Georgia: Deal signs state school district legislation. Under a new law passed by the Peach State legislature and signed this week by Gov. Nathan Deal (R), low-performing schools will be taken over by a newly-created state-run school district. Deal said 139 schools currently would qualify, reports WABE.org. He noted that in the long run, this would be less costly because it would reduce the prison population, where “almost 70 percent of our inmates dropped out of school.” ……. Louisiana: Vitter bill passes US Senate. Legislation that liberalizes federal funding for speech-generating devices used by victims of ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, passed the Senate unanimously this week. The measure, which now goes to the House, is named after New Orleans Saints football payer Steve Gleason, who suffers from the disease ……. South Carolina: Graham hits Paul on foreign policy. US Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) this week attacked the foreign policy stance of presidential candidate Rand Paul (R-KY). Paul’s record “shows a foreign policy vision one step behind leading from behind,” Graham said, as reported in The Hill. If Paul were nominated for president, Graham added, “[We] risk giving up the central issue of the 2016 campaign, which will be foreign policy.” …….
