Kemp wants to redraw districts; Hospitals at risk of closing; New funds for bird flu

Summary

Georgia Today – May 13, 2026

Host: Peter Biello (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Main Theme:
This episode covers Governor Brian Kemp’s push for redrawing Georgia’s congressional districts, new legislation impacting local elections, the chronic risk of rural hospital closures, a major investment in avian flu vaccine research, and other major statewide news stories.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kemp Calls Special Session to Redraw Congressional Maps

Timestamps: 00:37–02:28

• Key Facts:

  • Governor Brian Kemp has called a special legislative session (beginning June 17) for redrawing Georgia’s congressional districts.
  • Why? Recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have weakened protections for majority-minority districts under the Voting Rights Act.
  • Lawmakers must also resolve a contradiction in state law concerning ballot QR codes (required to be removed by July 1, but no alternative yet).
  • Kemp signed a bill requiring most local officials’ elections in Atlanta’s five most populous counties to be nonpartisan.

• Political Tension:

  • The nonpartisan elections law, backed by Republicans, has produced strong backlash from local Democrats who argue it obscures party lines and advantages GOP candidates.
  • The move shifts many local elections to May, typically a lower-turnout month.
  • Local DAs Bonnie Willis and Sherry Boston plan a lawsuit, calling the measure a GOP attempt "to give their candidates an edge in Democratic areas by hiding their party affiliation from voters." – Sarah Kallis, GPB (01:47)

• Notable Quote:

  • “Fulton County DA Bonnie Willis and DeKalb County DA Sherry Boston called the new law an attempt by the GOP to give their candidates an edge in Democratic areas by hiding their party affiliation from voters.” – Sarah Kallis (01:47)
  • “Republican backers said the bill was about promoting public safety.” – Sarah Kallis (01:56)

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2. Kemp’s Vetoes & Legislative Updates

Timestamps: 02:28–03:46

• Music Office Bill Vetoed:
  • Kemp vetoed a bipartisan bill to create a Georgia Music Office; reasoned the legislature didn’t fund it and the office “is not needed.”
  • Georgia Music Partners said they are “disappointed the bill was not signed into law, but a movement focused on protecting, elevating and investing Georgia's music ecosystem will continue.” – Peter Biello (02:54)
• Gun Storage Ordinance Bill Vetoed:
  • A bill banning cities from requiring gun owners to lock up guns in cars was also vetoed.
  • Kemp worried the measure would make law enforcement vulnerable to lawsuits.
  • Savannah Mayor Van Johnson supported the veto: “Savannah will continue doing everything legally possible to protect our residents, reduce gun thefts from vehicles and keep our neighbors safe.” (03:20)

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3. Rural Hospital Closures & Healthcare Funding

Timestamps: 03:46–04:34

• Findings by Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC):
  • Nearly two dozen Georgia hospitals risk closing due to high spending on uninsured and underinsured patients.
  • Medicaid expansion is lacking, and there’s been a 25% drop in marketplace plan enrollments.
  • Since 2005, nine hospitals have closed in Georgia.
  • Systemic Barriers: “Now we have some structural and policy barriers in place to even further limit access to the doctor. We're going to see the impacts of that, especially in the rural deep South.” – Gina Azito Thompson, SPLC report author (04:12)
  • The state is spending over $200 million on rural hospital projects to soften the impact of federal health care funding cuts.

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4. Ex-Prison Warden Indicted in Contraband and Murder-for-Hire Operation

Timestamps: 04:34–05:13

• Story Details:
  • Former Smith State Prison warden Brian Adams indicted on six counts (bribery, money laundering, tampering with evidence, false statements).
  • Investigation links Adams to prison gang activity and a botched murder-for-hire that killed Bobby Kickliter, 88, in 2021.
  • Adams allegedly profited from contraband smuggling linked with the prison gang.
  • Four charged in connection with Kickliter's death (“a botched murder for hire orchestrated inside the prison”).

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5. Bird Flu Vaccine Research Receives Federal Funding

Timestamps: 05:48–06:44

• Key Facts:
  • USDA awarded $2 million to Georgia Tech researchers developing an oral, bacteria-based vaccine for chickens against H5N1 avian influenza.
  • About half a million Georgia chickens have been culled fighting H5N1 over the past five years.
• Scientific Approach:
  • Mike Farrell, principal research scientist, explains chickens are already fed probiotics:
    • “Probiotic bacteria are generally considered safe. So it's a very attractive platform to build a vaccine upon.” (00:26, 06:19)
  • The concept: use food-safe probiotics as a delivery platform for vaccines.
  • Farrell highlights: “Treating viruses with a bacterial vaccine is a relatively new idea and it could have tons of applications for both chickens and humans down the road.” – Chase McGee reporting (06:33)

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6. Major Ponzi Scheme Guilty Plea

Timestamps: 06:44–07:25

• Edwin Brant Frost IV, founder of First Liberty Building and Loan, pleads guilty to wire fraud after running a $140-million Ponzi scheme.
• The company's failure had “rocked many in the upper echelons of the Georgia Republican Party.” – Peter Biello (06:47)
• Frost scammed clients, family, and friends with “illusory promises of sizable returns.”

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7. Brief Sports and Human Interest Updates

Timestamps: 07:25–08:23

• Baseball:
  • Braves’ Grant Holmes and three relievers pitched a one-hitter win against the Cubs. The team honored recently deceased Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox (died at 84) and former owner Ted Turner (died at 87).
  • Braves to wear embroidered “No. 6” on hats in Cox’s honor.
• Notable Athlete Passing:
  • Jason Collins, former Atlanta Hawks player and first openly gay man to play in a major American pro sports league, died at 47 after battling brain cancer.
  • Atlanta Hawks statement: “Collins' courage and authenticity broke barriers across professional sports.” – (08:12)

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Memorable Quotes with Attribution & Timestamps

• On Nonpartisan Election Law:

  • “Fulton County DA Bonnie Willis and DeKalb County DA Sherry Boston called the new law an attempt by the GOP to give their candidates an edge in Democratic areas by hiding their party affiliation from voters.” – Sarah Kallis (01:47)

• On Health System Struggles:

  • “Now we have some structural and policy barriers in place to even further limit access to the doctor. We're going to see the impacts of that, especially in the rural deep South.” – Gina Azito Thompson, SPLC (04:12)

• On Avian Flu Vaccine Research:

  • “Probiotic bacteria are generally considered safe food safe. So it's a very attractive platform to build a vaccine upon.” – Mike Farrell, Georgia Tech (00:26, repeated at 06:19)
  • “Treating viruses with a bacterial vaccine is a relatively new idea and it could have tons of applications for both chickens and humans down the road.” – Chase McGee (06:33)

• On Savannah’s Gun Ordinance:

  • "Savannah will continue doing everything legally possible to protect our residents, reduce gun thefts from vehicles and keep our neighbors safe." – Savannah Mayor Van Johnson (03:20)

• On Jason Collins:

  • “Collins' courage and authenticity broke barriers across professional sports.” – Atlanta Hawks statement (08:12)

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Kemp calls special session, voting legislation: 00:37–01:45
• Democratic backlash, nonpartisan elections law: 01:45–02:28
• Vetoes: Music Office, Gun Storage Law: 02:28–03:46
• Hospital funding, SPLC report: 03:46–04:34
• Prison warden indictment, murder-for-hire: 04:34–05:13
• Bird flu vaccine research at Georgia Tech: 05:48–06:44
• Ponzi scheme guilty plea: 06:44–07:25
• Sports/human interest (Braves, Jason Collins): 07:25–08:23

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Summary

Georgia Today’s May 13, 2026 episode spotlights the political, social, and health challenges currently shaping the state. Governor Kemp’s call for a special legislative session and his controversial bills underscore deep political divides, while the discussion of healthcare funding and hospital closures highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in rural communities. Federal support for avian flu vaccine research at Georgia Tech offers a note of hope, even as criminal and financial scandals continue to trouble the state. The episode closes by honoring sports figures who broke records—and barriers—in Georgia and beyond.

Transcript

[Peter Biello]

Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, governor Brian Kemp calls for a special legislative session to redraw Georgia's congressional district maps. A former state prison warden has been indicted in connection with a contraband smuggling operation, and researchers at Georgia Tech get a boost in their work to stop the spread of avian flu.

[Mike Farrell]

Chickens are fed probiotics in their diet. Probiotic bacteria are generally considered safe food safe. So it's a very attractive platform to build a vaccine upon.

[Peter Biello]

Today is Wednesday, May 13th. I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. Governor Brian Kemp is calling a special session of the General assembly to redraw the state's political maps and address a looming deadline over how Georgians vote. Kemp's proclamation today calls lawmakers back to the state Capitol on June 17. The move follows the U.S. supreme Court decision that gutted protections for majority minority districts under the Voting Rights Act. It also follows the state Senate's decision not to address in its regular session a contradiction in Georgia law related to ballots. Lawmakers in 2024 required QR codes to be removed from ballots by July 1 but provided no alternative. The state House passed a bill to postpone the deadline, but the Senate failed to follow suit. Governor Kemp also has signed into law a bill that requires non partisan elections for most local officials in Atlanta's five most populous counties. The Republican backed law affecting elections in Democratic strongholds is generating backlash from local officials. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports.

[Sarah Kallis]

After Kemp signed the bill on Tuesday, two Democratic district attorneys promised a lawsuit over the new law's constitutionality. Fulton County DA Bonnie Willis and DeKalb County DA Sherry Boston called the new law an attempt by the GOP to give their candidates an edge in Democratic areas by hiding their party affiliation from voters. The new law also moves many local elections to May, when fewer voters typically turn out. Republican backers said the bill was about promoting public safety. It will not impact county sheriff's races and will take effect in 2028 unless halted by the courts. The move comes as Democrats have made steady gains in metro Atlanta swing districts. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis.

[Peter Biello]

Kemp signed that bill on the last day he had to sign or veto bills from the 2026 state legislative session. He vetoed a dozen bills, among them one that passed with broad bipartisan support that would have created a Georgia music office to advance the state's music industry. Kemp said he supported the bill's goals, but lawmakers didn't fund it and it's not needed. Industry advocacy group Georgia Music Partners said in a statement that it's disappointed the bill was not signed into law, but a movement focused on protecting, elevating and investing Georgia's music ecosystem will continue. Another bill targeting Savannah would have banned cities from requiring gun owners to lock up their guns and cars. Kemp said he supported the bill's goals, but it would have made law enforcement officers vulnerable to lawsuits. Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said he supports Governor Kemp's veto and and said, quote, savannah will continue doing everything legally possible to protect our residents, reduce gun thefts from vehicles and keep our neighbors safe. Federal cuts to health care funding are putting Georgians at risk for losing access to health care. That's according to a new analysis from the Southern Poverty Law Center. GPB's Sophie Gradas has more.

[Sophie Gradas]

The SPLC's report suggests that in Georgia, nearly two dozen hospitals are vulnerable to closure because they're overspending on uninsured and underinsured patients. Without Medicaid expansion and with nearly a quarter drop in marketplace health insurance plan enrollment this year, report author Gina Azito Thompson says the state's hospitals will be further burdened. Nine hospitals have closed in Georgia since 2005. Now we have some structural and policy barriers in place to even further limit access to the doctor. We're going to see the impacts of that, especially in the rural deep South. This year, the state will spend over $200 million on projects at rural hospitals. That's part of a federal program to mitigate cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. For GPB News, I'm Sophie Graudas.

[Peter Biello]

A former state prison warden has been indicted in connection with a contraband smuggling operation tied to a prison gang and the murder of an 88 year old man in southeast Georgia. The fatal 2021 in home shooting of Tattnall County's Bobby Kickliter set in motion an investigation that prosecutors now link to six counts against former prison warden Brian Adams. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today said Adams used his position at Smith State Prison to profit off gang activity. Adams Adams is accused of bribery, money laundering, tampering with evidence and making false statements. Four people are charged in connection with Kicklider's death, described as a botched murder for hire orchestrated inside the prison.

[NPR Up First Host]

You know, Every day on Up First, NPR's Golden Globe nominated morning news podcast, we bring you three essential stories. the heart of each story are questions. What really happened? What really mattered? What happens next? At npr, we stand for your right to be curious and to follow the facts. Follow up first wherever you get your podcasts and start your day knowing what matters and why.

[Peter Biello]

The U.S. department of Agriculture has awarded $2 million to researchers at Georgia Tech to develop an oral vaccine for chickens to help stop the spread of avian influenza. GPB's Chase McGee has more over the

[Chase McGee]

last five years, around half a million chickens in Georgia have been cold in the fight against H5N1, the current prevalent strain of avian influenza. Mike Farrell is a principal research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. His team is working to develop an oral bacteria based vaccine that can be fed to chickens to prevent the virus.

[Mike Farrell]

We take probiotics in the morning sometimes. Some of us do. Chickens are fed probiotics in their diet. Probiotic bacteria are generally considered safe food safe. So it's a very attractive platform to build a vaccine upon, ferrell says.

[Chase McGee]

Treating viruses with a bacterial vaccine is a relatively new idea and it could have tons of applications for both chickens and humans down the road. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee.

[Peter Biello]

The founder of a Georgia investment firm that collapsed in what prosecutors alleged was a $140 million Ponzi scheme has pleaded guilty to a wire fraud charge. The downfall of the company, First Liberty Building and Loan, rocked many in the upper echelons of the Georgia Republican Party. The company's politically connected founder, Edwin Brant Frost iv, allegedly scammed clients, family and friends with illusory promises of sizable returns on investments. Frost entered a guilty plea in a courtroom in Noonan, south of Atlanta, yesterday morning and is scheduled to be sentenced in August. In sports and baseball, Atlanta's Grant Holmes combined with three relievers on a one hitter to lead the Braves to victory over the Chicago cubs last night. 52 Austin Riley and Mike Istremski Homer and Didier Fuentes worked three scoreless innings in relief. The the Braves honored Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox and former owner Ted Turner in the first home game since both men died. The club had a moment of silence following a video tribute to both men and had a display set up with jerseys and photos in the Battery Plaza outside the park. The Braves will wear an embroidered no. 6 on the back of their caps the rest of the season to honor Cox, who died Saturday at the age of 84. Turner died last Wednesday at 87. J.R. richie gets the start for the Braves against the Cubs tonight, and former Atlanta Hawks player Jason Collins died yesterday after a battle with brain cancer. Collins played for the Hawks from 2009 to 2012 and was known for his defensive play in 2014 with the Brooklyn Nets. Collins became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league, the Atlanta Hawks said in a statement. Collins courage and authenticity broke barriers across professional sports. The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Jason Collins was 47 years old. That is it for this edition of Georgia Today. If you want to learn more about any of these stories, go to gpb.org news and make sure you subscribe to this podcast. It's a great way to stay on top of Georgia news. And if you subscribe, we'll pop up in your podcast feed automatically every weekday afternoon. Now, if you've got feedback or maybe a story idea we should know about, the best way to reach us is by email. When you send an email, it goes to the whole team, so send it now. Email is georgia todaypb.org.