Georgia Accepting Online Applications for Open Senate Seat

In an unconventional move, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is filling one of the state’s open Senate seats through an online application process that anyone in the state can participate in. U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, a Republican announced his intention to retire last month, citing health concerns. Typically, a governor appoints a member of his party to serve for the remainder of the term or until a special election. This time, however, Kemp is adding a twist, saying he is trying to “ensure an open and transparent appointment process” by allowing anyone to submit their resume through an online portal. All resumes then have contact information redacted and are posted publicly online. There has been a widespread of occupations among the more than 200 applicants so far, including a pilot, a talk show host, a line cook, a theatre technician, and a Home Depot sales associate. "We will carefully vet the applicants and choose a person who best reflects our values, our state, and our vision for the future," said Kemp, a Republican. One of the applicants, a cook and blues musician named Michael Ventimiglia, said he submitted his name because politicians are disconnected from regular people. "I'm out in the street every day. I'm out in the bars... and I hear what people are talking about, that most politicians don't even come around, don't come close to,” he said. Not all are pleased with the new process, though. The online application "changes the complete dynamics on how we thought this [appointment] was going to play out," said Brian Robinson, a Georgia Republican communications strategist. "A lot of people who may have been in the private conversations with Kemp now aren't going to want to put their name out there as someone who is perhaps not particularly happy with the job or elected office they have now," he said. [Atlanta Journal Constitution; NPR]

MARIJUANA EXCLUSION ZONE | Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is proposing an “exclusion zone” for marijuana businesses to keep them out of the central downtown area and instead spread them throughout neighborhoods in the city, particularly on the south and west sides, which have historically been overlooked by economic development opportunities. Some members of the city council disagree with her, and argue that the locations in the city most frequented by workers and tourists should be allowed to have recreational marijuana stores once the businesses become legal in 2020. With a $838 million budget shortfall, they argue the revenue is sorely needed. “There’s a misnomer on the part of people who aren’t in that business that this is gonna be some huge economic windfall for the city. The truth is, our estimates are that we may get $10 million annually … [That’s a] pretty small amount …The city’s piece of this is only three percent,” Lightfoot said. Cresco, a marijuana business that plans to open a 5,000-square-foot recreational facility next year, is displeased with the mayor’s plan. “We’d like cannabis to be accessible to where people shop, where people work and where they come to stay from out of town, and it’s unfortunate to see that there’s a stigma associated with cannabis,” said spokesperson Jason Erkes. [Chicago Sun Times; Chicago Tribune; Block Club Chicago]

CARBON NEUTRAL | Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed an executive order this week that requires the state to become carbon neutral by 2045. Mills, a Democrat, made the announcement before the U.N. at the Climate Action Summit, and urged world leaders to make  similar commitments. "If our small state can do it, you can. Because we've got to unite to preserve our precious common ground, for our common planet, in uncommon ways for this imperative common purpose," Mills told the assembly. Climate change has been a particularly difficult issue for Maine, which relies on industries that have struggled to keep up with sea level rise and higher water temperatures. Fisheries, especially those designed to catch lobsters, have already seen major disruptions. The executive order establishes a climate council for the state, and requires them to make a series of recommendations by December 2020. [WMTW; WGME]

NEWARK WATER | After testing that showed elevated levels of lead in some houses in Newark, New Jersey last month, city officials are stressing that the water filters they provided are safe and effective. The city tested 300 water samples, and found that 97% of filters were working properly. “We thank god that the filters work, but we are not in anyway having a victory lap, because this is not a victory for us, it is good news in a long and arduous task to make sure we have clean drinking water,” said Mayor Ras Baraka. Gov. Phil Murphy said that the city and state will now work together to replace over 18,000 lead pipes that lead to the homes of Newark residents, free of charge to homeowners. “Make no mistake that this the only sure fire long term fix for clean and safe drinking water,” he said. The city is still distributing bottled water to residents who want it, and did not have an explanation as to why 3% of filters failed. [WBGO; Associated Press]

ABORTIONS IN MISSISSIPPI | A new report found that abortions increased by 13% in Mississippi between 2014 and 2017, despite several legislative restrictions that have been passed in recent years to make abortions more difficult to access. Hillary Schneller, lead attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, which has sued Mississippi over restrictions in the past, said that the results of the new report are not surprising. “Anti-abortion laws only make it more difficult and costly for people to access abortion and delays abortion later in pregnancy. If politicians really want to lower abortion rates, they should be investing in sex ed and expanding access to contraception. That’s common sense,” she said. Terri Herring, an anti-abortion lobbyist in Mississippi, said that laws that require things like a 24-hour waiting period and state-mandated counseling are meant to get women to consider other options besides abortion. “What we’re trying to do through state law is give women as much information and as much time to change their mind as possible,” she said. [Mississippi Today; Atlanta Journal Constitution]