Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia Republicans and business leaders unveiled a sweeping plan yesterday to overhaul personal injury and other civil lawsuits in the state.

Why it matters: Kemp has made tort reform his No. 1 priority for the 2025 legislative session, arguing that Georgia's rules governing evidence and big payouts to plaintiffs make the state less business friendly and saddle consumers with higher prices.

The other side: Trial lawyers, Democrats and other opponents argue that decades of data shows there's no link between tort reform and insurance rates.

• There's no guarantee that consumers' costs would fall if tort reform passes, Darren Penn, an Atlanta trial lawyer, told Axios.

Catch up quick: The legislative package is two years in the making and follows a listening tour Kemp held in 2024 with industry representatives across the state.

• "We have done our homework," said Kemp, flanked by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and House Speaker Jon Burns at the press conference at the state Capitol. "The legislation was crafted to be comprehensive but also reasonable."

Zoom in: Kemp wants to change the rules regarding the evidence juries can consider and to limit businesses' liability when crimes are committed on their property by a third party.

• He also has proposed changing how damages are calculated in personal injury lawsuits and limiting third parties from bankrolling lawsuits, including "hostile foreign adversaries" like China and Russia.

State of play: Democrats have called the reform package corporate cronyism. House Minority Caucus chair Tanya Miller (D-Atlanta) told Capitol Beat that hurricanes and severe storms help drive up premiums.

Context: In 2026, Kemp enters his final year as governor, which also means his last opportunity to change state laws and budget spending — all while other Republicans stake their positions for that year's gubernatorial election.

• He wants to close the book on tort reform this year — and repeated his threat to call a special session if the Legislature fails to do so.

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The bulky and boxy MARTA cars that have ridden the rails for decades will soon be a thing of the past.

Driving the news: Yesterday, MARTA debuted the new rail car that will replace its aging fleet later this year. (The vehicles must first be tested.)

Fun fact: The new trains feature an open gangway, meaning a person standing inside the train at the back can see all the way to the front.

What they're saying: "There's nothing like this in the U.S.," CEO and general manager Collie Greenwood told civic, political and business leaders at the agency's annual State of MARTA event.

What's next: Construction work is under way on the A-Line, MARTA's first bus rapid transit route, and the agency's bus network redesign will increase access to 245% more people, Greenwood said.

A monthly rent of $2,000 can get you a 1,266-square-foot apartment in metro Atlanta, which is bigger than the national estimate of 1,103 square feet, according to a new Redfin report.

Why it matters: Across the country, renters with that budget can afford 70 more square feet than they could in 2022 when rents peaked — enough for a small office, Redfin states.

What they're saying: Brand-new apartments flooded the market over the past few years, helping to slow rent hikes.

Between the lines: As of October, the median asking rent, or the cost of a new lease, was $1,550 in Atlanta and $1,615 nationwide, per the report.

Reality check: Many people are putting more money towards their rent.

What we're watching: As people postpone home purchases, increased apartment demand and less apartment construction pave the way for higher rents.

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If your car insurance bill keeps going up, you aren't alone.

Why it matters: Rising insurance costs and other car-related expenses are creating an affordability crisis with little room to maneuver.

Driving the news: The average annual cost of full auto coverage increased 20% in Georgia from 2023 to 2024, higher than the nationwide percentage of 15%, per a new report from Insurify.

• Sure, that feels steep, but states like Minnesota (58%), Maryland (53%) and California (48%) saw much higher spikes.

Zoom in: Georgians paid an average of $2,815 annually in 2024, which is also higher than the national average of $2,313.

What's next: Rates are expected to keep rising.

• Insurify projects Georgia drivers will pay an average of $3,052 in 2025, or 8% more than last year.

💭 Kristal's thought bubble: When I got my own car insurance, I remember hearing that my rates start to would drop when I turn 25 and continue to fall as I got older. Fifteen years later, I'm still waiting for that to happen.

Go deeper: Where car insurance costs are rising the fastest

🚨 Sheriffs in five Georgia counties signed up for a controversial program that allows law enforcement officers to perform some of the actions ICE agents are tasked with. (AJC)

✋ A proposal to operate a crematorium at the site of a cemetery is drawing pushback from DeKalb County residents. (Decaturish)

⬇️ UPS' stock tumbled after announcing its plan to significantly cut the number of packages it transports for Amazon. (Axios)

🦫 Sunday is Groundhog Day, so look out for General Beauregard Lee's prediction on whether we'll see an early spring or six more weeks of winter.

• At 7:30am, officials at the Dauset Trails Nature Center in Jackson will pull Beau out of his miniature mansion.