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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Atlanta. Written by Emma Hurt, Kristal Dixon and Thomas Wheatley.

Axios Atlanta Thought Bubble

Axios Atlanta

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has named its first Black editor-in-chief in the paper's 155-year history.

Driving the news: Current leader Kevin Riley announced his retirement yesterday, and the paper has named managing editor Leroy Chapman, Jr. as Riley's successor.

Riley will become an editor-at-large after 12 years at the helm of the AJC—the longest tenure for a current lead editor of any major metropolitan paper.

Catch up quick: Chapman has been with the paper since 2011 and in journalism for nearly three decades. The Navy veteran came to Atlanta from The State newspaper in South Carolina where he worked as governance editor.

What they're saying: "The AJC should stand on the side of what is right," Chapman told AJC reporter Michael Kannell, "That’s how history is going to judge us."

The big picture: Of his history-making role Chapman said: ”My family traces its history back to Colonial times."

"There is an arc from seeing my family on census reports listed as property all the way to this. It is a fantastic American story."

Editor's note: Axios and the AJC are both owned by Cox Enterprises.

AJC names first Black editor in chief in history

The paper has named managing editor Leroy Chapman, Jr. as its new editor in chief.

Photo: Courtesy of Tyson Horne/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has named its first Black editor-in-chief in the paper&#x27;s 155-year history.Driving the news: Current leader Kevin Riley <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="announced" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ajc.com/news/ajc-names-new-top-editor/2VO665CARNFCBCTPF2IMP4EL2A/" data-vars-content-id="022e0cb2-fd5e-40cf-b1e5-e4dabdd43f7f" data-vars-headline="AJC names first Black editor in chief in history" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ajc.com/news/ajc-names-new-top-editor/2VO665CARNFCBCTPF2IMP4EL2A/" target="_blank">announced</a> his retirement yesterday, and the paper has named managing editor Leroy Chapman, Jr. as Riley&#x27;s successor.

News

Vitals

Axios Vitals

Georgia saw the 9th-highest adjusted COVID death rate, according to an analysis published by The Lancet.

Zoom out: D.C., Arizona and New Mexico saw the three-worst rates, Axios' Tina Reed writes.

Why it matters: The paper is among the first deep dives to explore the social and economic factors at play during the pandemic.

Between the lines: The analysis found states with more mandates, such as those that encouraged mask use, mobility restrictions and vaccination — and kept them longer — experienced lower infection rates.

But, the authors said, only vaccine coverage had a strong association with the state-by-state variation in COVID death rates.

Of note: 59% of Georgians have received two vaccine doses. But just 27% have received the recommended four.

The better news: Hawaii had the lowest adjusted COVID death rate with 147 COVID deaths per 100,000 people. It was followed by New Hampshire (215 per 100,000) and Maine (281 per 100,000).

"Our study suggests that the policy mandates and protective behaviors adopted in this pandemic were effective in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infections but might have been associated with employment and educational trade-offs," the authors wrote.

Flashback: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp faced much criticism in the spring of 2020, including from the Trump White House, for pushing to ease restrictions and reopen some of the state's businesses earlier than most other states. He's consistently defended his decisions as protecting "lives and livelihoods."

Georgia has the 9th-highest COVID death rate

That's according to an analysis published by The Lancet.

COVID-19

Georgia saw the 9th-highest adjusted COVID death rate, according to an analysis published by The Lancet.Zoom out: D.C., Arizona and New Mexico saw the three-worst rates, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios&#x27; Tina Reed writes." data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/24/why-america-uniquely-vulnerable-covid" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/24/why-america-uniquely-vulnerable-covid" target="_self">Axios&#x27; Tina Reed writes.</a>

COVID

Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a ban on gender affirming health care for transgender minors Thursday. 

This comes after state Republican lawmakers gave it final approval on Tuesday.  

Driving the news: The bill prohibits doctors from administering hormone therapy or transition-related surgery to Georgia minors — one of more than 100 bills targeting LGBTQ health care nationally identified by the ACLU.

It will go into effect July 1, and minors who are already receiving hormone replacement therapy at that time will be grandfathered in.

What we're watching: The Justice Department challenged a similar bill passed last year in Alabama and a federal judge granted an injunction to halt part of its implementation. State Sen. Sally Harrell (D-Atlanta), who has a transgender child, warned colleagues the bill would be unconstitutional. 

Amanda Kay Seals, a University of Georgia law professor of sexual orientation and gender law told Axios she expected Georgia's law to be "vulnerable to many of the same challenges" as its Alabama counterpart. 

What they're saying: Kemp in a statement said the bill would "protect the health and wellbeing of Georgia's children," echoing the sentiments of the bill's Republican supporters.

State Sen. Carden Summers (R-Cordele), the bill's sponsor, told colleagues on Tuesday: "We're doing the right thing by protecting the children."

The other side: State Sen. Kim Jackson (D-Stone Mountain) argued the House version of the bill opens medical professionals up to criminal liability and lawsuits for prescribing any such treatment. 

Jackson called it "grossly disgusting" and accused her colleagues of "using children as pawns...under the guise of compassion."

Threat level: Major medical organizations including the American Medical Association have declared gender-affirming health care "medically necessary" and confirmed that it has "positive health effects" for children and adolescents, too.

"Individuals with gender dysphoria who have undergone no gender confirmation treatment are twice as likely to experience moderate to severe depression," the AMA has found.

Flashback: Kemp last year pushed legislation to ban trans high schoolers from playing on sports teams that match their gender identities.

Between the lines: The bill has been vocally opposed by transgender rights activists during its progression through the state Capitol. One trans Georgia college student, Leonardo Hinnant, testified lawmakers would have "blood on their hands" from the suicides of transgender minors because of the bill. 

A group of more than 500 medical professionals signed a letter in opposition, saying they were "appalled" by "such disregard for standards of medical care." 

Summers told Axios in a prior interview he doesn't think suicides will increase among transgender minors as a result.

"I don't believe that. But you know, I hope and pray that's not the case," he said.

Editor's note: This article was updated on March 23 to reflect the governor signing the bill into law, and to correct that it will go into effect July 1, not immediately. 

Georgia's ban on transgender care for minors becomes law

The legislation's fate is now in the hands of GOP Gov. Brian Kemp.

Illustration of the Georgia State Capitol building and snippets of legislative text from SB 140.

Transgender rights

Gov. Brian Kemp <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="signed" data-vars-click-url="https://twitter.com/GovKemp/status/1638979605397925888" data-vars-content-id="71991ec1-7fb3-40df-b4d5-540e287d60ee" data-vars-headline="Georgia&#x27;s ban on transgender care for minors becomes law" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://twitter.com/GovKemp/status/1638979605397925888" target="_blank">signed</a> into law a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ban" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2023/03/16/georgia-house-ban-transition-health-care-minors" data-vars-content-id="71991ec1-7fb3-40df-b4d5-540e287d60ee" data-vars-headline="Georgia&#x27;s ban on transgender care for minors becomes law" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2023/03/16/georgia-house-ban-transition-health-care-minors" target="_self">ban</a> on gender affirming health care for transgender minors Thursday. <ul><li>This comes after state Republican lawmakers gave it final approval on Tuesday. </li></ul>

It's the fastest growing revenue pool for the Georgia Lottery and brought in $141 million to Georgia education last year. It's arguably one of the most regulated and taxed industries in the state, and it's been plagued by bad actors and illegal practices.

It's the state's "coin operated amusement machines," or COAMs, and the Georgia legislature has been quietly working to overhaul the industry's regulation.

Driving the news: H.B. 353, sponsored by State Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell), has been in the works for years. What he calls a "cleanup for the industry" is the closest it's come yet to becoming law in the final days of the session.

This is the first year, Powell told a committee, "We've actually been able to hem up these companies and their lobbyists."

Why it matters: The Georgia Lottery and its games like COAMs fund the state's HOPE Scholarship and Pre-K programs. Roughly $5 billion was played on Georgia COAMs last year.

How it works: Companies that own COAMs (or "master licensees"), negotiate a contract with an "operator," like a convenience store to guarantee space for their games, as each location can only have up to 9 Class Bs.

By statute, each party gets 45% of the revenues and the Lottery gets 10%.

There are more than 33,000 Class B COAMs in Georgia, according to the Lottery. Class B games are known as "games of skill" and physically resemble slot machines.

Class A COAMs refer to lower-stakes games like coin-operated pinball, claw games and pool tables.

Class B COAMs in Little Five Points. Photo: Emma Hurt/Axios

There are a few key problems Powell hopes to clean up:

1.  Illegal cash payments. Right now, COAM winnings can only go towards in-store credit and other Lottery games. But to try to recruit players, some COAM owners and convenience stores have been illegally paying out cash instead. The bill would allow winnings in the form of gift cards, usable anywhere, which Powell argues would remove any incentive to illegally hand out cash.

The Lottery has been piloting a gift card program since last summer.

2.  Weak oversight. Lawmakers and companies have complained that weak state oversight has allowed COAM owners to undercut their competitors' contracts with stores through "inducements." The bill seeks to strengthen oversight over the Lottery in the hope of tightening up enforcement.

3.  Revoked license sales. Currently, if a COAM owner breaks the law and loses their license, they can profit off privately selling that license to another company, in effect rewarding bad behavior. The bill requires a public auction to try to limit the dynamic.

Of note: While anti-gambling advocates decry COAMs as addictive and illegal gambling, it's the non-cash payout that keeps COAMs technically legal, Powell says.

"This industry is about recreation. I can't help what people do. I don't put money into a machine," he told Axios in an interview.

Additionally, COAMs are defined as "games of skill," as opposed to pure luck.

Threat level: Manu Sekhri, CEO of Lucky Bucks — one of the largest Class B COAM operators in the state — told Axios they want the new regulations so bad actors can't undermine their own growth.

He said they're seeing "an incredible amount of corruption on the [convenience] store side" plus "an incredible lack of regulation from the Lottery."

They know cash is being illegally handed out, Sekhri said, because Georgia has a high rate of "wins per unit per day" even compared to places where cash payouts are allowed. "Cash is being served to players against the law and it's resulting in this increase in gameplay," he said.

The other side: Testifying to Powell's House committee in January, Lottery president and CEO Gretchen Corbin told him they're open to increased regulation: "Anything you can help us tighten up…to make things stronger, to regulate this industry in a proper way, yes sir."

In a statement, Lottery spokesperson Tandi Reddick told Axios it "does not make public policy. We respect the legislative process and will adhere to Georgia law."

What we're watching: The bill is scheduled for a Senate vote Thursday but needs a final vote in the House before becoming law. 

Cleaning up Georgia's COAM industry

It's the fastest growing revenue pool for the Georgia Lottery.

Illustration of a claw machine grabbing a bar of soap.

Technically this is a Class A COAM. Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios

It&#x27;s the fastest growing revenue pool for the Georgia Lottery and brought in $141 million to Georgia education last year. It&#x27;s arguably one of the most regulated and taxed industries in the state, and it&#x27;s been plagued by bad actors and illegal practices.<ul><li>It&#x27;s the state&#x27;s &quot;coin operated amusement machines,&quot; or COAMs, and the Georgia legislature has been quietly working to overhaul the industry&#x27;s regulation.</li></ul>

Politics

As the General Assembly negotiates the state's $32.4 billion budget, Georgia's intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) community is hoping for results from a renewed bipartisan lobbying push.

Driving the news: The Senate budget proposal doubles the total number of state-funded waivers that pay for IDD care, to more than 1,000. Senate budget Chairman Blake Tillery told colleagues last week it was "probably the one item that I received more letters on from you members than any other singular item."

Senator Sally Harrell (D-Atlanta) and Senator John Albers (R-Roswell) led a study committee on the topic last year.

While they've asked for even more, Harrell told Axios she's "pleased" with the addition.

Why it matters: Once the more than 200,000 Georgians with IDDs graduate from school, their parents often must quit their jobs to take care of them if insurance won't cover the cost of care. Waivers can make a big difference.

There is only a finite number of waivers funded. Right now more than 7,000 Georgians are on the waiting list for waivers — though who's in the front of the line depends on need level.

What's happening: Advocates for those with IDDs say they need more waivers and an increase to the hourly rate that the state sets for providers, paid by those waivers.

·Right now those providers receive under $12 an hour. Advocates want the state to set rates closer to $19.

It's not as simple as funding more waivers because there simply aren't enough providers today, since wages are too low, said Kevin Tanner. Tanner is the commissioner of Georgia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

With better pay, he told Axios, plus new waiver funding, the network will "be able to ramp up to take on that challenge."

The big picture: D'Arcy Robb, executive director of the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, told Axios this is also a workforce issue. "Everybody with a disability who is working age can work with the right support. They don't have the chance to do that if we're not investing in them," she said.

Plus, funded services will free up parents to re-enter the workforce and higher wages will draw more people to the profession, she pointed out. "It's a triple win."

What's next: The final budget must pass by Wednesday.

Budget push for Georgians with disabilities

More than 200,000 Georgians live with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Illustration of donkey and elephant legs high-fiving.

Disability

As the General Assembly negotiates the state&#x27;s $32.4 billion budget, Georgia&#x27;s intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) community is hoping for results from a renewed bipartisan lobbying push.Driving the news: The Senate <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="budget proposal" data-vars-click-url="https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/senate-budget-office-document-library/appropriations/2024/general/fy24g_sac.pdf?sfvrsn=ec7abea6_2" data-vars-content-id="d339fb7c-4178-447a-a5b3-eadd7e1ae5d0" data-vars-headline="Budget push for Georgians with disabilities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/senate-budget-office-document-library/appropriations/2024/general/fy24g_sac.pdf?sfvrsn=ec7abea6_2" target="_blank">budget proposal</a> doubles the total number of state-funded waivers that pay for IDD care, to more than 1,000. Senate budget Chairman Blake Tillery told colleagues last week it was &quot;probably the one item that I received more letters on from you members than any other singular item.&quot;

Emma Hurt

Featured stories

Georgia has the 9th-highest COVID death rate

Budget push for Georgians with disabilities

AJC names first Black editor in chief in history

Georgia's ban on transgender care for minors becomes law

Cleaning up Georgia's COAM industry