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On Monday, January 12, 2026, the Georgia General Assembly continues its 158th session…which began with the 2025 General Assembly in the traditional two-year cycle. It gets pretty busy around the Gold Dome and even here next door at the Twin Towers. From budget battles and education reform to healthcare, transportation, and election law changes, there is a lot going on. Joining us today to preview the session is Polly McKinney, Advocacy Director for Voices for Georgia’s Children and a partner at Lexicon Strategies; Liz Young is Director of Government Relations and Special Projects here at DECAL, Rian Ringsrud is our Deputy Commissioner for Finance and Administration, and our special guest Greg Bluestein is Chief Political Reporter with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. We will also hear from State Rep Rick Townsend who joined us in Brunswick for a recent podcast on our Chop, Look, Listen campaign and took a moment to do a little legislative prognosticating.

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This week, we are excited to shine a light on Helping Mamas, a remarkable nonprofit organization here in Georgia dedicated to connecting essential baby supplies to families in need. From diapers and wipes to car seats and strollers, Helping Mamas plays a critical role in ensuring every child has the basics for a healthy start in life. Joining us to talk about Helping Mamas is Jamie Lackey, Founder and CEO, Laura Wagner, Executive Director of our Georgia Foundation for Early Care and Learning, and Quandra Obi, Special Assistant to Commissioner Jacobs and a member of the leadership team that raised the most money for our recent $5,000 donation to Helping Mamas.

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Some Georgia high school students are getting a jump start on their careers in early childhood education by taking classes on the subject as early as high school. For example, Maxwell High School of Technology in Gwinnett County offers early childhood education offerings that include a fully operational Georgia’s Pre-K Program classroom. Joining us to talk about the program is Karey McFall, an Early Childhood Education Instructor, along with Laurynn Martin, a paraprofessional and former student at the program, plus current students Aubrey Hoyt and Justin Davilla Mora. And Rokeya Stone is a Georgia’s Pre-K Program Specialist who works with the team at Maxwell High School of Technology.

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