Georgia Government 101

Georgia Government 101: What does the Commissioner of Insurance do?

The recent dispute between Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Piedmont Healthcare makes any discussion about Georgia's insurance commissioner -- and the upcoming election for that post -- timely and relevant. This is the office that handles your insurance and determines if your premiums are too high. If you're not happy with your health insurance, you may want to pay close attention to who is running for this office. What are the roles and responsibilities of the Commissioner of Insurance: Georgia's insurance commissioner oversees the state Insurance and Fire Safety department. The office is responsible for regulating all forms of insurance including…

Georgia Government 101: What does the Commissioner of Agriculture do?

If you're like most Georgians, you probably hear "Commissioner of Agriculture" and think peanuts and peaches. If you don't own a farm, you probably don't think the department of agriculture has anything to do with you. That couldn't be farther from the truth. Georgia's Commissioner of Agriculture has a hand in more of your everyday life than you're aware of. Since you're going to be voting for this seat in November, let's take a few moments to learn just how important this office is. What is the role of the Commissioner of Agriculture?: The Commissioner of Agriculture as a broad…

Georgia Government 101: What does the state Attorney General do?

In November, Georgians will elect a state attorney general. If you don't know what the attorney general does, you certainly aren't alone. Here is everything you need to know about this vital position in state government. What is the role of the Attorney General?: The attorney general is the top legal advisor in the state. The attorney general serves the chief legal advisor to the governor, prepares all legal contracts the state enters into, prosecutes cases in which the state is the plaintiff and defends the state in cases where Georgia is the defendant. The position represents Georgia in all…

Georgia Government 101: What does Georgia’s Secretary of State Do?

The office of United States Secretary of State grabbed headlines last week when Donald Trump fired secretary of state Rex Tillerson. Georgia residents don't have to worry about the governor firing Georgia's secretary of state, as it is an elected office with responsibilities widely different from its D.C. counterpart. Since this is a statewide office and you'll be voting for its occupant soon, let's take a quick look at what the office is. What is the Role of the Secretary of State?: The office of Secretary of State is hard to put in a box. The position is most known…

Georgia Government 101: What does the Lieutenant Governor do?

Note: This is the first in our Georgia Government 101 series. Throughout this series, we will explain the role of each state-wide office that you, the voter, will be voting on in May and November. We'll start with the Lieutenant Governor and move down. We're skipping the office of Governor because most people probably have a good idea of that office's role. What is the role of Lieutenant Governor?: The lieutenant governor is the state's version of a vice president. The position essentially has the same two responsibilities. The lieutenant governor presides over the state senate and casts the tie-breaking vote…