Remembering Longtime Community Leader, Lee Herron

Report: Americans' Opinions on Bioindustrial Manufacturing

July 13, 2026

BioMADE Releases New National Survey Showing Strong, Bipartisan Support for U.S. Leadership in Bioindustrial Manufacturing

2026 GLS Summit: Meet the Leaders Driving the Future of Life Sciences

July 13, 2026

From global biopharmaceutical executives and venture capital leaders to AI innovators, manufacturing experts, and policy influencers, this year's Georgia Life Sciences Summit (August 25-26) brings together the voices shaping what's next in biotechnology, medical technology, and life sciences manufacturing. Industry Visionaries Tim Opler, Stifle (Keynote), CEO Spotlights from Moonlight Therapeutics, Nephrodite, Nutriband, Nyra Medical Innovation & AI Pfizer, Roche Diagnostics, Zifo Investment & Capital Ascenta Capital, NovaQuest Capital Management, Solas BioVentures Manufacturing & Supply Chain Bend Biosciences, Micron Biomedical, Remington Medical, Vitrian, The Risk Project Research & Commercialization Emory University, Shriners Children's Research Institute, Biolocity Policy & Advocacy Incubate Coalition, Greenberg Traurig Whether you're building the next breakthrough therapy, scaling manufacturing, raising capital, or navigating today's policy landscape, you'll hear directly from the executives and innovators leading these conversations every day. Join the leaders shaping the future of life sciences

Court Blocks Colorado Price Cap; GLS Calls for Patient-Focused Solutions

July 8, 2026

Wednesday, July 8, 2026 - Georgia Life Sciences is encouraged by the recent federal court decision issuing a preliminary injunction that prevents Colorado from implementing its upper payment limit for Amgen’s Enbrel, a patented treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions. The ruling underscores a critical concern for the life sciences sector: state-level price controls, particularly those applied to patented medicines, raise significant legal questions and can create uncertainty for the innovation ecosystem that supports the development of new treatments. Colorado’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board had sought to impose the nation’s first upper payment limit on a specific prescription medicine. While the goal of improving affordability for patients is important and shared across the healthcare ecosystem, government-set price caps are the wrong approach. They risk undermining investment in biomedical innovation without guaranteeing that savings will reach patients at the pharmacy counter. As more states consider Prescription Drug Affordability Boards with authority to impose upper payment limits, policymakers should proceed with caution. These boards can add costly and complex layers of bureaucracy while creating uncertainty for companies working to discover, develop, manufacture, and deliver new therapies. To date, PDABs have not demonstrated that they meaningfully lower out-of-pocket costs for patients. GLS supports policies that improve affordability and access in ways that directly benefit patients. Rather than pursuing government-set price controls, policymakers should focus on reforms that address the real drivers of patient costs, including ensuring manufacturer rebates are passed through to patients, increasing transparency across the drug supply chain, promoting competition through generics and biosimilars, and expanding affordable insurance coverage. Patients need solutions that lower costs where they feel them most, at the pharmacy counter. Georgia Life Sciences will continue to advocate for patient-focused policies that improve access, preserve innovation, and support a strong life sciences ecosystem. Source: The court blocked Colorado’s first-in-the-nation Enbrel UPL through a preliminary injunction, with the cap set to take effect in January 2027. More here: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/judge-blocks-colorados-first-of-its-kind-price-cap-amgens-enbrel-2026-07-01/

USPTO selects Georgia and Alabama HBCU and MSI innovation ecosystems for Southeast Community Engagement Office expansion

July 6, 2026

Regionally specialized innovation ecosystem partnerships to serve as nodes of university research excellence and engagement with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions ALEXANDRIA, VA, July 6, 2026 —America’s Innovation Agency, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), in furtherance of its statutory obligations under the Unleashing American Innovators Act (UAIA) of 2022, today announces the selection of Georgia and Alabama innovation ecosystem partnerships in response to its recent Request For Comment to further the agency’s Community Engagement Office expansion to include the Southeast region. The selection of Georgia and Alabama will focus particularly on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). Beginning with the Mountain West region announcements of Montana and Utah Community Engagement Offices, the USPTO reimagined its university partnership footprint to build an agile model of meeting innovators where they are, and more importantly, driving commercialization, manufacturing, and marketplace adoption. The Southeast Community Engagement Office expansion will include regionally specialized innovation ecosystem partnerships anchored in Georgia and Alabama, reflecting distinct regional strengths spanning commercialization, entrepreneurship, branding, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, engineering, and strategic technologies. As robust engines of invention and innovation, HBCUs receive more than $810 million of federal research and development funding, according to the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NSF-NCSES). Indeed, innovation at HBCUs is vast, cutting across a wide spectrum of science and technologies including medicine, engineering, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, defense technologies, and the physical sciences. Across America, university research and breakthroughs fuel our nation’s leadership not only in innovation but also in commercialization, manufacturing, and technology. The innovation ecosystem partnership announced today helps connect HBCUs and MSIs directly to the engines of entrepreneurship, advanced manufacturing, strategic technologies, and economic growth. The partnerships announced today provide robust hubs where researchers, innovators, and funders can help translate research into real-world impact and in turn drive the next generation of American ingenuity and stronger infrastructure to ensure American innovation is developed, commercialized, and scaled in the United States. The Georgia and Alabama innovation ecosystem partnerships will carry out the strategic direction of the USPTO’s Office of Public Engagement and ensure the USPTO’s initiatives and programs are tailored to each community’s unique ecosystem of industries and stakeholders. The ecosystem partnerships will work closely with intellectual property (IP) practitioners and services, startups, commercialization initiatives, and job-growth accelerators. They will also collaborate with local STEM organizations on outreach and educational programming. Georgia In Georgia, the USPTO will work with universities in the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC–Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Spelman College) and the Center for Black Entrepreneurship (CBE–founded by Spelman, Morehouse, Black Economic Alliance Foundation, and Bank of America) which has a national reach with its experiential Launch Incubator for Traction (LIFT) program. The USPTO will work with the AUC-GRANTED Initiative which has a collaborative approach to expand the research support and service capacity, including technology transfer. The Georgia ecosystem partnership will emphasize commercialization, entrepreneurship, branding, startup ecosystems, and innovation acceleration. "Clark Atlanta University is honored to be selected for this USPTO innovation ecosystem partnership, which recognizes the critical role HBCUs play in America's innovation leadership—from research and invention to commercialization and economic impact," said Clark Atlanta University President George T. French, Jr., Ph.D. Dr. French continued, "For too long, HBCU innovators have faced barriers in accessing resources to protect intellectual property and scale breakthrough ideas into viable enterprises. This partnership directly addresses that gap by connecting our researchers, students, and faculty to the full spectrum of support—from patent protection to startup acceleration to manufacturing pathways," French adds. "This is about ensuring HBCU-driven innovation translates into ventures, jobs, and wealth creation while strengthening America's competitive edge globally." Dr. Mark Lee, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at Spelman College said, "Spelman has a long-standing legacy of fostering academic excellence and empowering Black women to lead and innovate on a global scale. This partnership with the USPTO provides our students and the broader Atlanta University Center community with vital resources to protect their intellectual property, cultivate their entrepreneurial talents, and turn groundbreaking ideas into real-world impact. Our focus remains entirely on equipping the next generation of innovators with the tools they need to thrive and build lasting legacies." Kendrick Brown, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs offered, "At Morehouse, we prepare men not only to lead in their fields but to own what they create. The USPTO's investment in the Atlanta University Center Consortium reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that HBCU students, researchers, and entrepreneurs have direct access to the intellectual property systems that protect innovation and generate economic opportunity. This partnership strengthens our capacity to connect academic excellence to real-world commercialization, and we are proud to be part of it." Dr. Grant Warner, the Executive Director of the CBE who has dedicated his career to implementing new opportunities for Black entrepreneurs, particularly at HBCUs said, "It is an honor to be selected as a site for a USPTO Community Engagement Office engagement partnership. It will allow us to take our programming to the next level with respect to both innovation and branding." Alabama In Alabama, the USPTO will work with Alabama A&M University and the broader Huntsville-area innovation ecosystem, including stakeholders connected to aerospace, advanced manufacturing, defense technologies, space commercialization, and STEM workforce development. Huntsville serves as one of the nation’s leading strategic technology corridors with substantial federal research, engineering, and commercialization activity connected to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Redstone Arsenal, and the region’s advanced manufacturing and aerospace sectors. "Alabama A&M University has a long-standing commitment to building partnerships that advance innovation, research, and economic opportunity. Establishing a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office presence on campus will provide students, faculty, and small businesses with greater access to intellectual property resources and expertise. Such access also serves to drive economic growth in this region and transform research into real-world solutions," stated AAMU President Dr. Daniel K. Wims. The Alabama ecosystem partnership will emphasize strategic technologies, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, engineering, and commercialization connected to federal and national-security-adjacent innovation ecosystems. "A USPTO presence at AAAMU creates new opportunities for our students, faculty, and businesses. It also more effectively moves innovative products and services from offices and laboratories to the marketplace," said Dr. Majed El-Dweik, Vice President of Research and Economic Development. These offices will collaborate with existing Southeast-based USPTO program participants like the USPTO Patent Pro Bono Program which provides free patent legal assistance. Georgia PATENTS (Georgia) and Gulf South Invents are the local program participants. The USPTO also imagines that the agency’s existing HBCU-based law school clinics in the Southeast at North Carolina Central University School of Law and the Southern University Law Center will be able to support and enable these innovation ecosystems. The purposes of these ecosystem partnerships, as stated in the UAIA of 2022 include: 1. To partner with local community organizations, institutions of higher education, research institutions, and businesses to create tailored community-based programs that provide education regarding the patent system and promote the career benefits of innovation and entrepreneurship 2. To educate prospective inventors, including individual inventors, small businesses, veterans, low-income populations, students, rural populations, and any geographic group of innovators that the Director may determine to be underrepresented in patent filings, about all public and private resources available to potential patent applicants, including the patent pro bono program The decision on the Georgia and Alabama ecosystem partnerships were based on the following criteria: 1. Robust research activity and graduate-level programs of study in areas which lead to innovations, IP, and IP-intensive companies/industries 2. Availability and concentration of existing commercialization and business development resources (Innovation Ecosystem) 3. Ability to support all innovators, as set forth in UAIA, Sec. 104(b)(3) Today’s announcement furthers the USPTO’s plan to develop and advance specialized engagement partners as engines of opportunity, growth, and global competitiveness. With specialized nodes of university research excellence as active partners, the USPTO is building a nationwide infrastructure comprising nodes of American ingenuity with start-up, university, incubator, manufacturing, advanced technology, and innovation-ecosystem communities as its lifeblood. America’s Innovation Agency congratulates and welcomes its new partners.

Athens Bioscience Names New Leadership Team to Drive Commercial Growth

June 18, 2026

June 18, 2026 - Athens Bioscience, Inc., a US manufacturer of native human and animal proteins, today announced a change in leadership. Benjamin Newland, the company’s Executive Chairman, has become Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, effective today. John Mitchell, who has led the company as CEO for five years, will continue as special advisor. Karson Durie rejoins Athens as Chief Operating Officer, effective June 8, 2026. Dee Athwal, a biotechnology executive and antibody engineer, will join the board of directors on July 1, 2026. Newland becomes chief executive four decades after his father, Dr. Hillary Newland, co-founded the company that became Athens Bioscience in 1986 at the University of Georgia. Newland has served as Chairman and majority shareholder since March 2024 and is relocating from Spain to Athens, Georgia, to take the role. “For forty years Athens has made native proteins in-house, lot after lot — proteins that researchers and diagnostics labs build their own work on top of,” said Benjamin Newland, Chairman and CEO of Athens Bioscience. “What we want to do now is deepen relationships with our core customers and broaden our distribution.We also intend to develop our custom and contract manufacturing line of business. John was instrumental in building internal systems and processes and now we are ready to scale.” Mitchell led Athens for five years. As special advisor, he will support the transition and continue to advise on customer and commercial matters. “Athens made great proteins long before I showed up. What it needed was a tighter operation behind them – steadier planning, cleaner production, shipments you can count on,” said John Mitchell. “That’s built now. The next thing is getting Athens in front of more of the world and I look forward to supporting Benjamin as he moves forward with that.” Durie returns to Athens as Chief Operating Officer, having most recently served as Director of Product Development at Danimer Scientific. She previously served as Lab Director at Athens. She holds a PhD in polymer chemistry and an MBA in finance from the University of Georgia and is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and a registered patent agent. “I know this facility and the people in it,” said Karson Durie, Chief Operating Officer of Athens Bioscience. “Returning as COO is a chance to scale what already works — consistent lots, tight quality control, reliable supply — as demand grows across diagnostics and cell culture.” Athwal will join the board on July 1. He trained as a biophysicist and established the antibody engineering group at Celltech, where he is named as an inventor on foundational antibody-engineering patents. He has founded or co-founded five biotechnology companies and held C-level roles across the UK, US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, including building Complement Therapeutics as CEO and leading the biologics strategy at Kelix Bio through its acquisition by Mubadala. His work in antibodies, immune proteins, and complement biology maps directly to Athens’s largest product lines. About Athens Bioscience Athens Bioscience, Inc. (formerly Athens Research & Technology) manufactures native human and animal proteins for research, cell culture media, and in vitro diagnostics. Founded in 1985 at the University of Georgia, the company purifies more than 170 native proteins in-house at its ISO 9001:2015-certified facility in Athens, Georgia. Athens proteins have been cited in more than 2,500 peer-reviewed publications and reach customers across the US, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Athens does not resell or broker. It manufactures. Media Contact Christie DeMasi Athens Bioscience, Inc. christie@athensbioscience.com +1.706.546.0207

Showcase Your Startup at the 2026 Georgia Life Sciences Summit

June 17, 2026

As part of the Georgia Life Sciences Summit (August 25–26), applications are now open for the Startup Showcase , sponsored by Johnson & Johnson , highlighting early-stage innovation across MedTech and Therapeutics . The Showcase will feature some of Georgia’s most innovative life science startups, giving emerging companies the opportunity to present groundbreaking technologies, products, and solutions to a distinguished audience of industry leaders, investors, researchers, and partners. Selected startups will present during the August 26 luncheon program and participate in a live investor Q&A session with John Gutierrez (Ascenta Capital), Emma Heckenberg, Ph.D. (Solas BioVentures), Patrick Jordan (NovaQuest Capital Management), and Emily Dinu (Numinous Capital) Members of the Johnson & Johnson external innovation team will also be onsite for the program and select companies will be scheduled for a 1:1 meeting to discuss strategic alignment and potential collaboration opportunities. If you or companies in your network are building in MedTech or Therapeutics, this is a strong opportunity to gain visibility, receive feedback on commercialization and growth strategy, and connect with key stakeholders. All applicants receive a complimentary Summit registration, and one selected company will also be invited to participate in the NewYorkBIO / New York Stock Exchange Life Sciences Showcase on December 10. If this is relevant to your work, it would be a strong opportunity to consider applying. If not, it may be worth sharing with companies in your network who are building in this space.

Georgia Life Sciences Educator Connection | June Newsletter

June 15, 2026

Workforce & Education Impact: Building Georgia's Future Life Sciences Workforce - One Teacher at a Time June 16, 2026 - As Georgia Life Sciences concludes the 2025-2026 cycle of the Biotech Teacher Training Initiative (BTTI), the results reinforce the critical role educators play in building the state's future life sciences workforce. Since July of 2025, BTTI engaged 98 educators representing 40 schools across 23 school systems, reaching an estimated 5,375 students through hands-on biotechnology instruction, career-connected learning, and industry-relevant classroom experiences. The Georgia Life Sciences Equipment Depot further expanded the program's impact by supporting 238 teachers with access to laboratory equipment and materials that make authentic life sciences learning possible. Georgia Life Sciences is also pleased to report that funding for BTTI was maintained in the Georgia House version of the FY 2027 budget approved earlier this year. The upcoming 2026-2027 program cycle will mark an important evolution for BTTI. Building on feedback from industry partners and workforce trends across the life sciences sector, Georgia Life Sciences will expand the program's scope to better reflect the skills and competencies employers increasingly need. In addition to foundational biotechnology concepts, future programming will be organized around key industry domains, including Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC), Research & Development (R&D), MedTech, Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and Advanced Manufacturing. This expanded approach will provide educators with greater insight into the breadth of career opportunities available across Georgia's life sciences ecosystem while helping students develop awareness of the technologies and disciplines shaping the industry's future. The impact extends far beyond individual workshops, creating lasting connections between Georgia classrooms and the state's growing life sciences ecosystem while helping build the talent pipeline that will power Georgia's future innovation economy. "Before BTTI, I was hesitant to do biotech labs because they seemed too complex and expensive," shared Josephine Jeganathan of Stockbridge High School. "The program showed me how simplified it can be and provided the equipment and materials needed to successfully implement the Central Dogma Lab with all my classes." Teachers are also seeing increased student engagement through hands-on learning experiences. Tonie Curry of North Clayton High School used a chromatography lab to connect environmental science concepts to water pollution and sustainability. "Students were highly interested in seeing how substances separated and made strong connections to water pollution and environmental sustainability," Curry noted. "The hands-on nature of the lab encouraged curiosity and deeper understanding." For many educators, one of the most valuable aspects of the program is the connection between classroom learning and real-world careers. As Marshai Waiters of Marietta Middle School reflected: "Exposure is key. There are so many avenues to work in STEM, and they are all accessible with opportunity and knowledge. The insights gained from industry speakers will inform my teaching and create new opportunities for student exposure." When teachers are trained, equipped, and connected to industry, students gain more than a science lesson—they gain a window into Georgia's life sciences future.

PULSE Urges FTC, DOJ to Support Pro-Competitive Life Sciences Collaborations and M&A

June 10, 2026

In recent comments to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC), PULSE highlighted critical reforms to ensure that U.S. competition policies support – and do not impede – the pro-competitive mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and other collaborations that drive American life sciences innovation. PULSE submitted comments in response to two joint DOJ/FTC Requests related to Guidance on Collaborations Among Competitors and Improvements to the Premerger Notification and Report Form (HSR Form). Read below for key takeaways from PULSE’s comment letters: 1. Life Sciences Innovation Depends on Collaboration “At its core, life sciences innovation is overwhelmingly collaborative. The cutting-edge medicines and cures developed by America’s life sciences industry are rarely the result of just one sole actor. Instead, they more often emerge from a calibrated sequence of partnerships… that collectively usher a biomedical breakthrough from early-stage discovery to FDA approval and delivery to patients.” – PULSE, Comments on Guidance on Collaborations Among Competitors 2. Policies that Ignore the Fundamental Role of Life Sciences M&A Risk Chilling Innovation for Patients “Against the significant challenges and pressures inherent to life sciences innovation, such policies that needlessly delay pro-competitive transactions have significant ripple effects: eroded investment incentives, disruptions in the path to launch and, ultimately, slowed or stalled development of new treatments and cures for patients.” – PULSE, Comments on Improvements to the HSR Form 3. Clear, Predictable Standards Can Support Competition and Innovation in America’s Life Sciences Ecosystem “Preserving clear and workable pathways for collaboration is therefore essential to sustain the broader ecosystem that delivers innovation and sustains America’s status as the world leader in life sciences innovation.” – PULSE, Comments on Guidance on Collaborations Among Competitors Leading business and industry organizations echoed and reinforced these priorities. Their comments highlight the unique market dynamics of life sciences innovation and the importance of collaboration and M&A – particularly with respect to early-stage R&D. “Because drug development typically takes over a decade, and the vast majority of drugs in development never make it to market, the antitrust risks associated with R&D collaborations in this space may be less than with other R&D collaborations.” – ABA Antitrust Law Section, Comments on Guidance on Collaborations Among Competitors “In the biopharmaceutical sector, for instance, R&D ventures in the pre-clinical or Phase I stages should be presumed lawful. At these early stages, about 90% of drugs never make it to market, so these collaborations are far too distant from commercialization to pose a meaningful threat to competition.” – U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Comments on Guidance for Collaborations Among Competitors “Healthy M&A activity also aids company formation and capital raising earlier in a business’s life cycle, as entrepreneurs and early-stage investors often depend on M&A for an exit opportunity. Conversely, discouraging business combinations by imposing burdensome one-size-fits-all standards on all transactions, like those imposed by the 2024 amendments, would disincentivize early-stage innovation and slow down economic growth.” – National Association of Manufacturers, Comments on Improvements to the HSR Form The bottom line: A balanced approach to antitrust enforcement policy should support life sciences M&A and other collaborations, ensuring new medicines continue to reach patients, while preserving a diverse and collaborative ecosystem. PULSE urges the agencies to adopt clear, workable and predictable standards that companies can apply with confidence. That includes preserving enforcement safety zones for low-risk, pro-competitive collaborations, as well as ensuring the HSR Form facilitates a timely, focused and fit-for-purpose screening process for life sciences M&A deals. Click below to read PULSE’s full comments: PULSE Comments on Guidelines on Collaborations Among Competitors PULSE Comments on Improvements to the HSR Form Source: PULSE Urges FTC, DOJ to Support Pro-Competitive Life Sciences Collaborations and M&A - Partnership for the U.S. Life Science Ecosystem (PULSE)

Georgia Life Sciences Promotes Stacey Bowlin to Executive Vice President

June 5, 2026

June 5, 2026 - Georgia Life Sciences is pleased to announce the promotion of Stacey Bowlin to Executive Vice President . Since joining Georgia Life Sciences in 2024, Stacey has played a central role in advancing the organization’s strategic visibility, industry partnerships, membership growth, and statewide engagement. Her leadership has helped strengthen Georgia Life Sciences’ position as a leading voice for Georgia’s biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostics, and digital health sectors. “Stacey has made an extraordinary impact on Georgia Life Sciences in a very short period of time,” said Maria Thacker Goethe, President & CEO of Georgia Life Sciences . “She successfully led our transformation from Georgia Bio to Georgia Life Sciences, helping modernize our brand and better reflect the full breadth of Georgia’s life sciences industry. She has also strengthened our member recruitment and retention strategy, deepened engagement across the ecosystem, and brought a level of operational discipline that has helped position the organization for continued growth. I am thrilled to recognize Stacey’s leadership and contributions with this well-deserved promotion to Executive Vice President.” In her expanded role, Stacey will continue to lead key areas of organizational strategy, operational execution, member engagement, and long-term growth. She will work closely with the CEO to support financial and organizational performance, oversee key initiatives, and help translate Georgia Life Sciences’ long-term vision into actionable strategies that strengthen the state’s life sciences ecosystem. With more than two decades of experience in strategic engagement, marketing, operations, and industry development, Stacey brings a collaborative, mission-driven approach to leadership that aligns closely with Georgia Life Sciences’ vision for the future.

Governor Kemp Calls Special Session

June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026 - Governor Brian Kemp has issued a formal proclamation convening the Georgia General Assembly in a special session, signaling the need for legislative action outside the regular session calendar. Under the Georgia Constitution, the Governor is empowered to call a special session and define the scope of issues lawmakers may consider. In this instance, the proclamation outlines the specific subject matter to be addressed, effectively limiting legislative activity to those enumerated items. The proclamation underscores the urgency and importance the administration places on the identified issues, which may include time-sensitive fiscal matters, policy priorities, or emergent statewide concerns that cannot reasonably wait until the next regular session. By setting the agenda, the Governor not only accelerates legislative consideration but also shapes the policy framework within which the General Assembly must operate. From a practical standpoint, the special session compresses the legislative timeline, requiring stakeholders to quickly mobilize, engage decision-makers, and adapt strategies in a fast-moving environment. For clients and partners, this means heightened attention to committee activity, leadership negotiations, and potential amendments, as outcomes are often determined on an expedited basis. Topspin Strategies will continue to monitor developments closely, provide real-time updates, and engage with key policymakers to ensure our clients’ priorities are effectively represented throughout the duration of the special session. Details About the Code Sections Being Discussed: Code Section 21-2-379.23 This law applies to Georgia’s electronic ballot marking devices. Key requirements: Ballots must include standard info like: “OFFICIAL BALLOT” Election date Candidates, offices, and questions Ballots must be printed on secure paper with features like a watermark. The text on the paper ballot is the official vote The human-readable text (what you can read on the ballot) = the legally binding vote This applies to: Vote tabulation Recounts Audits What S.B. 189 changed The 2024 law (Act 697 / S.B. 189) made a major shift: It prohibits relying on QR codes or machine-readable codes to count votes Instead, only the printed text must be counted The key changes to this section are scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026 This code section is at the center of current election debates because: Georgia’s existing voting system relies on QR codes for tabulation The law forces a transition to text-based counting State and local officials have warned this creates: Logistical challenges Potential funding gaps Uncertainty before elections Code Section 48-8-109.52 This section (added by S.B. 33) deals with a specific type of local sales tax authority. From the bill text, it ties to: Local governments that levy certain property taxes (ad valorem taxes) And allows or governs how they can adopt an additional local sales tax via local legislation It creates a framework for certain local governments to pass a new or modified local sales tax, but they must do it through a local Act. If a county/city wants to use this new tax authority The legislature must pass a local bill (local Act) following the rules in that code section S.B. 33 (Act 461, 2026) This is the law that: Created or updated this tax mechanism Set the rules + process for how locals can implement it

Remembering Longtime Community Leader, Lee Herron