurisdiction to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate “election fraud and election crimes.”
- HB 1 bars public universities and technical colleges from setting areas of campus as free speech zones. Instead, the bill allows speech by members of the university or college's community, including their guests, in all generally accessible areas but administrators retain some ability to regulate time, place and manner of speech, as well as where non-university or college community members can speak.
WUGA's Lucas Trevor contributed to this report.
Oconee County breaks ground on new government building
A ceremonial groundbreaking was held Thursday for a new Oconee County government complex.
The 44,000 square foot building is located near the intersection of Main Street and Highway 441 outside Watkinsville. It will house numerous county offices not associated with the judicial branch, which will remain at the Oconee County Courthouse.
Offices currently located in annex facilities off Greensboro Highway will move to the administrative building, as well as the tax commissioner and board of elections. The cost of the structure is $14.8 million.
Child dies in hot car
A one-year-old child has died in a hot car in Danielsville.
Madison County Sheriff Michael Moore says the vehicle was in a parking lot outside a Walgreens store Thursday. The child was apparently inside the car for three to four hours. The sheriff’s office was notified of the child’s death about 1:30 in the afternoon.
The investigation is still underway and no charges were initially filed against the mother. Investigators plan to meet with Northern Circuit District Attorney Parks White in regards to possible charges as a result of the investigation.
Court reverses murder verdict against Atlanta attorney
Georgia’s highest court on threw out a murder conviction for a once-prominent Atlanta attorney who fatally shot his wife as they rode in an SUV, saying the jury should have had the option of a misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter charge.
79-year-old Claud “Tex” McIver was convicted of felony murder, aggravated assault, influencing a witness and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in the September 2016 killing of his wife, 64-year-old Diane McIver.
He was sentenced in 2018 to life in prison for felony murder, five years for influencing a witness and a suspended five-year sentence for the gun charge.
The Georgia Supreme Court reversed his convictions for felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony but affirmed his conviction for influencing a witness.
McIver is entitled to a new trial on the overturned charges. He has about two months left to serve on the witness tampering charge, though the state parole board could decide to release him sooner.
