GNB Update

Wednesday has come and gone...Now here's the news...

The mourning continues for Habitat For Humanity Founder Millard Fuller. Fuller died while en route to an Albany hospital early Tuesday morning. He was 74. In his almost 30 years as Habitat chairman, he helped build more than 175,000 houses in over 100 nations. The Washington Post reports that an autopsy was being performed to determine the cause of death.

On the legislative front, the State Senate on Tuesday passed legislation that could let voters choose whether or not they should pay a penny sales tax for new roads in metro Atlanta. Counties will also have the opportunity to weigh in on whether or not to pay more money for future projects. But even if the law passes this year, voters won't get a chance to have their say until 2010.

In other General Assembly news, Georgia senators also passed a bill that would allow prosecutors to seek a sentence of life in prison without parole without seeking the death penalty first. State Senator Preston Smith of Rome says prosecutors are in support of the bill, but there's division among defense attorneys. The legislation will now go to the House for consideration.

And scratch one politician from the running for Georgia Secretary of State in 2010. State Representative Clay Cox of Lilburn announced Tuesday he would not seek that seat come next election. He wants to focus on his duties in the legislature instead, reports the Gwinnett Daily Post.

That's the news for Wednesday. But remember to log on to georgianewsbeat.blogspot.com for fresh Georgia-related news around the clock. Have a good evening.