Councilmember Kelsea Bond pushes using jail diversion programs to reduce overcrowding

Atlanta City Councilmember Kelsea Bond introduced their first resolution on Monday aimed at reducing jail overcrowding ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Co-sponsored by Councilmembers Jason Dozier and Antonio Lewis, it calls out the Atlanta Police Department for underutilizing pre-arrest diversion programs for low level offenders, such as Police Alternatives and Diversion (PAD) and the 24/7 Center for Diversion Services (CDS). 

Despite significant city funding, only about three people per day are diverted to the CDS, which can serve up to 41 people, said the District 2 councilmember’s resolution.

“The current conditions at the Fulton County Jail represent a human rights crisis. It’s morally imperative that the city of Atlanta steps up to utilize diversion as an alternative to arrest for eligible cases and take immediate steps to reduce the jail population,” Bond said in a statement. “It’s time to end the criminalization of homelessness, poverty, and mental illness.”

The resolution calls for the city to use PAD and CDS to capacity. It also directs the Atlanta Police Department and Atlanta Solicitor’s Office to provide periodic reports to the council’s Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee on the use of diversion for non-violent offenses by police zone. 

Atlanta Press Club hosts special election forums for Congressional District 14, as early voting starts

The Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young Debate Series hosted two forums Sunday evening for the crowded field of candidates vying to replace GOP Congressmember Marjorie Taylor Greene in a special election on March 10. 

Because there are now 18 candidates (four more have dropped out) running for the District 14 seat, extending from Cobb County to the northwest corner of Georgia, the candidates were divided into two hour-long forums. Taped at Georgia Public Broadcasting’s studios, they can be viewed at GPB.org and the Atlanta Press Club Debates YouTube channel. 

The first featured Republicans Star Black, Regan Box, Clayton Fuller, Trey Kelly, Brian Stover, Megahn Strickland and Jim Tully, as well as Democrat Jim Davis, independent Rob Ruszkowski, and Libertarian Andrew Underwood. 

The second included Republicans Beau Brown, Eric Cunningham, Tom Gray, Nicky Lama, State Rep. Colton Moore and Jennifer Turnipseed, plus Democrats Shawn Harris and Jonathan Hobbs. 

Four GOP candidates, Marty Brown, Jared Craig, Larry Hilley and Christian Hurd, dropped out of the race, though their names may still appear on voter’s ballots.

Early voting began Monday and runs through March 6. Consult the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page to verify if you are eligible to vote in this election and find early voting locations.

📷 The pohotographer caught this behind-the-scenes shot of me talking with candidate Tom Gray. Credit: J. Glenn Photography

US Rep. Ilhan Omar and Minnesota activists share tips for successfully resisting ICE

Hours after President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan announced Feb. 12 that he was suspending the Minnesota immigration crackdown, local organizers and Congressmember Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) shared lessons on protecting communities from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from their over two months of popular resistance. In the national webinar, Omar also offered specific advice to elected leaders bracing for a surge of federal immigration enforcement in their own communities. 

→ Read our full story here.

ON THE CALENDAR
  • The Fulton and DeKalb County Democrats are hosting a forum for Democratic candidates for governor at 6 pm Feb. 19 at Druid Hills Middle School, located at 3100 Mt. Olive Drive in Decatur. For more info and to RSVP, click here. 
  • City Councilmember Wayne Martin is hosting a District 11 Town Hall from 6 pm to 8 pm on Feb. 19 at Believer’s Bible Christian Church, located at 3689 Campbellton Road SW. To send advance questions, click here. 
  • The Center for Civic Innovation, Housing Justice League, and Working Families Power are hosting a series of community townhalls on the city of Atlanta’s plan to extend the Tax Allocation Districts. The first discussion is 6 pm Feb. 19 at 460 Edgewood Ave. NE. For more info and to RSVP, click here.

Bills on our radar

SB 447 weakens construction runoff protections

By changing how soil erosion and sediment permits are issued, Georgia Senate Bill 447  will weaken protections against construction runoff, imperiling Georgia’s streams, rivers and clean water, say local environmentalists. The GOP-backed bill is before the Senate’s State and Local Government Operations Committee. 

SB 443 increases protest penalties

Georgia Senate Bill 443 increases the charges and penalties for obstructing a roadway – a common charge against protestors. The GOP-backed bill, now before the Senate Judiciary Committee, raises simple obstruction from a misdemeanor to a high and aggravated misdemeanor. If paired with property destruction or bodily injury the offense becomes a felony, carrying a minimum fine of $5,000 and/or a five-year prison sentence. If convicted, the offender is also civilly liable for property damage. 

The ACLU warns the bill expands criminal liability for protected First Amendment protest activities, particularly for spontaneous demonstrations.

→ Click here to see all the legislation we’re tracking this session. 

Today’s Democracy Digest was written by Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon and edited by Meredith Hobbs. As always, thank you for reading and supporting local journalism.