Advertise on podcast: Lawmakers: Spotlight

Georgia lawmakers are weighing whether the state’s bell-to-bell cell phone ban should expand from middle schools into high schools. On this episode of Lawmakers: Spotlight, host Donna Lowry talks with Representative Scott Hilton and Senator Rashaun Kemp about classroom distractions, student mental health, and what comes next for education policy under the Gold Dome.

On this episode of Lawmakers: Spotlight, host Donna Lowry sits down with Georgia Senators Jason Dickerson and Jaha Howard. They discuss proposed legislation on lab-grown meat, data center growth, trucking and CDL regulations, property tax reform, and the future of public education in Georgia. The conversation explores how trust, technology, and community impact are shaping decisions at the Georgia Capitol.

Georgia lawmakers are considering a sweeping proposal to eliminate the state income tax, and the implications could reshape the state budget for decades. On this episode of Lawmakers Spotlight, host Donna Lowry speaks with Republican Senator Blake Tillery and Democratic Senator Nan Orrock about affordability, fairness, and funding essential services. The conversation breaks down who benefits, who bears the risk, and what eliminating income taxes could mean for you and your community.

Georgia lawmakers are preparing for a future shaped by artificial intelligence, social media, and emerging transportation technologies. On this episode of Lawmakers: Spotlight, you hear how state leaders are working to encourage innovation while protecting children and families from the unintended harms of rapidly evolving tech.

As Georgia lawmakers convene for the start of the 2026 legislative session, major debates are already taking shape around taxes, education, and emerging technology. On this episode, you hear from Donna Lowry, host of GPB’s Lawmakers, as we break down proposals to eliminate the state income tax, curb rising property taxes, and address literacy and artificial intelligence under the Gold Dome.

Lawmakers: Spotlight shines a light on the voices driving Georgia's legislature. Host Donna Lowry interviews lawmakers, public officials, and community leaders on the top issues coming from under the Gold Dome. These conversations offer insight into the decision-making process behind the laws and their effects on everyday Georgians and provide clarity, context, and a closer look at the inner workings of the state government.

LISTEN: GPB's Donna Lowry talks to Georgia state Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta) about the growing challenges facing older youth in Georgia as they age out of foster care without permanent families.

LISTEN: In this week’s Lawmakers Huddle, GPB’s Donna Lowry talks with a state senator who called for a study committee on improving family caregiver services — after navigating the struggles of caring for his ailing father.   

Five Georgia state lawmakers are traveling to Israel as part of a bipartisan delegation organized by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

LISTEN: Natural disasters like Hurricane Helene often remind elected officials of their most essential role: being there for their communities in times of crisis. In Lawmakers Huddle, GPB's Donna Lowry talks with state lawmakers about their Helene experience.

Federal grant cuts are leaving Georgia communities without vital resources. Representatives Marvin Lim and Karen Lupton join host Donna Lowry to explain the impact on schools, nonprofits, and public agencies.  

Senator Blake Tillery joins Lawmakers’ Huddle to discuss his push to eliminate Georgia’s state income tax. He explains why he believes the change is key to keeping Georgia competitive while ensuring families keep more of their earnings.

Senator John F. Kennedy joins Lawmakers’ Huddle to discuss Georgia’s rising rates of chronic absenteeism and how Senate Bill 123 aims to address it. The conversation examines the origins of the problem, the role of local solutions, and what lies ahead for a statewide study committee.

As Georgia students prepare to head back to school, new safety measures are top of mind. This episode of Lawmakers Huddle examines SB 17, a law that requires mobile panic buttons and real-time mapping in schools to aid first responders. Host Donna Lowry speaks with Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte about the law’s origins, its impact, and the continued push to protect students and staff across the state.

A new Georgia law now allows trucks to carry up to 88,000 pounds on non-interstate roads, a move aimed at supporting the state's top industry, agriculture, while maintaining a carve-out for metro Atlanta. Representative Leesa Hagan explains the bipartisan effort behind the change and shares how a young hunter helped inspire a new law allowing neon pink safety gear in the field.