NEWS & OPINIONS
Religious Freedom Next Year and Beyond
I recently attended a conference that included a number of participants who have thought deeply about religious freedom and have acted effectively in its defense. Naturally, everyone was talking about the high-profile legislative battle in Indiana. That got me...
Debt as a Barrier to Reentry: Jonathan O’Neill’s Story
Jonathan O’Neill, a humble and soft-spoken man, is 46 years old and the father of fourteen children. He has been incarcerated since 2012 and currently resides at a transitional center where he works and takes various classes to prepare for his release that is set for...
Capitol Update – April 1, 2015
We are happy to provide you with this update on some of the bills that GCO is following this session. Should you have any questions or comments, please email Eric Cochling. House Bill 243 - Education Savings Accounts - sponsored by Rep. Mark Hamilton, R-Cumming The...
Religious Liberty and “Big Business”
This past week, Indiana enacted a religious freedom law much like the one that remains under consideration here in Georgia. Despite Governor Mike Pence’s assurances that the bill has nothing to do with discrimination, there was a swift—and very negative—reaction on...
The Religious Liberty Endgame
I have been following the legislative peregrinations of Georgia’s religious liberty (notice that, unlike the Atlanta newspaper, I don’t use “scare quotes” to describe it) legislation with a great deal of interest and concern. There are just a few days left in this...
New GCO Report: Fortifying Pathways
While education plays a tremendous role in shaping individual life outcomes, the number of students in Georgia who do not advance beyond K-12 remains astronomically high. Over 1 in 5 young adults in Georgia are not attending school, not working, and have no degree...
Michael Bowers’ Religious Freedom Contretemps
I used to admire and respect Michael Bowers, Georgia’s Attorney General from 1981 to 1997, but his recent intervention in the debate over the religious freedom bills ought to embarrass him. To be sure, losing my respect won’t cost him any sleep and the mainstream...
Gov. Deal “Banned the Box” in Georgia
It's official. Governor Nathan Deal signed an executive order on February 23rd to "ban the box" on applications for state employment in Georgia. This order will remove the question about felony convictions from the initial job application and postpone it to a later...
Religious Hiring and State Religious Freedom Legislation
In a blog post, the AJC’s Jay Bookman tried to use a case in Kentucky to raise the spectre of what might happen in Georgia if the legislature passed the “Preventing Government Overreach on Religious Expression Act,” its version of the Religious Freedom Restoration...
New GCO Report: A High Price to Pay
GCO's latest report provides solutions that aim to minimize the role debt has in driving recidivism rates. Offenders often leave prison owing tens of thousands of dollars in debt, creating serious obstacles to a successful reentry. The state expects returning...
A Real Chance to Prosper Event Recap
Georgia Center for Opportunity’s annual fundraiser, a Real Chance to Prosper, on December 4th was a great success. It brought together around 200 people at the newly opened College Football Hall of Fame for a night celebrating the legacy of the late Jack Kemp and...
Sajan George Schools Local Leaders on Education Turnarounds
Over the past year, Georgia Center for Opportunity has hosted a series of luncheons aimed at encouraging local educators and business leaders to think outside of the traditional education reform box. Past keynote speakers have shared ways educators can work within...
MEDIA MENTIONS
Reopening Isn’t About Haircuts, It’s About Relieving Human Suffering | THE TELEGRAPH
Georgia recently began the long process of reopening its economy in the wake of what it is hoped will be the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning in late April, certain categories of businesses were allowed to open in Georgia, including restaurants and barber...
Reopening Isn’t About Haircuts, It’s About Relieving Human Suffering | INSIDE SOURCES
Georgia recently began the long process of reopening its economy in the wake of what it is hoped will be the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning in late April, certain categories of businesses were allowed to open in Georgia, including restaurants and barber...
PRESS RELEASE: GCO signs on to federal policy recommendations to provide educational opportunity for all schoolchildren
PEACHTREE CORNERS—The Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) announced today that it has signed on to policy recommendations to Congress that would expand educational access for more schoolchildren. The recommendations were jointly issued by GCO in partnership with...
Lawrenceville creates a center to help vulnerable residents during COVID-19 | 11 ALIVE
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Lawrenceville's response to the coronavirus is now up and running, offering short-term emergency assistance to residents. City council members, alongside Lawrenceville Mayor David Still, approved an agreement with Impact46, Inc. to create...
Georgia Enters into May with a New Executive Order and Guidelines for Georgians
Georgia's Gov. Brian Kemp issued a new executive order today outlining guidelines as Georgia resumes more of a pre-coronavirus lifestyle. Many of the guidelines come with strict stipulations for businesses to follow in order to remain open. GCO's Vice President of...
Inside a week that could define Kemp’s political career | AJC
Gov. Brian Kemp’s brutal week started with the threat of a protest at the Capitol urging him to lift coronavirus restrictions as he was planning to do just that. It ended with a cacophony of horns from a caravan of demonstrators outside the Governor’s Mansion who were...
Meet 5 Chicago Tech Companies on the COVID-19 Front Lines | BUILT IN CHICAGO
They’re looking into 3D-printing N95 and N80 masks. They’re providing medical professionals with personal protective equipment made in-house. They’re distributing fanny-packs stuffed with medical supplies to healthcare providers. Tech companies across the nation are...
Business, policy leaders weigh in on what’s needed to help rebuild Georgia’s economy | BAKER CITY HERALD
While part of Georgia’s economy is scheduled to reopen Friday, business and policy leaders say the state needs to take action to secure long-term stability. Buzz Brockway, vice president of public policy for the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) – an independent...
